graphic novels

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Thumbs up for Spill Zone, Volume 1 by Scott Westerfeld, illustrated by Alex Puvilland. Young adult sci-fi/horror graphic novel.

A young woman supports herself and her little sister by sneaking into the Spill Zone to take photographs. No one knows exactly what the Spill Zone is, but some bad, bad things live there. Nicely creepy, but not disgusting. Intriguing story but I can’t say I cared much for the art.… >> Read more

funhome

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Thumbs up for Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel. Memoir, biography, graphic novel.

Any memoir that can keep me obsessively turning pages has got to be pretty amazing. The rumors are true: Alison Bechdel’s half-memoir, half-biography about how her father’s repressed homosexuality and her own more open lesbianism inform each other over the course of a lifetime is beautifully structured, wonderfully illustrated, and pleasingly literary.… >> Read more

carterfamily

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Neither thumbs up nor thumbs down for The Carter Family: Don’t Forget This Song by Frank M. Young, illustrated by David Lasky. Biography/music.

I met the illustrator at a dinner party. I adore his work. In fact, I have some on my wall. However, unless you are truly interested in the Carter Family (which you might be, who knows, but I am not) you can probably skip this.… >> Read more