Maus (1986)

Maus, Art Spiegelman's groundbreaking graphic novel, redefined the boundaries of the comic book medium and became a cultural phenomenon. Its stark, black-and-white imagery, depicting Jews as mice and Nazis as cats, delivered a powerful and deeply personal narrative of the Holocaust. The Pulitzer Prize-winning work was special for its innovative storytelling, using anthropomorphism to explore complex themes of trauma, memory, and family relationships. Maus had a profound impact, elevating graphic novels to a respected literary form and sparking important conversations about history and representation. People fondly remember its raw emotional honesty and its ability to make a horrific event accessible and understandable. It played a significant role in Holocaust education and challenged conventional notions of what comics could achieve.