Graphic novels for everyone
Victim to stereotypes involving capes, super powers, and onomatopoeic speech bubbles, graphic novels have been largely unloved. I understand the unwillingness to pick one up - I suffered from the same prejudice when I was younger - but look around and you will find the world of comics rich with a multitude of genres, subjects, characters, and styles. Move over, Superman. The new generation of heroes is here.
My love of graphic novels began with the wonderfully witty Scott Pilgrim series, by Bryan O'Malley, and leads me today in the addictive search for the next all-consuming story. Here's a list of them to help you on your own hunt for pictorial happiness.
1. Scott Pilgrim, by Bryan O'Malley
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| Art from Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour, vol. 6, by Bryan O'Malley (Oni Press) |
This series was my first love and remains one of my favourites. Funny, fast-paced, and a bit weird, it packs the perfect blend of the nerdy, the supernatural, and the mundane. The premise is good-naturedly ridiculous, yet O'Malley keeps the story grounded in its quiet Toronto setting. Video-game battle references aside, it's really the story of a group of broke and bewildered students.
The art is bold and quirky, capturing humour and intensity equally well with decisive lines and creative framing. The character design is adorable - ADORABLE! O'Malley captures an astonishing range of expressions amazingly accurately, revealing much unsaid about his characters.
2. In Real Life, by Corey Doctorow and Jen Wang
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| Art from In Real Life, by Corey Doctorow, art by Jen Wang (FIRST SECOND) |
The art really takes the crown in this cute story about gold-farming in online games. The lines are crisp, the colours luminescent, and the character design sweet. Wang's vivid rendering of the game world is nothing short of magical, and alluring even to someone like me, who is by no means an avid gamer. The story is simple, but addresses important issues surrounding gaming, such as the imbalance of female and male players, and the exploitation of labour. Everyone should give this short and sweet read a go.
3. Monstress, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
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| Art from Monstress, vol. 1, by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics) |
This series has me under a spell - I tore through the gripping first edition in an evening, and flipped through it again after I'd finished it, just to have another look at the exquisite art. The story is dark without ever being repulsive, gory without ever being needlessly so, and - dare I use the word - edgy without ever being pretentious. Although it's set in a quasi-medieval fantasy world, the themes are relevant and the language tight - there is no fuss, no drivel, and the plot blazes on as fiercely as the protagonist's fury. A bad-ass mostly-female cast and a healthy sprinkling of cats makes this a must-read for anyone with a slightly darker taste.
4. Tintin, by Herge
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| Art from Tintin in the Congo, vol. 2, by Herge (Egmont) |
It's a classic, and nothing more needs to be said. Far from seeming old-fashioned and tired, there's something charming in the fun retro colours and the cursive text - something for fans of the vintage.
5. Maus, by Art Spiegelman
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| Art from The Complete Maus, by Art Spiegelman (Penguin Books) |
Spiegelman takes a whimsical tone with this semi-biographical recount of the Holocaust, told from his father's perspective. There isn't a war story like it out there - this is a book that, without dismissing the horrors of the World War, gives a gentle, human insight into it, interspersing descriptions of concentration camps with tales of everyday life. The art is a series of imperfect black and white renderings, with clever symbolism - the Nazis are represented as cats, and the Jews, mice, hence the title.
6. The Arrival, by Shaun Tan
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| Art from The Arrival, by Shaun Tan (Scholastic) |
... or any of Shaun Tan's picture books, really. This story in soft sepia tones is a wordless wonder, and Tan's other works, Rules of Summer, and The Rabbits (story by John Marsden) are equally stunning. It's hard to say exactly what any of these stories are about, but their strange delicacy is irresistible. Pick one of these up today, read it in five minutes, and let it sink you into a day-long hazy daydream.
7. Sin City, by Frank Miller
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| Art from Sin City: The Hard Goodbye, vol. 2, by Frank Miller (Dark Horse Comics) |
If you've seen the movie adaptation of this series, you'll be familiar with its dramatic noir aesthetic. Probably the most artistic graphic novel on this list, its stark, black and white frames - and even the voice-over-like narration - will appeal to fans of old cinema. The beauty of the style strikes a quirky balance with the violence of the content. This is the way to do a revenge story in a graphic novel.
Links to these graphic novels on Amazon:
Scott Pilgrim
In Real Life
Monstress
Tintin
Maus
The Arrival
Sin City
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