The Best illustrated books in the world

Many people are interested in literature and like to travel to imaginary lands with the characters of stories and novels. Some of these literature lovers are more interested in reading comic books. If you have ever heard this narrative style’s name, but don’t know what a comic book is, join us. This article explains everything you need to know about comic books. Finally, we introduce the best picture books of Iran and the world.

What is a picture book?

A comic book is a type of book in which pictures tell stories. The art of telling stories in an illustrated style is like the art of cinema. The writer or director can tell the story in one frame or sequence. If the account is short, it is printed in an illustrated book or part of a magazine, but if a longer story is told, it is published in a more detailed text, called an illustrated novel.

This beautiful and pleasant art dates back to ancient times. Egyptian hieroglyphs and old Greek pottery paintings are proof of this. Although at first the audience of children’s illustrated stories, adults gradually became the audience of these stories. Usually, comic books with fantasy styles are popular among children, and adults are also interested in comic books with humorous or political topics.

What is the difference between manga and comic books?

Some people confuse comic books with manga, but the two have some differences:

• Manga is published in black and white, but comic books are not necessarily so.
• Although illustrated stories have an adult audience, the primary audience of these books is usually children. At the same time, manga is often written for an adult audience.
• In the manga, we see characters with big and strange eyes like in Japanese anime, but the comic book has more realistic characters like Tintin.

This article will introduce you to the best comic books in the world, not manga.

The best picture books in the world

1. Watchmen book

It is impossible that you are a fan of comic books or superhero movies but have not heard the name of this graphic novel. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon narrate the story of high encryption in this world masterpiece. It all starts with the critical question, who killed the comedian?

X-Men are born with unique genes and extraordinary characteristics. They take help from this gift to create peace in the world. This famous comic book has been the basis for making a movie, series, and computer game with the same name.

2. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

It was almost impossible for Frank Miller to create the final Batman story. However, he managed to do this and recreated the character of Batman so that the shadow of “The Dark Knight” is still felt over the world’s essential comics.

In this comic book, you follow the story of an elderly Bruce Wayne who has withdrawn from everything. Despite this, he takes a few nights out of retirement to restore order and security to Gotham one last time on his latest mission.

3. sand man The Sandman: Season of Mists

Most of the adventures of the “Sandman” graphic novel take place in the DC universe, but the story of this volume has Gaiman’s signature. The “May season” story is where his mythological stories begin. In this Sandman comic book series volume, Lucifer abdicates his responsibility in Hell. At the same time, different gods are trying to dominate the world. This is where the main power struggle begins.

4. All-Star Superman

It can be said that this comic presents the best image of Superman. Clark Kent, or the famous Superman, realizes his indestructibility in this story. In this book, Morrison’s portrayal of Superman has made him an enduring figure in world comic literature.

5. Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

The list of the world’s best-illustrated books is incomplete without mentioning Bechdel’s novel. This book depicts the life and history of the author in his childhood. Bechdel’s masterpiece is considered a turning point in the strange literature of the 21st century. This novel has inspired a generation of biographers and writers who have learned to tell their stories in a different style.

6. Hawkeye

Matt Fraction is a master of satire in comic books. In this illustrated book, with the help of David Aja’s illustration, he has been able to show exciting and, at the same time, funny moments from the life of a legendary hero. The unique style of this book is something that was later imitated in many of the world’s best picture books. So, if you are looking for a comic book, “Tizbin” will be your favorite book.

7. A Contract With God

Without mentioning Will Eisner’s Contract With God, no list of the best comic books and graphic novels would be complete. This book is a collection of 4 stories, all with themes of despair and guilt. These stories reflect the author’s experiences and his encounter with the death of his daughter. This meaningful book later inspired other illustrated stories and created a specific style.

8. V for Vendetta

The main character of this book is a person named Guy Fawkes with a symbolic mask. His mask was once an integral part of protests around the world. Even now, this mask is a symbol of government opponents.

In the book “Kaf like hatred,” the author deals with the moral ambiguity of terrorism in a dream with fascism. This work by Alan Moore was published during Margaret Thatcher’s presidency in England and criticized her conservative policies. However, all the themes of this book are not summarized in these criticisms. In this illustrated work, Moore carefully examines the issue of whether it is possible to achieve the romantic vision of the anarchists of that time and how much the violence of this group costs to achieve their goals.

9. Batman: The Black Mirror

Some believe this comic book is the best Batman graphic novel in the last 20 years. Bruce Wayne has disappeared in his absence, and Robin Dick Grayson takes over as Batman. Snyder observes him and realizes that Batman is different from the original. In the “Black Mirror” comic, Robin fights villains who challenge Batman as the enduring character of a generation.

10. New Avengers: Everything Dies

The new version of “Avengers” counts on the audience’s reception of these superheroes. This work portrays a complex and meaningful story of a secret group of Avengers. They are forced to make difficult and sometimes immoral decisions during the story. This makes the new Avengers even more attractive. If you are a fan of the Avengers movie series, we recommend reading this fantastic work.

11. The Saga of Swamp Thing

This book, the first volume of the 6-volume “Swamp Thing” series, is Alan Moore’s first book in the United States. His deconstruction in recreating the classic comic book monster pushed the boundaries of creativity and made this book one of the world’s most readable and best comic books.

12. Spider-Man: The Gauntlet

“Call to Fight” is one of the best Spider-Man stories; the rebellious heroes and their complex relationships are portrayed uniquely. If you are one of the fans of this legendary superhero, you should not miss reading this book from the comic series of Spider-Man.

you say

Comic books are full of beautiful and unique images. In them, we usually read the stories of heroes who are sometimes superheroes like Spider-Man and sometimes don’t have supernatural powers like Tintin or Batman.

Have you read the books on this list? In your opinion, what other illustrated stories are missing in these books?