Cartoons, Comics, and Animation

Why did a Canadian kid quit that most Canadian of all sports, hockey? Was it the anxiety of competition? Parental pressures? A complete lack of skill? (True, but no.) The answer: hockey games were on Saturday, the High Holy Day of the school-aged kid. My Saturdays were filled with televised cartoons, my Sundays with the 'funnies,' and school days were always good for how-to-draw books or my oft-confiscated stash of comic books from home.

The inky line that weaves around and between cartoons, comics, and animation can be blurry and works often flow from one format to another. One need only consider the works of Charles Schulz, equally beloved as newspaper strips, Sunday funnies, and films. Currently, comics-based films and cartoons are enjoying a wave of popularity, yet the phenomenon of moving between these genres is not new; Japan's twin schools of manga and anime have enjoyed a long-running symbiosis. Although they all began as comic strips, Dick Tracy, Li'l Abner, and Annie have appeared in almost every format imaginable.

Despite apparent similarities, the books in this bibliography have surprisingly varied origins, including collections of daily newspaper cartoons, online comics, movie stills and storyboards, as well as original book-length comics and collections of once individually published comic books. (The latter two are often called graphic novels, although definitions vary.) One thing they all demonstrate is the interchange among comics, cartoons, and animation. In some cases, creators are inspired by one medium, and operate in another. In others, new adaptations add to and modify the perception of the original, often so much so that traditional monikers such as 'film-to-book' must be abandoned. However the works came to be, they extend the worlds and histories of their narratives for readers' enjoyment.

Middle School

Fiction

ARAGONÉS, Sergio. Groo and Rufferto. Dark Horse. 2000.

Never has a warrior been quite so dim-witted or determined as Groo. When his beloved dog is transported from medieval times to a contemporary urban jungle, nothing will stop Groo from getting him back. The insight, humor, and eye for detail that made Aragonés's Mad Marginal cartoons famous enliven a surprisingly cynical tale. The introduction and index are also quite amusing, the former capitalizing on 'pay per word,' the latter offering page references to sound effects.

BRIDWELL, E. Nelson. Superfriends. DC Comics. 2001.

This wonderfully feeble collection of comics from the late 1970s is based on the popular cartoon wherein Superman and crew (remember the Wonder Twins?) face off against dismal baddies. The science is laughable and the dialogue a joke, but younger readers will dig the colorful antics, and older readers will groove on the camp.

GOODWIN, Archie. In Deadly Pursuit. Dark Horse. 1995.

Based on the original Star Wars films, this collection began life as a daily comic strip in the 1980s. A decade later, the strips were compiled for collectors, and subsequently adapted-quite skillfully-into bold, full-color comics. Appearing here in trade format, the tales may lack the gloss and flash of newer 'Star Wars' adaptations, but these pulpy episodes evoke the same paradoxical mix of newness and familiarity that was at play the first time around.

GRAYSON, Devin. X-Men Evolution. vol. 1. Marvel. 2003.

This collection of the first four issues of the 'X-Men: Evolution' comic is a prequel to their latest animated incarnation. It's a solid reintroduction to the established cast, including Nightcrawler. The story's high school setting emphasizes the teens' hijinks and hormones. Striking animation-style graphics, sympathetic characters, and superhuman action make it an exciting read, but with a gentler touch than other X-Men adaptations. On occasion, the spacing and placement of the text balloons makes tracking them awkward.

MIYAZAKI, Hayao. Spirited Away Vol. 1. Viz. 2002.

Photo-novellas have come a long way from the grainy stills and poorly crafted text balloons found in my copy of the Battlestar Galactica novelization. This colorful 'cinemanga' graphic novel, the first of a five-volume series based on Miyazaki's award-winning feature film, lovingly adapts (from right to left) the magical story of Chihiro, a girl who has a transformative journey to the land of the spirits. A noteworthy index translates the Japanese sound effects.

SMITH, Jeff. Bone: Out from Boneville. Cartoon Bks. 1995.

The greatest story Disney never told, this first entry in the 'Bone' series is inspired by a half-century of comic strips, comic books, and animation. Bone, a sort of hairless Pogo, is a good-hearted creature, lost in a (not-entirely) inhospitable fantasy world of maidens, dragons, and racing cows. With amazing comic timing and deftness of line, Smith brings his characters to brilliant, black-and-white life.

STEPHENS, Jay. Jetcat Clubhouse. Oni Pr. 2002.

No book better illustrates the connections among cartoons, comics, and animation than this amusing, satirical little gem. Jetcat and her crew of crime-fighting tots moved fluidly from newspapers to comics and animated cartoons only to then reverse the process. This collection includes animation storyboard sketches that Stephens edited into a 'director's cut,' complete with commentaries. Fun for all ages, but particularly for fans of the Powerpuff Girls.

TEMPLETON, Ty. Batman: The Gotham Adventures. DC Comics. 2000.

Batman and his allies tackle Gotham's vilest villains. Illustrated in the now-ubiquitous Art Deco style of the animated cartoon, this collection is striking and humorous. Bold art will draw younger readers, while the edgy topics-child abuse, animal rights, vigilante justice-will appeal to older ones. A sly reinvention of the cast of Seinfeld as leather-jacketed thugs alone is worth the price of admission.

TEZUKA, Osamu. Astro Boy Vol. 1. Dark Horse. 2002.

Who wouldn't love Astro Boy? From his sci-fi hairdo to his shiny robot underwear, he's the boy robot with a heart of gold. This quirky new edition introduces Tezuka's beloved Japanese icon to Western readers in a series of stories whose complexity and intensity are belied by the character's boyish appearance. It's been reprinted, retranslated, and repackaged in a reader-friendly format with explanatory essays that contextualize the stories.

Nonfiction

DANIELS, Les. DC Comics: A Celebration of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes. Watson-Guptill. 2003. (reprint ed.)

This thorough and balanced account of significant events in the ongoing history of DC comics includes their forays into film, television, theater, and more. While not a necessary purchase for those who already have the earlier edition, this version includes new and updated coverage, such as the heartthrob hit Smallville and stunning cover art by Alex Ross.

LEE, Stan & John Buscema. How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. Fireside. 1984.

Through cartoons, films, and comics, Marvel's heroes have entertained fans for decades. While the Invisible Woman's hairstyle may have changed, this warhorse of the how-to-draw genre endures, continuing to inspire new artists. Lee writes in an inimitable hyperbole, and much of the accompanying art is pulled from the Marvel archives. The exercises increase in difficulty, resulting in a fun, practical handbook.

MALLORY, Michael. Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. Virgin Bks. 1999.

The classic Hanna-Barbera characters, recidivist format-changers, take center stage in this bold, inviting book. Its coverage is encyclopedic, featuring newer hits like the Powerpuff Girls, longtime favorites such as Scooby-Doo, and even obscure figures like the Herculoids. Great illustrations, detailed episode summaries, histories, and anecdotes make this one perfect for research or for nostalgic browsing.

High School

Fiction

BARRY, Lynda. One! Hundred! Demons! Sasquatch. 2002.

Inspired by a traditional painting exercise, Barry created a series of semiautobiographical comics that were first released online, and then in print. Best known for her weekly strip, 'Ernie Peek's Comeek,' she has an uncanny talent for evoking the many joys and humiliations of youth, a skill she employs here in exorcising personal demons from her history. While the episodes from her adult life may be less resonant with YAs, readers will certainly see their childhood and teenaged selves reflected in Barry's heartfelt work.

FUJISHIMA, Kosuke. Wrong Number. (Oh My Goddess! Series). Dark Horse. 2002.

A manga/anime crossover success, this entry displays the mix of magic, comedy, and romance that has made the series famous. Life's a drag for college student Keiichi Morisato until a wrong number leads him to the Goddess Technical Helpline and Belldandy, his own personal goddess. Beautiful, brilliant, and sensitive, she turns his life upside down, a change he desperately needs.

GROENING, Matt. Futurama-O-Rama. HarperCollins. 2002.

This first compilation of Groening's foray into sci-fi animation captures Futurama's futuristic look not sure if he's talking about a physical look here or a prophetic view, caustic humor, and toxic atmosphere. Fans will find all of their favorite characters here, as well as brain slugs, a time capsule from 1979, and the preserved head of Arsenio Hall. Plenty of pop-culture riffs and sexual references make the book most suitable for older readers.

JEMAS, Bill. Ultimate Spider-Man: Power and Responsibility. Marvel. 2002.

Regardless of the format in which he appears, Peter Parker is, unerringly, every nerd's dream: an underappreciated genius with secret abilities, a limitless supply of snappy comebacks, and a beautiful babe, to boot. Ultimate Spider-Man captures the essence of the tale, while updating it for the 21st century; this Aunt May is not the frail figure from the past, and our skinny hero's day-to-day problems give him at least as much grief as the Green Goblin.

MILLAR, Mark. Ultimate X-Men: The Tomorrow People. Marvel. 2002.

What a long, strange, evolutionary trip it's been for the X-Men, from comic-book misfits of the 1960s to contemporary Hollywood megastars. In an attempt to lighten the baggage associated with several decades' worth of formats, plot lines, and characters, the mutant team has been given a fresh start. The result is an edgy, radical reinterpretation that may upset X-purists, but gives a new generation of fans an X-plosive introduction to an enduring comic tale.

MIYAZAKI, Hayao. Nausica™ of the Valley of the Wind. Viz. 1995.

With its ecological bent and feudal espionage, this black-and-white epic is kindred to the work of sci-fi sage Frank Herbert. Miyazaki wrote, illustrated, and later animated this postapocalyptic tale of a brave princess fighting what seems to be an impossible battle against overwhelming odds. His imagination is fantastic, his drafting superb, his details precise, and his heroine's heart always true.

SARRACINI, Chris. Transformers: Generation 1. vol. 1. Dreamwave Productions. 2002.

Giant robots beating the circuits out of each other-you either get it or you don't. Loathed by some as the epitome of mass marketing to children, the Transformer toys were nonetheless a genuine phenomenon of the 1980s. They crossed over quickly into comics and animation, and while they never really left, they've now returned in a successful series of comics and animated cartoons. Generation 1 follows the return of the familiar characters after several years of presumed death, and deals with the consequences of their actions in a much more thoughtful way than ever before.

Nonfiction

HART, Christopher. Manga Mania: Fantasy Worlds: How to Draw the Amazing Worlds of Japanese Comics. Watson-Guptill. 2003.

How-to-draw guru Hart bypasses 'basic' and heads right to 'advanced' in this guide for the more sophisticated aspiring artist. Using sample characters like The Veteran Knight on Horseback and the Windkeeper Faerie, the author offers multistage instructions accompanied by details of dress, anatomy, and poise that give depth and personality to the figures. An interesting section on the burgeoning 'Steam Punk' subgenre is included.

JONES, Chuck. Chuck Amuck. Farrar. 1994.

An unmistakable stream of wit and intelligence ran beneath the slapstick of the 'Looney Tunes' cartoons, much of it thanks to Jones. This is a graceful and humorous autobiography of the master animator who not only gave us Wile E. Coyote and crew, but also adapted the works of Dr. Seuss and Walt Kelly. A shrewd history of a man, his time, and his works.

ROSS, Alex. Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross. Pantheon. 2003.

Ross is the Caravaggio of comics, an undisputed master who paints cartoon and comic-book idols in a style that combines religious reverence with the naturalism of Norman Rockwell. This collection tracks the artist's development and influences, displaying his uncanny ability to imbue the outrageous with a sense of majesty. Superman portrayed as a glowing icon is comprehendible, but when he uses his magic touch on obscure animated characters like the Herculoids, the effect is incredible.