Graphic Novels Prepub Alert:15 Titles
Featuring Deadpool, Lisi Harrison, Jason & The Cosplayer's Handbook
By Martha Cornog, Philadelphia -- Library Journal, 03/18/2010
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Most of the following titles will be coming in July 2010, as adaptations and remix approaches continue. Wonderful news from the pop culture watchers at ICv2: the long-dormant and much-beloved "Sailor Moon" series will likely see English-language rebirth soon. New Japanese editions were issued in 2003. Competition for the Twilight saga?
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Gischler, Victor (text) & Rob Liefeld & others (illus.). Deadpool Corps Prelude. Marvel. Jul. 2010. 120p. ISBN 978-0-7851-4752-7. $19.99. F
As the Marvel Universe fractalizes periodically, mouthy mercenary Deadpool has acquired different personas in different plotlines. So the absolute zenith of gonzo has got to be an all-Deadpool team-up, right? With the original Deadpool, plus Lady Deadpool, Deadpool’s head from a zombie plotline—aka Headpool (aw, crap!) Kidpool, and Dogpool (more crap?). And, of course, in a universe-spanning mission that does not take itself seriously, no way.
Harrison, Lisi (text) & Yishan Li (illus.). The Clique: The Manga. Vol. 1. Yen Pr. Jul. 2010. ISBN 978-0-7595-3029-4. pap. $11.99. F
GAP-wearing outsider Claire tries to fit in with the designer divas at her school, who call themselves The Pretty Committee. An adaptation of the first of the best-selling teen novels, which was chosen in 2005 by YALSA for Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. A film came out in 2008.
Jason (text & illus.). Werewolves of Montpellier. Fantagraphics. Jul. 2010. 48p. ISBN 978-1-60699-359-0. pap. $12.99. F
Having subjected zombies to the witty vagaries of his goofy, humanized animals, Eisner Award winner Jason tackles werewolves mixed up in re-creational burglary and romance. It’s the pretender vs. the professionals—who are not happy about amateur competition.
Ono, Natsume (text & illus.). Gente. Vol. 1: The People of Ristorante Paradiso. VIZ Media. Jul. 2010. 178p. ISBN 978-1-4215-3251-6. pap. $12.99. F
Ristorante Paradiso, Ono’s one-volume slice-of-life about the engaging staff of a Roman restaurant, inspired this three-volume sequel. Owing to a quirk of the owner’s wife, the waiters are all attractive, older men wearing glasses. Fans of food manga and Antique Bakery should love this one as well as Ristorante Paradiso, just out.
Patterson, James (text) & Seug-hui Kye (illus.). Daniel X: The Manga. Vol. 1. Yen Pr. Jul. 2010. 192p. ISBN 978-0-316-07764-4. pap. $11.99. F
With Patterson’s "Maximum Ride" novels up to Volume 3 in manga, it’s Daniel X’s turn. Thrill-a-minute sf adventures of a wildly gifted alien teen who can create real objects with his mind alone. He can also shape-shift, read minds, run at superspeed, lift impossible weights… What he can’t do, of course, is easily rid Earth of enemies in only one volume.
Rahner, Mark & Robert Horton. Rotten. Vol. 1: Reactivated. Moonstone. Jul. 2010. 184p. ISBN 978-1-933076-79-9. pap. $15.95. F
A zombie Western that aims to make the undead unfunny in an edgy story starring a Civil War vet as the zombie hunter—commissioned by President Rutherford B. Hayes, no less.
Ryall, Chris (text) & Alan Robinson & Joe Corroney (illus.). Weekly World News. Vol. 1. IDW. Jul. 2010. 104p. ISBN 978-1-60010-703-0. pap. $17.99. HUMOR
Kind of a "duh!" concept: develop comics around the smarmy stories jumping off the pages of that most outlandish of the tabloids. UFOs in our backyard! Bat Boy! Elvis sightings! As Ryall commented on Comic Book Resources, "The characters and concepts that have been presented in the paper for decades now are ready-made for comics." What took them so long? Realistic black-and-white art.
Sanchez, Claudio (text) & Sheldon Vella (illus.). Kill Audio: Time to Face the Music. BOOM! Studios. Jul. 2010. 176p. ISBN 978-1-60886-016-6. $24.99. F
Another music-comics mashup: "Kill Audio is the tale of an immortal little man, seeking out his purpose in life by traipsing across a hip musical landscape with his wildly eccentric, sarcastic posse"—which according to the YouTube preview may include a chicken packing some serious heat. Or maybe the chicken is a bad guy. Sanchez is frontman for the rock band Coheed and Cambria. Striking black, gray, and red art with a grotesque feel. Go here for more info.
Shakespeare, William & others. Romeo X Juliet Omnibus. Yen Pr. Jul. 2010. 368p. ISBN 978-0-316-07328-8. pap. $18.99. F
You go, girl! In this manga remix with contributions from COM, GONZO, and SPWT, child Juliet is the sole survivor of an anti-Capulet massacre. Fourteen years later, she wields rebel sword against the ruling Montagues and meets Romeo. Based on an anime recently released in the United States. Note: Juliet’s also a rebel in Kill Shakespeare, the Bard monster mashup coming out in comic books starting in April.
Side B: The Music Lover’s Comic Anthology. Poseur Ink. Jun. 2010. 232p. ed. by Rachel Dukes. ISBN 978-0-615-22080-2. pap. $22.99. F (order from Diamond or www.poseurink.com)
And still more tune-toons. A huge number of contributors ring the changes on how music touches our lives—with bit players to include spirit guides, ghosts, and dinosaurs. Stylish and varied black-and-white art. Note also Side A: The Music Lover’s Graphic Novel (2007), an earlier anthology about the effects of music on the 30 contributors. These graphic mixtapes should appeal to rockers and tunesters, younger and older.
Strange Tales. Marvel. Jun. 2010. 160p. ISBN 978-0-7851-2802-1. pap. $19.99. F
We all know the Marvel "brand" of superheroes. Now meet these fan favorites, like Spider-Man and the Hulk, re-created off-brand by independent comics artists, including Dash Shaw (Bottomless Bellybutton), Nick Bertozzi (The Salon), Jason (The Left Bank Gang), Nicholas Gruewich (The Perry Bible Fellowship), Peter Bagge (Hate), and mistress of hypercute horror, Junko Mizuno (Cinderalla). What a cool concept!
White, Daren (text) & Eddie Campbell (illus.). The Playwright. Top Shelf. Jul. 2010. 160p. ISBN 978-1-60309-056-8. $14.95. F
Eddie Campbell does some lovely things with color for this wry comedy about a middle-aged man, celibate and not enjoying it much. The "censored" cover leaves no doubt about what’s on this chappie’s mind.
Zimmerman, Ron & John Severin. Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather. Marvel. Jul. 2010. 120p. ISBN 978-0-7851-4362-8. $24.99. HUMOR
This deliberately campy romp stars a well-dressed cowpoke—a little too well-dressed. So, of course, he’s not taken seriously until he punches the lights out of the bad guys. Dead shot, too. A reprint of the miniseries originally published in 2003, when gay characters and jokes were more controversial than today. Originally rated adult, but there’s only innuendo at a milder level than in From Eroica with Love.
About Comics
Stromberg, Fredrik & Peter Kuper. Comic Art Propaganda: A Graphic History. Griffin: St. Martin’s. Jul. 2010. 176p. illus. ISBN 978-0-312-59679-8. pap. $19.99. POL SCI
Comics have been drafted to sell all viewpoints and moralities. This detailed history since 1900 ranges over World War II, the cold war, racism, pro- and anti-drug movements, and Christian evangelism, with 300 color illustrations. Stromberg heads the Comic Art School of Sweden and authored Black Images in the Comics (Fantagraphics, 2003); Kuper is an American cartoonist and illustrator, and co-art director of the political illustration service INX. Surely a gotta-get for all political science collections.
Books for cosplayers? There’s not a whole lot out there, and this one is billed as packed with instructions, photos, and cute manga illustrations to help fans dress up as their favorites manga and anime characters. Andrews took cosplay honors at the 2009 Anime Expo in Los Angeles.
