19 books like Elektra

By Frank Miller, Bill Sienkiewicz (illustrator),

Here are 19 books that Elektra fans have personally recommended if you like Elektra. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Garage Band

Iván Brandon Author Of Viking Volume 1

From my list on expanding your idea of visual storytelling.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in the weird world of a nerdy immigrant single mother, surrounded by comics and stories of every kind. I was attracted to writing (and drawing) from a really young age. Like a lot of 80s kids I was a latchkey, so there wasn’t really anyone around to tell me what was age-appropriate. I just grabbed books at random. Most of all what appealed to me were unique voices, when the books surprised me I didn’t care what they were about. When I finally started writing comics I got obsessed with trying not to repeat myself, keeping myself surprised. These books really helped me see the freedom I had in making comics.

Iván's book list on expanding your idea of visual storytelling

Iván Brandon Why did Iván love this book?

For my money, Gipi is the best living comic book storyteller in the world right now and while it’s incredibly hard to pick a single book, I went with Garage Band, which elevates the drama of a very simple situation, teenagers escaping the turmoil of their lives through music who have to figure out what to do when their only amp dies. It reminds me of how every teenaged moment felt like an opera of life or death. In his art, in his stories, in his characters, Gipi gives simple things an impossible depth. 

By Gipi, Spectrum (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Garage Band as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When Giuliano's father loans him the family garage, he and three of his friends form a band. Playing their battered secondhand instruments, the four teenagers find something they love to do, and they find in their friendship and music a refuge from difficult and turbulent home lives. But when their only amp blows a fuse, a desperate search for some new equipment lands them in more trouble than they ever saw coming. Written and painted in stunning watercolors by the renowned Italian artist Gipi, "Garage Band" is an introspective meditation on teenage life.


Book cover of Tekkonkinkreet

Iván Brandon Author Of Viking Volume 1

From my list on expanding your idea of visual storytelling.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in the weird world of a nerdy immigrant single mother, surrounded by comics and stories of every kind. I was attracted to writing (and drawing) from a really young age. Like a lot of 80s kids I was a latchkey, so there wasn’t really anyone around to tell me what was age-appropriate. I just grabbed books at random. Most of all what appealed to me were unique voices, when the books surprised me I didn’t care what they were about. When I finally started writing comics I got obsessed with trying not to repeat myself, keeping myself surprised. These books really helped me see the freedom I had in making comics.

Iván's book list on expanding your idea of visual storytelling

Iván Brandon Why did Iván love this book?

Tekkonkinkreet has more raw energy than any comic I’ve ever read, like in my own book it’s the story of 2 brothers who think they’re invincible and make a lot of mistakes in the heat of the moment. The book is relentless and breaks every possible rule and is just an absolute marvel of comic storytelling.

By Taiyo Matsumoto, Lillian Olsen (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tekkonkinkreet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Orphaned on the mean streets of Treasure Town, lost boys Black and White must mug, steal and fight to survive. Around them moves a world of corruption and loneliness, small-time crooks and neurotic police officers, and a band of sadistic yakuza who have plans for their once-fair city. Can they rise above their environment? Surreal manga influenced by European comics.

TEKKONKINKREET is a play on Japanese words meaning "a concrete structure with an iron frame," and it suggests the opposing images of concrete cities against the strength of imagination.


Book cover of Why I Hate Saturn

Iván Brandon Author Of Viking Volume 1

From my list on expanding your idea of visual storytelling.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in the weird world of a nerdy immigrant single mother, surrounded by comics and stories of every kind. I was attracted to writing (and drawing) from a really young age. Like a lot of 80s kids I was a latchkey, so there wasn’t really anyone around to tell me what was age-appropriate. I just grabbed books at random. Most of all what appealed to me were unique voices, when the books surprised me I didn’t care what they were about. When I finally started writing comics I got obsessed with trying not to repeat myself, keeping myself surprised. These books really helped me see the freedom I had in making comics.

Iván's book list on expanding your idea of visual storytelling

Iván Brandon Why did Iván love this book?

This story really covered a lot of ground for me, it sorta collapsed my idea of how to present visual information, it’s “novelistic” in structure, snippets of a woman’s messy life told mostly in the equivalent of subtitles, the visuals sometimes tracking the emotions rather than a string of actions. It was also published by the publisher of Batman but there was nothing even remotely supernatural about it, it wasn’t edgy or dark beyond how any of our lives are.

By Kyle Baker,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Why I Hate Saturn as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

COMPLETE GRAPHIC NOVEL Cranky columnist Anne Merkel is only happy when she's complaining...about her editors, about being single in New York City, about running out of Scotch. But when her long-lost sister shows up claiming to be Queen of the Leather Astro-Girls of Saturn, Anne's going to wish she'd never complained about anything... WINNER OF THE HARVEY AWARD Best Graphic Album of Original Work SPECIAL EDITION BONUS: Includes a never before published teleplay written by Kyle Baker, also a few other rarities.


Book cover of The Covers

Iván Brandon Author Of Viking Volume 1

From my list on expanding your idea of visual storytelling.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in the weird world of a nerdy immigrant single mother, surrounded by comics and stories of every kind. I was attracted to writing (and drawing) from a really young age. Like a lot of 80s kids I was a latchkey, so there wasn’t really anyone around to tell me what was age-appropriate. I just grabbed books at random. Most of all what appealed to me were unique voices, when the books surprised me I didn’t care what they were about. When I finally started writing comics I got obsessed with trying not to repeat myself, keeping myself surprised. These books really helped me see the freedom I had in making comics.

Iván's book list on expanding your idea of visual storytelling

Iván Brandon Why did Iván love this book?

The Hernandez Brothers burned down almost anything I thought about comics. As a young Latin kid I hadn’t seen stories that referenced Latin characters in anything but a really heavy-handed way, the idea that we were allowed to be these flawed weird characters seemed impossible to me. I connected pretty heavily with Jaime’s work especially and when I’m stuck on almost anything I revisit these pages as a sort of hard reset on whatever I think my process is.

By Gilbert Hernandez,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Covers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This oversized art book collects the comics series’ iconic covers sans title or logo.

Five women stand in a police lineup; four of them are garishly dressed, impressively endowed superwomen ― perfectly normal, because this is, after all, the cover of a comic book. A closer look, however, reveals a fifth woman who seems thoroughly out of place ― mousy, in bathrobe and curlers, smoking a cigarette, she appears to have been suddenly yanked from her breakfast table. Surely, this diminutive, dowdy woman is here by mistake ― or is she? From the very first cover of the very first…


Book cover of Exploding: The Highs, Hits, Hype, Heroes, and Hustlers of the Warner Music Group

David Menconi Author Of Oh, Didn't They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music

From my list on non-fiction about the music industry.

Why am I passionate about this?

I spent 34 years writing for daily papers, most of them at the News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina. I’ve also freelanced for numerous magazines, primarily about music, while hosting a podcast and writing the occasional book. Through it all I’ve had a particular fascination for the music business and its peculiar ways, especially record companies. The industry’s darker side was the subject of my first book way back in 2000, the novel Off The Record, which was a notebook dump of thinly fictionalized war stories I’d accumulated over the years. The record business is the subject of my latest book, too, although it’s a much more positive story.

David's book list on non-fiction about the music industry

David Menconi Why did David love this book?

Commander Cody made that album for Warner Brothers Records during the time when the U.S. record business was grossing over a billion dollars a year.

During those heady days, no label group better exemplified the positive side of the industry than Warner, which stood as proof that you really could have profits with honor. From Frank Sinatra to Madonna, Warner put out music that generated sales and critical acclaim in equal measure.

Stan Cornyn was an executive at Warner for 34 years, overseeing countless publicity campaigns, and this delicious memoir evokes the industry’s glory days in the prestige penthouse. If Rounder was the cream of the independent-label crop, Warner was top of the major-label heap.

By Stan Cornyn, Paul Scanlon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Exploding as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

That's how Vanity Fair described the record business turmoil of the 1990s, which moved the Warner Music Group -- the world's number one record company -- from the entertainment pages to the front pages. Suddenly, decades of riotous fun and booming business went splat. Top music executives got evicted from their offices, some escorted by company guards. Why? The answers are in Exploding -- the most insightful and delightful book about the record business ever written.

In the rock explosion of the Sixties and Seventies, Warner Bros., Atlantic, and Elektra Records dominated the business as the Warner Music Group. But…


Book cover of Clytemnestra

Sophia Kouidou-Giles Author Of An Unexpected Ally: A Greek Tale of Love, Revenge, and Redemption

From my list on retelling ancient Greek myths.

Why am I passionate about this?

Born and raised in Greece, I have always been fascinated by the history and mythology of my homeland. My love for reading historical fiction and Greek myths has been drawing me into stories of ancient civilizations and their timeless tales. Visiting archaeological sites and museums, where history comes to life through the remnants of the past has been a lifelong passion and Is a source of inspiration. These experiences have shaped my love for storytelling and my desire to breathe new life into Greek myths and history. In my writing, I aim to bridge the gap between the ancient and the modern.

Sophia's book list on retelling ancient Greek myths

Sophia Kouidou-Giles Why did Sophia love this book?

The story drew me in for it is written from a point of view I had not encountered before. Set in patriarchal Sparta and Mycenae, the heroine emerges from a world where women had little agency.

She is presented as a likable, innocent youth who evolves into a formidable woman, righting wrongs with strength and might. Clytemnestra’s power and accomplishments kept me in in awe as her journey unfolds without divine interventions. She faces numerous challenges head on, in a matter-of-fact way.

This story is not for the faint of heart, as there is plenty of violence that runs through it. Hard, strong, and decisive, she is an overwhelming character who engages with the notable men of her time, refusing to relinquish her independence.

By Costanza Casati,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Clytemnestra as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Fans of Circe and Elektra should pick up this powerful Greek myth retelling." ―Cosmopolitan

For fans of Madeline Miller, a stunning debut following Clytemnestra, the most notorious villainess of the ancient world and the events that forged her into the legendary queen.

As for queens, they are either hated or forgotten. She already knows which option suits her best…

You were born to a king, but you marry a tyrant. You stand by helplessly as he sacrifices your child to placate the gods. You watch him wage war on a foreign shore, and you comfort yourself with violent thoughts of…


Book cover of A Smile in the Mind: Witty Thinking in Graphic Design

David Airey Author Of Identity Designed: The Definitive Guide to Visual Branding

From my list on visual branding.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a graphic designer, writer, and brand consultant. I work with clients of all sizes, from multinationals to companies of one. Since opening my business in 2005 I’ve created logos and visual identities for brands in more than 30 countries. I run two design blogs Logo Design Love and Identity Designed. They resulted in publishing deals to write their accompanying books, and their pages now get millions of views each year.

David's book list on visual branding

David Airey Why did David love this book?

The world of design could do with more wit, and the examples within are a wonderful testament to the difference it makes. Almost guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

By Greg Quinton, Beryl McAlhone, David Staurt , Nick Asbury

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Smile in the Mind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Forty years of "witty thinking" from over 500 designers, including hundreds of visual examples and interviews with the world's top practitioners

First published in 1996, A Smile in the Mind rapidly became one of the most influential books in graphic design - a rich sourcebook of design ideas and an entertaining guide to the techniques behind witty thinking.

Now extensively revised and updated, this book explores the powerful role of wit in graphic design, making the case for wit, as the magical element that builds the world's biggest brands and engages people with messages that matter. Packed with illustrations showcasing…


Book cover of Designing Web Usability

Don Glickstein Author Of After Yorktown: The Final Struggle for American Independence

From my list on effective graphic design.

Why am I passionate about this?

My first career was as a reporter on daily newspapers. As I got promoted to editing and eventually webmaster jobs, I needed to learn about design. Newspapers had been trying to figure out which designs attract the most readers for a century. The Poynter Institute, founded in 1975, began doing quantitative research as part of its journalism education mission. Seven years later, Gannett, a large newspaper publisher, introduced USA Today, based on the latest graphic and readability research. About the same time, Edward Tufte wrote his seminal book on graphic design (See recommendation #1). With the arrival of the web, companies like Google and Microsoft took the research to new levels. For example, Microsoft used readability research to create Verdana, a font designed to be legible with then-low resolution screens. Of course, the advertising and direct-mail industries had been conducting design research for decades to enhance sales. In short, you can’t pretend to be a competent designer, webmaster, or editor in this day and age without understanding quantitative readability research.

Don's book list on effective graphic design

Don Glickstein Why did Don love this book?

Edward Tufte provided the intellectual framework to evidence-based graphic design, but Jakob Nielsen got down and dirty with web design. His lab research looks into stuff like eye fixations and click rates. But don’t get the wrong idea: He translates the research into practical suggestions about how to design web pages and web interfaces. While this book is ancient by tech standards, its principles remain unchallenged. His many other books report findings about facets of good design ranging from eye-tracking research to designing for cell phones.

By Jakob Nielsen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Designing Web Usability as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Users experience the usability of a web site before they have committed to using it and before making any purchase decisions. The web is the ultimate environment for empowerment, and he or she who clicks the mouse decides everything. Designing Web Usability is the definitive guide to usability from Jakob Nielsen, the world's leading authority. Over 250,000 Internet professionals around the world have turned to this landmark book, in which Nielsen shares the full weight of his wisdom and experience. From content and page design to designing for ease of navigation and users with disabilities, he delivers complete direction on…


Book cover of Ogilvy on Advertising

Drew Eric Whitman Author Of Ca$hvertising: How to Use More Than 100 Secrets of Ad-Agency Psychology to Make Big Money Selling Anything to Anyone

From my list on creating powerful, money-making advertising copy.

Why am I passionate about this?

Drew Eric Whitman is known internationally as a dynamic consultant and trainer who smashes old advertising myths like a china-shop bull. Teaching the psychology behind the response for nearly four decades, he worked for the direct-marketing division of the largest ad agency in Philadelphia, was a senior copywriter for the country's leading direct-to-the-consumer insurance company, and was the associate copy chief for catalog giant Day-TimersHis work has been used by companies ranging from small retail shops to giant, multi-million dollar corporations. A popular keynote speaker at international affiliate marketing conferences, Drew’s intensive CA$HVERTISING Clinic teaches business people how to use consumer psychology to boost the effectiveness of their ads, brochures, sales letters, Websites, and more.

Drew's book list on creating powerful, money-making advertising copy

Drew Eric Whitman Why did Drew love this book?

What’s it like to climb inside the mind of one of advertising’s most iconic legends? Reading this book is probably the closest thing to it. You’re sure to come out with a dramatically changed view on how the industry works, and doesn’t. I’ve quoted him often in Cashvertising because his no-bull approach to advertising resonates strongly with everything I’ve been teaching for nearly four decades. Make his words your own and then--when you speak to others about advertising--you’ll be speaking with the voice of unquestionable authority.

By David Ogilvy,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Ogilvy on Advertising as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

David Ogilvy is well known and respected as the most successful adman of all time. His bestselling book, Ogilvy on Advertising, gives valuable advice to young hopefuls and veterans of the industry wanting to improve their success rate.


Book cover of Leadership Is an Art

Steve Arneson Author Of What Your Boss Really Wants from You: 15 Insights to Improve Your Relationship

From my list on for helping leaders develop to their full potential.

Why am I passionate about this?

After a career as an HR and learning & development executive at PepsiCo, AOL, and Capital One, I founded Arneson Leadership Consulting to provide coaching, talent management, and leadership development solutions to corporations and non-profit organizations.  I have a passion for helping leaders develop to their full potential and believe all leaders have the capacity to learn and grow. But development doesn’t just magically happen – you have to be willing to work at it. Whether it’s taking a course, gathering 360 feedback, or reading a best-selling book, the best leaders know they must never stop learning.

Steve's book list on for helping leaders develop to their full potential

Steve Arneson Why did Steve love this book?

This classic by Max De Pree (the former CEO of Herman Miller) looks at leadership as a kind of stewardship, stressing the importance of building relationships, initiating ideas, and creating a lasting value system within an organization. Rather than focusing on the “how” of corporate life, he stresses that leaders need to explain the “why.” He writes that the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality and the last is to say thank you. De Pree offers dozens of memorable leadership anecdotes that will have you wishing you’d worked for him at some point in your career! A wonderful gem of a book, it’s lessons will resonate with any leader who is trying to build a winning culture. 

By Max DePree,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Leadership Is an Art as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In what has become a bible for the business world, the successful former CEO of Herman Miller, Inc., explores how executives and managers can learn the leadership skills that build a better, more profitable organization.

Leadership Is an Art has long been a must-read not only within the business community but also in professions ranging from academia to medical practices, to the political arena. First published in 1989, the book has sold more than 800,000 copies in hardcover and paperback. This revised edition brings Max De Pree’s timeless words and practical philosophy to a new generation of readers.

De Pree…


Book cover of Garage Band
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Book cover of Why I Hate Saturn

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