New Reader Guide: Vertigo

Welcome to the Austin Books & Comics New Reader Guide! We’re here to introduce some of our favorite books that you may not already know about, and maybe even help you find your next favorite comic series!

Founded in 1993, DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint has consistently broke ground and pushed the boundaries of the comics medium, producing many of the most original, mature, and creative stories in comics history.

In this guide you’ll find a collection of some of Vertigo’s classic titles, as well as some of their more recent releases.

All titles are available at the store, and if not we will be happy to special order them for you!

Classic Titles

100 Bullets

If you had the opportunity to get away with murder, would you take it? In this critically-acclaimed crime thriller, the mysterious Agent Graves approaches people who have been wronged with proof the wrong done against them, an attaché case with a gun and untraceable bullets, and the guarantee of full immunity.

Writer: Brian Azzarello

Artist: Eduardo Risso

Genre: crime thriller

Number of volumes: 13, 5 (omnibus)

American Vampire

Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque redefine the vampire horror genre with this series that traces various vampires throughtout the history of America, from the Old West to the Roaring 20’s to World War II.

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Rafael Albuquerque

Genre: horror

Number of volumes: 6

Animal Man

Grant Morrison’s Vertigo run on Animal Man is widely considered to be one of the finest in the history of the medium. Using a second-rate superhero to explore complex themes such as animal welfare advocacy, metaphysics, post-modernism, spirituality, and more, this series is Grant Morrison at his weirdest and most brilliant.

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artist: Chas Truog

Genre: Superhero, postmodernist, horror

Number of volumes: 7

DMZ

In the near future, the Second American Civil War has raged on for several years, with the island of Manhattan a designated de-militarized zone. Aspiring photojournalist Matty Roth joins an embedded reporter on assignment in the DMZ, but after things go horribly wrong he must decide if he should escape or stay and report on the story of a lifetime.

Writer: Brian Wood

Artist: Riccardo Burchielli

Genre: Action, political thriler, military drama

Number of volumes: 12, 5 (deluxe editions)

Ex Machina

Mitchell Hundred is a regular civil engineer in New York City who gains the power to speak to machines and becomes the world’s first and only superhero. As The Great Machine, he ends up stopping one of the planes in the 9/11 attacks, and after retiring from superhero duty ends up being elected mayor. The series follows his journey and challenges while in office, as well as the implications of being the only superpowered person in the world.

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan

Artist: Tony Harris

Genre: Superhero, political thriller

Number of volumes: 5

Fables

What if the characters from familiar fairy tales were real? Forced out of their land of legends, the denizens of fabled stories set up in the secret community of Fabletown, hidden within New York City. When Snow White’s party-girl sister, Rose Red, is apparently murdered, it is up to Fabletown’s sheriff, a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf, to determine if the killer is Bluebeard, Rose’s ex-lover and notorious wife killer, or Jack, her current live-in boyfriend and former beanstalk-climber

Writer: Bill Willingham

Artists: Lan Medina, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Craig Hamilton

Genre: Urban fantasy, mystery, adventure

Number of volumes: 22, 13 (deluxe editions)

Hellblazer

John Constantine is a hard-bitten, chain-smoking British occult detective and con man. Working in the shadows, Constantine fights a never-ending war against the forces of darkness that lurk behind the walls and around every corner. Vertigo’s longest-running series, Hellblazer blended action, horror, and fantasy elements along with smart social commentary and satire.

Writers: Jamie Delano, Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman, Garth Ennis, Garth Ennis, Eddie Campbell, Paul Jenkins, Warren Ellis, Brian Azzarello, Mike Carey, Andy Diggle, Jason Aaron

Artists: John Ridgway, Richard Piers Rayner, Mike Hoffman, Mark Buckingham, Ron Tiner, David Lloyd, Dave McKean, Sean Phillips, et al.

Genre: Horror, supernatural, urban fantasy

Number of volumes: 11

iZombie

Gwendolyn “Gwen” Dylan is a 20-something gravedigger in an eco-friendly cemetery. Once a month she must eat a human brain to keep from losing her memories, but in the process she becomes consumed with the thoughts and personality of the dead person – until she eats her next brain. She sets out to fulfi ll the dead person’s last request, solve a crime or right a wrong.

Writer: Chris Roberson

Artist: Mike Allred

Genre: Horror, comedy, crime

Number of volumes: 4

The Losers

When an elite special forces unit discovers a horrible CIA secret, the CIA tries to kill them in order to cover it up. Unfortunately for the agency, all that did was set them on the path of bloody revenge.

Writer: Andy Diggle

Artist: Jock

Genre: Action, spy thriller

Number of volumes: 2

Lucifer

When the Devil himself, Lucifer Morningstar, retires as the keeper of Hell, he sets up as the proprietor of a swanky piano bar in Los Angeles. Before he can get too comfortable in his retirement, he’s made an offer from the Creator that he can’t refuse. If Lucifer agrees to do Heaven’s dirty work, he can name his own price, but both the task and reward are more than they seem. Thrown into a position of great threat and ultimate opportunity, Lucifer knows that threading a path through this maze will require the harshest of sacrifices.

Writer: Mike Carey

Artist: Scott Hampton

Genre: Horror, drama, fantasy

Number of volumes: 5

Preacher

Jesse Custer is the disillusioned preacher of a church in a tiny west Texas town. Without warning he is fused with the unholy offspring of an angel and a demon, immediately destroying the town and everyone in it. He soon discovers that God has abandoned His throne in heaven, so he sets out with his hitwoman ex-girlfriend Tulip, and 100 year old Irish vampire best friend Cassidy to find God and hold Him accountable for abandoning the world. A modern-day Western with supernatural elements, ancient conspiracies, pitch black humor, buckets of gore, and a ton of heart, Preacher stands apart as one of Vertigo’s all-time greatest series.

Writer: Garth Ennis

Artist: Steve Dillon

Genre: Adventure, comedy, horror, western

Number of volumes: 6

Pride of Baghdad

During the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, a pride of lions escape from the Baghdad Zoo. Lost and confused, hungry but finally free, the four lions roamed the decimated streets of Baghdad in a desperate struggle for their lives. In documenting the plight of the lions, this original graphic novel raises questions about the true meaning of liberation – can it be given, or is it earned only through self-determination and sacrifice? And in the end, is it truly better to die free than to live in captivity?

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan

Artist: Niko Henrichon

Genre: Drama, adventure

Sandman

Neil Gaiman’s dark fantasy masterpiece centers around Dream, a member of a group called the Endless, personifications of abstract ideas: Destiny, Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, and Destruction. Weaving modern mythology with contemporary fiction, historical drama and legend, Sandman rightfully earns its place on every major “Greatest Comics” list.

Writer: Neil Gaiman

Artists: Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson, Shawn McManus, et al

Genre: Dark fantasy, drama, horror

Number of volumes: 10

Scalped

Fifteen years ago, Dashiell “Dash” Bad Horse ran away from a life of abject poverty and utter hopelessness on the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation searching for something better. Now he’s come back home armed with nothing but a set of nunchucks, a hell-bent-for-leather attitude and one dark secret, to find nothing much has changed on “The Rez” – short of a glimmering new casino, and a once-proud people overcome by drugs and organized crime. Is he here to set things right or just get a piece of the action?

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artists: R. M. Guéra, Davide Furno

Genre: Crime, western

Number of volumes: 10, 5 (deluxe editions)

Swamp Thing

Before Watchmen, Alan Moore made his debut in the U.S. comic book industry with the revitalization of the horror comic book Swamp Thing. His deconstruction of the classic monster stretched the creative boundaries of the medium and became one of the most spectacular series in comic book history. With modern-day issues explored against a backdrop of horror, Swamp Thing’s stories became commentaries on environmental, political and social issues, unflinching in their relevance.

Writer: Alan Moore

Artists: Stephen Bissette, John Totleben

Genre: Horror, drama, mystery, romance

Number of volumes: 6

Sweet Tooth

Sweet Tooth tells the story of Gus, a rare new breed of human/animal hybrid children, has been raised in isolation following an inexplicable pandemic that struck a decade earlier. Now, with the death of his father he’s left to fend for himself, until he meets a hulking drifter named Jepperd who promises to help him. Jepperd and Gus set out on a post-apocalyptic journey into the devastated American landscape to find “The Preserve” a refuge for hybrids.

Writer/Artist: Jeff Lemire

Genre: Sci-fi, drama

Number of volumes: 6, 3 (deluxe editions)

Transmetropolitan

Imagine Hunter S. Thompson on even more drugs and set in the future. After years of selfimposed exile from a civilization rife with degradation and indecency, cynical journalist Spider Jerusalem is forced to return to a job he hates and a city he loathes. Working as an investigative reporter for the newspaper The Word, Spider attacks the injustices of his surreal 23rd century surroundings.

Writer: Warren Ellis

Artist: Darick Robertson

Genre: Sci-fi, cyberpunk

Number of volumes: 10

V for Vendetta

In a world without political freedom, personal freedom and precious little faith in anything, comes a mysterious man in a white porcelain mask who fights political oppressors through terrorism and seemingly absurd acts in this gripping tale of the blurred lines between ideological good and evil.

Writer: Alan Moore

Artist: David Lloyd

Genre: Action, drama, thriller

We3

When a secret weapons program that turns animals into cybernetic killing machines is shut down, three of the animals: a rabbit, a dog, and a cat, escape. On the run from the government agency people that created them, the trio desperately searches for “home.” We3 is brutal, thoughtful, heartwrenching, and will make you want to hug your pets when you finish.

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artist: Frank Quitely

Genre: Action, sci-fi

Y: The Last Man

One day, without warning, every mammal with a Y chromosome dies horribly. Every one, except for unemployed escape artist Yorick Brown and his fostered helper monkey Ampersand. He sets off from Washington, DC in an attempt to reunite with his girlfriend in Australia, and runs across government conspiracies, shadowy agents, Amazons, and more. This brilliant series explores a wide variety of themes including gender roles, politics, personal identity, love, and more.

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan

Artist: Pia Guerra, Goran Sudžuka, Paul Chadwick

Genre: Sci-fi, adventure, comedy, romance, drama

Number of volumes: 10, 5 (deluxe editions)

2015 Relaunch

In late 2015, after a period of relative dormancy, Vertigo underwent a huge relaunch with a wide variety of new titles by both high-profile and up-and-coming creators.

Art Ops

In this series, art not only imitates life, it becomes it! When rogue figures from famous works of art come to life and escape their frames, it’s up to Reggie Riot and the agents of Art Operatives to track them down before they wreak havoc on the unsuspecting public. But Reggie has secrets of his own that may affect his ability to interact with these living works of art-and he wants no part in the agency his mother ran before him.

Writer: Shaun Simon

Artist: Mike Allred, Matt Brundage

Genre: Fantasy

Clean Room

Astrid Mueller is the enigmatic and compelling guru of a giant self-help organization-a devastatingly powerful figure in the industry between psychology and religion. Journalist Chloe Pierce’s fiancé decided to pick up Astrid’s book, and within three months he was dead. Something in Astrid Mueller’s book made Philip blow his brains out all over Chloe’s new kitchen.

Now Chloe is on a mission to find out who Astrid Mueller really is. What is this Clean Room she’s been hearing about where your deepest fear and worst moments are revealed? Chloe intends to immerse herself in the Clean Room and wreak havoc on Astrid’s empire.

Writer: Gail Simone

Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt

Genre: Fantasy

Lucifer

God is dead, and the angel Gabriel has accused Lucifer of His murder. Lucifer had motive and opportunity but claims he can prove his innocence. If Gabriel finds the killer and takes the culprit into custody, his sins will be forgotten, and he’ll be welcomed back to Silver City. So, despite the fact that Lucifer just opened a nightclub on Earth and is hiding a mysterious wound, the two brothers set off to solve their Father’s murder. Their investigation will span Heaven, Hell, Earth and beyond in this antagonistic buddy-cop noir with an angelic flair.

Writer: Holly Black

Artist: Lee Garbett

Genre: Crime, fantasy

Red Thorn

On the rain-soaked streets of Glasgow, a girl whose drawings somehow come to life has just stumbled across her one true love. And thousands of miles below those streets, an ancient demigod plots his escape from the prison where he’s been held for nearly two thousand years. Evil forces are at play and no one is safe as the legends of Scottish mythology collide with the modern world.

Writer: David Baillie

Artist: Meghan Hetrick

Genre: Horror

Sandman Overture

Twenty-five years after THE SANDMAN changed the landscape of modern comics, the legendary series is back with a brand-new prequel limited series written by Gaiman himself. From the birth of a galaxy to the moment that Morpheus is captured, this is the story of the Sandman’s origins.

Writer: Neil Gaiman

Artist: J.H. Williams III

Genre: Fantasy

Sheriff of Babylon

Baghdad, 2003. Florida Police officer turned military contractor Chris Henry is tasked with training a new Iraqi police force. When one of his trainees ends up dead, Chris is forced to team up with Nassir, the last remaining cop in Baghdad. Pulling the strings to bring them together is the mysterious Sofia, an American-educated Iraqi who has returned to take control of the city’s criminal underworld.

Writer: Tom King

Artist: Mitch Gerads

Genre: Crime, military, drama

Survivor’s Club

One was possessed by a poltergeist. Another was trapped in a haunted house. A third had a killer doll. Ever wonder what happened to these children of the 1980s?

Having found each other over the internet, six grown-up survivors are drawn together by the horrors they experienced in 1987 when a rash of occult events occurred around the world-with fatal results. Now, there are indications that it may be happening all over again. Is it possible that these six aren’t just survivors-but were chosen for their fates?

Writers: Dale Halvorsen, Lauren Lauren

Artists: Ryan Kelly, Inaki Miranda

Genre: Horror

Unfollow

A dying social media mogul leaves his billions to be split evenly between 140 random people-or however many of them are still alive at the moment of his death. That 140 includes a young black man trying to get by in St. Louis, an Iranian reporter in need of hope, a retired special forces soldier with a strange sense of purpose, and a thrill-seeking heiress in this thriller that shows we’re all still part of the food chain.

Writer: Rob Williams

Artist: Mike Dowling

Genre: Fantasy, drama

Have a question? Click here to send a message and we'll get back to you shortly!