Bang! Smash! Pow!
While Adam West’s Batman put the comic in comic book, reinforcing their mental equation with Saturday morning cartoons and nerdy teenagers who refuse to “grow up,” there is nothing funny about the artistic and storytelling value of graphic novels. All should read them or remain deprived of a medium of expression both more engaging than a film and more immediate than prose.
Whether a comic book or graphic novel—the terms may generally be used synonymously—reading becomes an immersive experience as the pictures pull you into the story. Just as the cliche says, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” the frames of a comic book allow the artist to set the scene for the author, and the author to forward the story without pausing for description.
Obviously then, the graphic novel is not about writing style, but ideas. The art of each scene stands in place of prosaic enumeration of detail, and so characters and dialogue become the shuttle of the story.
Unlike pulp films, which generally favor mindless consumption, comic books immediately insert the reader in the action of the plot but allow them to withdraw, pause, reflect, and consider the subject of their reading. Instead of passive reception of character, story, and a director’s thoughts, a graphic novel, like a real novel, fosters analysis and introspection. Indeed, while a novel may be paced such that it can be read without rest, rarely can I read a comic book without having to come up for air, take a deep breath, think for a small while, and plunge back into the plot.
Just as the particulars of novels are too numerous to number, so are comic books. From the historical to the fantastical, graphic novels run the gamut of genre. There are must-read works in every category.
The most well known comic books are classic superhero stories. They are the mythology of modern man. In these, the heroic traditions of Roland, Arthur, Beowulf, and Robin Hood remain relevant in an impatient age. They explore issues of power and sovereignty, the human person in the face of the supernatural, and human’s potential. I particularly recommend Captain America stories, especially those written by Ed Brubaker, and nearly any Batman series. For a more dystopian—perhaps more realistic even—superhero story, look no farther than Frank Miller’s groundbreaking “Watchmen” book.
But, the graphic novel is not merely the playground of men in tights and masks. It is a ready palette knife to paint the harsh realities of history and life. “Maus,” by Art Spiegelman, reveals a son’s growing understanding of his Holocaust survivor father. It is not a fun read. Rather, it grips the reader by the jaw and turns his head to look upon human depravity and suffering—all through the lens of an anthropomorphic world.
In a lighter vein, but equally anthropomorphic animal kingdom, Stan Sakai’s “Usagi Yojimbo” draws the reader into the culture of Edo feudal Japan. Sakai tells the story of a wandering ronin rabbit who seeks to live a noble and honorable life in accordance with bushido. A bunny samurai fighting cat ninjas outstrips any action movie.
There are many, many more great graphic novels. Notable authors have plied their trade in graphic novel form, including Neil Gaiman and Orson Scott Card. The comic book is a serious piece of art. I have only touched on the art of comic book storytelling; the artistry of comic book illustrations is equally worthy of estimation.
I urge you, if you have not already, to give graphic novels a chance. Find one that roughly corresponds to a literary genre you already enjoy. Step into its pages, explore its story.
