#graphic biography

[the---hermit]

Emmeline Pankhurst by Mariapaola Pesce and Paola Zanghi

This is a graphic biography about one of the most important activists of the suffragette movement. I will be honest with you, I knew very little about her and reading this made me very interested in learning more. I have a collection of graphic biographies and this was a great addition to it. I loved the illustrations, and the way the story was told. I felt they did a great job at portaying all the complicated relationships especially between Emmeline and her daughters while staying quite neutral. What I mean is the the narration didn't judge who was right or wrong, it just lets you know that they ended up having very different political opinions that ended up drastically changing their relationship. You can see how complicated the situation was but you are in no way told this is bad or this is right, which I really appreciated from an historical point of view. The one thing I didn't like was a present time line following a person researching Emmeline's life fo a thesis of some sort. I can tell that was added to have a chance to add more informations, but it could have been done in a different way because this present time line did not add anything, it only broke the narration here and there. I believe that these kind of additional storylines can sometimes add to the book, but in this case it felt quite forced. Overall I liked the book, and I found it an interesting starting point for further researches.

[atthequillsmercy]

Lenni Reviews: "The Girl That Can't Get a Girlfriend" by Mieri Hiranishi

(Image Source) *This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Meiri is an awkward college student with bad luck in love and desperately wants a girlfriend. When her search leads her to Ash, Meiri believe she’s finally found her dream girl only for it not to turn out like she hoped. This is Meiri’s journey through love, loss, and healing. Told with honestly and plenty of self…

[queerographies]

[Tomboy][Liz Prince]

Autobiografia narrata per aneddoti, Tomboy segue Liz Prince dalla primissima infanzia fino all’età adulta, esplorando le sue tribolazioni e i suoi desideri – in costante evoluzione – rispetto all’essere femmina, qualunque cosa ciò significhi.

Da bambina e da adolescente, Liz Prince era tutto fuorché femminile: mai in tutù rosa, mai intenta a giocare alle Principesse con le amichette. Ma non si può dire nemmeno che fosse “uno dei ragazzi”, come imparò ben presto a sue spese, quando l’allenatore della squadra giovanile di baseball la esiliò a bordocampo senza lasciarle mai sperimentare il brivido del monte di lancio. Liz stava da…

[sexxvoid]

LM. @sexxvoid ON IGㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤ

No copie, no adapte, solo úsela como inspiración.

⒈ @SEXV0ID /tu arroba.

⒉ ⬮𓊪꯭𐧎𝐒𝐞𝐱⎯⎯劅³⁰

⒊ ■ ?��꯭𐃚⅕

⒋ 〿〿⎯⎯⎯$$ ⁸⁰⁰

[retroreverbs]

Hendrix - A Biography by Chris Welch (1972).

[sprixyn]

yesterday, i brushed my teeth for the first time in weeks.

its not like i'm *depressed*, exactly, i just.. forget, y'know?

life is busy, and i'm busy.

and i'm always rushing from place to place.

there's no time to stand around for *two entire minutes* and *focus* on something other than my phone,

focus on something that's boring like self care or whatever the fuck,

focus on something that doesn't take up all my attention

so that

my thoughts

don't

...

i spat into the drain, and

it was a vibrant pink.

i stared for a moment.

i don't know how long.

that happens sometimes.

i just get...

unfocused.

i don't know.

y'know that camera effect they do in movies

where the focus stays the same

and the background gets further away??

it's kinda like that.

okay so i googled it!

apparently it's a "dolly zoom".

sounds wayyyy more fun than it feels, but the gif on the wikipedia page is pretty neat.

anyways. the point is, i zoned out.

staring at the pink splatters on the bright white ceramic.

and then

my eyes

slowly travelled upwards

to the mirror.

i wanted to know

why it was pink, i guess.

and then when i looked in the mirror,

i just didn't

recognize myself?

i swallowed, hard.

my tongue was heavy, and my throat was dry. that was weird, wasn't it?

hadn't i just

had something wet in my mouth?

something

like

...

no, sorry.

something like...

a toothbrush? yeah, a toothbrush.

where did it...?

anyways,

it tastes minty.

it doesn't taste like i just...

and the world zoomed out again, so fast it almost made me nauseous.

and

in the mirror,

it was

me at 16, staring right back at me with dull grey eyes

big shirt and no pants, the little rascal.

fresh scars all over.

must've been hot that day, i guess.

and... it was

holding a pill bottle

and

those

bright pink pills

were

spilled into my hand.

how strange.

the bathroom got far away again.

everything except for the mirror.

and then

it was

me at 12,

frantically bandaging my arm with a blank expression

and tear tracks on my face.

crumpled up tissues all over the place,

the blood and water turning them a lovely shade of pink.

two people were talking outside the bathroom, muffled voices.

were they angry? what were they saying?

i feel scared.

i listened close,

straining my ears

and

before i could think

the bathroom zoomed away again

and

it was

me at 6,

locked into the bathroom

since my door didn't have a lock

and i wanted to be alone

and

i was

crying so hard i couldn't breathe, because

i just didn't understand what i was doing wrong, and

i didnt understand why i was bad, and

that badness made people yell at me, or

why them hugging me hurt, when it was

just because they loved me, and

i was supposed to be grateful, or

why everything was so loud and bright, and

why the clothing i used to like, i just couldn't

wear anymore, because

it was rough and had tags,

but they didn't understand, so i had to

lie and say i just liked leggings, or

why i was

never good at being a girl.

why i was never like the other girls.

and why

i have to try harder, for it to work.

i have to

wear skirts, and

make the right faces, and

be shy, and

sit still, and

follow *all* the rules.

...

even if i

don't understand what the rules are, and

they scare me, and

i just don't understand, i don't

i don't

please, don't

i'm sorry, i don't

i didn't mean to

...

i just didn't make a very good girl, is all. and

there was something else...

oh. right.

my favorite color was green,

but i had to like

the color

pink.

...

.....

.......

and when i wake up on the unforgiving tile floor,

i am cold, and

my ass hurts like all hell.

must've sat on my tailbone, i guess.

my whole body is weak and shaking, and

my stomach feels weird. everything feels pretty weird, honestly.

and my back aches

like i'd been leaning over something all day, or walked a few miles.

i blink.

hard. and

i can see a constellation inside my eyelids.

it's beautiful.

and

i get up, and

i look in the mirror, and

i'm half afraid of what i'll see,

half burning with curiosity.

but

it's just me again.

and

my gums are bleeding.

and

it's pink.

[joonassildre]

New graphic novel - "Värviline Mägi"/"Colorful Mägi". Estonian first modernist painter, Konrad Mägi, lived quite a colorful life and put his experiences and visited places into his art. I put his life between covers. (2023, Konrad Mägi Sihtasutus)

[celepom]

Favourite Non-Fiction / Bio Graphic Novels of 2022

When I Grow Up: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers by Ken Krimstein

When I Grow Up is New Yorker cartoonist Ken Krimstein’s new graphic nonfiction book, based on six of hundreds of newly discovered, never-before-published autobiographies of Eastern European Jewish teens on the brink of WWII—found in 2017 hidden in a Lithuanian church cellar. These autobiographies, long thought destroyed by the Nazis, were written as entries for three competitions held in Eastern Europe in the 1930s, just before the horror of the Holocaust forever altered the lives of the young people who wrote them. In When I Grow Up, Krimstein shows us the stories of these six young men and women in riveting, almost cinematic narratives, full of humor, yearning, ambition, and all the angst of the teenage years. It’s as if half a dozen new Anne Frank stories have suddenly come to light, framed by the dramatic story of the documents’ rediscovery. Beautifully illustrated, heart-wrenching, and bursting with life, When I Grow Up reveals how the tragedy that is about to befall these young people could easily happen again, to any of us, if we don’t learn to listen to the voices from the past.

Finding Joy by Gary Andrews

When his wife, Joy, died very suddenly, a daily drawing became the way Gary Andrews dealt with his grief. From learning how to juggle his kids' playdates and single-handedly organising Christmas, to getting used to the empty side of the bed, Gary's honest and often hilarious illustrations have touched the hearts of thousands on social media. Finding Joy is the story of how one family learned to live again after tragedy.

Flung Out of Space by Grace Ellis & Hannah Templer

A fictional and complex portrait of bestselling author Patricia Highsmith caught up in the longing that would inspire her queer classic,  The Price of Salt Flung Out of Space is both a love letter to the essential lesbian novel, The Price of Salt, and an examination of its notorious author, Patricia Highsmith. Veteran comics creators Grace Ellis and Hannah Templer have teamed up to tell this story through Highsmith’s eyes—reimagining the events that inspired her to write the story that would become a foundational piece of queer literature. Flung Out of Space opens with Pat begrudgingly writing low-brow comics. A drinker, a smoker, and a hater of life, Pat knows she can do better. Her brain churns with images of the great novel she could and should be writing—what will eventually be Strangers on a Train— which would later be adapted into a classic film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951.   At the same time, Pat, a lesbian consumed with self-loathing, is in and out of conversion therapy, leaving a trail of sexual conquests and broken hearts in her wake. However, one of those very affairs and a chance encounter in a department store give Pat the idea for her soon-to-be beloved tale of homosexual love that was the first of its kind—it gave the lesbian protagonists a happy ending.   This is not just the story behind a classic queer book, but of a queer artist who was deeply flawed. It’s a comic about what it was like to write comics in the 1950s, but also about what it means to be a writer at any time in history, struggling to find your voice.     Author Grace Ellis contextualizes Patricia Highsmith as both an unintentional queer icon and a figure whose problematic views and noted anti-Semitism have cemented her controversial legacy. Highsmith’s life imitated her art with results as devastating as the plot twists that brought her fame and fortune.

My Brain is Different: Stories of ADHD and Other Developmental Disorders by MONNZUSU

In this manga essay anthology, follow the true stories of nine people (including the illustrator) navigating life with developmental disorders and disabilities. This intimate manga anthology is about the struggles and successes of individuals learning to navigate daily life with a developmental disorder. The comics follow the stories of nine people, including: a junior high dropout finding an alternate path to education; a former "troublesome" child helping kids at a support school; a so-called problem child realizing the beauty of his own unique quirks; and a man falling in love with the world with the help of a new medication. This book illustrates the anxieties and triumphs of people living in a world not quite built with them in mind.

Ten Days in a Mad-House by Brad Ricca, Courtney Sieh, Nellie Bly

Beautifully adapted and rendered through piercing illustrations by acclaimed creators Brad Ricca and Courtney Sieh, Nellie Bly’s complete, true-to-life 19th-century investigation of Blackwell Asylum captures a groundbreaking moment in history and reveals a haunting and timely glimpse at the starting point for conversations on mental health. “I said I could and I would. And I did.” While working for Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper in 1887, Nellie Bly began an undercover investigation into the local Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell Island. Intent on seeing what life was like on the inside, Bly fooled trained physicians into thinking she was insane—a task too easily achieved—and had herself committed. In her ten days at the asylum, Bly witnessed horrifying conditions: the food was inedible, the women were forced into labor for the staff, the nurses and doctors were cruel or indifferent, and many of the women held there had no mental disorder of any kind. Now adapted into graphic novel form by Brad​ Ricca and vividly rendered with beautiful and haunting illustrations by Courtney Sieh, Bly’s bold venture is given new life and meaning. Her fearless investigation into the living conditions at the Blackwell Asylum forever changed the field of journalism. A timely reminder to take notice of forgotten populations, Ten Days in a Mad-House warns us what happens when we look away.

So Much for Love: How I Survived a Toxic Relationship by Sophie Lambda

Part memoir, part self-help book, So Much Bad For Love guides readers with honesty and humor through how to spot, cope with, and ultimately survive a romantic relationship with a malignant narcissist. Sophie had always been cynical about love—until she meets Marcus. His affection and doting praise melt away her defenses. The beginning of their relationship was a whirlwind romance, but over time she finds herself on uneven footing. Marcus lies. He's violently angry and bewilderingly inconsistent. Yet somehow he always manages to explain away his behavior and to convince Sophie that it's all in her head. Sophie comes to realize that she's become trapped in a cycle of abuse with someone with narcissistic personality disorder. Once she gets out of the relationship, Sophie documents the experience in this bracing, hilarious, and empathetic graphic novel that's full of advice to readers who may be in similar straits.

[cinemaobscura]

My Friend Dahmer (2017) dir. Marc Meyers

[welldonekhushi]

The Maharaj

Introducing you all, the Maharaj from my comic "The Legend of Ratangarh"! He is a ghastly entity, who seeks revenge over those who wronged over him in the past.

The Maharaj's strength is unmatched for some reason. It's unbelievable to a normal human being for him to gain such abilities. His name and history is quite unknown, like his existence among other people. But, it seems like the village Ratangarh is somewhat connected to his presence.

THEME SONG

STRENGTH AND ABILITIES:

Being a ghost, he is equally blessed, and cursed by the purpose and supreme abilities he's bound to, depending on the vengeful energy. He summons his powers through a spell, called "Blessing Of The Paranormal" which activates the following abilities:

Royal Blood: The King's abilities include creating clones from his own blood. The drops of blood that fall on the ground, and turn into multiple clones at the same time.

Death Blade: With his trusty sword, the King is able to eliminate multiple targets at once with his sharp blade, through tremendous speed, reflexes. His presence also becomes invisible in the process, and can kill a group of thousands or more with this ability.

Bite of Death: Not a spell to be cast, but the King is able to feast on other's flesh as a source of regeneration. Even if the King cannot possibly die, he takes up a monstrous form to eat the flesh of his enemies, as a signature to haunt their dreams or remind them of their untimely death under his hands.

Super Speed and Reflexes: The King is able to sense threats, even from a far distance, and dodge them accordingly, and is able to react even quicker than a normal human being. The abilities he achieved were abnormal in nature after his death, something unachievable to a normal human being itself.

[atthequillsmercy]

Lenni Reviews: "Shrink: Story of a Fat Girl", by Rachel M. Thomas

(Image Source) *This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Rachael Thomas tells the story of how it has felt to live in a fat body through her young life and her weight loss journey. I love how the art works with the words. This is what makes graphic novel biographies so interesting to me. The medium really lends itself to evoking emotions that perhaps wouldn’t have come through…

[half-a-life]

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp is a museum in Antwerp, Belgium, founded in 1810, that houses a collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings from the fourteenth to the twentieth centuries. This collection is representative of the artistic production and the taste of art enthusiasts in Antwerp, Belgium and the Northern and Southern Netherlands since the 15th century.

James Sidney Edouard, Baron Ensor (13 April 1860 – 19 November 1949) was a Belgian painter and printmaker, an important influence on expressionism and surrealism who lived in Ostend for most of his life. He was associated with the artistic group Les XX.

Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp

Antwerp, Belgium 🇧🇪

[queer-book-society]

Title: My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness

Author(s): Kabi Nagata, Jocelyne Allen (Translator)

Description: My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is an honest and heartfelt look at one young woman’s exploration of her sexuality, mental well-being, and growing up in our modern age. Told using expressive artwork that invokes both laughter and tears, this moving and highly entertaining single volume depicts not only the artist’s burgeoning sexuality, but many other personal aspects of her life that will resonate with readers.

[nitewrighter]

Okay Superman: Space Age is definitely in my top 5 Superman comics of all time.

[smokefalls]

When you land in hell, you need the will to survive. You need something like a lifeline that’s connecting you to hope. So that you don’t go crazy. So that you can keep breathing when one day feels like ten years. When basic instinct takes over instead of reason, maybe you need to believe in a concept like love to bear everything.

Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, Grass (translated by Janet Hong)

[lakecountylibrary]

Read -> Reading -> To-Read: Black History Month Graphic Novel Round Up

Check out these awesome graphic novels reader's advisor Ashley has been picking up for Black History Month!

Read: Kindred by Octavia Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy

This graphic novel was adapted from the book Kindred by Octavia Butler. This story more recently has also been made into a TV series for Hulu. In this twisted tale, Dana is living in the 1970s when she begins having dizzy spells shake her to the core. These dizzy spells lead to her waking up in the 1800s helping a boy who she refers to as “Rufe.” While Dana is not sure what brings these spells on at first, she has an even harder time time trying to figure out how to make it stop.

Ms. Davis: A Graphic Biography by Sybille Titeux de la Croix, art by Amazing Ameziane

The story of Angela Davis is filled with resistance and unwillingness to accept unfair treatment and judgment. She is infamous for being a part of the FBI's Most Wanted List in 1971 due to an incident that occurred where she was accused as the main conspirator.

Reading her story as a graphic novel does not take away the seriousness of her story. I appreciate that the book provides explanations of key events; that is helpful if you are only hearing about some of the events for the first time, as I was. This book was a random find but it sent me down a research hole that made me want to learn more, and that is what any good book does.

Reading: Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound by Dave Chisholm

Miles Davis was an extremely talented musician. He thought outside of the box when it came to his music, so it is fitting that this graphic novel tells his story in an eclectic way.

The story begins as Miles has just gotten a piece of life-altering news in 1982. From there, he reminisces and begins telling his origin story. The artwork and illustrations of this graphic novel are beautiful. The colors truly jump off the page and speak to you, as clear as the words do. The funky art and the insight of Miles' fascinating yet tumultuous life make this book a true learning experience that explores the cool world of jazz and many of its legends.

To-Read: Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History by C.L.R. James, adapted by Nic Watts and Sakina Karimjee

This graphic novel details the Haitian Revolution led by Toussaint Louverture. This graphic novel is based on the play by C.L.R. James, produced in 1936. If you love history, and revolutions, this graphic novel my pique your interest.

See more of Ashley's recs