I’m convinced the surest sign of comics’ gradual (re-) infiltration of the mainstream consciousness isn’t the number of movies and TV shows based on them, but the casual inclusion of monthlies and graphic novels in newspaper review sections and holiday gift guides.

Okay, maybe not convinced. But I do find the steady rise interesting.

Back when I was writing Thought Balloons, I’d gleefully link to most any newspaper review because they were relatively rare. Now, comic-book reviews hold regular spots in many daily papers, from The Washington Times to the Harrisburg (Pa.) Patriot-News to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

What started me ruminating was two holiday book guides published over the weekend by The New York Times and the Denver Post.

The Times’ section features an article by Douglas Wolk that covers a lot of territory: Will Eisner’s New York: Life in the Big City; DMZ: On the Ground; Shenzhen: A Travelogue From China; Krazy & Ignatz: Shifting Sands Dusts Its Cheeks in Powdered Beauty; and Chicken With Plums.

The Post, meanwhile, gives us a “50 reads to wrap,” which breaks down its book recommendations by genre. Scattered throughout are listings for The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1, The Best American Comics 2006, The Fountain, Pride of Baghdad and The Walking Dead: The Best Defense.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 4th, 2006 at 8:41 am and is filed under Books, Comic Books, Graphic Novels, Pop Culture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.