It’s been a busy time in comics lately, and I’ve been having several opportunities to geek out. First up: Tomorrow night I’m going to see an advance screening of Watchmen, which opens in theaters on Friday! How long have we all been waiting for this one? It feels like forever, but it’s finally here. Expect a spoiler-free review to be posted on the site next week after I’ve seen it. I confess, I am an über-Watchmen fan, and I am going with Carol, who is reading Watchmen for the first time. It will be interesting to see her take and compare it to mine. One of our goals on the site is to create content that appeals to those who have been reading the format for years, as well as for new readers, and everyone in between. Through it all, we want everyone who reads the site to feel represented and like they have a home on the site.

Also check the site next week for an exciting Watchmen-related contest. I can’t say any more about it right now, but details will be coming soon and the prizes will be ones you will want for your graphic novel collection.

Probably the most popular article published on the site since GNR went live has been our Roundtable with librarians and the issues they face with graphic novels today. The librarians stepped up and shared a great deal, providing an insightful piece. It’s been interesting to see the comments come in on the article as these spark new content for us. In one comment, we were asked why we didn’t include any academic librarians in the Roundtable. We are working on another roundtable that will center on the unique situations academic librarians face. (If you are or know an academic librarian who would like to participate, feel free to email me at john@bookreporter.com.) We didn’t want to shortchange either side. Instead, we’re in this for the long haul and we want to give both sides the space they deserve. So stay tuned! There’s a whole lot more to come.

Speaking of which, let me know if there are any features you’d like to see added to the site. Can we help you do your job better? Can we keep you better informed about some particular aspect of graphic novels? Are we missing something important to you? We’re constantly improving --- that’s our aim --- and we can do it with your feedback. So write and let us know what you would like to see --- and comment on the pieces that we are running.

One more thing to whet your appetite: A sneak preview of a major new work from an award-winning writer is coming soon. We’ll unveil it on the site shortly, so stay tuned. Much, much more is on the way.

By the way, I picked up a book at New York Comic-Con that I had missed out on (thanks, Leigh at Top Shelf!). The book was The Surrogates by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele. It’s a good science fiction tale in the vein of Blade Runner. Check it out; you’ll like it. (I’m going to be adding a review to the site soon.) I’ve also gotten hooked on another sci-fi series, City of Dust, by Steve Niles and Zid (it’s from Radical). I love where the series is going, and the art is beyond amazing. I’m really liking this one. If you’re in the mood for some good action-thrillers, check those two out. And, hey, just go to the site to find hundreds of other recommendations for what to read next.

Happy reading, and look for the next GNR update on March 11th.

John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)

Alan Davis has long been a beloved artist, writer, and creator in comics. From his defining work on Captain Britain in the 1980s to his bestselling run on Batman and the Outsiders and beyond, he’s worked on just about every pivotal hero in the DC and Marvel universes. Find out here what it was like working on them all and how he feels about his career now in this in-depth interview.

PLUS, DON’T MISS THESE OTHER RECENT INTERVIEWS

Gerard Way is taking the comics world by storm in a major way. The lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance has won both an Eisner and a Harvey award for his work on The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, and he’s started releasing the second volume in the series. Not only that, but his band has recorded a song for the upcoming Watchmen movie. It’s definitely going to be a big year for him, and he talks all about it in this exclusive interview.

Dean Motter has been working in comics for the past 30 years. He’s worked for several major publishers and on many important projects. Now, with the release of Mister X Archives, which marks the 25^th anniversary of the series debut, it seemed like the perfect time to take a look back at Motter’s career, and we asked him to share his memories and perspectives on it all in this interview.

David B. is one of the most influential graphic-novel creators working today. He’s been a major player in the indie industry in France, and over here, he’s best known for his jarring and poignant work Epileptic. He’s got a new book now, a collection of his dreams, which is fascinating and dark. I wanted to find out what was behind them, and David shared.

Also online now is an interview with Nate Powell. Nate’s new book, Swallow Me Whole, is a captivating look at mental illness through the eyes of two teenage stepsiblings. Nate’s another writer who broke into the business in an independent-publishing way, so we wanted to let our readers get acquainted with this creative guy.

Our Roundtable feature is one of the most popular articles on the entire site! See what all the buzz is about. Meet four librarians who have successfully incorporated graphic novels into their libraries for years. They share their insights on the issues they deal with, how they’ve been successful, how they’ve helped educate librarians and patrons, and why graphic novels and manga have been a hit where they work.

A Special Watchmen Screening in New York
Oscar Buzz...About Comics!
Sweet Coraline
An Award for Toon Books

Adam Johnson is a Stanford professor who has taken a unique approach to engaging his students’ creative sides: a collective comics project. He and his students created their first work, Shake Girl, last year, turning out an incredibly moving and effective story of humanity at its best and worst. Now a new group of students is taking on an even longer project. See how they’re doing it in this incisive op-ed.

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

• Akihabara@DEEP, Volume 1
• Tamara Drewe
• Gorgeous Carat
• The Cain Saga

We call the format graphic novels, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for nonfiction. In fact, some of the best books in the field are memoirs from top artists and writers.

• Gettysburg
• I Live Here
• Safe Area Gorazde
• Embroideries
• The Big Skinny
• The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation

• Fuzz & Pluck: Splitsville
• Luuna, Vol. 1
• The Stuff of Life
• The Death of Captain America: The Death of the Dream
• Hyperactive
• Bleach, Volume 25
• Honey and Clover
• The Arrival

It’s easy to learn more about the graphic novel format, but best of all, it can be entertaining and fun. We’ve got books to suggest that will share the things you need to know without being dry or dull; in fact, they’re riveting! Here are some books to help further your understanding: The Best American Comics 2008, The Ten-Cent Plague, and What It Is.

Keep up on which graphic novels and manga are coming soon. Plan for new purchases you’ll want to make, check out what’s coming up, and see what you need to read all here. We have listings through April 1st.

We’re adding new content all the time to better serve our readers. The latest: a glossary of frequently used manga terms. You can admit it: Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of what these words mean. Check here to get up to speed quickly.