I've worked in various Canadian libraries over the past decade, and so enjoyed no short supply of incredible graphic works from Will Eisner and Osamu Tezuka to Alison Bechdel and Gilbert Hernandez. And while that number teeters ever closer to 2000, I still don't feel I've scratched deep beneath the surface of the medium, and offer this (virtually superhero-free) list in the hopes to further dispel the myth that graphic novels are "not books" as the tired phrasing goes. I've been less than ruthlessly scrupulous with this list, compared to my list of the top 1000 films, and have included anything that's not for kids, part of a series, or straight up manga (those will have their own, even more strained lists); with the exception of the art book Wall and Piece by Banksy that just somehow felt appropriate here. Not every one of these inspires my enthusiastic passions, but the vast majority do. Oh, and I left the library in 2014, so if you notice unjust omissions, you know...deal.
