The best comics of 2004
When Dave Eggers' literary periodical turned its attention to graphical storytelling in issue 13, guest editor Chris Ware made it the definitive survey of sophisticated comix at the dawn of the 21st century. The hardcover book is printed in full color and exquisitely designed by Ware, including a jacket that unfolds into a poster depicting the history of God, Man and Comix. No anthology has ever collected this many of the top North American cartooning talents, nor looked so gorgeous. Robert Crumb, Chester Brown, the Hernandez Brothers, Lynda Barry and Art Spiegelman are just a few of the contributors whose work mixes reprints with new material. Ware also makes sure to introduce a few unknown creators with potential. Loosely grouped into genres, including fiction, journalism, autobiography and the experimental, works are accompanied by comix-themed prosody from the likes of John Updike and Glen David Gold. Perfectly edited and designed to appeal to novices and comixcenti alike, "McSweeney's" #13 sets the stage for the comix of the future.