True North Country Comics presents Doug Savage’s top 10 go-to comic book and graphic novel list.
Doug is the creator of the popular long-running comic Savage Chickens and the graphic novel series Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy. His work is published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, who most recently published the third book in the Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy series, Time Trout.
Here is Doug Savage’s top 10 go-to comic books and graphic novels:
Box Full of Hell by Matt Groening https://www.amazon.ca/Box-Full-Hell-Matt-Groening/dp/0679721118
“When I was a teenager, I bought this three-book collection of Life in Hell comics on a whim and it changed my understanding of what comics were capable of. Probably the single greatest influence on my Savage Chickens work.“
Copper by Kazu Kibuishi https://www.amazon.ca/Copper-Kazu-Kibuishi/dp/0545098939
“The surreal travels of a boy and his dog. Kazu is best known for his brilliant Amulet series, but I read Copper first and it’s still my favourite.”
Ethel and Ernest by Raymond Briggs https://www.amazon.ca/Ethel-Ernest-Raymond-Briggs/dp/1911214608/
“Briggs created this lovely tribute to his parents and I just think it’s really sweet.”
Fir Valley by Jason Turner https://www.cloudscapecomics.com/product/fir-valley/
“In the spirit of ‘Twin Peaks’, Fir Valley’s free-associating story makes you feel like you’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next. I love meandering through this world of mysterious people doing mysterious things.”
Guts by Raina Telgemeier https://www.amazon.ca/Guts-Raina-Telgemeier/dp/0545852501
“Everybody loves Raina Telgemeier’s books, but for me her latest is particularly special. She is such a brave writer, and I love how she tackles important subjects (anxiety, in this book) with such honesty and clarity.”
Kingdom by Jon McNaught https://www.amazon.ca/Kingdom-Jon-McNaught/dp/1910620246
“I love McNaught’s amazing eye for detail, even about potentially mundane things like visiting a roadside fast food joint. He has this great knack for capturing reality, but it’s better than reality… it’s more like a meticulously curated gallery of images from reality. So you feel like you’re there, but also like you’re seeing more than you would have if you had been there.”
Mooncop by Tom Gauld https://www.amazon.ca/Mooncop-Tom-Gauld/dp/1770462546
“I love Gauld’s deceptively simple style. Here, he takes what is basically a sci-fi story where nothing much happens, and then weaves in some romance and a bit of fun commentary on bureaucracy to make it into something really special.”
Tangles by Sarah Leavitt https://sarahleavitt.com/tangles
“Sarah shares her experience of her mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s. It’s one of the most powerful stories I’ve ever read, in comics or otherwise.”
Tartarus by Johnnie Christmas https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/tartarus
“Lots of comics are described as imaginative, but Johnnie just blows the doors off of “imaginative” with this one. There’s so much going on here: great characters, great story, great world-building.”
The Violent by Ed Brisson https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/the-violent
“I’ve read just about everything Ed has written, but The Violent just blew my mind. The characters are so vivid. I feel like I have known these people, trying to do their best but just digging a deeper hole. It’s gritty and grim but with a core of hope and optimism (albeit sometimes misguided).”
You can discover more about Doug on Twitter at @savagechickens and online at dougsavage.com plus lastermooseandrabbitboy.com
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