“Tiny Update” is a weekly free newsletter that keeps you up to date on the latest news, comic book projects and merchandise offerings from James Tynion IV and Tiny Onion Studios
I know you are interested in multi-volume graphic novels, but if you haven't read The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, it is well worth the investment. Multiple time threads woven together really creatively. You don't know how it will all fit until the final 1/3 of the novel.
I also saw Dr Strange, as a fan of the MCU I can understand why it looked all over the place and also required knowledge of the past movies and series. And I agree if someone came in without that history it would be a confusing mess. I kind of liked it but I knew who was who and kinda sorta what was going on. If you want a recommendation I would suggest the Decorum HC by Jonathan Hickman and Mike Hiddleston. Great straight forward story and incredible artwork! Best of all no superheroes.
East of West by Hickman/Dragotta is still one of my all-time favorite comics. Creator owned and 3 volumes so lots to dig into. It’s Hickman so you know the writing and world building slap, but the art is a real banger as well. 10/10 from me!
One longer series that I'm a huge fan of and find myself rereading is American Vampire! Great Scott Snyder series without any Superhero's and I agree with Lithograph's comment that Preacher kicks ass. American Vampire and Preacher, won't disappoint.
Regarding recommendations of better (non-super hero) inputs, I've given it some thought and I would have to recommend DIE from Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans. It ended recently at issue 20, and it was wonderful in both story and art. It has one of the best final panels I've read since the end of Y: THE LAST MAN or PREACHER.
I imagine you’ve already read all of these but I’m gonna list them anyway: all of Usagi Yojimbo, Eddie Campbell’s Bacchus, Giant Days, the Brubaker/Phillips catalog, Baltimore and Joe Golem, the works of Tillie Walden, and Initial D.
It's on the shorter side, but there is a French writer/artist named Alex Alice who has two series that have English translations that I absolutely love... Castle in the Stars: an alternate history all ages book where the space race happens in the late 1800s with major steam punk vibes. 4 volumes have been translated currently. Also Sigfried: a 3 volume retelling of the Wagner opera The Ring of the Nibelung.
I love the stories. Writing can be a bit stilted at times, like happens a lot in European translations but the visual storytelling is absolutely stunning.
Also in the long-form manga side, Berserk is amazing, but so dark that it's taking a long time for me to read personally. But Vinland Saga is a high recommendation from me. It's similar to The Northman, and it might have that extra something to make it click for you.
I know you are interested in multi-volume graphic novels, but if you haven't read The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, it is well worth the investment. Multiple time threads woven together really creatively. You don't know how it will all fit until the final 1/3 of the novel.
I also saw Dr Strange, as a fan of the MCU I can understand why it looked all over the place and also required knowledge of the past movies and series. And I agree if someone came in without that history it would be a confusing mess. I kind of liked it but I knew who was who and kinda sorta what was going on. If you want a recommendation I would suggest the Decorum HC by Jonathan Hickman and Mike Hiddleston. Great straight forward story and incredible artwork! Best of all no superheroes.
East of West by Hickman/Dragotta is still one of my all-time favorite comics. Creator owned and 3 volumes so lots to dig into. It’s Hickman so you know the writing and world building slap, but the art is a real banger as well. 10/10 from me!
One longer series that I'm a huge fan of and find myself rereading is American Vampire! Great Scott Snyder series without any Superhero's and I agree with Lithograph's comment that Preacher kicks ass. American Vampire and Preacher, won't disappoint.
There's no way that you answer this, but I am curious: could you go into what you thought specifically didn't work in MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS?
Regarding recommendations of better (non-super hero) inputs, I've given it some thought and I would have to recommend DIE from Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans. It ended recently at issue 20, and it was wonderful in both story and art. It has one of the best final panels I've read since the end of Y: THE LAST MAN or PREACHER.
Still no updates on TOPLOCC? You promised a preview almost a month ago, and there's still nothing?
The Closet #1 has like 30 store exclusives. It's ridiculous! I pre-ordered the regular cover and both ratios.
I assume you have exhausted Vonnegut?
I imagine you’ve already read all of these but I’m gonna list them anyway: all of Usagi Yojimbo, Eddie Campbell’s Bacchus, Giant Days, the Brubaker/Phillips catalog, Baltimore and Joe Golem, the works of Tillie Walden, and Initial D.
It's on the shorter side, but there is a French writer/artist named Alex Alice who has two series that have English translations that I absolutely love... Castle in the Stars: an alternate history all ages book where the space race happens in the late 1800s with major steam punk vibes. 4 volumes have been translated currently. Also Sigfried: a 3 volume retelling of the Wagner opera The Ring of the Nibelung.
I love the stories. Writing can be a bit stilted at times, like happens a lot in European translations but the visual storytelling is absolutely stunning.
Also in the long-form manga side, Berserk is amazing, but so dark that it's taking a long time for me to read personally. But Vinland Saga is a high recommendation from me. It's similar to The Northman, and it might have that extra something to make it click for you.
If you haven’t read it I recommend Manhattan Projects by Hickman.
TV: Alice in Borderland, Sweet Home (both on Netflix)
Movie: Raw (2016)
Books: Gideon the Night & Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - Cannot say enough good things about this series.
Comics: Mazebook & Trillium by Jeff Lemire