BEST
BLACK & WHITE COMICS
Some stories need colour to come alive. Others prove that black and white can be just as powerful, sometimes even more so. This week, we present the top five best black-and-white comics of all time, from historical adventures and autobiographical masterpieces to dark crime stories and dystopian science fiction. No colours, no distractions, just ink, shadows and unforgettable storytelling. Here they are...
5
From Hell
Writer: Alan Moore
Artist: Eddie Campbell
First published: 1989–1996
Original publisher: Taboo / Tundra Publishing / Kitchen Sink Press
From Hell is a sprawling reconstruction of the Jack the Ripper murders in Victorian London. Moore combines historical research with speculation, creating a disturbing meditation on violence, class, power and mythology. Campbell's rough, heavily textured black-and-white artwork gives Victorian London a nightmarish, almost documentary quality.
4
Brodeck's Report
Writer / Artist: Manu Larcenet
First published: 2015–2016
Original publisher: Dargaud
Adapted from Philippe Claudel's acclaimed novel, Brodeck's Report follows a man ordered to write an account of the murder of a mysterious outsider in an isolated village. As Brodeck investigates, collective guilt, xenophobia and fear gradually emerge. Larcenet's extraordinary artwork creates a bleak, oppressive world of snow, forests and moral darkness.
3
Corto Maltese: In Siberia
Writer / Artist: Hugo Pratt
First published: 1979
Original publisher: Casterman
Corto Maltese travels through Siberia and Manchuria in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, becoming involved in a struggle for the Tsar's gold. Historical figures and fictional characters are woven together in Pratt's adventure. The book is particularly celebrated for its economical, expressive black-and-white artwork and its extraordinary atmosphere.
2
Persepolis
Writer / Artist: Marjane Satrapi
First published: 2000–2003
Original publisher: L'Association
Satrapi's autobiographical masterpiece follows her childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution and her later experiences in Europe. Through a remarkably simple style, she explores politics, religion, war, exile and growing up. Humour and tragedy coexist throughout the story, making the work both highly accessible and deeply personal.
1
Maus: A Survivor's Tale
Writer / Artist: Art Spiegelman
First published: 1986–1991
Original publisher: Pantheon Books
Maus recounts Art Spiegelman's father's experiences as a Polish Jew during the Holocaust, while simultaneously depicting Art's complicated relationship with his father decades later. Jews are represented as mice and Nazis as cats. The deceptively simple artwork gives the story an extraordinary emotional and historical power. The work won a special Pulitzer Prize in 1992.
