2008′s best graphic novels
WORD BALLOONS
Graphic novels continue to be one of the few categories in bookstores experiencing growth. As such, there’s a near explosion of quality work coming out in the longer format. This week, Word Balloons will look at the best graphic-novel format comics released for the first time in 2008; next week we’ll look at the best periodical comic-book releases.
1. Local
Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly’s tale follows young Megan McKeenan as she crisscrosses America. Each chapter is set in a different city in a different year. Wood and Kelly capture a sense of each city on the itinerary.
2. Too Cool to Be Forgotten
Software engineer Andrew Wicks seeks the aid of a hypnotist to quit smoking. But rather than waking up smoke-free, he wakes up in 1985, as a high school freshman. He decides he’s been sent back to avoid taking his first smoke, but hopes to avoid otherwise shaking up his teenage life. Written and drawn by Alex Robinson (“Box Office Poison,” “Tricked”).
3. What It Is
Part autobiography, part creative workbook, Lynda Barry’s “What It Is” features dazzling artwork with elements of collage throughout.
4. Bottomless Belly Button
Dash Shaw writes and draws this huge graphic novel about the adult children of Maggie and David Looney, who have announced their divorce after 40 plus years of marriage.
5. Freddie and Me
Mike Dawson’s memoir shows how his life was influenced by Freddie Mercury of Queen. Influenced by the aforementioned Robinson, Dawson intertwines speculation about the band with his own coming-of-age.
6. Burma Chronicles
Guy Delisle and his wife go to Burma as part of Doctors Without Borders. As his wife battles the dictatorship’s bureaucracy to care for malaria victims, Delisle takes care of his young son and details day to day life in the oppressed nation.
7. Dugout
Writer Adam Beechen and artist Manny Bello are the creative team for this story of a down-on-his-luck baseball manager in 1959 who decides the only way to save his job is to break a hotshot pitcher out of jail. “Dugout” mixes the sports and caper genres with aplomb.
8. Love and Rockets: The Education of Hopey Glass
Jaime Hernandez has been spinning tales of Maggie and Hopey, punk rock girls from the barrio, since 1983. Now the women are in their 30s, but no less fascinating. Hopey’s trying to become a teacher’s assistant in this story. Meanwhile, Ray, who used to live with Maggie, lusts after Vivian and finds himself at the edges of a murder plot.
9. Omega The Unknown
Novelist Jonathan Lethem updates the oddball 1970s Marvel title for the modern era. The first chapter is based very closely on the original work by Steve Gerber, Mary Skrenes and Jim Mooney. “Omega,” drawn by former Oklahoma resident Farel Dalrymple, features a mute alien superhero and the earth teenager with whom he is strangely connected.
10. Aya of Yop City
Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie’s sequel to “Aya” features Aya helping Adjoua with her new baby. There’s a question of the baby’s paternity which has the town buzzing. Meanwhile, Bintou has a new romance with a smooth Parisian. Aya’s father has his own problems at work, which spill into his home life in a cliffhanger of an ending.
By Matthew Price
From the Dec. 26 edition of The Oklahoman
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
It’s true. However, for my purposes, best graphic novel for 2008 means “first appearing in graphic novel format in 2008.” I don’t know that single issues are still the primary format, but they’re still a very important one.
If you want to read my list of the best periodical comics (or “single-issue floppies”) of the year, check out Friday’s Weekend LOOK or check back on Nerdage!
- Matt
Local (High Class), Freddie and me (Very surprising) and Education of Hopey Glass were also in my list of 2008 favorites. I found Freddie and me during my holiday in the Uk, very recognizable!
#1, 8, and 9 were serialized in individual issues of their respective comics throughout ’07, ’06, and before. I know that “graphic novel” is more of an unfortunate marketing term than anything, but it’s interesting to have these included as though they’re new gestalt works that sprung forth fully-formed in 2008. All literary establishments/gatekeepers, including blogs, need to start acknowledging single-issue floppies as the manner in which most graphic stories are primarily told.