Much, much reading.

You know, while you're sick or working as a computer lab monitor you can really get a lot of reading done! I'll begin with Flight...

Through visiting various comic artists' websites over the years, for example the likes of Vera Brogsol, Clio Chang, and my personal favorite Jen Wang, I found out about the Flight series. I've always been interested and I was happy to discover that my library at least had Volume 2 on the shelves! I had mistakenly thought it a single story, but in actuality it is a collection of unrelated comics done by various artists such as the aforementioned.

In Flight, Volume 2 there is a great variety of subjects; a little something for everyone, really. There are monsters, adventures, talking animals, animal heroes, people heroes, futuristic scenes, space scenes, nature scenes, city scenes, love interests, family stories... really, everything! I enjoyed at least 90% of its content, and what I didn't like I just skimmed over because nothing goes on for too long anyway. My only gripe would be minor writing problems, in that some of the stories ended far, far too abruptly. But the art is all fantastic and worth viewing no matter what the writing is like. And if you're a comic nerd like me it'll give you leads to artists you now like but didn't know about before! So check it out because you're bound to like something in it. OVERALL RATING: 5

I've finally completed my Sacco reading, that is unless he has more books that I am unaware of. This one includes the same amazing illustration work as Palestine and Gorazde, but it is a little less weighty in content. However, it doesn't make it any less respectable or any less interesting-- in fact, it was refreshing to be able to read through a Sacco novel with greater speed while still maintaining all the seriousness in subject and details in drawings. I had no idea what the title meant so I won't spoil the surprise for anyone else by giving away specifics. I will say though that it again captures the essence of a war-tired area of people who become an anthropological study in comic form via Sacco's perspective. What would YOU do if your country went to war and everyone lost nearly all sense of rationality? It's hard to say what anyone would do in that kind of situation, but Sacco provides one example in this book. Sometimes this is how it goes when there's war, so don't be shocked when there's plenty of violence and abnormal behavior. OVERALL RATING: 4.5

Pathetic people abound, Summer Blonde is filled with stories that make you simultaneously pity and loathe the lead characters. It's a collection of fictional stories set in modern times about people who want love (or something) but just can't quite make it.

It's kindof one of those books that leaves you with a weird taste in your mouth. Are these people sane or sick? They seem so real and so unappealing.

However, the art has the opposite qualities from its main characters-- it's lovely and has great continuity from frame to frame, in an almost cinematic quality. I'd recommend it if you're up for a modern story with a not necessarily happy ending. OVERALL RATING: 3

Now HERE's a graphic novel I really enjoyed. (I feel that I should make a disclaimer: I thoroughly enjoyed Flight and The Fixer, but I expected to, and so this one may get written about more passionately as a result.)

While the author did live in Mexico, the story in the graphic novel is not autobiographical of her life. Although the story is dramatic, it seems entirely plausible, which I liked. Rarely does a work of fiction seem so real; realistic ones are definitely common but there always seems to be an element of falsehood present. You know it's false, therefore its fictional qualities seem more evident. But in La Perdida, Jessica Abel tells the story so well that I didn't realize it wasn't true until I looked at the author's name about halfway through the book.

The drawings have a quick, sketchy quality that reminded me of an unpolished version of Craig Thompson's book, Blankets. It bothered me at first that there was this sense of roughness to the visuals but it made the story seem so real, like it could have almost actually been her diary while she was in Mexico. OVERALL RATING: 5

I am in the middle of reading what I think is Daniel Clowes' most popular work, Ghost World, but I feel educated enough to make the statement that his style feels quite similar to Tomine's. I'm not quite sure whether or not I even liked the main character. He's pathetic, yet confident, but likable?

Anyway, I found it interesting a storyline enough to read the whole novel if that says anything. But I'm not sure I like this kind of fiction. Somehow, it lacks a sense of humor and a sense of reality, a sense of being genuine even if the characters are total scumbags. I know that Clowes is supposed to be a brilliant comic artist so I won't get clouded by not liking just one book. Read it for yourself, the art is great at least! OVERALL RATING: 2

Berlin: City of Stones by Jason Lutes

I hereby declare July "Graphic Novel Month" because it seems to be that all I want to do these days is make my way through more and more of them.

Berlin: City of Stones is part one of a series by Jason Lutes, and begins with two main storylines: one of Marthe Müller, an art student who develops a relationship with a journalist, and one of a family of working-class Germans on the breaking point because of differing political viewpoints. While it's all fiction, nothing about it is fantastic. It all seems quite believable and realistic in its entirety. The drawings too are realistic as comics go; there is of course stylization but nothing too dramatic. It was interesting in contrast to the comics I keep up with on a reuglar basis, all of which have pretty cartoony looks (American Elf, for example).

I found myself wanting to read all the way to the end, but I wound up thinking this was just out of a sense of commitment rather than an actual liking for the story. While it was vaguely interesting, I feel incredibly distant from this location combined with the time period (1910s and 20s in Berlin, obviously). Not only that, but I found myself unable to form a true interest in the characters. It was somehow difficult to relate to them, even to Marthe who was an art student who questioned the value of university teachings (as I have also been the past 4 years of my life). Maybe I need to finish the series to have a whole understanding of the story and a better "relationship" with the characters, but I'm not sure that I want to. I feel no obligation to complete it when all the while it seemed to be so distant.

It brings up an interesting point, I think. You can illustrate the hell out of something, writing about an important period and the lives of fellow humans, but it won't always be interesting to the reader. I'd rather read American Elf, even though it's just a diary of James Kochalka's life and may seem boring to others. I find it more relatable because there is a sense of humor (not so apparent in Berlin) and a bit of fantasy drawn into the everyday happenings of someone's life. So while Berlin may still be a great book valued by others and located at the top of many "Best Graphic Novels" lists, my feelings on it border on the line of neutral and dislike, and I don't feel bad about it!

Onto the next, eh?