Graphic Novels

From Booking Through Thursday:

Last Saturday (May 2nd) was Free Comic Book Day! In celebration of comics and graphic novels, some suggestions:

• Do you read graphic novels/comics? Why do/don’t you enjoy them?
• How would you describe the difference between “graphic novel” and “comic”? Is there a difference at all?
• Say you have a friend who’s never encountered graphic novels. Recommend some titles you consider landmark/”canonical”.

Part of the reason I'm actually posting this is because I want to know if anyone who reads graphic novels on a regular basis has some recommendations.  As some of you might know, I only just started reading manga (vampire manga, to be specific), and I heart it.  So far I've only read Midnight Secretary (goody-two shoes secretary finds out her boss is a wampire, then they start sleeping together; now they're getting married and she still calls him "Mr. President."  Ugh!  How can he stand her?) and Vampire Knight (high school + a bunch of vampires + love triangle = fun).  They were both huge time sucker-uppers.  I think I might have actually found something more trashy than romance novels.

Next I planned on reading Vampire Hunter D.  This one is harder to find online, though, and it's not at the library.  Which means I'd probably have to buy it--that's not going to happen.



So I decided to try a regular comic book, instead.  Mainly I chose this one because it has a story based on a Sax Rohmer tale (this is an author I'm starting to become obsessed with).  It also has adapted stories from Alexandre Dumas, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Damon Runyon (he grew up in my hometown, so I have to read stuff by him).  So far the art isn't that great, which is a major let-down; but I do like the story, which is about a mysterious Ancient Egyptian Queen named "Hatasu" and her architect/advisor... wait for it... Sen-Mut.  Hmmmmm.

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Vampire Knight

I'm about a third of the way into my second manga in my uber-scientific and methodological study of vampire mangas, and so far, Vampire Knight is full of win.

The story takes place in a boarding school called Cross Academy, named after it's president, Mr. Cross. Cross adopted a young girl named Yuuki (sometimes spelled Yuki) after she was rescued by the vampire Kaname from another, evil vampire. Kaname clearly has the hots for Yuuki, but he can't do anything about it because if he drinks her blood, she will be become an "E-class" vampire--the lowest of the low on the vampire totem pole; basically a mindless monster that sucks people's blood. Meanwhile, Yuuki has developed a close relationship with Zero, another orphan Cross adopted after he was rescued from a vampire. Unlike Yuuki, however, Zero didn't emerge unscathed from his vampire attack. He also clearly has the hots for Yuuki, not that he'd ever admit it.

So far this manga is extremely addicting. The English translations can get a little wonky and difficult to understand, but the illustrations can be really beautiful; and every chapter so far is successfully adding more and more layers to the story and characters. The heart of the story is the love triangle between Yuuki, Zero, and Kaname. At first I have to admit I liked Zero, but now he's getting on my nerves with his constant whining and pouting. Plus Kaname is much better dressed. ;-)

I would definitely recommend this manga. Look for updates as get farther into the series.

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