The Wonders of Daniel Clowes & Ghost World.

After reading a couple of his novels now I had to post about him because the man is a genius. No he really is! If you haven't heard of him before take a read and learn a little bit about Daniel Clowes.

Clowes is a graphic novelist whose comic Ghost World  is one which is still circling the cult scene today, despite being published in 1997. A work so popular it was made into a film version in 2001.

The comic depicts the life of two teenagers as they try and come to terms with what they want to do in their lives. Both being best friends, they begin to drift apart and develop tensions. The two friends, Enid and Rebecca, enjoy cynicism together, and often wander around criticising what they see. 

It's amazing how Clowes manages to encapsulate the teenage lifestyle. His artwork is equally stunning and the wit he puts into the writing draws you into his little animated world. Who would have thought of putting real life into a sarcastic cartoon and pulling it off? I have no idea how Clowes managed to do it but it definitely works.

Both the film and graphic novel of Ghost World are absolutely fantastic. A little different to the usual action packed graphic novels or the Marvel comics you'd usually see on a Waterstones shelf.

If you're unsure of graphic novels and want to give them a try then the work of Daniel Clowes is easy to get into. I'd recommend reading the novel of Ghost World before watching the film though; as the original (in this case the book) is always the best.

Have you watched the film Ghost World or read the graphic novel? What are your favourite graphic novels?

Alice
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