On Reading Graphic Novels discussion

Hi.

We've all read lots of comic books and graphic novels.

Shake me up with something a little different.

I offer the short _The Tale of One Bad Rat_, which is about rats, sexual abuse, and empowerment, and is very beautiful.

Thanks. It looks to be an engrossing read. I'll check it out.

Any of the 100 bullets books, although 'The Counterfifth Detective' has to be my favourite. Crime fiction has rarely been done so well in graphic form.

I don't know how different this is but the Scud the disposeable assasin books are great. Make sure you read the voice actor suggestions as well.

I was impressed by Tsutomu Nihei's Blame! series, a cyberpunk manga unlike any others I'd read before, set in a world I found fascinating.

I haven't gotten my hands on an issue of Scud yet but read about it at, among other places, Good 'ol Wikipedia. The premise and plot is hilarious. I hope that the issues themselves are not only funny but perhaps resonate a true message about violence and our society. That I would enjoy reading. Because sometimes it really does seem that weapons might as well be available in vending machines.

Have you read "Black Hole" by Charles Burns? It's disturbing, but a visually brilliant graphic novel.

Sally, I just read _Black Hole_ a week or so ago. It was GREAT.

I'll throw in 'Why I Hate Saturn' by Kyle Baker as one that you'll either love or hate, but for a book that's come out years ago, it still holds up far more than other 'urban social scene' graphic novels.

I'd also suggest 'Skreemer' although this is a situation where I think the original seperate issues are far better as a tactile/visual experience than the current physical form of the compilation that was just released.

These three have nothing to do with one and other but I enjoyed all of them. "Spiral Bound" By: Aaron Renier, "Tales from the Farm" By: Jeff Lemire and "The Changers" By: Ezra Clayton Daniels.

The two Bizarro hardcovers (Bizarro Comics and Bizarro World). I reread them the other night and they are freakin' hilarious. My personal favorite is the Mike Doughty Aquaman story. :D

Lots of good suggestions here already. _Why I Hate Saturn_ does hold up remarkably well for something so very "of its time," and _Spiral Bound_ was just so much fun that I hope we eventually get sequels.

Has anyone read _The Professor's Daughter_ by Sfar and Guibert? I picked up a copy from the First Second booth at the NY Comic Con in February, and it ended up being the best thing I found at the whole show. Back then I said I doubted I'd read anything better this year, and now it's August and that still holds true.

I think the first Volume is superior to the second one, but yeah, that Bizarro Comics stuff is great!

Speaking of Joan Sfar, I'd add the Dungeon books to this list. A great series that really tweaks the nose of the genre of heroic medieval/magic fantasy with a very nice plot. And the translation is excellent.

Also Doug TenNapel's graphic novels are interesting, though perhaps a bit too moralized for some. Reviews of three of them are in my books list in the graphic novels section.

-Rob

I second a lot of the books mentioned here. I'll also offer up...

STRAY BULLETS - My favorite ongoing series of all time. David Lapham returns to the book when he has time to, essentially, but it's a powerful and gritty crime-noir book.

LONE & LEVEL SANDS - A retelling of the story of Moses from Pharaoh's perspective. A great read (especially if you get the re released color edition)and the team behind it are doing a follow-up book about flood myths.

THE KING - The return of Elvis Presley, paralleled to Jesus' story. It's something amazing.

Want to read something humorous? Sonovawitch is comedic soap opera in graphic novel form. Fun, light reading.

I can recommend all of Wolff & Bird (now Supernatural Law), Sonovawitch is the fourth graphic novel collection. Batton Lash has a good sense for humor, bad puns, and parody.

"Beware the creatures of the night, for they have lawyers!"

A few other series (all fantasy for some reason) off the beaten track that I've enjoyed:

Inverloch: A well-done fantasy story done as a web comic, and is getting a good print treatment.

Artesia: Not as good, but certainly worthwhile, and some gorgeous full-color art.

Castle Waiting: Linda Medley's series is inventive and charming, and it was very disappointing when she had to stop for financial reasons. However, the series is now going again from Fantagraphics.

Sheba: Another fun series, this time a historical fantasy.

Castle waiting may be the best thing I read all year. The collected edition is amazing. I need to get that review up on here soon...

-Rob

I'll throw Channel Zero and Channel Zero: Jennie One into the mix here since I just wrote a couple of reviews of them earlier tonight!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38...

The first is written and drawn by Brian Wood. And the second is written by Brian and drawn by Becky Cloonan.

Here's one more for you:

Project X Challengers: Cupt Noodle: The Miracle of 8.2 Billion Served: The Magic Noodle, Nissin Cup Noodle

Whew, that's quite a title! Here's my review:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60...

If you are looking for something that draws its power primarily from the artwork, try the works of Yoshiro Tatsumi. There is very little dialogue at all, but you are completely pulled into how emotional (in terms of feeling isolated) his stories are just by his brilliant depictions. I recommend The Push Man and Other Stories. I hope to start Abandon the Old in Tokyo soon.

(An added plus is that they come in these gorgeous hardbound volumes. Well worth the money...actually, quite a steal at $19.95 each!)

I just read the classic Kings in Disguise. Good stuff.

I've been drawn in by the recent trend toward Old West stories. Lone Ranger has made a strong start with a fresh take on old characters and some pretty decent art. I also liked the alterna-world created in Red Prophet, but maybe that's just because it's Indiana history gone wild.

I'd suggest Salvador Plascencia's The People of Paper. It isn't a graphic novel, but it has strong graphic elements--some of the pages are blanked out, and Saturn (as a character/author) shows up as an image. The novel is also divided up into panels--in terms of layout it clearly borrows from graphic fiction and non-fiction. I'm also a huge fan of Joe Sacco's work, especially Safe Area Gorazde.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/85...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/82...

Eddie Campbell's Bacchus series is very non-traditional and very good story telling. It gets a little odd at points and has a sort of meandering plot, so it may not be for everyone.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...

Might I suggest Northwest Passage (Annotated Hardcover) by Scott Chantler or ANY of the Scott Chantler and J. Torres graphic novels such as Scandalous and Days Like These.

Days like these was excellent! I should put my review up shortly of that one.

-Rob

Has anyone here picked up a copy of Cairo by G. Willow Wilson yet? I've heard some 'not so good' reviews & was wondering if others here have read it yet. It's only been out a few days though.
Blessed Be,
Lynn

So, it's supposed to be a retelling of Aladdin, right? I haven't had a chance to read this one yet. There's a podcast where the author talks about her work at the following website:

http://www.comixology.com/podcasts/5/...

Let us know how you like it, will ya? Thanks.

Louis Riel by Chester Brown is excellent. Great non-fiction work, beautiful black and white art in the style of Herge and Harold Gray.

I second Louis Riel and Sfar's Dungeon series, which I love. I'd add Sfar's Klezmer.

Also the following:
Don't Go Where I Can't Follow, by Anders Nilsen
Blue Pills, by Frederik Peeters
Prosopopus, by Nicolas de Crécy
Mother Come Home, by Paul Hornschmeier
Night Fisher, by R. Kikuo Johnson

Action Philosophers! is definitely different and a must check out. It's hilarious and informative. My favorite is volume 2, with the philosophies and histories of Karl Marx, Machiavelli, The Kabbalah, Descartes, Sartre, Derrida, Wittgenstein, St Thomas Aquinas, and Kierkegaard.

I was looking for something different and I got and enjoyed

The Goon: Chinatown (Goon (Unnumberd)) (Hardcover)
by Eric Powell (Author)

and

Powers
By Brian Micheal Bendis

Just read Allan Moore's 'Watchmen' - dark, brilliant.

The Watchmen is one of my favorites. Hopefully the book will translate well to the big screen.

Hello,

I'm Caecilia from Austria - thanks for this group.
Right, so two suggestions from my side:

Y-The Last Man (which most of you probably have already read)

and

The Walking Dead (written by Robert Kirkman)

Regarding the second recommendation, let me add that I am not the biggest fan of zombie-comics, books or movies. But "The Walking Dead" is not simply about horrifying zombies, it is much more a social study with great characters and a gripping plot that will have you all addicted right from Volume One ;)

If you haven't tried SCALPED by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera, you should give it a try. It's a great crime story set against the backdrop of modern Native American culture.

My BF is reading SCALPED and likes it :) I haven't given it a try, but have to say that I love the covers!