When I started working on GraphicNovelReporter, probably the hardest thing for me to do was to write, well, this. As fun as it is to do the entire job, writing about myself seemed boring and beside the point (I had the same problem at Pages magazine: The editor’s letter was always the last thing I wrote, and I always secretly hoped that a last-minute ad or something would squeeze it out of the issue). So I’m a little bit reticent to talk about the big events of last week, which included an interview on GalleyCat and a speech before a group of librarians at the Brooklyn Public Library. Suffice to say that I was well outside of my comfort zone last week.

Still, it was also a lot of fun. Thanks to Jeff Rivera for conducting the GalleyCat interview, and thanks to Michael Santangelo for inviting both Carol and me to the Brooklyn Public Library. Both events were a lot of fun. The library event in particular gave us a chance to gather ideas so GNR could better serve our readers. As you know, we’ve been taking a multifaceted approach to the site since its inception, making it equally accessible to general readers and to librarians and educators. Getting to hear from librarians about what they are looking for gave us some ideas for the future. And, as always, I’m inviting you to share your suggestions as well.

Moving on, let me tell you about some of the exclusive content you’ll find in this update of GNR. We begin with a huge literary celebrity: bestselling fantasy author Jane Yolen, who has penned her first graphic novel, Foiled. When I started reading Foiled, I had no idea what to expect. It’s the story of a high-school girl who’s both an outcast and an expert fencer. Far from being unhappy about her social status at school, she revels in it. She’s a loner and proud of it. Until she catches the eye of the cute boy at school, a boy who turns out to be a lot more than meets the eye. As I said, I didn’t quite know where this one was going to go (was it going to be fantasy, teen drama, something else?). I was pleasantly surprised throughout, and even more pleasantly surprised to get a chance to interview Yolen about the book.

One thing we’re committed to bringing you more of here at GNR is interviews with leading manga and manhua stars. If you’ve been reading the site for a while, you’ve noticed recent interviews with Benjamin and Makoto Tateno. Check out our newest with Christopher Hart, who has been writing definitive guides to illustrate manga (such as his latest, Manga for the Beginner: Chibis).
I have to tell you about Insomnia Café, a book I really loved when I first read it a couple weeks ago. I posted a review last time, and now we’ve got an interview with M.K. Perker, the writer/artist behind it. He’s also the artist on Air, the exciting new ongoing series from Vertigo and writer G. Willow Wilson.

Oh, and back to the subject of graphic novels and librarians for a second. One of the greatest supporters graphic novels have had in the library has been Michele Gorman. Through her library in Charlotte, North Carolina, she’s been using graphic novels to appeal to patrons for a decade now. So it was a natural for her to write a retrospective on what those 10 years have meant and what she’s learned along the way. I think you’ll enjoy it. By the way, Michele was one of the first librarians who Carol met when we were noodling ideas for this site, so it's really special to have her writing this piece for us this week.

There’s plenty more, so please check below for further details. When next we “meet,” via this newsletter, I will have returned from San Diego, where I’m going to be taking part in this year’s Eisner judging. I won’t be able to give away any details, but I look forward to telling you at least a little about how it went. Until then, enjoy reading about all the graphic novels in this update!

Happy reading,

John Hogan (John@bookreporter.com)

An Interview with Christopher Hart
Prolific artist and writer Christopher Hart talks about his books, including his latest release, Manga for the Beginner: Chibis. By Danica Davidson

M.K. Perker and Insomnia Café
Talented writer and artist M.K. Perker talks about his comics background and how it all brought him to this point: the debut of his impressive graphic novel Insomnia Café. By John Hogan

Popping the Question
TokyoPop senior editor Lillian Diaz-Przybyl answers the GNR questionnaire.

Thursday Is the Day
Book your hotel for San Diego Comic-Con!

Get a Preview of Trickster
An anthology of stories based on Native American lore

Help Andrew Farago Get a Haircut!
Farago will shave Batman's symbol into his head...for a charitable cost.

What's Next?
Get ready for action with our list of what books will be out in the weeks ahead.

Stephen King's The Dark Tower: Fall of Gilead by Robin Furth, Peter David, and Richard Isanove
Stephen King's eerie Dark Tower series continues to come to life through this series of graphic-novel adaptations. The latest in the series lives up to the excellent standard set by the previous books. Reviewed by Stephen Giordano

Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: The Laughing Corpse, Book 1: Animator by Laurell K. Hamilton and Ron Lim
Vampire executioner Anita Blake finds herself on the wrong side of a voodoo priestess when she begins investigating a case of zombies eating people. Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith

Oishinbo: Japanese Cuisine by Tetsu Kariya and Hanasaki Akira
Slacker journalist Yamaoka Shirō is assigned to create the "Ultimate Menu," a meal that encompasses everything that is the best about Japanese cuisine. Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith

Rough Justice edited by Chip Kidd
Go behind the scenes of the beautifully painted superhero artwork of Alex Ross, as the artist details his experiences with some of the most popular comics characters of all time. Reviewed by John Hogan

You Can Do a Graphic Novel by Barbara Slate
Learn for yourself how to make a graphic novel go from an idea in your head to a printed piece of work in this guide. Reviewed by John Hogan

Foiled by Jane Yolen and Mike Cavallaro
A new boy at school makes a huge change in fencer Aliera's life, but not in any way she expects or imagines. Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith

Haru Hana: The Complete Collection by Yuana Kazumi
Hana is a student violinist who has a very embarrassing condition. Getting too close to boys makes her break out in hives! Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Lucky Star, Vol. 1-4 by Kagami Yoshimizu
Paneled artwork shows the life of high-school girls as characters discuss eating habits, anime, and how to avoid homework. Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Dinosaur King, Vol. 1-4 by Yohei Sakai
When Max gets thrown back in time to the age of dinosaurs, he discovers a plot to enslave his beloved beasts. Reviewed by Snow Wildsmith