Nicola’s done it again! Here’s the next installment in her guides to the graphic novels:

Pulp was a word originally used to describe “the periodicals of the 1880s to the 1950s made from the cheapest pulpwood paper, the word came to have an expanded meaning; a dependence on formula and genre…literature concerned with sensation and escape.” (From The Encyclopedia of pulp fiction writers) Here, I’m using it to describe graphic novels that fall into ‘pulp’ genres: Western, crime, adventure, science fiction, and fantasy. So how are these books different from other graphic novels dealing with the same subjects? I’d say that ‘new pulp’ has a certain feel to it; they mostly focus on action and adventure rather than character development. That’s not a criticism: sometimes you just want to see a cowgirl shoot a zombie in the face. They are fantastic escapist reading. Although a reoccurring concept that pulp novels made popular was the “hardboiled” genre: a tough, cynical and realistic story set in a certain genre like western or noir.

One could argue that the Marvel/DC comics are ‘pulp’ but I think that, true to the original spirit of pulp comics, the graphic novels that I’ve described as ‘pulp’ come from smaller, more marginal publishers as the originals did.

Blake & Mortimer series

Blake and Mortimer are two British secret agents who fight against all sorts of nefarious international organizations. It started out in the Tintin Magazine, which explains the similar feel. In fact, Blake & Mortimer works as a rather more ‘grown up’ version of Tintin, although its plots sometimes have that rather ridiculous feel. The plot of the first volume, The Yellow M, involves the theft of the crown jewels. There aren’t any female characters apart from the obligatory stalwart housekeeper, although this is because the censorship laws were very strict! That being said, this series is a great, retro, escapist glimpse into very English world where men with great moustaches and drink tea while pondering their next move against the dastardly forces. Hilariously, though, the writer was actually Belgian.

The Rainbow Orchid: The Adventures of Julius Chancer, Garen Ewing

The Rainbow Orchid is an updated take on the adventure comics like Tintin and Blake & Mortimer. It keeps to the spirit of the originals, but without the sexism and racism that often marred a modern reader’s enjoyment of the original series. Again the drawing style is very familiar; it’s known as ‘ligne clarie’ (French for Clear line). There’s a certain uniformity to the way characters are drawn and shadow isn’t represented at all. It’s a very ‘cartoon’ style but it certainly works in this context! The story follows Julius Chancer, a historical researcher following the trail of the titular orchid, which takes him all over the world and into the path of some very dangerous people. It’s entertaining and fun.

The Sixth Gun, Cullen Bunn

For something a littler grittier, take a look at the series The Sixth Gun. This is an action packed Western with zombies and black magic and pretty awesome female lead. Becky lives quietly with her stepfather until a group of thugs come to collect something he’s been hiding; the sixth gun, a magical weapon that is reputed to have been one of six guns forged by the Devil himself. Finding herself pursued by otherworldly forces, Becky has no choice but ally herself to Drake Sinclair, a man who wants the guns for his own purposes…

Bloody Chester, J. T. Petty

Also a Western, but this one has a very different feel. Chester Kates is a teenager living on the fringe of society in the West. He takes a job to burn a deserted town to make way for the railroad, but it turns out to be not so deserted… Bloody Chester is as much about human frailty and greed, and shares a bleak cynicism with the works of Raymond Chandler, one of the greatest pulp writers of all time (and a writer that you should definitely look up if you enjoy this graphic novel). If I had to describe it, I would say it’s a “hardboiled Western.”

Superheroes and fantastical worlds aren’t the only things that are depicted in graphic novels. They’re also a great way to explore the ‘harder’ issues that real life throws up at us. Sometimes they’re a realistic, straightforward depiction of events and problems; other times they’re more allegorical. Some inspiring, some heart-rending, all of them well worth reading. Here are Nicola’s picks for the best graphic novels set in the real world:

When the Wind Blows, Raymond Briggs

Last year this graphic novel celebrated its twentieth birthday. Depicting an elderly couple’s response to a nuclear attack, it manages to feel as relevant today as it did when it was published, during the tail end of the Cold War. It is utterly heartbreaking, and probably is one of the most affecting graphic novels ever produced. Hilda and Jim seem not to comprehend the situation; they’re perfect stand-ins for ordinary people caught in events out of their control.

The Arrival, Shaun Tan

There’s no dialogue in The Arrival, but Shaun Tan’s art more than carries the story. A man flees his homeland, leaving his wife and child behind. He struggles to adjust in a new place, eventually finding happiness and a sort of peace. This isn’t a land you’ve ever seen before; buildings twist into strange shapes and oddly shaped creatures live as pets and pests in a forest of a city. This doesn’t detract from the central theme, however. In a strange way, by removing it from a recognisable setting, Tan makes the story more universal.

The Resistance series, Carla Jablonski

If your homeland was invaded and occupied, what would you do? Would you fight for your country? Or would you say nothing and try to carry on? This series tells of a group of siblings growing up in a small town during the Nazi Occupation of France. They struggle to answer these questions, as the lines between enemy and friend become ever more complicated. There are three books in this series; Resistance, Defiance and Victory.

Heart Transplant, Andrew H. Vachss

Sean is one of those kids who’s fallen through the cracks. He lives with his alcoholic mother and her dead-beat boyfriend, until their murder, which threatens to isolate him more. He finds a home with his mother’s boyfriend’s father “Pop”, and learns to defend himself against bullies. Right at the beginning of this graphic novel, Sean rejects the Hollywood outsider-gains-respect narrative. He doesn’t finish off the book being any more popular than he is. That’s not what this book is about. Instead, Pop helps him learn the hard lessons about being a man, and not letting the darkness inside you destroy your future.

Fax from Sarajevo : a story of survival, Joe Kubert

The siege of Sarajevo lasted from 1992 to 1996, making it one of the longest sieges in the history of modern warfare. Thousands were killed in the siege, which part of the Bosnian war. This book is based off faxes a man called Ervin Rustemagic sent his friends, which detail the brutal conditions his family have to endure. Starvation, danger from snipers and mortar fire destroy any chance of a normal life for the citizens of Sarajevo. This is a fascinating book about modern conflict.

Fantasy has never been more popular; these days you can’t turn around without falling over a book about vampires or werewolves or zombies. With these recommendations, though, Nicola was looking for something a little different than your average urban fantasy. Graphic novels are brilliant at bringing such worlds to life; often the true nature of the world depicted is shown in the background of the action. And so without further ado, these are Nicola’s picks for the best fantastical graphic novels:

Girl Genius, Kaja Boglio

Girl Genius started life (and continues) as a webcomic. But if flicking through its not inconsiderable archives (it started in 2005) doesn’t appeal, you can take out the books in our collection. Set in an alternate history Steampunk Europe, which is currently under the control of the mighty Wulfenbach Empire. Into this falls Agatha, a teenage girl with almost magical powers of invention and the last scion of a great family. The scale of this world is almost indescribable; one really gets the sense that there’s a massive world beyond the page. This is certainly one of the best developed worlds in fiction.

Castle Waiting, Linda Medley

At the end of Sleeping Beauty, what happens to the castle? This graphic novel attempts to answer that question; the thorn forest persists, and the castle itself becomes a sanctuary to all sorts of odd people. The world is heavily based on fairytales, but it’s not limited by that. There are hints of darkness beneath the stories of lost princesses and noble woodcutters. Outside the warm and comforting walls of the castle is a real world, one scarred by war and disease. But this graphic novel never loses its gentle tone of optimism and kindness.

City in the Desert, Moro Rogers

Many fantasy settings start off with a premise that monsters are real; often those monsters are hidden from everyday life. In City in the Desert, however, monsters are out in the open and hunting them is the only real occupation that pays a decent wage any more. The desert setting seems to be unique, as well, which is always a good thing! Again, the world is fully developed. A nice touch is having the main characters, Irro and Hari, often in conflict with their society; they’re not big heroes, they’re two people who are trying to make their way in an often hostile world.

Tales from Outer Suburbia, Shaun Tan

You could make an argument that this is “urban fantasy”; in fact, it’s there in the title. However, this is a series of oddly realistic tales about the strange things that happen in the ‘burbs. The stories are narrated in a rather matter of fact way, but the subject matter lifts it beyond your average fantasy story; the helpful water buffalo in the long grass in a deserted lot, or a strange man in an old fashioned diving suit. The art is gorgeous. Shaun Tan is Australian, and the art is evocative of that baked-dryness of Australian summers, although perhaps this little book could be set anywhere. It’s not only a unique book in our collection, it’s one of my favourite graphic novels of all time.