I have recently discovered Graphic Novels and Comics, a media that I’d heard people rave about, but had never got into.
In my recent review of the Thor movie I talked about the comics I read as a child, but it was only until I started reading Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comics on my Kindle (PDF versions work surprisingly well, especially as they were black and white originally) that I realised what a fantastic world I’d been missing out on.
I’ve been a fan of the AMC series and had heard great things about the graphic novels or comics that Frank Darabont had expertly adapted for the screen, so when presented the opportunity to read them I dove right in.
The Walking Dead tells the story of the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, following a small group of survivors living in the aftermath of the outbreak. The plot is focused primarily on the human element of a post-apocalyptic world and the way the struggling human survives.
Well, the other night I read the first 27 issues! Yes, 27. I just couldn’t stop! At first I was afraid that it would spoil the TV series for me, but as I read more I found that I was more emotionally involved with the characters in the comics than their counterparts on TV. There are some spoilers, so be warned (but I’m not going to talk about them here) – but there are also some major plot/character differences between the two versions.
I have all 90 issues and will probably read a few more tonight. I’ve now passed the current storyline in the TV series and moving onto probably what will make up the 3rd season – but I don’t care. I still love the TV show, but the comics are just too good.
It put me in a similar situation to a dilemma I had with True Blood. I started to listen to the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris in audiobook form and found that I was starting to move ahead of the TV series. Again there were some differences between the two, but in that case I decided to stop listening and enjoy the show.
So, with my newly discovered world of comics, I’ve started looking for others. Obviously there are the Marvel and DC Comics estates, and I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the Marvel Civil War series, but I’d like to quickly talk about another publisher, Zenescope.
Founded in 2005 by Philly natives Joe Brusha and Ralph Tedesco, Zenescope Entertainment is quickly becoming one of the most recognized independent comic book and graphic novel publishers in the world. Their flagship title GRIMM FAIRY TALES, which is also written by Joe and Ralph, immediately found a strong audience and has certainly surpassed the expectations set by many industry insiders. At already more than 22 issues on shelves or in post production GRIMM is one of the longest running independent comic book series on the market today. – Zenescope website
The artwork, whilst definitely adult in nature in their depiction of their female characters (saucy, not pornographic), is superb. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea – the female protagonist is often in a skimpy/tight outfit of some sort, but you could say that this is balanced out by them being very strong characters? I don’t know. Maybe I’m grasping at straws here – would appreciate another point of view?
The new take on classic fairy tales and adding a twist has been very interesting. Their spinoff series about Alice in Wonderland looks great and reads very well. For those with iPhones/iPads I recommend their free app which will allow you to read a select number of their comics for free. The navigation of comic books on mobile devices is definitely something I’m going to revisit in the future on this blog.
So, this post has become a rambling mess – apologies for that, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on the graphic novel medium, comics/books you’d recommend, and whether artwork in comics such as those published by Zenescope is still acceptable in 2011?
virtual pizza 