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Graphic Novels

silverseason

silverseason

New Member
I always sniffed at the idea of a graphic novel (adult comic book). I didn't need pictures to tell me a story. Now I'm moderating my opinion. The reason? I have started the Age of Bronz series by Eric Shawnower. When complete, there will be 7 books devoted to the Trojan War. The first, A Thousand Ships, tells the story of the abduction of Helen and the assembling of the Achaean fleet. The second, Sacrifice, is devoted to the first, unsuccessful expedition to Troy (they don't get there) and the sacrifice of Iphigenia.

Maybe it's because this is an action story set in an unfamiliar place and time, but the drawings really bring it to life. I have been to Mycenae and Delphi. Stanower populates these present-day archaeological sites with people and their activities. The conflict between the two brothers, Agamemnon and Menelaus, is wonderfully dramatized. Paris and Helen are there too, as well as King Priam, who must take momentous decisions which will affect all his people. Achilles, who had always seemed like a cardboard figure, is now real. And there are many more, with all their relationships.

I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
 
Graphic Novels, continued

Now I am embarrassed to see that we have an entire "Comics and Graphic Novels" forum. Still, I think the Age of Bronze series may be different from most of the works discussed in that forum. It represents a serious study of the old text and the archeology.
 
silverseason said:
Maybe it's because this is an action story set in an unfamiliar place and time, but the drawings really bring it to life. I have been to Mycenae and Delphi. Stanower populates these present-day archaeological sites with people and their activities. The conflict between the two brothers, Agamemnon and Menelaus, is wonderfully dramatized. Paris and Helen are there too, as well as King Priam, who must take momentous decisions which will affect all his people. Achilles, who had always seemed like a cardboard figure, is now real. And there are many more, with all their relationships.
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Now you understand the appeal. :p
 
Maus and Louis Reil are both serious recounts of history. The movie '300' was based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller. While there are a lot of super hero stories, there are still many graphic novels that deal with other subjects, you just have to be willing to look. On-line book sellers often have lists or recommendations of good graphic novels. Just like movies and music, there are often end of the year 'best-of' lists for graphic novels that aren't solely populated by flights and tights stories.

I can't post links yet, but a google search with the terms "2007 graphic novel best" gives good results.
 
silverseason said:
Now I am embarrassed to see that we have an entire "Comics and Graphic Novels" forum. Still, I think the Age of Bronze series may be different from most of the works discussed in that forum. It represents a serious study of the old text and the archeology.
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I'm still reading through A Thousand Ships but I may not be getting a lot of the references as I haven't read through the Iliad.

Granted a lot of comics/graphic novels published are aimed at adolescent boys (superpowers, identity etc), but you'd be surprised what's out there. Dismissing the genre is like saying cartoons/animation are only for children. It really depends what the creator's intent was and the target audience. Maus won the Pullitzer with echoes of the holocaust. Eisner's A Contract With God explores faith in a slighlty different way.
 
As a comics lover, I always feel joy when a newcomer stumbles into the medium, finds a good comic book and loses whatever prejudices he had. I've never read Age of Bronze, but I've read the good reviews. In looking for quality comics, just follow a basic rule: stay away from Marvel and DC (Vertigo notwithstanding); these publishers are not in the business of publishing good comics. Try Fantagraphics, Top Shelf, Drawn and Quarterly and Pantheon: you'll be well served by these publishers.
 
Some time back I came across Swann's Way in GN format. That's v.1 of Prousts's Remembrance of Times Past. While it seemed to have the dialogue, I think the illustrator had a hard time equalling Proust's lengthy descriptions, so it never caught my interest compared to the elegance of the book's language itself. Maybe that's a hard example.
 
Peder said:
Some time back I came across Swann's Way in GN format. That's v.1 of Prousts's Remembrance of Times Past. While it seemed to have the dialogue, I think the illustrator had a hard time equalling Proust's lengthy descriptions, so it never caught my interest compared to the elegance of the book's language itself. Maybe that's a hard example.
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Stay away from illustrated versions of novels! That's the lowest form of comics there is. Read original comics, that's where the glory of the medium is.
 
Heteronym said:
Stay away from illustrated versions of novels! That's the lowest form of comics there is. Read original comics, that's where the glory of the medium is.
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No doubt good advice, and I have indeed browsed through some impressive GNs, confirming your final point. But, as a genre of original works, they haven't yet weaned me from original authors writing original books.
Sin City was a fabulous movie though, if I have the title right.
 
Libra6Poe said:
I'll second that. It's fantastic.
I'd also recommend Alan Moore's From Hell (which is my favorite of his).
From Hell thread: http://www.bookandreader.com/forums/comics-graphic-novels/10434-hell-alan-moore.html
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Lol - Moore's getting mentioned a lot. I guess it's because he was one of the most literary authors in the medium, with a lot of references to some major works of fiction (the stuff hidden though his League of Extraordinary Gentlemen including in some of the artwork rather than dialogue is great fun to tease through). Can I muddy the waters and say that out of his work my favourite's V for Vendetta.

I guess the other writer in comic terms that gets praise in literary circles is Neil Gaiman (who has since moved to novels) with work such as the Sandman.
 
:sad:
direstraits said:
Peder, our old discussion on Nazism, Holocaust and WWII refers. Check out Maus.

ds
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Hello Dire :)
Yes, Maus I know, and also Will Eisner's The Plot. I suppose they are both on my mental to-read list for someday when I get back into the mood for the topic.

L6P and Sparky,
Alan Moore's work I have also seen during several days deliberately spent going through the GN holdings at Borders some time back (when The Plot came out) to familiarize myself with the genre in general. No pun. :lol:

FluffyBunny,
Definitely yes! I remember being very impressed by the Sandman series -- the one very artistically striking dreamlike one especially, that I'm sure you know the name of.

I have nothing at all against any of your all's suggestions, and remember being impressed with much of the artwork. In fact I could endorse all your suggestions. But nothing so far has yet tipped me toward the cash registers. :sad:
Maybe someday.

And there's nothing preventing my having a second look (except a little fire alarm at the store today :eek: )

Meanwhile though, I am heading down the road of Orlando, Beowulf and Grendel.
 
I've mentioned both lately a couple times but here they are again.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn, Mark Konopacki and Paul Buhle
 
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