Must Read Self-Contained Graphic Novels?

[Kenny]

I recently thoroughly enjoyed the experience of reading Watchmen. And I have just started to enjoy reading graphic novels in general. What I liked about Watchmen (unlike many other graphic novels) is that it was self-contained (I didn’t have to worry about missing out on a huge back story or being left at the end with having to buy the next one in the series to see what happens next).

Does anyone have suggestions on what other self-contained graphic novels it would be good to read?

[Seasanctuary]

Obvious, but good: V for Vendetta.

Something well-written and kid friendly! Bone: One Volume Edition

Broken into four volumes, but I highly recommend this if you like smart, stylistically shifting vignettes: Planetary

This one scared me silly as a child, seriously: Garfield: His 9 Lives
-> More mind-blowing Garfield.

Edit - Oh, looks like the fourth and final volume of Planetary is not coming out until March next year. Slowsdale! I'll probably buy the full set at that time to make up for, uh, digital browsing.

[Matt the Bat]

How about Maus?

[sc_q_jayce]

Kingdom Come

And this one on Shazam is short but sweet.

[Oolon Colluphid]

"From Hell", also by Alan Moore, the author of 'Watchmen' is a highly recommended read. Ostensibly it's about the Jack-the-Ripper murders, but It's really about lots of other things, such as the treatment of women in patriarchal societies, the hypocrisy of the ruling classes, the (sometimes) deadly role that superstitious beliefs can play, the excesses of tabloid journalism and its attendant problems etc. etc.

It's also meticulously researched with extensive appendices that helpfully separate the facts from the 'faction'.

[RBerman]

Certainly read Kingdom Come. Anything painted by Alex Ross is at least worth looking at, if not reading as well.

Rising Stars by Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski. This is the full version which is probably hard to come by, but you can also buy it split into several smaller pieces.

1602 by Neil Gaiman has versions of the main Marvel characters operating in the time of Queen Elizabeth.

Identity Crisis by Brad Metzler is a whodunnit featuring DC's Justice League.

The Ultimates by Mark Millar comes in two volumes and is a start-from-scratch story about the Marvel team usually called The Avengers.

You would also do well to be familiar with some of the adventures of Tintin, a 1960s comic book which formed the prototype for Johnny Quest.