Graphic novels, long stories told in comics format, have enjoyed the fastest-growing sales of any category of book in the U.S. over the last four years. This modern renaissance of comics has produced a library of substantial works, whose subjects are not confined to superheroes or fantasy but are as varied and sophisticated as the best films and literature.
Graphic Novels presents an accessible, entertaining, and highly illustrated guide to the diversity of contemporary comics in book form. Featuring striking graphics and explanatory extracts from a wide range of graphic novels, the book examines the specific language of the comics medium; the history and pioneers of the form; recent masterpieces from Art Spiegelman's Maus to Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan; the impact of Japanese manga and European albums translated into English; how artists have overcome prejudices towards the genre; and the ambitious range of themes and issues artists are addressing, including childhood, war and survival, politics, the future, sexuality, and the supernatural.

Graphic Novels: Everything You Need to Know

Gravett, Paul

Arts & Photography

Harper Design

A fascinating overview of the history and influence of comics, ranging from the late 19th century to present-day graphic novels and the Internet The narrative possibilities of comics art and the accessibility of the form have made it one of the more innovative contemporary genres. Self-publishing and the Internet have given rise to new, autobiographical forms and an increasing number of authors draw from outside the mainstream, whether sexually, ethnically, or politically. In this richly illustrated and accessible survey, acclaimed author Paul Gravett considers the vast output of comics culture from the late 19th century to today, including syndicated comics, graphic novels, and contemporary art and illustration. From foundational masterpieces such as Rodolphe Topffer’s and Wilhelm Busch’s albums, George McManus’s Art Deco “Bringing Up Father,” and Alex Raymond’s “Flash Gordon” to the later retro stylings of Robert Crumb, Gravett considers lines of influence from around the world and examines how comics have shifted from supporting the status quo to becoming the voice of alternative subcultures. Gravett traces the major themes taking place in contemporary comics, noting the rise of publications that function as questioning, transgressive outlets for outsider stories and ideas, and includes the ways that folk art traditions are reinvigorating the form.

Comics Art

History & Criticism

Yale University Press

You won't believe your eyes... ...when you peek inside Holy Sh*t! at some of the wildest, most depraved stories ever told. These outrageous comics are guaranteed to offend and amuse! 
Some of the rare treasures you will encounter are Presidents who become muscle-bound superheroes, cavemen who fight giant tabby cats, and a peasant-girl who fervently worships the swastika. But . . . are you ready for Russia's busty bombshell Octobriana? What about getting your groove on with Mod Love? How about scaring your kid sister with the flesh-eating animals in The Barn of Fear? And if you can stomach these, you might want to try Amputee Love, Fatman the Human Flying Saucer, Tales of the Leather Nun, and many, many more.

Holy Sh*t!: The World's Weirdest Comic Books

Comics & Graphic Novels

Stanbury, Peter

Comic Strips

St.Martin's Press

An inaugural volume in a new series showcasing the most significant illustrators of the modern era, this book explores the satirical cartoons of Posy Simmonds.
Illustrator Posy Simmonds is known for her extraordinarily precise drawings, keen powers of observation, and sharp but well-tempered wit, all of which have made her an internationally renowned artist.
This generously illustrated book examines Simmonds’s life and work from early childhood to the present day, offering insights into her creative process. Paul Gravett has had unprecedented access to her archive and includes pages from her sketchbooks as well as rare or never-before-seen artwork. The portrait of Simmonds that emerges underlines her role as a keen chronicler and critic of contemporary British society―a storyteller who writes and illustrates with rare perception and humanity.
Posy Simmonds is one of the first titles in Thames &amp; Hudson’s new The Illustrators series, which celebrates illustration as an art form. The book will appeal to the many fans of Simmonds’s work, and anyone interested in illustration will adore this unrivaled exploration of a sophisticated innovator. Illustrated in color throughout

Posy Simmonds (The Illustrators) (The Illustrators, 2)

Biographies & Memoirs

Thames&Hudson

An insightful appreciation of the life and art of Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomin books, which are adored by children and adults across the globe. 
This book provides fresh insight into and a deep appreciation of the life and art of Tove Jansson (1914–2001), one of the most original, influential, and perennially enjoyed illustrators of the twentieth century. In this volume Paul Gravett examines Jansson’s highly successful Moomin books, as well as her interpretations of classics such as Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Hunting of the Snark, and J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. 
Born in Helsinki among Finland’s Swedish-speaking minority, Jansson was brought up with a love for making art and stories in a supportive, artistic family. Her first illustrated tales were published when she was fourteen years old and she went on to draw humorous and political cartoons as well as striking front covers for the satirical magazine Garm, in response to events in World War II. As she developed from art student to painter and muralist, and from bohemian to lesbian, she also created her Moomin world, which appeared in her first children’s book in 1945 and then in newspaper strips. Beyond this imaginative achievement, Jansson also wrote many novels, documented here along with personal commentaries from her own writings. 
A title in The Illustrators series, which celebrates illustration as an art form, Tove Jansson offers a visually rich view into the life and work of this much-loved artist and writer. Yes

Tove Jansson (The Illustrators) (The Illustrators, 8)

Individual Artists

A comprehensive visual survey of comic-art styles and themes throughout Japan and Asia
An exhaustive and visually engaging account, Mangasia charts the evolution of manga from its roots in late nineteenth-century Japan through the many and varied forms of comics, cartoons, and animation created throughout Asia for more than one hundred years.
World authority on comic art Paul Gravett details the evolving meanings of the myths and legends told and retold by manga artists of every decade and reveals the development and cross pollination of ideas between manga artists throughout Asia. He explores the explosion of creativity in manga after the Second World War and highlights how creators have responded to political events since 1950 in the form of propaganda, criticism, and commentary in manga magazines, comics, and books.
With maps, timelines, and reproductions from Japan, China, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, and Bangladesh, this book is the first to explain the significance of key themes, the meanings of embodied myths, and the connections between various manga traditions. 800+ illustrations, 500+ in color

Mangasia: The Definitive Guide to Asian Comics

Manga

Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK

It’s simplecomics are fun. Whether fifteen or fifty, we love sitting down with a comic book, losing ourselves in a universe filled with wonder and excitement. But comics offer much more than meets the eye, and in Comics Unmasked, Paul Gravett and John Harris Dunning look beyond the notion of comics as pleasure reading to focus on their inherently anarchic nature. Gravett and Dunning have combed the British Library’s extensive comic collection not only to explore the full potential of the medium but also to single out the critical points in history in which the art form challenged the status quo. Featuring newly discovered Victorian comics alongside some of the biggest names in comics today, including Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta), Neil Gaiman (Sandman), Mark Millar (Kick-Ass), and Grant Morrison (Batman: Arkham Asylum), Comics Unmasked explores the political and social issues raised by British comics and their creators over the last century, from violence and drugs to class and sexuality. Published to accompany a British Library exhibition that will be the United Kingdom’s largest exhibit of British comics to date, Comics Unmasked will delight comics enthusiasts around the world, offering them the chance to discover a differentperhaps darker sideof the medium.

Dunning, John Harris

Graphic Novels

British Library

It’s simple―comics are fun. Whether fifteen or fifty, we love sitting down with a comic book, losing ourselves in a universe filled with wonder and excitement. But comics offer much more than meets the eye, and in Comics Unmasked, Paul Gravett and John Harris Dunning look beyond the notion of comics as pleasure reading to focus on their inherently anarchic nature.             Gravett and Dunning have combed the British Library’s extensive comic collection not only to explore the full potential of the medium but also to single out the critical points in history in which the art form challenged the status quo. Featuring newly discovered Victorian comics alongside some of the biggest names in comics today, including Alan Moore (Watchmen, V for Vendetta), Neil Gaiman (Sandman), Mark Millar (Kick-Ass), and Grant Morrison (Batman: Arkham Asylum), Comics Unmasked explores the political and social issues raised by British comics and their creators over the last century, from violence and drugs to class and sexuality.             Published to accompany a British Library exhibition that will be the United Kingdom’s largest exhibit of British comics to date, Comics Unmasked will delight comics enthusiasts around the world, offering them the chance to discover a different―perhaps darker side―of the medium.

These are some of the slickest, moodiest, graphic short stories ever collected, from the mean streets and sin cities of crime. One of the only compilations of the crime comic genre, this volume contains 25 of the best graphic short stories and is fully loaded with some of the greatest writers and artists in comics. This collection includes Alan More, Neil Gaiman, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Johnny Craig, Alex Toth, Bernie Krigstein, Jack Cole, Jacques Tardi, Gianni De Luca, and Paul Grist. This, for sure, is one offer you can’t refuse!

The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics

Running Press Adult

Read by millions, British comics are world-famous. And for more than a quarter of a century, Britain’s writers and artists have had a significant influence on the American comic-book scene, revitalizing standards from Batman to X-Men and originating uniquely British characters of their own, such as Modesty Blaise and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Now, in a feast of cartoon graphics, Great British Comics celebrates the UK’s comic heroes, offering an invaluable resource for enthusiasts and collectors. Divided into themed chapters, and ranging from the 1920s to the 1990s, it charts the careers of all the familiar favorites. Featuring lively, informative text, Great British Comics is copiously illustrated with comic book covers, pages, and annuals, as well as toys, collectibles, and memorabilia. Paul Gravett, who has curated numerous exhibitions of comic art, is also the author of Manga: Sixty Years of Japanese Comics and Graphic Novels: Everything You Need to Know.

Great British Comics: Celebrating a Century of Ripping Yarns and Wizard Wheezes

Aurum Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Gravett, Paul. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Gravett, Paul

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Gravett, Paul. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Graphic Novels: Everything You Need to Know

Comics Art

Holy Sh*t!: The World's Weirdest Comic Books

Posy Simmonds (The Illustrators) (The Illustrators, 2)

Tove Jansson (The Illustrators) (The Illustrators, 8)

Mangasia: The Definitive Guide to Asian Comics

Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK

Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK

The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics

Great British Comics: Celebrating a Century of Ripping Yarns and Wizard Wheezes