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GraphicNovelReporter.com
Newsletter |
May 20, 2011 |
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Quick Links to Features on Graphic Novel Reporter
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BEA and ALA: What Those Letters Mean for GNR
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Let's start by looking beyond the website because looking at the calendar we have number of events coming up, and I hope you can take part in some (or all) of them!
First, next week, on Wednesday, May 25th, I’ll be hosting the panel Hot Fall Graphic Novels for Libraries at the annual Book Expo America (BEA) conference in New York at the Javits Center. The panel will be held from 11 a.m. till noon in Room 1E16, and I’ll be joined by a wonderful lineup of experts: Karen Green, ancient and medieval history and religion librarian for Columbia University; Leigh Brodsky, a teacher from Watchung Hills High School in Warren, New Jersey; New York City librarian Ryan Donovan; and Forbidden Planet's Jeff Ayers. I was lucky enough to moderate this panel last year as well, and I can tell you it’s always an interesting and unique take on the graphics industry, and while it’s geared mostly toward the library market, that has a massive cultural overlap with bookstores and comics shops and general readers as well. The books that are selected represent a really wide cross-section of the industry at large.
At the end of June, Carol and I head to New Orleans, site of this year’s American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference. Librarians from around the country will gather to celebrate the books and authors that they love and the industry that is their passion. As you may recall, the Texas Library Association’s annual meeting was in April, and at it, we were one of the sponsors in the $20,000 Great Graphic Novel Giveaway. The contest was such a huge success, and the response from the Texas libraries was so wonderful, that we all wanted to create the safe experience at ALA. And that’s just what is happening. GNR is teaming up again with Brodart Company and Diamond Book Distributors, and this time we up the ante a bit with the $20,000+ Great Graphic Novel Giveaway, giving away a prize that is worth even more than last time!
One lucky library will win a complete setup: hundreds of hand-selected graphic novels to add to their collection, as well as library shelving and furniture. And the prize even comes with free shipping. This will serve the winning library’s patrons for a long time to come. ALA attendees will enter to win at Booth #1760, where they'll be able to see all the graphic novels displayed as well as the furniture that is the prize. And that's not all --- the first 100 people to stop by each day will win free goodies as well, and we also will be awarding prizes throughout the weekend. All around, there’s just a lot of good stuff going on at ALA this year, and if you click here you can see a listing of all the graphic novel-related programming that will be available. There will be more news about this event in the weeks to come, so stay tuned!
There’s also plenty going on online at GNR. It’s that time of year when we release our annual Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer list, and I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by the wealth of material coming out in the months ahead. Plenty of superhero stuff naturally, given the blockbuster comics-related movies heading to theaters this summer, which you’ll find listed, plus a very diverse assortment of other genres. Compiling the list was like setting me loose in a candy store. There’s so much to look forward to reading. In the weeks ahead, we’ll be adding more and more preview excerpts for the titles on the list, so you’ll be able to sample for yourself before heading off to buy your summer books. Also, I should mention that the list is divided into sections that hopefully will make things more convenient for you: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adult Fiction, and Nonfiction. Be sure to look through all five lists to get the full range of what’s coming out between now and Labor Day.
Also online right now, we are sharing a new article in our "Comics in the Classroom" series. Lisa Coxson, a ninth-grade English teacher at Bronx School of Law and Finance in Bronx, New York, shares what she’s learned from teaching comics. Her wisdom can help so many other teachers as they work to build their own comics classroom experience. And writer Maureen Bakis, a teacher at Masconomet Regional High School in Topsfield, Massachusetts, begins a new in-depth series "Voices From the Classroom" that will cover the basics of teaching comics by interviewing the experts who have done it. I think you’re going to like Maureen’s enthusiasm for the graphic format and the insights she is able to draw out from others is remarkable. You can read it here.
I haven’t yet mentioned the creator interviews we’ve got online this week. The first interview features Galit and Gilad Seliktar, the brother and sister team behind Farm 54, one of my favorite recent graphic novels (based on their lives growing up on the titular farm in Israel). I also had a chance to talk with Nick Bertozzi, writer and artist of Lewis & Clark, about what went into making his in-depth historical work, which is easily one of the most engrossing and adventuresome historical works. The book is a winner. And then we have interviews with journalist and media expert Brooke Gladstone and artist Josh Neufeld. Gladstone has written a really riveting look at the media and how we all relate to it, for better or for worse, in The Influencing Machine. Neufeld was the illustrator on the project. I think you’ll find the insights of both rather fascinating.
And with that, I’ll let you get to the good stuff and see what’s new in this update. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see our full lineup of reviews this time out.
Happy reading,
John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)
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CREATOR INTERVIEW
Ghost in the Machine: Brooke Gladstone on the Media and Us
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As host of NPR’s On the Media, reporter and writer Brooke Gladstone has some unique and interesting opinions about the role of media in our lives and how it affects us. But also, as she points out in her new book, The Influencing Machine, we have a huge say in how we affect it: That is, the media is a mirror reflecting society for better or for worse. More challenging ideas abound in this fun, insightful book, and we’re happy to give Brooke the forum in which to discuss it. Here’s her take on all things media. By John Hogan
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Click here to read our interview with Brooke Gladstone.
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CREATOR INTERVIEW
Life After the Deluge: Josh Neufeld's New Project
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We first met author and illustrator after he published his bestselling nonfiction book A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge. For his newest project, Josh illustrated journalist Brooke Gladstone’s edgy and informative book about how the media works (and doesn’t work), The Influencing Machine. We talked to the artist about what his work added to the project. By John Hogan
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Click here to read our interview with Josh Neufeld.
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CREATOR INTERVIEW
Down on the Farm: Galit and Gilad Seliktar Discuss Farm 54
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The brother-and-sister team of Galit and Gilad Seliktar discuss their moving, challenging new book Farm 54, which weaves Galit's real-life stories of growing up in Israel with some subtle fictional nuances to create a mesmerizing experience. Here's how the two describe the book. By John Hogan
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Click here to see our interview with brother-sister team Galit and Gilad Seliktar.
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CREATOR INTERVIEW
Trailblazing with Nick Bertozzi
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Writer and illustrator Nick Bertozzi finds a way to not only make the adventures of Lewis & Clark come alive, but also to make them heart-poundingly exciting and real in his new graphic novel Lewis & Clark. We talked to the creator about this little piece of American history. By John Hogan
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Click here to read our interview with Nick Bertozzi.
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FEATURE STORY
The Hottest Graphic Novels of Summer
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Every summer brings with it a wealth of new graphic novels. The excitement that surrounds the conventions that pop up all over the country (most notably San Diego Comic-Con) creates a whirlwind of comic material. From books for young readers to hot fiction and nonfiction for adults, we've got them all covered so you can prioritize your reading lists all summer long!
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Click here to check out the hottest graphic novels of summer 2011.
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EVENTS AND CONVENTIONS
Spotlight on New Orleans
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From June 23-28, 2011, in New Orleans, the American Library Association's Annual Conference will take over the city! The world’s largest event for the library community brings together more than 25,000 librarians, educators, authors, publishers, literacy experts, illustrators, and suppliers, a remarkable opportunity for every library. This year's ALA conference will also afford one lucky library the opportunity to win The $20,000+ Great Graphic Novel Giveaway, co-sponsored by Brodart Company, Diamond Distributors, and GraphicNovelReporter.
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Click here to read more about upcoming events and conventions.
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FEATURE STORY
Comics in the Classroom
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Lisa Coxson is a ninth-grade English teacher at Bronx School of Law and Finance in Bronx, New York. We asked her to share her insights into teaching comics.
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Click here to read what she had to say.
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FEATURE STORY
Voices from the Classroom
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Voices from the Classroom features interviews with teachers across America about ways graphic novels are used to promote literacy and learning. Teacher insight and authentic classroom experience offered here provide rationales for integrating graphic novels into all grade levels and functions as an archive of lesson ideas for other educators.
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Click here to read the latest interview from our "Voices from the Classroom" series.
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EXCERPT
RandomVeus, Vol. 1
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All-out action meets off-the-wall wackiness in RandomVeus, Vol. 1. Springing from the mind of artist Jeffrey Chamba Cruz, this original graphic novel adventure features the tripped-out tales of an interdimensional courier company. The book also launch Udon Entertainment’s new Udon Presents graphic novel line. RandomVeus stars hero Raimundo and the team of One-Dimensional Couriers as they deliver mysterious packages to every corner of the wild world known as the RandomVeus. Octopus ninjas, jazz-playing demons, buxom lady-pirates, cyborg gorillas, samurai mushrooms, and one giant furry squid monster are all on tap in this zany adventure.
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Click here to read an excerpt from RandomVeus, Vol. 1.
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| FICTION REVIEWS |
Ivy by Sarah Oleksyk
Ivy is a coming-of-age story, following a small-town teenager living in Maine as she tries to escape and earn her freedom, even if she's not quite sure yet what that means. It's a genre that's been tapped many times before, but Oleksyk's work stands on its own. Reviewed by John R. Platt
Hair Shirt by Patrick McEown
A story as fragile, damaged, and engaging as its protagonists, Hair Shirt examines the sordid lives of John and Naomi as they are trapped both physically by their geography and emotionally by their shared and tormented pasts. Reviewed by Nathan Wilson
The Very Best of Dick Tracy: Bullets, Battles & Bad Guys by Chester Gould
Chester Gould’s hard-boiled, no-nonsense detective Dick Tracy is a household name, embraced and parodied countless times since his introduction to newspapers in 1931. The apotheosis of comics’ early crime-fighting proclivities, The Very Best of Dick Tracy: Bullets, Battles & Bad Guys collects, in “celebration” style, an eclectic assortment of Tracy strips. Reviewed by Collin David
DMZ, Vol. 1: On the Ground by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli
America is in the midst of a second civil war. New York City has become the frontlines, torn apart by warfare and shocking, horrific acts of violence. Photojournalist Matty Roth finds himself on the frontlines, capturing it all and delivering, like the book’s creators, Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli, stories filled with surprises of joy and awful moments of cruelty, each one a mesmerizing account of a world turned inside out. Reviewed by Michael Hicks
Cat Eyed Boy, Vol. 2 by Kazuo Umezu
Kazuo Umezu, considered the master of manga horror, offers a series of macabre and grotesque tales all centering around the elusive Cat Eyed Boy. Reviewed by Danica Davidson
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Click here to read all our fiction reviews.
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| TEEN REVIEWS |
Unwritten, Vol. 2: Inside Man by Mike Carey and Peter Gross
Nominated for three 2010 Eisner Awards (Best Single Issue, Best Continuing Series, and Best New Series) after little over one year of publication, and just recently receiving a 2011 Hugo Award nomination for Best Graphic Story, Mike Carey and Peter Gross' second volume of The Unwritten continues with the strength and vitality that characterized the first volume and distinguished it from the competition on the store shelves. Reviewed by Nathan Wilson
Lex Luthor: Man of Steel by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo
In the Superman comics, the traditional perspective has dictated that Superman, the Big Blue Boy Scout, is the ultimate hero, and Lex Luthor the villain who will stop at nothing to defeat the Man of Steel. But writer Brian Azzarello has always maintained a different perspective, and he brings it to the forefront of DC Comics with Lex Luthor: Man of Steel. Reviewed by William Jones
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger—The Journey Begins by Stephen King, Robin Furth, Peter David, Sean Phillips, and Richard Isanove
The Journey Begins continues hero Roland Deschain’s quest for the Dark Tower, an iconic and mysterious place where different realities converge, and which seems to be the only way that Deschain can reclaim what he’s lost during his impossibly tragic life as a Gunslinger. Across a desolate Old West landscape, peppered with weird machines, mutants, and talking animals, the adventure continues. Reviewed by Collin David
Madman Atomica by Mike Allred
The second absurdly colossal collection of Madman comics by Mike Allred is a beautiful one, collecting all of Frank Einstein’s adventures with a heroic team of mutants called The Atomics. Madman Atomica is delivered with a charming retro sensibility and captures the very best of Mike Allred’s ongoing creative peak. Reviewed by Collin David
Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 1-2 by Julietta Suzuki
Nanami’s father is a gambler who leaves her behind when his debts get to be too much. But she manages her life okay—soon, she’s a god! Reviewed by Danica Davidson
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Click here to read our teen reviews.
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KIDS REVIEWS
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Curse of Cromwell by Dermot Poyntz and Lee Grace
An all-ages, educational graphic novel focusing on key events of 17th-century Irish history, Curse of Cromwell documents the uprisings between the land-owning classes and the agrarian poor, Catholics and Protestants, and Irish and English nationalities. Reviewed by Nathan Wilson
Batman & Robin, Vol. 2: Batman vs. Robin by Grant Morrison, Cameron Stewart, and Andy Clark
Batman is dead, but not forgotten. The new Batman, a former Robin, has assumed the mantle of the missing Dark Knight as he tirelessly searches for way to bring the original Batman back to life. Of course, when you breach the wall between life and death, there are interesting repercussions. Reviewed by Collin David
Invincible, Vol. 14: The Viltrumite War by Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley
One of the most rewarding superhero titles currently being created is Invincible, which is explosively inventive and exciting with each subsequent issue. The Viltrumite War is the dark climax of almost one decade of slowly building narrative tension, and it’s an intense trip that should not be missed. Reviewed by Collin David
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Click here to read all the kids reviews.
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COMING SOON
May 18th - May 25th
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May 18
Bart Simpson, Prince of Pranks (paperback)
Bongo Comics
Batgirl: The Flood (paperback)
DC Comics
Broken Trinity, Vol. 2: Pandora’s Box (paperback)
Image Comics
Chaos War: Incredible Hulks (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Dark Shadows: The Complete Series, Vol. 2
Hermes Press
Deadpool Max: Nutjob
Marvel Comics
Deadpool Team-Up, Vol. 3: BFFs
Marvel Comics
Deadpool: Wade Wilson’s War (paperback)
Marvel Comics
The Death of Dracula (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Deep Sleeper
IDW Publishing
Disney Treasury: Donald Duck, Vol. 1 (paperback)
Boom! Studios
Dong Xoai Vietnam (paperback)
Vertigo
Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan: The Jesse Marsh Years, Vol. 9
Dark Horse
Electric Ant (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Elephantmen, Vol. 4: Questionable Things
Image Comics
Eye of the Majestic Creature
Fantagraphics
Flash Omnibus by Geoff Johns, Vol. 1
DC Comics
Ghost Talker's Daydream, Vol. 6
Dark Horse
The Goon, Vol. 1: Nothin' but Misery
Dark Horse
Hellblazer: City of Demons (paperback)
DC Comics, Vertigo
If N Oof
Picturebox
JSA All Stars: Glory Days (paperback)
DC Comics
Liar’s Kiss
Top Shelf Productions
Lupin Iii, World’s Most Wanted, Vol. 8
Tokyopop
Magdalena Origins (paperback) Vol. 2
Top Cow
Paying for It
Drawn and Quarterly
Pinocchio
Last Gasp, Inc.
Powers, Vol. 1: Who Killed Retro Girl?
Marvel Comics
Rosario Vampire, Season II, Vol. 4 (paperback)
Viz Communications
Sonic the Hedgehog Archives, Vol. 15 (paperback)
Archie Comics
Stan Lee’s Soldier Zero, Vol. 1: One Small Step for Man (paperback)
Boom! Studios
Super Hero Squad: A Squad for All Seasons (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes: The Early Years (paperback)
DC Comics
Thor: World Eaters
Marvel Comics
Transformers Movie Slipcase Collection, Vol. 1 and 2
IDW Publishing
Trouble
Marvel Comics
Ultimate Comics: Doomsday
Marvel Comics
Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man: Chameleons, Vol. 2 (paperback)
Marvel Comics
X-Men: Age of Apocalypse Prelude (paperback)
Marvel Comics
May 25
Ronin
Marvel Comics
American Vampire, Vol. 2
Vertigo
Archie’s Joke Book, Vol. 1
Archie Comics
The Art of Lady Death S, Vol. 1
Boundless Comics
Batman: The Brave and the Bold: Emerald Knight (paperback)
DC Comics
Berona’s War, Vol. 2: The Fight for Amity
Archaia Entertainment
Bone, One Volume Color Edition, 20th Anniversary Box Set
Cartoon Books
Breed, Vol. 1: Book of Genesis (paperback)
Image Comics
Captain America: Man Out of Time
Marvel Comics
Captain America: Official Index to the Marvel Universe (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Celluloid
Fantagraphics
Chaos War: X-Men (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Charlaine Harris’ Grave Sight, Vol. 1
Dynamite Entertainment
Constructive Abandonment
Drawn and Quarterly
Days Missing, Vol. 2: Kestus
Archaia Entertainment
Dv8: Gods and Monsters (paperback)
Wildstorm
Echo, Vol. 6: The Last Day (paperback)
Abstract Studios
Emma Frost Ultimate Collection (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Even the Giants
AdHouse Books
Fame: Taylor Swift (paperback)
Bluewater Productions
Farm 54
Fanfare/Ponent Mon
Floundering Time
Slave Labor Graphics
Murder by High Tide
Fantagraphics
Gingerbread Girl
Top Shelf Productions
Green Lantern Corps: Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns
DC Comics
Homeland Directive
Top Shelf Productions
House of Mystery, Vol. 6: Safe as Houses (paperback)
Vertigo
Hulk, Vol. 2: Hulk No More
Marvel Comics
I Am Legion
Humanoids Publishing
Invincible Iron Man, Vol. 7: My Monsters
Marvel Comics
Jesus Hates Zombies: Jurassic Kinda Life, Vol. 1
215 Ink
Justice League International, Vol. 6 (paperback)
DC Comics
Kinky and Cosy
NBM
Life with Mister Dangerous
Random House
Lions, Tigers & Bears, Vol. 3 (paperback)
Hermes Press
Marvel Masterworks: Daredevil, Vol. 2 (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Marvels Project: Birth of the Superheroes (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Mystique Ultimate Collection (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Pilot Season, Vol. 4 (paperback)
Top Cow
Punisher: In Blood (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Queen of the Black Black
Fantagraphics
Sibyl Anne vs. Ratticus
Fantagraphics
Take a Joke (paperback)
Fantagraphics
Tank Tankuro
Presspop Inc.
Thunderstrike: Youth in Revolt (paperback)
Marvel Comics
Tom Strong and the Robots of Doom (paperback)
Wildstorm
Tooth
Oni Press
Treasure Chest, Vol. 1 (paperback)
Bluewater Productions
Ultimate Comics: Captain America
Marvel Comics
Ultimate War
Marvel Comics
Uncle Scrooge: Messes Become Successes (paperback)
Boom! Studios
Unknown Soldier, Vol. 4: Beautiful World (paperback)
Vertigo
Vanguard Frazetta Classics Deluxe, Vol. 1: Johnny Comet
Vanguard Productions
Vincent Price Presents, Vol. 2 (paperback)
Bluewater Productions
Yeah!
Fantagraphics
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