Vertigo is my favorite publisher of all time too!
Things I've Read/Reading: Sandman (one of the greatest comics ever), Preacher (fun stuff), V for Vendetta (I liked the movie...and I don't feel guilty about it), Watchmen (you are not the first or probably even the twentieth person I've come across who's thought this but Watchmen is NOT Vertigo), Y: The Last Man (ah, I absolutely love this book), Dysart's Unknown Soldier (cancelled before it's time but the ending was amazing), Unwritten (loving this one, I can't wait to see where it's going), American Vampire (I'm excited for this book's future)
Things I want to read more into: Transmetropolitan (Ellis' greatest work IMO, the series is actually very depressing when you let yourself be confronted by the truth, it's Spider that keeps us sane), Fables (a lot of people complain about the early issues of the series but it's definitely a book that gets better with each story and in the end you won't regret the early stuff...I for one never disliked the early stuff but some people complain), Ex Machina (again, not Vertigo, it's WildStorm but I have the first five trades on my shelf right now unread...going to buy the last five and read it all in one shot), Hellblazer...definitely Hell Blazer (definitely).
Things I KNOW I should've read already but haven't yet: Moore's Swamp Thing (this was actually one of my last priorities, I realized it was essential too but to be honest I'm not the biggest Moore fan...some of the stories for me were some of the best Swamp Thing stories ever...but the run definitely had its dips in quality IMO but don't listen to me on this, Silkcuts will convince you it's the greatest thing ever and I'm okay if others liked it more then me...however, don't forget other Swamp Thing writers...BKV wrote a 20-issue series...it's about Swamp Thing's daughter but it's a great series, unfortunately it was cancelled before he wrote Y:TLM and everyone realized how amazing he was), Milligan's Shade (my second favorite comic! I understand without a complete trade collection it's difficult to read it all but it's all awesome...the book is mainly three distinct eras #1-32, #33-50, #51-70...the middle of the three is definitely my personal favorite but the series as a whole is an amazing example of experimentation in the medium, great stuff), Morrison's Animal Man/Doom Patrol (Doom Patrol DEFINITELY! also Animal Man from him was indeed great...but...and I know I'm alone in this, I think Delano wrote a better Animal Man...a more animal-oriented one...it's not in trade unfortunately but it's issues #51-79), Carey's Lucifer (my favorite comic of all time...now, I'm not saying it's the greatest ever made but it's the one that personally stuck with me, it was also my first Vertigo comic), Scalped (this series is great, very gritty and depressing), Madame Xanadu (cut short before its time but definitely a good read...also some amazing art), Hell Blazer...yes I have Constantine on the brain lately
Things I'd like some feedback on: The Dreaming (definitely underrated, I went into this book expecting little, I mean it was never really collected so it couldn't have been that good...and that's where I was wrong. it started out as a rotating cast of writers with their own stories to tell though and I'll admit I didn't like ALL of those stories but some were amazing...and eventually Caitlin Kiernan became the official writer of the book and starting with 17 an ongoing storyline kicked off...it's really an essential read if your a fan of the supporting cast in Sandman such as Lucien, Cain and Abel, Matthew, etc. a lot of new stuff about them is established), Sandman Mystery Theater (ah, another classic, don't know why they don't have a ninth trade solicited for this summer but it's a really good book, not my typical comic though, it's very formulaic as these things are...every arc is four issues, introduces a new serial killer, Dodds has to stop them, etc. but there's also an ongoing story behind it all including his relationship with Dian AND it's also a look at the underbelly of society of course as all stories set in the 30's would have to be)
Others:
Now I don't want to bog you down and I don't want to sit here typing all day but here's a few (not all the Vertigo comics I liked) essential reads (at least IMO) in the first list while the second list is comics I wouldn't call essential but that I found personal joy in
- 100% (the superior of Paul Pope's two Vertigo titles)
- 100 Bullets (this is an amazing story, and it's so great watching it all unfold to its inevitable conclusion, crime/noir stuff)
- Black Orchid (Gaiman's is essential...I'm actually in the process of reading the ongoing series that spun-off, I thought the first seven or so issues were bloody amazing but then the book took a turn for the worse and until I finish it I can't decide if the ongoing is worthwhile or not)
- Daytripper (the first eight issues, I'm not a guy who likes an answer with books like this so the last two issues weren't personal favorites but the first eight are DEFINITELY essential)
- Death (I assume you've read them, but the Death minis, High Cost of Living and Time of Your Life)
- Demo (okay, this should probably be on the second list but this series is the best demonstration of Wood and Cloonan at their best, I think the 2nd volume topped the 1st, but both are great)
- Human Target (Milligan's Human Target, only half collected but it's definitely essential, story about a man who's trying to find his identity)
- Pride of Baghdad (OGN about a family of lions in the modern day wartorn Baghdad, beautiful but sad story)
- The Books of Magic (Gaiman miniseries...there's also some good stuff throughout the various series that followed, but rarely anything consistently awesome)
- The Filth (Morrison)
- The Invisibles (same as above)
- The Alcoholic (I think this is my favorite semi-autobiographical comic ever)
- Adventures in the Rifle Brigade (this isn't essential in the slightest but it's worth more then a few laughs...it's classic Ennis humor mixed with World War II equaling quests for Hitler's lost bollock, a man who is constantly faking his own death in order to get homosexual favors from his superior officer and of course an American who says nothing but "Gawd Dammit!")
- American Virgin (I'm not sure how essential this series is so I put it in this list but I very much enjoyed it...all about sex of course and fifty different viewpoints on it)
- Vertigo Crime (all the Vertigo Crime graphic novels have been great so far, definitely makes me appreciate the noir genre more)
- Beware the Creeper (I really liked this one, it's a French Creeper from the 1920's I believe...great story)
- Blood and Water (just the first three issues...the last two kind of felt like a lame ending for me)
- Crossing Midnight (Mike Carey's unsuccessful attempt at an ongoing between Lucifer and Unwritten...the art's probably not for everyone but I enjoyed the story, 'twas a pity it got cancelled)
- Faker (Mike Carey mini, great stuff...just a little story about a girl with a problem regarding the truth and other stuff)
- Finals (recently got a Vertigo Resurrection, fun little book, ah, reminds me of my high school)
- House of Mystery (the current series, I've never been able to pin down in so many words why I enjoy it so much but it's a great read)
- Jack of Fables (first 36 issues are hilarious, great fun and douchebaggery, skip the stuff after that though...)
- Seaguy (it's incomplete and I doubt Morrison will ever finish it because he's too busy with his mainstream stuff rolls eyes but it's a good read IMO)
- The Nobody (Jeff Lemire's Invisible Man)
- The Other Side (taking a look at both sides of the Vietnam War)
but I'm getting tired (and I'm sure you're not even going to read this far in the post before you shake your head and move on) so I'll stop...hope this was at least somewhat helpful
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