THE FUTURE HAS BEEN HERE 4 EVER

It seems almost impossible to compile a complete list of all the insanely awesome creator-owned books that combat the notion that comics are doomed to exist only as backwards-looking corporate cash grabs, but here's a start...

30 Days of Nights by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith

100 Bullets by Brian Azzarrello and Eduardo Risso

100% by Paul Pope

Acme Novelty Library by Chris Ware

Age of Bronze by Eric Shanower

Alec by Eddie Campbell
America's Got Powers by Jonathan Ross and Bryan Hitch

American Born Chinese by Gene Yang

American Elf by James Kolchaka

American Flagg by Howard Chaykin

American Vampire by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque

Asterios Polyp by David Mazzuchelli
The Astounding Wolf-Man by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard

Astro City by Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson and Alex Ross

Atlas by Dylan Horrocks

Bacchus by Eddie Campbell
Battlechasers by Joe Madureira

Black Hole by Charles Burns

Blankets by Craig Thompson

Beanworld by Larry Marder

Beast by Marian Churchland

Beasts of Burden by Jill Thompson

Berlin by Jason Lutes

Black Kiss by Howard Chaykin

Blue Monday by Chynna Clugston

Body Bags by Jason Pearson

Bone by Jeff Smith
The Boys by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson

The Bulletpoof Coffin by David Hine and Shaky Kane

Captain Victory by Jack Kirby

Casanova by Matt Fraction, Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon

Channel Zero by Brian Wood
Choker by Ben McCool and Ben Templesmith

Castle Waiting by Linda Medley

Cerebus by Dave Sim

Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory

Codeflesh by Joe Casey and Charlie Adlard
The Coffin by Phil Hester and Mike Huddleston

Concrete by Paul Chadwick

Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips
Crimson by Humberto Ramos and Brian Augustyn

Daytrippers by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon

Demo by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan
Deadenders by Ed Brubaker, Warren Pleece, Richard Case and Cameron Stewart
Deep Sleeper by Phil Hester and Mike Huddleston
Dreadstar by Jim Starlin

Echo by Terry Moore

Eightball by Daniel Clowes

Elephantmen by Richard Starkings, Axel Medellin, Möritat and many others

Elfquest by Richard and Wendy Pini

Empowered by Adam Warren

Essex County by Jeff Lemire

Ex Machina by Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris

Fables by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham

Fatale by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips

Fear Agent by Rick Remender and Tony Moore

Fell by Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith

Finder by Carla Speed McNeil

The Filth by Grant Morrison and Chris Weston

Fortune and Glory by Brian Michael Bendis
Freak Angels by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield

From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

G-Man by Chris Giarrusso
Girls by The Luna Brothers

Give Me Liberty by Frank Miller and Dave Gibbons
Glamourpuss by Dave Sim

Gødland by Joe Casey and Tom Scioli

Goldfish by Brian Michael Bendis

The Goon by Eric Powell

Grendel by Matt Wagner and many others

Groo the Wanderer by Mark Evanier and Serio Aragones

Grrl Scouts by Jim Mahfood

Habibi by Craig Thompson

Hark! A Vagrant Story by Kate Beaton

Hate by Peter Bagge

Hawaiian Dick by B. Clay Moore and Steven Griffin

Heavy Liquid by Paul Pope
Hell Yeah by Joe Keatinge and Andre Szymanowicz

Hellboy by Mike Mignola
Hilda and the Midnight Giant by Luke Pearson

I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura
The Interman by Jeff Parker

Invincible by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley and Cory Walker

The Invisibles by Grant Morrison, Steve Yeowell, Phil Jimenez and many others

It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken by Seth

iZombie by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred
Jetcat Clubhouse by Jay Stephens

Jinx by Brian Michael Bendis

Kabuki by David Mack

Kane by Paul Grist

Kick Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr.
Kill Shakespeare by Conor McCreery, Anthony Del Col and Andy Belanger

Kill Your Boyfriend by Grant Morrison and Philip Bond

King City by Brandon Graham

La Perdida by Jessica Abel

Laika by Nick Abadzis

Last of the Independents by Matt Fraction and Kieron Dwyer
Leave It to Chance by James Robinson and Paul Smith

Liberty Meadows by Frank Cho

Local by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly

Locke and Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodrigeuz

Love and Rockets by Los Bros Hernandez
Lowlife by Ed Brubaker

Madman by Michael Allred

Mage by Matt Wagner
Maus by Art Spiegleman

The Manhattan Projects by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra

Midnight Nation by J. Michael Straczynski and Gary Frank

Ministry of Space by Warren Ellis and Chris Weston

Morning Glories by Nick Spencer, Joe Eisma and Rodin Esquejo

Mouse Guard by David Petersen 

Mystery Society by Steve Niles and Fiona Staples

Near Death by Jay Faerber and Simone Guglielmini

Nemesis by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven
Next Men by John Byrne

The Nightly News by Jonathan Hickman

The Nocturnals by Dan Brereton

normalman by Jim Valentino

Optic Nerve by Adrian Tomine

Orc Stain by James Stokoe

The Originals by Dave Gibbons
Palestine by Joe Sacco

Pax Romana by Jonathan Hickman

Peepshow by Joe Matt
The Perhapanauts by Todd Dezago and Craig Rousseau

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Phonogram by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie

Planetary by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday

Pop Gun War by Farel Dalrymple
Popbot by Ashley Wood
Powers by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming

Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon
The Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon
The Pro by Garth Ennis, Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner

Promethea by Alan Moore and J.H. Williams III

Rachel Rising by Terry Moore
Queen & Country by Greg Rucka, Steve Rolston and many others

Rasl by Jeff Smith
A Red Mass for Mars by Jonathan Hickman and Ryan Bodenheim
The Red Wing by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra
Return of the Dapper Men by Jim McCann and Janet Lee

Rocketo by Frank Espinosa

Rubber Blanket by David Mazzuchelli

Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Salamander Dream by Hope Larson

Scalped by Jason Aaron and R.M Guéra

Savage Dragon by Erik Larsen

Scary Godmother by Jill Thompson
Scene of the Crime by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark

Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley
Scooter Girl by Chynna Clugston

Scud the Disposable Assassin by Rob Schrab

Secert Service by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons

Shadoweyes by Ross Campbell

Sharknife by Corey Lewis

Sin City by Frank Miller

The Sixth Gun by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt

Soul Kiss by Steven T. Seagle and Marco Cinello

Spawn by Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo and many others
Spooked by Antony Johnston and Ross Campbell

Strange Girl by Rick Remender, Eric Nguyen, Jerome Opena and many others

The Strange Talent of Luther Strode by Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore
Strangers In Paradise by Terry Moore

Stray Bullets by David Lapham

Stumptown by Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth
Super Dinosaur by Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard
Supercrooks by Mark Millar and Leinil Francis Yu
Supergod by Warren Ellis and Garrie Gastonny
Superior by Mark Millar and Leinil Francis Yu

Supermarket by Brian Wood and Kristian Donaldson

Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell
The Sword by The Luna Brothers
Tank Girl by Alan Martin, Jamie Hewlett and many others
Tellos by Todd Dezago and Mike Wieringo

THB by Paul Pope
Three Days in Europe by Antony Johnston and Mike Hawthorne

Torso by Brian Micahel Bendis and Mark Andreyko
Transhuman by Jonathan Hickman and J.M. Ringuet

Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson
Turf by Jonathan Ross and Tommy Lee Edwards

The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba

Ultra by The Luna Brothers

Usagai Yojimbo by Stan Sakai

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Tony Moore

Wanted by Mark Millar and J.G. Jones
Wasteland by Antony Johnston and Christopher Mitten

We3 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely

Wet Moon by Ross Campbell

Whiteout by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber

Who Is Jake Ellis? by Nathan Edmondson and Tonci Zonjic
Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse by Ben Templesmith

Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra

Zenith by Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell

There are obviously tons of great things I'm forgetting, so if anyone wants to email me with titles to add, I'll try to update as I can.