I'm not much of a name-dropper when it comes to celebrities. I've never been all that blown away by most of them, and living in New York City, you can see random celebrities almost more frequently than you see your closest friends. But I did see one recently who inspired the title of this newsletter: Martha Stewart. Her popular catchphrase seemed to perfectly sum up some of the "good things" making up this latest update.

First things first, though: We are back, as promised, with a full update after a very busy couple of weeks. When we left off last time were were in the middle of Book Expo America madness. I also was in what Carol calls "list recovery" after I completed the compilation and posting of two major efforts for GraphicNovelReporter: the Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer 2010 and the Core List for Retailers (scroll down for details on both). That pretty much made me an insane wreck before the last update, and as I'm just now recovering, I'm back with more content --- those "good things" I mentioned earlier).

The first good thing is the amazing new book How I Made It to Eighteen by Tracy White. Martha Stewart was just one of the many people who dropped by the recent book-release party for it. Tracy's story --- a fictionalized account of her very honest nonfiction history of going to a mental hospital when she was just 17 years old --- is incredibly powerful and moving. You can read an excerpt from the book here, and we'll be interviewing her on GNR very soon. Tracy's moving speech at the party was very poignant as she mentioned how she wished she could tell her teenage self that, indeed, things would work out fine, and, barring that, how she hopes someone else in a similar situation can look at the book and gain similar insight. It's never easy to tell your story, especially when it's a painful one, making Tracy's accomplishment with this book all the more wonderful.

And here's another good thing: Jeff Smith's Rasl. If you've been reading GNR regularly, you probably already know this series is one of my absolute favorites. I think it's brilliant in its mixing of sci-fi and human emotion --- it's the tale of an art thief/scientist who transverses parallel universes but also has caught the attention of some very terrible people. I had the pleasure of talking to Jeff Smith last week about the series, and I'm thrilled to present the interview here. Honestly, if you haven't tried Rasl yet, I encourage you to do so (the new pocket edition out this summer is the perfect jumping-on point). Aside from being a brilliant story, it's a nice independent effort from a good writer and artist.

There's plenty more good things to be excited about, including a list of what comics are coming your way soon, a peek at Captain America's movie costume, a chance to get to know one of comics' favorite consultants (and a regular GNR contributor) Peter Gutierrez, and much more. Scroll down, visit the site, and take a look...and get started on your summer reading. See you in two weeks with even more!

Happy reading,

John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)

Rasl Dazzle: The Jeff Smith Interview

Indie creator Jeff Smith's brilliant Rasl is a dimension-hopping adventure series. Here, Smith talks about how it came to be, what's going on in the world of Bone, and how Nikola Tesla continues to fuel some incredibly bizarre conspiracy theories. By John Hoganb

Our annual list of the Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer is sure to put some sizzle on your reading list. Check out what you can expect in the hot months ahead! By John Hogan

The Core List: Essential Graphic Novels for Booksellers

We've compiled the core list of essential graphic novels for booksellers who want to carry the format in their stores. Check out our list of adult, teen, and reference books now (and look for our kids' list, coming soon!). By John Hogan

Teaching Graphic Novels to Not-So-Young Adults

To earn my master's degree in English, I was required to read comics! At first, I thought this seminar course about graphic novels elementary, but the experience eventually transformed the way I teach literacy to high-school seniors. By Maureen Bakis

One of the most anticipated graphic novels of summer is Salem Brownstone. Get a sneak peek at the book, coming in July, right now in our preview.

News Galore! Awards Handed Out, A Manga Coalition Forms, and a New Contest You Can Enter

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

A Manga Coalition Is Formed

Smile Wins in Boston!

The Strand Welcomes Two Comics Stars

New Contest in Support of The Broadcast

Joe Shuster Awards Handed Out

From great science fiction to compelling drama to aching romance, dozens of reviews of top fiction titles are now online.

The Search for Smilin' Ed by Kim Deitch

What begins as one man's actual quest for information about an obscure TV personality slowly evolves into a deeply sinister, engrossing tale that folds in on itself in a surrealist web of fictionalized strangeness and anatomically correct cats. Reviewed by Collin David

Trickster: Native American Tales edited by Matt Dembicki

Twenty-one Native American stories are told by writers and artists with different visions and styles. Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Otodama: Voice from the Dead, Vol. 1 by Youka Nitta

Two friends-private investigator Hide and sound engineer Kaname-must use Kaname's ability to hear the dead to help the police solve a serial murder case. Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith

Teens love graphic novels, and we've got them covered in our in-depth reviews.

Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? by Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert

Neil Gaiman uses his talent to spin the "last Batman story" concept into something fun. Andy Kubert's art is a trip down memory lane for fans of Batman history. Reviewed by William Jones

Black Butler, Vol. 2 by Yana Toboso

Earl Ciel Phantomhive and his devilishly good butler Sebastian are called to London to deal with a serial murderer-Jack the Ripper! Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith

Prime Baby by Gene Luen Yang

Thaddeus' baby sister is really a conduit for alien invaders, but he can't get his parents to believe him, even though it is obvious that he is a genius who will one day rule the world. Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith

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

Frankie Pickle, Vol. 1 and 2 by Eric Wight

Frankie Pickle's overactive imagination keeps him company whether he's (not) cleaning his room or building the ultimate model race car. Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith

The Lizard Prince, Vol. 1 by Asuka Izumi

Princess Canary and Prince Heath are supposed to get married, but it's not going to work out that way. Instead, Canary falls in love with Prince Heath's talking lizard! Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Fairy Navigator Runa by Miyoko Ikeda

Runa was left at an orphanage as a baby and never knew her parents. Nonetheless, she loves her life at the orphanage and has a close circle of friends. Then one day, two strangers arrive with startling news: Runa is really a fairy princess-and she is in great danger! Reviewed by Brigid Alverson

Lab U.S.A. by Kevin Pyle

Did you know that between 1943 and 1969, the U.S. government unleashedbiological agents on its own citizens? Nowadays, we'd call that terrorism. Still, that's just one of the eye-opening facts (supplemented by even more eye-opening graphics) in this unique work... Reviewed by Peter Gutierrez