Go into just about any bookstore from May through August and you're sure to find a table full of "summer reads" that fall into one of two categories. There's the "classics," books you've never read but probably should have, and there are the rolling mounds of cheap paperbacks by John Grisham, Danielle Steele and the usual "beach read" authors. Sometimes, neither option is appealing-"Catch 22" isn't exactly lighthearted summer fare, and there's a limit to how many tales of plucky young attorneys/ detectives/ heiresses one can read. There's a third option, though, one that's far more unique, entertaining and currently in vogue-comics. 
    If you're absolutely stuck on reading something "classic" over the summer, there's plenty of items in the comic book cannon to choose from. If you loved Batman Begins and Sin City, you'll want to check out "Batman: Year One" and any of the "Sin City" graphic novels by Frank Miller. "Year One" and "Sin City" are down and dirty crime stories, and both are an excellent introduction to some of Miller's definitive work. If "Year One" leaves you wanting more, check out "The Dark Knight Returns," Miller's take on the end of Batman's vigilante career. 
    For readers who want a sizeable tome to tear into, "V for Vendetta" by Alan Moore and David Lloyd is a prime selection. The story of rebellion in a dystopian England after a world war, "V" is being adapted for film by the Wachowski brothers (The Matrix) and will be released this November. One of Moore's most personal, emotional works, the story follows Evey, a young hooker who's rescued one rainy night by V, a masked crusader single-handedly taking on the fascist government ruling the U.K. "V" is a complex, thoughtful story; a lot of the book's central themes are sure to be lost in the translation to celluloid, so read the graphic novel now.
    Other classics worth checking out include DC Comics' library of the late Will Eisner's works. Eisner is widely considered to be the father of the modern graphic novel. Eisner's work often veers toward the autobiographical; a good place to start is "To the Heart of the Storm," Eisner's examination of his family's struggles with poverty and anti-Semitism during the Depression. It's a rich, detailed read-Eisner's ear for dialogue and an eye for detail are to be envied and admired. The last of Eisner's graphic novels is "The Plot," a history of the fictional "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," which he completed just before his death earlier this year.
    Your summer comics reading needn't be all serious, however. If this year's blockbusters in the theaters haven't given you enough bang for your buck, check out "The Losers." Published by Vertigo, "The Losers" follows the exploits of a team of Special Forces soldiers who were betrayed and left for dead in the Afghan desert by their CIA liaison, a rogue agent known only as Max. After making their way back to America, the group, led by the grizzled Col. Clay, sets out to find Max and get their revenge. Writer Andy Diggle and artist Jock pack more explosions, ass-kickings and double-crosses than you can shake a grenade at into a book that never fails to get the adrenaline pumping. Vertigo has published two paperback collections of the series so far, titled "Ante Up" and "Double Down."
    Finally, no summer reading list would be complete without drunk kung-fu gorillas. Fill in the gaps with "The Annotated Mantooth!" by Matt Fraction, Andy Kuhn and Tim Fisher. The slim volume, published by AiT/PlanetLar, collects the three "Rex Mantooth: Kung-fu Gorilla" stories produced by Fraction and company and also includes the original scripts and commentary by Fraction. Rex, the hardboiled, trash-talking, tuxedo-clad hero of the piece fights zombies, lesbian commandos and a horde of carnivorous baby ducks. There are robots, non-sequiturs abound, and readers can enjoy Rex's digression on his theory of "the erotic Shatner." Say what you want about other summer reads, but John Grisham sure as hell never wrote anything about monkeys and William Shatner.