In Defense of the Graphic Novel

Last month, we posted some unpleasant thoughts about EW's Top 100 Reads of the last 25 years, and complained that there were too many comic books on the list. Our friend Joe posted a reply in which he defended the genre, which we're pasting as a posting below. But first, in related news, here's the trailer for the film adaptation of Watchmen. (Warning: it features Billy Corgan's very annoying voice):



Take it away, Joe!

I'll personally vouch for half of the comic book entries (Side note: "Graphic Novel" is a legitimate term, but it's often misapplied by people who are embarrassed to admit that they read comic books. A graphic novel is any comic book that acts as a stand-alone work of previously unpublished material. Following this definition, "Maus" and "Persepolis" would be graphic novels, but "Watchmen" and "Sandman" would not.) I've said on more than one occasion that "Sandman" and "Watchmen" belong among the greatest literary works of the past quarter century.

"Watchmen" works, not just as a fantastic, genre-bending adventure story, but also as a loving deconstruction of the super hero mythos in American culture. Moore juggles a lot of philosophical perspectives, namely the plight of man navigating the space between determinism (represented by Doctor Manhattan) and nihilism (represented by Rorschach), and touching on a lot of really fascinating stuff along the way.

"Sandman" is absolutely unparalleled in terms of breadth and scope. It's an Aristotelian tragedy told in more than seventy-five parts over nearly ten years. Gaiman incorporates his incredible knowledge of mythology, history, and literature into a breath-taking epic that is alternately thrilling, frightening, and touching. Start with "Preludes and Nocturns" and keep reading; each book gets better and better.

I would also argue that "The Dark Knight Returns" and possibly "Batman: The Killing Joke" belong on the list as well.

Comic books and graphic novels are a medium just like any other; they have certain advantages and limitations and they have their own way of conveying a story and information. I think to write off the entire genre would be the equivalent to saying "Film is a waste of time," or "Books are for nerds."

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Ron Hanen, "Exiles"

There's an interesting conversation at InsideCatholic.com about Ron Hansen's new novel, Exiles. We're not done with the novel yet, so we're not in position to evaluate the comments, but we're very impressed that Hansen himself joins in a conversation that often isn't very nice to him. One of the discussion's central themes is what constitutes Catholic fiction, so it should be of interest to any Mahwahvian.

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Bogus Brideshead

The New York Times has more on the new film version of Brideshead Revisited. As Ross Douthat observes, the directors claim to have made an effort to be true to the novel, but have given Hopper "a positive spin." (We're also sorry to hear that Anthony Blanche has only a passing role -- Nickolas Grace's portrayal is a highlight of the mini-series.) Click here for our earlier post on the topic.

UPDATE: Deal Hudson chimes in over at IC.

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Kay Ryan: Poet Laureate

The Library of Congress has announced that Kay Ryan will become the new Poet Laureate this October. Here's a New York Times profile of her; here's one of her poems; here's some footage of her at a public reading (warning: the audience suffers from OLS (Over-Laughing Syndrome)). The NYTimes piece includes this notable testimonial:

Dana Gioia, a poet and the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, was an early supporter of Ms. Ryan’s work, describing her as the “thoughtful, bemused, affectionate, deeply skeptical outsider.”

“She would certainly be part of the world if she could manage it,” he said. “She has certain reservations. That is what makes her like Dickinson in some ways.”

Ryan writes interesting, accessible poetry with a humor that reminds us of Billy Collins, but with a more careful attention to phrasing and sound. Still, although she's a fine choice for the position, we can't help but think that she'll have as much success broadening the nation's interest in poetry as David Beckham has had in making soccer our national sport.

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Thomas Disch, R.I.P.

J. Bottum has a moving tribute to Thomas Disch, who committed suicide earlier this month. Here's perhaps his best-known poem, which Dana Gioia has been known to recite:

Ballade of the New God

I have decided I'm divine.
Caligula and Nero knew
A godliness akin to mine,
But they are strictly hitherto.
They're dead, and what can dead gods do?
I'm here and now. I'm dynamite.
I'd worship me if I were you.
A new religion starts tonight!

No booze, no pot, no sex, no swine:
I have decreed them all taboo.
My words will be your only wine,
The thought of me your honeydew.
All other thoughts you will eschew.
You'll call yourself a Thomasite
And hymn my praise with loud yahoo.
A new religion starts tonight.

But (you might think) that's asinine!
I'm just as much a god as you.
You may have built yourself a shrine,
But I won't bend my knee. Who
Asked you to be my god? I do,
Who am, as god, divinely right.
Now you must join my retinue:
A new religion starts tonight.

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