Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Graphic Novels Challenge

Among the types of reading material I credit my husband with introducing me to, is the graphic novel. He showed me that graphic novels and comics, are not just for children looking for a cute story and pretty pictures. In fact, many graphic novels cater to adults and are just as diverse as the types of books I read.

My husband sometimes comes across a graphic novel I might like to read, or occasionally I find one while browsing the shelves at the comic bookstore as I tag along after my husband. I have a TBR pile of graphic novels as a result. The problem is that the graphic novels rarely take precedence over my other reading, and so they sit in their own little pile waiting ever so patiently for their time to come.

I was quite thrilled when I first read that Dewey over at The Hidden Side of a Leaf is hosting the Graphics Novel Challenge. While my challenge participation this next year will be considerably less ambitious (*cough, cough*), I figured this was one I could easily fit in. Besides, I love seeing my husband's face light up when he sees me sharing in his love for a good graphic novel.


The rules are simple:
To participate in the Graphic Novels Challenge, simply choose at least 6 graphic novels to read from January 2008 to December 2008. When you’ve posted your list, please leave the link to your post in the comments at Dewey's site.

Graphic Novel Selections:
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
Coward by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Volume One by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
Persepolis: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi
Slow News Day by Andi Watson
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home by Joss Whedon & George Jeanty
Regards from Serbia: A Cartoonist's Diary of a Crisis in Serbia by Aleksandar Zograf

12 comments:

  1. I've never read a graphic novel but have wanted to ever since I discovered that Neil Gaiman and Laurell K. Hamilton writes them.

    Def sounds like a fun challenge.

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  2. Trisha -I've enjoyed the LKH comics. It's been so long since I read the first book so I can't do much of a comparison. The artist has some of Anita's habits down pat, I noticed.

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  3. This looks like a fun challenge! I hope you have a good time. I'm planning on checking out some graphic novels when I come to the States. They are kinda hard to come by here.

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  4. I'm reading Persepolis too. It'll be fun to compare notes. The one by Aleksandar Zograf also sounds intriguing. I look forward to your reviews!

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  5. I wish I can join this challenge, but unfortunately I have more Chinese graphic novels than the English graphic novels, hehe...

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  6. I am really glad you are doing this challenge as well. I have Persepolis on my list as well which I am really looking forward to. I heard about it in Nick Hornby's Polysyllabic Spree and my best friend loved it. I haven't read any Buffy graphic novels so will be interested to see what you make of it.

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  7. Oh, this one is tempting. I've been meaning to read Neil Gaiman's Sandman series for ages...it's just never available at the library (and graphic novels are extremely expensive!!)

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  8. This is going to be a fun challenge!! Especially for me, since I've yet to actually READ a graphic novel! I'm really looking forward to this one.

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  9. I've never really gotten into the graphic novels (although I do read Girl Genius three times a week online lol) so I'm not going to join in on this one. I would still like to see the Anita Blake graphic novels though to see how well they adapted them from the books.

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  10. Nikki - Thanks! I think it will be fun and this is the perfect motivation I need to get to some of the ones in my TBR stacks. I hope you find some good ones while you're in the U.S.

    Nymeth - I've noticed a lot of people are going to read Persepolis. :-) Are you planning to see the movie?

    The Zograf one is one I begged my husband to buy while we were out one day. Of course, it didn't take much begging because he loves it when I show an interest in a graphic novel. :-) I'm really looking forward to reading that one.

    Melody - Do they have to be in English, I wonder? Maybe we can ask Dewey.

    Rhinoa - Another Persepolis! As Nymeth suggested, we'll all have to compare notes. I haven't read any of the Buffy graphic novels either, but I'm a huge Joss Whedon fan and my husband was sure I'd like reading the graphic novel he had a hand in writing.

    Nyssaneala - I'd like to read The Sandman series one day too. I wonder if my husband has any of them . . .

    Stephanie - It will be fun! I think a lot of people might be surprised at just how good a graphic novel can be.

    Jen - The LKH graphic novels are pretty good. There's a lot missing because you can only do so much, but I've been impressed so far.

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  11. What do you mean less ambitious? You aren't joining all the challenges :)
    I want to pull back but I know I'll be jumping in on quite a few more!
    I read the Persepolis and Fun Home novels. Very good stuff. I hope you'll enjoy those. Thanks to some wonderful bloggers I've come up with my graphic novel list. I don't know much about them so I definitely needed some help putting my list together. I'll post it soon :)

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  12. Iliana - That's very true. I am not joining all the challenges. :-) I'm really trying to keep it to a realistic number this next year so I can still read extra books in between.

    I am glad to hear you liked Persepolis and Fun Home. They both look like they will be good. I look forward to seeing your list! Maybe I'll get some ideas from it for the future. :-)

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