Sunday, August 24, 2008

Comics, comics and comics in today's Post

I read the paper copy of Bob Thompson's long article on graphic novels this morning. It's enlivened by three strips by Thompson and Jonathan Bennett by the way. The article is an absolutely competent examination of what a 'graphic novel' is and isn't and why one might care. Thompson talked to the right people (Mouley, Tomine, distributors, publishers, Scott McCloud) and drew the standard conclusions that comics can be about just about anything. However, I know Thompson put a lot more research into this than shows in the article - he came to the talk last fall that PEN sponsored with Ware and Barry. He also went to the Shakespeare manga talk at the Folger. So give this article a read.

Over in the Book World, Douglas Wolk reviews four comic books too. Feiffer, Dash Shaw, Chaykin's American Flagg! and McCloud's Zot!

On the cover of the Source section, there's a lovely drawing by Ward Sutton on the demonization of DC by politicians.

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