Douglas Wolk Lists the Best Graphic Novels of 2009 at BNReview

Earlier this week I linked over to an article written by Douglas Wolk for the New York Times Magazine, which I thought was a list of his favourite GNs of 2009. However, Douglas just contacted me to inform me that the list was not his list of top picks from 2009, but actually a list of “some books I liked a lot that the Times hasn’t covered yet this year.”

He also provided me with a link to his actual list of the best graphic novels of 2009, posted over at BNreview. This list looks rather different, and features a few more well known titles, including David Mazzucchelli’s Asterios Polyp, which seems to be appearing on a ton of top lists this year; and rightly so, because this is a truly divine read!

Also making the list this year is Fantagraphics Books’ hardcover omnibus of Gilbert Hernadez’s Luba, Collecting all of Beto’s many stories featuring the fiery protagonist, Luba, that he has published over the years. This collection is truly magnificent, and whilst I own most of the individual stories in both singles issue format and the various TPB releases, it’s nice to have all the stories collected in one volume. It’s been a great year of the Los Bros. Hernandez, which has also seen the release of the enchanting Locas II hardcover, and the second volume of Love & Rockets New stories; both equally worthy contenders for the best books of 2009. Not to forget the great work that Beto and Mario are doing on Citizen Rex, which is some of their most amazing, and most bizarre, work to date!

I was a little surprised to see Final Crisis make the list, as I found myself rather underwhelmed by the whole event. Don’t get me wrong, I love Grant Morrison’s writing, and count him amongst my favourite writers; however, I just found myself thoroughly unimpressed with this series. I think my big mistake was buying into DC’s nefarious plan of robbing me of all my money, and convincing me to buy all of the tie-in and lead-up comics. I have several friends who read the story in trade, and tell me it’s one of the best superhero stories that they have ever read. On the other hand, everyone I have spoken to who read this as I did, in single issue format, found themselves slightly dissapointed. I think the catastrophe that was Countdown to Final Crisis may very well have poisoned my mind, and by the time Final Crisis came round I had become so sick of these characters that nothing Morrison could have done would have salvaged the story for me. Now that it has almost been a year since the conclusion of the series, I think it is time for me to sit down and read the TPB in one sitting, with no external influences affecting the plot, and see what I really think of it. Perhaps a review will come out of it.

There are also two books on the list that I have never heard of, being You’ll Never Know, Book 1: A Good and Decent Man by C. Tyler, and The Photographer by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre and Frédéric Lemercier. Mr. Wolk makes them rather wonderful though, so I shall definitely add them to my wish list, which since I became unemployed three months ago, has become rather long. *sigh*

To read the full article head over to http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Personal-Picks-Best-of-2009/The-Best-Graphic-Novels-of-2009/ba-p/1849

… and I think it’s time I started working on my ‘best of 2009′ list…