The 101 Best Graphic Novels [Paperback]

Stephen Weiner (Author), Keith R. A. DeCandido (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

This concise guide to the best of what is out there and available now is updated considerably with half of the listings all new and a significant representation of the best in manga. Because there is so much being published in this exploding field, this guide shows readers what is worth concentrating on and owning.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

While comics (books and strips) have been around for more than a century, graphic novels have only appeared in serious numbers in the last two decades. Since then, with publication of titles like Art Spiegelman's Maus and Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan, graphic novels have gained a growing regard as a literary medium. But for noncomics readers, navigating the field can be a challenge. Weiner, a librarian, former teacher and longtime comics reader, provides just the kind of information needed. Besides defining the graphic novel (a collection of comic strips, a collected comics periodical story arc or a comics story written to be published as a full-length book), Weiner offers capsule reviews of the works he has chosen and gives each a code indicating its reading level (children, all ages, adult). Weiner's guide is potentially useful, but some of his choices can be confusing; readers seeking the "best" graphic novels in print may be in for a disappointment. Does Star Trek: The Modala Imperative really qualify as an important graphic novel? Meanwhile, Joe Sacco's Palestine and Safe Area Gorazde, two critically acclaimed works of comics nonfiction journalism, are nowhere on Weiner's list. Thankfully, not all his choices are suspect, but Weiner seems more interested in reflecting the range of graphic novels rather than listing the best book-length comics available in print.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Entries run the gamut of style and age-appropriateness from Maurice Sendak's In the Night Kitchen to Osamu Tezuka's Adolf, a five-volume manga examination of 20th-century cultural xenophobia. Weiner somewhat questionably includes a number of comic-strip collections (Walt Kelly's Pogo, Bill Griffith's Zippy, Lynn Johnston's For Better or for Worse, Garry Trudeau's Doonesbury, and Charles Schultz's Peanuts). Annotations are uneven in quality and vary in their levels of detail and scope, making it a challenge to ascertain a clear comparison or contrast between narrative styles and artistic dynamics, as well as to identify which themes and issues are treated with which degrees of fancy, sensitivity, realism, or hyperbole. The age coding (child, youth, adult) goes unsupported by many of the annotations and no front matter suggests that local standards would play a significant role in such designations. Appended bibliographies suggest further readings for library collection builders and significant out-of-print titles. Oddly missing is D. Aviva Rothschild's Graphic Novels: A Bibliographic Guide to Book-length Comics (Libraries Unlimited, 1995), a collection development tool that offered considerably more substance, in its day, than does this current title. The strengths of Weiner's book lie in the scanned black-and-white reproductions of most of the book covers, which give users firsthand experience of the rich diversity of illustrative styles, and a balance of fiction, in several of its genres, with nonfiction.

Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: NBM Publishing (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561632848
• ISBN-13: 978-1561632848
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,799,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not enough detail, January 12, 2005

By 

Philip Willis (Sydney, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The 101 Best Graphic Novels (Paperback)

In the spirit of graphic novels, this pamphlet (since it is scarcely large enough to be called a book) uses very few words to describe the top 101 graphic novels of all time.

And that is the problem. I'm sure the internet is full of opinions on the graphic novel "canon". I wanted something MORE than just a bibliography, sorted alphabetically by author.

Each book has no more than a four sentence summary with a rating to suggest whether it would be suitable for kids, youths or adults. I would have expected:
* author/illustrator bios
* ratings for plot, characters, design, artwork etc
* ranking of the books in order

Any connection between the attention span of a typical comic book reader and the brevity of this book? You can draw your own conclusions.

If you're interested in the different visual techniques of storytelling, check out the Scott McCloud or Will Eisner books on the subject.

Very disappointing.

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for newbies, December 27, 2001

By 

BJDazzle "beejo" (Fort Worth, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 101 Best Graphic Novels (Hardcover)

Weiner's book credibly describes some of the medium's most important works. It could be a good starting point for those who haven't read comics in many years or perhaps for parents looking to find something to engage their kids. It's also a fine, quick read for those who already know about the industry, offering a few surprises and lesser-known gems.

2 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A critical selection of the best works, August 8, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The 101 Best Graphic Novels (Hardcover)

Stephen Weiner's 101 Best Graphic Novels (1-56163-283-X) provides a critical selection of the best works, with each recommendation including a plot synopsis and notes about illustrations or other notable achievements. Black and white photos pepper the presentation.