So I figure after spending all of this time putting together this site, it would make sense to fill it with some content. Been reading a lot of graphic novels lately, so thought it would be nice to share my top five thus far with you.
Some might say that reading a graphic novel takes away from one of the most enjoyable parts of reading — letting your imagination run wild and envisioning every aspect of the world the author portrays. To that I say: “no way!”. Graphic novels provide readers with the unique experience of following a story-line while at the same time being exposed to art. Most of the books I’ve listed here are meticulously designed from cover to cover, and I think you’d be missing out if you didn’t try to read them.
Without further ado, here are my top five graphic novels:
1. Habibi (Craig Thompson)
2. Maus (Art Spiegelman)
3. Blankets (Craig Thompson)
4. Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi)
5. Black Hole (Charles Burns)
Habibi
Habibi is the story of a girl who gets sold into marriage by her father at a very young age. After her husband is killed by a group of bandits, she is forced into sexual slavery. Her only friend is a young boy who she rescued from certain death as an infant. When they are separated, the trials and tribulations both go through are epic and quite disturbing… As for aesthetics, the book itself looks like the Quran and is filled with incredible artwork. It touches upon a variety of Islamic, Jewish, and Christian myths. Probably one of the best, if not the best, graphic novels I’ve ever read.
Maus
Maus is Art Spiegelman’s master piece about his father’s struggle through World War II, and was the story that taught me about the Holocaust as a young boy. It begins in Rego Park, Queens where Art meets with his father, Vladek Spiegelman, and asks him to tell him about his life in Poland during the war. As Anti-Semetic tensions began to rise in the region, Vladek — a mild mannered textile manufacturer — is drafted into the Polish military. After the Nazis defeat the Polish army, he and his family are forced into hiding, but their bunker is discovered. What follows is a tale of hunger, persecution, and death. A must read if you haven’t already done so…
Blankets
Yet another gem by Craig Thompson, Blankets is an autobiographical account of his childhood growing up in an Evangelical Christian family in Wisconsin. He has a difficult time during his early years, struggling with his religion and fitting in with the other kids at school. His parents, who are extremely religious, send him off to a Christian winter camp, where he meets Raina, his first love. The story is touching and is a glimpse into a great writer and artist’s past. The art, much like Habibi, is nothing less than spectacular. Buy this now.
Persepolis
Pretty easy to tell that this one is popular, since it was adapted into a movie that was nominated for Best Animated Film of the Year in 2008. Persepolis chronicles Marjane Satrapi’s experience going through the Iranian Revolution of the late 1970s. A ten year old girl at the time of the revolution, she grapples with new laws put into place, segregating women and forcing them to wear veils. More chaos follows down the road with the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war, which completely devastates the country. This is an extremely accurate depiction of the history of Iran during this period and it taught me a lot. Highly recommend it, especially if you’re a history buff.
Black Hole
This one is probably the weirdest out of all of the books I’ve listed. Black Hole follows the story of several teenagers who have contracted a strange sexually transmitted disease. This disease causes their bodies to mutate, which results in them being branded as outcasts. Some form tails, other’s faces become warped, some even begin shedding their skin like a snake… Though very abstract and extremely trippy, this one is definitely a page turner. Go get it!
I hope this post inspires you all to go to your nearest comic book store. If you have any graphic novels you’d like to recommend, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Till next time!
-d