Favorite All-Ages Comics?

[Jet_Jaguar]

I'm interested in trying to write a short "all-ages friendly" comic book series (I would need to find someone to illustrate it since my drawing ability is pretty minimal), and I was wondering if anyone could suggest comics that I should look at for inspiration. Of course, UY and Groo are probably going to influence it at least a little bit, and Jeff Smith's Bone is also probably a good model for a high-quality all-ages series. I also have a feeling that the works of Carl Barks, Winsor McCay, Osamu Tezuka, and Hayao Miyazaki might also influence it a little bit (I'm going to need to find someone who's a heck of a good artist to live up to these influences!). Anyone have any suggestions for other works I should look at for inspiration? In particular, I would welcome suggestions for good "funny animal" comics to look at since I'm thinking about making my comic a "funny animal" series (of course, that could change).

I'd like to create a truly "all-ages" comic book, not just one for kids. I would want it to be accessible to children, but I would also like to include a layer of humor and satire for older readers. The idea of creating an "all-ages" comic appeals to me for multiple reasons, one of them being the fact that it's a niche that most U.S. comic book publishers haven't done a great job of filling. I personally have nothing against more "adult" comics, and if I had a compelling idea for one, I certainly wouldn't rule out writing it, but at this point, creating an "all-ages" series appeals to me a little more.

[Thomas Froehling]

Well, there are a few all-ages comics in my collection which are not funny animals:

1. Lucky Luke by Morris ( de Bévère, Maurice), writer Goscinny, René

2. Asterix & Obelix by Uderzo, Albert, writer Goscinny, René

3. Tintin by Hergé (Rémi, Georges)

4. Spirou & Fantasio by Franquin, André

5. Gaston Lagaffe by Franquin, André

6. Sam & Max by Purcell, Steve

Just joking with the last one...

[Jet_Jaguar]

I know about Tintin (Scott McCloud talks about it a little bit in the excellent book Understanding Comics), but I've never actually read any of it. Where's the best place to start? Since Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are supposed to be making a movie adaptation, I imagine that that will probably increase its popularity a little bit.

I'm familiar with Sam & Max (I have a signed HC copy of the Sam & Max collection), and I like it a lot, but it occasionally pushes the "all ages" boundaries a little bit.

[Thomas Froehling]

I'm familiar with Sam & Max (I have a signed HC copy of the Sam & Max collection), and I like it a lot, but it occasionally pushes the "all ages" boundaries a little bit.

Actually, I was kidding with Sam & Max; their kind of humor is very special sometimes, so I wouldn't recommend it for kids...

Where to start reading Tintin?

Well, I don't know any English copies of Tintin, though I'm sure they exist; Since most of the albums contain closed stories (one of the exceptions being "The seven cristal balls" and "The temple of the sun", which should be read in that order), you could easily pick up any copy and start reading right away. There is some kind of chronological order, but when Carlsen started publishing Tintin (Tim & Struppy in German), they completly abbandoned any kind of chronology. Later they gave a list showing that book #19 collected the story which was supposed to be #2 and so on....

[Gallennon]

Barns and Nobel use to sell copies of the comic. It was published in English and in the states. You can always check their web page. Also I suggest amazon.com and maybe even go as far as checking Diamond Comics Distribution since they are one of the big distributors in the country, located on the east coast and their owner Steve Geppy is a big fan of old school/European comics and sci-fi., He was the guy who brought the original Doctor Who to the US.

[Bogus]

Like Gallennon said, there are translated versions of it available. At most of the local comic stores I have been/go to, I have often seen it among the offerings.

[Deathstroke]

Amelia Rules! is an awesome all ages book.

[mickmoart]

I like a all-ages comic called Halo And Sprocket by Kerry Callen. It is fun to read and just has some silly stories in it!

[sschroeder]

I'd like to create a truly "all-ages" comic book, not just one for kids. I would want it to be accessible to children, but I would also like to include a layer of humor and satire for older readers. The idea of creating an "all-ages" comic appeals to me for multiple reasons, one of them being the fact that it's a niche that most U.S. comic book publishers haven't done a great job of filling.

In terms of recent ones, look for the digests of Jeff Parker written Marvel Adventures Avengers. Super-heroes, not animals, but this is a really appealing series, in my opinion.

[micah_acord]

Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog is relatively all-ages, but it seems to appeal largely to kids and not so much to older readers. However, Tracy yardley is an excellent artist.
Also, Amazon does have some English editions of Tintin (awesome comic!)
but it can be just a wee bit pricey...
And although by all technicalities, it's not a 'comic', the Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series is *hilarious*.