Sunday's New York Times Book Review featured Art Spiegelman's In the Shadow of No Towers (see 'In the Shadow of No Towers') as its cover story, a new level of prominence for a comic work in the most influential publication for America's literati.  The New York Times has previously given graphic novels cover treatment on its magazine (see 'Cover Story on Graphic Novels in NY Times Magazine').

 

The release of the book on the third anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and its treatment by the Book Review reflect the fact that comics are now treated as serious art, not only by their creators, but by the most august members of the literary establishment. 

 

In the Shadow of No Towers is already #6 on Amazon's bestseller list, and seems destined to hit the NY Times Bestseller List as well (where Persepolis 2, another intensely personal comic work, is #17 on the non-fiction hardcover list).