BOOKS | Short reads (comics and graphic novels).

Comics are cool.

I’m not necessarily talking Marvel, but even just a few images can make a tome of endless text seem more accessible. Yet cartoons have never really made it to the mainstream. Sure, Superman made it to the movies, but graphic novels aren’t exactly flying off the shelves like Harry Potter. And maybe they should be.

Whether you grew up jonesin’ for a Jughead Double Digest, or are new to the graphic universe, new comics are worth a look. Here, just a few illustrated inkings to get you started.

Family Guy: Stewie’s Guide to World Domination by Steve Callaghan

Neither true comic nor graphic novel, Stewie’s Guide represents an important faction of the comic universe: the TV ‘toon. In Stewie’s Guide, the Griffin family’s maniacal baby genius pontificates on everything from “Why Women are Such Confounding and Wicked Creatures” to “The Very Few Virtues of the Idiot Box”. It reads like an advice manual and is amusing, despite it’s contrived nature. There’s even a little truth in there: MTV may well be the root of all evil, and teething is not for the faint of heart.

Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi

From Marjane Satrapi’s Embrodieries.

Like video games, beer and ESPN, graphically enhanced publications are generally geared toward men. Not Embroideries. This graphic novel is decidedly girl-friendly, from its subject matter to its pale pink cover. It’s a book about women telling stories – tales that include everything from opiate addicted grannies, to virginity falsification. It’s strikingly fresh in most places, but occasionally slips into predictable chick-lit territory. Satrapi’s drawings are simple, but her premise heartfelt. At its heart, this is a book about the differing lives of Iranian women.

Jacket: Out From Boneville

Bone: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith

Bone was first published in 1991. That feels like a long time ago, but Scholastic has just released it in full colour for the first time. Out From Boneville is about three Casper-like cousins (Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone) who are lost in an uncharted desert. They find their way into an idyllic forest valley that needs saving from – who else – the forces of evil. The book is a little too childish to suit everyone. But it’s been endorsed by The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, who calls it “one of the best kid’s comics ever.” In the graphic universe, there’s no higher praise.

A version of this piece about comics and graphic novels published in Dose, June 6, 2005. More books and authors pieces are here.

Published in Dose, June 6, 2005.