Plot
For the inaugural volume in Houghton's newest Best American Series annual, American Splendor auteur Pekar made the final selection of 30 pieces from 150 that comics maven Moore, who shows an impressive grasp of the current scene, culled from graphic novels, alternative newspapers, self-published minicomics, and the Web. The choices expectedly include the medium's most prominent names, all near the top of their form, but Moore also unearthed first-rate contributions from artists likely to be known only to the most dedicated comics mavens. There's nary a dud in the bunch, although Justin Hall's account of adventure travelers in Mexico, David Heatley's powerful portrait of his father, and Rebecca Dart's formally accomplished, wordless fantasy tale are especially outstanding. The tyros may be raw in spots, but they sit comfortably alongside their more accomplished colleagues, and the high standard this edition sets heightens expectations for future series installments and the talent they may introduce. Gordon Flagg
Contributors include Robert Crumb, Chris Ware, Kim Deitch, Jaime Hernandez, Alison Bechdel, Joe Sacco, and Lynda Barry—and unique discoveries such as Justin Hall, Esther Pearl Watson, and Lilli Carré