NPR names best graphic novels ‘that flew under the radar in 2012′

Robot 6

by Kevin Melrose | November 20, 2012 @ 8:00 AM | 5 Comments |

Amid all of the best-of-the-year lists, National Public Radio’s comics go-to guy Glen Weldon takes a different approach, focusing on “outstanding works that haven’t gotten the column inches they deserve” — in short, the graphic novels and collections that might’ve slipped beneath the mainstream radar. Of course, half of his selections have already made best-of lists this year:

• The Crackle of the Frost, by Lorenzo Mattotti and Jorge Zentner (Fantagraphics)

• Little White Duck: A Childhood in China, by Andres Vera Martinez and Na Liu (Graphic Universe)

• Drama, by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic/Graphix)

• Gloriana, by Kevin Huizenga (Drawn & Quarterly)

• Saga, Vol. 1, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image Comics)

• Wonder Woman, Vol. 1: Blood, by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang (DC Comics)

You can read what Weldon has to say about each off the books on the NPR website.

Tagged: comic books, Drama, Gloriana, graphic novels, Little White Duck, National Public Radio, NPR, Saga, The Cracke of the Frost, Wonder Woman

5 Comments

porch monkey

November 20, 2012 at 8:31 am

i agree with all those, except Saga and maybe Wonder Woman.

Reefmuch

November 20, 2012 at 8:51 am

Agreed, half the stuff on the list is pretty well known. I’d add Shooters and Gone to Amerikay which have been eaten by the twilight of Vertigo. Really great books, under the radar, or more like buried.

Simon DelMonte

November 20, 2012 at 9:12 am

Wonder Woman flew under the radar?

I will note that while people who come to places like this know Saga, I can’t say that anyone I know in person knows it, or most things at Image, exist. But Wonder Woman? Nah.

Robot 6