Seventeen days ago I gave myself a gift that was also a bit of a reading challenge: To read nothing but graphic novels for one month. I'm about halfway through and I'm really enjoying myself. I've read some great things and a few mediocre things, but I haven't hated anything yet.
I read a few things I've always wanted to read, and a few things that I heard about in 500 Essential Graphic Novels. I read a couple of things I knew I would love, but one book really surprised me: Blankets by Craig Thompson. It won several comic industry awards but it was still more than I expected.
Blankets is subtitled "An Illustrated Novel," and the Library of Congress info inside lists it as fiction, but, since the main character's name is Craig, I'm guessing it's based on fact. The book spends 50 pages on Craig's childhood, then jumps to his teen years. Like all great coming of age stories, Blankets focuses on the story of Craig and his first love, Raina. But there are so many other elements that make this book worthy of being read along with other classic novels of the teen experience, like Catcher in the Rye and A Separate Peace. It's that good.
What's up for the rest of the month? A few more superhero comics along with Persepolis and V for Vendetta. I'm averaging almost a book a day, so my goal is 32 books in 32 days (8/15 - 9/15), making this a true reading challenge. Wish me luck!
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