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Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 3:04 PM
Five best graphic novels
1. Ghost World, above, follows the adventures of two moody teenage girls, Enid and Becky, after high-school graduation, as they grow up and drift apart. (Did you see the film?) I find it mindblowing how a middle-aged male cartoonist--the hilarious Dan Clowes--managed to portray two listless young women so realistically. (He nailed it.) Ghost World won approximately one million awards for being the best graphic novel ever.
2. French Milk is a funny memoir of a 22-year-old's six-week stay in Paris with her mother--complete with drawings of croissants, striped shirts, the Eiffel Towel and some crankiness (which just makes her more charming). Really sweet to see the mother-daughter relationship.
3. Persepolis tells the story of the author's childhood under the Islamic Revolution. Her neighbors' homes are bombed, and her once-wealthy parents now struggle to educate her. Her father considers fleeing to America, but then asks to his wife, "I can become a taxi driver and you a cleaning lady?" As she grows up, the girl's rebellious streak puts her in danger. Touching that the story is told through a child's eyes.
4. Shortcomings follows Ben, a cynical Japanese-American guy in his twenties, on his search for contentment--and the perfect girl. He's kind of a jerk but you grow to love him, or, at least, understand him. Fascinating insight into a certain type of male mind. (The genius author Adrian Tomine also illustrates for the New Yorker; I once spotted him in a record store! I creepily trailed him around but was too shy to say hello.)
5. Cancer Vixen has a scary cover, but I promise you, this book is a-maz-ing. (Even my manly brother-in-law was obsessed with it.) Written by a New Yorker and Glamour cartoonist, the novel tells Marisa's true story of finding a lump in her breast right after meeting the love of her life. This book made me laugh out loud and shed tears, and I couldn't put it town.
Have you ever read graphic novels? Do you have any favorites?
P.S. Ten best documentaries and my favorite book of all time.
239 comments:
I know it's about the Holocaust, which is about as appealing as cancer, but Maus by Art Spiegelmann is one of my favorite books of all time, graphic or not.
And then I was also obsessed with the Scott Pilgrim series for a while, notwithstanding the movie.
Alison Bechdel's Fun Home is on deck on my bedside table as my next graphic novel. I've heard great things.I will admit that I have read only one graphic novel (well, technically two because it is in two parts). So, my favorite is Art Spiegelman's Maus, which is about his father's experiences during the Holocaust. The most amazing thing is how he doesn't glorify his father or himself. Truly a worthwhile read.
ReplyDeleteGhost World is one of my favorite movies but I have yet to read the graphic novel - I need to get on that.
Cancer Vixen looks interesting. My mom was diagnosed with stage four cancer last spring, which she beat (go mom!), but it would have been nice to have something, with humor, for her to relate to.Loved Persepolis! Haven't read the others, but will try to get copies. I highly recommend Swedish Joanna Rubin Dranger's 'Miss Remarkable and Her Career'.
I read it while I was doing my thesis and could really connect to Miss R who never feels that what she is doing is quite good enough.-)Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell is on my list. Thanks for these suggestions! xo.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any graphic novels before, but Ghost World and French Milk make me want to check them out.
WIN $100 SHOPBOP GIFT CARD!GREAT post, Joanna! I have a cartoonist husband, so we have practically every indie comic/graphic novel ever made in our apartment.
Anon. - LOVE Guy Delisle!
I HIGHLY recommend anything by Chris Ware, especially "Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth" and most recent, ongoing graphic novel "Rusty Brown".
Also, my favorite graphic novel of the year is Gabby Schulz/Ken Dahl's "Monsters".i just spent a month on holiday in cape town, south africa and discovered an adorably snarky graphic novel called "i don't like chocolate" by the local jesse breytenbach (http://shop.jessebreytenbach.co.za/products/i-dont-like-chocolate-graphic-novel). despite the name (i LOVE chocolate!!!) i absolutely love it and highly recommend it to my fellow americans.
ReplyDelete- Anonymous3:48 PM
If you liked any of the graphic novels above, you're missing out if you haven't read Asterios Polyp! Besides being a completely engaging story... for the design nerds out there it sorta fun to pick out/recognize the pieces in his house. If you enjoyed Persepolis, you will love Maus. One of my favorite is Guy Delisle (from my part of Canada: Quebec).He wrote "Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea" and "Burma Chronicles". The serie "Paul" by Michel Rabagliati (also from Quebec) is super cute. My husband and I LOVE graphic novels :)
ReplyDeleteI am an unabashed Lucy Knisley fan (French Milk). She's working on a food-memoir called "Relish" right now (I guess she grew up in a family of farming foodies) and I can. not. wait. Her blog is crazy entertaining, too. When I first discovered it (after reading French Milk) I spent like a week of free time pawing through the archives. Thanks for such a cool feature, Joanna.
ReplyDeleteSome excellent suggestions here. I highly recommend Logicomix, especially if you're into math and/or philosophy); pretty much anything by the genius Alan Moore -- but especially V for Vendetta, Watchmen, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and From Hell; Charles Burns's Black Hole, for the angsty teenager inside you; Will Eisner's Contract with God Trilogy, if you love NYC and its history; and Naoki Urasawa's incredibly moving and beautiful series Pluto.
ReplyDeleteNeil Gaiman's Sandman series is one of the most amazing works of art, period. Must. Read. The Watchmen is also really eye-opening and wonderful. Third, I second The Walking Dead series. I didn't think I could get so sad and so legitimately terrified to turn out the lights from a book!
-KateI always thought the genre was for the young until I read "Special Exits" by Joyce Farmer. She is one of the original underground-comics artists and writes about her experiences with her elderly parents as they become increasingly dependent on her. Hits home for me and many of my generation.
ReplyDelete- ali4:46 PM
i'm surprised no one mentioned preacher by garth ennis & steve dillon. it's one of the very best and a real page turner. i'll throw my hat in the ring for maus by art spiegelman. and lighter, but not nearly as mind-blowingly epic as the first 2: strangers in paradise by terry moore.
ReplyDelete As a longtime comic book fan I have plenty of suggestions. If you like HBO programming, look toward DC's imprint Vertigo. I always tell people to start with the Neil Gaiman "Sandman" series (Think of each graphic novel like a television season, and each individual serialized comic in the collection as an episode.) From there, try Brian K. Vaughn's "Y: The Last Man," Garth Ennis's "Preacher," Mike Carey's "Unwritten," and of course, all things Alan Moore. His "Watchmen" is the only graphic novel to make it to the best novel list. I have so many more.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first moved to France, a friend of mine gave me Persepolis (4 series of graphic novels) and it was AMAZING!! It's a true story of Marjane Satrapi. She is the illustrator of the novel too. (Its movie is excellent too!)
I'm reading graphic novels a lot here in France, since it's very common here. You can find loads of them in the libraries. But my favorite is Persepolis!
http://balladofseasons.blogspot.com/Love Fun Home, about an adolescent girl growing up in a funeral home in the '70s. Sounds dark, but actually beautiful portrait of her and her dad. Also would echo the love for Persepolis and Maus. I've heard great things about Epilepsy, too... they teach graphic novel classes for first year writing seminars, now!
ReplyDeleteI'm repeating what everyone else said but only because they are my absolute favorites. Blankets by craig thompson is a MUST. My hubs gave it to me when we were dating. Go to Forbidden Planet (best comic book shop in nyc in union sq) and buy it along with anything by Jeffrey Brown, reads like art school boy & his love escapades memoir. Also, maybe not considered graphic novel, but At A Crossroads by Kate T. Williamsom so clever and funny.
ReplyDeleteFun Home is not only my favorite graphic novel of all time, but is in my top ten books, period. It is so flipping good. Her attention to detail in each drawing is incredible. The story is at once tragic, hilarious and so human. I've read it three times.
And... everyone mentioned Blankets, but no one mentioned Goodbye, Chunky Rice! Goodbye, Chunky Rice is one of my favorites. So touching! So sweet!
The Watchmen is also fantastic; don't be dissuaded by the inferior movie adaptation.
If you like food or are interested in Japan, I recommend both Oishinbo (a long-running series) as well as A Year in Japan.
My sweetie and I are both HUGE graphic novel fans.Joanna, I adore you and your blog. I just happened upon Lucy Knisley as well when my friend dropped off the book "Make Yourself Happy" by her (which came after French Milk)--I even wrote about it last week on my blog. I cannot wait to read the rest of her work--her writing style (like yours!) is addicting.
ReplyDeleteArt Spiegelman's "Maus" is a heartbreaking account of the Holocaust. It is really beautifully done.
The Naked RoseI was going to say 'Blankets' by Craig Thompson as well, but since that's up here tons of times, I will suggest:
Elf Quest - Wendy and Richard Pini
I know it sounds cheesy, but it's a really cool, grown-up fantasy graphic novel, sort of like the lord of the rings/modern fiction. Plus, it's entirely drawn and colored by Wendy Pini who is amazing!
300, and The Dark Knight - Frank Miller does both of these graphic novels and they're fan-freaking-tastic. He's the one who gave Batman his dark demeanor as opposed to a purple, cartoonish character.So many comments to read through -- how do you keep track of them all?!? So, this has probably been mentioned (The Impostor's Daughter) and I see Fun Home was mentioned above. Both worth a look if you're into Graphic Novels. :)
Haven't read French Milk -- but I, apparently, need to add it to my list ASAP, thanks for the rec!Hi Jo,
(My wife's a regular reader and sometimes sends me your way; as a comics guy, I loved this post)
I'll forgo recommending all the supernatural/superhero stuff that rocks my world, and instead say that I think that some of your readers might like Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things. It's not a realist/modern tale like the ones you mention, but it's not as graphic or gruesome as Sandman or Walking Dead ... more of a lighthearted nostalgic look at childhood and girl power. A smarter, more compelling Harry Potter. Great for recovering goths!I basically survive of Japanese graphic novels. I didn't know French Milk and it looks really worth of a look. Ghost World has been one of my favourite films ever, I loved the cynicism in there (still I need to grasp the ending which I didn't understand very much). Cool suggestions, thanks a bunch :) - Barbara
ReplyDeleteI'm really surprised nobody's mentioned DAYTRIPPER.
My boyfriend, who's pretty well-versed in comics and graphic novel, told me to check it out even though he hadn't read it himself but had heard great things. The idea is simple: One man's journey through life and how unexpectedly that can come to an end. But the execution is splendid! It's a beautiful story that will touch you repeatedly. :)
Didn't think I could be so moved by a graphic novel...i LOVE ghost world , thanks for this post ! :d
well come angry birds for pcOh my goodness- I LOVE when you do these lists. I just ordered "Crazy Vixen" and I can't wait. I'm also about to watch "Stranded"- listed on your "Ten best documentaries."
Ok, so will you consider coming up with a " favorite restaurants in NYC list"? I know it doesn't apply to everyone...but I am SO curious to hear!!
xoThese are all great suggestions!
I recently fell in love with Laika by Nick Abadzis. It is based on Laika, the first dog in space, who was launched in the Soviet space program's Sputnik 2.. It's a very endearing, tearful and captivating story. http://www.amazon.com/Laika-Nick-Abadzis/dp/1596431016Epileptic, by David B. is the first graphic novel I fell in love with. It's beautiful, which helps, and it's scary to watch his brother's epilepsy take over their family. The book is much more about family and sibling relationships than the illness they try so hard to deal with. (Another product of France!"
I read The History of Love under your recommendation, and while it was sweet (I even cried a little) I thought the ending crumbled a bit. Still, I enjoyed.
That being said, have you read Love in the Time of Cholera? If you like The History of Love, you'll love this book. No one writes more beautifully than Gabriel Garcia Marquez.Blankets, of course, and Craig Thompson's new graphic novel, Habibi, comes out this fall. Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth is by Chris Ware and very well written, and more recently I really enjoyed Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol. It's a great, darkened version of a teen graphic novel.
ReplyDelete- Marion5:06 PM
I fell in love with graphic novels reading Alex Robinson's "Box Office Poison". It portrays the intertwined lives of a series of characters ranging from students fresh from college to an old comic writer. Tears and laughter on the menu. Once you've started it, you can't put it down.
ReplyDelete I've never read any graphic novels before, but I'm definitely interested in checking them out now! I've heard of Lucy Knisley before, but only through her blog. She just did an awesome illustrated series of every Harry Potter book. It's here if you're interested: http://lucylou.livejournal.com/596984.html
ReplyDeleteWinshluss's pinocchio is beautiful ( he helped animate Persepolis) The work of Canadian artist Seth pulls you in, he even built models of a fictional town so that he could get the mood right. There are so many that I don't even know where to begin!
Jimmy Corrigan
The arrival
American splender
Black hole
The list goes on and on!Love it! I'm buying some this weekend :)
I know this is so spammy of me and I'm embarrassed to ask, but would
you mind voting for me on the Body Shop Reviewer competition? I got
into the top 10 and would so love to win!
Mich xx
ps the link is http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Body-Shop-South-Africa/158468037513580
just go onto the Reviewer Competition link and vote for me :) thank
you thank thank you xxJo, I love, love, love The Fart Party I & II and Drinking At The Movies, all by Julia Wertz. They are the tales of a young woman from San Francisco growing up, falling in love, breaking up, moving to NYC, becoming an alcoholic, and then cleaning up her life. Very raunchy but also very poignant. As a dear lover of SF, her drawings of places around the city get right at my heart. Highly recommended!
ReplyDelete- Anonymous2:17 PM
I don't *think* anyone's mentioned these (I'm a big fan of many of the others mentioned in the comments- Blankets, Fun Home, etc.):
"Good Eggs: A Memoir" By Phoebe Potts (about struggling w/infertility, but much more than just that)
"Dragonslippers: This is What an Abusive Relationship Looks Like" By Rosalind B. Penfold (pseudonym). I know the title sounds very heavy, and this isn't a "ha ha" graphic novel, but it's a really fascinating, gripping story - and I've never been involved in an abusive relationship (thank god). Could see it being very helpful, too, for those who have experienced this horror. My favorite graphic novel is Maus by Art Spiegelman, and it's quite easily my favorite book, too. I've never read anything as powerful and informative as Maus, and I think it's absolutely brilliant: by turning Jews into mice and the Nazis into Cats, Spiegelman is able to give the readers an even more up-close and personal side of the Holocaust. I'm fascinated.
On another note, I'm just about to reserve all five at my library now! Thanks for recommendations, I love seeing your documentary and book choices, Joanna!


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During the past 20 years, many things have helped mold college football into the game that it is today. Near the top of that list is the increased importance of the kicking game.
It used to be that place-kickers were local, non-scholarship athletes who made good. Now, top high school and prep kickers are as highly recruited as some quarterbacks and wide receivers.
With national championships often won or lost on one swing of the leg, the importance of having a top kicker cannot be understated.
The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award annually recognizes college football's top place-kicker.
The video below is the announcement of the 2011 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker winner during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show as broadcast live on national television on December 8, 2011. (Video supplied and used with permission of ESPN.)
Tulane Place-Kicker Cairo Santos
Wins the Lou Groza Award
WEST PALM BEACH—During last night's live The Home Depot College Football Awards, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Tulane University junior Cairo Santos as the winner of the 2012 National Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award.
"I am honored to be the recipient of this year's Lou Groza Award," said Santos. "I'd like to thank the Lou Groza Committee and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission for this opportunity. This is a tremendous honor and I am very grateful, but it would not have been possible without my coaches and teammates. This award is for each of them as well."
Santos converted every field goal he attempted this season, going a perfect 21-for-21. That makes him just the second kicker in FBS history to stay perfect throughout a season in which he attempted 20 or more field goals, joining 1996 Groza winner Marc Primanti. Twelve of his kicks came from 40 or more yards, the most in the nation, including scores from 57 and 54 yards. He was one of just two kickers in the country with two field goals from at least 54 yards this year. The 57 yard kick is the longest in Tulane history. Santos went 26-for-27 on PATs, with a blocked try the only blemish on an otherwise perfect season. Majoring in management, the Sao Paulo, Brazil native has twice been named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and Tulane's 3.0 Club.
Santos beat out Florida State's Dustin Hopkins and University of Florida's Caleb Sturgis for the award. Hopkins became the all-time FBS career leader in kick-scoring thanks to a 133 point season. Sturgis also had a great season, topping the SEC in field goals made and going 3-for-3 from beyond 50 yards. Both Hopkins and Sturgis were finalists for the Groza in 2011 as well.
Santos is the second place-kicker from Tulane to win the Groza in the 21 year history of the award, joining 2001 winner Seth Marler. The national panel of voters is comprised of college football media, FBS coaches and SIDs, and past Groza winners.
Click here to download the release in PDF
About the National College Football Awards Association
The Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award (www.LouGrozaAward) is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association's official Web site, www.NCFAA.org.
About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, not-for-profit organization contracted by Palm Beach County to promote and market the County as a sports and sports tourism destination. The Commission brings sporting events and activities to the County, enhances economic impact, stimulates bed tax revenues (primarily in the off-season), and maximizes utilization of County facilities. The Commission offers a full range of event service support, corporate partnerships, sponsorships and a local membership program that support its goals. Local, regional, national and international marketing efforts are ongoing by the Commission with sports organizations and event owners. The Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Palm Beach County including the annual Lou Groza Awards program, the Sports Hall of Fame and the Kids Fitness Festival For more information on the Palm Beach County Sports Commission go to www.PalmBeachSports.com.
More photos from this years banquet COMING SOON!

subset: commoncrawl


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1 Meetup Group matches "Drum Circle" near Yverdon, Switzerland
There are no upcoming Meetups.
This is a meetup group for people in or near Zürich, Switzerland who would like to get together and drum for the simple pleasure of drumming and letting go. --- Diese Gruppe ist für Trommlern im Raum Zürich die gerne ab und zu zusammenkommen möchten zum trommeln, weil es einfach Spass macht.
Get an alert email when new Meetup Groups like this start near you.
You'll get advice, help finding members, and tools to make running a Meetup Group easier.


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Comments about THE NORTH FACE Terra 65 Technical Pack:
We bought the pack for my 12 yr old son for scouting trips. He used it within 3 days of it arriving, and came home saying it was a great gift, and some of the others were jealous of his pack. Overall, he found it to be very comfortable during the hikes, roomy enough for his gear for a weekend trip, and had more than enough pockets, clips, and what-all to be practicle.
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Its a good pack, just needs more zippered compartments. Theres only 2, both of which of not easily accessable. It is very breathable and provides amazing comfort compared to other hiking packs, but the height ajustment on the back takes a while to get used to.
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About Me Bargain Hunter, Practical, Stylish
Lots of space with easy access. Only really downside, no zippered compartments on the straps around the waist.


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Company - Brands Operator Logos Page 03
Operator Logos are those logos which are displayed on the phones when it is in standby mode, which can be sent to other phones that support Operator Logos. These Logos can be changed with the help of Logo Manager , and a communication media such as data cable, infrared or Bluetooth and can also be sent to other phones by SMS.
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The Area 51 exhibit at the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas shares information about the military site in the desert. (National Atomic Testing Museum) |
Move over, Scully and Mulder. Some of the secrets of Nevada's mysterious Area 51 will be revealed Feb. 9 at the National Atomic Testing Museum in Las Vegas.
As "The X-Files" TV show told us, "The truth is out there." But don't expect tales of alien spacecraft and little green men during the Saturday evening lecture. The two speakers — T.D. Barnes and retired Air Force Col. Gail Peck, not Scully and Mulder — have worked at the installation known as Area 51, possibly America's worst-kept military secret, but their remarks are expected to focus on aircraft from Earth, not outer space.
Barnes and Peck worked on top secret "black" projects at the highly guarded installation about 100 miles north of Las Vegas. It's where some hush-hush military aircraft reportedly have been designed, built and tested.
Barnes led covert engineering projects with such names as Project Oxcart and Project Have Blue. Peck was the first Red Eagle, as military pilots who flew secret missions during the Cold War era were known, and helped train other Red Eagles.
Although the museum exists primarily to tell the declassified stories of atomic bomb testing in the Nevada desert, it also features an exhibit about neighboring Area 51. What's been publicly divulged is shared in displays. But as the museum's website notes, "There isn't a huge amount of detail about the goings-on in the depths of Area 51," so the mystique remains.
Tickets for the 6:30 p.m. lecture, with a 6 p.m. meet-and-greet included, are $20 and must be reserved by calling (702) 794-5151. The National Atomic Testing Museum is at 755 E. Flamingo Road, about 1.5 miles east of the Strip.
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