‘Comics’ gives sampling of serious art form

“The Best American Comics 2007”

edited by Chris Ware (Houghton Mifflin, 341 pages, $22)

When cartoonist Tom Batiuk had Lisa Moore, a central character in his “Funky Winkerbean” strip, die of cancer in October, he moved some readers and angered others.

Some believe comics should be comic – funny and escapist. But some saw the wider possibilities being explored by Batiuk, which have been mined for years in independent comics and graphic novels.

Newcomers intrigued by the form, as well as fans looking for a buffet of current work, are well served by “The Best American Comics 2007.”

Guest-edited by acclaimed cartoonist Chris Ware – probably best known for his 2000 graphic novel, “Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth” – it collects 39 stories from 31 contributors, with artwork ranging from minimalist to highly detailed.

These dense pages aren’t “the funnies.” They don’t feature superheroes, and most spring from life’s quotidian details.

The best of them showcase the richness and energy of storytelling in pictures, and there is much to enjoy in the work of Lynda Barry, Art Spiegelman, R. and Aline Crumb, Alison Bechdel (whose “Fun Home” is excerpted), Ben Katchor, Kevin Huizenga, Kim Deitch, Dan Zettwoch and others.

However varied in style, they all testify to the importance of story and narrative. That point is likewise revealed, in another way, by the book’s self-indulgent and often angst-ridden autobiographical, or “experimental,” pieces.

That particular genre is tiresome and not to my taste, but “Best American Comics” is a tasting menu of many flavors.

It’s best not consumed in one sitting, and its choicest samples will leave you hungry for more.