from Metanoia by Chartreuse and Rah.

Since I'm an artist and a writer, it's only natural that I think comics are the Jesus of entertainment.

When it comes to comics, I think part of the allure is the individual style, which is why I'm not partial to mainstream work. Most major comic productions have separate artists working on pencilling, inking, and coloring, with a guest to do the cover and other people involved in writing the script. That's great for them and all, but I like seeing a story unfold from the minds of one or two people. It's sharper and more emotional that way, just like fine art or novels, which are also traditionally solo or limited-involvement projects. That purity of vision is why I favor indie comics.

One of the most amazing aspects of indie comics is their ability to convey a subculture you've never been exposed to. Whether it's something imaginary, like the angelic mod squad in Metanoia, or something real that most of us don't see, like Brandon Graham's portrayal of taggers marking their existence on the chill iron of a railroad car in middle of the night.

from King City by Brandon Graham.

In mainstream American culture, comics are still regarded as entertainment for children or collectors' items for adults who never get laid. It's sad that such an evocative art form with so much storytelling potential gets cut out of the reading diet of the American public. Many people don't realize that comics are about more than superheroes, and the art isn't always KAPOW!-styled, brightly colored action shots.

My friend Naomi Nowak (not to be confused with Naomi Novik!), for example, creates work that appeals to quite a different audience than the superhero genre. Someone who appreciates fine art and an emotional, beautiful story will enjoy Naomi's graphic novel, House of Clay:

You can purchase House of Clay here.

from Sheldon Vella's website.

Sheldon Vella's work is vastly different from Naomi's, perhaps closer to the comicbooks most people imagine, but he uses comic exaggeration to create expressive, poignant characters and scenes. Even inanimate objects have a personality in Vella's world.

from Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

I'm also fond of manga (Japanese comics). Rather than the American corporate production model, Japanese comics have traditionally been created by one writer/artist or a circle of writer/artist friends who often collaborate. The Japanese are a little more progressive with copyright--if it's famous enough to have a doujinshi (fan comic) drawn about it, it's expected that the creature will be flattered rather than litigious.

Sometimes, when I'm not thinking clearly, I attempt to make comics myself. If your Google Fu is strong, you can humiliate me by seeking out my super-hiatused webcomics, but I'm not going to do it for you.