Power Rankings is a series where I'll select a director, actor, writer, artist, etc. and rank their 5 best pieces of work.
It's hard to put a label on the genre or style of Neil Gaiman's work. Whether it be a novel, lengthy comic book series or two-part Batman story, there is always something about it that makes it uniquely Gaiman in structure and content. Growing up in UK as a part of a Scientologist family, Gaiman was part of the "British invasion" of comics which included Grant Morrison and Jamie Delano. In the 90's, Gaiman also took a swing at the world of fiction, where he was a huge success once again. Here we'll take a look at Gaiman's 5 best pieces of work, whether they be comics or books.
There's no denying that Neil Gaiman's ongoing Vertigo series Sandman is what he will be most remembered for in the future. The strange sci-fi/fantasy/occult series is one of the greatest comic book series ever written. It focuses on the king of Dream, an ancient being who, after being trapped by a twisted cult leader, returns home to a kingdom in ruins. The character is loosely based on a gas-masked hero who was turned into a more mystical being by the likes of Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. When Gaiman took on the character, he created a gothic dream-king in jet black (think Robert Smith from The Cure meets Marilyn Manson). It has recently been announced that Gaiman will return to the world of Sandman for a prequel series in the near future.
4. Coraline
Coraline is arguably Gaiman's most commercially recognized work due to the stop-motion film released in 2009. The book, written by Gaiman in 2002, is a perfect mix of horror/fantasy and children's literature. The plot is a very Alice in Wonderland-esque story of a girl who discovers a mysterious door in her new home which helps her escape the bland life she leads at home with her busy parents. The award-winning novella's film version perfectly captured the dark feel of the story and made for a great adaptation.
3. The Graveyard Book
Yet another perfect combination of horror/fantasy and children's lit is Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. After the murder of his family, a young boy is raised by the various ghosts inhabiting an ancient cemetery. Whereas Coraline was Alice in Wonderland, The Graveyard Book is very much Gaiman's version of The Jungle Book. The plot progresses as chapters which can almost be read as stand-alone short stories, making for a quick and easy read. Throw in some great illustrations by Dave McKean and you have yet another award-winning must-read from Neil Gaiman.
2. What Ever Happened to the Caped Crusader?
Gaiman's two-part Batman story is required reading for both fans of Neil Gaiman and fans of Batman. Advertised as the "last" Batman story, this strange trip through time and space delves deep into Batman's mind and mythos, chronicling his death through the stories of those around him. While it can be difficult to explain the plot of this Batman classic, it is surely not a tory to pass over.
1. American Gods
If you read one and only one of Neil Gaiman's works, it should be American Gods. By far his best book, this novel tells the story of Shadow, an ex-con who meets the mysterious Wednesday, a man who takes him on a trip through the United States, encountering mythological gods and creatures from every culture on the planet. The gods and creatures are manifestations of belief, which was carried over from everywhere in the world through immigration into the US. These "beliefs" manifest as everything from old men to animals to janitors. You will surely have an amazing time just learning about all of these deities throughout the course of the novel. If you've never read American Gods, get out to your local Barnes & Noble and pick up the 10th Anniversary Author's Preferred Text edition and dive right in, because this is a book that everyone should read, and with the recent announcement of an HBO adaptation, what better time than now?
There you have it folks, the five best works from Neil Gaiman. HBO's American Gods is on the way, and Gaiman can always be found on twitter or his blog, updating fans on everything he does.
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