Graphic novel gift guide
This year though, I may have my dad pegged. In the past few weeks, I've gotten my dad hooked on graphic novels. It's a Christmas miracle! Yes, a 60+ year old man who has been stubbornly reading only non-fiction has been devouring comic books. After a frantic email from him mid-week after he finished the last Think Tank volume, I brought him both Maus volumes... which he managed to finish that very same day.
The Think Tank series is about Dr. David Loren, a genius, hacker, inventor, and "investment" of the US military. His inventions and ideas have been weaponized by the military and when he has a change of heart about how his creations are being used to kill hundreds of people, the organization won't let him quit. Or leave. So what's a guy to do except for try and escape? The series is full of smart science, weapons, action, and conspiracy - all of which my dad enjoys. Even better, half of each volume is dedicated to the factual research and real science that author Matt Hawkins did for the comic.
Maus is a classic graphic memoir, story about a father and his son, and also a story about the Holocaust, which I've blogged about here on Book Adventurers (I'll save you the pain of reading it here again). Dad kept asking me if there was a movie made out of this story - Spielberg, you should be expecting an email soon.
For Christmas, I'm thinking of putting in an order for these graphic novels, which were honestly just tons of fun. Lazarus takes place in the future where the world is in a state of organized chaos and select families control large tracts of land, worked by serfs. Each family has a member who acts as its protector, their Lazarus, and Forever Carlyle is that warrior for her family. But are things really as they seem and what isn't her family telling her? In Black Science, a group of scientists have figured out how to travel between multiple universes. Unfortunately (and obviously) the instrument has malfunctioned and sends the scientists careening throughout the multiverse without any idea of where they'll end up next and also how they'll ever get home. Manifest Destiny is about the journey of Lewis and Clark... and MONSTERS. It's history AND monsters and one ass-kicking Sacagawea. Enough said.
Note: There is no reason these graphic novels wouldn't be great gifts for anyone else (and not only dads) or yourself!
I don't think sinceI stopped reading Mickey Mouse I haven't touched a graphic novel. maybe it's about time I give it a try!
ReplyDeleteI love your reading guides! I wonder, do you think Cal would like Maus? He just finished The Catcher in the Rye and loved it, it's in his top two of all-time favorite books, and I'm popping more Salinger under the tree for him. I always want more book options for that kid! :)
ReplyDeleteThis awesome! You've opened a whole new world up to him. Based on your description of that series, your dad might enjoy Star Trek books (although, liking one of the shows first is usually a prerequisite).
ReplyDeleteMy dad is notoriously hard to shop for. What do you get for the man who has everything? This year, I got him a back massager. File that one under "useless techno gadgets"! Ha.
ReplyDeleteIt's so awesome that your dad is into graphic novels. Bob has a few on his wishlist this year too.
That's so awesome you got your dad into this, Rooth:) I'm curious about Manifest Destiny myself.
ReplyDeleteI guess I should give graphic novels a try! That is so cool your dad likes them. My dad rarely reads anything else except the newspaper so it would be cool if he would start loving books as well!
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh. i remember reading maus in college. it was good. i think the last graphic novel i read was the asian american super hero one.. secret identities? :)
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