Graphic Novel Selections May through August 2012

Hey all, it's that time again to read up and vote upon future selections for the book club. Here are some that came up on various best of lists and some personal favorites:

Habibi by Craig Thompson

Craig Thompson, the author of Blankets, released this 600+ page epic that chronicles a relationship between two unlikely individuals against a backdrop of a cruel and oppressive society. As always, Thompson manages to tell a vastly personal story while drawing similarities to religious subtexts from the Qur'an and the Bible.



Any Empire by Nate Powell

"Nate Powell's follow-up to the Eisner award-winning Swallow Me Whole examines war and violence, and their trickle-down effects on middle America. As a gang of small-town kids find themselves reunited in adulthood, their dark histories collide in a struggle for the future. Any Empire follows three kids in a Southern town as a rash of mysterious turtle mutilations forces each to confront their relationship to their privileged suburban fantasies of violence. Then, after years apart, the three are thrown together again as adults, amid questions of choice and force, belonging and betrayal."



Essex County by Jeff Lemire

"Where does a young boy turn when his whole world suddenly disappears? What turns two brothers from an unstoppable team into a pair of bitterly estranged loners? How does the simple-hearted care of one middle-aged nurse reveal the scars of an entire community, and can anything heal the wounds caused by a century of deception? In Essex County, Lemire crafts an intimate study of one community through the years, and a tender meditation on family, memory, grief, secrets, and reconciliation. With the lush, expressive inking of a young artist at the height of his powers, Lemire draws us in and sets us free."



The Complete Concrete by Paul Chadwick

"Part man, part...rock? Over seven feet tall and weighing over a thousand pounds, he is known as Concrete but is in reality the mind of one Ronald Lithgow, trapped inside a shell of stone, a body that allows him to walk unaided on the ocean's floor or survive the crush of a thousand tons of rubble in a collapsed mineshaft...but prevents him from feeling the touch of a human hand. These stories of Concrete are as rich and satisfying as any in comics: funny, heartbreaking, and singularly human."



Akira series by Katsuhiro Otomo

KANAEEEDAAAAAA! TETSUOOOOOOO! Find out why these characters are always yelling each others names! Japan's most epic and famous manga follows two motorcycling teenagers and their journey to uncover a plot involving nuclear weapons and psychic children/adults. Best known for its vastly confusing anime film that tried to condense 3000 pages of manga into a two hour film. Read the series and ignore the film.



Gotham Central series by Ed Brubaker

Ever wonder what the Gotham Police are up to? Solving crimes, that's what! Batman may be the world's greatest detective, but that doesn't mean the Gotham City Police don't have their hands full with villains like Mr. Freeze and Penguin. This unique series adds an unseen layer of depth to Batman's world.



DMZ series by Brian Wood

"In the near future, America's worst nightmare has come true. With military adventurism overseas bogging down the Army and National Guard, the U.S. government mistakenly neglects the very real threat of anti-establishment militias scattered across the 50 states. Like a sleeping giant, Middle America rises up and violently pushes its way to the shining seas, coming to a standstill at the line in the sand – Manhattan. Or as the world now knows it, the DMZ."



Revolver by Matt Kindt

Revolver deals with duality that comes off as a little bit Seven and a little bit Memento. Unique art and color scheme play into the themes and cerebral plot.



Swamp Thing series by Alan Moore

Alan Moore's famous 1980s run on Swamp Thing turned the series into a creepy and psychological story rather than a plant going around moping or killing other non-plants. Everything from romance to his origins are covered in Moore's newly collected Swamp Thing trades.



Love and Rockets vol. 1 by Los Bros Hernandez

[Love and Rockets vol. 1 is] "the first of three volumes collecting the adventures of the spunky Maggie, her annoying best friend and sometime lover Hopey, and their circle of friends, including their bombshell friend Penny Century, Maggie's weirdo mentor Izzyas well as the wrestler Rena Titanon and Maggie's handsome love interest, Rand Race. Maggie the Mechanic collects the earliest, punkiest, most heavily sci-fi stories of Maggie and her circle of friends, and you can see the artist (who drew like an angel from the very first panel) refine his approach: Despite these strong shifts in tone, the stunning art and razor sharp characterizations keep this collection consistent, and enthralling throughout."

Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine

Shortcomings is a black and white graphic novel that follows the ever-frustrating Ben Tanaka and his dealings with race identity and relationships. Through the lens of a brittle and crumbling relationship with his girlfriend Miko and a literally crumbling movie theater, Tomine attempts to explore these themes in a succinct and creative manner.

1. Tomine's work and other "hip comics" such as the work of Chris Ware and Daniel Clowes focus on what could be considered "first world problems," or conflicts that only effect privileged individuals. What are your thoughts on this statement?

Indie comics most definitely seem to follow young privileged folks with much worse problems to worry about. Is this meant to be satirical? Are authors of these stories similar people? I'd imagine this might be the aspect that turns people away from such a subgenre.

2. How does Tomine construct likeable and unlikable characters? Is anyone likeable?

Ben Tanaka is in my opinion a well-constructed jerk. The reader has to cringe at some of his cruel and unnecessary retorts that have just the slightest bit of truth to them. I liked Alice but I believe that was her purpose, to be the likeable foil.

3. What is the significance of the flowers/stars on the cover?

The same symbols were in the background of the picture of Miko that Ben discovered. I'm having a tough time symbolizing them without digging too deep, perhaps they represent a pattern that Ben and Miko have fallen into and have become unhappy with.

4. The self-centered cinephile, the level-headed gay friend, the aloof Asian girlfriend. Some criticize Tomine for utilizing stereotypical characters and character arcs. What do you think?

I would say that these are likely tropes of the indie comic genre, but I haven't read enough of them to identify or grow tired of them. I thought they were well-constructed relatively believable characters.

5. What does Ben's Asian heritage mean to him? How does this affect his everyday actions? Same question for Miko.

Ben criticizes the Asian stereotypes and ignores his heritage. This is evident in his comment to Miko's lover and the arguments that stem from his pornography preferences.

6. What commentary is Tomine offering on Ben's sexual preferences and the idealized (white, blonde) woman?

As mentioned above, this provides commentary on Ben's relationship with his heritage and also gives the reader insight to the relationship problems he and Miko are having.

7. What did you think about the quality of the dialogue?

Tomine is often praised for his realistic dialogue in graphic novels, I would agree that the dialogue in Shortcomings flows well and believable. The only suspension of belief might be asking yourself if this many twenty somethings are so cynical and quick with witty retorts.

8. Why did Autumn refuse Ben's advances?

It was becoming evident that Ben was not over his relationship with Miko despite her distance and that he had less than commendable reasons for being interested in her.

9. Why does Ben carry himself in such an antagonistic manner? What are the snide comments and chilly exterior hiding?

The snide comments are hiding an insecure thirty year old with a go-nowhere job. Ben is perhaps bitter because his life has plateaued, he seems to need new motivation and new goals.

10. Alice is Ben's only friend. Why does she tolerate him? What do they have in common?

I'm not sure why Alice tolerates Ben, I asked myself this throughout the entire book. They seem to have fun having relatively misogynistic conversations about relationships.

11. What about Tomine's sparse art style lends itself to discussion on race relations?

It is sometimes difficult to ascertain the race of characters in Tomine's art, perhaps by design. I wasn't sure of Miko's lover's race, I'm still not completely sure. Tomine could be saying that the world is becoming a homogenized place or we could be reading into the art too far.

12. What is the significance of the first page and it being a scene from a film?

The first page portrays a cheesy film full of Asian stereotypes. Miko is emotionally moved by it while Ben criticizes it. This easily gives the reader an idea of each character's view on their racial identity.

13. Tomine, like his character Ben Tanaka, is more or less "pessimistic about the possibility of escaping the limitations of socially inscribed identities." Your thoughts?

I think this is universal across many second or third generation Americans with mixed ethnic identities. Despite being a multiracial individual, these folks are still seen as exclusively black, white, Asian, whatever. Tomine likely wrote Shortcomings as a commentary on this societal tendency.

14. Shortcomings ends ambiguously. What have we learned? What will Ben Tanaka do? What should he do?

We have seen the evidence, now it is our part to decide where Ben Tanaka goes next. The hope is that he has seen his own flaws through his relationships and trip out to see Miko, but his character is indeed stubborn.

Chew series by John Layman

Chew is a unique graphic novel series that follows psychic detective Tony Chu. Chu is a cibopath, meaning he can get psychic impressions from whatever he eats whether it is appetizing or not. Chew's world is charmingly food-themed and blends dark humor and clever detective stories. Here are the discussion questions for the upcoming book club:

1. Chew has been criticized for its lack of central driving plot element. Your thoughts?

After reading four trades, it seems to be coming together, but the first few do seem disconnected. The only driving element being of course the food-themed world and that Tony is a Cibopath.

2. How do Layman and Guillory play with the element of sequencing in each issue?

Layman and Guillory like to foreshadow and play with the element of time quite a bit. In one of the trades, they pretended to have a "panel mix up" in which a few of the pages are swapped to allow the reader to see future events.

3. Guillory said he wanted to make Chu the "least stereotypical Asian American ever." What is the importance of this?

I barely noticed that Chu was Asian, so congrats to Guillory. I think this plays into his character even more than race, Chu needed to be a blank slate since he has such a complex power. If his character were to be complex as well, the story would be in danger of becoming muddled.

4. Did you see the Mason Savoy twist coming?

No, actually, despite the fact that he is drawn kind of like Robotnik from Sonic games.

5. Chew has been dismissed as "just another zombie book." Obviously there are no zombies, how would someone draw that conclusion? What is the difference here?

It has the same gore and gross-out elements as a zombie book would and it became successful around the time that The Walking Dead really started growing. The difference is the lack of a post-apocalyptic world and the fact that most characters keep their limbs intact.

6. The psychic detective has been done many, many times especially in television. What separates Chew?

Obviously, the Cibopathic twist. It is quite the television trope, but it is a less common plot element in graphic novels and worth exploring I'd say.

7. Chew is a proposed 60 issue run. How do you think this affects Layman's storytelling and forthcoming issues?

This makes me happy. Series like Fables that continue well past their best story arc irritate me. The fact that there is a planned sixty issues says to me that Layman and Guillory have a planned story arc that they intend to finish.

8. The same people that adapted The Walking Dead are adapting Chew into a half hour comedy series. What makes Chew adaptable for television?

As previously mentioned, Chew follows the common television trope of a psychic detective. The case format works quite well for television, so that would make it easy to form episodic content.

9. What does Guillory's art style lend to Chew? Why does it work?

Guillory's art style is controversial, but I like the dirty lines and cartoonish looks of the characters. It is set in a quirky food-themed world and Guillory's art caters to that perfectly.

10. Chew seems to follow the formula of humor then more serious character development. What is so appealing about this balance to comics writers?

Without making readers care about the characters through mutual humor and development, creating drama is difficult. Hence the tendency to start light and get heavier as the plot thickens.

11. Chew favors an omniscient narrative form. Why this instead of the inner monologue of the psychic detective?

The inner monologue would have been extremely stereotypical and noir-feeling for what is supposed to be a light detective series.

12. Why beets?

Rob Layman has laymanted (ha!) that this question gets asked of him too often. Nobody knows why beets are the only thing that Chu does not get a psychic impression from. Perhaps it will be answered in later issues?

Incognito by Ed Brubaker

Incognito is another entry in Ed Brubaker's continuing series of superhero/noir mashups. In this case, Zach Overkill is a supervillain(hero?) who has been put into witness protection and drugged to subdue his powers after some sensitive testimony against supervillain The Black Death. What follows is a superhero deconstruction in the same vein as Powers and Watchmen. The book club for Incognito will meet on Thursday October 20th at Koelbel Library at 7:00 p.m.

1. What is the importance of Zach's white shirt/black tie get up?


2. What message about the superhero genre is Brubaker trying to send with Incognito?

3. If superheroes did exist in the real world, would they be treated as they are in Incognito? Essentially drugged to inhibit their powers?

4. As evidenced by the office Santa story, Zach enjoys being in costume. Is there any significance to this story or this revelation?

5. Amanda from the office is sexually aroused by superheroes as a result of being saved by one. Is this a realistic result? What does this imply about superheroes in general?

6. Watchmen and Incognito both feature superheroes with relatively "boring" superpowers, i.e. a mask and the ability to fist fight. Both also deconstruct the superhero genre and ask interesting moral questions. Are these arguably more interesting plot lines attributed to featuring a simpler superhero? Do overly complex origins (cough Green Lantern) blur the possibility of strong storylines?

7. In the afterword, Brubaker talks of his plans of continuing the series. For those who have read the sequel, is this a wise decision? Would Incognito have served better as a one shot?

8. Much like Planetary, Brubaker features Lazarus (Shadow-like) and Professor Zeppelin (Doc Savage-like). These alternate superhero universes often feature doppelgangers like this. Does this add to the fictional world or detract?

9. Would you consider Zach Overkill a villain? Why or why not?

10. The idea of living "off the grid" or retiring from superherodom has been explored in many graphic novels. Is it possible or is the allure of fighting crime impossible to resist?

11. Why is each twin slightly different or more evil?

12. Incognito features a bit of recreational drug use. Why is drug use rare in superhero stories?

13. Incognito has been criticized for its "endless plot reveals and revelations toward the end." Do you agree that this was a detraction from an otherwise good story?

Mr. Punch Discussion Questions

Mr. Punch is the third Neil Gaiman graphic novel to make an appearance in our book club (Eternals, Sandman series). This one takes his common themes of childhood abandonment, creepy atmospheres, and memory. McKean lends unsettling multimedia art with visual hints to help the reader decipher the complex story. The book club for Mr. Punch meets on Thursday September 15th at 7:00 p.m. at Koelbel. If these questions seem more clever than usual, we can thank Ms. Elena for her contributions.

1. Why are the actions of adults in this graphic novel ambiguous?

2. What is the effect of the Punch and Judy show on our protagonist the Child?

3. What constitutes children's entertainment? Should it be censored, or scary? How has that idea evolved culturally and over time and what are the implications of that evolution?

4. What would have happened if the Child had donned the Mr. Punch puppet?

5. What is the implication both in the original play and the graphic novel when Mr. Punch not only kills and outwits a policeman and crocodile, but the devil himself? More broadly, what does Mister Punch represent?

6. Consider the puppet show and the narrative. What does one have to do with the other? How does the Punch and Judy show function as a motif? Examine the significance of the title.

7. What is the underlying symbolism of the Mermaid?

8. Consider the idea advanced by the narrator of memories as snapshots. How do you understand this idea within the context of the story?

9. What is the significance of the dream sequence and what impact does it have on the rest of the narrative?

10. Toward the end of the book, the narrator thinks he sees Professor Swatchell. He says “Later it occurred to me that the man i saw could not have been Swatchell. Nobody lives for ever, after all; not even the Devil. Everybody dies but Mister Punch, and the only life he has he steals from others.” What does he mean by that?

11. Why does Mister Punch say, once the Devil is dead, that everybody is free to do whatever they wish? Is that true? Why or why not, and what are the implications?

12. Explain the last line of the book, “I left the churchyard then, shivering in spite of the May sunshine, and went about my life”

13. Gaiman says in his acknowledgements “[t]hank you to my parents and Aunts and Uncles, whose memories, both of Punch and Judy and of my family history, I have so recklessly and shamelessly plundered and twisted to my own purposes.” How does that color your view of the story, if at all?

14. What tone and mood do McKean’s art lend to the story? How would the story feel different if it were illustrated by a more conventional comic artist?

15. Unless the pronoun begins a sentence, the narrator refers to himself with a lower-case “i” Why is that?

Tricked by Alex Robinson - Discussion Questions

Alex Robinson is quickly becoming one of my favorite new graphic novel authors. In this and his previous effort Box Office Poison, he manages to uniquely portray a huge cast of characters using everything from personality quirks to calligraphy. Tricked features a cast of six including a washed up rock star, a waitress, and a counterfeiter among a few others whose lives become temporarily intertwined in a dramatic event.

The book club for Tricked will meet on Thursday August 25th at Koelbel Library at 7:00 p.m. Below are spoiler-less discussion questions.

13. What is the importance of the chapters counting down from fifty to one?

12. Tricked balances a diverse cast of characters. Who was your favorite/least favorite character? Who had the best/worst storyline?

11. Why is the vandalized photograph of Ray Beam so upsetting to Steve?

10. Compare Steve and Nick's psyches. Are they really so different?

9. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Alex Robinson's drawing style?

8. Why did Ray start writing songs again? Is it as simple as Lily's presence? Do you think artists need muses?

7. Nick's likability and morality varies throughout Tricked and comes to a head at the end of the book. How did you end up feeling about his character? What do his actions say about the possibility of redemption in individuals?

6. Caprice was one of the more dynamic characters in Tricked. Explain her behavior throughout the book and the outcome of her situation.

5. Did you find Robinson's characters believable?

4. In his previous effort Box Office Poison, Robinson was praised for being able to portray the lives of many different characters in such a convincing way it seemed voyeuristic.

3. Was Steve aware of his actions at the end of Tricked? Would he have a legitimate "crazy defense" in court?

2. What is Ray's epiphany at the end of the book?

1. Why is the cassette tape cover important? What is the significance of the title?

Future graphic novel selections January - April

That's right, graphic novel book clubbers, it's time again for a vote on new graphic novels. Comment below with your thoughts and suggestions and we'll hold a vote at our next meeting which is for Alex Robinson's Tricked on August 25th.



Level Up by Gene Luen Yang: "Dennis Ouyang lives in the shadow of his parents’ high expectations. They want him to go to med school and become a doctor. Dennis just wants to play video games—and he might actually be good enough to do it professionally. But four adorable, bossy, and occasionally terrifying angels arrive just in time to lead Dennis back onto the straight and narrow: the path to gastroenterology. It’s all part of the plan, they tell him. But is it? This powerful piece of magical realism brings into sharp relief the conflict many teens face between pursuing their dreams and living their parents’."



Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol: "Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part. Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs. Or so she thinks."



Scott Pilgrim series by Brian O'Malley: Scott Pilgrim is a twenty something bass player who is dating a HIGH SCHOOLER! Ewww. Video game references, surprisingly deep characterization, and humor fill the pages of O'Malley's six volume work.



Essex County by Jeff Lemire: "Where does a young boy turn when his whole world suddenly disappears? What turns two brothers from an unstoppable team into a pair of bitterly estranged loners? How does the simple-hearted care of one middle-aged nurse reveal the scars of an entire community, and can anything heal the wounds caused by a century of deception? Award-winning cartoonist Jeff Lemire pays tribute to his roots with Essex County, an award-winning trilogy of graphic novels set in an imaginary version of his hometown, the eccentric farming community of Essex County, Ontario, Canada. In Essex County, Lemire crafts an intimate study of one community through the years, and a tender meditation on family, memory, grief, secrets, and reconciliation."



Daytripper by Gabriel Ba: A meditation on one man's life, brothers Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon explore all of the different possibilities of Bras de Olivia Domingos. Bras dies at the end of each issue in a different way only to wake up the next issue in a slightly different world. It is unclear whether or not Bras is learning from these past events or is unaware of them.



Life with Mr. Dangerous by Paul Hornschemeier: Amy is unhappy and single. She works at a department store and has self-image issues. The only joy she seems to get out of life is from watching reruns of Mr. Dangerous, a television show. Will she be able to find happiness in the real world or will her penchant for equating life and television keep her from ever escaping her dreary existence?

All quoted descriptions courtesy of Amazon.com.

Retread possibilities: We've already done these titles in past book clubs, but I'm open to rereading them if anyone's interested! Let me know or select any other past selections.



Y the Last Man series by Brian K. Vaughan: One of my favorite graphic novel series, it follows Yorick and his pet monkey Ampersand. The two are seemingly the only two males left on Earth after a mysterious occurrence causes all other men to die. Yorick must discover the truth and get to Australia to find his girlfriend Beth.



Berlin by Jason Lutes: A historical account of the tumultuous inter-war years in Berlin through the eyes of various young people including art students and musicians. An unfinished two volume series.



Locke and Key by Joe Hill: A horror comic to end all horror comics. Each volume adds more depth and mystery to the series, so revisiting this one now that four volumes are out could be a treat. Though the first starts out as a King-esque horror comic, the ensuing trades delve deeper into the key mythology and almost comes off as more Neil Gaiman-y.