Kayllisti
My dad has always been a comic book nerd, and he tried to pass on this love to his children. My sister dove in with him, but I just couldn't be convinced. I just refused to read them. It wasn't until I was in college and my dad handed me a stack of graphic novels that I finally gave them a chance. In that stack was Superman: Secret Identity. This book is beautiful, and I didn't realize that comic books could be used to tell such beautiful stories. This book opened me up to what a good comic book was capable of. It spurred me to start to seek out graphic novels that weren't all about the action, and I was surprised to find just how man titles I might actually enjoy.
Here's another from my dad's stack of graphic novels. I had never read any Spider-Man before, so I know people out there will say it's not as good as other titles, but I can say that I enjoyed reading through this series. I laughed and cried right along with Spider-Man. Sure, there were story-lines that I liked less than others, but overall the series is strong and gave me my first window into the Marvel Universe.
Fables Vol 1. is the first graphic novel that I ever bought for myself. I went into Big Brain Comics and was too afraid to ask for recommendations. I scanned the bookshelves as if I knew what I was looking for. I saw this beautiful hardcover book that said FABLES down the spine. I flipped through it for a few minutes and decided that I had to have it. The premise of fairy tale characters stranded in modern day NYC was just too intriguing (this was long before "Once Upon a Time" ruined the concept forever). Past the premise, the series stays good. In fact, it gets so much better as the story really grows into an epic tale of war.
One of the great things about discovering comic books was that I got to continue one of my favorite TV shows of all time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While I haven't always liked the direction the extended series has taken, I love that I can read about the next step in these characters' lives. The comic book format also gives the creators a license to do bigger and crazier stories than a TV show budget would ever have allowed. It may not be the best graphic novel of all time, but for a fan, it's a must-read.
When I asked my bf for a graphic novel recommendation, he handed me V for Vendetta. What can I say? It's a classic for a reason. "Everybody is special. Everybody. Everybody is a hero, a lover, a fool, a villain, everybody. Everybody has their story to tell… " Oh, just so good. This is definitely one of those books that will make you fall in love with comic books.
