True North Country Comics presents Samantha Branch’s top 10 go-to comic book and graphic novel list

Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Samantha is an Animation & Graphics honours graduate and is the writer and illustrator for the Will Not Bow series. In addition to working as a clean up animator, she is planning on a series for WebToons in the near future. Samantha worked with Dynamite Entertainment on a special project.

Here’s Samantha Branch’s top 10 go-to comic books and graphic novels

1. Tomb Raider Witchblade Revisited by Michael Turner (Top Cow)
“This was the first comic I ever laid eyes on by Michael Turner. Obsessed with anything Tomb Raider, I immediately fell in love with this action packed comic. Being the first book to get my interest in comic books, it has to be in my number one slot. The style, the action and story opened my eyes to the possibilities of what comics can be.”

2. Fathom by Michael Turner (Aspen)
“The first illustration to introduce me to Michael Turner was an image in a magazine of Aspen Matthews from Fathom. From the way she was drawn, to the colors used I couldn’t get over how beautiful it was. The story was completely different from anything I read before and I found a superhero that really resonated with me.”

3. Lady Mechanika by Joe Benitez (Aspen)
“Steampunk. Need I say anymore? I am most times drawn to a story based on the art work. Being a very visual person and an artist myself, I’m always looking for inspiration and Joe Benitez does not disappoint! The detail and work he put into this story is out of this world!”

4. Unnatural by Mirka Andolfo (Image)
“This story was a very interesting and intense take on a love story. Though it is a world populated by anthropomorphic animals, the characters are easily relatable and Mirka Andolfo made these characters beautiful, sexy and mysterious.”

5. Making Comics by Scott McCloud
“Though not technically a comic book or graphic novel, the instructional book is laid out in sequential pages while teaching you how to get started with making a comic. I have this book in my top 5 because I feel like it breaks down the process of making a comic in a very entertaining way and makes it simple to follow along. Definitely one I would recommend to anyone starting out in making their own comics.”

6. White Ash by Charlie Stickney, Conor Hughes and Fin Cramb (Scout)
“I first came across this comic soon after I started streaming on Twitch. The artist; Conor Hughes, had his own channel where he streamed the process while the writer and creator Charlie Stickney would be there to chat as well. This is one extremely talented team! They have really helped me with my own professional journey and without their help I would’ve had a much harder time at succeeding in funding my first Kickstarter that I was really hesitant about launching. I owe a lot to them and they keep inspiring me.”

7. I Roved Out in Search of Truth & Love by Alexis Flower
“Disclaimer: This book is for mature readers only!
Alexis really fleshes out the fantasy art style well. The panels are beautiful and the characters are extremely entertaining to read.  This erotic fantasy is completely free to read online, however you can buy the physical books as well.”

8. Lola XOXO by Siya Oum (Aspen)
“First off I just have to say that Siya is one of the most talented artists out there! All of her pages are done traditionally and it blows me away how amazing it looks. I find the textured colors and inks are fitting and really help to drive the story of this apocalyptic world.”

9. Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee
“I don’t normally keep up with Batman but Jim Lee’s work in this book is so beautiful I had to buy the colored and the unwrapped version. Going back to being a visual driven person, the amount of work that Jim Lee effortlessly puts into every single panel is jaw-dropping and I highly recommend checking out the unwrapped version of this book.”

10. Manfried the Man by Caitlin Major and Kelly Bastow
“I feel like a lot of my choices up to this point have been involving very serious topics and or mature content but I had to include this one on to my list. Even just looking at the cover makes me laugh because if you’ve ever had a cat, you can guarantee you will relate to many situations in this book. It is extremely comical, light-hearted and just an easy, laid-back read.” 

You can discover more about Samantha on Twitter at @Samantha_Branch

You can discover more about Will Not Bow Comics online at willnotbowcomics.com