The Best American Comics 2006

Guest editor Harvey Pekar kicks off this first-ever edition of Best American Comics, although "comics" is hardly a fitting description of the thoughtful, bizarre, hilarious, and poignant stories told here, all in the form of graphic narration. The 30 pieces include work from Kim Deitch, Alison Bechdel, Joe Sacco, Chris Ware, Jaime Hernandez, Rick Geary, Jesse Reklaw, Lynda Barry, and R. Crumb. Since its inception in 1915, the Best American series has become the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. For each volume, a series editor reviews hundreds of periodicals from the previous year, then selects between 50 and 100 outstanding works. Then the guest editor—a recognized expert in the field—pares the choice down to the twenty or so very best pieces.