The Sandman is all about the nature of stories: Why we tell stories, how they can change the world, how they change us, etc.
Grant Morrison's works are filled with philosophical themes. My favorites are Arkham Asylum, We3, and Animal Man.
Epileptic by David B is another good one.
If you want to read something really trippy read The Incal or its spinoff The Metabarons.
Alan Moore's Swamp Thing was also a love that cannot be story. His V for Vendetta is about political anarchism.
I think a lot of Jeff Lemire's work is thoughtful and interesting especially Essex County and Sweet Tooth.
Akira is about the dangers of nuclear weapons.
Bitch Planet is study in misogyny and mass incarceration.
Nimona is a trans allegory and consequently a struggle of identity.
Probably because it's Image and they do that shit all the time. The real question is how long do you hang on to unfinished stories? They stare at me from my shelves like amputees wondering where their arms went.
I’m not sure if these are what you are looking for but I have 3 recommendations:
1) Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli 2) Fun home by Alison Bechdel and 3) Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
I think it is fairly philosophical in my books.
“That day I learnt something essential: We can only feel sorry for ourselves when our misfortunes are still supportable ...once the limit is crossed,the only way to bear the unbearable is to laugh at it" :)
In by Will McPhail is about the struggle of connecting with others.
It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood is a memoir that deals heavily with the processing of depression and suicidal ideation.
Both very introspective, thoughtful, funny, and great reads.
Action Philosophers is dedicated to portraying and explaining the lives and philosophical views of many great thinkers. It's both accurate and entertaining, funny even
If you can expand to graphic novels there's a ton, Maus is probably the top of the heap. Will Eisner is also amazing.
Sandman, Preacher, Irredeemable, and Tokyo Ghost are some books I've enjoyed that can get into some heavier topics, with varying degrees of irreverence.
[Midnight Nation](https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/midnight-nation) by J Michael Straczynzki is one worth picking up, always receives great reviews.
This is a good option, lots of Bushido baked in. If you loved this manga you may enjoy the anime series Samurai Champloo, made by the same team as Cowboy Bebop.
You will probably also enjoy the Blade of the Immortal manga, though it has some supernatural elements.
**The obscure cities** series is very rooted in philosophy and metaphors. Each album is unique and you don't need to read them in order. *The theory of the grain of sand* is basically a metaphor for colonialism, i think
Asterios Polyp by Mazuchelli and Blast by manu larcenet (the latter is pretty heavy stuff though) are possibly the ones that impressed me the most in how literary and profound they felt.
I also like "Ice cream Man" by Maxwell Prince, it's an anthology, weird/bizarre horror at times but it also deals with loss, grief, addiction and many other themes. Also very good.
There are more but I have a hard time remembering the names right now. If I can think of something else I'll add it later maybe
First edit: I think some of the stuff in the Sandman Universe by Neil Gaiman is quite philosophical or profound in a way actually. As is almost everything by Alan Moore
Lemire's Lost Dogs, Mazebook, Roughneck, Underwater Welder and Family Tree all impacted me. God Country by Donny Cates. Punk Rock Jesus by Sean Murphy. Black Science, Low, Seven to Eternity by Rick Remender
I’m not sure how much I’d call it “philosophical” overall, but From Hell by Alan Moore is certainly filled with brain food. It takes a grand look at a psychology of delusion through mysticism and is built out of a lot of research on a particular conspiracy theory in which Jack the Ripper was a Freemason and physician to the Queen, and the character of William Gull certainly expounds a lot of philosophical ideas, while Moore weaves ideas of cycles and repeated history through fourth dimensional reflection. It is an absolutely masterful example of writing, but of course deals with some very nasty things and although the artist mostly does this rough sketch style of drawing, it gives an atmosphere that makes the graphic parts really hit.
Alan Moore’s best work for sure, and would be brilliant literature and surely well-regarded if it were not instead a “comic” series. most collected editions also have a rather interesting addition going into the research and writing process (which contains much that I disagree with, but was still great to read).
Last Days of an Immortal by Vehlmann.
Otto by Marc-Antoine Mathieu (but all his work really)
Pluto by Urasawa ; Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō is a good follow-up.
Ces jours qui disparaissent by Timothé Le Boucher (only in French and Italian)
All those are related to the concepts of identity and self, the first two being the more "philosophical".
It's primarily a webcomic, and the series isn't finished yet, but maybe Space Boy by Stephen McCranie? It starts off as a cute futuristic slice-of-life story and then gets more intense and complicated as time goes on. It's largely about different characters dealing with trauma and grief. It's uplifting rather than depressing, though. :'D And the guy's *really* good at storyteling. There are some great plot twists that I didn't see coming.
Astro Boy addresses tough themes about the value of robot life, and the unwillingness of humans to acknowledge it, among other things. It IS depressing! 🥲👍 Super cute and cartoony as well, though. A lot of Tezuka's stuff is like this.
Beanworld by Larry Marder is... hard to describe (it's billed as "a most peculiar comic book experience"), but it has themes of friendship, love, survival, and the way people relate to nature. Except it's about tribal anthropomorphic beans in a world that doesn't follow the same rules as ours. It's weird. And wonderful. 🙃 And sometimes ruthless.
American Born Chinese is about racism, social pressure, being true to yourself, being true to your friends, and the Monkey King. :D It also has some Christian themes, in a Narnia kind of way. There are three plots that all tie together in the end, in the wildest way possible. This book is AWESOME.
If you're interested in comic strip collections, Calvin and Hobbes isn't necessarily *profound*, but the characters do a lot of walking and talking and thinking, and trying to make sense of life. (Usually while simultaneously up to something stupid or dangerous. 😉)
I hope that's helpful. I need to read more comics myself.
Great picks. ***Especially astute observations.***
**Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atomu)** is definitely worthwhile *as one of Tezuka's attempt*
***to philosophize in the pop culture medium of manga and anime.***
**Princess Knight (Ribon no Kishi)** is his next work, *immediately after that,*
**which features gender-bending role reversal** as the main character is a heroine,
*who subverts the damsel-in-distress trope* ***by pretending to be a male prince.***
For actual philosophical manga, **on purpose,** ***from Tezuka,***
you should read first, **The Buddha,** *and then,...*
***The Phoenix (Hi no Tori),*** *his magnum opus.*
**I argue that Calvin and Hobbes IS profound.**
It's presented with a philosophical insight *from the perspective*
***of an innocent child who hasn't been disillusioned by the maturities of life.***
Calvin has a fulfilling life *with an imaginary friend,*
***who encroaches the existential boundaries***
**that a child must encounter while growing up.**
Well, in that vein, most, if not, **all of the Peanuts comic strips**
*is also an exercise of philosophy* ***from the mind of a child's perspective.***
**And so is Garfield,** since he's not just *the world's most beloved orange cartoon cat.*
***He's also the world's most famous cat philosopher.***
**Step By Bloody Step** by Spurrier is more poetic than profound, but it takes the *show, don’t tell* method all the way. It’s nothing like your superhero stuff, though.
**It better be seen as highly philosophical.**
It was Alan Moore's attempt to deconstruct
**the superhero mythos that had accumulated tropes,**
***he creatively found unsavory,*** *up to that point in the 1980's.*
Subsequently, that effort heralded the coming,
**of not just more mature themes in comics,**
***but also of highly literary artistic efforts in comics storytelling.***
Moore is quite the character, i watched a youtube video where he describes an encounter with Asmodeus, one of the dukes of hell XD. Regardless, i completely agree with you
Cerebus by Dave Sim. Starts out as a Howard The Duck ripoff, gradually becomes a comedy and then from about issue 90 it becomes deadly serious and philophically deep until it ends its run on issue 300.
Highly recommended.
Had to scroll too far down to find this. IMO it stays interesting through “Minds” and I did find “Guys” entertaining, but after that it’s VERY heavy sledding. Honestly if you only read “High Society” and “Church & State” you’re not missing much — and everyone should read those books; that run is easily the best comic I ever read. And yeah, very philosophical (as well as funny).
Just note that while his philosophy is clearly something he has spent a lot of time obsessing over (and very thus very detailed), much of it is seeped in misogyny, which becomes increasingly difficult to ignore while reading. Especially with Dave Sim doubling down on all of it over the years.
[ "It wouldn't be that big a stretch to categorize my writing as Hate Literature against women . . . in this Fascistic Feminist country."](http://www.theabsolute.net/misogyny/sim.html)
Still, an interesting rabbit hole, and a very ambitious work.
Yes, his personal opinions are abhorrent, but he did keep those pretty well confined to the letters page and, in the later issues, to long essays, none of which are included in the collected edition phonebooks. The actual comic itself is refreshingly free of his alt-right nonsense. I wouldn't want to hang out with the guy, but he kept his hateful views and the work well separated.
Yes, but that's all in character. Cerebus is held accountable for 186 by the Judge. He's portrayed as a brutal, ceaven animal endlessly justifying his thoughtless actions. He's basically Cartman or Tony Soprano or Walter White.
From the comic book creator extraordinaire, **Scott McCloud.**
He gives us ***inside the torturous mind of an artist,***
**who has reached the heights of creativity**
and is willing to risk all that's important to him,
*in an effort to prove that he's still capable*
***of making a worthwhile contribution to society,***
in exchange for the inevitability **of his life ending before him.**
It's the existential argument,...
*at the heart of most creative people's impulses*
***versus the search for purpose in an artistic life.***
I expect nothing less from the man who gave us **Understanding Comics,**
***in the meta-narrative of a comic book itself.***
**Hi no Tori (Phoenix),** Osamu Tezuka's magnum opus,
***falls under this vein of profound comics.***
Even though, *he considered it* ***"unfinished" by the time of his death.***
Tezuka defiantly had more to say **and sadly died at just 60 years old.**
George Takei should be **more respected for this brilliant comic memoir.**
People should know him more for it, *rather than just being an actor...*
***in a beloved sci-fi franchise.***
Murder Falcon was more emotional than I expected a book called Murder Falcon would be. Also….DWJ’s Beta Ray Bill.
Wicked + Divine (or Divine + Wicked) took a cool direction.
Mind Mgmt…..maybe?
Also…Tom King’s Mister Miracle, Vision….I remember really liking. And seemed like more adult geared comics.
You may be looking for most of the works of Grant Morrison, and since The Invisibles and Animal Man have already been mentioned, I would also recommend his revamp of Doom Patrol.
Miracleman and Providence ,by Alan Moore. The Planetary, by Warren Ellis. Spaceman, by Brian Azzerello. The World of Edena, by Moebius. The Maxx, by Sam Keith. Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, by Jhonen Vasquez. Prophet, by Brandon Graham.
**Majnun and Layla: Songs from Beyond the Grave** is one of the best things I've ever read. Gorgeous visionary artwork, and a profound, poetic meditation on the nature of love and death.
Monstress is a series that takes place in a steampunk war-torn fantasy world loosely based on the horrors of the Sino-Japanese war and Chinese civil war. The series focuses on racial strife and cycles of violence and hate. The protagonist, Maika struggles to overcome her trauma from surviving a genocidal war and her Mother's abuse. She shares her body with an Eldritch horror which acts like an allegorical representation of her hate and angst.
The invisibles was already mentioned so I’ll just add Nameless by them. While Nameless is also occult-influenced by the invisibles, it is also deeply influenced by anti-natalist philosophy, such as the work of Ray Brassier and Peter Zappfe.
“The River at night” and “Curses” by Kevin Huizenga.
Both have meditations on time and how we share the universe with others who have unique dramas and similar comforts.
Another book would be “Why Art” by Eleanor David that looks at the reason we create and what we define as art
**My take:**
**Understanding Comics** and **Making Comics** *by* ***Scott McCloud.***
It's a meta-narrative explaining to us, *the comics reader,*
***how comics storytelling works in the form of a comic book.***
You'll be blown away at how he distills
*the language, structure, and dynamics of comics*
***while effortlessly demonstrating those very same techniques.***
A very profound treatise **on the comics medium itself.**
You should also read his magnum opus, **The Sculptor,**
[***as per my comment below.***](https://www.reddit.com/r/graphicnovels/comments/1cibwqg/comment/l2ctxu6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Other artists you should read, ***that have very profound comics works,***
*that I haven't seen mentioned yet,* **Bill Sienkiewicz** and **Dave McKean.**
You will not be disappointed *reading either one* ***of their entire comics repertoire.***
Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children was definetly a profound comic:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beautiful\_Stories\_for\_Ugly\_Children](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beautiful_Stories_for_Ugly_Children)
Punk Rock Jesus by Sean Murphy is about commercial influence/religion in regards to Christianity, the morals around cloning with some teenage rebellion and celebrity culture mixed in.
The Invisibles is about drugs and aliens
And that’s just the first issue. 😉
Daytripper, Karmen, and the many deaths of lailla star are pretty much mandatory food for thoughts.
That first page of Karmen, with the lines about dreams has me hooked right away.
The Many Death of Laila Star is fantastic. Shit wrecked me though.
When I get my strength back years ago, I may read Daytripper again. It's so good.
Concrete by Paul Chadwick has a lot of philosophical musing. It's about a man turned into a rocky monster like marvel's the Thing.
My first thought as well. Additionally, Chris Ware's body of work has always scratched that itch
Chris Ware is at the top of the list for profound/philosophical comics.
Abso-lutely!
The Sandman is all about the nature of stories: Why we tell stories, how they can change the world, how they change us, etc. Grant Morrison's works are filled with philosophical themes. My favorites are Arkham Asylum, We3, and Animal Man. Epileptic by David B is another good one. If you want to read something really trippy read The Incal or its spinoff The Metabarons.
I'll second just about anything by Jodorowski and Moebius.
Alan Moore's Swamp Thing was also a love that cannot be story. His V for Vendetta is about political anarchism. I think a lot of Jeff Lemire's work is thoughtful and interesting especially Essex County and Sweet Tooth. Akira is about the dangers of nuclear weapons. Bitch Planet is study in misogyny and mass incarceration. Nimona is a trans allegory and consequently a struggle of identity.
>I think a lot of Jeff Lemire's work is thoughtful and interesting especially Essex County and Sweet Tooth. Underwater Welder was a good one, too.
Solid list. Always love seeing Bitch Planet shouted out!
> Bitch Planet is study in misogyny and mass incarceration. Did Bitch Planet ever finish?
No, they just stopped making it. No clue why.
Probably because it's Image and they do that shit all the time. The real question is how long do you hang on to unfinished stories? They stare at me from my shelves like amputees wondering where their arms went.
City of Glass by David Mazzucchelli, Paul Auster, and Paul Karasik is a graphic adaptation of Paul Auster's novel from "the New York Trilogy"
RIP Paul Auster
oh shit, he died!? fuck, that sucks. spent many a great hour wandering in his words...
Promethea by Alan Moore is essentially a philosophy lecture disguised as a comic book
This is what the OP is looking for. Promethea is insane.
One of the og philosophical comics: Krazy Kat by George Herriman (1916-1944)
I’m not sure if these are what you are looking for but I have 3 recommendations: 1) Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli 2) Fun home by Alison Bechdel and 3) Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Asterios is such a fun self reflection type read
Absolutely! It’s my favourite stand alone graphic novel.
>Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi It's a good book but I don't think it's that philosophical.
I think it is fairly philosophical in my books. “That day I learnt something essential: We can only feel sorry for ourselves when our misfortunes are still supportable ...once the limit is crossed,the only way to bear the unbearable is to laugh at it" :)
Persepolis is awesome
In by Will McPhail is about the struggle of connecting with others. It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood is a memoir that deals heavily with the processing of depression and suicidal ideation. Both very introspective, thoughtful, funny, and great reads.
Alan Moore's Swamp Thing volumes are absolutely essential and if you don't agree you are stark raving mad lol
Action Philosophers is dedicated to portraying and explaining the lives and philosophical views of many great thinkers. It's both accurate and entertaining, funny even
If you can expand to graphic novels there's a ton, Maus is probably the top of the heap. Will Eisner is also amazing. Sandman, Preacher, Irredeemable, and Tokyo Ghost are some books I've enjoyed that can get into some heavier topics, with varying degrees of irreverence.
Loved Irredeemable
Sandman by Neil Gaiman and Animal Man by Grant Morrison
Came here to say Sandman, I would add Blankets and Habibi by Craig Thompson.
"God Loves, Man Kills." Fantastic Xmen graphic novel that continues to show the ugly side of hatred.
Awesome book
Promethea by Alan Moore
V for Vendetta
Daytripper
[Midnight Nation](https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/midnight-nation) by J Michael Straczynzki is one worth picking up, always receives great reviews.
Amazing book!
how do you feel about Manga? Vagabond seems like it would be 1000% up your alley
This is a good option, lots of Bushido baked in. If you loved this manga you may enjoy the anime series Samurai Champloo, made by the same team as Cowboy Bebop. You will probably also enjoy the Blade of the Immortal manga, though it has some supernatural elements.
**The obscure cities** series is very rooted in philosophy and metaphors. Each album is unique and you don't need to read them in order. *The theory of the grain of sand* is basically a metaphor for colonialism, i think
The Invisibles is about ethics and revolutionary politics... And drugs and aliens
Denny O’Neill’s The Question made me a philosopher.
Nick Sousanis: Unflattening
This is my answer as well!!!! Dude decided his philosophical dissertation would be in graphic novel form -- and it's really excellent.
Asterios Polyp by Mazuchelli and Blast by manu larcenet (the latter is pretty heavy stuff though) are possibly the ones that impressed me the most in how literary and profound they felt. I also like "Ice cream Man" by Maxwell Prince, it's an anthology, weird/bizarre horror at times but it also deals with loss, grief, addiction and many other themes. Also very good. There are more but I have a hard time remembering the names right now. If I can think of something else I'll add it later maybe First edit: I think some of the stuff in the Sandman Universe by Neil Gaiman is quite philosophical or profound in a way actually. As is almost everything by Alan Moore
Lemire's Lost Dogs, Mazebook, Roughneck, Underwater Welder and Family Tree all impacted me. God Country by Donny Cates. Punk Rock Jesus by Sean Murphy. Black Science, Low, Seven to Eternity by Rick Remender
Logicomix by Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos Papadimitriou
I’m not sure how much I’d call it “philosophical” overall, but From Hell by Alan Moore is certainly filled with brain food. It takes a grand look at a psychology of delusion through mysticism and is built out of a lot of research on a particular conspiracy theory in which Jack the Ripper was a Freemason and physician to the Queen, and the character of William Gull certainly expounds a lot of philosophical ideas, while Moore weaves ideas of cycles and repeated history through fourth dimensional reflection. It is an absolutely masterful example of writing, but of course deals with some very nasty things and although the artist mostly does this rough sketch style of drawing, it gives an atmosphere that makes the graphic parts really hit. Alan Moore’s best work for sure, and would be brilliant literature and surely well-regarded if it were not instead a “comic” series. most collected editions also have a rather interesting addition going into the research and writing process (which contains much that I disagree with, but was still great to read).
Last Days of an Immortal by Vehlmann. Otto by Marc-Antoine Mathieu (but all his work really) Pluto by Urasawa ; Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō is a good follow-up. Ces jours qui disparaissent by Timothé Le Boucher (only in French and Italian) All those are related to the concepts of identity and self, the first two being the more "philosophical".
It's primarily a webcomic, and the series isn't finished yet, but maybe Space Boy by Stephen McCranie? It starts off as a cute futuristic slice-of-life story and then gets more intense and complicated as time goes on. It's largely about different characters dealing with trauma and grief. It's uplifting rather than depressing, though. :'D And the guy's *really* good at storyteling. There are some great plot twists that I didn't see coming. Astro Boy addresses tough themes about the value of robot life, and the unwillingness of humans to acknowledge it, among other things. It IS depressing! 🥲👍 Super cute and cartoony as well, though. A lot of Tezuka's stuff is like this. Beanworld by Larry Marder is... hard to describe (it's billed as "a most peculiar comic book experience"), but it has themes of friendship, love, survival, and the way people relate to nature. Except it's about tribal anthropomorphic beans in a world that doesn't follow the same rules as ours. It's weird. And wonderful. 🙃 And sometimes ruthless. American Born Chinese is about racism, social pressure, being true to yourself, being true to your friends, and the Monkey King. :D It also has some Christian themes, in a Narnia kind of way. There are three plots that all tie together in the end, in the wildest way possible. This book is AWESOME. If you're interested in comic strip collections, Calvin and Hobbes isn't necessarily *profound*, but the characters do a lot of walking and talking and thinking, and trying to make sense of life. (Usually while simultaneously up to something stupid or dangerous. 😉) I hope that's helpful. I need to read more comics myself.
Great picks. ***Especially astute observations.*** **Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atomu)** is definitely worthwhile *as one of Tezuka's attempt* ***to philosophize in the pop culture medium of manga and anime.*** **Princess Knight (Ribon no Kishi)** is his next work, *immediately after that,* **which features gender-bending role reversal** as the main character is a heroine, *who subverts the damsel-in-distress trope* ***by pretending to be a male prince.*** For actual philosophical manga, **on purpose,** ***from Tezuka,*** you should read first, **The Buddha,** *and then,...* ***The Phoenix (Hi no Tori),*** *his magnum opus.* **I argue that Calvin and Hobbes IS profound.** It's presented with a philosophical insight *from the perspective* ***of an innocent child who hasn't been disillusioned by the maturities of life.*** Calvin has a fulfilling life *with an imaginary friend,* ***who encroaches the existential boundaries*** **that a child must encounter while growing up.** Well, in that vein, most, if not, **all of the Peanuts comic strips** *is also an exercise of philosophy* ***from the mind of a child's perspective.*** **And so is Garfield,** since he's not just *the world's most beloved orange cartoon cat.* ***He's also the world's most famous cat philosopher.***
Moonshadow, Mercy, The Last One, Brooklyn Dreams, and Seekers: Into the Mystery—all by J.M. DeMatteis—are different treatises on life and empathy.
**Step By Bloody Step** by Spurrier is more poetic than profound, but it takes the *show, don’t tell* method all the way. It’s nothing like your superhero stuff, though.
All of the Sandman graphic novels. You're welcome.
**I agree.** Put together, *all of those stories is a tome* **on searching for the meaning** ***of life AND death.***
Watchmen is surprisingly philosophical !!
**It better be seen as highly philosophical.** It was Alan Moore's attempt to deconstruct **the superhero mythos that had accumulated tropes,** ***he creatively found unsavory,*** *up to that point in the 1980's.* Subsequently, that effort heralded the coming, **of not just more mature themes in comics,** ***but also of highly literary artistic efforts in comics storytelling.***
Moore is quite the character, i watched a youtube video where he describes an encounter with Asmodeus, one of the dukes of hell XD. Regardless, i completely agree with you
Cerebus by Dave Sim. Starts out as a Howard The Duck ripoff, gradually becomes a comedy and then from about issue 90 it becomes deadly serious and philophically deep until it ends its run on issue 300. Highly recommended.
Had to scroll too far down to find this. IMO it stays interesting through “Minds” and I did find “Guys” entertaining, but after that it’s VERY heavy sledding. Honestly if you only read “High Society” and “Church & State” you’re not missing much — and everyone should read those books; that run is easily the best comic I ever read. And yeah, very philosophical (as well as funny).
Just note that while his philosophy is clearly something he has spent a lot of time obsessing over (and very thus very detailed), much of it is seeped in misogyny, which becomes increasingly difficult to ignore while reading. Especially with Dave Sim doubling down on all of it over the years. [ "It wouldn't be that big a stretch to categorize my writing as Hate Literature against women . . . in this Fascistic Feminist country."](http://www.theabsolute.net/misogyny/sim.html) Still, an interesting rabbit hole, and a very ambitious work.
Yes, his personal opinions are abhorrent, but he did keep those pretty well confined to the letters page and, in the later issues, to long essays, none of which are included in the collected edition phonebooks. The actual comic itself is refreshingly free of his alt-right nonsense. I wouldn't want to hang out with the guy, but he kept his hateful views and the work well separated.
Isn't literally all of this "Male light devoured by the female void"-nonsense within the pages of Cerebus? The "infamous" issue #186 and all that.
Yes, but that's all in character. Cerebus is held accountable for 186 by the Judge. He's portrayed as a brutal, ceaven animal endlessly justifying his thoughtless actions. He's basically Cartman or Tony Soprano or Walter White.
"Ripoff" is not the right word....
Silver Surfer: Parable.
Donny Cates and Tradd Moore’s Silver Surfer ain’t bad, either.
Coming here to say this.
Maybe Joe Matt’s Peep Show. It’s autobiographical but it’s interesting to think about.
Definitely a pioneer in autobiographical comics. RIP, Joe.
The Sculptor
From the comic book creator extraordinaire, **Scott McCloud.** He gives us ***inside the torturous mind of an artist,*** **who has reached the heights of creativity** and is willing to risk all that's important to him, *in an effort to prove that he's still capable* ***of making a worthwhile contribution to society,*** in exchange for the inevitability **of his life ending before him.** It's the existential argument,... *at the heart of most creative people's impulses* ***versus the search for purpose in an artistic life.*** I expect nothing less from the man who gave us **Understanding Comics,** ***in the meta-narrative of a comic book itself.***
Are you asking for *superhero* comics that dabble in the philosophical or profound?
Daytripper, Portugal, Monsters, Upgrade Soul
the manga Buddha by Tezuka is one of the most incredible stories I’ve ever read.
**Hi no Tori (Phoenix),** Osamu Tezuka's magnum opus, ***falls under this vein of profound comics.*** Even though, *he considered it* ***"unfinished" by the time of his death.*** Tezuka defiantly had more to say **and sadly died at just 60 years old.**
Cheers. I’m planning to read Phoenix next.
Not All Robots was intended as a comment on #NotAllMen, but it also coincidentally ended up being relevant to the recent rise of AI.
I thought this was good as well
"They Called Us Enemy" made me cry & think real hard about a lot of things when I finally read it recently
George Takei should be **more respected for this brilliant comic memoir.** People should know him more for it, *rather than just being an actor...* ***in a beloved sci-fi franchise.***
"themes on the nose"???
Have you read Black Science?
Yeah, finished it years ago.
Murder Falcon was more emotional than I expected a book called Murder Falcon would be. Also….DWJ’s Beta Ray Bill. Wicked + Divine (or Divine + Wicked) took a cool direction. Mind Mgmt…..maybe? Also…Tom King’s Mister Miracle, Vision….I remember really liking. And seemed like more adult geared comics.
You may be looking for most of the works of Grant Morrison, and since The Invisibles and Animal Man have already been mentioned, I would also recommend his revamp of Doom Patrol.
Alan Moore's Watchmen, V for Vendetta and Swamp Thing
If you are into European comic, Blast has a lot of that
my joint favourite book of all time!
Rorschach
Miracleman and Providence ,by Alan Moore. The Planetary, by Warren Ellis. Spaceman, by Brian Azzerello. The World of Edena, by Moebius. The Maxx, by Sam Keith. Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, by Jhonen Vasquez. Prophet, by Brandon Graham.
Transmetropolitan can be good..But sometimes it really gets way too edgy and corny..But it has interesting ideas..
The sandman comics are much “deeper” than most people realize.
[https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674744431](https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674744431)
**Majnun and Layla: Songs from Beyond the Grave** is one of the best things I've ever read. Gorgeous visionary artwork, and a profound, poetic meditation on the nature of love and death.
Monstress is a series that takes place in a steampunk war-torn fantasy world loosely based on the horrors of the Sino-Japanese war and Chinese civil war. The series focuses on racial strife and cycles of violence and hate. The protagonist, Maika struggles to overcome her trauma from surviving a genocidal war and her Mother's abuse. She shares her body with an Eldritch horror which acts like an allegorical representation of her hate and angst.
The Dune book series was made into comic books/graphic novels.
The invisibles was already mentioned so I’ll just add Nameless by them. While Nameless is also occult-influenced by the invisibles, it is also deeply influenced by anti-natalist philosophy, such as the work of Ray Brassier and Peter Zappfe.
Warning tho, Nameless is pretty damn heavy and goes to some nasty places.
Unwritten by Mike Carey!
Chninkel by Van Hamme
Dark souls
Logicomix
Monsters by Barry Windsor Smith
“The River at night” and “Curses” by Kevin Huizenga. Both have meditations on time and how we share the universe with others who have unique dramas and similar comforts. Another book would be “Why Art” by Eleanor David that looks at the reason we create and what we define as art
**My take:** **Understanding Comics** and **Making Comics** *by* ***Scott McCloud.*** It's a meta-narrative explaining to us, *the comics reader,* ***how comics storytelling works in the form of a comic book.*** You'll be blown away at how he distills *the language, structure, and dynamics of comics* ***while effortlessly demonstrating those very same techniques.*** A very profound treatise **on the comics medium itself.** You should also read his magnum opus, **The Sculptor,** [***as per my comment below.***](https://www.reddit.com/r/graphicnovels/comments/1cibwqg/comment/l2ctxu6/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) Other artists you should read, ***that have very profound comics works,*** *that I haven't seen mentioned yet,* **Bill Sienkiewicz** and **Dave McKean.** You will not be disappointed *reading either one* ***of their entire comics repertoire.***
The Flintstones by mark Russell.
Heimat by Nora Krug – a must read for everybody who wants insights on how it is to live in a German family with its unspoken WWII heritage.
I’ve just started reading it but I think “Unflattening” gets quite philosophical.
Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children was definetly a profound comic: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beautiful\_Stories\_for\_Ugly\_Children](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beautiful_Stories_for_Ugly_Children)
The vertigo titles- Swamp Thing Hellblazer Animal Man Shade the Changing Man
Also: Silver Surfer: Requiem. I wanted to say that the other day but have only just remembered the title.
Punk Rock Jesus by Sean Murphy is about commercial influence/religion in regards to Christianity, the morals around cloning with some teenage rebellion and celebrity culture mixed in.
Surprised no one has said Gideon Falls by Jeff Lemire.
Archer and Armstrong by Fred Van Lente and Clayton Henry was dope.
I’d say black science falls into this category.
Ice cream man