Howdy, kids. Welcome back to The Book Report.

This week, I want to talk briefly about a genre of books that some snobby readers might feel as being too juvenile: comic books. More specifically, the graphic novel. Here at Semantink the publishers have been doing their best to promote the hell out of the Mythoi: Birth graphic novel, and while Ben’s Comicopea takes a look at comics and the comic industry in a very knowledgeable way, I thought I’d address the issue for people who don’t read comics because they “only read serious books” (or some other smarmy, elitist comment).
So what I thought I’d do is recommend three graphic novels in three different genres that I own and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to people.

1. The Psychological Thriller

As the only graphic novel appearing on Time Magazine’s “Top 100 Novels of all time” (since 1923), Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons Watchmen is truly a feat of literary genius. Drawing its title from Roman poet and satirist Juvenal’s question “Who watches the watchmen?” the initial premise of the story is a look at what superheroes would be like in real life. Of course, in order to support such a premise, the book also needs a close examination of what type of person might feel the need to put on a costume and fight crime. Watchmen certainly does not shy away from its obligations. As the story unfolds and the single murder of a costumed crime-fighter begins to have global ramifications, Moore and Gibbons deconstruct the concept of the superhuman from two angles: the people who need to be heroes and the people who need others to be heroic. Gripping, gritty, and at times very disturbing, after its completed run in 1987, Watchmen changed the way authors wrote heroes and also the way people read them.

2. The Action/Adventure

Okay, at first glance, a trio of pin-up models in sexy action poses may not look like “literature”, but roll with me here for a second. For more than fifty years the James Bond/Jack Ryan/Jason Bourne (what’s with the J names?) spy thrillers have made their way onto many a book shelf in houses all over the world. The basic premise of Danger Girl is exactly the same, except where in those spy novels the “Bond Girl” is little more than a sexy female for the hero to save, these girls are kicking ass all over the place. And, yes, looking incredible while they do. Right from page one this book burns at full throttle, and the action doesn’t let up one bit.
Equal parts James Bond, Indiana Jones, and a generous helping of curves, the Danger Girls are intelligent, independent, and incredibly sexy. But then, everyone in this comic is sexy from the main heroes and villains to the background characters. It’s what creators J. Scott Campbell and Andy Hartnell do. They could make Quazimodo look sexy. Plus, the comic has got enough puns to satisfy even the most rabid punster.

3. The Romantic Thriller

One of the reasons I don’t like the Twilight series might be because of this book. At one point in Meyer’s series, the main character’s love leaves her, and so she shuts down emotionally for six months. Of course, given the lack of individuality and vapid helplessness of the main character, that sort of shut down makes sense. But if there is a book that shows more rage, heartache, and longing at the loss of a loved one than The Crow, I haven’t read it. The story was inspired by a news report of a couple who was murdered for a $20 engagement ring, and written as a way for the author to deal with his own loss. In 1978, author James O’Barr’s fiancee was killed by a drunk driver, and while I’m not saying someone who’s never felt that kind of loss couldn’t write that book, I think you can see every bit of the pain, rage, and heartbreak from that loss show up in every drop of ink.
The book is incredibly violent, but there is a sense of heart-wrenching poetry in each bullet, each blood spatter. The kind of emotional depth that Twilight never even scratches the surface of.

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That’s it for me this week, folks. You can catch pretty decent (even excellent) movie adaptations of Watchmen and The Crow, and there’s been talk of a Danger Girl movie for years (though there is a Playstation video game adaptation) for those who are curious about other media formats for these books.

Until next time,
Still paddlin’ the old knew…
_-Akatzen-_