Did you get sick of all the Best of the Century lists that were published at the tail end of 1999? Well hold on, here's one more. These are my picks for the best ever comics with New Age /metaphysical themes. Without further ado:

(Format codes: os - ongoing series; cs - cancelled series, ms - mini-series; gna - graphic novelette; gn - graphic novel; tp - trade paperback)

Comics Series

The Sandman (DC/Vertigo; cs, tp)
Start with the best. Neil Gaiman's tales of Morpheus, Lord of the Dreamworld, imbued mythological symbolism and mysticism with a modern gothic sensibility, and elevated comics to a new level of sophistication. One of the few series (75 issues total) to be collected in book form and kept in print.

The Dreaming (DC/Vertigo; os, tp)
A follow-up to the Sandman series, set in the etheric dimension of the Dreamworld. Gaiman's only an advisor on this anthology-styled series, but the stories capture his distinctive sensibility.

Lone Wolf and Cub (First Comics; cs, tp)
Set in feudal Japan, this comic featured an estranged samurai warrior roaming the countryside with his infant son in a baby carriage. Each issue was a self-contained story, an existential morality play with strong Buddhist overtones. The comic did not flinch from exploring adult themes or portraying explicit violence. Lone Wolf was one of the first Japanese manga comics to be translated into English. Unfortunately after 45 issues, the series was abruptly cancelled. With the present popularity of manga, I'm surprised some enterprising publisher hasn't picked up the rights to resume publishing this singular series.

Mai, the Psychic Girl (Viz Communications, ms, tp)
Another early manga import, this comic delineated the coming-of-age of a young Japanese girl with incredible psychic abilities. She's on the run from an evil secret organization determined to capture her and use her to achieve world domination. The book's hyper-realistic illustrations, breathless pacing and pyrotechnic visuals were a welcome antidote to talky, static American action comics.

Swamp Thing (DC/Vertigo; cs, tp, gna)
A revolutionary break-through comic, the Swamp Thing series created a comprehensive mythology based on ecology. Swamp Thing was the latest in a lineage of elemental creatures charged with protecting Mother Earth from destruction. The comic dared go where no comic had gone before, with Swamp Thing eventually cohabiting with a human female and "fathering" a hybrid child.

Animal Man (DC/Vertigo; cs, tp)
Yang to Swamp Thing's yin, Animal Man was a human who could take on the abilities of animals, and could connect to the noosphere realm of consciousness. The first story cycle mischievously explored the nature of perception and reality, with Animal Man on a quest to meet his Maker, who turns out to be Grant Morrison, the comic's writer. Later story lines more directly explored the issues surrounding animal rights.

Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim; os, tp)
The exploits of a talking aardvark finding his place in a medieval-styled fantasy world of humans. Though the concept sounds laughable, this highly sophisticated epic saga is considered by many to be comics' War and Peace. Cerebus runs for political office, becomes Pope (and meets God), falls in love and loses his beloved, gets caught up in a matriarchal war, and experiences other existential dilemmas that allow his creator, Dave Sim, to share his personal view of life. Sim has announced that the series will end with Cerebus' death in issue #300 (scheduled for March 2004). All issues to date have been collected into huge phone book size trade paperbacks.

Elfquest (Warp Graphics; os, tp)
Another comic with an epic sweep, Elfquest (along with Cerebus) was one of the earliest self-published comics. But where Cerebus stimulates the mind, Elfquest tugs at the heart with its story of the Wolfriders, a clan of elves looking for a place to call home. Creator Wendy Pini has crafted with loving detail a society with a generational history, traditions and rituals, and a fierce commitment to family. Not surprisingly, this comic proved a favorite with women.

The Doom Patrol (DC/Vertigo; cs, tp)
One of the most surrealistic comics series ever, Doom Patrol deconstructed superhero stereotypes with a vengeance. Its cut and paste approach to storytelling and freewheeling anything-goes sensibility jolted your left brain and allowed you to slip through the crack in the cosmic egg. The series final writer Rachel Pollack (also an acclaimed writer about tarot), embedded her stories with a cornucopia of off beat New Age ideas ranging from gender identity after death to apocalyptic Jewish mysticism.

The Last One (DC/Vertigo; ms)
The gentle, beguiling story of an immortal who longs for death, and his relationships with a ragtag group of misfits who regard him as a guru. This is an undiscovered treasure which attracted little attention when first published. It's worth seeking out.

John Constantine, Hellblazer (DC/Vertigo; os, tp)
The personal saga of a selfish, chain-smoking, cynical Englishman who dabbles in white magic and is just clever enough to keep the demons at bay. Burdened with guilt over an occult experiment that resulted in the tragic death of a friend, Constantine knows his soul is damned but he gamely plugs on, doing what he can in the battle against dark forces. Unrelentingly grim, but fascinating, Hellblazer explores the universal struggle between Shadow and Light.

The Books of Magic (DC/Vertigo, os, tp)
He has the potential to become the most powerful mage the world has ever seen. No wonder numerous forces for good and evil are trying to influence him and shape his destiny. It's all a bloody nuisance for young Tim Hunter, an English lad who feels insecure around girls and struggles to understand his alcoholic single father. This is an absorbing fantasy that interweaves fairies and fearsome creatures into its tale of the rising and advancing of a magical spirit.

Graphic Novels and Novelettes

Rogan Gosh (DC/Vertigo; gna)
Think of this comic as a psychedelic trip through time, space, reincarnation and alternate realities. To try and logically explain it is not only difficult but also an affront to its power. Each reading reveals new layers of meaning. Prepare for a mindstorm.

Mercy (DC/Vertigo; gna)
A dying man examines his hollow life and is given one final opportunity for redemption and transformation. An outstanding example of comic art's ability to effectively explore spiritual themes. This is one comic I'll pick up anytime I see it cheap, so I can give it away as a present.

Zhuangi Speaks: The Music of Nature (Marvel Comics; tp)
A delightful collection of humorous one-page strips featuring a Zen guru attempting to impart wisdom to his followers. What possessed Marvel, the home of Spider-Man, to try to distribute this book is a mystery and it quickly went out of print. I occasionally see it in used book stores, and I'm sure it can be bought on E-Bay for a song.

Death: the High Cost of Living / Death: The Time of Your Life (DC/Vertigo; gn)
Spun off from The Sandman series, Neil Gaiman's depiction of Death as a young punkish pixy who dresses in black and sports an ankh necklace, is one of comic's most interesting characters. In "The High Cost of Living", Death is granted the ability to become human for 24 hours, the better to appreciate her role in the cosmic drama. In "The Time of Your Life", various individuals come together in an odyssey to save the life of a young boy. Death is another character popular with women.

2001 Nights (Viz Communications, gn)
A star-spanning galactic saga inspired by the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, this series of interconnected stories explores how space travel, living on other planets, and contact with alien life might affect us emotionally and spiritually.

Moonshadow (Marvel; DC/Vertigo; gn)
A delightful fairy tale for grown-ups, this is the story of a young man whose mother is a cosmic hippie and father is an alien life form that takes the shape of a giant happy face. Unsure of who (or even what) he is, Moonshadow gradually discovers his purpose through an intergalactic vision quest. The fable deftly balances whimsy and serious ideas, and includes a dash of ribald humor.

Concrete: Think Like a Mountain (Dark Horse; gn)
He was captured by aliens and had his brain transplanted into a body of solid rock. Now he struggles to find his place in the world. In this story, Concrete is persuaded to join Earth First, the radical branch of the ecology movement. Meticulously researched and annotated, Think Like A Mountain reads like a primer for eco-activism, and explores the controversy and conflicting opinions surrounding eco-terrorism. Reading this graphic novel persuaded me to start recycling.

Our Cancer Year (FourWallsEightWindows; gn)
The saga of Harvey Pekar's life and death struggle with colon cancer. The irascible Pekar publishes an autobiographical comic called American Splendor (Dark Horse), and gained a cult following with several appearances on David Letterman's NBC show. A simple man whose life revolves around his work as a file clerk with the Vet's administration, a passion for old records, his comic and his wife, Pekar had his world cave in after the deadly diagnosis. Unflinchingly honest, even brutal in its portrayal of Pekar's ordeal, the most gripping scenes show the cranky control freak going crazy from the chemotherapy, and desperately trying to hang on to habits and routines. Anchored by the unflagging support of his wife, Pekar did recover and is still his grouchy self.

Understanding Comics (Kitchen Sink, tp)
If you have any appreciation for comics art, this is a must read. The book is an extended essay about comic's art, done as a comic book. Writer/artist Scott McCloud uses a cartoon portrayal of himself as narrator to explore just what makes sequential art so unique, illustrating his concepts as he "talks". In doing so, he created a new literary art form, the non-fiction graphic narrative. Quite rightly, the book was hailed as a breakthrough, and is now required reading in art schools. Understanding Comics is readily available in mainstream bookstores and in comics shops.

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