Welcome

The Beginning.
Salutations, and thank you for reading this blog.
I work as a Reader Services Librarian in a public library and thought this would be a great way to promote reading and other interesting things that are a part of my job.
Currently I am trying to encourage people to read graphic novels.
Why?
I think that they are an exciting and important medium, which speaks to everyone. Also I really enjoy reading them.
So where do I start?
There have been some great graphic novels published, and I would like to discuss some of them here. They are also great starting points for people interested in this medium.

• Watchmen by Alan Moore. Alan Moore is one of the creative giants of this field and this tale of superheroes in a world that is slightly different from ours proves this point. Taking its premise from a quote by Juvenal, Moore explores the problems of having super-powered beings loose in society.
• Lone Wolf and Cub by Kazue Koike. This highly detailed and exquisitely rendered story is set in Edo period Japan. The story follows one man and his young child as they wander around Japan following the path of Ronin. The story does contain large amounts of violence, nudity and sex, but these do not distract from the adventure.
• Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb. Arghhh, men in tights. I can see some of you switching off now, but hear me out. At its heart this tale is a true detective story, and this suits the character of Batman. (After all his strongest weapon is his brain.) The colourful cast that support any Batman story help to keep the story rolling along, and the quirky art of Tim Sale brings everything to life.
• Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. This is the place to go if you ever wanted to think more seriously about comics as an art form. McCloud has put a lot of time into this graphic novel, and it shows. One of the leading philosophical works devoted to comics and understanding them. I challenge anyone who reads this not to come away with a different perspective on graphic novels.

This is just a small number of the many graphic novels I have read and enjoyed. Join me next time as I explore some more of my favourites, and who knows I may even discuss some books.