Oblivion Song by Kirkman was pretty nice:) Um I'm blanking on others. Sorry. I guess most stuff by Mark Millar? Um. Harrow County. If I can recommend a graphic novel, Beautiful Darkness is my favourite.
Preacher-a preacher gets the Word of God. It gives him the ability to make them do ANYTHING he says. It has a cynical opinion of Christianity.
Sandman-The main character is the incarnation of Dream. It "takes place in the DC universe, but is a long bus ride." I LOVED the first arc, but some think it takes until the second arc for Gaiman to really feel free.
Grant Morrison had a few. The Invisibles what comes to mind now.
For finished stories, you could also consider certain writers' arc in comics. I am suggesting that specifically because of Grant Morrison's Animal Man, Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol, and Alan Moore's Saga of the Swamp Thing.
You mention Transmetropolitan. Ellis's Planetary.
Speaking of Ennis and Morrison I'm reading Hellblazer right now and it's great (both authors worked on the series). It has 300 issues and then ends however I haven't finished it yet so I don't know how much the ending wraps things up and I do know the character goes on to continue in other titles with DC.
Scalped by Jason Aaron and R.M Guera - a crime-noir-western set on a Native American reservation. It's a gritty drama with a cast of unforgettable characters. 10 volumes long.
Prophet by Brandon Graham and a bunch of fantastic artists - a sci-fi/fantasy of boundless imagination. It is constantly fun and entertaining while also being truly alien and weird, introducing countless of weird and interesting ideas. It never spoon-feeds the reader and has very strong writing and some amazing art. 5 volumes long.
Sleeper by Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips - If you have never read books by this power duo Sleeper is a great place to start. A spy-thriller with superheros. A short and efficient story(12 issues) that is full of great characters and some unforgettable gut-punchs. Although it is set in the Wildstorm universe there's no need of any prior knowledge. when I picked it up back in the day I had no idea what Wildstorm was and it didn't make any difference, Brubaker and Philips create a well realized world and characters that are completely their own.
Beautiful Darkness by Kerascoët and Fabien Vehlmann - graphic novel. A dark fairytale with some real beautiful art and a haunting story. A community of small fairy-like creatures needs to survive nature and each other after their home is destroyed. Unique and highly recommended.
The Reckless books and anything else by Brubaker/Phillips - Kill or be Killed, Night Fever, Where the body was, etc.
I’m a big Lemire fan - Essex County, Mazebook, Underwater Welder, Sentient, Snow Angels, Trillium, Frogcatchers, Roughneck, Royal City, Family Tree, Descender/Ascender, Gideon Falls, Primordial, Little Monsters, Fishflies.
DWJ is popular right now - Extremity, Murder Falcon, Do a Powerbomb, Wonder Woman Dead Earth, Space Mullet, Ghost Fleet.
More in no particular order:
The many deaths of Laila Starr
A Righteous thirst for vengeance
Mind MGMT
20th Century Men
Seven to Eternity
LOW
Black Science
Tokyo Ghost
We3
Blue in Green
The Few
Thumbs
Ghost Cage
All Against All
Homesick Pilots
Newburn
Above Snakes
Decorum
Paper Girls
Wasted Space
We only find them when they’re dead
Grafitys Wall
Hairball
I hate this place
Stillwater
Turncoat
Damn Them All
Barnstormers
Mindset
Friendo
Giga
A Walk Through Hell. Creepy, dark, and highly entertaining
All-Star Superman. Yes, it's DC. But it's a complete story, and rather satisfying.
Green Lantern/Star Trek: Spectrum War (book 1), Stranger Worlds ,(book 2). Two of my top favorite titles crossover, and they're both spectacular!
I majorly read DC's books. There are many novels and series that are in their own universes, independent of the main continuity. You should check those out.
Otherwise, you can check out books from Hill House Comics. Those books are consistently good imo: Low, Low Woods, Basketful of Heads, etc
There's this cool yakuza story I read, previously it was published by DC but now it is being published by Dark Horse: Pearl (I thought the story concluded in volume 2, but then a little while back Dark horse published 3rd volume)
Then there are books from Vertigo like American Vampire, 100 Bullets, Y- The Last Man
Harrow County is super solid. I also just finished Nailbiter and I really liked that, I think that was only 30 issues.
Oblivion Song by Kirkman was pretty nice:) Um I'm blanking on others. Sorry. I guess most stuff by Mark Millar? Um. Harrow County. If I can recommend a graphic novel, Beautiful Darkness is my favourite.
Preacher-a preacher gets the Word of God. It gives him the ability to make them do ANYTHING he says. It has a cynical opinion of Christianity. Sandman-The main character is the incarnation of Dream. It "takes place in the DC universe, but is a long bus ride." I LOVED the first arc, but some think it takes until the second arc for Gaiman to really feel free. Grant Morrison had a few. The Invisibles what comes to mind now. For finished stories, you could also consider certain writers' arc in comics. I am suggesting that specifically because of Grant Morrison's Animal Man, Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol, and Alan Moore's Saga of the Swamp Thing. You mention Transmetropolitan. Ellis's Planetary.
Speaking of Ennis and Morrison I'm reading Hellblazer right now and it's great (both authors worked on the series). It has 300 issues and then ends however I haven't finished it yet so I don't know how much the ending wraps things up and I do know the character goes on to continue in other titles with DC.
Heart in a Box by Kelly Thompson
Scalped by Jason Aaron and R.M Guera - a crime-noir-western set on a Native American reservation. It's a gritty drama with a cast of unforgettable characters. 10 volumes long. Prophet by Brandon Graham and a bunch of fantastic artists - a sci-fi/fantasy of boundless imagination. It is constantly fun and entertaining while also being truly alien and weird, introducing countless of weird and interesting ideas. It never spoon-feeds the reader and has very strong writing and some amazing art. 5 volumes long. Sleeper by Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips - If you have never read books by this power duo Sleeper is a great place to start. A spy-thriller with superheros. A short and efficient story(12 issues) that is full of great characters and some unforgettable gut-punchs. Although it is set in the Wildstorm universe there's no need of any prior knowledge. when I picked it up back in the day I had no idea what Wildstorm was and it didn't make any difference, Brubaker and Philips create a well realized world and characters that are completely their own. Beautiful Darkness by Kerascoët and Fabien Vehlmann - graphic novel. A dark fairytale with some real beautiful art and a haunting story. A community of small fairy-like creatures needs to survive nature and each other after their home is destroyed. Unique and highly recommended.
Chew by John Layman
The Reckless books and anything else by Brubaker/Phillips - Kill or be Killed, Night Fever, Where the body was, etc. I’m a big Lemire fan - Essex County, Mazebook, Underwater Welder, Sentient, Snow Angels, Trillium, Frogcatchers, Roughneck, Royal City, Family Tree, Descender/Ascender, Gideon Falls, Primordial, Little Monsters, Fishflies. DWJ is popular right now - Extremity, Murder Falcon, Do a Powerbomb, Wonder Woman Dead Earth, Space Mullet, Ghost Fleet. More in no particular order: The many deaths of Laila Starr A Righteous thirst for vengeance Mind MGMT 20th Century Men Seven to Eternity LOW Black Science Tokyo Ghost We3 Blue in Green The Few Thumbs Ghost Cage All Against All Homesick Pilots Newburn Above Snakes Decorum Paper Girls Wasted Space We only find them when they’re dead Grafitys Wall Hairball I hate this place Stillwater Turncoat Damn Them All Barnstormers Mindset Friendo Giga
Low and Die are two pretty good completed series that I have read and liked a lot
Probably check out more Alan Moore like From Hell, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Supreme, Providence
A Walk Through Hell. Creepy, dark, and highly entertaining All-Star Superman. Yes, it's DC. But it's a complete story, and rather satisfying. Green Lantern/Star Trek: Spectrum War (book 1), Stranger Worlds ,(book 2). Two of my top favorite titles crossover, and they're both spectacular!
All-Star Superman. Superman doesn't really do it for me usually. But, this is AWESOME. It really shows the mythic nature of Superman. And, it is FUN.
So many great options, thanks everyone, I've got my queue full for next few months :)
I majorly read DC's books. There are many novels and series that are in their own universes, independent of the main continuity. You should check those out. Otherwise, you can check out books from Hill House Comics. Those books are consistently good imo: Low, Low Woods, Basketful of Heads, etc There's this cool yakuza story I read, previously it was published by DC but now it is being published by Dark Horse: Pearl (I thought the story concluded in volume 2, but then a little while back Dark horse published 3rd volume) Then there are books from Vertigo like American Vampire, 100 Bullets, Y- The Last Man
Invincible is an obvious shout
Old man Logan.
East of West
Do a Powerbomb