Did you know that this is National Library Week? I have to admit, I didn’t know until last week, when Carol told me about it and also about her own efforts to keep one of the libraries in her hometown open (read the whole story here). Carol’s story resonated with me, because I too was a “library kid.” My mom made weekly trips to the library and picked up books for herself and my dad, and I always tagged along and got my own. My mom was also a volunteer at my grade school’s library. Going to the library was as much a part of my childhood as going to the arcade or toy store.

In the long-ago time of my childhood, comics weren’t a big part of my local library (which was in Sioux City, Iowa). I still remember stumbling across a Superman novel, a movie tie-in that I rushed to check out. But back then, comics were not something to be found in a library…or at least I thought. Today, I marvel at the comics and manga opportunities a reader can find. What libraries have done is nothing short of amazing: Librarians have helped (along with teachers) elevate the discussion on comics to a whole new field. They’ve conferred respect onto the format and helped increase their relevance in our culture. So I hope you’ll join me this week (and in future weeks) and support the library near you. Click here for details on how you can reach out to elected officials to express how you feel about libraries. They can use your help, and they definitely deserve it.

The theme for this year’s National Library Week is “Communities thrive at your library,” and the honorary chair of the week is none other than Neil Gaiman. Neil hosted an Internet event on Monday, April 12, to kick off the week. Also, let’s not forget that April is School Library Month, and with comics making ever-greater in-roads in schools and libraries both, this seems like a perfect time to recognize both.

Speaking of people who are doing great literary work for the comics community, I want to point out that Reading With Pictures, a nonprofit organization helping to put comics in the classroom, is releasing an anthology featuring work from such top creators as Fred Van Lente, Jeffery Brown, and Jill Thompson. To commemorate, we’re featuring a Behind the Scenes interview with RWP’s media director, Michael Moreci. Check out the interview and find out how you can support this worthy cause.

Also, one of our favorite teachers, John Weaver, returns this week for a new installment on how he’s using comics to further education at his school. In this case, however, instead of teaching a comic, he took his high school’s production of Faustus and used it as an opportunity to make a comic come alive. What John does in his classwork (which he’s shared with GNR readers a few times now) is always amazing to me and often makes me wish I had a teacher like him when I was in high school. I think you’ll agree and maybe even get some great ideas from what he has to say.

I also want to mention an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in breaking into the field of comics. We're all big fans of First Second here at GNR, and its editorial director, Mark Siegel, is a true talent in his field. So it's a one-of-a-kind chance to get to hear him speak about what it takes to be a writer in comics. He's doing just that at the Florida Center for the Literary Arts at Miami Dade College. It's an intensive, four-day course that he's putting on taking place in early May. If you have the opportunity to go, and you want to learn from a true pro, this is your chance. Don't miss it.

Happy reading!

John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)

Upcoming Graphic Novel Content for Teachers and Librarians
GN-related content at this week's Texas Library Association in San Antonio

Two Important Upcoming Events in NYC
MoCCA Fest and Kids and Comics

Coming Soon: Books Pubbing Shortly

Zombies Hit the Small Screen
The Walking Dead is coming to TV, and the lead has just been announced.

Dark Entries by Ian Rankin and Werther Dell'Edera
Dark Entries may not impress quite as much as Vertigo Crime's other co-launch title, Filthy Rich, but it's definitely quite a bit different. Both the writing of Ian Rankin and art of Werther Dell'Edera can be a bit loose, but despite its flimsy premise, Dark Entries is a fun read. Reviewed by William Jones

MySpace Dark Horse Presents, Vol. 4 by Gilbert Hernandez, Joss Whedon, Mike Mignola, et al.
The fourth collection of comic shorts from a variety of Dark Horse creators, such as Mike Mignola, Joss Whedon, and Gilbert Hernandez, all of which originally ran on myspace.com/darkhorsepresents. Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith

Halo: Helljumper by Peter David and Eric Nguyen
In a tale that runs tangentially to the universe envisioned by the Halo series of video games, Peter David and Eric Nguyen explore the human aspect of a violent alien invasion with surprising success. Reviewed by Collin David

Absolute Boyfriend, Vol. 1-3 by Yuu Watase
It used to be that Riiko couldn't get a boyfriend. Now, when she orders herself one in a box, she gets more than she bargained for, including a very high bill. Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Black God, Vol. 7 by Dall-Young Lim and Sung-Woo Park
Black God comes to a dramatic climax in Volume 7, but the rush is far from over. Kuro and her bonded friend Keita learn the psychotic Hiyou's ultimate plan, which could destroy the world unless they stop him. Meanwhile, Kakuma desperately tries to find a human to contract with in order to save Makana from a band of tribal ends who will use her power to break the seal of the world's last soul stone. Reviewed by Courtney Kraft

Zig and Wikki: Something Ate My Homework by Nadja Spiegelman and Trade Loeffler
Will Zig and Wikki learn about the food chain, or become part of it? Science and comics combine in this fun early reader from Toon Books. Reviewed by Brigid Alverson

City of Spies by Susan Kim and Pascal Dizin
With the world at war, even kids have to watch out for Nazi spies. Two intrepid kids have an adventure in WWII-era New York City in the gorgeous City of Spies from First Second. Reviewed by Merideth Jenson-Benjamin