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Classic-era Noir Comics

Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:58 pm
by amunptah
I'm a big fan of classic era noir/detective fiction and films, eg Chandler/Hammett. What comics are there that feature original content in the same style or are adaptations of works by genre authors/directors?

I'm not looking for Sin City knock offs or modern crime stuff, but classic era stories, 1930s-1950s.

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:55 am
by BobBretall
You can try the "Noir" OGN from Dark Horse:
http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=182452

But I don't think it's all set in the 30s - 50s.....

You can also look for Bendis' GN "Torso", it features Elliot Ness going after a serial killer in Cleveland.
http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=108325

Another would be Max Collins "Road to Perdition" GNs:
http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=55830
http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=138292

The BEST examples would be the 2 "Parker" OGNs by Darwyn Cooke
The Hunter: http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=175028
The Outfit: http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=212323

Then there are the "Marvel Noir" books which are set back in that time period, but I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for.

Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:33 pm
by Master of the Mystic Arts
Darwyn Cooke's work is outstanding.

I'd also recommend the out-of-print Chandler by Steranko. Look for the trade paperback version, not the mass market paperback size. It's on better paper and you can really enjoy the art more.

A recolored reprint has been scheduled off and on (titled "Red Tide") for years, but no one seems to know when it will be published.

I also thought of the two Road to Perdition books as fitting your requirements (though I prefer Cooke.)

There's a good chance you'll find something to like in The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics. It has a lot of my favorite cartoonists: Eisner, Cole, Krigstein (adapting Ed McBain), Raymond, etc. It includes stories by Hammett & Spillane and it's 448 pages.