My Favorite GNs of 2017

It's that time of year again, when I single out what I feel are the best graphic novels I've read that were published in the last year. I read a lot of them, and these are the ones that have stayed with me most. Enjoy!

Favorite Book
My Favorite Thing is Monsters
Set in 1968 Chicago, this book is a coming of age tale/murder mystery/holocaust survivor story/appreciation of classical art that prominently features monsters from the movies and popular culture. It's gorgeous, has more layers than an onion, and will pop your eyes out with its artwork. It's a masterpiece of a book, and an instant classic. People will be talking about it for decades, and I cannot recommend you read it enough.

Favorite Memoir
The Best We Could Do
This multi-generational account of an immigrant family from Vietnam is a heartfelt and enlightening look at the effects of war on a people, the hardships that many refugees endure, and the complicated ways families operate. It's a beautiful and very human book that I feel contains an important story for contemporary times.

Favorite Biography
The Abominable Mr. Seabrook
Watching the title character destroy himself with alcohol is painful to observe, but his life is fascinating and exceptional. This meticulously researched account of a proto-Gonzo journalist who dined with cannibals, observed voodoo rituals, and roamed the Arabian Desert with Bedouins is well-detailed, beautiful, utterly engrossing, and devastating.

Favorite Coming-of-Age Story
Spinning
Tillie Walden's account of her childhood/adolescence hiding the fact that she is gay while being a competitive ice skater is beautiful, understated, gut-wrenching, and memorable. I feel this book would be very popular with YA readers, but it will resonate with older readers as well.

Favorite Music Book
California Dreamin': Cass Elliot Before The Mamas & the Papas
Artist Pénélope Bagieu is a genius. This biography of Mama Cass is exquisitely drawn, not to mention that it contains beautiful and seemingly effortless storytelling. Not just for fans of classic rock or folk music, this book speaks to anyone with a dream of changing their life circumstances.

Favorite True Crime GN
The Hunting Accident

This book about turbulent relationships between fathers and sons hinges on an incredible true story that involves a robbery, mob connections, poetry, prison, an infamous murderer, a shotgun blast to the face, and a trip through hell. The artwork is appropriately dark and phantasmagorical, and the story will leave you breathless.

Favorite New Series
Rock Candy Mountain
As I have stated repeatedly in the past, I am totally in the can for anything Kyle Starks publishes. This comic is his first ongoing series, and it features hobos, trains, fist-fights, and the devil himself. Go read it if you like fast-paced action and intrigue as well as witty and funny dialogue.

Favorite Series
Fantasy Sports
All the entries in this series have been pure gold. Full of jokes, magic, sports, and intrigue, these comics are fun, fascinating, and exceptionally beautiful to boot. The latest entry features the most compelling rounds of mini-golf ever put to paper, and I cannot wait for the final volume in the series coming next year.

Favorite Book for Younger Readers
Real Friends
This memoir of childhood is an intimate and moving depiction of elementary school friendships. It is full of relatable moments and surprisingly complex characters and has much to offer any reader, girls and boys included.

Favorite Nonfiction Book
Dogs: From Predator to Protector
The latest in the Science Comics series is simply fantastic. A book that covers all kind of ground, from genetics to heredity to breeding to the history of domesticating animals. It's a rare fun and funny book that is chock full of information. Plus, Rudy the narrator is adorable.

Favorite Adapted Webcomic
Demon
These books (4 in all) are also easily the most depraved books of the year, but they are ingenious, funny, and compelling. This account of the machinations of a maniacal killer over a period of centuries as he tries to avoid capture while also foiling a plot to take over the world is beautifully plotted and paced. And gross. It will offend you and make you squirm, I guarantee. Not for kids. 

Favorite Book About Mythology 
Pantheon
Giving Demon a run for its money in terms of gross-out factor, Pantheon is exceptional in that it is colorful, hilarious, raunchy, irreverent, and apparently extremely faithful in retelling myths from Ancient Egypt. You will never look at salad the same after reading this book. I know I don't. Also not for kids.

Well, that's my list. Happy New Year!

Fantasy Sports Number 3: The Green King

This just in: Comics creator Sam Bosma, who is also known for his work as an artist on the cartoon show Steven Universe, has created another masterful graphic novel in the Fantasy Sports series. Fans of this blog might have realized by now that I am in love with these books (please see reviews for books 1 and 2). In this third book, they wash upon an island where a great beast has taken control. And there is a change of pace, narratively speaking, as the duo gets separated. Left to her own devices, Wiz gets to take part in a lot more action, embroiled in a mini-golf match with the titular Green King. Along the course, she learns much about him and how he has been reduced to his current state of despair.

Mug, conversely, is imprisoned and does not see much action. Still, with his interactions with his jailers and a couple of key flashbacks to the early days of the Order of the Mages, things get put into a different context. At the end of the book, when the two are reunited (spoiler- I guess), they compare notes and what they have observed and come to the conclusion that things they have taken for granted might be very much up for contest. Something about the Order stinks, and in the next book a whole lot of shoes are going to drop.

One of the best things about these books is their size, big enough to feature the gorgeous artwork and invite repeated rereadings to see all the detail and Easter eggs strewn about. Personally, it will kill me that I have to wait a year for the next, final book in the series. It is consistently phenomenal. If you love great comics, fantastic character designs, action, intrigue, humor, and a dash of sports, this series is for you.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been very positive. Kirkus Reviews called it "A hole-in-one," adding, "This slim, oversized volume is fast and furious fun, mixing fantasy and sports in a distinct and refreshing way." Stephanie Cooke wrote, "There are plenty of great indie and small press books out there, but few are as beautiful and as fully realized as Fantasy Sports." Antony Esmond opined, "The energy of this series is off the scale and after one read I’ll guarantee that you’ll head back to see what Easter Eggs you missed."

Fantasy Sports Number 3 was published by Nobrow Press, and they have a preview and more information available here. There is also a video preview available here.

My Favorite Graphic Novels from the Past Year!

I read a lot of comics and books over the course of a year, and here is a list of my favorites from 2016. More detailed reviews of each can be found by clicking individual title links.

 Best Overall

Rosalie Lightning

This story about how a couple deals with the death of their toddler is not just beautifully told, the way it is communicated in this book is a master class in what comics can do. A masterpiece.






Best Biography

The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye

This faux biography/real history of Singapore is technically excellent and also full of emotion and excellent story telling. The range of comics pastiches, from strips to sketches to comic books to academic commentary is fantastically impressive. Another masterpiece.







Best Younger Ages Book

Bera The One-Headed Troll

This tale of a troll defending a human baby against a witch, evil mermaids, and other evil critters introduced me to my favorite fictional character of 2016. I LOVE BERA, and I wish she was real. No lie.







Best Science Fiction Book

Nod Away

Brilliant in terms of story, art and how it presents personal relationships, this book does what the best science fiction does: makes us examine our present, explore our technology, and ponder what our future might be. It's the start of what should be an epic series of seven books.





Best Humor Book

Mooncop

Also a strong contender for best sci-fi book, this graphic novel portrays the surprisingly boring and mundane life of the last cop on the moon. It's full of subtle jokes and personality. And of course, donuts figure strongly in the plot.

Best All Ages Book

Night Air

Plus Man is kind of a jerk, but I still found myself rooting for him and his robot companion as he grifted, played fast and loose with gamblers, and tried to find rare minerals in a haunted castle full of shady characters. A fun and funny action tale to suit all ages, without insulting anyone's intelligence.






Best Illustrated

How To Talk To Girls at Parties

Neil Gaiman is no slouch, and I do enjoy the plot of this book, but the artwork by brothers Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba is clearly the high point here. I typically love their work in black and white, but in color it is otherworldly.






Best All Ages Nonfiction Book (AKA, The Nathan Hale Award)

 Alamo All-Stars

I have very high expectations for every book Nathan Hale makes in this series, and he constantly has blown my mind by moving in unexpected directions, keeping things fresh, and innovating how nonfiction storytelling is done via comics. If you love comics, his stuff is required reading.





Best Nonfiction Book for Older Folks

Tetris: The Games People Play

This tale about the addictive video game is a powerful commentary on the intersections of  imagination, politics, commerce, and humanity. So complex and well told.







Favorite Series

Fantasy Sports

The first volume of this series was hilarious and fun, and the second might be less so but it more than makes up for it with its depth of characterization and narrative flourishes that make this fictional world much more realized. I cannot wait for the next entry!







Best Autobiographical Work

Something New

After reading this warm and personal account of dating, families, and marriage, I felt like I was at the wedding and that I know these people. It is quirky, fun, and excellent commentary on contemporary life and relationships. Lucy Knisley is one of the best comics creators in the business.






Best Superhero Book

Vision

Recasting the complicated backstory and continuity of a familiar superhero as a telenovela makes for a very interesting, probing, and compelling story. I have read a lot of superhero stories in my day, but I love how this one reinterprets and comments on the genre.






Best Monster Book for Adults

 KaijuMax: Season 1

If you ever wondered how life was like in the prison that is Monster Island, this is the book for you. It features an impressive amount of world-building in terms of its characters, situations, slang, and mythography. Zander Cannon is also a genius comics maker, and this is another in a long line of excellent comics by him.

Best Monster Book for Children

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo

This collection of webcomics about a boy who calls upon a seasoned pro to investigate the monster in his closet contains some of the most fun and suspenseful yarns I read this year. I love the fictional world created here, and elementary-school-aged-me would have adored this book.



Best Graphic Novel That Should Immediately Be Adapted as an Action Movie

Kill Them All

I will admit it. I am a Kyle Starks super-fan. I will buy any comic he makes, sight unseen. This well-plotted, fun action adventure features a bunch of assassins, cops, super-criminals, and martial arts. It. Is. Awesome.






Well, that's all for now. Thanks for reading my list/blog! Happy New Year!

Fantasy Sports No. 2: The Bandit of Barbel Bay

Fantasy Sports No. 1 was one of my favorite graphic novels of 2015, and it had a lot to live up to. This second volume in the series came out recently, and it is a worthy follow-up. It might not have made me laugh quite as much as the first book, but I did laugh in a few places. And I very much liked how it filled me in more about Wiz's background as well as the universe where all this takes place. I feel that the first book was more enjoyable perhaps, but this second volume is more substantial and the better of the two.

The set-up here is that our two mismatched mages, Wiz and Mug, are on another retrieval mission, and they end up stranded on an island of amphibious creatures.

 

The island's inhabitants have a low opinion of the Order of Mages, which sets our duo on edge. Still, circumstances follow where they lose their loot and have to take part in a tournament in order to win it back. The game here is beach volleyball, and Mug pretty much dominates through brute strength until they are faced with the island's champions, Yahma and Yahmi. Can Mug and Wiz figure out how to actually work together? You have to read the book to find out. But I will say that this volume ends in a much more open-ended manner than the first, and Fantasy Sports No. 3 cannot get here fast enough.

As with the first book, this one was a delight to read. The large-sized pages display the gorgeous artwork in excellent fashion. The story is fast, emotional, and suspenseful. The action sequences are well choreographed, and the details bring out a great sense of reality and humor. Sam Bosma, who is also known for his work as an artist on the cartoon show Steven Universe, has created another masterful graphic novel. He speaks more about his work on this book in these two interviews (1 and 2).

This second book in the series has received some great reviews. Publishers Weekly deemed it a "good-hearted and beautifully drawn sequel." Kirkus Reviews called "this second volume more substantial than the first." Dustin Cabeal remarked on the "strong storytelling with both the writing and the visuals."

Fantasy Sports No. 2 was published by NoBrow Press, and they have a preview and more available here.

Fantasy Sports No. 1

Usually, I try to be academic and critical when I review a graphic novel, but I have to tell you that this book, Fantasy Sports No. 1, made me laugh out loud at least 4 times before I even got to the main action bit. I think it's smartly written and deftly drawn. This is an energetic and exciting book that just made me want to share it with others as soon as I read it. Along with Nimona, with which it shares a couple of similar features, it is one of my favorites this year.

The main characters here are Mean Mug and Wiz-Kid. Mug is a mage, but a brutish one whose typical methods are to smash first and to grab what's valuable after. Wiz is more cerebral, a problem solver who tries to use her intellect first. In an interesting twist, he is the master while she is the apprentice. To say that their relationship is full of static and conflict would be an understatement, but their dynamic over time changes some in the space of the book, with them developing a kind of grudging respect for each other. But, I am getting ahead of myself. Check out the excerpt below to see how they variously approach the problem of breaking into a mystical tomb:

I do not think I am spoiling much by revealing that they eventually solve the puzzle and enter a realm of the dead ruled by the mummy "He of the Giant Steps." After a very comical exchange between Mug and the mummy, a challenge is issued and the two mages find themselves involved in a battle not only for the treasures of the vault but their very lives. They have to play a cosmic game of basketball, and the mummy, despite his decrepit outward appearance, has a whole lot of game.

The culprit behind this fantastical and fun adventure is Sam Bosma, who first self-published Fantasy Sports in a shorter form as the comic book Fantasy Basketball. This new format features larger pages and color, and I think that the whole package is so beautiful and enjoyable. Bosma is also known for his work as an artist on the cartoon show Steven Universe. He speaks more about his work on this book and career in this interview.

The worst thing I can say about this book is that I want more of it, right now. Luckily, Bosma has written that he is working on a second volume. All of the reviews I read of this book seem to share in my enthusiasm. Zainab Akhtar called it "an irrepressibly fun, knowing, and breezy tale of sporting playoffs, magical mages, and surprisingly cute skeletons." Megan Kirby wrote that "the large hardcover book looks and feels great. As a YA release with a standout female protagonist, it’ll hit off with readers off all ages." Richard Bruton called it "a stellar début book" and "the very definition of fast, furious fun."

Fantasy Sports No. 1 was published by Nobrow Press, and they have more information and some preview images available here. I feel that this would be a great book for older elementary or YA readers, and in the words of Bosma from his Tumblr page, "It’s funny and dumb and good for all ages as long as you’re cool with some rude ‘tude and some cartoon violence."