What We Are Reading: Graphic Novels Part 2

I'm so glad we have this thread and the enthusiastic participation. Let's keep it going.
I finished the incredible, Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout. Check out my review. I started another promising graphic called Daytripper.

Hi Mark. Radioactive: A Tale of Love and Fallout is "In Transit" to me from one of our branch libraries. I hope to pick it up by Tuesday. I can't wait to get to it. I'm off to check out your review.

I read The Stand: Sole Survivors and The Stand: Hardcases by Stephen King. Good adaptations of one of my favorite books.

Just finished The Black Diamond Detective Agency by Eddie Campbell. Another Campbell that is exciting with great art work.

Reading Britten and Brulightly. as recommended by many LTRS. 8-)

I just ordered my first graphic novel from the library. I went with The Walking Dead - Volume 1 as I enjoyed the TV series.

Cindy- I have a copy of Britten and Brulightly too! I plan on starting it, as soon as I finish Daytripper, another one I highly recommend.

Judy- I read the 1st 3 or 4 Walking Dead books. I enjoyed them.

Well, when I had a quick peek, Playback: A Graphic Novel by Raymond Chandler seemed promising. At first glance, I thought the drawings were good, but I take that back on the whole, they were actually quite average to bad. The story was ok but not brilliant. I can't say I recommend that one, unless you're such a big fan of Chandler that you must see everything that his work has ever influenced.

I just reserved The Night Bookmobile after seeing that a couple of people listed it on TIOLI. Since it's such a short book, I think I'll be able to squeeze it in this month.

eta: #7: I've added Daytripper and Britten and Brülightly to the wishlist based on your recommendations Mark. They have the first at the library, but the second only in French translation (several copies even!) I just hate it when that happens. grr.

I recently finished Shaun Tan's 2951432::Lost and found (touchstone not working). It's a compilation of 3 previously published stories. Highly recommended.

I got Lost and Found from BookDepository a couple of months ago. Thanks for reminding me about it, it's high time I have a go at it since Tan has become one of my favourite artist/authors.

Ilana- Once again, I love your enthusiasm! You are all over the graphics, just like you've been kicking book-butt on the audios! You go girl!

Lol :-D

1,8> How funny, I just requested Daytripper from the library, before seeing it mentioned in this thread (sort of didn't realize a new one had started).

The cover is just way too evocative and cool to pass up. (Ah, but wouldn't it have done for last month's TIOLI challenge?)

Currently reading French Milk by Lucy Knisley.

I picked up Emma, Volume 1 at the library yesterday and finished it this afternoon, and hate to say it, but it wasn't quite my cup of tea. It would have been if the writing had been stronger but as it was, I found it seriously lacking. Oh well.

>15 Smiler69: Too bad. For some reason I was quite charmed by the Emma series, but I can easily see it wouldn't be for everyone. A bit of British Upstairs/Downstairs-type romance done Japanese-style; it's an unusual combo.

#16 I love the Upstairs Downstairs theme, and actually used to love the tv programme too. Don't mind the Japanese point of view either. I just found some of the dialogue a bit... well outright BAD actually, as well as unrealistic for the period it's meant to convey. It's all very sweet, just not substantial enough for me at this time, I guess.

17> That's a very very common problem with manga set in that time/place, I've found. I've attributed it to the fact that it's a foreign culture for the Japanese, so not only are they learning it through tv and movies like we do, but they're also filtering it through their own cultural history and so on.

To be honest, it's the main reason I haven't read Emma. I'm just not that interested in that kind of story told through so many translation filters, where I know I'll be picking at little errors - which I might be able to overlook if it were more obviously a story that uses the setting only because it's pretty or ornate or whatever.

Mori's A Bride's Tale might have similar problems, but because it's set on the Spice Road, which I also am coming at from a distant and not direct cultural history, I don't notice them. (Also, I may be distracted by the gorgeous settings.)

Oh oh

I got Daytripper from the library yesterday, and it's kind of cool. I like the way the main character keeps dying, it's a rather beautiful way of looking at life, though it sounds weird to say. I'm not sure I'm entirely awed by the line drawings themselves, but the coloring is beautiful, and so are the compositions and panel pacing and so on. (These are things I think about when reading graphic novels, especially if I'm going to talk about them.)

Daytripper is special. Beautiful, and the interwoven perspectives on his life/deaths all come together in an unforgettable way.

I am now reading Emma, Volume 3 by Kaoru Mori. I am enjoying the series, but I don't have much to compare it to, as these are my first graphic novels. There is not really much writing. To me it seems that much of the story is told in the pictures, the artwork. I have noticed some...well oddities...that come, I am sure, from looking at Victorian England from a Japanese perspective, but I find this quirky and amusing rather than off-putting.

I have plans to read a few other graphic novels eventually, such as Persepolis and The Rabbi's Cat.

I also recently read and enjoyed Daytripper. Joe, in msg # 19 describes it perfectly.
I finished the excellent Britten and Brulightly. I cannot praise this one high enough. Great stuff!
I don't dabble much in the superheroes books but I'm reading the 1st in the Gotham Central series, about cops working in Gotham City.
Also, just brought home "Lost and Found", the latest by Shaun Tan.

I'm re-reading The Stuff of Legend: The Dark today so that I'm refreshed on what's going on for when I get The Stuff of Legend: The Jungle in the mail tomorrow!

Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks is a quirky and well-done look at "a" history of comics and what some will do for success, in a puzzle-piece story centered around the inhabitants of Hicksville in New Zealand.

I'm now a ways into Brian Wood's first one, Channel Zero.

I have to rush out to the library tomorrow morning as Volume 2 and 3 of The Walking Dead are waiting for me to pick up.

I absolutely devoured Shaun Tan's Lost and Found this evening, which is a North American edition combining three of Tan's stories from 1998-2001. All three are excellent and his artwork of course is tops—and so inspiring to me as a visual artist as well. Definitely a five-star read for me.

Hope you enjoy it too Mark.

I liked Lost and Found a lot. After reading The Arrival I started looking for more Shaun Tan.

I finished Emma, Volume 3, and plan to get the next two in the series at the library today.

#26 That's what I did too Joe. Got The Arrival this year, and then HAD to follow up with Tales from Outer Suburbia and Lost and Found. I'll definitely be looking out for his other books from now on.

eta: just reserved The haunted playground from the library, which is the only other original creation by him I could find. They have a couple more books illustrated by him: Trapped and The Deadly Doll, which I've also reserved.

Thanks, Ilana. Our library had The haunted playground and Trapped, so I ordered those.

Great, I look forward to exchanging comments on those when we've both gotten through them.

I'll be starting on Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen as soon as I'm done going through the threads here.

Ilana & Joe- I'll be starting "Lost and Found" tomorrow. (I can't find the right touchstones) I'm so glad everyone seems to love it.
Has anyone read Logicomix? It looks interesting, hopefully not to dry. I have that one from the library.

Mark, the touchstone for Lost and Found is impossible to find—I just put it in manually since I want the book bullet to be seen to encourage people to get this book!

Haven't heard of Logicomix, will wait to hear your comments on it.

> 20

Ahhh! The Rabbi's Cat!! That and Maus are my two very favorite graphic novels. One happy; the other sad.

I just finished Minor Miracles by Will Eisner. If you're new to graphic novels, it's probably worthwhile to try one or two of his graphic novels. Will Eisner (wikipedia link) is considered the "father of the graphic novel"
for his leading role in establishing the graphic novel as a form of literature, starting with his book A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories.

Thanks Madeline, I've taken note of Will Eisner, I'm getting so many good ideas for graphic novels I may just have to have a whole graphic novel category in the 12 in 12 next year!

I read Daytripper in one sitting yesterday and quite liked it. The storyline is definitely interesting and does stay with you, I agree. I wasn't crazy about the style of the drawings, which were nonetheless very professionally rendered, but I did love the coloration which had a very dreamy quality to it. (there. guess my review is done!)

#33 Madeline, I've reserved the first three volumes of The Rabbi's Cat at the library after Kerry (avatiakh) strongly recommended them to me. I was happy to find that they have all the books in the series in the original French too, which I guess makes sense since this is a French province after all—though common sense doesn't seem to always prevail with the library catalogue.

On the other hand, I reserved The Complete Maus quite a while ago now, and still haven't received it yet. I think they don't have enough copies to go around, so I'm considering purchasing it and then perhaps donating it to them when I'm done. Besides, I did mean to purchase the books when they originally came out but kept balking because of the topic...

#34 Judy, that's such a good idea that I just might steal it. It seems that a lot of us are already planning ahead for 12 in 12.... maybe I should start planning them for the next ten years or so... LOL, just kidding!

I don't understand my library. I read The Rabbi's Cat. It is the only one they have of the series. They seem to do that quite a bit with the GN. That is why I try to stay away from serial books.

I thought the first two of The Rabbi's Cat were really good. I didn't know there was a third.

Joe, I know there are at least five of them, because they have them at the library here.

Wow! Thanks, Ilana. I had no idea. I'll look for them.

Smiler69, jnwelch, I think the volume boundaries are different for Rabbi's Cat in English and French. The volume issued just as The Rabbi's Cat in the US, for instance, is noted in CK as "Omnibus 1-3", and "The Rabbi's Cat 2" is "Omnibus 4-5".

40> Graphic novels and the like are tricky beasts. A lot of them are collections of previously released comic books of roughly 25-100 pages. I know not this Rabbi's cat series, but I do know comic books/graphic novels on LT. There are a lot of occasions when the first issue, 25 page issue, has the exact same name as the first omnibus collection which could collect anywhere from 3-10 (or more) comics. And then there are even larger collections. Walking Dead, for example, has individual comics, omnibus collections (say issues 1-10); then larger omnibus collections (say issues 1-55).

So figuring out series, and what is actually out there is quite tricky. Again, I know nothing about Rabbi's Cat.

"The volume issued just as 'The Rabbi's Cat' in the US, for instance, is noted in CK as 'Omnibus 1-3' . . ."
Rabbi's Cat could be collecting comic issues 1-3, and/or comic collections 1-3, or ... any number of different things.

I should actually use examples.

Walking Dead series currently has 72 issues. Each comic book issue was individually released. Then you have tradepaperback volumes. For example, The Walking Dead Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye contains previously released comic book Issues 1-6. Then you have hardback collections, The Walking Dead Book One contains issues 1-12 and Volume 1 and 2 of the previously released trade paperbacks (The Walking Dead Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye & The Walking Dead Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us).
Then you have "deluxe" hard covers, like The Walking Dead Volume 1 Deluxe HC, which contains previously released issues 1-24 (trade paperback volumes 1-4). And finally you have The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 1, which contains the first 48 issues, the first 8 trade paperback volumes, and the first 4 hard cover collections, and the first 2 deluxe hardback collections.

As I said, graphic novels/comic series are very tricky.

41>

Yes. I was speaking specifically to this particular example.

I just got Le Chat du Rabbin (i.e. The Rabbi's Cat) books 2 and 3 from the library. Which is great, but now I have to wait to get book 1 to get started. I ordered them all at the same time, but that's how it goes... I haven't even cracked them open yet, want to keep the surprise, but I can tell just from the illustrations on the covers that I'm going to like this one a lot.

Re number of books available in this series, Mike explains the omnibus thing better than I ever could. As I'm getting them in the original French version, the series is declined in 5 books. From what I see on the series page, I'd say that in the English version, The Rabbi's Cat Omnibus 1-3 (i.e. Book 1) and Omnibus 4-5 (Book 2) comprise the whole series.

I just saw on French wikipedia that the movie version is coming out in France on June 1st! I don't know if they'll release it here in Quebec close to that date or not, nor how long it'll take for the English version to come out, but I'd say now is a good time to be reading these GNs!

I just requested 3x Will Eisner GNs based on squeakychu's enthusiastic review of Minor Miracles.

Ilana - Can't wait to see how you find the Sfar GNs.

I finished "Awakening" by Tapalansky Eckman. I cannot find this book on LT. Strange. Someone here recommended this one awhile back. It's a zombie noir. Chandler meets Romero and it was very good.
Does anyone know how to add books to LT, that they don't have?
I'll be starting Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire.

> 44

I just requested 3x Will Eisner GNs based on squeakychu's enthusiastic review of Minor Miracles.

Which ones are you getting?

I picked up Volumes 4, 5, and 6 of The Walking Dead at the library today and I have Volumes 7, 8, and 9 on order. Next month I plan on giving this series a rest and trying some other graphic novels for a change.

Where is Graphic Novels 1 thread?

Just previous Graphic Novel discussions. After about 250 posts someone starts a new thread. Keeps things moving faster.

#46: Minor miracles, Will Eisner's New York, The contract with God trilogy. I've had the New York one out from the library before and not read it.

#48: Graphic Novels 1 thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/104773

Thanks, I had casually looked around but didn't see that thread.

> 50

I haven't read Will Eisner's New York, but did read A Contract with God. I think that was the first graphic novel I ever read, come to think of it.

I've got to read some Will Eisner some day. So far I haven't found one that really calls out to me.

Robotika was a bit disappointing. Great color use, but the story wasn't that engaging. I've since learned that the sequels may be even less so. Too bad; I'd looked forward to this one.

Now I'm reading Masterpiece Comics by R. Sikoryak, which combines well-known comic strips with literary themes, e.g., Blondie and Dagwood as Adam and Eve, and Garfield as Mephistopheles. His ability to so accurately mimic so many different comic styles is remarkable, and the mash-up comics he creates are both funny and thought-provoking. This one is better than I had expected.

I've been reading the 1st book in a graphic series called Sweet Tooth and it has been excellent. Think of Neil Gaiman meets The Road. It also reminds me of The Walking Dead books. There are no zombies, (as far as I know) but it is post-apocalyptic. Seek this one out.

Reading Daytripper by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba.

Cindy- I hope you enjoy Daytripper. I didn't say a lot about it, but I did think it was very well done. Beautifully illustrated.

For the Graphic Novel challenge, I've read: (in order listed on the challenge page)

The Boys Volume 8 Highland Laddie by Garth Ennis. Simon Pegg was some tv actor when this series was started, and the artist decided to model one of his characters after Pegg. Little did either know that both would still be around now, nor that Pegg would be "larger". Highland Laddie is a miniseries in the series, a collection of the 5 comic issues that followed the Simon Pegg character, whose name I've forgotten, back to Scotland. I would not necessarily recommend the volume. If you like the series, sure, it is a good little miniseries, otherwise I would not particularly recommend it.

Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment - adapted by David Zane Mairowitz. An insane little graphic novel of Dostoevsky's book. If it is anything like the original . . well, quite insane little book. I would not recommend the graphic novel.

Funhouse of Horrors: The House Of Horrors and Funhouse of Horrors: It's Murphy's Law by Jazan Wild were graphic novels I got free from an app store that I downloaded to my phone back in March. I think it was March. It actually isn't that bad. Not sure if they are still free but if so I would recommend giving at least the first one a quick look.

Green Arrow: Quiver and Green Hornet Episode 5 by Kevin Smith are actually pretty good breaks from the film world for Smith. Arrow is the complete Smith Green Arrow story arc, while Green Hornet Episode 5 is just one of the comic issues. "Kevin Smith's Green Hornet", supposedly, is Kevin Smith's unfilmed version of a Green Hornet film. You do not need knowledge of the Green Hornet to enjoy his version. Green Arrow: Quiver delves deep into back story, with lots of references to prior Green Arrow comics. Still enjoyable by me, who had never read a Green Arrow comic before. (Kevin Smith's Green Hornet Volume 2: Wearing o' the Green is the tradepaper back collection, collecting, I think, issues 5-10).

The Hound of the Baskervilles: A Sherlock Holmes Graphic Novel is Ian Culbard and Ian Edginton's adaptation of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes story. Out of all the randomly picked up library graphic novels, this one was the best.

Incorruptible 3, Irredeemable 4, Irredeemable 5, & Irredeemable 6 by Mark Waid are two related superhero series that follows a world where a superhero, under the stress of being a super good guy, turns evil. Irredeemable follows the former good superhero and his former teammates while Incorruptible follows a super bad guy turned good guy who ... I've forgotten the reasoning now, but it is a bad guy who is trying to be good now. An interesting series.

Redwall The Graphic Novel is the graphic novel version of Brian Jacques first Redwall book. Involves animals, lead character is a mouse, lead villain is a rat. Interesting look at a series I've been eyeing for a while but in the end never read.

Spawn Origins Volume 1 by Todd McFarlane involves a guy who is killed, makes a deal with the devil, and comes back to "life". He is given great power and ability, but his memory has been messed with and slowly ebbs back into him. It has been five years since his death, his wife has moved on, his skin is lepry looking, and while he can use his power to make himself look "human", he looks like a blond haired white guy while he was a black dude when he was alive.

The Walking Dead Volume 13: Too Far Gone by Robert Kirkman. I've kind of gotten bored with the walking dead series a long time ago. This was the last tradepaper back left to read, there was this challenge, so I read it.

Witch and Wizard: Battle for Shadowland is a graphic novel story that takes place in between the first and second book in James Pattersons Witch and Wizard series (unlike some other books, like the adaptations above, this one is an original story). I highly recommend not reading this book.

I also highly recommend not reading Woe is Oz: Rise of the Winkies by Ethan Tarhshish, which really looks like some young kid's somewhat random violent take on the Wizard of Oz (the witch is dead, the Munchkins are free, the Winkies (whoever they are) are slaves of the Munchkins and now rebel against the Munchkins, very violently and bloodily rebel). A completely mindless, disjointed, bloody little book I got for free through an android app store.

And I just finished reading Blankets. It was... I'm not sure what to say. I love Thompson's drawing style (especially his trees), which is why I decided to get it after reading his Carnet de Voyage, but I'm not sure about the plot. It's a memoir, so I hate to say "it was only okay", but really, it was just...okay. All the different kinds of blankets and the ever-present snow linked with the two themes of religion and first love were interesting, though, in a literary metaphor sort of way.

>57 MikeBriggs: MikeBriggs Wow, Mike, you read a lot of graphic novels! Good to get your take on these. I'm still enjoying The Walking Dead series (he does tell a good story), but I know what you mean.

>58 keristars: keristars I keep thinking of reading Blankets, and your comment kind of sums up why I put it off. The drawings look good, but the "story" doesn't seem that interesting, and it's a whopper in size.

I was disappointed by Robotika - samurai, bionic fighters, how could it go wrong? Well, for me it just didn't go right. The color was good, though.

I started Audrey Niffenegger's The Night Bookmobile, and was amazed to see the main character first comes across the NB in my Chicago neighborhood, at the corner of Ravenswood and Belle Plaine! My wife and I just walked by that corner this morning. Unfortunately there was no NB there.

59> re: Blankets size — I was a bit intimidated by the length at first, but I found that Thompson had a good pace to the book, so it went by quickly. He used a lot of full-page panels, double-spreads, and blank space, which of course took up room. It's over 550 pages, but I think the length helped give it a meatier feel, which some shorter graphic novels lack.

Got a great deal on The Three Incestuous Sisters by Audrey Niffenegger. $2.00 at Half Price Books. Have yet to read, but like the art work after thumbing through.

Wandering Son 1 showed up at my house yesterday, 2 (3?) weeks earlier than Amazon had originally said it would be released. It's a really gorgeous book, with a hardcover and larger than the typical paperback manga size - I get the impression that Fantagraphics were trying hard to slot it more as a literary graphic novel than your standard manga, because otherwise the subject matter might make it hard to sell...

Anyway, if you're at all interested, the story is about two kids (a boy and a girl) who are transgender and it follows them as they grow up. The first book (out of 11 so far) has them at 10 years old. I wrote more about it in my own thread, some of the pluses and minuses of the series, if you want spoilers.

One of the really nice things about this book is that Matt Thorn wrote an honest-to-god essay about pronouns and honorifics that was included, which is nice since those are so important to how we understand the way people identify themselves, and they're gender-specific, so it's fairly important to the plot of the series. But it's also a really good introduction for those new to the concept.

I finished Season of Mists. It's the 4th in the Sandman series and probably my favorite so far. You guys will laugh, but I also just finished Love From the Shadows. It's an Adult graphic, featuring a pair of big-breasted sisters. It's a very strange story, with plenty of sex, so beware. Anyone heard of Gilbert Hernandez?
Next up is Resistance: Book 1. This one looks very promising.

And stop snickering about the sisters...

I haven't read Gilbert Hernandez, but I know that Love and Rocket series is very popular. A favorite character of many is Luba. I need to read one of these some day.

A Mark recommendation, Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire, the author of The Complete Essex County, was weird and good. I'll have to find out how our hero fares in the next one.

I'm now reading Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales, a Father's Day present. As I mentioned to Mark, I'm a sucker for Joss Whedon's storytelling.

I too, just read Sweet Tooth and now I have to wait, fingers crossed, that my library continues with this series.

For now I have fallen back on The Walking Dead, working on Volumes 7 and 8.

Going thru my classroom's library I found Kimmie66 and I will read it for the TIOLI Challenge Single Numbers.

re: Walking Dead came out with another volume this month or last. I believe it is 14. Heh, I read 13 to 'finish' it, but another vol out.

#67 - Thanks Mike, it makes me happy to know that they are still coming out with new Walking Dead books!

Just read my first "Lucifer" graphic novel: A Dalliance with the Damned and really loved it. Looking forward to starting at the beginning and reading the entire series straight through.

We've got to keep this Thread going! I have 2 or 3 graphics nearby, at all times, so I need to chime in more often. I finished a YA, Resistance: Book 1. It follows a couple kids helping out during the French Resistance. It's a solid read.
I finished Sweet Tooth Vol 2. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite graphic series books. It improves on the 1st book but is much darker and nastier.
I just started Lewis & Clark. I love this expedition, so this is perfect for me. I hope to see a lot more historical graphics down the road.
What's everybody else reading?

I just reread Why I Hate Saturn by Kyle Baker, the first graphic novel I ever read -- and that I probably hadn't reread in 15 years or more.

I'm now reading The Rabbi's Cat -- the edition with the first three volumes. I love it!

I just finished The Walking Dead Vol 9 and I have Volume 10 sitting here waiting for me to pick it up. I also brought home The Collected Essex Country from the library. Since they don't have Sweet Tooth Vol 2, this will have to hold me over until I can get my hands on it.

The Complete Essex County is really good! Mr. Mark tipped me off about that one, and Sweet Tooth.

I just finished one called Air Volume 1 by G. Willow Wilson that I liked - interesting plot and well-drawn. I'll read more of hers.

Right now I'm reading the two most recent volumes of The Walking Dead (13 and 14); he continues to tell an involving and evolving story.

#72 Dejah_Thoris, thanks for reminding me I still haven't gotten to the 5th and last book in the Rabbi's Cat series. I just might read it tonight to fit into a TIOLI challenge!

I also just received an amazingly gorgeous book today, which is Snow White, but so far only exists in the original edition, Blanche Neige illustrated by the wonderfully talented Bejamin Lacombe. In fact, I'm not sure it fits into the graphic novel category? Because it's more of an illustrated book really? I'm still not quite clear on what is or isn't a GN, so by all means do explain away!

Anyhow, I'll be posting about this book and showing plenty of visuals when I review it on my thread, but in the meantime, here's the cover image just to give you an idea:

That's beautiful cover art, whatever kind of book it is!

I'm still hoping to finish volumes 3 - 5 of The Rabbi's Cat before tomorrow night, so if you post it to the TIOLI Challenge, I'll match it.

Got back to graphic novels over the past week or so. Finished Jane Eyre: Graphic Novel which was pretty cool (touchstone is for the version I read), and also The Walking Dead, volume 3. I have to say I wasn't thrilled with that one, but it may be because I didn't start at the beginning and had no empathy for any of the characters. Plan to read Persepolis 2 this weekend.

Picked up Locke and Key from the library tonight. I'm also on the hunt for The Middleman. We just finished watching the tv series from Netflix and now I'm needin' to get a fix.

Jim- Are you able to add Thread 2 to the Wiki page? Thanks!

#76 You can go ahead and add it to the wiki right now! Under the cat & dog challenge, which I believe is the last one that got listed... if not, I'll go list it shortly.

#79 Mark, I can do that for you if Jim hasn't gotten there first already. eta: DONE!

Ilana- Thanks! I didn't know I could do it myself. The cover of Blanche Neige looks very inviting. Make sure you let us know your thoughts.

Great! Thanks, Ilana.

Mark, one of the best features about the wiki is that it can be edited by anyone. We use them a lot over at the TIOLI challenge, which is how I got really comfortable with them. I didn't realize it before, but we all have the ability to create our own personal wiki pages too if we want, and I might just start playing around with that eventually, what with my great love of list-making.

#81 you may be sure I will. :-)

#82 No trouble 'tall Jim, it took about 3 seconds to do.

My graphics are beginning to stack up, so I need to start focusing on them a bit more. I finished Lewis & Clark by Nick Bertozzi. The book was okay but I did like reading about one of my favorite expeditions.
I started Preacher Vol 1. This is a tough nasty series, sort of a modern western and pretty ambitious so far. This one will not be for everyone.
I just picked up Too Cool to be Forgotten, which was highly recommended by our pal Joe.

Hey, glad to hear it, Mark! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I finished The Walking Dead Vol. 13, another good one in this series, and am a ways into Vol. 14.

I finished Preacher Vol 1. I liked the 1st book in the series. But be forewarned: this is not for everyone. Excessive violence, sacrilegious and completely profane.
I'm starting Life with Mr. Dangerous, which holds much promise. I also just picked up The Story of Roberto Clemente. It's a newer release, about one of my favorite players as a kid. Stay tuned.

I finished up The Plain Janes for the July's TIOLI challenge # 7.

Yay! I'm a Plain Janes fan. Hope you like it.

I finished the latest The Walking Dead volumes, and now am taking a flyer on one I don't know a lot about, Welcome to Oddville by Jay Stephens.

I am reading Kazu Kibuishi's Amulet series.

I finally got a chance to read Wandering Son: Book One today and it's as lovely as I expected. PhoenixTerran has a good review on the work page, and I added my own, and I highly encourage everyone to take a look and maybe read the book themselves.

It's the first English volume of what is currently 11 and on-going in Japan, but because it's an introspective slice-of-life sort of plot, there aren't any cliffhangers or anything that make it super problematic to have to wait for the next (or maybe not get around to the next). At least, I don't think so...

I've been neglecting this thread too! I hope people are still reading their graphics! I read Stranger's in Paradise, Pocket Book 2. It's a good series. Has anyone else read these, besides my pal Joe?
I read the Nobody by Jeff Lemire. This one is a stand-alone. Lemire is quickly becoming one of my favorite graphic novelists.
Currently, I am reading Anya's Ghost, which is a new release and it's been very good.

Anyone else out there? Hello...

I'm here, Mark!

I recently read and enjoyed Radioactive. My thoughts on this one: I read it now because……………….It was recommended to me by two LTer’s who really know their graphic novels, Pat (phebj) and Mark . Thank you.

Thoughts………………I’m glowing, simply glowing over Radioactive. Although graphic novels continue to impress me, this novel, in particular, offered so much more. While studying the effects of magnetism at Sorbonne, scientists Marie Sklodowska and Pierre Curie, fall in love and marry making this book a beautiful love story, but there’s more. In a very approachable and understandable way the reader learns of their experiments and discoveries. Flash forward, and for better or worse, the reader ascertains how the use of the Curie’s scientific breakthroughs has changed lives. Extraordinary yet simple artwork is emphasized with choice of vibrantly explosive colors and when the story calls for it hues are subdued and introspective, which proves there is more than one way to tell a story. By the way, I too made a surprising discovery. The cover actually glows in the dark! I like when little touches such as this are applied.

Would I recommend it………………………. Absolutely, learning has never been so enjoyable and painless………..textbooks should be made like this.

Perfect Lynda! Thanks!

All righty, then. Radioactive on order from the library. Thanks for recommending it, Lynda and Mark!

Welcome to Oddville was a fun collection of quirky comic strips featuring sarcastic little girl superhero Jetcat.

Now I'm reading the 3d in a well-drawn series, Okko: Cycle of Air.

I have lined up Bayou by Jeremy love for the TIOLI Challenge Word that sounds like a letter.

I finished Daytripper the other day,very enjoyable romp through what's important about life. By Brasilian brothers Gabrial Ba and Fabio Moon and won an Eisner Award a few weeks ago.

Jacqueline- Bayou sounds very interesting. I'll have to check that one out.

Kerry- I enjoyed Daytripper too!

Everyone, add Anya's Ghost to your List. It's a keeper all the way!

Hi Superkay here.

I am currently addicted to D. Gray-Man and Trinity Blood, air gear a close third.

Fun fact. For those who have an ipod touch and love to read manga. There is an app that's called manga storm. You can read for free and even save a few chapters to read anywhere.

Nice to meet you all.

I wish I could find another graphic novel series as marvelous as The Sandman. Not even the Lucifer series is as compelling to me, though I do enjoy it a lot. Anyway, I just finished John Constantine: Hellblazer: The Fear Machine, which was very strange, and I've got Bloodlines waiting in the wings, but I can only take so much of Constantine at a time. I've been reading The Rabbi's Cat 2 after thoroughly enjoying the first one, but it hasn't grabbed me quite as much. I've also got Chew: Vol. 2 on the pile, but I am going to try to find the first volume before reading the second.

Read Chew, Taster's Choice (Vol. 1) and just loved it. Parts of it were gruesome, true, but others were lol funny. Altogether a fun easy read.

Reading The Professor's Daughter by Joann Sfar. Good read so far, totally different than The Rabbi's Cat.

Heartbreak Soup was a great introduction to the village of Palomar and Gilbert Hernandez's Love & Rockets books. Good characters and inventive storytelling. I'll look forward to reading the sequel.

Next up is the fifth one in the Flight anthology series by Kazu Kibuishi.

Does anyone know of any more good manga like Air Gear? it's an awesome series with action, vulgarity and stuff like that. any suggestions?

#104: Wish I could help, but I am very new to manga myself. Have you checked out www.mangareader.net?

I read The Storm in the Barn the other day.

Once again, I've been doing terrible keeping up over here. I have not stopped reading GNs though. I always have one at hand and a few in a nearby stack.
I finished Emitown, which was a lot of fun. I just started Scalped: Vol 1. It's the 1st of a series. It's gritty and violent and I'm liking it.
Anyone who hasn't checked out the Sweet Tooth series, please do so. These books get better and better.

Mary- I really liked Chew also and need to get to Book 2.

I loved The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and it's nice to see a graphic novel series that is primarily aimed at young girls. The ending did leave me hanging a bit, so I am eagerly looking forward to #2 Janes In Love.

Yesterday I bought Habibi- Craig Thompson, the new graphic novel by Craig Thompson. It's a large hardcover, 672 pages and it is gorgeous. I hope to hold off on reading it until next March (I plan a graphic novel month for then), but I've already been flipping through and reading random bits.

This is the BOTNS (Books on the Nightstand Podcast) Must-Read Graphic List:

Blankets by Craig Thompson
Black Hole by Charles Burns
Daytripper by Gabriel Bá and Fabio Moon
Local by Brian Wood
Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
The Ballad of Halo Jones by Alan Moore
Maus by Art Spiegelman
MetaMaus by Art Spiegelman
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
Logicomix by Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos H. Papadimitriou
Essex County by Jeff Lemire
Stitches by David Small
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzuchelli
Camelot 3000 by Mike W. Barr
The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman
Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire
Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan
The Unwritten by Mike Carey
Bone by Jeff Smith
Fables by Bill Willingham
DMZ by Brian Wood
Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore
Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter by Darwyn Cooke

This is a link to the show: http://booksonthenightstand.com/

Hey, where's Hugo Cabret??

Violet- I've been hearing some good things about Habibi. I can't wait to get to it. I can't believe you can restrain yourself for 6 months. Good willpower.
I'm reading Chew: Vol 2. This is a very good series but not for the faint of heart.

>109 msf59:. And where's the Sandman? Crikey! My favorite graphic series, and it's not mentioned!

#109 Where's Will Eisner, the father of the graphic novel? I've never heard of some of the books on that list.

#110 - msf59 _ I doubt I'll actually be able to hold out for 6 months, but, that's the plan at the moment.

Good idea to bring over that great list from your thread, Mark. Here's what I said there:

That's a great list, Mark, with a couple I've never heard of. I'm particularly glad to see Brian Wood's Local on it.

I do think they missed a big one that most graphic novel readers would say can't be omitted: the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. (*as Mary points out in >111 Storeetllr: above*)

I'm sure folks can think of many others they'd like to add, like Hugo Cabret. To me, particularly in view of their wide readership, these should be on it:

Watchmen
V is for Vendetta
Fun Home
Scott Pilgrim

It also seems like Winsor McCay's Little Nemo in Slumberland deserves a tip of the hat.

(*wookiebender mentioned another good one I'd like to see on there: Britten and Brulightly*).

I finished Astonishing X-Men: Storm by Eric Jerome Dickey earlier today. It came in the mail today and I opened and couldn't stop until I finished it. It gave me the background on her that I was wondering about.

I'm nearing the end of Human Diastrophism (Love & Rockets) by Gilbert Hernandez, a dense collection of Palomar stories, with back stories and extensions of the family for many of the main characters.

On my way home from work, I stopped and picked up my ticket for the author event on Sunday. Yah! And I have a spanking new copy of Wonderstruck. Wow, it's a beauty and a chunkster too! (over 600 pages) All of you fans of Hugo Cabret should be sighing with envy. I would be!

And speaking of Graphics, on today's BOTNS, Michael raved about Craig Thompson's latest Habibi, so of course that one goes straight to the WL. BTW- Another chunkster too!

I'm reading 9/11 Report. It's a graphic adaptation and it's been good.

Joe- I have not heard of Human Diastrophism (Love & Rockets). Sounds very interesting.

Just finished Sweet Tooth 1: Out of the Woods by Jeff Lemire and can only say wow, what a haunting story, not in a halloween scary creepy ghosty way but in a ghoulish, sad and freaky way. Can't wait to get my hands on the second in the series (guess it's a series).

Sweet Tooth is bizarre and good, Mary. It is a series, with two more out so far. Mark got me started, and I need to catch up.

Mark, Human Diastrophism was good, with some real highlights. It was a little more up and down for me than Heartbreak Soup, and a little harder to follow in places, so I'd recommend that one first. I want to pick up one by his brother Jaime.

I'm enjoying The Complete Ballad of Halo Jones. I'm not sure exactly where the story's heading, which is a good thing.

116> I picked up Habibi from the library after seeing you post about it. I've only read a few pages, but I flipped through and was really fascinated, especially after having read Thompson's Carnet de Voyage, and knowing that he had done a lot of character and location studies in Morocco back in 2004.

I didn't read the review (because I didn't want to be too influenced by others' opinions), but I think there's a thread throughout the book of magic squares (the nine number pattern, yeah?) and written language that is totally my cuppa :D

Oh I'm new to this thread -but I've recently read Stitches as well as a Canadian Graphic Novel Two Generals by Scott Chantler. It was the most interesting non- fiction story of Canadian soldiers who were a part of the Invasion of Normandy.

The Complete Ballad of Halo Jones lived up to its ranking on the "Best of" list Mark gave us. Well-written by Alan Moore, with distinctive characterizations for the many, mostly female, characters, especially Halo.

I'm now halfway through Blankets, which is better, more engaging, and a faster read, than I expected.

Mary- I'm so glad you enjoyed Sweet Tooth and the good news is, the series gets better, although it also gets darker & more disturbing. I'm waiting for Volume 4 to arrive.

Keri- I'll be watching for your thoughts on Habibi. I've been hearing nothing but glowing reports. I won't have time to get to it, until next month sometime, if the library cooperates.
I hope to start wonderstruck in a couple weeks or less and that's another big one.

Joe- I hope you are enjoying Blankets. I have read it and it was terrific. I'll have to pick up The Complete Ballad of Halo Jones. This might end up being my 1st Moore.

Ah, I didn't realize you'd already read Blankets, Mark. I thought it was one you'd like a lot. Yes, I'm enjoying it much more than I expected.

Yes, Moore is a must if you like gns!

I finished Any Empire. It was very good. Dark & spare, like Jeff Lemire's work. One problem I had, was it got so minimalistic, I wasn't sure what was being expressed but maybe it was just me.
I'm starting Camelot 3000. I like the outlandish premise.

Oh my goodness, you guys, I am so in love with this book.

Here is a crappy cell-phone photo, but check out this page from Habibi: http://twitpic.com/6yfxi9



This book is so beautiful, and so rich with layers and meaning. There was just something about the tree and the pomegranate and the composition of this page in particular that spurred me to snap it with my camera when I came to it. There's another in a series about the Arabic letter for B ("Bismallah"?) that describes Ishmael's mother going from one hill to another back and forth when Ishmael discovered water, and of course the way Thompson drew it, it's sketching out the shape of the letter, but it's totally worked into the composition and the story, and it was really lovely.

And then there are the complex and absolutely gorgeous chapter title pages:
http://twitpic.com/6yfv2z



This one is from the "B"/"2" chapter.

I'm about 100 pages in, and it's a complex, multi-layered story with a tangled narrative, and lots of digressions to discuss the Arabic writing system or stories from the Qu'ran, but it feels completely natural to me, because of how they're woven into the narrative and the illustrations.

The only thing I'd have to say is that it's not a happy book, but because of how rich it is, I'm not finding myself having trouble reading it, like with other books that deal with rape or slavery or the like (the rape scene is very brief and not graphic, but it involves the main character when she was 9 after being sold into marriage - the number 9 is a major motif). Still, it's something to keep in mind if you're triggered by these kinds of things.

Keri, very nice! Habibi's definitely going on the reserve list at the library.

I just finished Stephen King's The Stand: Captain Trips and just loved it. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

So far I'm getting a kick out of the autobiographical True Story Swear to God by Tom Beland. Sweet and upbeat.

I am reading the second of the Plain Janes, Janes In Love and it picks right up where the first one left off. An enjoyable story that conceals some very important issues.

I just finished three graphic novels, all of them having the most gorgeous illustrations: The Book of Lost Souls Volume 1; Murder Mysteries; and Pride & Prejudice. And the stories/adaptations were pretty good too. I also read a graphic adaptation of Shutter Island that was also enjoyable, esp. after having read the novel.

>129 DeltaQueen50: Glad you're liking Janes in Love, Judy. I hope she does another one of these.

>130 Storeetllr: I liked the Pride and Prejudice adaptation, too, Mary. Sense & Sensibility, by the same folks, not so much.

Thanks for the tip, Joe. I will stay away from S&S.

Also, thanks for your tip earlier in the thread about the Sweet Tooth series. And yes, Mark has gotten me started too, on a lot of books and series. lol (Love it, Mark! Don't stop.)

I just finished reading Habibi. It was really enjoyable, though I think I didn't understand some of it - perhaps it's the kind of book that requires rereading?

It got kind of darker and more weird as the story progressed, but it also continued the complex and tangled narrative, kind of like the Arabic script that Thompson includes throughout the book as explicit metaphor. Also, the number 9 and magic squares were also super important, and he made use of them a lot, as well as different interesting geometrical designs (as in Arabic mosaics and things).

I'm so glad I read it, but I'm going to have to think a bit about what Thompson is ultimately trying to say through the book - obviously, "love" and "beloved" is an important concept if only because of the title and the last page ("habibi" means "my beloved"). Water is also an extremely important element, and related to it, purity/corruption.

This won't be a book for everyone, I know it, but I hope that anyone who chooses to try it will enjoy it as much as I did.

I have been reading Camelot 3000. King Arthur & Gang versus the Aliens. Sure, it's outlandish but it's also light & fun. I usually don't do superhero comics but it was on the BOTNS Best List.

Mary- I need to inquire about Volume 4, on the Sweet Tooth. My library system has not got a copy yet. What's up with that?

Keri- Thanks for your thoughts on Habibi. I hope to get to this one in the near future.

Hey, Walking Dead Season 2 starts tonight! Hooray!

Looking forward to Walking Dead, too.

Finished True Story Swear to God by Tom Beland and got a lot of smiles. You probably have to be a sap to enjoy this Napa Valley-Puerto Rico romance. I qualified.

Add a big me too to the Walking Dead fans!

Demo Volume 2 by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan was a good collection of his stories that was almost up to the level of the first volume. I've been a fan since reading his Local.

Next is Hark! A Vagrant by Katie Beaton

Just finished Lucifer: Morningstar and have Lucifer: Evensong to read (as a special reward once I am 10% to the NaNoWriMo 50k words goal), then I think I will have read the entire series, except the very first volume which I can't seem to find anywhere.

ETA I just couldn't wait. After 4 hours of research and plotting yesterday, I broke down and read Evensong. Turns out I'd read it once already, before I read the earlier books in the series, so it didn't make a lot of sense then. This time, it did and I enjoyed it much more than the first time.

I read Two Generals by Scott Chantler. It was quite an excellent graphic novel of Canadian soldiers in WW11. The grandson of one of the General's illustrated and wrote the book from his grandfather's letters and memories. I'd love to get Habibi,

Will be starting Stitches by David Small.

Still working on Hark, A Vagrant!. Very literate and funny.

I finished and enjoyed Wonderstruck, which is more of an illustrated novel than a GN, but one I still recommend. I started a graphic memoir called We Are On Our Own and it begins very well.

Cindy- I hope you like Stitches. It was my 1st graphic and still one of my favorites.

Joe- Hark, A Vagrant! sounds good! I'll have to add it to the WL.

If you like Canadian History, I can recommend the graphic novel Louis Riel by Chester Brown. I just loved it! Biblibography and everything! Well done, I thought.

Stitches what a heart breaking story that the author still makes something of his life.He has illustrated two children books written by his wife Sarah Stewart. I own those, not realizing it was the same David Small.

Hark, A Vagrant turned out to be as good as it sounds, Mark. Lots of funny stuff based on classic books and historical events. I got a particular kick out of the ones making fun of Dracula and Nancy Drew.

Next for me is Box Office Poison by Alex Robinson. I really liked his Too Cool to be Forgotten.

I finished and enjoyed We Are on Our On. It's a World War II memoir, (Maus territory). Next up is American Vampire. It's the 1st in a series. Stephen King is involved.

Joe- I'll have to add Hark, A Vagrant to my graphic WL. Sounds fun. I'll be watching for your thoughts on Box Office Poison. I've seen that one at the library.

Finished the first book of the Essex County trilogy by Jeff Lemire. Excellent read, on to the next.

Cindy- Glad you loved Essex County. I only own 2 GNs and that was my first.

I finished American Vampire. It was "meh". Great drawings and ambitious story-lines but the relentless darkness and violence wore me down. I will not be continuing.
I started Locke and Key: Crown of shadows. It's the 3rd in the series and quickly becoming one of my favorite ongoing GNs. It's also dark & violent, but more measured.
I picked up a couple others, that look promising: Liar's Kiss & "Scarlet". I can't find the right touchstone for the latter but the authors are Bendis/ Maleev. Anyone else heard of these?

Doing NaNoWriMo this month, so not a lot of reading going on except for research purposes. However, over the past week I read a graphic adaptation of True Blood, which was kind of fun, and another of Serenity: The Sheperd's Tale, ditto. Nothing will take the place of the Firefly TV series, of course, but I'll take pretty much anything from that world. Browncoats rock!

Just finished Superman: Red Son and am about to start the fourth volume of Joe Hill's Locke & Key.

Could not believe that I found the new Craig Thompson Habibi at my library. I wasn't even purposely looking for it.

Cindy- I can't wait to hear what you think! I hope to get to it early next year.

151, 152> You know, since I read it, I've seen some commentary about some more unsavory things in it, like the way Thompson depicts women, sex, and the harem that forms the middle section for Dodola... Just a warning. I, personally, didn't notice it as much because these problems felt more like a self-conscious mimicry and fusion on Thompson's part of older attitudes and stereotypes. He seems to cycle through a lot of different views of the region where the story takes place (which is actually a fantasy hybrid of a lot of places), including historical periods, and that seemed to be part & parcel of it to me.

keristars, Thank you for the warning. I always read a book with an open mind.

I wrapped up Locke and Key: Crown of Shadows. This is easily one of my favorite graphic series. A potent blend of horror & suspense. I started Liar's Kiss. A good tough noir graphic, simply drawn but with a nice punch.
Anyone else reading any GNs? It's been quiet over here.

Actually, I did borrow from my niece's collectionYurara, Vol.1 by Chiki Shiomi for a 75 Book Challenge. It was okay. a little silly but the main character is sort of a ghost whisperer. I enjoyed it enough to go ahead and read another volume.

Flight Volume 5 was another good entry in this series edited by Kazu Kibuishi. 21 short illustrated stories by different authors, beautifully colored. No knock-outs for me, although the one about what happens when the earth stops spinning came close.

The Marvelous Land of Oz was a graphic adaptation of the second Oz book by L. Frank Baum. Well done again by Eric Shanower. Baum's books are wonderful, and it's fun to see his creations in illustrated form like this. The books were favorites of mine as a kid, and I'll be picking up the third graphic adaptation at some point, Ozma of Oz.

I am reading a graphic adaptation of The Land That Time Forgot by Scott Alexander Young. Edgar Rice Burrough's work is a natural for this type of illustrated adaptation. i have already ordered the sequel The People That Time Forgot as well.

Gosh, I was hooked on Edgar Rice Burroughs (except the Tarzan ones) as a kid. I'll have to take a look at these.

Infinite Kung Fu by Kagan McLeod was pretty good, once I got used to the style and got the characters sorted out. The author obviously loves the martial arts.

Hack/Slash Omnibus Volume 1 is a bit more horror comic than I normally read, but it gets high marks from many. I'm enjoying the unlikely hero team of Cassie Hack and huge Vlad, and the wit of it. Robert Kirkman, the author of The Walking Dead, somehow becomes a significant character in one story set at a Comic Con.

I picked up 3 graphic novels from the library today: The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity by Mike Carey and Peter Gross, Wild Cards by George R.R. Martin, and American Vampire by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque and Stephen King.

Mary- You'll have to let me know how wild Cards is. Looks interesting. I didn't care for american Vampire, hope you like it better.

I finished 2 crime graphics, "Scarlet: Volume 1", (I can't find the right touchstone) and Stumptown. Both are the 1st of a new series, both feature young women protaganists and both are set in Portland Oregon. I highly recommend these titles and it's nice to get into a series early.

I started The Adventures of Tintin Volume 1, having never read Herge. Some old-fashioned fun in Al Capone's Chicago so far.

I can hardly keep up with all the great recommendations I am getting on this thread! I picked up The People That Time Forgot GN and I am still enjoying this adventure. These books remind me of my days of devouring comic books like Tarzan and Turok: Son of Stone.

I just found a series called Chew by John Layman. Stars Tony Chu, a "cibopathic" agent for the FDA. Features "cops, crooks, cooks, cannibals and clairvoyants." Haven't started yet, so I'll let you know how it is...

Jim- Actually, I read the 1st 2 Chew books. They are very good.

I've just finished Farm 54 which is 3 semi-autobiographical stories by Galit Seliktar reinterpreted in GN form by her younger brother. I'll be tackling Habibi next and also have Yes is More: An Archicomic on Architectural Evolution to read.

Has anyone read A Drifting Life or Abandon the Old in Tokyo by Yoshihiro Tatsumi or Taiyo Matsumoto's No. 5?

Got some gifted money burning a hole in your pocket? looking for some new graphic novels and comics?

I might have a deal for you...

Fantagraphics is offering 40% off some of their overstock books (online only) in advance of the new year's annual sale. Details here: http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Inventory-Redu...

Books here: http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?orderby=product_name&DescOrderBy=ASC&...

I'm tempted by Artichoke Tales. I saw it a few months ago when browsing graphic novels and it caught my eye, but I had other books to attend to... is anyone familiar with it?

He Done Her Wrong is another — I do love textless stories.

And then there are a bunch that I'd love to read but might not want to own, at least not while my book-spending budget is so tiny. Art D'Ecco is one of them.

If you've never read the Usagi Yojimbo books and are wanting to, they're included in this sale. Plus lots and lots others. Check it out!

Keri- Thank you, for supplying the link! I'll have to check it out. I only own 2 GNs, so I wouldn't mind purchasing a couple more.

I'm nearly halfway done with Habibi. It's been good. Did not expect it to be as dark & nasty. The book cover and art are amazing!

Finished up The Fall of Cthulu Vol 1: The Fugue a couple of nights ago. I came away disappointed and have been trying to figure out why. The artwork was ok, but not up to some of my more recent reads - like Locke & Key. The story wasn't anything above average either. Anybody know if this series gets better?

I loved A Distant Neighborhood Volume 1 by Jiro Taniguchi. His drawing is always terrific, and this story about a 48 year old inexplicably returned to his junior high school body, with his mature knowledge intact, is captivating. My wonderful wife bought me Volume 2 for the holidays, so that's next.

I'm also reading Batman: Noel, which so far is living up to the buzz about it.

I am a huge Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol fan, so I was a little disturbed when I saw that Marvel had created a Zombies Christmas Carol by Jim McCann. I have to admit, though, that I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome and really loved the comics.

You might tak a look at Batman Noel, too - another good take-off on Dickens' Christmas Carol.