This star means that the title or site is recommended especially for younger teens

• What is something like Garfield? A comic or a graphic novel?
• Aren't they all just superhero stories?
• Aren't a lot of comics, well, X-rated?
• I've heard a lot of comics don't represent women well. Is that true?
• I see, like, 8 names here -- how many people does it take to write one of these things!?
• Why is this site here?
• What's with the title of this site? I see some suspicious capes flapping around here.

What is something like Garfield? A comic or a graphic novel?
A comic strip, actually.

So, a book of Garfield comic strips is a graphic novel?
Actually, no. That would be considered a collection of comic strips. Other familiar titles of collected comic strips would include Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, Bloom County, and so forth. In public libraries, these can usually be found in the 741.5 section going by the Dewey Decimal system.

Then something like Maus is a graphic novel?
Yup, you got it.

Why?
Basically, because it's book-length -- it was written and printed as a longer story than either a comic strip or comic books contains. For a more in depth answer, see my What's the deal? page and take a look at the definitions.

Why should I read comics?
I was once just like you!

Once, long ago (actually about a year ago), I was just as puzzled by the devoted fans of comics and graphic novels. Could they really be that good? I had read Maus in high school, but I didn't even connect that it was a graphic novel.

Then, one fateful day, I read Pedro and Me. I was amazed. I had no idea a graphic novel could be that impressive, never mind that it made me both laugh out loud and cry (and I do not cry easily at books!)

There is a preconception surrounding comics and graphic novels -- that comics are childish, simple, and not comparable to literature. Now, I won't get on a soapbox here, but comics and graphic novels are just as complex, evocative, and involving as any good book or film you might encounter. They tackle the same issues as books. They are equally as well written as books. They include first-class artwork.

Try not to think of the comics and graphic novels as only comics -- think of them instead as a story about something you find interesting. Like fairy tales? Try Castle Waiting. Like memoirs? Try Pedro and Me.

Aren't they all just superhero stories?
Resoundingly no! Comics and graphic novels come in every genre any other format does -- as you can see from my site's subject categories, there are many titles in anything from memoirs to mysteries. I'm only touching on the tip of the iceberg here -- there are pretty much graphic novels on almost every topic there are books on. For an example, one of the most famous graphic novels, Art Spiegelman's Maus, won the Pulizter Prize and is widely recognized as an important memoir of the Holocaust. Right now, there's a bit of a boom in the comic and graphic novel industry, so you all are getting more and more quality titles than have been widely available before.

Aren't a lot of comics, well, x-rated?
There are some comics that are -- they do exist. They are meant for adults and were never intended for children or teens. I do not review or recommend any such comics or graphic novels on this site. However, most comics are not pornographic! Comics and graphic novels have been tackling more adult issues, certainly, but most are not remotely x-rated.

I've heard that comics don't represent women well. Is that true?
In the past, as with other 20th century media including film, women were not always portrayed well. Be aware that some collections of comics from the 30s onward may well have a less than empowering take on women, on ethnicity, on society in general, and on sexuality. Remember, though, someone like Lois Lane was very much based on the the fast-talking dames of the 40s, like Katharine Hepburn or Rosalind Russell. Those women were far from meek, and Lois is very much of the same breed. Who else could tackle Superman?

Over time, comics have definitely changed for the better. Female artists, writers, and characters are gaining as much ground as women in the film industry. Women are portrayed with strength, intelligence, and independence. Titles like Birds of Prey are leading onward into the future. Same goes for superheroes of different ethnicities and backgrounds.

If you'd like to see a list of titles with strong female leads, check out the Strong Girls List on my Core Lists page.

I see, like, 8 names here -- how many people does it take to write one of these things!?
This is a question directly from my Mom (thanks!). Tis true, when you look at the credits for a graphic novel, there are often many more than one name listed. Graphic novels usually list a writer (for the script), a penciler (who sketches the artwork), an inker (who inks the sketches), and a colorist (who adds the color). There are some brave (or perhaps obsessive) souls who do all of the steps themselves. At the same time, there may be more people than one for any category, especially when the title is a collection of previously printed comics. So yes, it often takes many people to create a comic book -- that's part of the coolness factor, in my opinion. For fun, see the flick by comic scribe Kevin Smith, Chasing Amy, for many amusing comments on the snarkiness between pencilers and inkers (inkers get no respect!).

Why is this site here?
I just want to broadcast my opinions to the world! Actually, no -- I decided to create a page devoted to graphic novel reviews specifically for those who read them the most -- mainly teens -- and for those who might be involved in distributing them to teens -- namely teachers, librarians, and parents.

I currently work as a library technician at Cary Memorial Library in Lexington, Massachusetts. I have also become the resident comics and graphic novel enthusiast. I've had a lot of informal questions from and discussions with my peers about graphic novels and comics in general. I've worked over the past four years with our Young Adult librarian to start collection for our library in the Children's, Teen, and Adult sections, and in the process became a big comics geek (and I'm proud if it -- can you tell?).

So, really, this site is a place for me to share my opinions with whoever's curious and hopefully provide some clarification about what comics and graphic novels are. Obviously, I also spout about which titles are the ones to run out and read. The site is in no way comprehensive (at least not yet) and should be a kind of jumping off point for curious teens and adults.

What's with the title of the site? I see some suspicious capes flapping around here.
The title of the site comes from a now-famous quote from the producers of the television show, Smallville. In order to revamp the Superman mythology for the new show, the producers and writers came up with one unbreakable rule: no flying, no tights. I've adopted that as a kind of motto. Though it's not strictly true that there is no flying or tights in the graphic novels I review, I am going at it with the idea that graphic novels can be a whole lot more than what a regular joe might expect from them.

If you have any more questions, feel free to email me.

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