Why doesn’t Oprah support graphic novels?
Posted by: Rich Watson on April 28, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Ehhh… I guess that sorta kinda looks like her… if you squint at it… and look sideways…
Seriously, though, I’ve always felt that Oprah should include graphic novels as part of her Book Club. Between Marjane Satrapi, Marguerite Abouet, Alison Bechdel, Carla Speed McNeil, Lynda Barry and Spike alone, she’d have plenty of girl-power comics that would satisfy her and her legion of housewives. So why doesn’t she? I cannot believe she hasn’t gotten hip to graphic novels yet. Even if she doesn’t like them, she’d have to be aware of their growing cultural significance by now – if not she herself, then at least one of her advisers. I believe she’s missing a great opportunity.
Claudia April 28th, 2009
Hey, you score major points for this headline alone! I hope she takes notice… I can see her picking Maus or maybe Persepolis – but my money would be on Maus.
Rich Watson April 29th, 2009
As worthy as MAUS is, it’s also been written and talked about to death by now. I’d be interested to see what she thinks of something more recent, like FUN HOME or BLANKETS or BOX OFFICE POISON.
Claudia April 30th, 2009
I know, but that’s my point! If she did a GN, you know it would be a bona-fide classic that has been so picked over that it would be safe and not so controversial anymore. Can’t you see her and Art Spiegelman walking the streets together and talking about “just how amazing” comics are…wow! and they’re being written for adults now too? Then she’d have Michael Chabon on the show to provide additional commentary….ha ha.
Aya would be cool, though.
Rich Watson April 30th, 2009
Looking over her past selections, I see that she doesn’t just pick contemporary novels… so I suppose one could imagine that happening. But I think it’s likelier she’d go with an acclaimed woman creator.
