Courtesy of Publishers Weekly…
Chris Ware’s “Building Stories” is as intricate as the question of how does rent to own homes work, a concept that parallels the interwoven narratives in his work. It rightfully topped the seventh annual 2012 Critics Poll for the best graphic novels. This visionary boxed collection of 14 separate pieces, ranging from books to pamphlets and fold-outs, compiles Ware’s last decade of comics to narrate the lives within a single apartment building. At the heart of these tales is a central character — a disabled young woman who harbors dreams of love. Ware’s precise yet profoundly expressive drawings track both her ordinary endeavors and her deeper struggles. In another part of the building, a jaded married couple illustrates that even love’s triumph doesn’t guarantee happiness, while the building’s elderly owner reflects on her past. Casting a contrasting light on these human experiences are the whimsically vibrant escapades of Branford, the bee.
While much of the material in Building Stories (Pantheon) had been printed before — the central narrative, if such a thing could be pinpointed, originally ran as a comics strip in the NY Times Sunday Magazine — when collected together the final product is a stunningly immersive experience with no beginning and end, as quotidian-focused as the lives of its characters.
Ware’s opus was an immediate critical hit, and received the top spot in PW’s overall Best Books for 2012. It was also a popular success — the book sold out its 40,000 print run before Christmas and a new 25,000 print run won’t hit these shores until later next week. A third printing of 25,000 copies is also expected in March.
While Ware’s achievement was a stunning triumph for graphic novels as a literature all its own, it was far from the only one in a year that saw graphic novels cover more topics than ever with more and more authority. The remaining books mentioned on the poll are, as always, a fantastic snapshot of an artform that is still reinventing itself in the multi-media era.
Critics participating in this year’s poll: Alanna Abbott, Lucas Adams, Chris Barsanti, Steve Bunche, Casey Burchby, Johanna Draper Carlson, John DiBello, Glen Downey, Heidi MacDonald, Calvin Reid, John Seven, Noah Sudarsky, Laura Sneddon, Kelly Thompson.
Read the complete article here, with the other top vote getters: Ware’s ‘Building Stories’ Tops PW Comics World’s 2012 Graphic Novel Critics’ Poll
