Blog Archives
New Comics for New Readers – March 20, 2013
Photo by Christopher Butcher
Want to try reading comics? Don’t know where to start? Want to try something different?
Wednesday is New Comics Day! Each week, The Comics Observer spotlights up to three brand new releases worthy of your consideration. All of these have been carefully selected as best bets for someone who has never read comic books, graphic novels or manga before. They each highlight the variety and creativity being produced today. These are also great for those that haven’t read comics in awhile or regular readers looking to try something new.
While we can’t guarantee you’ll like what we’ve picked, we truly believe there’s a comic for everyone. If you like the images and descriptions below, click the links to see previews and learn more about them. You can often buy straight from the publishers or creators. If not, head over to your local comic book store, check out online retailers like Things From Another World and Amazon, or download a copy at comiXology, or the comics and graphic novels sections of the Kindle Store or NOOK store. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook.
For a full list of this week’s new releases, see comiXology, ComicList.com and PREVIEWSworld.
(Please note these aren’t reviews. Recommendations are based on pre-release buzz, previews, and The Comics Observer‘s patented crystal ball. Product descriptions provided by publisher.)
Barry’s Best Buddy by Renée French
Barry’s Best Buddy
Written and illustrated by Renée French
Published by TOON Books
Genre: Humor
Ages: 4+
32 pages
$12.95
What’s waiting for Barry at the end of the walk? The ridiculous hat his friend Polarhog forces on him? No, that’s only a distraction from the real surprise!
Kids will crack up over this funny friendship and be all the more moved by the book’s genuinely poignant ending.
When Barry the bird and his goofy pal Polarhog start off, there’s a new adventure around every bend. But when they turn the final corner, the surprise Polarhog has prepared brings a tear to Barry’s eye – and yours.
Young readers will fall in love with Eisner-nominated cartoonist Renée French’s exquisite drawings and her quirky sense of humor. This Level 1 book will be a treat for the youngest beginning readers, to be read aloud with a grown-up or all on their own!
When David Lost His Voice by Judith Vanistendael
When David Lost His Voice
Written and illustrated by Judith Vanistendael
Published by SelfMadeHero
Genre: Fiction
Ages: 14+
$24.95
A heartfelt portrayal of a family preparing for life after David
The doctor’s report is final: David has cancer. Now the whole family is under the same terrible verdict.
The moment his granddaughter Louise is born, David learns that he has cancer. But words were never his forte, and he’d rather keep quiet about his illness, the pain and the end that awaits him – much to the frustration of the women in his life. They wait, powerless, for the silent but inexorable end. David’s wife becomes progressively consumed by the looming shadow of death while his daughters struggle to be as helpful as possible. Meanwhile, David soldiers on, not wanting the tumor to rob him of everything, including the chance to see his granddaughter grow up.
Vanistendael’s extraordinary art and sensitive text provide a powerful portrayal of a family preparing for life after unimaginable loss.
Praise for When David Lost His Voice:
“Neither sentimental nor cynical, this narrative holds the most delicate aspects of family life gently and openly for readers to immerse themselves.” —Booklist
The Massive Vol. 1: Black Pacific by Brian Wood, Kristian Donaldson and Garry Brown
The Massive Volume 1: Black Pacific
Written by Brian Wood
Illustrated by Kristian Donaldson and Garry Brown
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Genre: Science-Fiction, Action-Adventure
Ages: 16+
$19.99
What does it mean to be an environmentalist after the world has already ended?
For Callum Israel, leader of the Ninth Wave oceanic activist group, this is the question that cuts to the core of his identity. In a post-war, post-Crash, post-disaster, post-everything world, nothing is certain and ideologies are meaningless. But the mission remains: search this crumbling world for answers to the cause of the Crash, and keep up the hunt for their missing sister ship, The Massive, lost and adrift in the chaos.
New York Times best-selling author Brian Wood’s new, sprawling, post-apocalyptic epic takes the crew of the Kapital from the flooded remnants of Hong Kong to Unalaska, with stops in Antarctica and Mogadishu, as post-Crash ethics and economics are explored across a broken world.
New Comics for New Readers – February 20, 2013
Photo by Christopher Butcher
Want to try reading comics? Don’t know where to start? Want to try something different?
Wednesday is New Comics Day! Each week, The Comics Observer spotlights up to three brand new releases worthy of your consideration. All of these have been carefully selected as best bets for someone who has never read comic books, graphic novels or manga before. They each highlight the variety and creativity being produced today. These are also great for those that haven’t read comics in awhile or regular readers looking to try something new.
While we can’t guarantee you’ll like what we’ve picked, we truly believe there’s a comic for everyone. If you like the images and descriptions below, click the links to see previews and learn more about them. You can often buy straight from the publishers or creators. If not, head over to your local comic book store, check out online retailers like Things From Another World and Amazon, or download a copy at comiXology, or the comics and graphic novels sections of the Kindle Store or NOOK store. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook.
For a full list of this week’s new releases, see comiXology and ComicList.com.
(Please note these aren’t reviews. Recommendations are based on pre-release buzz, previews, and The Comics Observer‘s patented crystal ball. Product descriptions provided by publisher.)
Mermin: Out of Water by Joey Weiser
Mermin Book One: Out of Water
Written and illustrated by Joey Weiser
Published by Oni Press
Genre: Humor
Ages: 6+
152 pages
$19.99
“MERMIN the MERMAN from MER!?” That’s the question Pete and his friends ask after finding the fish-boy washed up on the beach!
Mermin just escaped the undersea kingdom of Mer, and is ready to have some fun on dry land! But why would this aquatic kid be afraid to swim? Perhaps it has something to do with the fishy pursuers who have followed him from the depths below!
Resident Alien: Welcome to Earth! by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse
Resident Alien Volume 1: Welcome to Earth!
Written by Peter Hogan
Illustrated by Steve Parkhouse
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Genre: Science-fiction, Crime
Ages: 12+
96 pages
$14.99
A stranded alien seeks refuge in the small town of Patience, USA, where he hides undercover as a retired doctor. All the alien wants is to be left alone until he’s rescued. However, when the town’s real doctor dies, “Dr. Harry” is pulled into medical service—and finds himself smack dab in the middle of a murder mystery!
* From the writer of Tom Strong and the artist for Alan Moore’s The Bojeffries Saga!
“A pitch-perfect narrative from two of my favourite creators.” – Alan Moore
Tales from Beyond Science by Rian Hughes
Tales from Beyond Science
Written by Mark Millar, Alan McKenzie, and John Smith
Illustrated by Rian Hughes
Published by Image Comics
Genre: Humor
Ages: 16+
88 pages
$16.99
Follow your host Hilary Tremayne on eight surreal journeys into the unknown.
Discover the truth behind the mysteries of spontaneous human combustion, the Bermuda Triangle, the lost 13th month, and the real reason men have nipples.
Drawn by Rian Hughes and written by a Rogue’s Gallery of Britain’s finest comic writers that includes Mark Millar (Kick Ass, Wanted), Alan McKenzie (The Harrison Ford Story) and John Smith (Devin Waugh), this volume collects the complete series.
Honorable mentions for two new soft cover editions of two favorites:
Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith
Little Mouse Gets Ready
Written and illustrated by Jeff Smith
Published by TOON Books
Genre: Humor, Education
Ages: 4+
32 pages
$4.99
A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
There’s lots to do before Little Mouse is ready to go visit the barn. Will he master all the intricacies of getting dressed, from snaps and buttons to Velcro and tail holes?
Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Jeff Smith and his determined Little Mouse reveal all the smallest pleasures of this daily task.
Ayako by Osamu Tezuka
Ayako
Written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka
Translated by Mari Morimoto
Published by Vertical, Inc.
Genre: Historical Drama
Ages: 18+
702 pages
$24.95
Opening a few years after the end of World War II and covering almost a quarter-century, here is comics master Osamu Tezuka’s most direct and sustained critique of Japan’s fate in the aftermath of total defeat. Unusually devoid of cartoon premises yet shot through with dark voyeuristic humor, Ayako looms as a pinnacle of Naturalist literature in Japan with few peers even in prose, the striking heroine a potent emblem of things left unseen following the war.
The year is 1949. Crushed by the Allied Powers, occupied by General MacArthur’s armies, Japan has been experiencing massive change. Agricultural reform is dissolving large estates and redistributing plots to tenant farmers—terrible news, if you’re landowners like the archconservative Tenge family. For patriarch Sakuemon, the chagrin of one of his sons coming home alive from a P.O.W. camp instead of having died for the Emperor is topped only by the revelation that another of his is consorting with “the reds.” What solace does he have but his youngest Ayako, apple of his eye, at once daughter and granddaughter?
Delving into some of the period’s true mysteries, which remain murky to this day, Tezuka’s Zolaesque tapestry delivers thrill and satisfaction in spades. Another page-turning classic from an irreplaceable artist who was as astute an admirer of the Russian masters and Nordic playwrights as of Walt Disney, Ayako is a must-read for comics connoisseurs and curious literati.
New Comics for New Readers – September 19, 2012
This week is all about young readers!
Wednesday is New Comics Day! Each week, The Comics Observer picks brand new releases worth checking out that should be suitable for someone who has never read comic books, graphic novels or manga before.
These are out today! If you like what you see here, click the links to see previews and learn more about them. Then head to your local comic book store, or check out online retailers like Things From Another World and Amazon. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook.
For a full list of this week’s new releases, see comiXology and ComicList.com.
(Disclaimer: These aren’t reviews. Recommendations are based on pre-release press, previews, and The Comics Observer‘s patented crystal ball. Product descriptions provided by publisher.)
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
Drama
Written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier
Published by Graphix/Scholastic
Genre: Young Adult
Ages: 10+
Grades: 5+
240 pages
$10.99
Callie loves theater. And while she would totally try out for her middle school’s production of “Moon Over Mississippi,” she’s a terrible singer. Instead she’s the set designer for the stage crew, and this year she’s determined to create a set worthy of Broadway on a middle-school budget. But how can she, when she doesn’t know much about carpentry, ticket sales are down, and the crew members are having trouble working together? Not to mention the onstage AND offstage drama that occurs once the actors are chosen, and when two cute brothers enter the picture, things get even crazier!
Following the success of Smile, Raina Telgemeier brings us another graphic novel featuring a diverse set of characters that humorously explores friendship, crushes, and all-around drama!
The Secret of the Stone Frog by David Nytra
The Secret of the Stone Frog
Written and illustrated by David Nytra
Published by Toon Books
Genre: Fantasy
Ages: 8+
Grades: 3+
80 pages
$14.95
In a magical world unlike any you’ve seen before…
When Leah and Alan awaken in an enchanted forest, they have only each other and their wits to guide them. In a world full of pet bees and giant rabbits, they befriend foppish lions and stone frogs. Learning to overcome danger, they find their way home — and their independence.
Newcomer David Nytra’s breathtaking pictures break the boundaries of imagination, sending the reader on a wild flight of fantasy that tells a moving and universal coming of age story.
Mr. Big: A Tale of Pond Life by Carol & Matt Dembicki
Mr. Big: A Tale of Pond Life
Written by Carol Dembicki
Illustrated by Matt Dembicki
Published by Sky Pony Press
Genre: Fantasy
Ages: 6+
Grade: 2+
160 pages
$12.95
A stunning graphic novel for kids about an ornery snapping turtle, a murder of crows, and the importance of ecosystems.
In a watery world where only the strong survive, the reptiles and fish living in a small pond launch a plan to eradicate Mr. Big, a snapping turtle that is terrorizing them. Despite a few protests from some pond dwellers, who warn of the potential consequences this could have, the animals solicit the support of a murder of crows to carry out their plot. But the scheming crows have their own motives to kill the large reptile and decide to use this opportunity to do so. However, as the plan is put into action, a different, greater terror has found itself a member of the pond. Will Mr. Big be ousted forever? Or will the pond dwellers come to realize that even the old snapping turtle might serve his purpose in their small environment? And what will become of the new threat to those living in the peaceful pond?
This stunning graphic novel written for young readers illustrates the delicate balance that exists in small, self-contained, natural ecosystems and the relationship between predator and prey. Mr. Big is perfect for the classroom and will appeal to children interested in nature and comics.
New Comics for New Readers – August 22, 2012
Wednesday is New Comics Day! Each week, The Comics Observer picks brand new releases worth checking out that should be suitable for someone who has never read comic books, graphic novels or manga before.
These are out today! If you like what you see here, click the links to see previews and learn more about them. Then head to your local comic book store, or check out online retailers like Things From Another World and Amazon. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook.
For a full list of this week’s new releases, see comiXology and ComicList.com.
(Disclaimer: These aren’t reviews. Recommendations are based on pre-release press, previews, and The Comics Observer‘s patented crystal ball. Product descriptions provided by publisher.)
Maya Makes a Mess by Rutu Modan
Maya Makes a Mess
Written and illustrated by Rutu Modan
Published by Toon Books
Genre: Fantasy
Ages: 4+
Grades: 1-2
32 pages
$12.95
Are Maya’s manners fit for a queen?
In the midst of a family dinner with her scolding parents, Maya receives an unexpected invitation to dine with the Queen. Suddenly, her messy manners are put to the ultimate test and she begins to improvise her very own set of rules, with uproarious results.
Filled with humor and exquisitely imagined detail, this book by Eisner Award-winner Rutu Modan is bound to turn every child into a voracious reader.
This book is a collaboration: when she was a child, Rutu liked ketchup so much she used to eat it with everything, even with cookies, or straight from the bottle (but only when her parents were not around). Then when Rutu’s daughter, Michal, was young, she had very bad table manners. Rutu told her: “How badly you eat! What would you do if the Queen invited you to dine at the palace?” Michal answered very seriously: “Well! It just so happens that the Queen is a VERY good friend of mine, and she told me that I eat perfectly.”
Tails Book One by Ethan Young
Tails
Written and illustrated by Ethan Young
Published by Hermes Press
Genre: Fantasy
Ages: 16+
128 pages
$12.99
Quirky, funny, and surreal, Tails follows the semi-autobiographical exploits of hapless and hopeless hipster cartoonist Ethan. Ethan uses his comic book creation Crusader Cat to get away from the real world… and things get interesting when his escapist work starts to talk back to him. Poignant, funny, and daring, Tails is an unflinching portrait of a believable character as he starts to fall into the abyss of an unbelievable world, with the results ranging from hilarious to heart-breaking.
Published as a black and white hardcover, Tails is the first of a three-volume series recommended for mature readers.
Prophet: Remission by Brandon Graham, et al.
Prophet Volume 1: Remission
Written by Brandon Graham
Illustrated by Simon Roy, Farel Dalrymple, Giannis Milonogiannis, and Brandon Graham
Published by Image Comics
Genre: Fantasy
Ages: 13+
136 pages
$9.99
On distant future Earth, changed by time and alien influence, John Prophet awakes from cryosleep. His mission: to climb the the towers of Thauili Van and restart the Earth empire. News of the Empire’s return brings old foes and allies out of the recesses of the vast cosmos.
3 New Comics for New Readers – April 18, 2012
A tale about a shape-shifting shark from Hawaii for young readers, a look at the characters and folklore of Cleveland, and a gutsy look at modern war – just a sampling of the wide variety from this week’s promising new graphic novels and comic books.
Wednesday is New Comics Day! Each week, The Comics Observer picks three brand new releases worth checking out that should be suitable for someone who has never read comic books, graphic novels or manga before.
If you like what you see here, click the links to see previews and learn more about them. Then head to your local comic book store, or check out online retailers like Things From Another World and Amazon. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook.
For a full list of this week’s new releases, see comiXology and ComicList.com.
Shooters by Eric Trautmann, Brandon Jerwa, and Steve Lieber
Shooters
Written by Eric S. Trautmann and Brandon Jerwa
Illustrated by Steve Lieber
Published by Vertigo / DC Comics
Genre: War
144 pages
$22.99
Today’s battlefield isn’t just about the uniformed soldier in service to his country; there’s also the contractor, who answers to the corporation. Call them mercenaries, soldiers-for-hire, or private military operators, they are a new breed of combatant in today’s conflicts.
Shooters is the story of Terry Glass, a warrior whose spirit and soul has been hardened in countless battles. When a horrible accident shatters his world, Glass finds himself waging a private war on several fronts – against his career, his marriage, and ultimately, his faith.
Written by Eric S. Trautmann (Checkmate, Red Sonja, Flash Gordon) and Brandon Jerwa (G.I. Joe, Battlestar Galactica, Highlander), and drawn by Eisner Award-winning artist Steve Lieber (Underground, Whiteout, Road to Perdition: On the Road), Shooters tells a story of modern warfare that will stay with you forever.
The Shark King by R. Kikuo Johnson
The Shark King
Written and Illustrated by R. Kikuo Johnson
Published by Toon Books
Genre: Fantasy
40 pages
$12.95
Meet Nanaue, a boy craving to be who he truly is.
From the islands of Hawaii comes the electrifying tale of Nanaue, who has to balance his yearning for Dad’s guidance with his desire for Mom’s nurture.
Award-winning cartoonist R. Kikuo Johnson transports young readers to the lush, tropical shores of his native Hawaii. Emerging readers, fluent or not, will be thrilled when they experience the transformative powers of this stirring literary work.
R. Kikuo Johnson grew up in Hawaii on the island of Maui. For generations, native Hawaiians have told tales of the shape-shifting shark god Kamohoalii; The Shark King is the artist’s version of one such tale about the insatiable appetite of Kamohoalii’s son, Nanaue. Kikuo’s 2005 graphic novel, Night Fisher — also set in Hawaii — earned him both the Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award and a Harvey Award. Kikuo spent his childhood exploring the rocky shore in front of his grandmother’s house at low tide and diving with his older brother. Since moving to the mainland, Kikuo has discovered the joys of swimming in fresh water and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he enjoys cooking, playing his ukulele, and riding his bike all over the city.
Cleveland by Harvey Pekar and Joseph Remnant
Cleveland
Written by Harvey Pekar
Illustrated by Joseph Remnant
Introduction by Alan Moore
Published by ZIP Comics and Top Shelf Productions
Genre: Non-Fiction
128 pages
$21.99
A lifelong Cleveland resident, Harvey Pekar (1939-2010) pioneered autobiographical comics, mining the mundane for magic since 1976 in his ongoing American Splendor series. Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland is sadly one of his last, but happily one of his most definitive graphic novels.
It combines classic American Splendor-ous autobiographical anecdotes with key moments and characters in the city’s history as relayed to us by Our Man and meticulously researched and rendered by artist Joseph Remnant.
With an introduction by Alan Moore to boot!
How do you get people to read comics when people don’t know how to read comics?
Photo by Sarah Shatz (Click for Toon Books blog)
I’ve recently been struck with the reality that some people really and truly don’t know how to read comics. This is a real and true hurdle for plenty of people in accepting and even trying a comic book or graphic novel.
For people like me who feel we were born holding a copy of Amazing Spider-Man, it’s hard to believe. But this shouldn’t be dismissed as nonsense. It doesn’t mean the people having trouble reading them are stupid. In fact, I think scoffing this reason is the equivalent of calling comics simple kids stuff for dummies.
But both of these assumptions are fallacies. From my experience, usually the struggling reader is a big book reader and they’re usually quite bright. They simply haven’t had much if any experience with the language of comics.
And comics are far from simple. They are a language all their own, and just like anything else, it takes time to learn the language. There’s more going on than just looking at little cartoon drawings and reading the words. The words and images play off each other and interact with each other, and other images on the page, and the reader, in a way unlike any other medium. Just as we must learn how to read non-verbal cues in face-to-face conversations with people, there are non-word cues that readers must learn to incorporate into the entire message. The artwork is doing much more than just providing a visual representation of the words. Frequently they’re providing information not found in the text, information about how the artist interprets and feels about that the text or the world that’s been created, visual clues about how characters feel, information about environment and setting, aesthetic information that informs tone or mood, as well as stylistic choices that reflect the artist and the prism through which he sees the world. And there’s even more than that. In every panel.
That’s a lot of work. The brain can figure all or most of it out, but it can take time to adjust to receiving information in a new way.
The best way to get used to it is to read comics at a young age when we’re still extremely adaptable. One of the best publishers for first time and young readers is Toon Books. I linked to them yesterday in my Comics News Roundup, but I’m sure it’s easy to miss. I also wanted to feature this video they have on their front page. It’s narrated by Editorial Director Françoise Mouly (so prepare your ears for a French accent). She does a great summary of what they’re about and also has some great information on how comics are great for kids just learning to read.
Toon Books has their books split up into three levels: Grades K-1, Grades 1-2 and Grades 2-3. But to be honest, they’re so delightful and charming that grown-up readers will probably get a smile from reading them too. There’s a reason many of their books, like Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith, Benny and Penny by Geoffrey Hayes, and Stinky by Eleanor Davis, have received awards, made best-of lists, and gotten other praise and recognition. There’s also a teacher’s guide with lesson plans, an online literacy tool, and other free resources for the classroom.
A lot of publishers are adding material for new readers to their catalog. Top Shelf Productions has the Kids Club with the adorable Owly by Andy Runton (who has a great teaching section on his site), Johnny Boo by James Kochalka and more coming in 2011. Traditional book publishers have also opened up to this. Scholastic Books now has the Graphix imprint, which has published material for slightly older readers (Grades 5-7) like Smile and Ann M. Martin’s The Baby-Sitter’s Club series of adaptations by Raina Telgemeier. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. More to come, for sure.
But what about older people who haven’t learned how to read comics? Like I said, more to come…
