First things first: Who's ready for Comic-Con? San Diego is just around the corner, and I'm looking forward to it and the chance to catch up with lots of old and new friends. Carol and I will both be attending, and --- assuming I can master the technology (read on to see why I have no faith in technology at this point) --- we will be putting updates on Twitter, so even if you're not there, you can see what's going on at the Con by checking out our Twitter page.

We won't be updating the GNR site that week, so this will be the last major update until after the convention. After we return, though, we'll be back in full force, with lots of stories and interviews to share, more updates to our Core List for Booksellers (our manga lists are coming soon), and tons of reviews of new graphic novels.

As for why I am none too pleased with modern technology: This seemed to be one of those weeks where everything conspired against me. This past weekend, when everyone I knew was out celebrating the Fourth of July with barbecues and fireworks and various weekend excursions, I was home with a bug. Worse still, due to happenstance and life in Manhattan, I felt like I was trapped in a bygone age. You see, right around midnight on Friday, a fire broke out on the roof of my apartment building. It was a small fire, and even the ruckus it caused was an orderly affair: Everyone calmly exited the building, 911 was called, the fire trucks came (eight of them!), and everything was fine...or so it seemed. The fire caused no damage to the building or anyone in it, but it did burn through the cable wire. And for me, that meant a weekend at home sick on the couch with no cable and no Internet.

As I write this now --- well on the road to recovery but still without cable or Internet --- I'm reminded of how weird living in Manhattan can be. It turns out that the cable company can't just replace the burned cable (that would be far too simple, I guess). Instead, fixing the problem requires getting into a building two blocks away.

Why? I have no idea. These are just the way things work in New York City, I've come to find. When I first moved here, it took me three weeks to get phone service...not because I wasn't around, but because the phone company needed to get access to a building a block over, where the main line was, or something like that. I've never quite understood why; I've just learned to accept these things.

It actually wasn't so bad (and if I hadn't been sick, it would have been little more than a minor inconvenience). But still, it meant a rather unproductive weekend, albeit a blissfully quiet one where I got to do quaint, old-fashioned things like watch DVDs and just read. I managed to catch up on quite a bit of reading, actually. You'll see some of what I read reflected in this update's reviews...and let me say that I was blown away by Neil Young's Greendale, a graphic adaptation of Young's album of the same name. It's done by writer Joshua Dysart and artist Cliff Chiang, and it's excellent. I give it a rave review, and I'll tell you here, check it out.

I also caught up on Irredeemable, Vol. 2, the second collection of Mark Waid's superhero-gone-very-bad series. Waid has a gift for making superhero comics both compelling and smart, and this volume continues that. I'm fascinated by what he's been able to do with this story of a Superman-like hero who becomes pure evil and sets out to wreak havoc and destruction wherever he can.

Another book I've been looking forward to catching up on was Trickster. I was eager to read the book because it was unique and it had a great angle: It's an anthology of Native American tales presented in comic book form. It's a fantastic idea, and it turns out the book lives up to its premise. When one of our writers, Danica Davidson, approached me about interviewing the editor of the anthology and one of the artists in the book, I was eager to see it happen. That interview turned out well, and you'll find it online now. Check it out and then check out Trickster, a great book that deserves a lot of attention.

I'm going to end this letter now, before my computer decides to crash or something. Hopefully by the time you read this I will be back online at home and able to do simple things like read emails and go on the web...but if not, I'm glad I've got the simple pleasures of reading great books and graphic novels to keep me thoroughly entertained.

Happy reading,

John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)

Artist Matt Dembicki and storyteller Michael Thompson talk about their work with Native American stories in Trickster. By Danica Davidson

Ryan Alexander-Tanner is the artist behind Dr. William Ayers' words in a new comic book called To Teach: The Journey, in Comics. He talks about the creation process behind the book here. By Katie Monnin

Gargoyles creator Greg Weisman explains how his animated show became a comics series. By Danica Davidson

After writing more than 40 novels, L.A. Banks comes out with her first graphic novel. By Danica Davidson

Our list of the essential graphic novels every bookseller should carry continues with a look at kids books! By John Hogan

Understanding Teaching Graphic Literature
Kent Allin began teaching a comics course in his high school, to great success. Here's how the course turned out, both from Kent's point of view and from that of two of his students.

We share news, updates, tips, personal observations, and more. Keep up-to-date by checking our blog entries.

Comic-Con Panel Update

Wonder Woman Gets a Makeover

An Important Message About Libraries

Hey, kids! We've got the books YOU want to read. There's something for everyone.

Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka
Bob and Jennifer and the new pet hamster at school look normal on the surface, but they're really aliens on a huge mission to earth. Unfortunately, the only one who knows the truth is fifth-grader Michael K., and try as he might, he can't get anyone to believe him in this funny and colorful first book in a new series by Jon Scieszka. Reviewed by John Hogan

Can't Lose You, Vol. 1-3 by Wann
Yooi barely has any money and Lida is practically swimming in it. Because the girls look the same, Lisa hires Yooi as a body double, but fails to mention that there's an assassin after her. Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Kingdom of the Winds by Kimjin
A mixture of fact and fantasy, Kingdom of the Winds adds mystery to the historical characters King Yuri and Prince Muhuyl. Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Gain a little more understanding about the world of comics through these in-depth looks at the industry.

Comic Art Propaganda: A Graphic History by Fredrik Stromberg
This treasure trove of ideas and images is a must-own for libraries and comics scholars, not to mention everyday fans who wonder about what mischief their favorite medium has been up to over the decades. Reviewed by Peter Gutierrez