Time Magazine's Top 10 Graphic Novels

a list by Peter, the avid reader who runs Flashlight Worthy

Back in 2005, Time Magazine ran a list of the 100 best books from 1923 to present. In a nod to the evolving means of telling a story, they included these 10 graphic novels. (And we here at Flashlight Worthy added one more that we think they overlooked.)

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Berlin_City_of_Stones_Book_One');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1896597297'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Berlin_City_of_Stones_Book_One');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1896597297'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Berlin: City of Stones: Book One illustrated by Jason Lutes onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Berlin_City_of_Stones_Book_One');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Berlin_City_of_Stones_Book_One');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1896597297'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 209 page paperback \|$13.57 \|11 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Blankets');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1891830430'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Blankets');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1891830430'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Blankets by Craig Thompson onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Blankets');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Blankets');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1891830430'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 592 page paperback \|$19.77 \|124 reviews This book also appears on The Best Graphic Novels... According to Alan Kennedy


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Bone_The_One_Volume_Edition');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/188896314X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Bone_The_One_Volume_Edition');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/188896314X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Bone: The One Volume Edition by Jeff Smith onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Bone_The_One_Volume_Edition');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Bone_The_One_Volume_Edition');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/188896314X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 1,300 page paperback \|$26.37 \|96 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/The_Boulevard_of_Broken_Dreams');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375421912'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/The_Boulevard_of_Broken_Dreams');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375421912'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">The Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Kim Deitch onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/The_Boulevard_of_Broken_Dreams');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/The_Boulevard_of_Broken_Dreams');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375421912'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 160 page hardcover \|$14.28 \|7 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Batman_The_Dark_Knight_Returns');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1563893428'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Batman_The_Dark_Knight_Returns');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1563893428'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Batman_The_Dark_Knight_Returns');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Batman_The_Dark_Knight_Returns');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1563893428'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 224 page paperback \|$10.19 \|328 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/David_Boring');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375714529'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/David_Boring');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375714529'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">David Boring by Daniel Clowes onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/David_Boring');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/David_Boring');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375714529'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 136 page paperback \|$14.93 \|31 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/ED_The_Happy_Clown');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0921451040'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/ED_The_Happy_Clown');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0921451040'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">ED The Happy Clown onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/ED_The_Happy_Clown');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/ED_The_Happy_Clown');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0921451040'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 208 page paperback \|$149.00 \|2 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Jimmy_Corrigan_The_Smartest_Kid_on_Earth');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375714545'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Jimmy_Corrigan_The_Smartest_Kid_on_Earth');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375714545'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Francois Voltaire onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Jimmy_Corrigan_The_Smartest_Kid_on_Earth');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Jimmy_Corrigan_The_Smartest_Kid_on_Earth');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0375714545'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 380 page paperback \|$13.57 \|118 reviews This book also appears on The Best Graphic Novels... According to Alan Kennedy


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Palomar_The_Heartbreak_Soup_Stories');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1560975393'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Palomar_The_Heartbreak_Soup_Stories');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1560975393'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Palomar: The Heartbreak Soup Stories by Gilbert Hernandez onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Palomar_The_Heartbreak_Soup_Stories');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Palomar_The_Heartbreak_Soup_Stories');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/1560975393'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 512 pages, used, starting at $69.57 \|12 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Watchmen');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0930289234'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Watchmen');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0930289234'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Watchmen by Alan Moore, illustrated by Dave Gibbons onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Watchmen');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Watchmen');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0930289234'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 416 page paperback \|$11.99 \|462 reviews This book also appears on The Best Graphic Novels... According to Alan Kennedy


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Persepolis_The_Story_of_a_Childhood');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/037571457X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Persepolis_The_Story_of_a_Childhood');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/037571457X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi While not on Time Magazine's list, we felt that Persepolis was too good to be left off the list. onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Persepolis_The_Story_of_a_Childhood');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/Persepolis_The_Story_of_a_Childhood');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/037571457X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 160 page paperback \|$10.36 \|170 reviews


onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/The_Complete_Maus_A_Survivors_Tale');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0679406417'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">	onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/The_Complete_Maus_A_Survivors_Tale');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0679406417'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman Funny. While this list was chosen by Time Magazine -- which is clearly stated at the top of the list -- people keep writing in with suggestions for additions. One well-phrased suggestion came from my friend Shannon: "Peter, how could "Maus" not be on this list? I know Spiegelman is a controversial figure, but that doesn't take anything away from the fact that the story of his family's experience in the Holocaust is absolutely the most moving and... I dunno... surprising perspective I've ever read. In my opinion, most graphic novels, especially ones like "Persepolis" that seek to tell a story that is both true and horrible, owe something to Art." onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/The_Complete_Maus_A_Survivors_Tale');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/Time_Magazines_Top_10_Graphic_Novels/The_Complete_Maus_A_Survivors_Tale');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0679406417'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 296 page hardcover \|$23.10 \|186 reviews This book also appears on: The Best Graphic Novels... According to Alan Kennedy The Favorite Books of Laura Shea

Know any books we should add to the list above? .