Graphic Novel Suggestions???

[aspiring_x]

Please forgive my ignorance.

I've been trying to research into graphic novels, but most of what I've found are not much more than comic strips. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions of better graphic novels I could look up. You know, ones that not only have amazing art, but an actual story too. I've heard there are some great ones out there, but my research abilities seem to be floundering.

Or is that just what a graphic novel is? A bound comic book? I was sort of hoping for more novel, if you know what I mean...

[Bryan Russell/Ink]

Well, a lot of them are like that, but there's certainly more unique stuff if you dig a little. Check out Maus, a graphic novel about the holocaust, and Waltz with Bashir and Persepolis

[Nathan Bransford]

Two of my favorites, and well outside traditional comic-book story lines, are THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET and BLANKETS.

[maybegenius]

I second BLANKETS by Craig Thompson. WATCHMEN is, of course, a hugely successful one. Neil Gaiman has collaborated with many different artists and writers, and he has several out. His SANDMAN series is one of my favorites. GHOST WORLD is another. Some of these have a more "comic book-y" feel to them, but the storylines are incredible. To be fair, comic books in general kind of get a bad rap as being superficial or popcorn entertainment, but they're not all lighthearted superhero episodes or funnies. Some of them are incredibly poignant.

[aspiring_x]

To be fair, comic books in general kind of get a bad rap as being superficial or popcorn entertainment, but they're not all lighthearted superhero episodes or funnies. Some of them are incredibly poignant.

So true! I did not intend to sound like I was belittling comics!
Thank you all for the suggestions! So much to study now. Hooray!

[maybegenius]

Oh, I didn't take it that way! I just know a lot of people think "comic book" and they think of something kids read :D

[craig]

If you're at all interested in non-fiction graphic novels (is that even correct terminology???), I recommend...

- Pyongyang, Shenzen, or Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle. These are three travel journals.

- The Photographer, by Guilbert, Lefevre, and Lemercier (I think -- I'm trying to read the names from across the room). It's a retelling of a Doctors Without Borders mission to Afghanistan and is a combo of graphic novel and photo essay.

- Anything by Joe Sacco, who does a lot of war documentary through the graphic novel format.

[aspiring_x]

craig,
those were all great! especially THE PHOTOGRAPHER one! i loved how they blended big chunks of text along with the photographs, comic strip bits, and big illustrations! very dynamic! thank you very much!

[midenianscholar]

Love, love, love THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

Here are a few webcomics I follow, from the more amateur to the best known on the net. These are neat because a lot of the authors (particularly Lora Innes from The Dreamer) are really, really good about answering fan questions and blogging about their learning process. Lora's FanFlow (linked from the site) has taught me SO much about comics and all the crazy stuff that goes on before the pages are posted, and I'm not even a comic artist.

Anyway, here are a couple:
http://thedreamercomic.com/ (Revolutionary War, YA-type story - very good and a more traditional art style)
http://requiem.seraph-inn.com/ (or her older work: http://inverloch.seraph-inn.com/) (Fantasy - good story telling, and really amazing art)

And a shameless plug to my sister's current project:
http://thesilvereye.com/ (Fantasy - An interesting look at how art develops as you work on it, and a good story)

[aspiring_x]

thanks midenianscholar for all those great links! (and your sis is doing a great job!)

[abc]

I also recommend Blankets. And MAUS is excellent. Ghost World is terrific. I like Daniel Clowes' stuff a lot. Joe Matt stuff is pretty great (and kinda disgusting). Also, Seth has some lovely works out there.

[HillaryJ]

I'm pretty old school in my graphic novels.

I'll second Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN suggestions. Frank Miller's noir SIN CITY series is fantastic. The art is glorious and the stories are grim, violent and exciting.

[Sommer Leigh]

Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series is my absolute favorite. I will also second the suggestions for Blankets.

Some not mentioned yet:
Fables (One of my top favorites of all time)
Cages by Dave McKean

[aspiring_x]

thanks bunches Hilary and Sommer!
(I ADORE neil gaiman- in a way which is borderline innapropriate for a married woman.)