Summer Reading and Viewing: Fabulous Graphic Novels and Manga

When quiet artist Kira Aso and rebel motorcycle racer Rei Kashino meet and become friends their lives change forever. If you are in the mood for teenage angst this out-of-print manga delivers.

Shigeru Mizuki's semi-autobiographical manga about the final weeks of a Japanese infantry unit at the end of World War II,

Dramatized sequential illustrations with dialogue--an art form once confined to production of comic strips and comic books--has recently graduated into the popular, fast-growing, and often financially rewarding genre of the graphic novel. Writing and Illustrating the Graphic Novel is an authoritative instruction manual suitable for formal art class or for self teaching on the part of ambitious self-starters. Beginners who have artistic and storytelling aptitudes learn the basics of graphic novel creation, from first conception of a story idea to publication of a professionally produced book. An introductory chapter describes the widely differing graphic novel sub-genres and the appropriate styles for each. They include superhero, gothic tale, adventure/action story, sci-fi, crime story, and literary fiction. A succeeding chapter discusses and shows examples of picture panels, speech bubbles, layout, and characterization of works in progress. Subsequent chapters offer advice on finding inspiration for stories and explanation of the technique of writing for graphic novels. A variety of illustration and layout styles are shown with reference to ways in which each fits a different sub-genre. A final chapter presents practical tips on getting a graphic novel published. More than 400 illustrations take students step-by-step through the process of creating a graphic novel.

"There isn't a comics artists alive who hasn't benefited from Will Eisner's masterful work and formidable wisdom."--Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics In Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative, Will Eisner--one of the most influential comic artists of the twentieth century--lays out the fundamentals of storytelling and their application in the comic book and graphic novel. In a work that will prove invaluable for comic artists and filmmakers, Eisner reveals how to construct a story and the basics of crafting a visual narrative. Filled with examples from Eisner's work as well as that of artists like Art Spiegelman and R. Crumb, this essential work covers everything from the fine points of graphic storytelling to the big picture of the medium, including how to: Combine words and images into seamless storytelling. Wield images like narrative tools. Master different types of comic book stories. Write and illustrate effective dialogue. Develop ideas that can be turned into dynamic stories.