Top Graphic Novels of 2007
Bookslut has just posted my list and discussion of the best graphic novels of 2007.
So, tell me–what did I get wrong, what did I get right, and what would you have put on the list that I didn’t?
TOP 12:
#12 – Red Eye, Black Eye – K. Thor Jensen
#11 – The Nightmare Factory – based on the stories of Thomas Ligotti
#10 – Wormwood Gentleman Corpse: Birds, Bees, Blood, and Beer – Ben Templesmith
#9 – Bookhunter – Shiga
#8 – Essex County Vol. 1, Tales from the Farm – Jeff Lemire
#7 – Regards from Serbia – Aleksandar Zogrof
#6 – Artesia: Afire – Mark. S. Smylie
#5 – Laika – Nick Abadzis
#4 – Flight, vol. 4 – edited by Kazu Kibuishi
#3 – The Blot – Tom Neely
#2 – Shooting War – Anthony Lappe and Dan Goldman
#1 (tie) – Alice in Sunderland – Bryan Talbot
#1 (tie) – The Arrival – Shaun Tan
February 5, 2008 at 2:27 pm
I’ve only read The Arrival, but since I thought that was the best overall 2007 release that I read, I’d have to say that one at least was a “right.”
February 5, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I’d give a shout to The Black Dossier by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. Not only a beautiful book but a beautiful object also, with an embossed cover, reading ribbon and a pair of 3D glasses for the final section. Some comics readers seemed a bit put out by the ratio of text to comics pages, to which one can only say “Diddums”.
February 5, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Yeah–I agree. I kind of zoned out on the second volume, which I thought was just okay. So I’ll happily admit to not getting around to reading the third. I’ll rectify that soon.
JV
February 5, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Couldn’t agree more about your number one choices. Either of those might have made my ten best books of 2007 of any kind list if I put one together.
Would James Sturm’s America: God, Gold & Golems count even though it’s a repackaging of earlier work? If so, I’d include it.
February 5, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Hee. I’m in “Alice in Sunderland” – and was out with Bryan last night – so I’m obviously prejudiced and cannot possibly vote. And yet, and yet… I do think the book is an extraordinary achievement, something unique and valuable. Wonderful to see it here.
February 5, 2008 at 7:04 pm
A question (not an attack!): is it that there are not many graphic novels written by women, or do you just not read any of them? I don’t read many graphic novels myself, so I don’t know the answer.
If it’s the former, I’d be curious to know why you think this is, especially since women are doing much more in comics lately. I thought graphic novels would follow suit.
February 5, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I’m so busy and get so many books, I can only review what I get sent for review. I didn’t get much from women this year. There are several female contributors to Flight 4. Also, I did skew this deliberately toward fantastical material, which might’ve made a difference.
I’d love a list of all-women graphic novels from 2007 that you thought were great. But, no, there was no deliberate slight. Each year, as more places send me stuff, fewer and fewer gaps will occur, of course.
JeffV
February 5, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Thanks for including Artesia. I started reading it when I worked in a comic shop, and am glad that it has managed to stick around.
February 12, 2008 at 8:00 pm
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