Graphic Novel Roundup
By Steve Weiner -- School Library Journal, 5/1/2004
| More Good Grief | All You Need Is the Milk | Graphic Novels in Libraries | A Little Devil | More from Moore |
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Charles Schulz's classic comic strip, Peanuts, featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the gang, has been reproduced in a variety of book formats since the 1960s, proving to be one of the most cherished comic series of all time. Now Fantagraphics Books, publisher of such popular graphic novels as Ghost World, is republishing Peanuts in its entirety in an ambitious new series of books. Designed by the cartoonist Seth, The Complete Peanuts will contain 50 years of Schulz's comic strips and will be published biannually over the next 12 and a half years. Each volume in the series will feature about two years worth of Peanuts, presented chronologically, including the Sunday comic pages and daily newspaper strips. The just-released first volume includes many early Peanuts strips rarely reprinted, an introduction by humorist Garrison Keillor, and supplementary material about the comic strip and its creator. The series will also be indexed. The Complete Peanuts is a wonderful opportunity for libraries to acquire this comicstrip masterpiece. Recommended for all ages. The Complete Peanuts: 1950–1952.Fantagraphics. 2004. $28.95. ISBN 1-56097-589-X. A Peanuts CompanionNoted comics historian M. Thomas Inge has edited a comprehensive volume of interviews with the late Charles Schulz. Based on interviews conducted over a 32-year period, this volume delves into the mind of arguably the greatest cartoonist in American history. A biographical time line of Schulz's life and illustrations are also included. Recommended for older teens. Charles M. Schulz: Conversations. Univ. Press of Mississippi. 2000. $20. ISBN 1-57806-305-1. |
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In PeanutButter and Jeremy, cartoonist James Kochalka has given an old dynamic a new twist. PeanutButter is a cat—dressed in a hat and striped tie—who deludes himself into thinking that his home is an office where he works. Jeremy is the crow who lives outside PeanutButter's window, and who generally succeeds in outfoxing him. Younger patrons will laugh at and sympathize with PeanutButter's helplessness in the face of Jeremy's manipulative tactics. PeanutButter & Jeremy's Best Book Ever. Alternative Comics. 2003. $14.95. ISBN 1-891867-46-6. Gr 3 and up. |
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In October 1999, Steve Miller, a librarian from Ohio, started a discussion group for librarians interested in graphic novels. With the growth of the genre, the initial group of less than 25 members has grown to more than 500. Discussion subjects range from specific titles and movie tie-ins, to cataloging and shelving issues, and even comic-book trivia. Members include public, school, and academic librarians, graphic novel publishers (who manage to restrain themselves from promoting their wares), and other members of the book industry. Joining this discussion list is an excellent way to become better informed about the graphic novel industry and graphic novel issues in libraries. New members are welcome to join by e-mailing GNLIB-L-Subscribe@Topica.Com. |
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Hellboy, originally a graphic novel series written and illustrated by Mike Mignola, hit the big screen in April. A wisecracking demon who investigates the paranormal, Hellboy was first summoned from the spirit world to aid the Nazis during World War II. He never helped them, then vanished and reappeared in 1994, at which time the story begins. Despite his fearsome looks, Hellboy is a good guy, dedicated to saving Earth from the forces of evil. Mignola cleverly interweaves historical figures such as Rasputin into the story line and many of the plots are based on traditional folktales. The series has also been adapted into a prose format. Pocket Books has released two Hellboy novels by Christopher Golden, Hellboy: The Lost Army and Hellboy: The Bones of Giants, as paperbacks earlier this year. When asked about Hellboy's popularity, Golden says, "Hellboy is an ordinary Joe. That's his universal appeal. He has a mental image of himself that is completely different from his outward appearance. In his mind, he's just a guy with a job to do. He's a big aw-shucks, old fashioned kind of guy in a demon's body." Adds Golden: "Mike Mignola's visual style is so distinctive that it's been ripped off by other artists and movie studios pretty much daily since Hellboy debuted, which was when Mike came into his own as an artist. The stories are fun and creepy, and Hellboy and his friends are just so damned charming." Hellboy the movie is based on the first volume, Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. The graphic novel series is recommended for grades seven and up. Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. Dark Horse. 1997. $17.95. ISBN 1-59307-094-2. |
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Comics are created in two ways—by a single cartoonist who does both writing and drawing, or a writer who works with an artist to create the story. In either case—comics being a visual medium—the work of the artist usually predominates. But sometimes, the comic or graphic novel's story is so inventive and visual that it is the writer who achieves star status. Alan Moore is such a writer. One of the most creative forces in the history of American comics, his credits include such classics as Swamp Thing, Watchmen, From Hell, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Alan Moore's Writing for Comics, published by Avatar Press, features Moore's theories on the craft, which he originally wrote for an obscure British magazine in the 1980s. Focusing primarily on writing rather than the technical aspects of comics, Moore's theories are interesting and insightful. While this book won't attract patrons looking for superhero graphic novels, it will interest many of Moore's fans as well as those looking for books about comic book writing and the writing process. The brief book includes an afterword written by Moore. Another recommended addition to your Alan Moore library is Across the Universe. Published by DC Comics, this collection of miscellaneous tales by Moore will engage young superhero fans as well as readers of Moore's more sophisticated work. Alan Moore's Writing for Comics. Avatar Press. 2003. $5.95. ISBN 1-59291-012-2. Gr 9 and up. |
