On Reading Graphic Novels discussion

I'm in need from some new material, and whenever I go to any comic book store for some suggestions, I don't get much because they're unfamiliar with the artists I enjoy reading! My favorite creators are Chris Ware, Daniel Clowes, Jeffrey Brown, Adrian Tomine, Jaime Hernandez, Craig Thompson, and of course, Charles Schulz. If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them!

For someone different, but not spandexy, try:
Peter Bagge

did you read Craig Thompson's "Habibi"?

I would also recommend anything by Charles Burns and Alison Bechdel.

Try some of the ones from this list that you haven't sampled before. Click the covers to read a review of each book:

http://www.grovel.org.uk/category/gen...

Pogo gets no love, but Pogo comic strips, since you like Charles Schultz. I'd also recommend just about anything that First Second press publishes they did Jen Wang's Koko be Good which I would recommend, as well as Anya's Ghost. The Flight Anthologies because they have so many varied artists and writers, Kazu Kibuishi and American Born Chinese and lastly, Adventure Time comics because they're honestly funny, weird and cool.

Hawkeye by Matt Fraction and David Aja is my favorite book at the moment. Even if you don't like superheroes give it a shot -- the writing and art is very pulp...and just...good.

Definitely read The Sandman series, Transmetropolitan. If you want something lighter then go for Fables. Another worth a check is Pride of Baghdad.

Miracle man

Since you like Craig Thompson and Charles Schultz you'd probably like "Not My Bag" by Sina Grace. As well as the series he draws "Li'l Depressed Boy" written by Steven Struble.

Maybe give Charles Burns a try. He did 'Black Hole', it's a tad grim, but really good. It's also just one of those books that's beautiful to look at. Amazing how much can be done with just black and white.

I'll toss in a vote for Dave Sims' "Cerebus the Aardvark." More info at Wikipedia: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebu....

Has anyone read ? I love anything terminator but I'm a little skeptical about this one.

I've read that Terminator book. I liked it.

Woooo! Right on! Pogo is simply amazing. No one draws swamps, trees and cute animals like Walt Kelly, not even Jeff Smith, though he gets close. Kelly's wordplay is hilarious too. Fantagraphics has started collecting all the Pogo strips into very nice hardcover books, there's two out so far and I'd highly recommend them. I thought Koko Be Good looked better than it read but I really enjoyed Anya's Ghost. Basically, Ottery, I agree with pretty much everything you said. April Joy, check these books out!

And, to add to the conversation, I’d suggest Finder by Carla Speed McNeil because you like Jaime Hernandez, Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks because you like comics in general and Chester Brown, Creature Tech by Doug TenNaple just because it’s a rollickingly good adventure and the travelogues of Guy Delisle (Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China, Burma Chronicles and Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City).

There’s so much great stuff out there! Enjoy!

Charles Burns 'Black Hole' is a must for someone who appreciates Clowes and Ware. His new series of hardcovers, of which 'Xed Out' is the first and 'The Hive' is the second (of a projected 3 volumes about 72 pages each), is shaping up as another Top Ten all time masterpiece for Burns. Jim Woodring is another artist whose work is lesser known, despite the fact that he is considered a genius by fellow cartoonists, including the names listed above. 'The Frank Book', 'Weathercraft' and 'Congress of the Animals' are all accessible enough for someone willing to slip into the logic of a wordless dream. Joe Daly is a south African artist whose stories are crazy, hilarious capers populated by fascinating characters, beautifully rendered to better show off the exotic locales and cultural eccentricities. 'Red Monkey Double Happiness' is a good place to start. Also, the 'Dungeon' series by French greats Lewis Trondheim and Joann Sfar has been translated by NBM for the enjoyment of english speakers everywhere, and everyone should take advantage; it is one the funniest, most intelligent, and most emotionally engaging series I've read, managing to be, simultaneously, a satire of the worst examples of the fantasy genre, an homage to the best, and one of those best examples itself, no small task. The art may look safe and cute, but the lightest and most tender of moments can quickly turn brutally violent without warning, leading to some of the most heartrending scenes this side of 'Game of Thrones'. Others: Pinocchio by Winshluss; My New York Diary by Julie Doucet; Saga by B.K.Vaughan; Stray Bullets by David Lapham (before he opted for the bigger paycheck writing superhero schlock, he created a selfpublished comic called Stray Bullets, a complex crime drama that was brilliantly structured to allow readers to pick up any issue and get a complete, painfully suspenseful tale. Further readings continued to draw the reader into Laphams world and it's unpredictable nature).

April Joy wrote: "I'm in need from some new material, and whenever I go to any comic book store for some suggestions, I don't get much because they're unfamiliar with the artists I enjoy reading! My favorite creator..."

Wendy & Richard Pini: Elfquest. (35 years of comics to catch up on)
Terry Moore's "Strangers in Paradise"
Neil Gaiman's "Death, the high cost of living"

Having just finished reading Art Spiegelman's Maus, I can't recommend it enough! Even if it is grim as hell.

I'd read Richard Sala for some black comedy relief! He's so so funny & his drawing style is so expressive! ;~.}

I would recommend a book called Asterios Polyp, very artsy & philosophical. Also I'm enjoying Joe Sacco's Journalism as of late. The two aforementioned are quite adult & serious, so I'd recommend the complete Persepolis for a lighter note & perhaps some American Splendor by Pekar.