I read three graphic novels on my flight back to the town I was born in, racing through them as a distraction to keep my mind off the real purpose of my trip. They were as diverse as could be: Halo: Uprising, a sci-fi thriller tied in to the popular videogame; Invincible: Who's the Boss?, a wildly fun superhero adventure series; and Bayou, a brilliantly told tale of racism in the old south through the eyes of a little girl who sees monsters in the marshy land surrounding her home. Each was exquisite in its own way. Moreover, each was a perfect antidote to my sadness. For a couple of hours, cooped up in a plane, I forgot about my worries and just enjoyed three good stories, three really enjoyable books.

Oddly enough, I couldn't help but think about how reading graphic novels has changed. It wasn't that long ago that I would have been embarrassed to be seen reading "just a comic" in public. That might say a lot more about me than it does about our cultural perceptions towards graphic novels, but still. The point was driven home even more by the fact that my dad never liked comics all that much and only begrudgingly allowed me to bring them into the home growing up (he was never actively opposed to them too much, but I always knew that, given the choice, he'd opt for me to grow out of them at some point). I didn't grow out of them, nor did they stop me from reading straight prose, something I think my dad grew to appreciate: If comics fueled my love for reading, all reading, they couldn't be all that bad. He came around.

Back at my mom's house, with all the family gathered in mourning, I had two comics-related events to share. Because I had never played the Halo videogame and wanted to have some background on it before I reviewed the book, I asked my 15-year-old nephew to give me some information. He did, and then some--- I got a 20-minute crash course in the game, and my head is still spinning. Afterward, he picked up the Halo graphic novel and started reading, carefully sharing with me how the details of the ships, the alien races, and the weaponry were done right-the graphic novel had captured the details of the game accurately and well. He pronounced the book "cool," which I think is high praise.

The second came from another nephew. He's 8, and he's hooked on the show Wolverine and the X-Men. Really hooked. Some might say obsessed. He has a lot of questions for me (like "Is Emma Frost a stronger telepath than Psylocke?" and questions about characters' powers that test not only my comics knowledge but also my understanding of physics). I think a next-generation comics fan has been created, and I was more than happy to encourage it with a copy of a reprint of Giant-Size X-Men #1. I figured he needed to see where the team he's so fond of got its new start.

If the content of this update is a little bit lighter this time, I hope you'll understand that I took the entire past week to honor and celebrate the life of my father. And know that there's a lot more coming soon on the site, so be sure to keep checking in to see what we're up to.

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The American Booksellers Association reveals what's hot right now in graphic novels and manga at indie bookstores around the country.

The summer blazes on, with more graphic novels being released. Keep updated on what's available now (and what you definitely don't want to miss) by checking our feature for the best new books in the categories of Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, Teen, Tween, and Kids.

Gankutsuou by Mahiro Maeda and Yura Ariwara
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. Reviewed by Courtney Kraft

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
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. Reviewed by William Jones

Stud's Terkel's Working by Harvey Pekar; edited by Paul Buhle
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. Reviewed by William Jones

Invincible, Volume 10: Who's the Boss? by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Cliff Rathburn
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. Reviewed by John Hogan

Joey Fly, Private Eye in Creepy Crawly Crime by Aaron Reynolds and Neil Numberman
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. Reviewed by Brigid Alverson

Leave It to PET! Vol. 1 by Kenji Sonishi
Forget bottle rockets. How about trying bottle robots on for size?! But can Noboru really afford to simply "leave it to PET"? Reviewed by Casey Brienza

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Question:

Writer Maureen Burdock shares in her Op-Ed this time her thoughts on where graphic novels and manga should be shelved in bookstores. Now we want to hear from you! Where do you think they should be placed?