Book Review-Paying For It (2011), Graphic Novel by Chester Brown

I enjoy graphic novels. In the past I would say that the graphic novels I have read would be considered comic books in long form, where the illustrations were an integral part of the story and the overall reading experience. Examples would be X'ed out, by Charles Burns, The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, by Max Brooks (Illustrated by Ibraim Roberson) and the The Walking Dead Series by Robert Kirkman.

Paying For It, by Chester Brown is a graphic novel that documents the author's exploits over several years of paying prostitutes for sex.

As noted in the panel below from the book, Mr. Brown really didn't have the desire to have a girlfriend. He figured out that he really just wanted to have sex, without the emotional baggage of maintaining a long-term relationship.













What makes this graphic novel different than the examples I gave earlier in this review is that the story of the author's internal angst over paying for sex, the debates with his friends over this lifestyle and his opinion on the legalization of prostitution would stand alone in a traditional text format. But the illustrations serve to enhance the story, providing an enriched reading experience on a very intriguing subject.

If as a reader you haven't sampled the graphic novel genre, but enjoy a good debate over contemporary subjects like relationships and sex, I recommend Paying For It. Your emotions and mores will be challenged.

 Paying for It by Chester Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What makes Paying For It different than traditional graphic novels (what I call comic books in long form) is that the story of the author's internal angst over paying for sex, the debates with his friends over this lifestyle and his opinion on the legalization of prostitution would stand alone in a traditional text format. But the illustrations serve to enhance the story, providing an enriched reading experience on a very intriguing subject.

My full review: http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/09/boo...

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Book Review-The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks (2009), Graphic Novel by Max Brooks, Illustrated by Ibraim Roberson

I have just started getting into graphic novels. I am currently reading The Walking Dead Series, but recently finished The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks. Written
by Max Brooks as a companion piece to his very successful 2003 book, The Zombie Survival Guide (reviewed on my blog 1/15/11) , this graphic novel is illustrated by Ibraim Roberson.

The last section of The Zombie Survival Guide is dedicated to documenting historical Zombie attacks ranging from 60,000 B.C. in Katanda, Central Africa to 2002 A.D. in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Mr. Brooks chose several of these attacks to be highlighted in Recorded Attacks.

The book is illustrated in black and white. Ibraim Roberson's illustrations are very well done. I wish I had purchased Recorded Attacks at the same time as The Zombie Survival Guide, as the novel would have enhanced my reading experience.

I don't know if Mr. Brooks has plans to publish additional graphic novels, but certainly based on the quality of his first work, I would look forward to additions to his portfolio.


The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a graphic novel, this is a great companion book to the Zombie Survival Guide. I reviewed on my blog on January 17th, 2011. http://jiresell.blogspot.com/2011/01/boo...

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