What is it about graphic novels and trade paperbacks that make them worthy of taking up precious space on your bookshelf or downloaded on your phone? Perhaps they have amazing artwork and an unforgettable storyline like DC’s “Kingdom Come†that tells the elseworld storyline of iconic characters such as Wonder Woman and Batman, older and weather-beaten from the lives they have lived. Or maybe it’s because the author has captured your attention in the sense of reimagining long established characters from novels written over 100 years ago. Over the past year there has been a plethora of graphic novels and trades that have been published. Many are not worth rereading, some may just be unforgettable, but there are those gems that make you want to pick them up and read them all over again. Those books are like old friends ready to relive an old adventure. And they most definitely are deemed worthy.
“2 Sisters: A Super Spy Graphic Novel†by Matt Kindt tells the tale of two sisters during World War II. There’s enough action and intrigue to fill a television series. The non-linear storyline keeps you from being a casual reader. You have to pay attention or you’ll miss the best moments that occur for and between Anna and Elle. The best thing about Kindt’s writing is that in its subtlety you never see the heart-wrenching moments coming. Just when you think the protagonist has faced the worst of what is going to happen to her, something even more horrific happens. The artwork compliments Kindt’s style and at times takes point on emphasizing the character’s angst, terror or tension. Both mediums make a storyline that does not romanticize or sugar-coat a time period and emphasizes the reality of those years by telling it from a woman’s perspective. A woman that happens to be a spy.
“Sherlock Holmes and the Necronomicon takes a long-established character and creates a what if. What if Holmes and Moriarty survives? Better yet, what if Moriarty survives in a way the audience never sees coming. Sylvain Cordurie’s telling of Sherlock Holmes delves into a world riddled with mad men, an ancient mysterious text and the dark arts. These men believe they are in control, but only fools believe they can control what they do not understand. Cordurie utilizes everything an audience would know about Holmes and interjects his own spin on the character. It makes for good storytelling.
Imagine to reincarnate only to fail. Now think about taking your whole crew along for a joint-doomed destiny. Fred Van Lente’s “Resurrectionists†has a slow burn that works well in a trade. As a reader you can get onboard without the frustration of waiting for the story to unfold monthly. Some trades are made for the graphic novel format and “Resurrectionists†should be a part of your reading arsenal. If nothing else than to learn not to have your mistakes follow you and everyone else you know into the next life.
Francois Debois wants to frighten you. He doesn’t do it by showing you gore or horrifying scenes of violence. No, that would desensitize the reader and he doesn’t want that. Debois wants you to pay attention to what he’s doing. He plays with your head and does psychological damage to his reader that makes you want to keep reading. His take on “Jack the Ripper†could make you look at yourself twice in the mirror. Are you capable of doing such evil? According to Debois there may be a little Ripper in all of us.
For those who read Neil Gibson’s “Tabatha†you come away having to reread this trade paperback several times over. It’s the type of tale that make comics a magical place where even the crazy may seem plausible. You see this from the beginning to the end of this work where there seems to be an underlying lesson that you should have learned in Kindergarten, don’t touch what doesn’t belong to you. Then there’s that golden rule of don’t do to others what you don’t want done to you. It may cost you more than your life.
The year isn’t over but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t grab these novels and make them a part of your life.
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