Ten Books To Read If You Are In The Mood For Graphic Novels

Saga Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

I love this series! Volume 6 will be out later this year. It is a blend of science-fiction and fantasy. The story is about a man and a woman who come from two warring planets and wind up falling in love. They have a child together, something that is definitely not approved of, and find themselves on the run. Strong characters, good story, and awesome art!

Fables Volumes 1-22 This series may seem long, but it is completed so at least you know where you stand! It is basically retellings of famous fairy tales, folk tales, classic novels, etc in a graphic novel format. One of the fun things is to see if you can make all the connections with the stories they are based on. The story is pretty solid, the female characters are not the damsel in distress types, and the art is always a lot of fun.

Maus Volumes 1 & 2 So far I was talking series, but if you want something shorter then there is the awesomeness that is Maus. It is a retelling of the events of the Holocaust involving mice. When I first heard of it, I didn't think I would like it at all, but it was one of my very first attempts at graphic novels and I loved it. It is probably one of the more widely received and recognized graphic novels out there.

Lazarus Volume 1, 2, 3, and, 4 This is a series I only even started in 2016 and I love it! I am huge on strong female leads and Lazarus is in a class all her own. The best part is that she pushes against what she is supposed to be in an attempt to be even better. I really like that about her. I have tried Greg Rucka before and never really clicked with him, so I am so glad I gave him another chance! The overall story to this one is a bit different from the norm, too, and is definitely different from what I would normally read.

Lumberjanes Volume 1, 2, 3, and soon 4 This is a series I started in 2015 and really enjoy. It is just fun. It is about a summer camp where things are not quite like any other summer camp in the area. Plus in a society where there are not always that many strong girls for young girls to look up to, there is this series out there selling like crazy and showing that there is potential. The adventures they get up to are not necessarily something that can happen in the real world, but it is refreshing to not have the damsel in distress situations come up. Plus, great art!

Persepolis Volume 1 & 2 This was another early foray into graphic novels. I actually credit this as my first really graphic novel... It was when I was early into blogging and this was offered as a review copy. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but took a chance on it and loved it! While I credit Fables with really kicking off my graphic novel reading, this book was the one that showed me I actually liked them. This book recaps a life in Tehran and what it was like for a young girl to grow up there. Definitely eye-opening!

American Born Chinese I wasn't sure which book to talk about by Gene Luen Yang, so I went with the first one I read by him.  This is called a modern fable and is actually three unrelated stories that turn out to be related in the end. I love Fables and Yang's books often could be called them. He takes things that I don't really know that much about and makes them really readable and engaging! If you read anything by him it is worthwhile, but this is where I started with his books.

Hexed Volume 1, 2, and eventually 3 In 2015 I joined Scribd and basically the same week, they added graphic novels. I can't pin point why I checked this series out, I think someone recommended it, but I am so glad I got a chance to check it out. I love it! There are only 12 issues, all of which are on Scribd, but it is such an overall good series. Luci is just such a great character you will enjoy spending time with her and the other characters that she crosses paths with. 

Deadpool When you get into Marvel, the series isn't as straight forward as the others that I have mentioned. I joined Marvel Unlimited last year and I think Deadpool is the best thing that came from that... He is funny and off-beat and sarcastic... I just love his comics! I used to think I didn't like superhero comics at all, but I guess it just goes to show that things change...

Captain Marvel I have read Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel and as Ms. Marvel. I think I like her better at Captain Marvel, but overall I love her. I think she is finally getting a movie and I cannot wait! She is definitely one of the best female characters in the Marvel Universe and I still buy her in trades even though I have Marvel Unlimited. Plus, her cat is great.

I honestly could go on, but I guess I am at 10... What are your favourite graphic novels?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted over here.

Comic Book February - Week 1

The Runaways - Volume 2: Teenage Wasteland by Brian K. Vaughan and

Company

Completed: February 1, 2014
Length: 144 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Still on the run from their super-villain parents, this motley crew of super-powered kids finds a kindred spirit in a daring young stranger and welcomes him into their fold. But will this dashing young man help the teenagers defeat their villainous parents...or tear them apart? One troubled member finds out, as she leaves the group's hideout with their new recruit, who reveals his startling secret, putting the entire team in jeopardy Plus: Who do you send to catch a group of missing, runaway teenage super heroes? Marvel's original teen runaway crimefighters, Cloak and Dagger, making their first major appearance in years.

I don't think I ever reviewed Volume 1 of this series, which I read back in 2013, so maybe I should start there. I am reading this series because I really like Brian K. Vaughan. The illustrator, Adrian Alphona, is also Canadian. So, I bought Volume 1 and was all excited to see what was in store for me. I am not sure I like it. I think a lot of it is that I find the characters just too young for my current frame of mind. I am tired about teenage drama. I know this is different teenage drama, but I wasn't able to see it that way. I thought it might be just a mood thing, so I determined I was going to read Volume 2 to make sure.

Fast-forward to February of this year when I finally decided to retry the series. If anything, there was way more drama and I just find it isn't working for me. It could also be that I don't read a lot of 'superhero' comics. I don't know. I just know that compared to everything else I have read by Vaughan, this is my least favourite. The art is good, though. I had the mass-market size for the first book and the hardcover for the second. Alphonsa has a great style that I wouldn't mind seeing more of, but I just don't know if it will be this series. If my library had it I would happily read the rest just to complete the series, but I don't want to buy a series I only kind of like.

This book was just okay.

Saga - Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Completed: February 3, 2014
Length: 160 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

From New York Times bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina) and critically acclaimed artist Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, North 40), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults.

This specially priced volume collects the first six issues of the smash-hit series The Onion A.V. Club calls "the emotional epic Hollywood wishes it could make."

This was a reread, actually. I originally read the comic on December 7, 2012. I bought Volume 2 right away when it came out; but then I seemed to not read any graphic novels at all the second half of 2013. I was determined to get back to the series this year because Volume 3 will be out in April. See, this is why The Runaways is just okay. Saga is an example of Vaughan at the top of his game. I enjoyed this comic just as much the second time as I did the first. (Not surprisingly, I do not have a review to prove that...) Basically, this is the story of a man and a woman who meet and unexpectedly fall in love. They are supposed to be enemies, but the man has been arrested and the woman is his jail-keeper. They wind up coming together over a book and when the fate of the man is dire, they wind up as a couple on the run.

The story is told by Hazel, the daughter that Marko and Alana wind up having together. She is born at the very beginning of this comic and gets caught up in her parents escape. She even gets a baby-sitter in an expected way after she saves her parents and comes along on their adventures. Isabel is a spirit who often plays the comic relief in the story. After getting away from the people that are following them, they find themselves on a space ship that looks like a tree. Maybe that is why we haven't gone beyond the moon? We don't make space ships out of wood...

I love this series, folks! If you haven't read it, I strongly recommend this volume!

Saga - Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Completed: February 3, 2014
Length: 144 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The smash-hit ongoing epic continues! Thanks to her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana, newborn baby Hazel has already survived lethal assassins, rampaging armies, and alien monstrosities, but in the cold vastness of outer space, the little girl encounters something truly frightening: her grandparents!

I can't believe it took me this long to read this book... What is wrong with me?? Volume 1 ended on a cliffhanger and everything. I should have been devouring Volume 2 as soon as it arrived. I know that I can't wait to see how the cliffhanger in this volume plays out... I just have to wait until April for that! I was so happy that I once again loved this comic. (I am going to need something for when Fables ends next year... I hope they plan to keep going for a while!) In this Volume Marko, Alana, Isabel, and Hazel are still in their wooden space ship. They are headed to the planet where the author of the book that brought them together lives. Things don't go completely as planned, though. Marko inadvertently summons his parents and interesting things happen...

One thing I really like about this series is that while it is written by a man... It plays with gender roles. Marko is the nurturing part of the relationship and Alana is the kick-ass part. Both of them are capable of taking care of themselves, but this is played up more when it comes to Hazel. Then Marko's parents show up and you see it again, so obviously an intentional thing. It is not the case with all the 'species' in the book, but Marko's father sews and takes care of Hazel. Marko's mother banishes Isabel and then heads out to save her when Marko does. I look forward to seeing that investigated more.

I should point out this is a very 'adult' series. If you want to try Vaughan for a younger audience, I would go with Runaways. There is violence and nudity throughout both volumes. But, they are just so good! Also, the art is fantastic. I have heard good things about Fiona Staples and look forward to more from her!

Strongly recommended!

Boxers (Boxers & Saints #1) by Gene Luen Yang

Completion Date: February 5, 2014
Length: 325 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

China, 1898. Bands of foreign missionaries and soldiers roam the countryside, bullying and robbing Chinese peasants.

Little Bao has had enough. Harnessing the powers of ancient Chinese gods, he recruits an army of Boxers--commoners trained in kung fu--who fight to free China from "foreign devils."

Against all odds, this grass-roots rebellion is violently successful. But nothing is simple. Little Bao is fighting for the glory of China, but at what cost? So many are dying, including thousands of "secondary devils"--Chinese citizens who have converted to Christianity.

Yep. Another reread. Another situation where I read book 1 and then never read book 2. And, another book I never reviewed when I read it in June of last year. Frankly, as much as I love graphic novels... I hate reviewing them... Standalones are okay, but I find series impossible because I hate spoiling stuff. Apparently 2013 was just not the year of the graphic novel for me. I did really bad with keeping up on things. This year is about fixing that! Gene Luen Yung has quickly become one of my favourite graphic novel authors. I originally read him in 2009 and have made a point to pay attention to his releases ever since. When I first heard of this duology I knew I was going to have to grab a copy.

I really enjoy a book that makes you want to read more books. That is what was the result of Boxers. I don't know very much about this period in history. Yung's book was a nice introduction, but I really want to explore the topic more in the future. I appreciate that Yung has done this because other people I know also have mentioned wanting to know more. This comic follows Little Bao. Circumstances come together to make Bao grow up very quickly and lead a rebellion against the 'devils' of China. They have moved in and taken over. There has been much death since. There has also been loss of ways with the influx of 'white' believes pushing out the older Chinese customs. It is time for the Chinese to take action and they do in a very spiritual way. (I want to say it is like Magic Realism... I know it isn't really, but from our modern standpoint it is close to it.)

Little Bao is an interesting character. You get to see him grow throughout the book. He doesn't always make the right decisions, but he does what he thinks is in the best interest of China. It made for a very interesting story that I enjoyed just as much the second time as the first.

Strongly Recommended!

Saints (Boxers & Saints #2) by Gene Luen Yang

Completed: February 5, 2014
Length: 170 Pages

Synopsis from Goodreads:

China, 1898. An unwanted and unwelcome fourth daughter, Four-Girl isn't even given a proper name by her family when she's born. She finds friendship--and a name, Vibiana--in the most unlikely of places: Christianity.

But China is a dangerous place for Christians. The Boxer Rebellion is in full swing, and bands of young men roam the countryside, murdering Westerners and Chinese Christians alike. Torn between her nation and her Christian friends, Vibiana will have to decide where her true loyalties lie...and whether she is willing to die for her faith.

I wish I had read this last year. I really liked this book! What Yang essentially does with this story is go back to the beginning with a character that will appear a couple times in Boxers. We see her difficult up-bringing and how she winds up turning to Christianity. Her grandfather would not give her a name; so she grew up being called Four-Girl until she is baptised and can rename herself to Vibiana. This is her story and I really liked the female-viewpoint. There is a female character that prominently appears in Boxers, but the story is only told from Bao's point of view. So, in just 170 pages Yang talks about gender issues, growing up a girl in China, Christianity, and the Boxer Rebellions. It is about half the size of Boxers but just as powerful.

I felt really bad for Vibiana. Her goal in life was just to get her grandfather to love and accept her, but nothing she tries works out. This leads her on an entirely different path away from her family and up-bringing. It gives her a chance to be herself and break away. It is not always perfect, though. She really struggles with her identity and her decisions. But, it is worth reading. I would definitely read Boxers first, though. And don't be like me, read them both at the same time! They really flow well together and like all of Yang's work, they are worth checking out. Not to forget, but this book also ties in Joan of Arc!

Strongly recommended!

Graphic Novels: Mini-Reviews

Writing mini-reviews left me feeling so accomplished yesterday that I think I am going to do some more today! This time I am going to concentrate on some of the graphic novels I have read lately and haven't had time to review. It won't contain anything by Bill Willingham, though, because I am going to post about him on his own.

Bone - Volume 1: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith
Finally! I am so glad I finally read the first book in this series. Everyone has said great things about it, but I was waiting for it to come in for me at the library. I might buy the series eventually, but for now I am going to enjoy it through the library. The art is great and the story is fun. I like how Smith combines the believable and the unbelievable so easily. I am looking forward to the dysfunctional Bone-folk characters developing as the series go along. Plus, there is a dragon and I love dragons!

The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang & Derek Kirk Kim
I read Gene Luen Yang's other book earlier this year. I think he is lost on me, but I will keep trying! It isn't that I don't like his books, I just don't love them as much as other people tend to. I will say that this one wasn't as good as his first book no matter what I think of him overall. He does have creative ideas, though, and I appreciate the creativity. I just still have some hang-ups with graphic novels no matter how many I have read this year.

Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki & Steve Rolston
I think this is actually a perfect book for a teenage audience. Many teens feel a bit left out at some point and time during high school. Emiko has friends, but she is starting to feel like she doesn't fit in with them anymore so she goes looking for another social group that will make her feel better. She just wants to belong. Sometimes you need to break out of your comfort zone in order to find yourself, and that is what Emiko is doing here. She is surrounded by a great cast of characters which is clearly illustrated by the graphics that accompany the text.

Salamander Dream by Hope Larson
I read this book because of a review I read on Nymeth's blog. I have to be honest. I am still not always the most comfortable about books that rely more on the pictures than the words. This book is based on reading the story through the pictures. I always feel like I am missing something. When you read a novel with words you pick up on everything. When you read a book through pictures it can often be more about interpretation. I think I prefer knowing what it is going on... That's not to say it is always clear in novels, but it is different. I am not sure if I am making sense. I guess what it comes down to is that while I thought it was a good book, I didn't particularly love it. I am glad I took a chance on it, though.

Skim by Mariko & Jillian Tamaki
By the same authors of Emiko Superstar. I enjoyed this book, too. This is another book about fitting in, really. They seem to like that idea. It's another one that I can see working well for young adults, though. This graphic novel also tackles suicide, love of a teenager, and other teenage issues. Skim was a troubled character, but she is also a typical teen trying to make her life work for her when things don't always make the best sense. Another good graphic novel from this team.

Jellaby by Kean Soo
Jellaby: Monster in the City by Kean Soo
Book one and two in Kean Soo's graphic novel series. For anyone looking for a fun graphic novel series for their kids I strongly recommend this one. I thought that it was a lot of fun. Jelllaby is a monster that finds himself meeting a little girl who takes him as her pet. A large purple monster. It was an enjoyable series so far. I look forward to book three to see what adventures that Jellaby and company are up to this time.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Books Completed: 25
Completion Date: January 26, 2009
Pages: 240
Publication Date: September 5, 2006

Reason for Reading: Dewey's Reading Challenge. Graphic Novel Challenge.

A tour-de-force by rising indy comics star Gene Yang, American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny’s life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. American Born Chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax.

Dear Dewey,

Another letter so soon! I am on the ball or something! ha ha! I was actually surprised I got this book from the library so quickly, it normally takes me forever to get what I want. I do remember that you were the one that initially made me want to read this book, but I have seen a lot of good reviews since. In the opening paragraph of your review you say: "Readers of all sorts are really beginning to see the literary value of stories told with both words and pictures." I am actually one of those people. I have read more graphic novels just in January than I have ever. Part of it was joining the library and being able to get copies for free, but getting addicted to Fables was another added bonus. I plan to read a lot more in the future! I still don't like buying them because of the price and how fast I read them, but I can work around that.

I read a couple reviews where this book was not looked on highly at all. It seems that people need things to be complicated in order to handle difficult situations, but really, in its simplistic nature the author has written very well about the main issue in the book: identity. I think that anyone can really relate to the story, even if he addresses certain minority groups. Everyone has felt at some point in their life that they don't fit it and they are an outsider, so they take measures to become more like the 'normal' people. That is what the book addresses, but it is so much more than that.

The book is really short, but the author manages to write three different stories that come together in the end. The first story is about a monkey who has worked very hard to be like the rest of the gods, but when he attempts to attend a party for the gods he is laughed and ridiculed because he is a monkey and doesn't wear shoes. This has lasting affects on the monkey. Then, there is the second story about Jin Wang. Jin Wang is a Chinese-American boy who is trying very hard to fit in at his predominately white school. Then, the third story is about a Chinese boy who is cousins with a white boy named Danny and visits once a year. He is the stereotypical Chinese character, though, and he strongly embarasses his cousin on every visit.

Anyway, Dewey, this is my one of my favourite paragraphs from your review. I just don't think I could do it justice, so I am going to just quote you:

[O]ne of Jin’s classmates, a Japanese-American girl the bullies in the class call “chink,” which is a demeaning term for a Chinese person, not a Japanese person. The ignorance of some of Jin’s classmates is so deep that they can’t even get their racial slurs right. If you’re a woman like me, you may have been called names usually reserved for women. That’s pretty horrible, but imagine if the people degrading you with words paid so little notice to who you really are that they didn’t even use ugly words reserved for females, but instead called you names commonly used to insult men. With the former names, as awful as they are, you at least know that you’re not alone, that other women are called these names. With the latter, your femaleness is completely dismissed. Imagine how much damage something like that, happening day after day to a child, could do. How would that affect your sense of who you are?

That paragraph left me to think almost as much as the book did! You really raise some good points, so I think others should see what you had to say. Thanks for reading and recommending this book. I am glad I took the chance to read it. It really reaches people on many levels.

Until next time...