Comics

The world of comics as serious reading was opened to me by Speigelman's Maus twelve years ago, after which there has been no turning back.  Here are the ones I have read and enjoyed.

*Aya de Yopougon by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie 

*Adi Parva by Amruta Patil
The Adi Parva in reviews is hailed as retelling of the Mahabharata in graphic form..which is rather misleading.  For instead of being given a visual of all the blood and gore of the epic battle or the immediate events leading up to it, this novel focuses on the antecedents of the great war, retelling the stories of the ancestors of the Pandavs and Kauravs.  In terms of the recount, one comes away with the idea that the story of the Mahabharata and its fratricidal battle was not a new one and was constantly re-manifesting itself through the ages.  As far as visual appeal goes, Amruta's drawings are more of a comic tradition which focus on the main characters and are not very detailed.  Exceptions to this rule, being the frames that depict the palaces of Hastinapur and Kandahar, with the mirror-work of the former and the embroidery traditions of the latter being brought out vividly.

Overall, this was not the most exciting novel that I have come across, however, it was  a pleasant read.
Recommended if you can't get enough of the Mahabharata. 

*Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle

*Chicken with Plums by Marjane Satrapi

*Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi

*Fables: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham, Lan Medina, Steve Leialoha and Craig Hamilton

*Habibi by Craig Thompson
A beautifully crafted work where the writer's command over calligraphy doesn't cease to impress. It is not a very complex tale set in the Arab world and reflecting its aesthetic sense. It's take on the issues of sexual desire and love can be rather unsettling.
Recommended if you want a visual treat.

*Journalism by Joe Sacco

*Kabul Disco by Nicholas Wild

*Maus by Art Spiegelman

*Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

*Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle

*The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

*Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

*Zahra's Paradise by Amir and Khalil