[UA] Books of Magic

[Mark Fender]

>Generally, a graphic novel is meant to describe a book that was originally
>released in that format.  Thus, Watchmen is not, since it came out as 
twelve
>seperate issues, while The Killing Joke is, since it was a one-shot. The
>term 'collected' is used to describe books that were released in serial
>format, and later published as one book.

>Makes sense to me.  I keep hearing people talk about "the Sandman graphic
novels" or whatever, so now I can mock them and tell them that "that's 'the
collected Sandman'".

I wouldn't laugh too hard. There's at least one Sandman graphic novel that 
was only published in that format. It has words (but no word balloons) and 
pictures and meets the various definitions of 'graphic novel' as expressed 
on this list except for the 'collected works' part. It's called Dream 
Hunters and has very nice art by the guy who did all of those Final Fantasy 
pictures (I'd just butcher his name if I tried to spell it). So be sure to 
clarify before mocking them.

>Of course, there are those people
>who use the word graphic novel to avoid having to admit that he reads 
comic
>books.

>Bah.  It's got panels, it's got cheap paper, it's got a staple down the
middle, it's a comic book.

But if its collected in a book format, it doesn't have cheap paper or 
staples down the middle, so does that mean it's not a comic book?

>These are the same people who 'engage in collaborative storytelling
efforts' so they don't have to say they play role-playing games.

Or they're trying to distance themselves from the 'hack n slash' school of 
roleplaying. It's like the difference between speed metal and punk. Both 
are music, but they're two different genres of music. 'Collaborative 
storytelling efforts' might just be another fancy name for a genre of 
roleplaying.

[Books of Magic]
>"A little too light?"  The man followed up this beautiful tale of young 
love
>between Tim and Molly, by projecting a future where Tim Hunter becomes
>Studboy MagicGuy, and has cloned an army of Mollys, trying to make just 
the
>right one who isn't too subservient or docile, or too ornery.  And when 
one
>doesn't make the grade, she's wormfood?

>Admittedly I only read the first couple paperbacks.  But I wasn't 
overwhelmed.
(On the other hand, I was probably looking for something more like
Hellblazer.)

You know, I'm a hardcore Neil Gaiman fan (except for his novels. As I'm 
reading them, I keep thinking, "Damn, this would make a great comic book.") 
and all but I really didn't care for the Books of Magic. Maybe it's his 
fascination with faeries. I found the series not by him much better.



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