IT'S A BIRD...by Steven T. Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen
DC/Vertigo
People throw around the words 'graphic novel' a lot these days, and the definition of what that truly is has gotten a little hazy.
In my opinion, there have been very few true graphic novels, at least from mainstream comic book publishers like DC or Marvel. More often than not, what they're really talking about is a collection of monthly comics repackaged in a larger book form.
But every once and a while, one of the traditional comic book publishers puts out something like IT'S A BIRD..., which is not only a true graphic novel, but one of the most interesting, challenging, and beautiful stories I've read over the years.
The writing is delicate and multi-layered, the art is stunning, and the story is genuinely touching. It's the semi-autobiographical story of a comic book writer who is asked to take over writing one of the Superman titles. But that's just the starting off point. Seagle and Kristiansen use this setup to explore health issues, the idea of a 'Superman', and the bonds of family.
I got a chance to talk to Steven T. Seagle at last weekend's NYC Comic Con and was ecstatic to discover that he and Teddy Kristiansen are working on another graphic novel together. It's called GENIUS and I literally can't wait for it to come out.
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