Comic books...

Today is Free Comic Book Day. Which means some comic book shops will be giving away some free comic books. And there will be some events. I might go to one later on today, where I can draw and try out some different pens and talk to other comic book drawers.

Cartoons are fun - here's a great one by John Callahan

man in white orders man in wheelchair to "heal", and the second man leaps to sit at the heels of the first man like a dog ordered to "heel"

So what are my favourite comics/graphic novels? Here's some I've recently read

• Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (reread)
• The Book of Leviathan by Peter Blegvad (reread)
• Couch Fiction: A Graphic Tale of Psychotherapy by Phillipa Perry
• Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware
• American Splendor: Another Day by Harvey Pekar

I also like a lot of online stuff - here's some:

• Hark! A Vagrant! - Jane Austen.
• Hyperbole and a half - pain chart
• XKCD xkcd
• John Callahan 

I've chosen stuff that is quite varied in visual and narrative style and in subject matter. I have a preference for autobiographical material and my own comic book work is autobiographical.

I tend not to like the superhero type of comic that most people think of when they think of comics. I admire them but since Buffy, I haven't been able to get into heroes. Not sure why... I admire a lot of that kind of work but it doesn't engage me.

I can sometimes read comics when I can't read text, and it is usually quicker, but it can be just as demanding in terms of attention and emotional involvement.