Graphic Novel/Manga Genre Discussion

[Heidi M Simone]

This month we will be focusing on graphic novel and/or manga books! This is a genre that I wouldn't normally read, but I have read a few in the past that I've liked, so I'm excited to find one for this month.

Graphic Novels - made up of comics/illustrations.

Manga - Japanese comics that are meant to be read from right to left.



Here are some questions/topics to guide some discussion:

• Share the title and author of the book you read.
• Was it a graphic novel or manga?
• What other genres did you find while reading your book?
• Was it based on a lengthier novel or was this an original story?
• Is this something you would recommend? If so, to whom?

As always let's have fun this month discussing some (hopefully) great books!

[Heidi M Simone]

I'm thinking of reading Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. It's one that I keep seeing and now I'm just curious! What's even better? It's fantasy, too, and I love fantasy.

[Jedi_Pants]

I am very picky with comics. Until about 2015, I pretty much only read Star Wars comics and graphic novels. I now pretty much only read SW ones as well as those from Aftershock comics. Two of Aftershock's graphic novels, "Shock" volumes 1 and 2 include a large variety of short comic stories spanning many genres. Neil Gaiman and R. L. Stine were two who worked on at least one of them.


A colleague then introduced me to the Saga set of graphic novels by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples. It's science fiction/fantasy and takes place in a fictional area of space.
**CONTENT WARNING** -- very graphic regarding sex, course language, and adult themes overall. It's rated Mature for a reason. But the story focuses on a mixed race couple, the start of their family, and has so many great messages about what it means to be family that I enjoy it a lot more than I initially expected to.

[Wildflowertheorist]

I recently began reading Mangas (shooting day star, higegiro, naruto).
And I have been living under a rock for so long, how could I have never indulged in mangas before? It's almost unreal that it's just now that's I got to them.
Graphic novels I still haven't started reading. I don't know what to expect or where to look for them.
But I believe soon I'll get to them too.

[Heidi M Simone]

I recently began reading Mangas (shooting day star, higegiro, naruto).
And I have been living under a rock for so long, how could I have never indulged in mangas before? It's almost unreal that it's just now that's I got to them.
Graphic novels I still haven't started reading. I don't know what to expect or where to look for them.
But I believe soon I'll get to them too.

I've never actually read any manga either. I've read some graphic novels, which some I've enjoyed and others not so much. It's definitely one of my least explored genres. I appreciate the artwork/illustrations, but I miss the details that I usually get in a full-length novel.

[Wildflowertheorist]

I recently began reading Mangas (shooting day star, higegiro, naruto).
And I have been living under a rock for so long, how could I have never indulged in mangas before? It's almost unreal that it's just now that's I got to them.
Graphic novels I still haven't started reading. I don't know what to expect or where to look for them.
But I believe soon I'll get to them too.

I've never actually read any manga either. I've read some graphic novels, which some I've enjoyed and others not so much. It's definitely one of my least explored genres. I appreciate the artwork/illustrations, but I miss the details that I usually get in a full-length novel.

Give Mangas a try. I think they'll be fun when you get the hang of em.
And read right to left ( I didn't know that, when I picked my first manga, so stuff didn't make sense and I felt like mangas are not my thing).

[Pham Reader]

I have been a fan of manga for years and have been discovered many great works, some could consider classic. In my opinion, there's no restriction in manga, even molraly. There's only question of personal preferencen. So sometime when you read manga, there might be details make you feel offended (in this case, you could stop reading or let it slide and continue). But exectly because there's no restriction, mangaka's creativity could soar greatly.
There are vastly variety in manga genre and theme. However, i personaly divided them in two types: ones give you geat value (artistic, phylosophy, psychology or specific knowledge) and ones for entertainment (you don't have to think to hard while reading).
My favorite mangaka (manga artist) is definitely Mr. Naoki Urasawa. I have read and loved most of his works (Monster, 20th century boys & 21th century boys, Pluto, Billy Bat,...). I would recommand his work to every one, they all great, Monter is consider masterpice to some. But if you just look for entertainment, there are many others. There're always manga books that suit your taste, but of course, you have to look for one.