Suggestions to Welsh on Graphic Novels

[John Uskglass]

Seems like Welsh has kind of a hard time accepting that graphic novles can be as good as any other popular form of entertainment. Suggestions to Welsh:
1) Maus. Best thing ever written on the Holocaust
2) Persepolis. Amazing story of a little girl in revolutionary Iran
3) Berilin. Think Wings of Desire meets Cabaret, only it's written. Amazing.

 

[Lukus]

You mean kids books?

 

[Tannhauser]

CCR, you seem to be inferring quite a bit of what Welsh's opinions on graphic novels are based on the contents of two posts.

Anyway, I present some proof on the superiority of manga (remember, it reads right to left):

Oh... wait... I must have confused 'manga' with 'graphic novel.'

 

[Malky]

Boring, boring, boring.

Don't go for the faux-intellectual artsy crap, welsh!

Put your trust in Sin City, Preacher, and Alan Moore!

 

[MadDog]

TRANSMETROPOLITAN

Best comic ever made.

Warren Ellis is an amazing writer, and totally F'd up in the head.

 

[Dapper Dan Man]

Or you could, you know, read literature, historical texts, etc. You know, like an intellectual, instead of a fanboy.

 

[John Uskglass]

Or you could, you know, read literature, historical texts, etc. You know, like an intellectual, instead of a fanboy.

For every page I read of anything by Alan Moore I read 8 pages of something by Kirkegaard, so fuck you.

 

[Malky]

Or you could, you know, read literature, historical texts, etc. You know, like an intellectual, instead of a fanboy.

Hm. That was a very open minded and educated statement.

 

[Bradylama]

Or you could, you know, read literature, historical texts, etc. You know, like an intellectual, instead of a fanboy.

Intellectualism is overrated. There's nothing I can't infer from Dostoyevsky that I couldn't figure out myself.

While its all fine and good to study the words of dead men, it hardly makes one superior.

 

[Briosafreak]

-]TRANSMETROPOLITAN

Best comic ever made.

Warren Ellis is an amazing writer, and totally F'd up in the head.

Don`t know if it`s the best, but it`s really close to that. Love it!

And who said comics, graphic novels and bande dessiné couldn`t be intellectually challenging?

 

[Dapper Dan Man]

Or you could, you know, read literature, historical texts, etc. You know, like an intellectual, instead of a fanboy.

Hm. That was a very open minded and educated statement.

Wow....you think in the land of anal rape and tentacle hentai a guy can make a joke about *gasp* comics and manga without every other geek whooping it up.

Sorry I offended some "artistic sensibilities" .

 

[Bradylama]

Sorry you're not funny.

 

[Dapper Dan Man]

Can't win them all with the comedic gold here, heh.

 

[Malky]

Sorry you're not funny.

Ehehe, now THAT was funny.

 

[Brother None]

Intellectualism is overrated. There's nothing I can't infer from Dostoyevsky that I couldn't figure out myself.

true, there's nothing you couldn't figure out, but that doesn't mean you won't. So many thinkers spent so many lifetimes figuring it out, I think you'd be hard-pressed to sit down and think of all of it yourself. Reading and filtering it is the easy way out

Also, I'm very amused by how attacked you all felt by Fireblade's comment. Insecurity?

 

[Bradylama]

I'm just tired of the word Intellectualism.

I'm not deluding myself into thinking I'm reading something intellectually invigorating when I read Berserk or The New Teen Titans.

 

[Briosafreak]

True, but when i read Transmetropolitan, Preacher, Hellraiser or things like Hard boiled or the Corto Maltese series i am intellectually reinvigorated, awesome stuff.

 

[Lukus]

Why is it that reading boring stuff makes one feel smart?

 

[Wooz]

Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid On Earth

 

[welsh]

Well Bradylama- One could be anti-intellectual, but wouldn't that essentially mean that you're pro-stupidity?

And if you're pro-stupid wouldn't that make you both-

(1) Easily manipulated by folks that are more developed intellect or have a deeper and more sophisticated understanding of ethics.

(2) Do little for you except feed your ignorance, your moral and intellectual frustrations, your atomized sense of existance and thus leading to angst, confusion and occassional outbursts of utter stupidly, kind of like APTYP?

Actually CCR, I apprecaite you putting up this post. I have seen some graphic novels and have talked to a few people about this. In fact I've requested a copy of the graphic novel for Sin City through my library.

So, ok, I am willing to give graphic novels the benefit of the doubt.

But do they give you more than a good novel? Are they little more than movies in book form?
Or are they just easy entertainment for those unwilling to more intellectually challenge themselves?

When I was a kid I had the old Classic Comics- when you could see Moby Dick, Three Muskateers, Jeckell & Hyde, A Tale of Two Cities, in a comic form. That was cool if you're eight years old, but as an adult shouldn't you read those books?

The relevant question is - Are graphic novels are a new form of literature or art?
If so what kind of art?