Like many others, one thing I love to do in the fall is kick back, relax, and read a good book. However, I’ve always preferred the uniquely visual style of comic books to the lengthy wordiness of novels, not that there’s anything wrong with them—I love novels. (Except for “Tom Sawyer,” that’s just garbage.)
The longing for visually stimulating, yet literarily complex comics is what drew me to graphic novels at a young age, and they quickly became some of my favorite reading material.
If you’re looking to read a graphic novel yourself but don’t know where to start, here are three suggestions you can get warm and cozy with this fall season:
“Lost at Sea”, Bryan Lee O’Malley (2003)
Coming from the pen of the writer/artist of the “Scott Pilgrim” series (which I also highly recommend for a good read), this road-trippy, coming-of-agey, existential comedy-drama is a great place to start if you’re new to the graphic novel scene. O’Malley’s manga inspired artwork, combined with his signature deadpan tone, make this story of four classmates en route to Canada a funny, yet realistically emotional character study for pretty much anyone who went through high school.
“Zot!: The Complete Black and White Collection”, Scott McCloud (2008)
While it’s more of an omnibus of individual comic issues than a graphic novel, this giant tome of awesome is still worth a look. These select adventures of Zot, a boy from a futuristic alternate reality, and Jenny, a girl living in our world, are absolutely beautiful in every way. The black-and-white artwork is so detailed and imaginative, simply talking about it won’t do it justice: you have to see it for yourself. The characters and storylines are also incredibly well-written for a series with a fantastic premise, proving that comic books can (and should) be taken seriously.
“Django Unchained”, Reginald Hudlin and various artists (2013)
With the story coming straight from a draft of Quentin Tarantino’s screenplay, this adaptation is just as entertaining as the movie that inspired it. Tarantino’s famous dialogue is intact, and the movie’s cast of colorful characters (and gratuitous violence) is brought to life in ink and paint, as opposed to 35 mm film and A-list actors. It even features scenes that didn’t make the final cut of the film, so you’ll essentially be reading a special director’s cut of “Django” – a concept that had both my curiosity and my attention the moment I laid eyes on it.
Happy reading everyone, and remember: if you can’t find a buddy to cuddle with these next few months, there’s always a good book available to keep you warm at night.
