SCBWI's Blueboard - A Message & Chat Board
Illustrator's Studio => Graphic Novels => Topic started by: marylovesya on August 05, 2008, 03:38 PM
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I just got back from SCBWI LA and got pretty jazzed about graphic novels. Now, I'm a total noob in the genre and want to read as much as I can before I take a stab. I'm taking a graphic novel how to online workshop through MediaBistro in September and my agent is on board to see me try one of these things. In the meantime...
What graphic novels are considered the must reads of the genre?
What graphic novels are a stunning example that every newcomer should study?
What have you read and loved?
I write paranormal YA and am thinking of the same genre, girl protagonist and mostly girl audience. Educate me, blue boarders!
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Two girl-oriented graphic novels are The Plain Janes and the Courtney Crumrin series. I loved these, too.
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This isn't a kids graphic novel, but I loved Cancer Vixen by Marissa Alcetto Marchetto. But it probably doesn't appeal to everyone, so make sure to read reviews and descriptions carefully before reading.
ETA: I didn't realize that you wanted more of a paranormal book. Cancer Vixen follows a woman through her journey with, you guessed it, cancer. So sorry about that!
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I would put American Born Chinese (Gen Luen Yang) at the top of the list.
also Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney is quite good, and for a huge :lmao , Manga Claus: the Blade of Kringle byNathaniel Marunas.
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I loved Persepolis and Persepolis II, but if you want a list, check out the one compiled at YALSA. Looks like some good ones here!
http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/greatgraphicnovelsforteens/gn.cfm
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Watchmen is called a classic. I didn't love it. I read it when I was 12 or 13, though, and I'm not sure I appreciated it at that age. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is supposed to be up there, along with Batman: The Killing Joke.
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Shaun Tan's The Arrival is a wordless graphic novel about the immigrant experience that is absolutely stunning.
I loved Laika by Nick Abadzis, too - It's about the first dog in space, who died just hours after she was launched on Sputnik II.
And I'll second The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci. Awesome book.
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Like novels & poetry, these come in such a wide variety. My suggestions are mostly paranormal bc that's my taste in this field.
THE BEST EVER (imo):
The Sandman series Gaiman (classic, MUST read)
Death: The High Cost of Living (The Sandman world)
CURRENT RELEASE I LOVE:
Fables (comic/avail in trade paper)--on-going. I'm a devotee of this series & the JACK series that spun off from it.
Vampire Knight (manga)--very fun, popular; I tend to chat abt this w my readers.
A Few Recent Ones or General Other stuff for the YA UF/Paranormal Writer--
Courtney Crumrin (2005? or so)--MG/YA
Death Junior (manga)--MG
Aria (Image Comics) late 90s--fairy (not quite faery, but not really fairy) in modern world, very adult, but good
Others I Just Like or have liked (all paranormal)
30 Days of Night (S Niles)--adult
Spike series
BtVS series
My Dead Girlfriend (manga)-- Teen
Daughter's manga recs:
Bizenghast
Bleach
Death Note
Model (older series)
Demon Diary
Not paranormal
Flood--very cool, wordless text
Now, that all said, if you go to your local shop & say "I'm looking for ____ type of comics, trade paper collections, and manga. Can you hook me up?" They will :)
Hope something there helps.
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Blue Monday by Chynna Clugston-Major!
Castle Waiting is really fun for more traditional (sorta) fantasy.
I also love Ai Yazawa's stuff for manga with a very YA vibe and wonderfully stylish art...the characterizations are excellent. Paradise Kiss is a short series, 5 volumes, completed...very fun.
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My favorites were Persepolis and the sequel, and American Born Chinese.
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WOW - Thanks so much you guys. The only ones I'd heard about (at the conference) were the Plain Janes and The Arrival, which I totally want to "read," hehe. This is going to be so much fun.
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If you write YA, you might be interested in the DC Comics Minx line. These are geared specifically toward teen girls. The Plain Janes is part of that line of graphic novels, but there are several others and they are tons of fun!
Also, if you're interested more in middle grade, Bone out from Scholastic is popular right now.
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I'm also trying to learn more about the genre. The Sandman series is classic but the themes are very adult. Stephen King's Dark Tower series is being re-released as graphic novels. Unlike the books, they go in chronological order. I've been told the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a must read and it's on my TBR list. I've been trying to find Terry Pratchett's graphic novels but they've been eluding me.
For girl/YA stuff, I tried checking out Meg Cabot's Avalon High graphic novels, but there was too much summary for me to get into them. Now I'm trying the manga Fruits Basket. I love the concept but it's hard to get the hang of reading right to left! Next on my TBR list, Girl Genius! :books3
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Hi Mary,
I illustrated a fun YA series called GoGirl, published by Dark Horse Comics. It's written by Trina Robbins, who as also worked with me on other graphic novels.
It's all about a young teenage girl who inherits her mom's flying powers. Her mother was an honest-to-goodness- flying superheroine back in the 70's known as Go-Go-Girl. Now her daughter, Lindsay, has donned on her mom's old costume and has become the teenage superheroine GoGirl! Of course, there's a lot more going on then just saving the day!
Also please consider checking out any of the Graphic Classics editions .
http://www.graphicclassics.com
They are mostly anthologies of famous classic writers. Mark Twain, Jack London, HG Wells, and dozens more. They're all illustrated by different artists. And for a real treat check out Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey in Gothic Classics! :) (Another story Trina and I teamed up on!)
(I know this is a bit of a plug here but I am real happy to share my work with people who are looking for suggestions. :)
-Anne
http://www.annetimmons.com
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Thanks for sharing Anne! Do you have a direct link for the Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey in Gothic Classics? I didn't see that one offered. Thanks!
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Many of the must-reads have already been mentioned (Persepolis, Dark Knight Returns, Sandman), but here are some others I'd suggest:
*The Hopeless Savages series by Jen Van Meter - I want to be adopted by this family. Seriously.
*The Scott Pilgrim series by Bryan Lee O'Malley - I started reading this series because it's being made into a movie starring Michael Cera (who I love) and directed by Edgar Wright (who I also love). I've only read the first volume, but I really liked it.
*Blankets by Craig Thomspon - A truly beautiful and devastating work.
*Bone by Jeff Smith - One of the few "all-ages" comics I can think of that truly appeals to all ages. Its sweet and epic and wonderful.
*Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore - I think this series faltered towards the end, but the first few collections (beginning with "I Dream of You") are pure awesome.
*Anything by Brian K. Vaughan. No, really - *anything* by Brian K. Vaughan: Runaways, Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Pride of Baghdad, it's all good (though I wouldn't read that last one without a big box of Kleenex on hand, especially if you're an animal lover). He's a writer on Lost now, too, and I am convinced that is a large part of why last season didn't suck.
the Brad, I tried reading Watchmen during my freshman year of college and just couldn't get past the grimness. I'm rereading it now in anticipation of the movie, and I'm blown away by how brilliant it is. So it might be worth another look.
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Watchmen, as the original
Epileptic
Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth
Powers
Flight
The Stone Keeper
King City (this is really good)
Pride of Baghdad
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I second pretty much all of the suggestions already given, and say that FUN HOME by Alison Bechdel is effing amazing, and was the best book of its year in any genre, IMO.
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Nobody's mentioned Maus, which used to be one of the first titles brought up in these discussions, no? Am I wrong in thinking that Maus was always a graphic novel (in two parts), whereas many of the titles mentioned are comic collections? Is there a difference? If I ask my husband, he'll go on for a half an hour! Doesn't the original form of its release affect the pacing? (Says the girl with lots of single issues of Bone and Strangers In Paradise, etc. in a box in her closet.)
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Jaina, I think you're right, but I also think that the term graphic novel has expanded to include comic collections, like BONE ... but maybe someone more knowledgeable will jump in.
The form of release does affect pacing, and there is a difference when you read a GN that was conceived and released as a novel, as opposed to one that was released as a series of comics, then bound together later and released as a book. And of course, serials, where there's one storyline/story arc, for a number of single release comics are different pacing than comics that have the smae character, but each single release is a contained story.
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Thanks, Stephanie! I've just been surprised when I've heard someone talk about X as a graphic novel when I knew X ten years ago as a comic book (and graphic novels as stuff like Maus). To me, the "novel" in graphic novel implies that it's been written and conceived as a longer story . . . which is certainly true of some comic books, of course. But just binding single titles together doesn't make it a graphic novel to me--it makes it a collection.
I was a small-time very unknowledgeable comic geek a while back when I was hanging with the comic geeks in grad school. They'd toss all the "girl comics" and innocent stuff at me, while they read all the boy junk. ;)
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Hi, mary. What happened at the Los Angeles Conference that got you jazzed about graphic novels if I might ask? I think I'm jazzed about them too. LOL
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Don't think I saw "The Invention of Hugo Chabret" listed. It belongs in the 'stunning' category.
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Shaun Tan's The Arrival is a wordless graphic novel about the immigrant experience that is absolutely stunning.
I've got to second this one. It blew me away.
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This is a great list. There are so many choices.
I loveThe Arrival. I also thought Maus and The Invention of Hugo Cabret were stunning.
Ellie McDoodle by Ruth Barshaw is a great graphic novel for elementary ages kids. My youngest loved it.
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I haven't read this yet (it's on hold at the library), but Shannon Hale's first graphic novel just came out: Rapunzel's Revenge.
It's a retelling of Rapunzel (duh), but from what I gathered on the cover, is set in someplace like Utah. She co-wrote it with her husband, and apparently is going to talk about it on the Today Show next month.
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Can I assume that Mary took one of Mac McCool's classes at SCBWI-LA?
Two years ago I took two of his classes and it was the best part of the conference for me. He is a fantastic teacher; outlines the genre perfect, explains how to write and draw, and creates an excitement for graphic novels. I learned information I had not found anywhere else.
I also went to a discussion of graphic novels with two editors.
Besides the GNs that have already been mentioned, I also have Breaking Up by Aimee Friedman and Christine Norrie and Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age. (I like to study the different styles.)
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Thanks for sharing Anne! Do you have a direct link for the Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey in Gothic Classics? I didn't see that one offered. Thanks!
Hi sruble,
Here's a direct link to Gothic Classics (http://graphicclassics.com/pgs/gc14.htm) and I've got some of the reviews for Gothic Classics up on my blog (http://tafrin.blogspot.com/2007/07/gothic-classics-reviews.html).
-Anne
http://www.annetimmons.com
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Wow Wow Wow Wow :wow :wow :wow :wow
You guys are rock stars! I've been reading a ton of graphic novels recently and yes, Got Art, you're totally right. I took a class with Mack McCool and that's why I'm here and I'm loving it! Thank you so much to everybody who has responded.
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Thanks Anne! I didn't know it was part of that book.
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Thanks for your replies. Is it known if graphic novels' popularity continues to rise, has levelled out or is declining?
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I am going to vote for "continues to rise" for now. Our school library is displaying so many new graphic novels, it looks like a comic book shop.
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I'll echo some others here-- Sandman, Eternals, Neverwhere, Fables, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,Tom Strong, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, Persepolis, Maus, Bone, anything by Will Eisner...
and The Arrival, by Shaun Tan.
Which is downright amazing, and if you haven't discovered it yet, you need to find a copy.
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I'd have to say THE ARRIVAL is one of the best books I've read this year. I'm bringing it in to my MFA class on Tuesday since I want to work on a graphic novel MS and nobody in my class has read graphic novels. Aww - they still have show and tell in grad school!
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If you're interested in the manga series style of graphic novel, I want to pass on 2 recommendations for girl-centric, character driven stories.
I'm loving the Fruits Basket series. The covers say 13 and up and that seems about right.
My 9 year old daughter is loving the Peach Fuzz series. It's perfect for girls her age.
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Same here--I adore Fruits Basket, as does my 12-year-old daughter. I also love graphic novels and manga--thanks for the recommendations, everyone!
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For the younger set, Babymouse, Courtney Crumrin, and of course Bone are all excellent choices. The Flight collections are usually pretty much all ages, and the Little Lit series (It was a dark and Silly Night, etc) are loads of fun.
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If you'd consider Japanese imported manga series graphic novels, I have much to reccomend.The Kingdom Hearts manga is wonderful! A blend of Square Enix's finest original characters, as well as cameos of their previous games and media, combined with a killer story filled with self-redeption, loss, love, and the battle of illiminating darkness from one's heart and memories makes for some incredibly addicting manga! Throw in two of Disney's most iconic characters playing the lead secondary roles to Squeenix's characters (Donald Duck and Goofy), as well as Mickey Mouse making an appearance as a powerful king, and throw in several Disney cameos including several famous princesses and Jiminy Cricket, and you have a formula for an intentse, enjoyable manga. Heck, you might even run out and buy a PS2 and a Gameboy Advance just to play the videogame adaptations. It's that good! Other manga includes:
Death Note- The introduction of the Shinigami's will have you shivering with delight!
Full Metal Alchemist- Put together very well.
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Knights of the Lunch Table(elementary) is a recent delightful discovery for me-- and Holly Black's Kin(YA). Great stuff!
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Ghost World by Daniel Clowes. They made a movie of it 5, 10 years ago. The mc's are two girls who are either in high school or just out of school, I don't remember...the art is great.
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I'll agree wholeheartedly that THE ARRIVAL tops my picks this year, but I also just read Kazu Kibuishi's AMULET: THE STONEKEEPER (BOOK ONE) and it was masterfully done!
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NEXTWAVE agents of H.A.T.E. is really funny. It is a nice take off from the seriousness of a lot of comics and graphic novels
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How about Don Wood's latest "Into the Volcano"[published by Scholastic. I've always been a fan of Don and Audrey Wood. I love "King BidGood's In the Bathtub", a favorite with everyone at my house. It's great to see Don venture into the graphic novel genre. "Into the Volcano" reminded me of his earlier work. Very painterly and accessible. It's a good story, too, set in Hawaii. A lot of the graphic novels are geared towards older kids but this one is suitable for upper middle grades and junior high.
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Thanks for your replies. Is it known if graphic novels' popularity continues to rise, has levelled out or is declining?
Graphic novel sales in 2008 were only up 5% over the previous year (which is better than a lot of the publishing world right now) but that's the smallest increase in the last 5-10 years. So, yeah, popularity continues to rise, but more slowly at the moment. Interestingly, Manga sales were off 17% in 2008, a decline some attributed to the Twilight books stealing away of female, teenage readers.
Matt
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Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell is really good. It won the Ignatz Award http://www.spxpo.com/ignatz.shtml in 2008 for best debut graphic novel. http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog.php?title=567&type=30
(side note - the author is a very good friend of my younger daughter and the main character is drawn based on another friend)
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Here are my personal favorites (all adult) -- possibly very influenced from a couple former dayjobs in comics...
Arkham Asylum (the one by Grant Morrison)
Black Hole by Charles Burns
The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman
Johnny the Homicidal Maniac by Jhonen Vasquez
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
Hellblazer, the early issues
Safe Area Gorazde by Joe Sacco
Sin City by Frank Miller
Y: the Last Man by Brian K Vaughan
And Maus I and II, of course.
Exciting about the mention of the Little Lit books too! Does everyone know about Toon Books, graphic novels for younger kids by the Little Lit publishers, Art and Françoise? http://www.toon-books.com