The Best American Comics 2007 edited and with an introduction by Chris Ware.Currently located in the New Non-Fiction section with the call number of:
741.5973
B4643
2007Who would of thought comics would find such a welcome home in libraries? Once just relegated to the 10 cent racks at drug stores, comics have now become a well respected artistic medium and had their storylines transformed into big business at the movie theater.
If you haven't picked up a comic since you were in grade school reading Archie, you will probably be blown away by the variety and different levels of content, artistic expression and illustration. Star Wars-inspired graphic novels have a huge popularity in the children's collection, Manga (a Japanese word for comics, as well as indicating a specific style of Comic) rules the roost of the Teen area and the Adult graphic novels has a huge variety of themes-from Mature subject matter in a variety of genres of fiction to Superheroes that serve as the inspiration for the latest hollywood blockbuster.
The San Francisco Public Library currently supports 3 different types of Graphic Novel (comic) collections, Adult, Teen and Children's. At Glen Park they are all in their designated "Graphic Novel" area though some things are still shelved in the call number 741's section.
As with the Adult collection in general, please remember some Adult section titles aren't appropriate for younger ages. If you are looking to read the works of a variety of noted comic artists, The Best American Comics 2007 is a good introduction to modern themes, artists and their artwork. It has an introduction by Chris Ware, whose own work is legendary for both its intricate re-imagination of the drawn comic page as well as personal themes and narratives. The collection includes pieces by R. Crumb, Adrian Tomine, Lynda Barry and many others.
So next time you are at the library, have a look at the graphic novel area. We promise no one will peek out from behind a pharmacy counter while you're browsing and shout, "Hey You gonna buy that or what?? This ain't a library"!!!
