Graphic Novel/Manga Review

Once upon a time there was a show I loved called Heroes.  Alas, not everyone loved the show as much as I did and after only 3 seasons the show was cancelled.  But NBC recognised that there were still enough fans out there to continue it in an online graphic novel format.  That spawned a print collection which became my first ever graphic novel.  Now don't confuse graphic novels with comic books.  Really, graphic novels are just comic books, all grown up.  A longer/more intricate storyline, more complex themes and usually a better quality product are the main differences.  But to me the real difference is that 'graphic novel' just sounds cooler than 'comic book'.  And come on, who doesn't want glow in the dark bones?

For my Children's Reader's Advisory class we were given 3 different graphic novels to review.  The first was Treasure Island adapted by Tim Hamilton.  This is a version that I probably would not have chosen to read on my own, mainly because I found the illustrations particularly creepy.  It would be a good way to introduce this piece of classic literature to an appropriately aged child, perhaps 10 or 11 or maybe even older.  I was surprised to learn that this version has won awards and been very positively reviewed, since neither was I a big fan of the illustrations nor of the captions.

The second book that we reviewed was Cardcaptor Secura, a traditional manga-style graphic novel.  Manga is a style of graphic novel that is traditionally Japanese and is easily identified by it's distinctive artwork.  Narrow little chins, big hair and huge eyes characterise the people and realistic story lines set them apart from traditional Western comics.  I found this book challenging both visually and in it's writing style.  Many of the pictures were hard to interpret and really had to be examined to be understood.  Also, a lot of the jokes and cultural references didn't translate very well.  I had a really hard time finishing this book and definitely did not enjoy it.  For me it probably ranked somewhere equal with waxing my legs; slow and painful.  Not exactly my idea of a fun time, but I have been reassured that not all manga is as difficult to get through.

The last of the graphic novels we reviewed was American Born Chinese.  I loved this book!  The style of illustration was fun and the story was enlightening.  Author Gene Yang, weaves two seemingly unrelated stories into one complex whole.  Though initially the Asian references seem shockingly racist, as you read further you see how they are crucial to the story.  The monkey king amplifies some of the more negative character traits that a lot of people have and makes them relatable in a humorous way.  This book would be great for anyone over the age  10 or so and possibly even younger if read with an adult.

This review of graphic novels and manga has definitely exposed me to some interesting new types of graphic novels other than my beloved Heroes.  Some of these I would never read again for fun, but others I think anyone would enjoy.  Guess which one I'm recommending for you?