Sometimes I read a comic or graphic novel and I'm just baffled that it isn't more popular. Like, how is this not being talked about everywhere? What makes certain amazing works stay underappreciated while other, sometimes lesser works, get all the attention?
I was thinking about "The Wicked + The Divine" - it had a cult following but never reached the mainstream popularity I think it deserved. Or "Saga" which is popular but honestly should be as big as any major TV show or movie franchise given how good it is.
What comics or graphic novels do you think should be more popular than they are? And why do you think they haven't broken through to a wider audience? Is it marketing? Distribution? Just bad timing?
This is such an interesting question. I think The Wicked + The Divine" is a perfect example of a comic that should be more popular than it is. The concept is so clever - gods as pop stars - and the execution is brilliant. The art is consistently stunning and the characters are so well-developed. I think maybe it was too niche? Like, you really need to be into both mythology and pop culture to fully appreciate it.
Another one that baffles me is "Monstress." It's won awards and has a dedicated fanbase, but I feel like it should be as big as something like "Game of Thrones." The worldbuilding is incredible, the art is breathtaking, and the story is this epic fantasy with mostly female characters that's doing something really different with the genre. Maybe it's the horror elements that put some people off?
I also think "The Many Deaths of Laila Starr" should have been a much bigger deal. It's such a beautiful, philosophical story with stunning art. I wonder if it just came out at the wrong time or didn't get the marketing push it deserved.
I think a lot of it comes down to marketing and distribution. There are so many amazing comics coming out every month that it's easy for even the really good ones to get lost in the noise. The Nice House on the Lake" is a perfect example - it's one of the best horror comics I've read in years, but I feel like it didn't get the promotion it deserved.
Another factor might be that some comics are just ahead of their time. "Paper Girls" came out before the whole 80s nostalgia trend really took off, and by the time the TV adaptation happened, maybe the moment had passed? Which is a shame because the comics are so good.
I also wonder if some comics are just too ambitious for their own good. "Saga" is incredibly popular within the comics community, but I feel like it should be a mainstream phenomenon. Maybe the fact that it's an ongoing series with frequent hiatuses makes it harder for new readers to jump in?
As someone who comes from the film world, I think part of the problem is that comics still have this stigma of being just for kids" or "just superheroes." When I recommend "Maus" or "Fun Home" or "My Favorite Thing is Monsters" to my film friends, they're often surprised by how sophisticated and emotionally complex they are.
I think "Blankets" by Craig Thompson is a perfect example of a graphic novel that should be more popular. It's this beautiful, heartfelt coming-of-age story that anyone who's ever been a teenager can relate to. But I feel like it's still seen as a "comic book" rather than literature.
Another one is "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi. It won awards and was adapted into a movie, but I'm still surprised by how many people haven't read it. It's such an important book about growing up during the Iranian Revolution, and the way she uses the comics form to tell her story is masterful.
From an academic perspective, I think there are several factors at play. First, the comics industry is still dominated by superheroes, which creates a perception that all comics are like that. Second, there's the issue of distribution - most people buy comics from specialty shops rather than bookstores, which limits their reach.
Jimmy Corrigan" by Chris Ware is a perfect example of a comic that should be more popular. It's a masterpiece of the form - the way Ware uses page layouts, color, and pacing to explore themes of loneliness and family is revolutionary. But it's also a difficult, emotionally challenging book that doesn't offer easy answers.
Another one is "Here" by Richard McGuire. It's this brilliant experiment in storytelling that tells the history of a single corner of a room across millions of years. It should be studied in creative writing and art classes everywhere, but I feel like it's still relatively unknown outside of comics circles.
I think part of the problem is that comics are still fighting for legitimacy as an art form. Even though we've had graphic novels winning Pulitzer Prizes, there's still this sense that they're not "real" literature.
I think streaming has actually helped some comics get more attention, but it's a double-edged sword. When a comic gets adapted into a show or movie, it can bring in new readers, but it can also create this perception that the comic is just source material rather than a work of art in its own right.
Paper Girls" is a perfect example. The TV show was good (though it got canceled too soon), but I feel like it didn't bring as many new readers to the comics as it should have. Maybe because people felt like they'd already experienced the story?
Another factor might be that some comics are just too weird or experimental for mainstream audiences. "The Wicked + The Divine" has this very specific aesthetic and tone that might not appeal to everyone. And "Saga," while accessible, deals with some pretty adult themes that might make it harder to recommend to casual readers.
I do think things are getting better though. With more graphic novels being stocked in regular bookstores and libraries, there's more opportunity for people to discover these amazing works.