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From the American Library Association website<\/a>, Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community,- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types,- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.<\/p>\nBooks are challenged and banned at schools and public libraries all over the United States. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.<\/p>\n
This year there is a special focus on graphic novels. For those of you unfamiliar with this format, a graphic novel is essentially comics bound into a trade paperback format. Many people don’t understand that the comic format can be used to tell complex stories that deal with adult themes. This leads to many misunderstandings where a parent assumes a graphic novel is appropriate for a child, even if shelved in the adult section of a library, because it’s just a comic book, how bad can it be?<\/p>\n
When I was young, like elementary school and early junior high, I read the occasional comic book. My Mom would sometimes buy me an Archie, Misty, or Dakota North book at the grocery store. I knew other comic books existed, like Superman and Batman, but I didn’t really have any interest. Overall I had no real interest in comics.<\/p>\n
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Then one day in high school a friend had this odd book with him. It was a thin, with a leather cover that had an odd gold key on it. When I expressed an interest, he asked if I liked comics. I said they were okay. And that’s when he loaned me the graphic novel Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnesby Neil Gaimen.<\/p>\n
It collected Sandmanissues 1-8. I read it in one sitting and it turned my mind inside out. It had visuals that repulsed me (and still do), but writing that was compelling. It created a world, and characters, I’d never experienced before, and it did it through the medium of comics. After that I was sold. First I had to make sure I was on top of the Sandmanseries. Then fortunately as an adult I found a comic store who had an owner with a real knack for finding exactly what I would like. Now I have a large graphic novel collection that yes, even has some Batman in it.<\/p>\n
Now I learn that a large selection of my favorite graphic novels have been banned or challenged and that really concerns me. Not only do these books have literary value in their own right, I feel graphic novels are a great gateway reading device for kids and teenagers who may have lost their love of reading or have yet to develop it. Keeping the age appropriate ones available in schools is of upmost importance and keeping the others available in public libraries is just, well, kick ass. <\/p>\n
Banned and Challenged Comics<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Amazing Spider-Man: Revelationsby J. Michael Straczynski, John Romita, Jr., and Scott Hanna If you want to help defend challenged comics and graphic novels, consider donating to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBatman: The Dark Knight Strikes Againby Frank Miller and Lynn Varley
\nBatman: The Killing Jokeby Alan Moore and Brian Boland
\nBlanketsby Craig Thompson
\nBoneby Jeff Smith
\nDragon Ballby Akira Toriyama
\nFun Homeby Alison Bechdel
\nIce Havenby Daniel Clowes
\nIn The Night Kitchenby Maurice Sendak
\nLeague of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossierby Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill
\nMausby Art Spiegelman
\nNeonomiconby Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows
\nPersepolisby Marjane Satrapi
\nPride of Baghdadby Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon
\nSandmanby Neil Gaiman and various artists
\nSideScrollersby Matthew Loux
\nStuck in the Middle, edited by Ariel Schrag
\nStuck Rubber Babyby Howard Cruse
\nTank Girlby Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett
\nThe Color of Earthby Kim Dong Hwa
\nWatchmenby Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons<\/p>\n