Graphic Novel Friday: How Many Comics Will Fit Into My Suitcase?
This weekend, I am escaping the incoming Seattle chill and rain by flying to Hawaii. I have no idea what to expect. The most exposure to Hawaii I've had has been thanks to the television show Lost. Do the smoke monsters charge tourists to take photographs? And how best to avoid the crazed, gun-toting Dharma Initiative while traipsing through the jungle? Just in case I do not happen to run into Evangeline Lilly and tour the islands with her, I've stuffed my carry-on bag full of unread comics. Here is what I have packed so far:
Planetary: Spacetime Archaeology by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. The much-loved series finally reaches its long-awaited finale. I've been saving this one for weeks in anticipation of my trip. I told myself I'd read it late at night once I arrived and settled into my condo, but I know it's going to be the first thing I read when I buckle my seatbelt on the plane. The passenger next to me better not be chatty. This is one to savor.
Mercury by Hope Larson. The stark, moody cover to this original graphic novel immediately caught my eye, and then I saw the endorsement from Scott McCloud: "The best work to date from a powerful cartoonist." Sold! One of my favorite aspects about traveling is the opportunity to try new things, including books out of my comfort zone. I'm not too familiar with Larson's work but look forward to cracking this one open and giving it a shot.
The Bronx Kill by Peter Milligan and James Romberger. I am a big fan of Milligan's work on X-Statix, and these Vertigo Crime collections are excellent travel buddies. Because of their smaller trim size, they do not take up too much room in my bag, yet at 184 pages, there is plenty of story to be had. With its bloody cover and back copy promising "shocking and monstrous" revelations, this looks like a fine beach read.
The Starman Omnibus Vol. 4 by James Robinson, Tony Harris, et al. DC Comics has really done a fine job in collecting this under-read but highly praised series from the 1990s. These are handsome hardcovers, and the stories are certainly ahead of their time (I keep forgetting that these aren't under the Vertigo imprint). Robinson's love for the characters is infectious, and it's easy to continue reading these mammoth collections. This one may push my bag over its weight-limit, but what better way to start a vacation than indulging?
Bannock, Beans, and Black Tea by John Gallant and Seth. Tom Nissley alerted me to this hard-to-find piece of Seth esoterica. It's a tiny book; almost small enough to fit into my back pocket. Since finding a copy on Amazon's third-party marketplace, I've only barely flipped through it, waiting for the right time to absorb Seth's father's memoir. While the subtitle, Memories of a Prince Edward Island Childhood in the Great Depression, hardly seems like a vacation read, there is something very quiet about this book that keeps me returning to it on my shelf. It's time to dive in.
I am taking one other book with me: DK's Top 10: Maui, Moloka'i & Lana'i travel guide (with pull-out map), but before I board the plane, Omni readers, any last minute suggestions for perfect vacation comics or books? Aloha!
David on March 13, 2010 at 07:39 PM
For long flights, I'm a fan of the phone-book-size compilations--lots of reading and not much weight. Just took a trip to Florida and Essential Avengers 7 and Showcase Presents Batman and the Outsiders 1 kept me busy.
Alex Carr on March 17, 2010 at 03:09 PM
Thanks, David. I love the Essential collections. I have a few Uncanny volumes on my shelves. Carting them around is a little tough due to their bulk, but the volume of stories you get for the price is tough to beat.
Trey Conrad on April 20, 2010 at 06:36 PM
I know I'm a bit late on this but for books that take up little room yet pack a lot of story I find that the IDW Omnibus books are great. They're digest size so they're nice and compact. Obviously an argument against these are the art gets compressed but I think the amount of story for the price more than makes up for it. My personal favorite is the Grim Jack omnibus but there are many to pick from. Another great collection because of its size is the Big Book of Barry Ween. Just some stuff for other summer vacationers to keep in mind.