I use the term Graphic Novel loosely. I feel anything that tells a
continuous tale with numerous drawings that are intrinsic to the story
constitutes a Graphic Novel. Some people call these presentations Comic
Books, but there is a difference in the ones presented here. They do
contain cartoon art, but the story is still paramount. Great artwork with
a mediocre story is a mediocre Comic Book. A great story with mediocre artwork
is still a great Graphic Novel.
The movies Unbreakable, Men in Black,
and the Matrix all owe their origins to Comic Books. Even though this
media has crept into popular culture, the industry has seen a decline over
the past several years. The Newspaper industry has slowly shrunk the size
of the Comics that make it into their pages to allow them to make more
money. This has led many people to forget the large squares of the comics
from not so many years ago. These larger squares along with whole pages
all in vibrant color (or fine pen art) can still be found in the Comic
Books of today.
The industry has not helped itself. There are few Comic Book titles
that are appropriate for the younger readers, as well as the early teens.
The stories and graphics are wonderful in many comics, but many parents
would not let their children read some of the most popular titles. The
Disney Comics, Looney Tunes, and some titles like Scooby Doo are still
popular; but, as one 11 year old reader told me he wanted something with
more action. At that age, my favorites were Sergeant York and a mystery
comic that name eludes me to this day. I also read Richie Rich and
Fantastic Four, but as my tastes matured there were comics that I could
read. I went away from comics a few years later, as the opposite sex
became more appealing than reading the next installment of a crime
fighter; but, the Comics with all of the selection of new titles drew me
back after several years.
Here you will find
information about some of my Favorites and Links to Sites that are
dedicated to some of these graphic works. Be warned that many of these
Comics have mature themes throughout their stories and the Sites that they
link to may not be to everyone's tolerance. I hope that you will take the
time to discover a local Comic Book Store in your area and maybe you will
find something to your taste and discover or rediscover the joys of Comic
Books. |