Comics

Every other Friday (or in this case Thursday, because of the July 4 holiday), Omnivoracious will turn the spotlight on one or more graphic novels, with future installments also including news and special features. You can let me know who or what you'd like to see featured by commenting on this post. (In October, Graphic Novel Friday will return to its normal weekly schedule.)

Some children's books are perfect for kids and adults, even if they don't include that kind of winking irony that can be required for that combined audience. In the case of Susan Schade and Jon Buller's Fog Mound: Travels of Thelonius series, there's another synergy going on as well: between comics/graphic novels and traditional kid's fiction. Each book is a combination of comics-with-words and words-with-drawings, the latter chapters being more like a standard illustrated book. This hybrid works very well, as the word-heavy sections are mostly reserved for conversations and the comics sections reserved mostly for action and the introduction of new settings.

The milieu is a post-apocalytic world in which things are coming back to life and talking animals populate the ruins of deserted human cities. Separated from his home during a flood, Thelonius the talking chipmunk, long enamored of human creations, has various surreal and miraculous adventures. The books, from Simon & Schuster are lovingly constructed and should take pride of place on any collector's shelf. The latest, Volume 3: Simon's Dream, was released in May. Highly recommended.

Every Friday, Omnivoracious will turn the spotlight on one or more graphic novels, with future installments also including news and interviews. You can let me know who or what you'd like to see featured by commenting on this post.

Back after longish vacation, I'm focusing this time on graphica that emphasizes the art over the words. Three recent books provide serious visual satisfaction...

Doctor Grordbort's Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory (Dark Horse Comics)

Greg Broadmore has written and illustrated an amazing Steampunk compendium of retro-weapons, along with some stunning visuals of the weapons in action. This might indeed be a Boy's Life dream on the page, but who can resist such insane creations as Ignas Fraunhoffer III Gas Driven Gadabout or Dr. Grordbort's Highly Popular Portable Inertionaut. The concluding section, Lord Cockswain's Marvelous Interplanetary Excursions, is part wacked-out sci-fantasy art, complete with weird aliens, and part send-up of Imperial intent. Yes, there are nice descriptions of the inventions, but the primary joy here is in the intricate detail of the full-color art.

Out of Picture 2 (Villard)

Anyone looking for strong storylines in Out of Picture 2: Art From the Outside Looking In will be as disappointed as I was in Out of Picture 1. But in perusing the gorgeous pages of #2 I've realized I wanted the wrong things out of the first volume. This is, first and foremost, a collection of strange and fully realized art, with narrative not really the point. The series takes its name from a film term used when a character, scene, or shot is cut from a movie--meaning that these books "represent a safe haven for stories and visions that have yet to be realized." The artists include Peter Nguyen, David Gordon, Benoit le Pennec, Tsutsumi, and seven others. As a sumptuous coffee table book, Out of Picture 2 should satisfy any collector of upscale comics art.

Metronome (Nantier Beall Minoustchine)

Every page of Veronique Tanaka's intricate, often understated (and wordless) graphic novel is, as the press release states, "cut out in exactly the same way, each strip also with four staccato images, like a measure of 4/4 on a music sheet. We zoom in and out in equally split time in what is essentially an album-full of stop motion comics animation." The simple black-and-white images tell the story of a relationship, from first bloom to final quarrel. Introduced by Jeff Smith and discovered by Bryan Talbot, the book has unexpected power. The limitation of identical panel structure on each page actually strengthens the overall effect.

Linkage

A few readers have asked about links to good sources for comics/graphic novel information. Here are some sites worth checking out:

Comic Book Resources

Newsarama

Graphic Novel Review

Comicon's Pulse

That paragon of virtuous darkness, that scarred noirish almost-anti-hero, Batman, is back in theaters soon--and back in the spotlight with a new release this week: The Essential Batman Encyclopedia by Robert Greenberger. From "Abbatoir" to "Zur-En-Arrh" (extra credit if you knew that was a planet), Greenberger brings the Learnin' but makes it fun. Copiously illustrated with drawings, photographs, and some full-color comics action in the middle of it all, this batty encyclopedia means business. Want to know more about Batman's origins? Read this book. Want biographies of every major character in the Batman universe? Check. Want more classic comics mojo than you know what do with? You know where to turn.

Personally, Batman's always been a favorite because he's ultimately almost as twisted as the villains he pursues. Whether it's the cheesy kitsch of the TV series, the stylish dark fantasy of the movies, or the psychological pulp shadows of the comics versions (remember the Arkham Asylum?), Batman's essential character is appealing almost in spite of his freakishness.

Greenberger is a former editor at DC Comics, and it shows. Meticulous detail and care went into this encyclopedia. It's really worth your time and attention.

Welcome once again to Friday Night Videos, where we usually match up book-related videos against each other in mortal combat--to satisfy the blood-sport instincts of rabid bibliophiles.

This Friday, though, something a little different. With the forthcoming release of the Bluesman graphic novel by Rob Vollmar and Pablo Callejo, the book's publisher has created a book trailer that gives readers a great idea of what to expect from this highly lauded project. But, since the trailer is silent, I've added a second video below it as a soundtrack. Just start both of 'em going at the same time and you've got yourself a nice little one-two punch. A kind of YouTube mash-up.

Don't say we never supersaturate your senses here at Friday Night Videos!

Programming note: FNV will be taking a break next Friday and returning on May 30.

Every Friday, Omnivoracious will turn the spotlight on one or more graphic novels, with future installments also including news, relevant links, and interviews. You can let me know who or what you'd like to see featured by commenting on this post.

Last week, a reader asked for more information on manga and anime. We're going to restrict ourselves to books in this column, but in terms of manga, anyone who wants to learn more might consider referring to the interview with and guest column by Robin Brenner at Bookslut (she also has a great website).

Little Lit TOON Books for Younger Readers

The classy Little Lit gang has come up with something new, TOON Books, which they describe as "the first high-quality comics designed for children ages four and up. Each book in the collection is just right for reading to the youngest but, perhaps most remarkable, this is the first collection ever designed to offer newly-emerging readers comics they can read themselves. Each TOON Book has been vetted by educators to ensure that the language and the narratives will nurture young minds."

The first volumes in this hardcover series are Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons by Agnes Rosenstiehl, Benny and Penny in "Just Pretend" by Geoffrey Hayes, and Otto's Orange Day by Frank Cammuso and Jay Lynch. Silly Lilly is the least kinetic of the three, using a deliberately flat style and even tone to provide a primer on the four seasons. Benny and Penny, on the other hand, features two bickering mice who fight over the reality of a pirate ship. Otto's Orange Day uses exaggeration and good-natured banter to establish its mood. All three are note-perfect for what they're doing.

Two for Kids and Adults

Julian Rodriguez: Episode One, Trash Crisis on Earth by Alexander Stadler and Dungeon Monstres: Vol. 1: The Crying Giant by Joann Sfar, Lewis Trondheim, John-John Mazan, and Jean-Christophe Menu fall into two categories of illustrated narratives suitable for both adults and children. Stadler's lively, clever tale of an extraterrestrial genius trapped in the body of an eight-year-old boy is the kind of story that adults will enjoy reading to their kids. Reminding me in tone of Nickelodeon's Invader Zim, although not as dark, Julian Rodriguez uses a simple line-drawing style combined with spot color throughout to create his witty and dynamic narrative.

The latest Sfar/Trondheim Dungeon, on the other hand, is the kind of story that adults will pick up whether they have kids or not, but the kids will enjoy the heck out of it as well. This volume contains two stories by guest artists, which may diminish the appeal, especially since the beloved characters of previous volumes only have cameos. Still, despite the lesser nature of these adventures, it's worth your time and money, especially if you've already become hooked on the series.

Fantastical Craziness

The Super Scary Monster Show (featuring Little Gloomy) by Landry Walker and Eric Jones delivers on its promise, with a bevy of wonderful creepy-funny monsters, and adventure galore. It includes takes on the classic Universal Monsters and, in addition to the human girl who lives amongst these creatures, Carl Cthulhu, who just happens to love bunnies. I have to say that the drawings of Carl, with a kind of squidular head, are particularly wonderful. It's snappy, savvy fun.

The ubiquitous Kazu Kibuishi has launched a new anthology series as a companion to Flight. This one, Flight Explorer, is aimed at children, and features the same marvelous fantastical approach to comics, albeit for a younger audience. You'll find a lot of favorites here, including work by Kean Soo, who created Jellaby. Cute, clever, and timely, Flight Explorer is genuinely kid-friendly, like the TOON books, and provides yet another outlet for imaginative, sometimes surreal comic creators.

Programming note: Graphic Novel Friday will be taking a break next week and returning on May 30.

Fans of both the Iron Man comics and those who love the crazy-successful Iron Man movie but haven't encountered the superhero before should consider picking up the compact but comprehensive Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels.

If you've been living beyond the reach of modern technology for the last six months and missed out on the fun, Iron Man is, as the jacket copy goes, "the ultimate smart weapon: man and machine combined for maximum impact. He’s Iron Man, AKA millionaire industrialist and visionary genius turned superhero Tony Stark."

This new book detailing the history of Iron Man includes a brief introduction to the movie and copious panels/covers from the comic book, as well as extensive commentary. It also has an overview of the armor's design evolution throughout the years--something to warm the cockles of our little geek hearts--and provides a complete background of Tony Stark and such classic sidekicks as Virginia “Pepper” Potts and James Rhodes/War Machine. Villains like Mandarin and Crimson Dynamo also get their due respect.

Del Rey has put together a sharp, crisp package that doesn't seem like just an attempt to cash in on the movie version. Check it out!

Every Friday, Omnivoracious will turn the spotlight on one or more graphic novels, with future installments also including news, relevant links, and interviews. You can let me know who or what you'd like to see featured by commenting on this post.

Three Shadows by Cyril Pedrosa (First Second) - A rich allegory in which a man and his son embark on a journey to save their family, while haunted by three shadows. Their trip takes them to many strange places, and although the underlying symbolism is at times obscure, the emotional pay-off is definitely worth the experience.

The Manga Bible: From Genesis to Revelation by Siku (Doubleday) - To me, there's something crazy about trying to render the Bible in graphic form to begin with, given that the rich texture of the language provides much of its power. A manga Bible seems perhaps even crazier, given the stylizations of the form. The results, though, seem much weirder than even that, which I mean as a compliment. Either the Bible was always odd or Siku has chosen to dramatize the stranger bits. I'm not sure the standard manga approach really adds anything new to the experience, but it's a worthy experiment that manga fans in general should consider checking out.

Heavenshield by Ryu Blackman (Tokyopop) - I like this new manga because of the premise: "In a post-meteor age, humans and human-like reptile descendents have struck a delicate peace accord based on a dark new religion called Sancrosanct. So when a psychotic general escapes prison and plots a military coup, the government hires saucy racer girl Sepulveda Ramos and her dysfunctional crew of mercernaries" to stop him. This is pretty trippy stuff.

Tonoharu (Part 1) by Lars Martinson (Pliant Press) - Earnest and lovingly detailed, this account of a Western English teacher living and working in Japan has a quiet and telling power to it. The little details of Western-Eastern culture clash and the precision of the accompanying artwork combine to make this more than a graphic novel gloss on a topic already dealt with in nonfiction and movies. A gem of understated storytelling that belongs on any bookshelf.

A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn with Mike Konopacki and Paul Buhle (Metropolitan Books) - Somehow this graphic novel version of the famous left-wing history text seems much less subtle than the original. Which is to say, it's powerful but shrill, gives a voice to the voiceless but no real greater context. It was always going to be controversial, and I recommend it for giving another side of history, but this version needs to be balanced with something more, er, balanced. Still, from the standpoint of adapting a written text to an illustrated medium, the creators have done an excellent job. It may just be an example of a type of book better suited to the capabilities of text alone.

I love Godard, so whenever I find a new interpretation, I'm pretty excited.

BoingBoing reported this morning that the next Scott Teplin exhibition at the Adam Baumgold Gallery in New York would be Alphaville, based on the 1965 Godard film about a futuristic city where the hero, American private eye Lemmy Caution, meanders until he learns that, basically, love has been weeded out of human experience.

Teplin's version doesn't look quite so dark. In his vivid pen and ink and watercolor drawings, Teplin has created his own Alphaville, preserving the humor and sense of confusion of the original with modern-day rooms that play with scale and unexpected juxtapositions.

Even if you won't be in New York for the exhibition, which runs May 1 through June 7, 2008, you can see previews from the gallery or Teplin's site of the Alphaville drawings, the alphabet rooms (like the "O" shown here), and photos of an artist book set “Sinker Down and Out,” which the gallery describes as "a Kafkaesque journey of a donut’s travels through the digestive path."

One of the Alphaville drawings will also be the cover of McSweeney's #27, due out in early summer.

And, if you're into seeing art in progress (I'm a sucker for it), you will probably enjoy Teplin's blog, Future Trash, which shows the evolution of the drawings as he's been working them out.

After discovering Teplin's awesomeness in his work and his blog, I was excited to also discover that he and I (and fellow Omnivoracious contributor, Paul) worked on the same book: Beasts! (2006) for Fantagraphics. His Loathly Worm can be found on p. 121. --Heidi

(Just one half of one table of comics considered during last year's judging weekend.)

The Eisner Award finalists for best comics/graphic novels have been announced, in a dizzying array of categories. So many categories, in fact, that I'm just going to let Amazon readers peruse it all themselves, and say I'm happy to see such imaginative fare as Shaun Tan's The Arrival, Jeff Lemire's Essex County, Jason Shiga's Bookhunter, and Matt Kindt's Super Spy making the list. The 2008 Eisner Awards judging panel consisted of John Davis (director of pop culture markets, Bookazine), Paul DiFilippo (SF and comics author), Atom! Freeman (owner of Brave New World Comics in Santa Clarita, CA), Jeff Jensen (senior writer, Entertainment Weekly), and Eva Volin (supervising children's librarian for the Alameda Free Library in Alameda, CA).

Having been a judge last year, knowing how much effort goes into the process, it's mind-blowing that they survive the experience. In addition to their regular reading, the judges are flown to San Diego and basically locked in a room for an entire weekend to read anything they've missed and to thrash out the finalists.

I asked judge Paul Di Filippo what the toughest categories were in his opinion: "Speaking personally, my lack of manga experience made it hard for me to judge in that category. But so far as consensus among the judges went, this year seemed surprisingly equitable, with very little dissension. There were very few individual items which some ranked highest and other lowest. And if you're talking about difficulty of finding enough worthwhile candidates--just didn't happen! Too much good stuff got eliminated, in favor of even better items.

Judge Jeff Jensen typified the experience as "intense, exhausting, grueling, and really, really fun. It's both exciting and terrifying the first time you vote on a category; you realize the significance of what you're doing and you feel this overwhelming sense of 'You gotta get it perfect!' Then you realize that's impossible, that there is no 'getting it perfect' in any awards process in any medium. So you just ground yourself in your own passion and good sense and have fun with it and commit to being as thorough as possible given the limitations of time and available comics."

Di Filippo was astonished by the wealth of material: "I thought I had a good handle through my own reading, but this judging process opened up my eyes. It's starting to seem to me as if comics is entering its true maturity as a medium, with as wide a variety of material as one would find in prose novels."

Jensen agrees: "I was confronted by the reality that the comics fields is so much bigger and more varied than I really knew. I realized I need to be making a whole lot money if I want to be a true comics aficionado--too much good stuff, not enough cash!"

Jackie Estrada, awards administrator since 1990, says of her role, "I try to read as much of the material as possible ahead of time so that I know what the judges will be talking about, and I discover lots of wonderful books that way. I always enjoy the judging weekend, even though it's grueling. As former judge Calvin Reid of Publishers Weekly remarked, what more could one want than to spend an entire weekend just sitting around reading and talking about comics? The most fulfilling part is being able to promote the best that the comics medium has to offer and help these works find new readers and a wider audience. It's always gratifying to me when I hear that someone uses the nominees as a shopping list, because the person knows that whatever is on the list is going to be high quality."

As indicated in the award's official press release, ballots will be going out in late April to comics creators, editors, publishers, and retailers. The results in all categories will be announced in a gala awards ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 25 at Comic-Con International.