Would my fellow Americans know of any graphic novels written by American writers who, well, write about America. Hopefully this question is American enough, but I don’t trust the general population on this. I’m already familiar with Maus, so no need to recommend that one.
For reference, Alan Moore is one of my favorite authors (Yes, I know he’s English), period, so that may give you an idea of my tastes.
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Mäus by Art Spiegelman
I’m actually not quite sure about how graphic novels work. Do comic books count? Ot does it have to be a novel that is adapted to comic form?
honestly you’d likely get better opinions from a graphic novel community. They would probably know more about which artists are American, than the American community would.
As far as graphic novels go, I can’t even name that many. Invincible, Watchmen, Scott Pilgrim and Maus are the only ones I know, but no idea if they have American artists. I also know of Junji Ito but he’s obviously not American.
For non-superhero stuff, highly recommended Will Eisner’s Contract with God and The Heart of the Storm.
Rice Boy is one of my absolute favorites. Technically a webcomic, but it is buyable in physical graphic novel format since the story has completed.
I know lots of American written comic books, but I don’t any that are specifically about “America.”
Brian Michael Bendis has written some good crime graphic novels like Torso and Goldfish. RASL by Jeff Smith is sci fi adventure. Blankets by Craig Thompson is a memoir about young love. And there are countless American comic books collected as graphic novels.
*Local* by Brian Wood, *Kings In Disguise* by James Vance, *Love and Rockets*, *Blankets* by Craig Thompson, *Fun Home* by Alison Bechdel, *A Contract With God* by Will Eisner, maybe *Road to Perdition.*
There’s a LOT, really. Anything specific you’re looking for?
Fun Home is either a good one, or a self-centered piece of trash depending on who you ask. The music from the musical adaptation is good though.
I don’t know if it’ll be to your taste, but Bone by Jeff Smith is very well written and had gorgeous art.
9/11 Report Graphic Novel
I personally find “graphic novel” to be an unnecessary, snobby genteelism for “comic” but I do recognize that it has partially come to mean a kind of comic that is not released in the traditional floppy monthly format, so I’ll concede.
Look no further than reading “**Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth**” if you haven’t. It is hard to describe how incredibly this book captures both late 19th/early 20th, and early 21st century America. (the story alternates between them). This is a ‘graphic novel’ about America more or less. The story itself is nothing special; it’s a kind of bleak tale of generational paternal abandonment, but the visuals are so incredible.
Fables, Bone, Maus, Hellboy, Y The Last Man
Invincible is my favorite comic series of all time. If you like a more “traditional” super hero setting that explores their impact in a more serious way than simply resetting the board after every story, then check it out.
Watchmen for most of the same reasons above, but with a much darker and cynical tone.
The Boys, in a similar theme to those above, the comic also explores 2000s American culture and politics after 9/11 in a way that may feel somewhat dated now with some of its cultural attitudes and references. However it is a very good read and an authentic look at what life was like here around 15 years ago. Personally, I like the comics much better than the show, but I might be in the minority with that opinion.
Black Science if you like weird mind-bending Sci-Fi, and multiversal travel. It has amazing art, and is one of the most thematically depressing works I’ve ever read.
Annihilation 2006 arc from Marvel. Shit doesn’t change on 616 Earth, but they sure do in space. Amazing blend of superheroes and sci-fi in one of my favorite arcs in Marvel comics.