lørdag 7. november 2009

Graphic Books best sellers, part I

Comments on the New York Times best seller list Graphic Books November 5th, 2009

Hardcovers


Interesting to notice that the Hardcover list is filled with either adaptions or genre work. The Joker is popular as well it seems, holding three places in a row from 6th to 8th (where we even find the classic tale of Jokers origin: The Killing Joke). The must read on the list is of course The Book of Genesis by Robert Crumb and Pride and Prejudice by Butler and Petrus. The cover of the latter is worth the price alone! Four of the titles is new on the list.



Paperbacks


The paperback list is a tiny bit more diversed. Two more Alan Moore classics, Watchmen and V for Vendetta as well as another classic from the 80's Arkham Asylum by Morrison and McKean. Jeph Loebs Batman tales The Long Halloween and Hush is also considered classics by some. Those titles is half the list alone! A rather conservative selection. The only non-genre work is of course Logicomix, one of the most interesting comics from 2009. Of the other titles is it worth to mention The Umbrella Academy by writer (and My Chemical Romance lead singer) Gerard Way and artist Gabriel Bá. A bizarre take on the superhero team comics. No new title on the list.

Manga

The Manga list is far more fresher. Half the list is new titles, and of the other half tree titles are in their second week. Tsubasa, Reservoir chronicle is the only title with two volumes on the list. Yu-Gi-Oh! R and Soul Eater are the titles with lowest volume numbers (1) while Naruto is the title with the highest volume number (46). Two titles stands out from the rest by originality: Death Note: L, change the WorLd is in fact a novel and not a manga. It is also an adaption of the movie by the same name, a spin-off of the original manga. Maximum Ride is a manga style adaption of the book series by american writer James Patterson, illustrated by korean Manhwa artist NaRae Lee.