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Jeremy Love's American Style
Writer and artist Jeremy Love discusses his beautifully done series Bayou and explains its historical roots, as well as his inspiration for creating the story.
Passion Under the Sun
Nicole Chaison finds a little inspiration from Joseph Campbell, a superstar football player, and the epic battles of heroes throughout history. But what she makes of that inspiration is instead one of the funniest memoirs out there.
Lunch Is Served
Jarrett J. Krosoczka created a fun new kids’ character with Lunch Lady, his heroine du jour for solving classic school crimes.
Flood Lines
Writer A. David Lewis explains how he and his coauthor came to be inspired by the many flood myths that permeate so many different human cultures, and how that inspiration in turn led to the gorgeous comic series Some New Kind of Slaughter.
Making UDON
UDON’s manga line recently debuted, making a huge impact with its new releases, translations of popular Japanese manga aimed specifically at kids ages 7 to 12. This long-ignored market is getting some special attention with this new line.
If You Were a Graphic Novel, Where Would You Live?
Where should graphic novels be shelved in bookstores? With similar genres, with other graphic novels, or elsewhere? Here’s one view on the issue.
The Call
Bestselling author Gregg Hurwitz (The Crime Writer, Last Shot) explains how he came to write his childhood antihero, the Punisher. And he gives you a chance to enter a contest related to his new thriller, Trust No One!
Teaching Something New
Teacher Leigh Brodsky tells how she started incorporating graphic novels into the classroom—and what kind of reaction she got when she told her supervisor that she wanted to teach them.
Reteaching the Watchmen
John C. Weaver, an English teacher at Williamsport Area High School in Pennsylvania, first documented his experiences teaching Watchmen in his classroom. Now he's back to tell us what he learned, what he'll do differently next time, and what worked well with his students.
Words, Pictures, and Learning to Read
Phil Yeh is a writer and the creator of the educational Dinosaurs Across graphic novel series from NBM Publishing. He also started a literacy tour nearly a quarter of a century ago, a tour that has taken all over the globe. Here, he writes of his experiences in the industry and how graphic novels could properly be used to help teach both children and adults.
Joe Hill
The acclaim for Joe Hill’s work continues! His bestselling series Locke and Key has just been nominated for two Eisner Awards: Best Limited Series and Best Writer. Now, get to meet Hill yourself in our Behind the Scenes interview. Plus, don’t miss our review of Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft. And while you’re at it, look for the new monthly Locke and Key series on sale right now.
Jason M. Burns
Jason M. Burns is an award-winning writer (A Dummy’s Guide to Danger, Curse of the Were-Woman, and The Expendable One) and has recently been named the editor-in-chief of the newly formed Outlaw Entertainment (some titles: Praetorian, Imaginary Friends, Hat Trick, and Jenna Blue). As a publisher and writer himself, Jason had a lot of background in the industry, and he shared his thoughts on collecting (and what he’d like to add to his collection) in this interview.
James Sturm
James Sturm, the director of the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont, reveals his background as a comics collector, a passion that helped him create his new book, Adventures in Cartooning.
Lance Fensterman
Lance Fensterman, the vice president of BookExpo America, New York Comic Con, New York Anime Fest, and more, talks comics.
Top sellers from Quest Comic Shop in Carollton, GA.
The American Booksellers Association's semiannual listing of the top sellers at independent bookstores across the country.
With three locations in the Detroit area, Comic City is a comics fan's dream. Here are their top sellers for the past week.
Challengers Comics + Conversation is a Chicago-area comic book store that strives to be unique and wonderful for everyone who loves comics. Owners Patrick Brower and W. Dal Bush have fostered an environment of creativity and laidback charm that their customers love to experience. Here’s what’s selling there now, as well as comments from some of Challengers' customers.
Meet James, the owner of Isotope Comics in San Francisco, and find out what's hot at his store this week.
Elementary Schools, Libraries and Comics
What do elementary librarians face today as they try to bring comics and manga into their schools? We talk to a diverse group of librarians to see what's going on, what's working, what's not, and what they've learned.
Adapting Prose to Comics
Beyond the original content the graphic novel and manga industries create year after year, a burgeoning marketplace has formed for adaptations of prose literature. Whether they are current ongoing series, literary classics, or modern books looking to reach a broader audience, comics adaptations are catching on with readers as well as bringing new people to the format. We talked to several pros to find out what they do and how it works.
Graphic Novels in Today's Libraries
How are graphic novels viewed in libraries across the country today? While attitudes toward graphic novels and manga are changing, and librarians were among the first to change them, we wanted to learn more about how the formats are received and perceived today. So we asked some librarians to share their experiences. Their responses were fascinating.
Find out what graphic novels and manga are coming up in the months ahead. Check here for a list of new titles coming soon.
Cinema turns to graphic novels for great inspiration! See what's headed to a movie theater near you, and find out what's coming on DVD.
Find out which works have gained the respect and admiration of the industry. These award-winners are the best of the best.
Our Picks
We reveal our 10 favorites of 2008. Also, see what others selected as their favorites of the year.
Invincible, Volume 10: Who's the Boss?
Probably the most fun and endearing superhero series being published today, Invincible continues its run with a new collection of the monthly books. This time out, the hero is faced with the dark realization that the organization he’s been working for may not be as wonderful as he had been led to believe…and he’s not happy about that at all.
Halo: Uprising
Building on the enormous phenomenon of the video game, Halo: Uprising is an action-packed story of humanity’s struggle against an invading horde of aliens. Familiarity with the game would probably aid the reader’s enjoyment of this book, but it’s surprisingly unnecessary: The book is fun with or without previous exposure to the storyline.
Bayou
Magical realism gets a new turn in the fantastically evocative Bayou, an epic journey through our southern history of racism and oppression filled with the hope and optimism that only a child can deliver.
A Look at the Indies
We're pleased to bring you a new listing of current graphic bestsellers, this time courtesy of our friends at the American Booksellers Association. The ABA's list of the top 25 graphic novels and manga covers what's selling right now at independent bookstores across the country, so it's an interesting look at what people are buying and reading. The list covers sales over the past two months. We'll continue to bring you the ABA's lists as they're released; look for the next one to come in November.
New Superman-Batman Video Coming
A new DCU animated movie is on its way, another continuation of the popular series begun for both Superman and Batman in the 1990s. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is coming from executive producer Bruce Timm, director Sam Liu, and writer Stan Berkowitz. In it, President Lex Luthor (voiced by Clancy Brown) puts a bounty on the heads of both Superman and Batman (Tim Daly and Kevin Conroy, respectively), and both heroes must avoid being hunted down by other heroes and villains alike. And then there's a Kryptonite meteor headed toward earth that the pair must deal with as well.
The Warriors Come to the iPhone
I have decidedly mixed emotions about the news that the Dabel Brothers and iVerse have made The Warriors available for download on the iPhone and iPod, as well as Google's Android Mobile Devices. On the one hand, the graphic adaptation of the movie, which was an adaptation of the book by Sol Yurick, is pretty darn cool (it's written by David Atchison and drawn by Chris Dibari and will be available for download on July 15).
V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta is another certified classic by living comics legend Alan Moore. A masked man, V, carries out an anarchistic war against a totalitarian state in a fantastic book that questions terrorism, patriotism, oppression, and heroism.
The Walking Dead Compendium, Vol. 1
When the dead come back to life, take cover. In a series that pays homage to the great zombie films and stories of the past, Robert Kirkman finds new ground to tread on while creating a rip-roaringly good fun series.
Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft
Settle in for a very scary treat. Locke and Key is nailbiting suspense of the highest order, a creepy tour through a house haunted by many creepy things.
Air, Vol. 1: Letters from Lost Countries
Thinking she's on another routine flight, a flight attendant named Blythe meets Zayn and finds herself drawn into a strange new world of conspiracy theories, alternate reality, and genuine weirdness. The fun is in trying to keep up with the odd plot and figure out where this boldly intriguing series is going next.
You'll Never Know
C. Tyler goes in search of her father’s past, despite the fact that he’s reticent to reveal what he went through in World War II. She finds enormous insight into the mind of one member of the Greatest Generation.
Stud's Terkel's Working: A Graphic Adaptation
Harvey Pekar’s adaptation of Studs Terkel’s Working is nothing short of brilliant. It remains true to the oral history source material while presenting a fresh look for a new generation.
Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea
From his humble beginnings to his bloody battle to lead Mongolia, the life of Genghis Khan is explored in an epic thriller for adults.
The Passion of the Hausfrau
Nicole Chaison combines comics, prose, and footnotes for a scathingly funny memoir about motherhood and wifedom.
Side B
The personal response we all have to music, and the heartfelt ways it can touch us, is explored in the indie release Side B. Covering all types of music, not to mention all types of writers and illustrators, the collection is a sprawling tribute to the music that moves us all.
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, Vol. 1
This is Alexandre Dumas’s classic tale of The Count of Monte Cristo as you’ve never seen it before. Set in a futuristic, sci-fi setting, this book recasts the Count as a charismatic aristocrat from the far reaches of the galaxy. Having been falsely imprisoned 25 years ago, he’s returning to Earth to exact his revenge on those who destroyed his life.
Yokai Doctor
Yokai are little spirits and, until now, who knew they ever got sick? That's what a Yokai Doctor is for, it turns out!
13th Boy, Vol. 1
Hee-So has developed unreciprocated crushes on twelve boys. But it is the thirteenth boy who will be her first true love…and her last.
Venus Capriccio
Best friends Takami and Akira have been playing the piano together since childhood. After Takami gets dumped by yet another boyfriend, she looks to Akira for help; but he tells her something she wasn’t ever expecting to hear. Could it be that the perfect guy has been by Takami’s side this whole time?
Dinosaur Hour, Vol. 1
Who would have thought that Jurassic Park could be such a fun-filled playland? If dinosaurs really were as wacky as the ones featured in Dinosaur Hour!, it’s no wonder they went extinct!
Leave It to PET! Vol. 1
Forget bottle rockets. How about trying bottle robots on for size?! But can Noboru really afford to simply “leave it to PET”?
Joey Fly, Private Eye in Creepy Crawly Crime
A six-legged detective and his scorpion sidekick set out to find a stolen pencil box in this clever spoof of private-eye movies. While some of the references may go over kids’ heads, the humor in this book is broad enough to appeal to all readers.
Swans in Space
Corona is just your average overachieving sixth-grader until the day she is recruited to join Space Patrol. Now she flies around in a swan-shaped boat, scooping up spilled Martian papayas and straightening out slacker aliens in this colorful, supercute kids’ manga.
Ninja Baseball Kyuma
He is a lone ninja honing his skills in the mountains and waiting to be sent to battle. They are a ragtag baseball team with a gaping hole in their lineup. Throw in a cute dog, and you’ve got a great summer manga.
