Just recently I realized I had a bit of a pattern on what I've been requesting from the library lately. If it's not an adult thriller, it's.......
COMICS/ GRAPHIC NOVELS!
I always feel weird about reviewing graphic novels or comics on the blog because they're so short and I don't normally have much to say about them. So here is something to encompass everything I like about them.
It's so weird because I just started them reading them after taking a class on them while I was in library school. That class taught me that even though they're not my favorite, they are really great for others, like reluctant readers and those that are looking for something short. And so, after learning more about them, I started reading them more. Here's some of the things I've realized I've loved about them:
A good set of characters: Lumberjanes is a great example of this. I've LOVED almost every issue of this series because of all the characters. They are so diverse and I love seeing how all their personalities work for all the adventures they go on. The cover listed here is my from my favorite volume of the series!
A great story-line: Marissa Meyer gives a great example of this through her graphic novel series based on her Lunar Chronicles series. Iko is already a strong character, so having any story surrounding her is destined to be amazing. And in both volumes, this has been the case so far. (The plot kind of drags in this one, but I still loved it!) Iko is still kick butt and all the things that her and her friends go through made me want to do nothing but read. It took me about 4 hours to read this, go back and look at the pictures and then read through it again by keeping the pictures in mind. That's how much I wanted to stay in this story.
Nice art: Moon Girl & Devil dinosaur are my favorite examples of this. Not only is the main character, a super smart African American girl, CLEARLY depicted, but she is also a super hero. But my favorite parts of the art, is the giant dinosaur that she has with her. I'm not an artist of any kind, but I'm sure there's no easy way to depict facial expressions on a dinosaur, but the illustrator makes it look so easy.
All of these things make up great graphic novels for me. Slap on easy to follow sequential art frames and I am SOLD. All of these things can be found in all three of these series in some way or another. If you're new to graphic novels or comics, pick one of these up! If you're already a fan and are looking for more, pick one of these up! And lastly, if you're just looking for a good book, pick one of these series!
Have you read any of these or the ones I've recently checked out?
What do you look for in graphic novels?