“Marble Season,†by Gilbert Hernandez, arrives at No. 2 on our hardcover graphic books best-seller list this week. Mr. Hernandez is better known for his work on “Love and Rockets,†a critically acclaimed independent comic book series that he worked on primarily with his brother Jaime (and occasionally with their brother Mario). Confession time: “Love and Rockets†is beloved by many, but the parts of the sprawling tale that I’ve read have left me cold. “Marble Season†had the opposite effect. In this semi-autobiographical tale, Mr. Hernandez captures the wonder of childhood â€" the joy of imagination, an appreciation for comic books and all the ultimately petty but seemingly world-shattering trials and tribulations of friendships during that time in one’s life. The 120-page story is told in six-panel grids that reminded me of Sunday newspaper comic strips, which I devoured in my youth. “Marble Season†is published by Drawn & Quarterly.
As always, the complete best-seller lists can be found here, along with an explanation of how they were assembled.
