45
The idea of examining the archetype of the superhero in the context of real world society has been done since Allan Moore's Watchmen with varying degrees of success. 45 is a book that can definitely be considered a success. The premise is that a journalist who is about to have his first child and is concerned that his newborn will have the super-s gene decides to interview 45 superheroes of all ages, genders, races. What emerges from these interviews is a human tapestry as varied and complex as most novels, with the interviewee's struggles and triumphs transcending the limits of the genre. It's nothing new for comics to be considered complex reading for adults and to be taken seriously as literature. It's books like 45 that make this possible. This is a perfect graphic novel for people in their 30s who grew up reading comics and know that there is no limits to the medium.
Path
Path is an all-ages parable about friendship, life, courage, death and the sacrifices we are willing to make to feel accepted. And it involves rabbits and elephants. As heartwarming, and at times, heartbreaking as the bond between Doppler (the rabbit) and Dodge (the elephant) can be, it is really the art here that gives the story weight and grace. The artwork is so textured and dense it almost feels tangible and screams with personality. It begs to be an animated feature. if i was a Hollywood producer I'd snag up this property post haste. Buy this, read it with your kids and fall in love with it.
