A sprawling, philosophical, and incredibly dense work that utilizes various ink techniques to tell a complex narrative about animals, consciousness, and power. 11. My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf
Black and white comics offer a unique aesthetic that emphasizes contrast, mood, and line work without the distraction of color. The following titles represent some of the most influential and highly-rated black and white series ever produced, spanning various genres from horror to superhero noir.
While many know the colored movie or the Marvel color reprints, the original black and white Akira manga is a different beast entirely. Otomo’s architectural backgrounds and chaotic motion lines lose nothing in translation; the lack of color makes the psychic explosions of Tetsuo feel colder and more terrifying.
(Craig Thompson): A sprawling, emotive graphic novel about faith and first love. BiblioCommons Groundbreaking Series Usagi Yojimbo blacknwhitecomics 20 comics best
(Charles Burns): A surreal horror tale about a "teen plague," featuring incredibly precise, obsidian-black inking. Usagi Yojimbo
An anthology series where the world’s best artists take on the Dark Knight. It proves that Batman is at his best when he is literally part of the shadows. 15. Cerebus by Dave Sim
: If you primarily use alcohol-based markers (like Copics) for your greyscale tones, this paper is highly recommended as it prevents ink from soaking through and bleeding into other colors. Key Factors to Consider A sprawling, philosophical, and incredibly dense work that
Understanding Comics by Scott McCloudA comic about how comics work. By using a simple black and white avatar, McCloud makes it easier for the reader to project themselves into the educational journey through the medium's history.
A surreal, unsettling story about a sexually transmitted disease that causes physical mutations in teens. Burns’ ink work is incredibly smooth and haunting. 17. Stray Bullets by David Lapham
The following selection represents the pinnacle of monochromatic storytelling, ranging from historical memoirs to gritty neo-noir and surrealist horror. The following titles represent some of the most
What is your favorite black and white comic series of all time? Let us know in the comments! 👇
is the only graphic novel to ever win a Pulitzer Prize, cementing its status as an undeniable masterpiece of sequential art. The comic details the harrowing experiences of the author’s father, Vladek Spiegelman, a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. By rendering Jews as mice and Nazis as cats, Spiegelman uses anthropomorphic minimalism to depict the unimaginable horrors of Auschwitz. The stark black-and-white presentation avoids sensationalism, giving the historical trauma a chilling, universally accessible clarity. 2. The Walking Dead Creators: Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Horror