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Dave Roman discusses his new release, Astronaut Academy: Re-Entry, the sequel to his first Astronaut Academy book. Here’s a sample to get you started: I pitched “Astronaut Academy” to First Second as two books, because a futuristic space station school is filled with endless possibilities. Book 1 establishes a world where people (like characters in [...]
We have a treat for you today: A preview of Odd Duck, written by Cecil Castellucci and illustrated by Sara Varon, out this month from First Second. Castellucci is well known for her young adult work, which includes the Minx graphic novel The Plain Janes (illustrated by Jim Rugg) and the hybrid graphic novel The [...]
High school is all about tribes, so the story of Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong, the new graphic novel out this week from writer Prudence Shen and Faith Erin Hicks (published by the inimitable First Second), will ring true to a lot of readers: It pits the robotics team against the cheerleaders. Life is never [...]
It’s been a while since we have done one of these, so there’s quite a bit to read here. Let’s start with two stories I had a hand in: I talked to Uglydolls co-creator David Horvath and artist Ian McGinty about Uglydolls in general and the comic version they are producing for Viz, and I [...]
Our next preview is Jughead Double Digest #192. If you follow my Archie writings at all, you already know that Jughead is my favorite character, and the Jughead comics are my favorite Archie series; I think the writing just has that extra spark. Jughead is on hiatus at the moment but I hope it comes [...]
Ready for some Archie goodness? We have a double preview for you to enjoy on this lazy Sunday. First up is Archie and Friends Double Digest #27, which goes on sale next week in comics shops, a little later in other venues. Here’s the solicit information: Abracadabra! Magician extraordinaire, the Illustrious Salustri, is coming to [...]
Today is Free Comic Book Day, the national holiday that celebrates all things sequential. Check the official website for a list of comic book stores that will be offering special FCBD comics to all comers today—and the site also has a list of the comics. And to tide you over, here are a series of [...]
Dave Roman’s Astronaut Academy was a funny, really unique tale of a school in space. Now Dave is serializing the second volume, Astronaut Academy: Re-Entry, online. Here’s a preview of the new book, which will be out from First Second on May 14; if you pre-order through WORD bookstore before May 9, Dave will sign [...]
We’ve got a quick hit of Archie goodness for you today! Here’s the solicit information: Archie Double Digest #239 Archie drops by Chuck’s and discovers the artist at work on some portraits of the gang. Using Chuck’s skills to his advantage, Archie stumbles upon the key to getting into any girl’s good graces by presenting [...]
This slick biography of President Barack Obama is more inspirational than informational, presenting a smoothed-out view of his rise to the Oval Office. Obama: The Historic Election of America’s 44th President By Agnieszka Biskup Illustrated by Seitu Hayden Capstone Press Let me start by saying that this is a biographical graphic novel that is clearly [...]
I have to confess to a personal fondness for this preview. I grew up reading MAD Magazine, and in fact I’m one of those people whose knowledge of popular culture, particularly film, was strongly shaped by it. And like all MAD readers, I giggled to the slapstick antics of “Spy vs. Spy,” which made total [...]
This year’s nominees for the Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards have been announced, and it’s quite a varied lineup. Last year’s judges (ahem) increased the number of young reader categories from two to three, and this year’s judges have continued that practice, which opens up the nominations to a wider range of books. Best Publication [...]
Here’s an Archie double-header, previews of two Double Digests that will be in comics stores tomorrow: Betty & Veronica Friends Double Digest #233 and World of Archie Double Digest #28. Here’s the scoop on both of ‘em: B&V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #233 Veronica’s birthday is fast approaching and she is ready to celebrate in typical [...]
We have a special treat for you today: An exclusive preview of the last collection of Art Baltazar and Franco’s Tiny Titans series. Tiny Titans: Aw Yeah Titans collects issues #45-50 of the Eisner award-winning series in a 128-page, comic book-sized paperback priced at a kid-friendly $12.99. Here’s the blurb: It’s the final TINY TITANS [...]
The recent removal of Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis from some classrooms in the Chicago Public schools attracted a lot of attention. Although it first appeared that all the books were being removed, it turned out that the school district had had second thoughts about teaching it to seventh-graders, largely because of a single page depicting torture. [...]
The fairies conspire to throw a surprise party in the latest volume of Disney Fairies, Tinker Bell and the Most Precious Gift, but the guest of honor goes astray. These books are fun for Disney Fairies fans and stand well on their own; this one is out …
James Kochalka has a field day in Johnny Boo Does Something, his fifth Johnny Boo book, sending his ghostly main character off on a Boring Adventure, a maybe-birthday celebration, and the bottom of an ice cream hole. Kochalka, who won an Eisner Award last year for another young-readers book, Dragon Puncher Island, is back and [...]
Ernest & Rebecca is an unusual series. Translated from the French, it’s the story of a little girl who is sort of sickly, and her friend who is a germ. It’s a cute fantasy tale, but it’s set against the backdrop of family problems, as Rebecca’s parents separate during the course of the series. Volume [...]
Here’s another quick look at a Betty and Veronica comic for you. Betty and Veronica Double Digest #211 hits the comics shops tomorrow, but you get a first look today! Here’s the 411: It’s a lovely spring day, perfect for a walk! Or so Veronica thinks… Riverdale’s resident fashion maven attempts to trek to Betty’s, [...]
Here’s another quick look at a Betty and Veronica comic for you. Betty and Veronica Double Digest #211 hits the comics shops tomorrow, but you get a first look today! Here’s the 411: It’s a lovely spring day, perfect for a walk! Or so Veronica thinks… Riverdale’s resident fashion maven attempts to trek to Betty’s, [...]
