Showing posts with label graphic novel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graphic novel. Show all posts
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Recently Read: Allergic, by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter
The first of two collaborations between Eisner-nominated author Megan Wagner Lloyd and illustrator Michelle Mee Nutter (Squished is the second), Allergic is a fine coming-of-age children's graphic novel.A story about a 5th grader who loves pets - but discovers she's allergic to animals with feathers or fur - could have been a preachy venture, with little artistry. Wagner uses little Maggie's allergies, though, as the backdrop for many stressful situations she's going through, from changes in her family to friendship complications and a rough relationship with her brothers. Nutter's art is perfect for the story, expressive and nicely paced (though I think the book could have benefited from a more painterly approach to the colors used on some of her other projects). Wagner also, unlike many other authors writing graphic novels illustrated by others, utilizes many silent panels, allowing the visuals to tell the story.
Recommended for children eight and up; I gave a copy to three grandkids and all three individually plowed through the book to the end in one afternoon.
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Recently Read: Credo: the Rose Wilder Lane Story, by Peter Bagge
Rose Wilder Lane was a free soul, a proto-feminist, a proto-libertarian, partial author of the Little House books and much more. Her amazing life (starting on a dirt poor De Smet farmstead, as described in Laura Ingalls Wilder's posthumously published The First Four Years) has been documented many times and ways (including Lane's autobiographical works) and is intrinsically fascinating. Here it gets the Peter Bagge treatment and, being a fan of both the Little House books and Bagge's work, I had high hopes for this book.
I was first surprised by Credo's diminutive size. When I first began reading Bagge's work, in 1985, it was being published magazine size. Later his work was published comic book size. Here it's published less than 7" x 9". What's next - postage stamp size? Bagge's lettering and art seemingly haven't been altered to accommodate the smaller size, either, making the work small, cramped and just plain hard to read. The font size used for the introduction practically requires a magnifying glass. Really, Drawn and Quarterly? Couldn't you give a great cartoonist a chance to shine?
Bagge's cartooning is as fun and expressive as ever, capturing the ever-shifting emotions and agendas of a person famous for their mood swings and short attention span. The drawing is excellent. The pacing, though... I would have loved to see the story slow down enough for longer dramatic scenes. As it is, the (only 72-page) work feels like a picaresque travelogue, one that checks off a list of chronological events, but doesn't delve deeply into any of them. It's a lost opportunity because there are so many events in Lane's life that could benefit from the kind of wry but respectful observations I've seen in earlier Bagge fiction.
Bagge's afterward, on the other hand, is a wealth of great resources for further study of the people Rose journeyed with, with fun and insightful observations and commentary. For Bagge fans and Lane fans, the book is a must, despite its faults.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Recently Read: American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang
Gene Luen Yang's 2006 multi-award winning graphic novel uses a three-pronged approach to telling his autobiographical journey as a first-generation child of immigrants. In addition to a more straightforward narrative of his struggles as a social outsider, American Born Chinese weaves in a parable story of The Monkey King (from the 16th century Chinese novel, Journey to the West), and a TV sitcom plot involving Danny, a white American boy, being visited and embarrassed by his stereotypical and obnoxious Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee.
Yang incorporates different art styles for each narrative and (spoiler alert) merges the three stories into one in the book's denouement, in which Yang's surrogate, Jin Wang, makes peace, of sorts, with the aspects of his identity he chooses to adhere to. Some criticisms of the novel argue that Wang chooses a subservient role for himself in society; this isn't made clear, though, and Yang may have deliberately intended for the conclusion to be somewhat open ended.
American Born Chinese is immanently readable, accomplished in its storytelling techniques, and led the way for greater acceptance of graphic novels in libraries and other institutions in the aughts.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Recently Read: Young Frances
Don't pick up this graphic novel unless you plan to read it through in one sitting - it's that involving. An (incomplete) collection and reformatting of cartoonist Hartley Lin's Pope Hats series, Young Frances details the corporate law firm world of clerk Frances Scarland, and the relationship with her less straight-edge best friend, actress Vickie Griffin. The nuances of their relationship and the absurd and stressful office sequences are created with empathy, knowledge and irony. They all ring true.
The story is told in that fashionable indie style which mixes carefully observed detail with a more cartoony surface (most likely a half-century-later derivative - whether conscious or not - of Herge's influence). In short - it's beautifully drawn and beautifully paced. Readers of any age will find much to appreciate in it.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Monday, November 12, 2018
Monday, April 23, 2018
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Working On An Ashcan for My Odysseus Rex Graphic Novel
Saturday, February 10, 2018
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Friday, May 29, 2015
The Witches of Dunforge Now Available!
Just send $15, plus $2.50 shipping to: Verl Holt Bond, 1475 Tabor Avenue, Kettering, Ohio 45420. The publisher asks that an adult signature be included for purchasers under the age of 13.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Curse the Owl-Man!
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Recently Read: Chimichanga, by Eric Powell
Eric Powell created the series based on prodding from his son; the concept was originally pitched to a cable animation channel, but rejected. Powell has put a lot of work into the project, using a mixture of inked drawings and painterly colors. The art often looks like spot-on Jack Davis, which can be jarring when surrounded by non-Davis-influenced art.
Chimichanga is a light, cute diversion that kids and adults both can enjoy.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Calling Ohio Cartoonists - Sunday Comix Meets This Week...
In the words of Max Ink (or maybe Canada Keck): If you're a comics-creating type of person, or simply a lover of graphic novels, comic books & comic strips, please join us for our monthly meeting at WILD GOOSE CREATIVE!
If you're an artsy-drawer type, go ahead and bring your doodles, comics-in-progress or your finished works of art and story to share and get feedback on! And if you don't have anything to share, no worries-- your opinion counts. Everyone's encouraged to share their ideas and viewpoints here.
And bring some pencils (and erasers) and pens so you can contribute to a Sunday Comix Jam Comic!
Monday, February 27, 2012
HR Watson, by Paul Pope
Paul drew this for me in 1995.
I love THB!
No definitive news (that I can find) on the release date of Paul's new Battling Boy graphic novel.
Here's a link to a much larger HR Watson file: http://www.nenoworld.com/Paul%20Pope's%20HR%20Watson.html
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