DC Essential Graphic Novels 2017 Review

DC Essential Graphic Novels 2017 is definitely a very helpful guide to people new to DC comics. People like me who are just familiar with the world of DC find this catalog a pleasant companion in the quest of finding that satisfying origin story. I use the word satisfying since our favorite heroes had been "killed" and "revived" countless of times by different writers and brought to life with their own renditions by different artists.

Title: DC Essential Graphic Novels 2017
Authors: various
Date Published: January 10, 2017
Publisher: DC
Language: English
Genre: Sequential Art, Graphic Novels
ISBN: 9781401273286
Edition: I got an ARC via Netgalley

From BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE to WATCHMEN to PREACHER to DC: THE NEW FRONTIER, there is no doubt that DC is the leader in the field of graphic storytelling. Now you can start with the basics—our top-notch, must-read, absolute cream of the crop—all listed in this DC ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC NOVELS 2017 CATALOG.

Anyone can experience DC from the best starting points possible with 25 graphic novels vital to any collection. This catalog is a fantastic tool to learn about some of the great works in comics history, as well as a great look at the most important books for delving deeper into your favorite characters: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, the Justice League and more.

From DC’s Young Animal, to MAD and Vertigo imprints, to DC Super Hero Girls, DC has the most diverse library of graphic novel in all of comics. The DC ESSENTIAL GRAPHIC NOVELS 2017 catalog makes it easy to find the perfect story for everyone!

Review

It's nice to note that by the sheer number of pages in this book will make you see the differences in the artistic styles of different artists. What I'm surprised about was that I really don't care how simple the drawing style is (DC: The New Frontier) so long as the storyline is epic. I usually go for the more detailed art, that shining shimmering splendid work of colors. And like what the bromance duo Ben Affleck and guest pointed out in the latest Oscars,

The great Alfred Hitchcock was once asked, 'What are the key elements of making a memorable movie?'

He said, To make a great film you need three things: the script, the script, and the script.'

I'm geared towards the story over art so I'm really grateful for the 25 essential graphic novels which you'll see right after The Flash's comical skit in introducing what this book is all about (not counting the contributors' page and table of contents). I'm surprised really when The Flash made the introduction instead of the Amazonian warrior right on the cover. Perhaps, it should be Flash who's on the cover instead of Wonderwoman. Well, that's just my two cent. The Flash is definitely hot right now on TV.

The blurbs by various reviewers are just both overwhelming and intimidating that I'm at a loss for words in how to even review this book. How am I supposed to top those? They're really helpful though and they shape what emotions I'm supposed to feel for each graphic novel even before I get to lay my hands on them. For example, I think I like the grimdark and gritty Preacher by Vertigo. Being from a religious Roman Catholic country, despite having my views changed when it comes to religion now that I'm an adult, I can't help but go back to being a helpless child and feel all this darkness and fear when it comes to the talk of angels and demons.

For Fables Vol 1: Legends in Exile, I'm reminded by the fiction of the fictional stories of Grimm's fairytales of the TV hit series, Once Upon a Time. I remember loving the animated film, Flashpoint so much with its go-back-in-time/change-the-future Flash plot and for the first time, I saw Batman cry. And that's in front of The Flash.

I think I'm going to like Gotham Academy since the Nerdist described it as having a touch of manga. In all honesty, I prefer manga over comics (unless the graphic novel has the influence of the style of manga) because manga elicits more emotions whereas the style of comics is more plot-driven and action sequences. The manga has a lot of breather where you get to be suspended with a simple dialog with a background image that sets the mood. It's as if the manga has its own background music.

Dark Knight: A True Batman Story was scary and harrowing. I was instantly taken to my old dose of horror manga when I was 12. I miss what it was like to be naive and easily scared (because I love to be scared, just not with terrorism). What's scarier? This graphic novel is based on a true story.

As a new DC comics fan, if you're dedicated in diving into the world of your chosen superheroes, there are pages with suggested reading order. Look at this page about Batman:

There are tons of other golly goodness in this book. Take the plunge and enjoy your entry into the world of DC Universe or shall I say Multiverse.