Decade's Best: Graphic Novels

From the moment I choose a graphic novel I want to review to the point where I finish reading it, I am always asking one question – “Would someone who isn’t a comic book fan find anything to like about this?” I don’t review every comic that comes out, because I don’t see the point in that kind of assembly line criticism. My review work – since it appears in a daily newspaper and a weekly newspaper – is meant to entice readers who might not otherwise consider a graphic novel as interesting reading material, but I think it is more the case than ever before that a regular fiction reader could and might find something to appeal to their brain and their heart in a graphic novel. Two decades ago, the comic book industry was bandying around the term that “comics aren’t just for kids anymore” and certainly they weren’t. But too many were adult without be grown-up. Now, however, you will find graphic novelists who understand the economy of words and the power of that knowledge better than most novelists, as well as creators who can wield subtle and powerful visual language better than most filmmakers. They’ve mastered the two worlds they are often aligned to in popular culture and these two lists – 20 titles for adults and 10 titles for younger readers – reflect that. These are graphic novels for people who don’t want to read comics.

For Adults

Alan’s War – Emmanuel Guibert (First Second)

Alice in Sunderland – Bryan Talbot (Dark Horse)

The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard – Eddie Campbell and Dan Best (First Second)

Asterios Polyp – David Mazzuchelli (Pantheon)

Black Hole – Charles Burns (Pantheon)

Cecil and Jordan in New York Stories – Gabrielle Bell (Drawn and Quarterly)

Dungeon Series – Joann Sfar and Lewis Trondheim (NBM)

Essex County Trilogy – Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)

Exit Wounds – Rutu Modan (Drawn and Quarterly)

Fun Home – Alison Bechdel (Mariner Books)

George Sprott – Seth (Drawn and Quarterly)

Gus and His Gang – Chris Blain (First Second)

La Perdida – Jessica Abel (Pantheon)

Notes for a War Story – Gipi (First Second)

Paul Has a Summer Job/Paul Moves Out/ Paul Goes Fishing – Michel Rabagliati (Drawn and Quarterly)

Persepolis 1 and 2 – Marjane Sartrapi (Pantheon Books)

The Photographer – Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre and Frédéric Lemercier. (First Second)

Rabbi’s Cat 1 and 2 – Joann Sfar (Pantheon)

Safe Area Gorazde – Joe Sacco (Fantagraphics)

Stitches – David Small (Norton)

For Younger Readers

The Aya books – Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie (Drawn and Quarterly)

Little Lit: Strange Stories for Strange Kids; Folklore and Fairytale Funnies; It Was a Dark and Silly Night – Various (Raw Jr)

Little Vampire – Joann Sfar (First Second)

Moomin 1- 4 – Tove Jannssen (Drawn and Quarterly)

Plain Janes 1 and 2 – Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg (Minx Books)

Robot Dreams – Sara Varon (First Second)

Sandwalk Adventures – Jay Hosler (Active Synapse)

Storm in the Barn – Matt Phelan (Candlewick Press)

Syncopated: An Anthology of Non Fiction Picto Essays – Various (Villard)

Toon Books – multiple titles (Raw Jr)