CHALLENGE | Graphic Novels Challenge 2008

I was all excited when I found out Dewey was hosting a Graphic Novels Challenge.

A glance at my sidebar (where it says "Comics & Manga Read 2007") will tell you I read manga and graphic novels from time to time. So, what can be easier?

Even the rules of participation are flexible:

To participate in the Graphic Novels Challenge, simply choose at least 6 graphic novels to read from January 2008 to December 2008. You may overlap with other challenges. You may also change your list of titles at any point if something comes up that you want to switch around.

I thought I could do a nice well-structured reading list with themes and stuff. But I'm afraid my reading habits has always been chaotic. So, without further ado, here is my list:

1. Cairo Written by G. Willow Wilson with art by M.K. Perker
   My director just read it and he recommended it to me. Cairo is a modern magical-realism retelling of the Aladdin story, rendered in stark black-and-white illustrations by Turkish artist M.K. Perker


2. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier Written by Alan Moore
   I loved the first two volumes of LOEG written by Alan Moore. It has been long delayed, but thankfully, it's finally arrived. From what I know of the story, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen have been disbanded and disavowed, and the country is under the control of a tyrannical regime. Now, after many years, the still youthful Mina Murray and a rejuvenated Allan Quatermain return.


3. The Complete Persepolis Written and illustrated by Marjane Satrapi
   Satrapi's memoir of growing up in revolutionary Iran. I read an interview Satrapi gave a while back and she seemed like an interesting, fiery personality indeed.


4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home by Joss Whedon and Georges Jeanty
   It broke my heart when Buffy finally went off the air. Season 8 of Buffy continues in comic form.


5. The Death of Captain America by Ed Brubaker et al
   This is actually pretty out of place on my usual reading list for comics, because I have tried very hard to avoid the Marvel Civil War series since it came out. These crossover series always involve too many titles and if I try to follow the entire story-line, I will have to buy over 30 trade paperbacks. But I'm going to try this one, because the story reads like the death of an icon.


6. Seven Soldiers of Victory Vol. 1 Written by Grant Morrison
   Once again, I've been hearing all these praises for the series, which brings in Grant Morrison to tie in several unrelated characters in their pursuit against a common foe. I think. Honestly, I have no idea what this series is about. The challenge is to go into this series blind.


7. Batman: Death and the City Written by Paul Dini
   I am a Batman fan, and I have too many Batman T-shirts for any respectable adult. I'm throwing this into the mix as I have heard good things about Paul Dini's run on the Dark Knight mythos. This one features Zatanna.


8. Birds of Prey: Dead of Winter Written by Gail Simone
   Gail Simone is one of my favourite comic book writer. She revitalised the Birds of Prey franchise, made convincing heroes out of B-list characters like Huntress and Black Canary. This will be her swan-song on the BoP series.


9. Crime Bible: Five Lessons of Blood Written by Greg Rucka
   The spin-off from 52, and it features one of my favourite DC character, Renee Montoya – who has taken the mantle of The Question towards the conclusion of the 52 series.

Other Titles (too many to list all)

• Shortcomings By Adrian Tomine


• Welcome to Tranquility: Volume 1 & Volume 2 by Gail Simone


• Fallen Angel Vol. 4 by Peter David


• Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 By David Petersen


• The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman


• B.P.R.D. Garden of Souls by Mike Mignola et al