The Canadian Geotechnical Society
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So, after 15,000 hours of reading, re-reading, and arguing, let’s answer the impossible question: Step One: Defining the Unreasonable Criteria Before we name the winner, we have to kill the idea that “best” means “my favorite.” Your favorite might be Bone (valid), Saga (respect), or The Dark Knight Returns (classic). But “best” requires a brutal, objective-ish framework.
It’s the best because it does what only comics can do: It makes time visible. It makes loneliness architectural. It turns a paper object into a mirror big enough to hold every failure, every quiet Sunday, every father who didn’t call.
Because its greatness is partly extrinsic. It’s a vital historical document. But would Maus be as revered if the Holocaust wasn’t its subject? The craft is undeniable, but the “fuck” factor is one of horror, not revelatory joy. It’s essential. It’s not the best. Sandman #1-75 (Neil Gaiman & various artists) The case for: The Sound of Her Wings . The Cereal Convention. “Sometimes you wake up.” Gaiman turned horror into myth and myth into therapy. It’s the most literary comic ever.
The third time, you realize Jimmy Corrigan is actually a comedy. A bleak, cringe-comedy about a man so passive he makes Charlie Brown look like Tony Robbins. Ware hides jokes in the margins. A sign that says “FREE ADVICE (worth every penny).” A child’s drawing labeled “My Dad” that’s just an empty square.
So, after 15,000 hours of reading, re-reading, and arguing, let’s answer the impossible question: Step One: Defining the Unreasonable Criteria Before we name the winner, we have to kill the idea that “best” means “my favorite.” Your favorite might be Bone (valid), Saga (respect), or The Dark Knight Returns (classic). But “best” requires a brutal, objective-ish framework.
It’s the best because it does what only comics can do: It makes time visible. It makes loneliness architectural. It turns a paper object into a mirror big enough to hold every failure, every quiet Sunday, every father who didn’t call.
Because its greatness is partly extrinsic. It’s a vital historical document. But would Maus be as revered if the Holocaust wasn’t its subject? The craft is undeniable, but the “fuck” factor is one of horror, not revelatory joy. It’s essential. It’s not the best. Sandman #1-75 (Neil Gaiman & various artists) The case for: The Sound of Her Wings . The Cereal Convention. “Sometimes you wake up.” Gaiman turned horror into myth and myth into therapy. It’s the most literary comic ever.
The third time, you realize Jimmy Corrigan is actually a comedy. A bleak, cringe-comedy about a man so passive he makes Charlie Brown look like Tony Robbins. Ware hides jokes in the margins. A sign that says “FREE ADVICE (worth every penny).” A child’s drawing labeled “My Dad” that’s just an empty square.