Time Magazine's Top 10 Graphic Novels

a list by Peter, the avid reader who runs Flashlight Worthy
filed under Best of... and Graphic Novels

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

 
 
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

 
 
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

 
 
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

 

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

 
 

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