Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

What books are you reading in this category? What recommendations do you have?

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is excellent, and the sequel is good as well. I also enjoyed Maus (I & II). Both deal with some pretty heavy themes (the Iranian revolution and the Holocaust respectively).

Soooo many to choose from. I'll probably read the whole Model series for this challenge as it is my favorite.

I've never read a graphic novel before, which one do you think is the best one to start with?

what types of things do you typically like to read? I can make tons of recommendations but want to be sure it's something you like! :)

I've heard good things about Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona K. Staples, so I think I'll be reading that one. It does seem really over the top SF, but I guess I'll see!

I've heard great things about Blankets by Craig Thompson and Fun House by Alison Bechdel, so I'll go with either of those.

I've been reading Outlander books for several months, also things like Divergent and Hunger Games as well as Kristin Hannah type books. Any suggestions for where a newbie graphic novel reader can start?

I'd really love to try a Neil Gaiman one. Any recommendations?

Gaiman's Sandman series is great. I would assume that one "volume" (comprised of 5 issues I think) would count as a "novel." Up to you really.

Nathan wrote: "Gaiman's Sandman series is great. I would assume that one "volume" (comprised of 5 issues I think) would count as a "novel." Up to you really."

I'll take a look at Sandman. There's a graphic novel section of my local library and it looks like they have the volumes there. (I agree, I'd count one volume as a 'novel'). Thanks for the recommendation!

I am going to read the graphic novel version of a Stephen King book... The Dark Tower, Volume 1: The Gunslinger Born

I have never read a graphic novel either, and haven't heard of hardly any of these....this one is going to be a hard one to pick

Nathan wrote: "I've heard great things about Blankets by Craig Thompson and Fun House by Alison Bechdel, so I'll go with either of those."

Blankets is one of my favorites. I had to read it in college & loved it.

Meryl wrote: "I've been reading Outlander books for several months, also things like Divergent and Hunger Games as well as Kristin Hannah type books. Any suggestions for where a newbie graphic novel reader can s..."

There's an Outlander series graphic novel; "The Exile", but I haven't read it so no promises on whether it's any good.

Samantha wrote: "I have never read a graphic novel either, and haven't heard of hardly any of these....this one is going to be a hard one to pick"



The graphic novel "Blankets" by Craig Thompson that others have mentioned is a great book. I had never read or even seen a graphic novel before and my sister (Hailey who commented above) had left it on my parent's dining room table one day. I was bored so I picked it up. I was surprised to see a format I wasn't familiar with but I was curious. I started to read it in the morning and only put it down when it was dinner time. I finished it that day. It is a wonderful story that is enhanced by the art. I would recommend it for this prompt and for anyone who wants to read a great story. I liked it so well I'm reading another of his books called "Habibi" for this challenge.

Hailey if you see this you can borrow "Habibi" when I'm done with it.

I read a lot of graphic novels; Saga 3 and 4 are both on my TBR list. Sandman was great. Old one that was my all time favorite is Moonshadow (Muth and DeMatteis)

I'm currently in the middle of going through Ex Machina (also Vaughan) and it is fantastic. Also, "Buffy Season 8."

A good rule of thumb for Graphic Novels is to think of what kind of movies you like?

Do you like superhero movies? If so, who is your favourite? Chances are there is a graphic novel for that.

If you are lucky enough - head to your local comic book store and they will certainly be able to help you out :)

Hope this helps :D

If someone's looking for something on the darker side, try The Cape by Joe Hill, Jason Ciaramella, and Zach Howard

After some research I read "Moonshadow" by John Marc DeMatteis and Jon J Muth. I didn't think I'd like graphic novels, and it took me a while to get into it, and although I found it a bit crass at times it was hauntingly beautiful at others. I'm glad I read it.

I went a little crazy grabbing graphic novels at the library this week... I picked up Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang about the Boxer Rebellion in China, Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh, and the first volume of Buffy Season 8 (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home).

I've already finished Boxers and will use it as my graphic novel. I have started Saints and plan to use it for book you can finish in a day. I will likely use Buffy Season 8 as book based on TV show (I plan to read them all for this, not just volume 1) and Hyperbole and a Half as either a memoir or a funny book.

Good idea to read Buffy season 8 for the book based on.a tv show! I've got season 8 vol 2 right here next to me, waiting to be read anyway!

I was wondering, maybe some of you can help, but graphic novel.. do they also mean Manga?

Rose wrote: "I was wondering, maybe some of you can help, but graphic novel.. do they also mean Manga?

I don't think the rules are super strict, just prompts to get you reading something you think you would enjoy. I would say manga is appropriate!

Thanks Ryan!

I finished El Deafo by Cece Bell today. It was really funny.

I think I'm most excited about this category since I've never read a graphic novel before. I'll be reading The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman. It has great reviews and I'm really curious to see how the Holocaust is addressed through cartoons.

Eva wrote: "I think I'm most excited about this category since I've never read a graphic novel before. I'll be reading The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman. It has great reviews and I'm really curi..."

I'm also planning to read Maus: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History. I've had it for ages and now I'll finally get around to reading it.

I will be reading Serenity: Leaves on the Wind by Zack Whedon. I am a huge fan of the show Firefly and the film Serenity. This graphic novel takes place after the events of the movie.

I've never read a graphic novel before, but I found The Kite Runner at my library. Enjoyed it, but have to admit it was over so quickly and it really just made me want to read the full book.

I read a graphic novel I hated for this prompt. But John Lewis was on Daily Show promoting his most recent graphic novel, March: Book 2. I decided to give March: Book one a look. Civil rights movement, US history, memoir, I liked it. I liked it a lot.

If you haven't read Maus you definitely should. I read Blankets for this prompt and didn't like it at all.

For this challenge I read Star Trek: Ongoing, Volume 1 by Mike Johnson.

I read comics, manga and graphic novels on a fairly regular basis, and there are some fantastic books being published right now. I recently read Fatale, Book 2: The Devil's Business by Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips. It's a supernatural noir story, sort of Chandler meets Lovecraft.

I haven't selected a book yet for this one. I tend to enjoy graphic novels that are adaptations of classic novels. Any recommendations on favorites?

I can heartily recommend Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley, the writer of the Scott Pilgrim books.



It's quirky, magical, contains great artwork, and has some interesting stylistic tricks, like the main character occasionally interacting with the narrator...

I just ordered The Walking Dead, Compendium 1 so excited to start reading it.

Katie wrote: "I haven't selected a book yet for this one. I tend to enjoy graphic novels that are adaptations of classic novels. Any recommendations on favorites?"

I haven't read either but I saw that A Wrinkle in Time now has a graphic novel adaptation.

Great suggestion, Belinda. I checked it out from the library today.

I plan on reading Suffrajitsu: Mrs Pankhurst's Amazons once all three installments are available. I read the first one, but it was really short.

Belinda wrote: "I just ordered The Walking Dead, Compendium 1 so excited to start reading it."

What I've read of The Walking Dead so far is amazing. Very different from the show but still amazing! *thumbs up*

I'm gonna read Blue Pills: A Positive Love Story by Frederik Peeters for this one. My sister read it recently and said it was really good and told me to get a hold of it so I did and the general idea of the story sounds really interesting.

The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath: A Graphic Novel by H.P. Lovecraft, I.N.J. Culbard

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Miguel de Cervantes/Rob Davis "Don Qixote"

I need a rec for this one. Something brief as graphic isn't my chosen genre

Jh wrote: "I need a rec for this one. Something brief as graphic isn't my chosen genre"

If you're looking for something that isn't light and brief there are quite a few graphic novels that are several hundred pages long.

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is over 300 pages, a favorite of mine, and many people's gateway book into graphic novels. The book recounts the author's childhood and adolescence dealing with the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman is another classic that is often people's introduction to the medium. In it, the author recounts his father's memories of the holocaust using rats and cats as the Jews and Nazis respectively.

Black Hole by Charles Burn is a graphic novel about a bunch of Seattle teens in the 1970s who fall prey to weird and symbolic STDs, and is almost 400 pages.

Both of Craig Thompson's most popular graphic novels, Habibi and Blankets, are both so long you could also count them for prompt 1: A book over 500 pages.

Guy Delisle has several graphic novels where he discusses his experiences abroad in cities such as Jerusalem and Pyongyang. They tend to run at around 300 pages.

Jh wrote: "I need a rec for this one. Something brief as graphic isn't my chosen genre"

I would echo Melody's recommendations above. I would would also add:

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh is full of hilarious and touching episodes from the authors childhood and young adulthood. And dogs (369 pages).

Keep in mind that while this book and the ones recommended above are long they take much less time to read than a regular novel of the same length.

I asked son#2 which book he would suggest, and he said , so that's what I read. It was amusing.

AlegnaB wrote: "I asked son#2 which book he would suggest, and he said , so that's what I read. It was amusing."

ASTERIX ET OBELIIIIIIIIIIIXXXXXXX!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3

Son#2 said I would like it because it's clever and has lots of plays on words. I studied Latin for a while and loved it, and I love history, so he probably also took those into consideration when he suggested it.

Son #3 said Asterix books are awesome.

Jh wrote: "I need a rec for this one. Something brief as graphic isn't my chosen genre"

Anya's Ghost was the first graphic novel I ever read. Easy and fast to get through. It only took me about an hour to read it.

I actually read Adventure Time Vol. 2 for this prompt. I watch the show and the graphic novel is just as bizarre as the cartoon.

Hope you like what you pick!