Booking Through Thursday (May 07) - Graphic

This week's question:

Last Saturday (May 2nd) is 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”.

Well, Calvin & Hobbes was among the first comics I read when I was little. They were easy to understand and extremely funny. I think I kind of know all Calvin's adventures by heart as I've read most of them many times.

Besides Calvin, I also like to read the comics in the newspapers, particularly the ones that appear in The Star. Comics like Hagar the Horrible, Kee's World (a Malaysian comic), Zits, Pickles and the forever young Brenda Starr.

Recently I also picked up my first graphic novel, The Plain Janes and loved it! I'm so looking forward to reading more graphic novels. I've checked the prices of some graphic novels in Borders and were they pricey! That is one reason to put me off them. I wonder if the nearby library stocks g. novels.

As for the differences between a graphic novel and a comic, hmm, I don't think there's much difference though. If one can read comics, then there shouldn't be a problem reading graphic novels. They are about the same except that graphic novels tend to touch on more serious issues wheareas comics just make everything seem funny.

For a friend, I'd recommend The Plain Janes. It's the only graphic novel that I can recommend for now! :)