I’ve come to realize that most graphic novels I’ve read in 2010 were not published in this year… which is not to say that my Top 3 aren’t great but damn, I gotta get outside more often. My first new year’s resolution? To read more current publications!
1. Octopus Pie Meredith Gran (w+a). Villard, 2010.
Our favourite webcomic Brooklynites in a single volume! Featuring our beloved retail curmudgeon-nerd Eve, and her hilarious stoner friend/roomy Hanna. I look forward to more hair-brained Bake n’ Bake schemes in the new year (and potentially a new self-published collection!).
Imagined NYE in Octopus Pie Land: the gang will be playing a drinking game while watching a Back to the Future marathon — a shot of something dirty goes down the hatch every time a watch is glanced at. Great Scot!
2. Wilson Daniel Clowes (w+a). Drawn & Quarterly, 2010.
Exactly how I imagine my life as a sad, surly 40-something (maybe except the jail part). As always, Clowes delivers a delicious mixture of self-loathing, regret and poignancy — this time in varied drawing styles for each chapter. Looking forward to The Death-Ray, due Fall 2011.
Imagined NYE in Wilson Land: Wilson will be alone in his apartment eating Cheetos and watching a Littlest Hobo marathon on TV.
3. Library Wars Kiiro Yumi (w+a, adapted series). Viz, 2010 (translated).
I’ve only got through the first volume so far but am hooked! Reading this while being in library school makes me so ridiculously jealous because my training doesn’t involve defending people’s freedom to read with sharp-shooting techniques. Looking forward to the next few volumes of this shojo (2 and 3 are available), and definitely will be checking out the anime online now. Also might try find the original novel by Hiro Arikawa to see how it compares.
Imagined NYE in Library Wars Land: New Year’s in Japan is HUGE (equivalent to our Christmas-Hanukkah-Kwanza holiday madness), so I figure the recruits will take the night off, whilst the senior officers watch Silent Library clips on YouTube and get wasted at Defense Force HQ.
Octopus Pie seems like a pretty cool webcomics, I’ll keep my eyes open for it.
Aack, should mention the book’s full title, Octopus Pie: there are no stars in Brooklyn. Check it all out at http://www.octopuspie.com , you won’t regret it. May I recommend storyline #07 “skate or don’t”, chased down with a #10 “renaissance unfair”?
I finally read Wilson a couple of months ago and it was amazing! Completely agree! I’ll have to check out the others.