‹ — ›

02.Jan.2010 Can’t Get Enough Graphic Novels

Filed In: challenge

I joined Graphic Novels Challenge in 2009. I read 20 books and achieved the Masters level (18 books required):

  1. The Tale of One Bad Rat by Bryan Talbot (finished 02/09, rating 4/5)
  2. The Sandman Vol 1: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman (finished 03/09, rating 3.5/5)
  3. The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman (finished 03/09, rating 5/5)
  4. Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham (finished 03/09, rating 4.5/5)
  5. Burnout by Rebecca Donner (finished 04/09, rating 3.5/5)
  6. Fables Vol 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham (finished 04/09, rating 4/5)
  7. Clockwork Girl by Sean O’Reilly and Kevin Hanna (finished 04/09, rating 3.5/5)
  8. Ethel & Ernest by Raymond Briggs (finished 05/09, rating 4/5)
  9. Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan (finished 05/09, rating 5/5)
  10. Bone Vol 3: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith (finished 05/09, rating 4.5/5)
  11. Bone Vol 4: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith (finished 06/09, rating 4/5)
  12. Bone Vol 5: Rock Jaw Master of the Eastern Border by Jeff Smith (finished 06/09, rating 5/5)
  13. The Arrival by Shaun Tan (finished 06/09, rating 5/5)
  14. The Sandman Vol 2: The Doll’s House by Neil Gaiman (finished 06/09, rating 3.5/5)
  15. Fables Vol 2: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham (finished 07/09, rating 4/5)
  16. Kabuki: The Metamorphosis by David Mack (finished 08/09, rating 4/5)
  17. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (finished 10/09, rating 4/5)
  18. Bone: Old Man’s Cave by Jeff Smith (finished 12/09, rating 4/5)
  19. Bone: Ghost Circles by Jeff Smith (finished 12/09, rating 4/5)
  20. Bayou (Vol 1) by Jeremy Love (finished 12/09, rating 4.5/5)

My absolute favorites would be both Shaun Tan‘s books: Tales from Outer Suburbia and The Arrival. PERFECT 5 stars! I just want to curl with them for a long long time. If you haven’t read any of his books, PLEASE do so! Oh, another 5 star book is of course, The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman. I’m not usually into holocaust story, but this one is told in such a different format and it works so well. It’s also the year that I started Fables series by Bill Willingham, a series that I loved and will continue reading. The Bone books are still as fun as ever. I only have 2 more books left before the end of the series. *sad* Two books that deserve special mention are The Tale of One Bad Rat and American Born Chinese, because they deal with difficult issues. The former with child abuse and the latter racism. And more special mention for Bayou and Ethel & Ernest for their excellent artworks. Oh gosh, who am I kidding. They’re all good! I’m gonna stop now.

Graphic Novels Challenge 2010 is hosted by different hosts (the same challenge site), but I can’t be more excited, because they’re Nymeth and Chris–the queen and king of graphic novels :D. What an awesome button too! Love!

Duration: 1 January 2010 – 31 December 2010

Rules: Beginner (3 Comics or Graphic Novels), Intermediate(3-10) or an Expert (10+)

I’m going for the Expert level without doubts. There are so many more I’d love to read this year. I’m just hoping that I can obtain them from the library. As it is, I hardly ever buy graphic novels since they’re so pricey.

The book I’m dying to read right now:

My library doesn’t have it yet :(

Let me know if you’re joining or if you have any recommendations! :)

Books I read:

  1. Oishinbo: Ramen & Gyōza by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki (finished 01/10, rating 4.5/5)
  2. Bone Vol 8: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith (finished 01/10, rating 4/5)
  3. Bone Vol 9: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith (finished 01/10, rating 4.5/5)
  4. Skim by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki (finished 02/10, rating 4.5/5)
  5. Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon (finished 04/10, rating 5/5)
  6. The Contract with God Trilogy by Will Eisner (finished 05/10, rating 4.5/5)
  7. Pedro and Me by Judd Winick (finished 05/10, rating 5/5)
  8. The Sandman Vol 3: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman (finished 06/10, rating 3.5/5)
  9. The Push Man and Other Stories by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (finished 07/10, rating 4/5)
  10. Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Peterson (finished 09/10, rating 3.5/5)

Participants’ Reviews: January (now to main index list) | February | March and April | May-June

Related content:

  1. Graphic Novels Challenge 2009
  2. Sunday Salon: Once Upon a Time III Challenge Completed!
  3. Once Upon a Time III
  4. Bone: Treasure Hunters and Crown of Horns (Last 2 Volumes)
  5. Book Awards Challenge II Completed!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
20 Comments
Tags: ,

There are 20 Comments to "Can’t Get Enough Graphic Novels"

  • Mark David says:
    2 January 2010 at 8:13 pm

    Yes, I can see how you can’t get enough of them :) And so I remember that I still haven’t read that graphic shorts collection I was telling you about, Flight Vol. 6. I should start reading it this month I suppose.

    That’s an interestig list by the way. I’m interested in Gaiman’s Sandman.

    Reply
    • mee says:
      2 January 2010 at 9:22 pm

      I read the first two volumes of Sandman, but I have mixed feelings about them. They could be confusing or too violent, and I’m not a fan of the art style. People say that it gets better though, especially after the third volume, so I’m not giving it up yet.

      Talking about Flight Vol. 6, I should’ve mentioned that Tales from Outer Suburbia is also graphic shorts collection. It’s a weird (wonderful) combination of illustrated shorts, comics without panels, and just general arty awesomeness :D

      Reply
  • Michelle (su[shu]) says:
    2 January 2010 at 10:38 pm

    You just love graphic novels, don’t you? =) I haven’t done any Shaun Tan before, though I’ve heard plenty enough about him to know that I should.

    Have you read Blankets by Craig Thompson before? I read it last year, and absolutely loved it.
    .-= [Michelle (su[shu])´s last blog: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao – Junot Díaz] =-.

    Reply
    • mee says:
      3 January 2010 at 10:37 am

      No I haven’t read Blankets though been coveting it. My library doesn’t have it :(. I should suggest them to buy it. That and Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine.

      Reply
  • Lu says:
    3 January 2010 at 12:23 am

    GAH. Stitches is amazing. I would send it your way if it weren’t a library book. I don’t think my library would appreciate that!!! ;) I joined the graphic novel challenge for this year and have already read Fables Vol. 1! It was just as amazing as everyone promised it would be so I’m excited to keep reading. I read the prequel last year and can’t wait to see more of that beauuutiful art. Happy 2010!!!
    .-= [Lu´s last blog: On resolutions and reading in 2010] =-.

    Reply
    • mee says:
      3 January 2010 at 10:48 am

      I read the prequel of Fables too before the first volume :). It was so beautiful!

      I saw your review on Stitches. In fact yours was probably the first I saw. Here’s hoping my library would get it soon.

      Reply
  • Kailana says:
    3 January 2010 at 7:40 am

    I am looking forward to reading Stitches. I had requested it through inter-library loan, but the library has bought it now. :)
    .-= [Kailana´s last blog: Madeleine L'Engle Read-Along] =-.

    Reply
    • mee says:
      3 January 2010 at 10:50 am

      I’m dying to read it, but the last time I saw at a bookshop here it was around $40, so I’ll wait for my library :)

      Reply
  • Nymeth says:
    4 January 2010 at 9:26 am

    Welcome to the challenge, Mee! I’d wish you luck, but considering how you did last year I don’t think you’ll need it :P
    .-= [Nymeth´s last blog: Happy New Year!] =-.

    Reply
  • Novroz says:
    18 September 2010 at 4:19 am

    I really need to catch up with western graphic novels, I read lots of Japanese graphic novels (manga) but hardly read from the western world. Some of them look interesting.

    I guess my mind is a bit clouded by the fact that I don’t enjoy DC Comic and start assuming that all western graphic novels are like that.

    Reply
    • mee says:
      19 September 2010 at 8:48 am

      Novroz, I used to have the same bad impression of Western comics in general. I did read and enjoy some Marvel comics when I was a kid, but I thought that’s all there was. How wrong was I!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Bookie Mee | Oishinbo: Ramen & Gyōza by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
  2. Bookie Mee | Bone: Treasure Hunters and Crown of Horns (Last 2 Volumes)
  3. Bookie Mee | Skim by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki
  4. Bookie Mee | Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon
  5. Bookie Mee | Pedro and Me by Judd Winick
  6. Bookie Mee | The Push Man and Other Stories by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
  7. Bookie Mee | Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen


Write a Comment

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>