Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.569
EAN: 9780300111705
ISBN: 0300111703
Label: Yale University Press
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 400
Publication Date: 2006-10-23
Publisher: Yale University Press
Studio: Yale University Press

(20061103)

Customer Rating:
Summary: Excerpt from my review
Comment: Excerpt from "Review of An Anthology of Graphic Fiction."
...was happy to see certain artists showcased but it really seemed more like a sampler to me. There are few complete works in the... but enjoyed reading some of the... made me want to get the full stories...

Get my point? If you want a sampler, get this, but be prepared for excerpt excerpt excerpt excerpt. Glad my local library had it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: An interesting introduction to "comix"
Comment: I wanted to get a taste of some "graphic fiction," and this book looked pretty good. I've enjoyed it, and it has certainly increased my knowledge of the medium, but it could have been better. By sticking to only the North American continent, there are a number of glaring omissions, such as Tintin, Asterix, and the enormous field of Japanese-language comics. The rising medium of webcomics has not a mention. There are even a few notable American comics which were omitted, such as Popeye and Dick Tracy. Krazy Kat is here, but with only one strip. Though I realize that space is at a premium here, there are a number of things which seem poorly represented.

Much of the book is made up of graphic novel excerpts, which irritate me slightly, as they tend to end just when they've captured my interest. However, there are also a lot of "short stories" and single-page or single-spread comics.

It should also be noted that this book is not intended for children. There is a good deal of what is often referred to as "language" and a number of depictions of sex and/or nudity.

One last thing...this book includes two "farewells" to Charles Schulz by Art Spiegelman and Chris Ware, which will no doubt interest Peanuts fans.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Great Resource For the Newer Materials
Comment: I don't know if there is a softback version of this book, but I got the hardback and it is a bit of a pain to handle; the spine is real stiff and it is heavy and sharp edged; like it would be hard to lug in a back pack to be read on a subway train.

If I'm not mistaken, there is no Brunetti material in the book, other than his intro, sequencing, etc.! This was an oversight of Mr. Brunetti's!

There are some wonderful artists here, people whose work I haven't come across yet - I'm making a list as I read and googling them and buying their works. In this way the book is a wonderful guide - you could almost call it a buying guide. As mentioned in another review here, the book is hurt by not having a TOC or an index - no index! It makes researching these artists a little harder, but I'm getting around it.

This is a must buy for anyone that wants to be up to date on the more recent alt comics. It will be one of the reference works that will be left standing 30 years from now, when libraries and the great learning institutions finally realize how important these works are and teach them in lit courses and collect manuscripts, ha ha. I love the new attention for this genre that I have loved and followed for something like 35 years now, but since it's become mainstreamed the prices have gone up, and we are forced to read pompous, over-intellectualized and uptight reviews by the likes of Gary Groth, etc. I hope they relax one day and stop straining so hard to legitimize this genre; it is getting there in its own way and own time.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A change from the usual comic fare
Comment: There is a stark difference between mainstream commercial graphic fiction and the alternative or independent variety featured here. The difference is between Michael Bay and Darren Aronofsky although maybe even Aronofsky is too commercial. In many cases it's the difference between Bay and a college film maker. The point is that mainstream comics are generally intended for safe consumption by a mass audience while independents tend to reflect an artists true vision. Let me just say that this collection is not for everyone and it most certainly is not for children. The stories feature molestation, pedophilia, raw language and graphic nudity both male and female. Don't be fooled by the whimsical cover.

Ironically what got me interested in independent artists was a collection from DC comics called `Bizarro Comics' which featured alternate-comic creators doing their takes on the DC characters. Inspired by the unique stories in Bizarro I purchased `McSweeney's Issue 13' which absolutely blew me away. However, my next purchase, `The Best American Comics - 2006' was a big disappointment and led me to wonder if there just weren't enough quality alternative comics produced in a single year to create an entire 300+ page book. Some of the stories were entirely too long and left me wishing they were over. `An Anthology of Graphic Fiction' is an out of the park home run. The author presents comics going back to the 1940's but leaning decidedly towards current stuff. They run the gamut from Aline Crumbs primitive scratchings to Chris Ware meticulous works that look like they came straight from a graphic design class. The writing is much more profane and a helluva lot more gloomy than what you find in mainstream graphic fiction. Someone should do a study on why alternative artists are so depressed.

One final point. At the risk of sounding like an advertisement you DEFINITELY get your money's worth with this one. It's 400 pages jam packed with great material. Get this one... get `McSweeney's Issue 13' but skip `Best American' and if you still need more grab up the vastly underrated Bizarro Comics. If you've never experienced some of the alternate comics out there you really should give it a try. It's certainly different and definitely more intimate, honest and thought provoking.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Amazing Introduction for the Non-believer
Comment: This is one of the best graphic novel/alt comics anthologies that I have ever read.

The choice of selections and their arrangement are outstanding, allowing this anthology to serve as a great introduction for someone not familiar with the form and a terrific read for devotees.

Highly recommended, even if you already own Pekar's Best American Comics or Ware's volume of McSweeney's.

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