Graphic Novels #9

Reinhard Kleist's graphic biography of Johnny Cash arrives in this 2011 volume from Süddeutsche Zeitung's Graphic Novels line, its striking red-and-black cover depicting a brooding, dark-clad figure gripping a guitar — an image that perfectly captures Cash's commanding, introspective presence. Kleist's bold, high-contrast linework gives the portrait an almost cinematic weight, with shadows pooling dramatically around the man in black. A compelling addition to any graphic novel shelf, this is biography-as-art done with genuine craft and atmosphere.