Visiting bookstores is one of my favorite parts of any trip. I'll make time to see the cultural highlights of Dublin (that's a long list, and I've carefully honed it over the past several weeks), but I doubt I'll be able to walk by many bookstores without going in. That's always been a thing I do in any city I visit. You tend to meet the best people there.

And I spend more time fretting about which books to bring on any vacation than I ever do about the clothes I bring. Clothes are simple. Everything I'm bringing on this trip will fit into one carry-on bag. The books, though, are gonna weigh me down. But I'd rather have too much to read than not enough (or the wrong book).

I'm glad to have this newest update of GNR done before I leave. There's a lot of great stuff going on, and we're all doing our best to keep bringing it to you. I think you'll enjoy Christian Zabriskie's in-depth look at classic comics that have now been rereleased. The major reason these new editions of long-out-of-print works are being printed now, it seems, is the major cultural impact comics are having right now. They're everywhere, getting more and more respect in classrooms and libraries, on TV and the movies, and in all areas of society. There's still a long way to go in the work for acceptance on a mainstream level, but comics and manga are making the long journey now. And because of it, people are turning to comics history to see its early days. These are the works that inspired and impacted the artists and writers working today.

When I get back from Ireland, I'll be anxious to see the new Wolverine movie. Just to whet your appetite for that, take a look at Barry Lyga's Wolverine: Worst Day Ever, a blog-style graphic novel told from the viewpoint of a student at Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. We've got a preview up on the site, which should tide you over till opening day (don't miss Lyga's GNR interview either).

I'll be back with a new newsletter about GNR's next update on May 6, along with some stories of Irish comic stores. In the meantime, I hope you'll let me know what you think of the site's content (send me an email or leave comments on the web).

Happy reading!

John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)

C.M. Butzer
C.M. Butzer worked an astounding amount of research into an extraordinary visual treat, Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel. Going to great lengths to pay tribute to this moment in our national history, he's created a unique historical work in the graphic format.

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There's a New Iron Man Coming

Look for The Photographer

That's in Print?!: Key Graphic Classics Now Available
Without the current renaissance in graphics publishing, older and odder gems would wallow in obscurity. Fortunately, in this new market, numerous publishers are exploring some of the more obscure texts from the history of comics. These reprints are from rare materials that previously have been largely inaccessible to most comics devotees. These new editions save these masterworks from obscurity and allow new generations to have access to them.

Stephen King's The Dark Tower: Treachery by Peter David, Robin Furth, Jae Lee, and Richard Isanove
Dark Tower: Treachery is a gathering of the third six-issue story arc of this masterful, enthralling effort, a tale of dark valor, casual violence, misguided passion, foul murder, and (of course) treachery.

Speak of the Devil by Gilbert Hernandez
A challenging work that confronts the reader with difficult topics and presents them in a juxtaposed art style, Speak of the Devil is the newest work from Gilbert Hernandez. This black-and-white story tackles multiple themes with a dark and surprising manner.

Higurashi When They Cry, Volumes 1 and 2 by Ryukishi07 and Karin Suzuragi
The first two volumes of Higurashi When They Cry, collectively titled the "Abducted by Demons Arc," take an ordinary shounen romantic comedy and transform it into something deliciously --- and unforgettably --- frightful.

Honey Hunt, Volume 1 by Miki Aihara
Honey Hunt is an appealing, diverting romp through the trials and travails of show business and teenage romance. Veteran creator Miki Aihara delivers with attractive artwork and handsome characters.

Wolverine: Prodigal Son by Anthony Johnston and Wilson Tortosa
Wolverine: Prodigal Son is a new take on the classic X-Man. Logan is a teen boy, having been raised in a dojo in the Canadian woods. Frustrated with being cooped up, he wins his sensei's challenge for a chance to explore more of the world. What he discovers there could unveil his mysterious origins or destroy everyone he knows and loves.

Fantastic Four: World's Greatest by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch
This collection is one that will almost certainly appeal to longtime fans. But just like the classic Kirby/Lee run, Fantastic Four: World's Greatest is also accessible to new readers.

Superman: Past and Future
Superman has always been a hero for the ages. This collection proves how true that is, reprinting stories from Superman's decades of comics history, all taking place in various points in the time stream. The Man of Steel translates in any period he finds himself in, thankfully.

Momo Tama, Volume 1 by Nanae Chrono
Nanae Chrono delivers once again with Momo Tama, a fun-filled romp starring a diminutive boy prince of ogres who somehow ends up in bed with --- no, make that enrolled with --- the ancestral enemy of his people.

Benny and Penny: The Big No-No! by Geoffrey Hayes
Benny and Penny sneak into a new neighbor's garden and accidentally wreck her mudpies, then scurry into the tall grass to hide. The situation descends into mudslinging, literally, but Geoffrey Hayes's supercute art and charmingly human characters keep the story light.

• Yes, I really want to.
• Yes, I would like to but do not think the devices are good enough to do this yet.
• Yes, I'm looking forward to having both print and electronic options.
• Yes, but only if print isn't an option.
• I already do.
• No, never.
• I'm still undecided.
• I don't know.