the vynsane asylum

So my mother walked in the other day whilst I was cataloging a recent purchase of roughly 1100 back issues, and asked If I ever liked to read "regular books" or if I ever got tired of reading "the same thing" all the time. This of course inferring that all comics are the same thing. In other words, kiddie books focusing on SuperHeroes. Aside from the fact that many "super hero" books are as deep and thought provoking as any other written medium out there, I tried explaining that there was the same variety in comics as there were in "regular books" or Television, film, music. Then she said (with perhaps a hint of regret in her voice) that in all the time I've been reading/collecting comics, this HUGE part of my life ( I have in the neighborhood of 25,000 comics amassed at this point) she's never bothered to read one. This compulsion that has dominated my life, she has no insight into.

So I started to think what book could I gave her to read that would appeal to a 67 year old woman, and at the same time show her that her preconceived notions of exactly 'what' a comic is were narrowminded to say the least. But I'll admit I am stumped.

First off, I don't want anything Super-Hero related. Even Watchmen, while being considered the finest example of Comic Book writing is still just a deconstruction of the tropes of the comic book cliche, and if you don't have a complete understanding of those tropes and what exactly Watchmen is tilting on its head then I don't think it is as satisfying a read as some other things. The same goes for things like Top 10. I think its a brilliant read, but its still the concept of Super-Heroics turned on its ear.

Secondly, I don't want anything gratuituously violent for the sake of violence. Something like 100 Bullets might indeed be completely different from what her perceptions of a comic should be, but I don't think she would appreciate it regardless. She's an elderly woman and I don't want her first impression of comics to be "violence porn" like Garth Ennis' Preacher or The Boys or the shocking crassness of Transmetropolitan.

Other than that, I'm open to any and all suggestions as to what I should lend my mother to read. Complete with synopsis of material, why you liked it, why it would be a good "toe dipping" book, etc.

I want to say Y: The Last Man, but I'm not so sure a 67-year-old would "get" it. I don't know, it could go either way.

Maus or X-Men Origins: Magneto Testament might be good for historical purposes.
If you haven't read Magneto, there are no superpowers in it. Well, unless you know Magneto, then there are a few hints the casual reader will not see. I lent it to Antropov when he was visiting a few months ago. He didn't read it (the douchebag), but his wife and Slicker both read it and both loved it. IIRC, Mrs. A even said she had no idea there were comics out there like that.
Maus on the other hand, won a fucking Pulitzer and is taught in numerous college courses.

Y:The Last Man did come to my mind, so that's another vote in its favor. It does have some violence in it, but its not gratuitous.

I haven't read Pride of Baghdad either, but it sounded intriguing. Has anyone read that one?

I know there quite a few Vertigo titles that run the gamut of style and tone and genre, but I don't read too many of those.

Fables might be a good idea, as it utilizes characters from fairy tales, so they're already known/accessible, but it plays with the connections and relationships they would/do have, as well as how they interact within the context of the 'real world' as well as their bigger story thread of being refugees from the 'homelands' (the actual fairy-tale worlds they come from).

if you do decide to go the superhero route, Marvels might be the best way to show what heights both the writing and art can achieve, while grounding itself in the 'man on the street' context. Spider-man: Blue is also that type of 'wash away your preconceived notions of what a superhero comic is' comic, as is james robinson's Starman.

Rollo Tomassi wrote:Y:The Last Man did come to my mind, so that's another vote in its favor. It does have some violence in it, but its not gratuitous.

i vote for Y as well.

I haven't read Pride of Baghdad either, but it sounded intriguing. Has anyone read that one?

i think i need to read it again. it's an 'animal farm' type of story. Ex Machina is also a BKV book which is AWESOME, although it's rather entrenched in its own send-up of the genre. the art is fantastic, and the story is really intriguing, i just don't know if it would be a grabber for someone who's never picked up a book before.

Atomic Robo (i had to say it).

If whatever she reads piques her interest to read something else, I'll dip into the "Super-hero" conventionalities.

I have some issues of Fables. That was actually one of the comics I tried to explain to her that wasn't "standard fare". I have short runs of stuff like Scalped, madama Xanadu, etc (pretty much any DC book from the last year and a half I just picked up for cheap) I also have Air pretty much from the begining, but I haven't read any of them so I can hardly recommend it to her.

Bone might be a good choice, if she's the sort who likes Harry Potter.

Leave it to Chance. Check it out.