hey, wait by jason. fantagraphics. 2001.
Bjorn and Jon are childhood friends doing what normal rabbit boys do during long summer days: causing mischief. Sometimes their ideas are not very well thought through, and one of those times, something tragic happens. Jon grows up with a sad existence, where some may not be truly living. Told in simple panels, with simple, yet symbolic artwork.
Descriptive words: melancholy, existential, minimal
Appeal factors: quick read, mostly visual, deep & thematic, appeals to adults or mature teens, akin to Art Spiegelman
Awards: 2002 Harvey Award Winner for Best New Talent
Misc: Jason is a Norwegian cartoonist; this is his first publication in English.
Descriptive words: melancholy, existential, minimal
Appeal factors: quick read, mostly visual, deep & thematic, appeals to adults or mature teens, akin to Art Spiegelman
Awards: 2002 Harvey Award Winner for Best New Talent
Misc: Jason is a Norwegian cartoonist; this is his first publication in English.
Blacksad by Juan Diaz Canales. Illustrated by Juanjo Guarnido. Darkhorse Orignials, 2010.
Blacksad is a cat/human PI solving crimes and fighting bad guys. He solves murders, puts bad guys where they belong, and every so often falls in love with a very pretty lady animal. All of the characters portray an animal, in a symbolic manner, and the story lines deal with political matters.
Descriptive words: hard-boiled, realistic, dark, true
Appeal factors: fast-paced, both character and plot driven, appeals to adults, akin to Dashiell Hammet & Raymond Chandler, similar to You Have Killed Me by Jamie S. Rich, for fans of mystery & noir
Awards: 3 Eisner Award nominations in 2004, 2 Eisner Award wins in 2013, & an Angouleme Prize for Artwork
Misc: Blacksad originates in French created by a Spanish author and illustrator and has been translated into several different languages; the illustrator originally worked as an animator for Disney; it was rumored there was going to be a film version of the comic, but it never came to fruition
Descriptive words: hard-boiled, realistic, dark, true
Appeal factors: fast-paced, both character and plot driven, appeals to adults, akin to Dashiell Hammet & Raymond Chandler, similar to You Have Killed Me by Jamie S. Rich, for fans of mystery & noir
Awards: 3 Eisner Award nominations in 2004, 2 Eisner Award wins in 2013, & an Angouleme Prize for Artwork
Misc: Blacksad originates in French created by a Spanish author and illustrator and has been translated into several different languages; the illustrator originally worked as an animator for Disney; it was rumored there was going to be a film version of the comic, but it never came to fruition
Daytripper by Fabio moon & gabriel ba. vertigo. 2011.
Bras de Oliva Domingos writes obituaries for a living and longs to be a famous writer like his father. This comic reflects on important moments in his life, traveling with a friend while young, his first kiss, meeting his future wife, having his first child - asking if this is when his life began. His whole life he spends trying to solve the mystery of life when it is revealed to him by his father in a letter.
Descriptive words: dream-like, watercolor, realistic, poetic, philosophical
Appeal factors: thought provoking, satisfying plot, appeals to adult readers, akin to Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli, similar drawing style and color palette to Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory
Awards: 2011 Eisner Award winner for Best Limited Series
Descriptive words: dream-like, watercolor, realistic, poetic, philosophical
Appeal factors: thought provoking, satisfying plot, appeals to adult readers, akin to Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli, similar drawing style and color palette to Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory
Awards: 2011 Eisner Award winner for Best Limited Series