An Eye (and Wallet) Opening New Hobby
I have purchased my first graphic novel, and it won’t be my last.
When I went to the Pop Candy party last month at Isotope in San Francisco, it was the first time I’d ever set foot in a comic book store. Pop Candy columnist Whitney Matheson is always recommending graphic novels and comic books, and I can certainly understand the allure now. Meeting Heroes artist Tim Sale was also an influential factor on my new hobby.
Here are some very helpful lists, courtesy of Whitney’s Comics Crash Course:
- Top 25 Essential Graphic Novels
- Top 25 Family Friendly Titles
- Top 25 Must-See Series
- Top 25 Personal Favorites
I am attending Comic-Con in San Diego this summer, primarily for the Lost panel and pop culture experience, but most of the booths and other panels will be foreign to me. I wanted to at least get a feel for the style of graphic novels out there before I go, so I chose one literally based on name recognition alone. Pride of Baghdad is written by Brian K. Vaughan, who is a writer and producer on Lost. It is a compelling tale about a family of lions who experience freedom and danger after the zoo in Baghdad is bombed during the war.
Because Superman is my favorite superhero of all time, I borrowed Superman: Red Son from a friend with a sizable graphic novel collection (that I will be pilfering now and then). I have not read it yet, but it re-imagines Superman as a Soviet hero, which is a fascinating concept.
So do you have any comic or graphic novel suggestions for a beginner like me?
