Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Ten Dead Comedians
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 2/14/1972
WEBSITE: http://www.fredvanlente.com/
CITY: Brooklyn
STATE: NY
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 2007023333
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n2007023333
HEADING: Van Lente, Fred
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PERSONAL
Born February 14, 1972, in Tacoma, WA; married Crystal Skillman (a playwright).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Comic book writer. Evil Twin Comics, cofounder.
WRITINGS
Author (with wife, Crystal Skillman) of the play King Kirby.
SIDELIGHTS
Fred Van Lente has authored roughly forty comics and graphic novels, and he is the cofounder of the publishing house Evil Twin Comics. Van Lente started Evil Twin with fellow comics writer Ryan Dunlavey, and the duo has released several nonfiction offerings that render fact in graphic novel form. Their first collaboration, Action Philosophers! The Lives and Thoughts of History’s A-List Brain Trust Told in a Hip and Humorous Fashion was released in 2006, and the book revisits the life and thought of several famous philosophers (including Plato and Socrates). Van Lente’s and Dunlavey’s work has since been picked up by HarperCollins, and the pair has rendered two presidential biographies, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln! in their signature graphic format.
George Washington
With George Washington,Van Lente and Dunlavey offer a comprehensive discussion of George Washington’s life, and they do not shy away from uncomfortable historical details (including the fact that Washington was a slave owner). Other topics covered include Washington’s role as an officer in the French and Indian War, followed by his accomplishments as commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Of course Washington’s tenure as the first president of the United States takes up much of the book, but the authors fill out each topic with historical contexts and notable facts. In fact, Van Lente and Dunlavey explain that Washington’s role as president met with significant opposition, both publicly and politically. From start to finish, Washington’s exploits are depicted as if in a classic, black and white cartoon.
Praising George Washington in Kirkus Reviews, a critic called it “a light, comical approach to biography and history that makes it more palatable for those who find more traditional approaches hard to swallow.” Jesse Karp, writing in Booklist, was also impressed, and the reviewer asserted that the book “proves the high-water mark for a blend of facts and comics artistry. Stories run toward the comedic, but every student will find something to connect with.”
Van Lente explained his attraction to comics in an online Outhousers interview with Tim Midura, remarking: “Like the way political cartoonists can do a good job of satirizing the day’s events with a single panel, comics is a good medium visually to expound on things in an interesting way and not a boring didactic way. The old cliche is that a picture is worth a thousand words. It’s kind of a truism, but I think it’s a truism that is true. A lot of studies have been done determining that readers retain more information that’s presented in comics more as opposed to just straight up prose. So it’s a terrific medium.”
Ten Dead Comedians
While Van Lente is predominantly a comics writer, he has coauthored the 2014 nonfiction guidebook Make Comics like the Pros: The Inside Scoop on How to Write, Draw, and Sell Your Comic Books and Graphic Novels. In 2017, Van Lente also released a traditional novel, Ten Dead Comedians. As the author told Cam Clark in an online Four Letter Nerd interview, “in comics scripting you’re creating a blueprint for another person to follow. But in prose you’re the whole show. There’s no other collaborators to lean on.”
Yet, in some ways, Ten Dead Comedians leans on the famous Agatha Christie novel, Ten Little Indians. In fact, Van Lente’s novel uses the same conceit as Christie’s, amassing ten characters in one location and killing them off one by one. As the title suggests, all ten characters are comedians. The comedians gather on a remote Caribbean island at the invitation of successful improv actor Dustin Walker. When the comedians arrive, they are greeted not by Dustin, but by his recorded message: Each of them, while successful, is an affront to the spirit of comedy. Soon after, the characters are dropping like flies, and it is up to the survivors to figure out who is killing them off.
Van Lente discussed the novel at length in his Four Letter Nerd interview with Clark, and he explained: “When I first started writing the book I resisted doing the monologues because I knew doing ten of them in such distinctive voices would be a bitch. But then I a) realized how I could slip clues to the mystery into each and every one and b) uh, I would probably not hit my contractually-mandated word count if I didn’t add them, so, my choice was clear! It was very hard, although I am such a huge comedy nerd I had voices for all of them in my head kind of to begin with, but it was hugely satisfying and it’s one of the things folks say they like the most about the book, so clearly it was the right decision.”
While most critics offered praise, a Kirkus Reviews contributor quipped that Van Lente’s “plot requires so many moving parts that readers may feel he should have included a Cast of Characters, like all those Agatha Christie paperbacks he’s emulating.” According to a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “Christie fans may enjoy seeing how Van Lente redoes Ten Little Indians for the digital age.” Henrietta Verma, writing in Booklist, was even more positive, and she felt that “Van Lente’s look at the selfishness and misery of show business is sure to be a hit with mystery lovers.” For online Criminal Element correspondent Dave Richards, “the different characters and their styles help ground Van Lente’s twisty murder mystery and give it an aspect of fun. We’re given enough insight and detail into each comic that they feel like real people rather than archetypes.” Richards added: “Elements combine together to make Ten Dead Comedians an incredibly enjoyable debut novel. It’s a book that proves Van Lente is just as good at spinning fun and funny prose stories as he is at scripting enjoyable and witty comics.” J.F. Norris offered additional applause on the Pretty Sinister Website, declaring: “If your tastes in humor lean toward the tasteless, then step right in. The book is not a laugh riot on every page, but there are moments of comedy gold here. It’s the bloody well done murder mystery you’re after anyway. Mystery aficionados will eat up the plot looking for the similarities to Christie . . . as well as thoroughly enjoying having the rug pulled out from under them in the final pages. You’ll get some laughs, some chuckles and some well-earned gasps. Just like comics’ slang for doing well in a set you might say that Fred Van Lente really killed with his debut mystery. Slaughtered them even.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 1, 2009, Jesse Karp, “Marvel Adventures Thor Featuring Dr. Strange, Ant-Man, and Captain America”; October 15, 2014, Jesse Karp, “Reading with Pictures: Comics That Make Kids Smarter”; May 1, 2017, Henrietta Verma, review of Ten Dead Comedians.
Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2017, review of George Washington; October 15, 2013, “Superheroes!”; May 1, 2017, review of Ten Dead Comedians.
Library Journal, January 1, 2007, Martha Cornog and Steve Raiteri, “Graphic Novels”; June 15, 2010, review of Odd Is On Our Side; September 15, 2012, Martha Cornog and Steve Raiteri, “Graphic Novels”; October 1, 2014, Heather Halliday, review of Make Comics Like the Pros: The Inside Scoop on How To Write, Draw, and Sell Your Comic Books and Graphic Novels.
Publishers Weekly, November 29, 2010, review of Hercules; May 16, 2011, “Cowboys & Aliens”; May 12, 2014, review of Brain Boy: The Men from G.E.S.T.A.L.T.; May 15, 2017, review of Ten Dead Comedians.
Voice of Youth Advocates, October, 2010, Kat Kan, “SF, Horror, and More.”
ONLINE
Criminal Element, https://www.criminalelement.com’ (July 11, 2017), Dave Richards, review of Ten Dead Comedians.
Four Letter Nerd, http://fourletternerd.com/ (February 26, 2018), Cam Clark, author interview.
Fred Van Lente Website, http://www.fredvanlente.com (February 26, 2018).
Outhousers, http://www.theouthousers.com/ (February 26, 2018), Tim Midura, author interview.
Pretty Sinister, https://prettysinister.blogspot.com/ (February 26, 2018), J.F. Norris, review of Ten Dead Comedians.
Fred Van Lente - Writer At Large
home :: what I write :: how I write it :: email :: twitter
bio
Fred Van Lente is the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning writer of comics like Archer & Armstrong (Harvey Award nominee, Best Series), Action Philosophers! (American Library Association Best Graphic Novel for Teens), and Cowboys & Aliens (with Andrew Foley), the basis for the feature film.
In 2017 Van Lente branched into the world of prose with his debut novel, the stand-up murder mystery Ten Dead Comedians. His follow-up novel, The Con Artist, set in the comic book industry, will be out in 2018.
His many other comics and graphic novels include Weird Detective, The Comic Book History of Comics, The Incredible Hercules (with Greg Pak), Taskmaster, Marvel Zombies and The Amazing Spider-Man.
He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, the playwright Crystal Skillman, and some mostly ungrateful cats.
Fred loves hearing from readers at fred.vanlente@gmail.com.
Fred Van Lente
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente.jpg
Born February 14, 1972 (age 46)
Tacoma, WA
Nationality American
Area(s) Writer
Notable works
Action Philosophers
Incredible Hercules
Marvel Zombies 3
Marvel Zombies 4
http://www.fredvanlente.com
Fred Van Lente (born February 14, 1972 in Tacoma, WA) is an American writer, primarily of comic books and graphic novels.
Contents
1 Career
2 Bibliography
3 Awards
4 Notes
5 References
6 External links
6.1 Interviews
Career
Van Lente is the co-founder, along with artist Ryan Dunlavey, of Evil Twin Comics, which produces his and Dunlavey’s non-fiction comic books, the first and most famous of which is Action Philosophers.
Recent work includes becoming the ongoing co-author of Incredible Hercules with Greg Pak,[1] as well as writing Marvel Zombies 3[2][3][4][5][6] and Marvel Zombies 4.[7][8] with Kev Walker and X-Men Noir with Dennis Calero.[9][10] Upcoming work includes two one-shots as part of Marvel Zombies Return.[11] He also wrote the first issue of Deadpool Team-Up (number #899 as it was counting backwards from the #900 special).[12]
Van Lente created a new Power Man, Victor Alvarez, who first appeared in the Shadowland: Power Man mini-series,[13][14] then in a new Power Man and Iron Fist series, also by Van Lente.[15][16][17]
Van Lente and New York Innovative Theatre Awards-winner Crystal Skillman co-authored and staged "King Kirby," a play based on the life of innovative comics creator Jack Kirby. "King Kirby" was staged at Brooklyn's Brick Theater as part of its annual Comic Book Theater Festival. The play was a New York Times Critics' Pick selection and was funded by a widely publicized Kickstarter campaign.[18][19][20]
Van Lente has been called "one of the most idiosyncratic and insightful new voices in comics."[21] In 2014, he was nominated for a Harvey Award in the category, Special Award for Humor in Comics.[22]
Bibliography
"Tranquility in The Big Date" (with Steve Ellis, in Negative Burn #40, Caliber Comics, 1996)
The Silencers: Black Kiss (with Steve Ellis, 2-issue mini-series, Moonstone Books, 2003, tpb, 2005, ISBN 978-1-933076-01-0)
Action Philosophers (with Ryan Dunlavey, Evil Twin Comics, April 2005 – July 2007) collected as:
Volume 1 (2006, ISBN 978-0-9778329-0-3)
Volume 2 (2006, ISBN 978-0-9778329-1-0)
Volume 3 (2007, ISBN 978-0-9778329-2-7)
Scorpion: Poison Tomorrow (with Leonard Kirk, in Amazing Fantasy #7–12, Marvel Comics, June–November 2005, tpb, 2005, ISBN 978-0-7851-1712-4)
Cowboys & Aliens (with co-author Andrew Foley and art by Luciano Lima, graphic novel, Platinum Studios, 2006, ISBN 978-1582407241)
Watchdogs (with Brian Churilla, Platinum Studios, 2007, ISBN 978-1-934220-05-4)
The Weapon (with Scott Koblish, 4-issue mini-series, Platinum Studios, June–September 2007)
Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #21–24, 33–36 (with Cory Hamscher, Marvel Comics, 2007, 2008) collected as:
Volume 6: The Black Costume (collects Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #21–24, 2007, ISBN 978-1-934220-05-4)
Volume 9: Fiercest Foes (collects Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #33-36, May 2008)
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four Vol. 6: Monsters & Mysteries (with Clay Mann, Marvel Comics, 2007, ISBN 978-0-7851-2380-4)
Marvel Adventures Iron Man Volume 1: Heart of Steel (with James Cordeiro, Marvel Comics, 2007, ISBN 978-0-7851-2644-7)
The Incredible Hercules #112–141 (with co-author Greg Pak and art by Khoi Pham, Rafa Sandoval, and others, Marvel Comics, 2008–2010) collected as:
Against The World (collects Incredible Hulk #112 and Incredible Hercules #113–115 and "Hulk vs. Hercules: When Titans Collide", 136 pages, hardcover, July 2008, ISBN 0-7851-3312-7, softcover, October 2008, ISBN 0-7851-2533-7)
Secret Invasion (collects Incredible Hercules #116–120, hardcover, November 2008, ISBN 0-7851-3333-X, softcover, March 2009, ISBN 0-7851-2829-8)
Love and War (collects Incredible Hercules #121–125, 128 pages, hardcover, March 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3334-8, softcover, June 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3246-5)
Dark Reign (collects Incredible Hercules #126–131, 160 pages, hardcover, October 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3830-7)
Hercules: Fall of an Avenger #1–2 (with co-author Greg Pak and art by Ariel Olivetti, Marvel Comics, March–April 2010)
Marvel Zombies 3 (with Kev Walker, 4-issue limited series, Marvel Comics, December 2008 - March 2009, TPB, 104 pages, hardcover, May 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3635-5, softcover, December 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3526-X)
X-Men Noir (with Dennis Calero, 4-issue limited series, Marvel Comics, February–May 2009)
Marvel Zombies 4 (with Kev Walker, 4-issue limited series, Marvel Comics, June 2009 - ongoing, hardcover, November 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3917-6)
Marvel Zombies Return (Marvel Comics):
Marvel Zombies Return: Spider-Man (with artist Nick Dragotta, one-shot, 2009)
Marvel Zombies Return: Avengers (with artist Wellington Alves, one-shot, 2009)
Silent But Deadly( with Dalibor Talajic, in Deadpool #900, Marvel Comics, December 2009)
Deadpool Team-Up #899 (with Dalibor Talajic, ongoing series, Marvel Comics, January 2010)
Heroic Age: Prince of Power #1-4 (with Greg Pak, and art by Reilly Brown, Marvel Comics July–October 2010)
Odd Is On Our Side (with Dean Koontz, and art by Queenie Chan, Del Rey Books, October 2010)
Shadowland: Power Man (with Mahmud Asrar, 4-issue mini-series, Marvel Comics, October 2010 - January 2011)
Power Man and Iron Fist (with Wellinton Alves, 5-issue limited series, Marvel Comics, April–July 2011)
"The Chosen" (with Alessandro Vitti, in Fear Itself: The Home Front #5-7, Marvel Comics, October–December 2011)
Archer & Armstrong #1-ongoing, Valiant Comics, May 2012-Ongoing
Ivar, Timewalker 12-issue limited series, Valiant Comics, January 2015-December 2015
Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery, July 2017, ISBN 1-5947-4974-4
Awards
Van Lente's industry awards include Action Philosophers receiving a Xeric Grant in 2004; it was also nominated for an Ignatz Award in 2005 and 2006. The American Library Association named Action Philosophers a "Great Graphic Novel for Teens" in 2007. His "super crime" series The Silencers was named "Best Independent Super Hero Comic" by Broken Frontier in 2003.
Notes
GREEK WEEK Part IV- Pak & Van Lente on Herc's Past & Future, Comic Book Resources, March 20, 2008
WWPhilly Fred Van Lente Takes a Bite of Marvel Zombies Archived 2008-10-02 at the Wayback Machine., Wizard, May 31, 2008
WW Philly: Fred Van Lente Writes "Marvel Zombies 3", Comic Book Resources, June 1, 2008
WW PHILLY '08: Fred Van Lente on Marvel Zombies 3, Newsarama, June 1, 2008
Van Lente talks Marvel Zombies 3, Comic Book Resources, September 5, 2008
Zombies in Florida: Fred Van Lente on Marvel Zombies III, Newsarama, October 3, 2008
Richards, Dave (March 20, 2009). "Fred Van Lente Talks Marvel Zombies 4". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
Ekstrom, Steve (March 31, 2009). "Back for Four: Fred Van Lente on Marvel Zombies 4". Newsarama. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
Fear And Hatred: Van Lente & Calero on "X Men Noir", Comic Book Resources, September 9, 2008
Fred Van Lente & Dennis Calero on X Men Noir, Newsarama, September 17, 2008
Brownfield, Troy (June 22, 2009). "The Zombies – This Time, With Literate Roots". Newsarama. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
Richards, Dave (September 18, 2009). "Van Lente Talks "Deadpool Team-Up"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
Richards, Dave (May 11, 2010). "Van Lente on "Shadowland: Power Man"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
Rogers, Vaneta (May 11, 2010). "An All-New POWER MAN Bursts out of the Marvel's SHADOWLAND". Newsarama. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
Richards, Dave (July 22, 2010). "CCI EXCLUSIVE: Van Lente's New "Power Man & Iron Fist"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
Ching, Albert (July 23, 2010). "SDCC 2010: POWER MAN & IRON FIST: Reunited For The 1st Time". Newsarama. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
Richards, Dave (December 15, 2010). "Van Lente Buddies Up With "Power Man & Iron Fist"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
Webster, Andy (June 22, 2014). "The Amazing Adventures of Pencil Man". New York Times. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
"Project of the Day: King Kirby". May 23, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
"King Kirby: A Play by Crystal Skillman and Fred Van Lente". ISBN 9781499288490.
McGovern, Adam (April 4, 2007). "Watchdog review". comiccritique.com.
Sims, Chris (July 16, 2014). "Harvey Awards Announces 2014 Nominees". Comics Alliance. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
References
Fred Van Lente at the Grand Comics Database
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fred Van Lente.
Official website
Fred Van Lente at the Comic Book DB
The Weapon for free at Drunk Duck
Watchdogs for free at Drunk Duck
Interviews
Career-spanning interview at The Comic Book Gazette
Interview with Fred and Ryan Dunlavey at comiXology
The Outhouse Interview: Fred Van Lente, The Outhouse, December 21, 2009
First Class Comic Review #1 – July 2010 (firstclasscomicreview.moonfruit.com)
FRED VAN LENTE is the New York Times bestselling author of Incredible Hercules (with Greg Pak) and three entries in the Marvel Zombies series, as well as the American Library Association award-winning Action Philosophers. His original graphic novel Cowboys & Aliens (co-written with Andrew Foley) is being adapted into motion picture form by Dreamworks and Universal, starring Daniel Craig. Van Lente's other comics include Comic Book Comics, MODOK's 11, X Men Noir and Amazing Spider-Man.
Wizard magazine nominated him for Breakout Talent (Writer) and Ain't It Cool News called him the Comics Writer to Watch in 2008. Comics Should Be Good named Fred one of the 365 Reasons to Love Comics.
Website: http://www.fredvanlente.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/fredvanlente
G.I. Joe Interview With Writer Fred Van Lente
Because we here at IDW firmly believe that ‘Knowing is half the battle’ we’d like to let you in on some of the secrets featured in the brand new re-launch of G.I. Joe! We spoke with Fred Van Lente; the amazingly talented writer of G.I. Joe #1 about what we can expect from our favorite heroes. GO JOE!
With the G.I. Joe’s now publicly outed by Cobra, how will the Joe’s adapt to life in the public eye?
Not easily. They’re the center of a lot of media attention — they even have their own embedded blogger — and they’re used to working off the grid. In many ways their celebrity will isolate them more than they ever when they were covert.
Will these be more personal G.I. Joe stories focusing on specific characters, or will you be working more towards broadening the scope of the characters and world?
A mixture of both; while each arc will focus on the current mission of the core team, we’ll be focusing on individual members of the team as we move along — most notably the leader, Duke, in #3 and Cover Girl in #6.
Are there any major changes coming that will shake up any pre-existing notions on some of the fan favorite characters?
It’s very hard to tell from where I’m sitting what’s truly a shake up — fan reaction always surprises you. I think Duke’s full background, once folks read it, will make people really look at that character in a different way. Duke’s been a tough nut to crack for both writers and his fellow GI Joe team members — #3 really let’s us get inside his skin, see what drives him. The revelations will surprise you!
What villains will the Joe’s be facing? How does Cobra react and attack after the Joe’s have their secrecy ruined?
Well, the Cobras ruined the Joe’s secrecies as step one in an all-out advance on the United States. Hey, if you’re going to take over the world, where better to start? But Cobra wants to be invited as liberators, not arrive as conquerors, and their insidious strategy to accomplish that is the subject of our fist arc, “HOMEFRONT.”
Are there any new Joe’s to look out for, and what kind of a new spin will you put on the existing characters?
There is a brand-new GI Joe introduced in #1, and that’s Hashtag, the aforementioned embedded blogger. A controversial character without a doubt, as she was intended to be. She has the least experience of anyone on the team, she’s a bit of conscientious objector … and she, next to Duke, may have the most interesting arc in “HOMEFRONT.” Enjoy!
What will G.I. Joe’s reaction be to Hashtag? Do they feel as if she’ll only be getting in the way?
They most definitely feel she’ll only be getting in the way. We’ll see how much that exasperation is justified….
Thanks Fred! Pick up your copy of G.I. Joe Issue #1 available in stores and on-line NOW! While you’re at it, check out Fred Van Lente’s personal website at http://www.fredvanlente.com, and follow him on Twitter @fredvanlente. Stay tuned to www.idwpublishing.com for more interviews, previews, and content from your favorite IDW titles!
Print Marked Items
Van Lente, Fred: GEORGE WASHINGTON
Kirkus Reviews.
(Dec. 15, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Van Lente, Fred GEORGE WASHINGTON Harper/HarperCollins (Children's Informational) $9.99 2, 6
ISBN: 978-0-06-239405-7
From the creators of Action Philosophers comics comes this first in a series of graphic biographies about
American presidents beginning, appropriately, with George Washington.
With the assistance of two kids, a black boy and a white girl, and a muscular turkey who move readers in
and out of the historical storyline, Van Lente and Dunlavey cover the whole of Washington's life, with
highlights on his roles as a slave owner, officer in the French and Indian War, commander of the Continental
Army in the War for Independence, and first president of the United States. Amid the jokey narrative is solid
biographical information about Washington and historical facts about his times. Particularly insightful is the
depiction of Washington's presidency, which readers might be surprised to find had plenty of detractors. The
creators reveal that partisan politics has been a part of America from the beginning. The black-and-white art
is exaggeratedly cartoonish and fun. Readers who appreciate a goofier approach to history, such as Nathan
Hale's Hazardous Tales, will enjoy this graphic biography. One unfortunate oversight is the omission of
recommendations for age-appropriate further reading.
A light, comical approach to biography and history that makes it more palatable for those who find more
traditional approaches hard to swallow. (maps, timeline, glossary, bibliography) (Graphic biography. 8-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Van Lente, Fred: GEORGE WASHINGTON." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A518491361/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6414d916.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A518491361
Van Lente, Fred: TEN DEAD COMEDIANS
Kirkus Reviews.
(May 1, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Van Lente, Fred TEN DEAD COMEDIANS Quirk Books (Adult Fiction) $22.99 7, 11 ISBN: 978-1-59474-
974-2
In an homage to And Then There Were None, a group of comedians is picked off one by one as they try to
out-personality one another.When a disparate collection of nine comedians receives the invitation to join in
a collaborative enterprise organized by the famed Dustin Walker on his little Saint Martin island, it seems
like the chance of a lifetime. Each of the invitees seems to fit in with a modern stand-up archetype. For
example, Ruby Ng, the loudmouth lesbian, ditches her own wedding to hoof it down to paradise. When the
group arrives, they're greeted by Meredith Ladipo, Dustin's assistant, who tells them that Dustin's indisposed
but will meet with them soon, and the performers settle in the best way they know: one-upping each other
with tales of fame, fortune, and funny. Some members of the group, like formerly famous Steve Gordon and
feminist funnywoman Zoe Schwartz, pair up and get to know each other better, while others, like highstrung
William Griffith, are more concerned with their connections back home and complain bitterly about
the lack of Wi-Fi. Gathered to watch a video left by their host that's broadcast live via GoPro, the whole
bunch bears witness to Dustin's death and wonders what's next. As their stay on the island continues,
members of the group are picked off one by one, leaving the survivors to wonder how long each one can last
and whether it's even worth figuring out who's behind the murders. Van Lente, a comic-book writer
publishing his first mystery, focuses more closely on the big picture than its components. Even so, his plot
requires so many moving parts that readers may feel he should have included a Cast of Characters, like all
those Agatha Christie paperbacks he's emulating.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Van Lente, Fred: TEN DEAD COMEDIANS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2017. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491002757/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=385372ba.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491002757
Ten Dead Comedians
Publishers Weekly.
264.20 (May 15, 2017): p38+.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Ten Dead Comedians
Fred Van Lente. Quirk, $22.99 (288p)
ISBN 978-1-59474-974-2
Comics author Van Lente (Action Philosophers!) makes his fiction debut with a high-concept riff on Agatha
Christie's classic Ten Little Indians. Dustin Walker, an actor who's best known from an improv comedy TV
series and a movie franchise that started with Help! I Married a Cat, has invited a variety of prominent
comedians to an isolated island in the Caribbean, including Janet Kahn, an insult comic; Oliver Rees, the
creator of the Orange Baby Man character (which he's successfully franchised); and William Griffith, who
performs in character as the redneck Billy the Contractor. The murders begin soon after everyone arrives,
and their host accuses them, via a recording, of being guilty of crimes against comedy. Before long, the
guests conclude that the killer is one of their own. Christie fans may enjoy seeing how Van Lente redoes Ten
Little Indians for the digital age, and others will appreciate the entertainment industry satire, but the humor
may be just too broad or tasteless in places for some. Agent: Jason Yarn, Jason Yarn Literary Agency. (July)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Ten Dead Comedians." Publishers Weekly, 15 May 2017, p. 38+. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A492435615/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=83eefb37.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A492435615
Ten Dead Comedians
Henrietta Verma
Booklist.
113.17 (May 1, 2017): p30.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Ten Dead Comedians. By Fred Van Lente. July 2017.336p. Quirk, $24.99 (9781594749742); e-book
(9781594749759).
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory meets Lost in this well-written romp starring has been comedians
trying for their big break. The stand-ups are unexpectedly invited to the private island of Dustin Walker, an
old-time comedian who lately acts in a string of embarrassing cat movies. But it turns out that they're not
there to stage professional comebacks. In fact, the plan is that they'll never come back from the island,
period. At first, Dusty is nowhere to be found, and when the comics find what looks like his body, things
turn macabre. One by one the comedians die in gruesome ways, leaving the remaining few to figure out
who's killing them and how to escape a grisly end themselves. Book-ending each chapter are excerpts from
each guest's stand-up routine, which give readers clues as to why these particular comedians have been
chosen for Dusty's dubious honor. Van Lentes look at the selfishness and misery of show business is sure to
be a hit with mystery lovers who savor unusual setups; the side of snark provided by the bitter islanders
adds to the atmosphere.--Henrietta Verma
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Verma, Henrietta. "Ten Dead Comedians." Booklist, 1 May 2017, p. 30. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A495034938/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=a58c723a.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A495034938
The Delinquents
Publishers Weekly.
262.1 (Jan. 5, 2015): p59.
COPYRIGHT 2015 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Delinquents
James Asmus, Fred Van Lente, and Kano. Valiant, $9.99 trade paper (112p) ISBN 978-1939346-51-3
A treasure map tattooed on the preserved skin of a long-dead hobo's buttocks ignites a mad cross-country
race to claim the legendary, magical bounty of the Big Rock Candy Mountain, in this memorable crossover.
The comic throws together the wildly mismatched heroic teams of Archer and Armstrong--a "living
weapon" martial artist and a carousing immortal--and Quantum and Woody, a pair of superhero brothers
who work as incompetent good-guys-for-hire. The two pairs meet as opponents but then join forces
(accompanied by Quantum and Woody's father, whose mind now resides in the superpowered body of a
pregnant goat), contending with the evil machinations of a corporation that has taken GMO to a new level.
If all this sounds like utter lunacy, it hardly does justice to one of the wackiest crossovers in recent years.
The humor and brisk pace fly in the face of the usual crossover turgidity and bloat, and the results are a lot
of fun, even for those unfamiliar with the protagonists' own series. Bolstered by art that displays Kano's
considerable growth since his days drawing Superman, this one's a romp from start to finish. (Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Delinquents." Publishers Weekly, 5 Jan. 2015, p. 59. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A397133465/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=bfb883c1.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A397133465
Dean Koontz and Fred Van Lente; Illustrated
by Queenie Chan: Odd Is On Our Side
Library Journal.
135.11 (June 15, 2010): pS5.
COPYRIGHT 2010 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Dean Koontz and Fred Van Lente; Illustrated by Queenie Chan
ODD IS ON OUR SIDE
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
A second all-new graphic novel adventure--following the hit success In Odd We Trust--starring Dean
Koontz's immensely popular character, Odd Thomas. It's almost Halloween in Pico Mundo, and that means
time for the annual Safe Halloween Party, hosted by Police Chief Porter. All seems perfectly normal--until
Odd catches sight of the ghost of a young girl who seems to be trying to join in the festivities.
978-0-345-51560-5 | $10.99/$11.99C | 50,000 | Del Rey | TR | October
GRAPHIC NOVEL
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Dean Koontz and Fred Van Lente; Illustrated by Queenie Chan: Odd Is On Our Side." Library Journal, 15
June 2010, p. S5. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A229719727/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e836d632. Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A229719727
The Comic Book History of Comics
Publishers Weekly.
259.22 (May 28, 2012): p78.
COPYRIGHT 2012 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
The Comic Book History of Comics
Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavy. IDW, $21.99 trade paper (300p) ISBN 978-1-61377-197-6
Tracing comics from the late 19th century through the next 100 years, and covering the creative, business,
and social factors that shaped them, this is a thorough and ambitious history. Though it boasts exceptional
scholarship and vision, any work this expansive is bound to show a few cracks. While Dunlavy's crisp
artwork mostly furthers historical anecdotes into larger points, some panels descend into cheap gags. With
the wider brushstroke, the book is usually on target, rarely mining comics-history-as-usual. It takes wellexecuted
detours that trace the flow of underground comics, explaining the economics of the direct market
and the speculative implosion of the 1990s with a clear sense of how these affect content, and delving into
the histories of European, English, and Japanese scenes with affection. The defensiveness in the coverage of
Lichtenstein and pop art is unfortunate, especially given the bravado in the portrayal of the Air Pirates'
appropriation of Disney properties. The history ends just before the indie boom of the '90s, including selfpublishers
and mini-comics makes the history feel incomplete, given these cartoonists' direct effect on the
rise of the graphic novel and the embrace of comics in wider culture. Still, Van Lente knows the territory
and how to present it; this book should become a standard reference in the field. (May)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"The Comic Book History of Comics." Publishers Weekly, 28 May 2012, p. 78. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A291616388/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=46abf3d4.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A291616388
Incredible Hercules: The New Prince of
Power
Publishers Weekly.
257.47 (Nov. 29, 2010): p36.
COPYRIGHT 2010 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Incredible Hercules: The New Prince of Power
Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente, Reilly Brown, and Ariel Olivetti. Marvel, $19.99 trade paper
(160p) ISBN 978-0-7851-4370-3
There's a new heroic age, and its champion is 17-year-old Amadeus Cho, a wunderkind living in Arizona
who once had Hercules as a friend. This graphic novel goes full out in terms of superpowers and
superheroes, though its references to mythology play fast and loose. For instance, ambrosia is described as
something that's drunk, when it's a food in the source material. A brief "What Thou Needst Know" page at
the beginning consists of some character descriptions and a threeline poem about Hercules's death. More
references to past happenings are brought up as the story continues, sometimes with starred notes from the
editors. Early on, Amadeus is fighting a griffin in a mall, though why he's doing such a thing isn't quite
clear. After Hercules dies, Amadeus learns of a new way people can become gods. They must collect
ambrosia, the apples of Idunn, spells from the Book of Thoth, and the moon-cup of Dhanvantari. In the
wrong hands, this method could do much harm. The full-color pages have a slick look, with attractive
characters and well-paced action. For those with a background in mythology of the Marvel kind, this should
be an entertaining outing. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Incredible Hercules: The New Prince of Power." Publishers Weekly, 29 Nov. 2010, p. 36. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A243875500/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=bca43f17.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A243875500
Action Philosophers Giant-Size Thing Vol. 1
Publishers Weekly.
253.18 (May 1, 2006): p44.
COPYRIGHT 2006 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Action Philosophers Giant-Size Thing Vol. 1 FRED VAN LENTE AND RYAN DUNLAVEY. Evil Twin
Comics (www.eviltwincomics.com), $6.95 paper (96p) ISBN 0-9778329-0-2
Not so much in the spirit of Classic Comics, but more in the spirit of extremely intelligent kids set on
making fun of everything, this collection of Action Philosophers! issues 1-3 is a zany send up of
philosophers, with the occasional mystic thrown in. Van Lente has clearly done his research, and Dunlavey
draws it in a blocky, 1950s meets punk-rock style. Starting with Plato, they illuminate the theories, problems
and implications of 12 thinkers. Ayn Rand fails as a screen writer in Hollywood, creates objectivism then
flits between reason and temper tantrums (did you know Alan Greenspan was a follower?). Freud and Jung
duke it out while a Freudian "passive mother" presents her penis-envying daughter with a dildo. Thomas
Jefferson sleeps with Sally Hemings in the "All-Sex Special" section, which also features Saint Augustine.
(Auggie ogles a hot Roman babe and declares, "Give me chastity and continence ... just not now!") The
twist is that, while demonstrating that the lives of philosophers make great tabloid fodder, the comics get the
theories right. Totally irreverent and manically imaginative, it's perfect for any bright college kid who likes
being a pain in the neck. (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Action Philosophers Giant-Size Thing Vol. 1." Publishers Weekly, 1 May 2006, p. 44. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A145528332/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=1fd2fb79.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A145528332
Action Philosophers Giant-Size Thing
Publishers Weekly.
253.38 (Sept. 25, 2006): p51+.
COPYRIGHT 2006 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Action Philosophers Giant-Size Thing FRED VAN LENTE AND RYAN DUNLAVEY. Evil Twin
(www.eviltwincomics.com), $8.95 paper (96p) ISBN 0-9778329-10
The rise of "herd chic" has been in the news of late, and if this lovable comic book series isn't part of the
new nerd nation, nothing is. Employing a hyperbolic comedic voice and over-the-top gag-style cartooning,
Van Lente and Dunlavey examine the history of philosophy one wild-and-crazy thinker at a time. Sections
like "Hate the French" include chapters on Descartes, Sartre and Derrida, all cleverly explicated for the
general reader. Descartes's section, of course, begins as blank panels, as the philosopher applies his rigorous
doubting to the world around him. And Derrida's deconstruction results in the comic book itself breaking
down. Derrida is also represented as "The Deconstructionator" complete with gun and sunglasses, while
Karl Marx emerges as a grandfatherly type who takes kids on a magic carpet ride "into the wonderful
splendiferous world of commodities!" None of this satire interferes with the content of the work--in fact, it's
enhanced. By taking a lighthearted, often silly approach to serious work, this funny, insightful series
manages to make difficult theories easily understood, and knotty thinkers like Ludwig Wittgenstein and
Thomas Aquinas emerge as, if not easy reading, at least friendly thinkers. (Dee.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Action Philosophers Giant-Size Thing." Publishers Weekly, 25 Sept. 2006, p. 51+. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A152253146/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=aac241a6.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A152253146
Action Philosophers Giant-Size Things, Vol.
3
Publishers Weekly.
254.46 (Nov. 19, 2007): p45.
COPYRIGHT 2007 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Action Philosophers Giant-Size Things, Vol. 3
FRED VAN LENTE AND RYAN DUNLAVEY. Evil Twin (Diamond, dist.), $8.95 paper (96p) ISBN 973-
0-9778329-2-7
In this third and final trade paperback collection, Van Lente and Dunlavey return once more to their comics
precis of philosophy with a survey of Greek philosophers, a Law and Order-style trial of God with Kant as
his "epistemological attorney," and a hilariously spot-on parody of Peanuts ("You're a Good Man, John
Stuart Mill"), before closing with a "lightning round" that runs a gauntlet of 11 philosophers, ranging from
Lao-Tzu to David Hume, in 32 pages. As with most of the series, it negotiates the turbid waters of
philosophical theory not only with ease but laugh-out-loud irreverence. This is no dumbed down My First
Philosophy book for grade schoolers; although it gilds the theories of philosophers like Epictetus the Stoic
with word balloons and cartoon slapstick, it never shies away from complex ideas, even if that means
occasional lapses into philosophical jargon ("in a synthetical cognition, you augment an intuition with a
conception"). Van Lente and Dunlavey engage some of philosophy's most recondite notions with wit, clarity
and brilliant accessibility, but intelligence is always presumed and demanded. Only the most precocious of
children need apply. (Nov.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Action Philosophers Giant-Size Things, Vol. 3." Publishers Weekly, 19 Nov. 2007, p. 45. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A171849862/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e5de1194.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A171849862
Taskmaster: Unthinkable
Publishers Weekly.
258.11 (Mar. 14, 2011): p56.
COPYRIGHT 2011 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Taskmaster: Unthinkable
Fred Van Lente and Jefte Palo. Marvel, $14,99 trade paper (112p) ISBN 978-0-7851-5260-6
Like a surfer riding a wave of weirdness, this tale opens up the personal life of one of Marvel's ubiquitous
villains, the caped and corpse-masked combat trainer of other villains known as Taskmaster. As the story
begins, he is sitting in a late-night diner, struggling to remember just who he really is. Immediately,
however, he is attacked by competing teams of assassins from nefarious groups who all believe he has
betrayed them, sending him and a waitress from the diner on the run to save their lives and find the facts.
From there, page by page and panel by panel, the action gets much stranger. The Taskmaster turns out to
have the ability to combine the fighting skills of multiple superheroes and villains, while his own personality
is shoved aside and sometimes lost. Van Lente revels in this overcomplicated, self-referential nuttiness.
Palo's art also embraces the jumpy plot, with overlapping images and ragged, rugged characters. The story
works as light adventure with a high body count, but it manages to evoke sympathy for a character who is
forced to be both hero and villain. (Mar.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Taskmaster: Unthinkable." Publishers Weekly, 14 Mar. 2011, p. 56. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A251726386/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=90275b9d.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A251726386
Cowboys & Aliens
Publishers Weekly.
258.20 (May 16, 2011): p62.
COPYRIGHT 2011 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Cowboys & Aliens Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, Andrew Foley, Fred Van Lente, Dennis Calere, Luciano
Lima. HarperCollins/It, $15.99 trade paper (112p) ISBN 978-0-06-207907-7
Rather than a comics adaptation of the much-hyped summer movie, this is a reprint of the 2006 graphic
novel from which the filmmakers took a catchy title and a powerful theme: what if space aliens treated all
humans the way Europeans treated the Native Americans who were living in the land they coveted? H.G.
Wells's The War of the Worlds used the same basic concept back in 1898, but Cowboys drives the point
home effectively by beginning with an interstellar warship crashing in 1873 just as an Apache war party is
attacking a wagon train of settlers. The glowering aliens have already enslaved other races, but they see
Earthlings as too inferior to bother with, a mere nuisance to be exterminated as soon as they can summon
the rest of their fleet. To thwart the invaders, humans must learn to fight together. Rosenberg's high-concept
idea is developed adequately by Foley and Van Lente's script and Calero and Lima's art, but this is
essentially just another piece of movie-promotion merchandise. (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Cowboys & Aliens." Publishers Weekly, 16 May 2011, p. 62. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A256863669/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=285734bb.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A256863669
Graphic novels
Martha Cornog and Steve Raiteri
Library Journal.
132.1 (Jan. 1, 2007): p79+.
COPYRIGHT 2007 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
RELIGION AND COMICS Strange prayer-fellows? No--throughout history, every art form has retold the
compelling stories of faith. Two Jewish youngsters created Superman, who has been compared to that
mythical Jewish avenger, the golem. Indeed, the Bible's superpatriarchs and supermatriarchs often called
upon special powers to protect their people.
One such supermatriarch is beautifully realized in Megillat Esther (see review, p. 82). Likewise in King
David (Vertigo), the striking color art carries the story with little text. In a more impressionistic take on the
Torah, Testament: Akedah (Xpress Reviews, 8/29/06) and Testament: West of Eden (Vertigo) crosscut
biblical story lines with modern-day plots in an edgy, cosmic drama mixing sin, skin, and grace. A Western
frontier Solomon stars in the lighthearted Adventures of Rabbi Harvey (LJ 8/06), while The Rabbi's Cat (LJ
11/15/05) tells a mature, bittersweet family comedy of 1930s Algeria, with the impertinent cat as theological
commentator. Two useful histories include Jews in America: A Cartoon History (Jewish Publication
Society), more illustrated vignettes than narrative, and The Story of the Jews: A 4,000 Year Adventure
(Jewish Lights), which covers Genesis to the post-9/11 era with irreverent quips and irony. Unfortunately,
neither has a bibliography. For much more on Jewish comic art, see www.jewishcomics.blogspot.com from
Toronto librarian Steven Bergson.
Christian Bible comics date back to at least 1940. The most complete current version appears to be The Lion
Graphic Bible (Lion Hudson). Although not really complete (the violence and sex are discreetly minimized),
the traditional stories are beautifully rendered in realistic color paintings and engaging dialog for all ages.
Far less traditional is the compelling Marked (see review, p. 81). The modern-day Eye Witness trilogy
(Head Press) follows a forensic archaeologist suddenly privy to a newly discovered account of the
Crucifixion. International cover-ups, attempted assassinations, and general skulduggery ensue. For teens, the
six-volume manga-style Serenity series (Barbour) stars an irrepressibly cute but spiritually challenged
hellion adopted as a "project" by her Christian classmates. Although with rather shallow supporting
characters and a predictable plot structure, Serenity has a fan base and has done well in Christian
bookstores. The three new Guardian Line comics from Urban Ministries--Code, Joe & Max, and Genesis 5--
feature striking art and multicukural young people who draw superpowers from divine sources to defeat evil
(see www.theguardia nline.com.). For links and many Christian titles, see www.christiancomicbooks.net and
www.christiancomicsinternational.org.
With Roman Catholic focus, The Life of John Paul II ... in Comics! (Papercutz) uses a realistic style to tell
its story. In an unexpected follow-up, the Vatican recently released the partially animated DVD John Paul II,
the Friend of Humanity. For children, the simplistic "Stories of the Saints" comic series (Arcadius Pr.) cover
the spiritual lives of Joan of Arc and Francis of Assisi, among others. However, The Least Among Us
(Ascendant Pr.) is for adults: probably the first graphic novel to fictionalize clerical child sexual abuse and
subsequent consternation among small-town Catholic clergy (order from www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk).
Outside Judeo-Christian traditions, Osama Tezuka's eight-volume, Eisner Award-winning Buddha (LJ 1/04)
has been widely praised. India-based Virgin Comics publishes several comics dramas drawing on Hindu
mythology, art, and history, including Devi, The Sadhu, and Ramayan 3392 A.D. For Islam, Teshkeel Media
has partnered with Marvel for The 99, featuring a multicultural Muslim superhero team. Initially in Arabic,
the comics will eventually be distributed in English.
Across traditions, faith-based messages are being reborn in graphic art formats. Look for expanded offerings
from Barbout, Zondervan, and Cahaba Productions as well as Virgin Comics and Teshkeel.
Chaykin, Howard (text) & Mike Mignola (illus.). Fritz Lieber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Dark Horse.
Mar. 2007. 200p. ISBN 1-59307-713-0. pap. $19.95. F
A hulking barbarian from the northern wastes and a lithe, wily southerner team up in the fantasy world of
Nehwon, all aglow with skulduggery, sorcery, and wine. Their rollicking saga begins with "Ill Met in
Lankhmar," when the two rogues first join hands and fates while robbing two members of the Thieves'
Guild. Alas, they run afoul of the guild's potent sorcerer but wreak satisfying vengeance. Their
swashbuckling exploits run to brawling, boozing, and (offstage) wenching rather than epic quests, as the
plots satirize love, power, materialism, and cheap salvation in a rather sad sous-text. Yet good humor and
drollery surround them throughout. Regrettably, the witty adaptation seems overly condensed, and Lieber's
original prologs about the two men's pasts are omitted. The lovely art is stylish and fluid, with Art Deco
touches and moody coloring. Lieber was a founding father of the sword-and-sorcery genre, and these seven
tales from his beloved Fafhrd/Gray Mouser collections were adapted originally in the 1980s. Dark Horse is
also republishing all the original stories and planning a film version. Recommended for older teens up.--
M.C.
Claremont, Chris (text) & Alan Davis & others (illus.). Excalibur Classic. Vol. 2: Two-Edged Sword.
Marvel. 2006. 200p. ISBN 0-7851-2201-X. pap. $24.99. F
During a period when most of the X-Men were thought to be dead, survivors Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler),
Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat), and Rachel Summers (who inherited the Phoenix power from her mother, an
alternate-reality Jean Grey) moved to England and joined superstrong Captain Britain and his shape-shifting
lady friend, Meggan, to form a new superteam, Excalibur. When these stories were first published in 1989,
multiple overarching plot lines were the norm in superhero comics, and there's a lot going on here, much of
it as yet unresolved: a mysterious weakening of Meggan's and Captain Britain's powers during a sojourn in
New York; the machinations of Captain Britain's ex-lover, high-powered banker Courtney Ross; and the
unexplained appearance of a Nazi version of Excalibur from an alternate Earth, investigated by the British
government's Weird Happenings Organization (WHO). While maintaining the focus on character
examination and team interaction that helped make the 1980s X-Men so successful, Claremont and
cocreator Davis inject a lighter, more humorous feel here. The highly accomplished Davis is equally adept at
muscular men, gorgeous, lithe women, and weird creatures; unfortunately, several stories here penciled by
other artists can't compare. Inconsistent but still entertaining; recommended for teen and adult X-Men fans.-
-S.R.
Crumb, Robert. The Sweeter Side of R. Crumb. MQ Pubns. 2006. 112p. ISBN 1-84601-114-0. $30. FINE
ARTS
Crumb's work essentially defined the "underground comix" of the 1960s and 1970s, loaded with sex, drugs,
and over-the-top tragicomedy. As his hilariously cynical introduction makes clear, this collection invites
those deterred by his visually and politically outrageous portfolio to appreciate a master draftsman's skill.
Rather than a graphic narrative, it's an art book centering on portraits, landscapes, interiors, cameos from the
past, and several tasteful nudes. Crumb's far-from-simple line art imparts a visceral reality to his subjects.
Drawings of his French neighborhood seem more hauntingly real than a photograph. Portraits of musicians
and entertainers of various ethnicities let you smell the cheap perfume, musty upholstery, and hard-earned
sweat of a footlights life. And while Crumb's infamous raunch is toned down, his trademark women--
voluptuously sturdy, powerfully statuesque--all but take over the collection; a grinning 1920s flapper dances
closely with a Crumb look-alike; wife Aileen poses with sardonic comments in designer dresses; young
women spring to life from trains and streets. A few brief narrative cartoons of home life with daughter
Sophie lend the sweetest touch. Yet the closing, heartbreaking image shows two starving Sudanese children.
Not sweet. Recommended for art and how-to-draw collections.--M.C.
Forbes, Jake T. (text) & Chris Lie (illus.). Jim Henson's Return to Labyrinth. Vol. 1. Tokyopop. 2006. 192p.
ISBN 1-59816-725-1. pap. $9.99. F
The 1986 fantasy movie Labyrinth begins with Sarah jolted out of her teen-anomie when the Goblin King
kidnaps her little brother--she must go into the Labyrinth to rescue him. The three-volume sequel concerns
brother Toby. Now a blase teen himself, he's unknowingly been protected by the Goblin King, who has
designs on him as an heir apparent. When sucked abruptly into the Labyrinth world, Toby wants none of this
business. But as with Sarah, and with scores of manga teens before him abducted into Elsewhere, it isn't as
simple as that. Toby must confront a wealth of strange beings and circumstances and somehow grow up and
deal with them. The plot develops with a satisfying mix of odd characters and page-turning action. Not as
charming as the original--it's a boy story, not a girl story this time--it holds its own as teen fiction. But while
the cover is gorgeous, the interior drawings from a different artist simply don't have much style or grace. In
particular, the shading is muddy and overused. Will teen readers care? Perhaps not. Some potty humor; ages
13+.--M.C.
Miller, Frank (text & illus.) & others. Absolute Dark Knight. DC Comics. 2006. 512p. ISBN 1-4012-1079-
1. $99.99. F
In 1986, Miller's excellent and highly acclaimed The Dark Knight Returns, along with Alan Moore and
Dave Gibbons's Watchmen, jolted American comics with a more mature take on superheroes. This volume
in DC's oversized hardcover "Absolute" series collects that seminal story along with its less well-received
sequel, The Dark Knight Strikes Again (2002). The influential Dark Knight Returns was notable not only for
its portrait of an aging, obsessive Batman returning to action after a decade of retirement, but also for its
social and political satire, its portrayal of a world where superheroes are virtually outlawed, and its
apocalyptic ending pitting Batman against government employee Superman. The sequel ratchets all of these
story aspects up to an extreme; despite the enjoyable inclusion of many other DC heroes, scattered
storytelling and sometimes unappealing artwork make it ultimately unsatisfying. A 70-page appendix
features preliminary sketches and parts of an early Dark Knight proposal by Miller. The Dark Knight
Returns itself is essential for every library, and it certainly looks good in this larger format--but the patchy
quality of the sequel and the large price tag of this volume may convince some to stick with the cheaper
trade edition.--S.R.
Milner, Jude (text) & Mary Wilshire (illus.). Fat Free: Amazing All-True Adventures of Supersize Woman!
Tarcher: Penguin. 2006. 64p. ISBN 1-58542-501-X. pap. $10.95. AUTOBIOG
Pretty little Jude turns to comfort food after a family tragedy. Teased about her size, she runs away at age 14
and is raped while hitchhiking, which adds another layer of conflict and guilt to her emotional neediness.
After college, she finds friends, boyfriends, and the fat-acceptance movement. Then she becomes a
counselor and explores a second life in clubs and bars and gets into the phone sex work, eventually
marrying a supportive husband and resuming her counseling career. Yet neediness and eating persist, leading
her at last to gastric bypass surgery despite feeling traitorous to her fat-acceptance friends. Still large but
less dangerously emburdened, she creates a program combining psychotherapy with fitness training to help
other patients of weight-loss surgery replace self-loathing with self-confidence. This serious memoir with
humorous touches is rather compressed--the plot centers solely on the weight issue, although greater
character development and more backstory would have given more depth and substance to the narrative. Not
a new message but a new format; the skillful pencil drawings by Marvel artist Wilshire are graceful and
evocative. A compassionate, even inspiring find for older teens and adult collections. Sexual themes and
some inexplicit nudity.--M.C.
Ross, Steve. Marked. Seabury. 2005. 180p. ISBN 1-59627-002-0. pap. $20. REL
In a contemporary city occupied by self-designated "liberators" (invaders), John the Baptist is a homeless
vagrant scrounging from trashcans when he "gets the call" by pay phone. Jesus is on a high-rise construction
project manhandling two-by-fours with a circular saw and hears of John's baptisms on the radio. After
John's dunking and then literal abduction by the Holy-Spirit-as-dove, Jesus shaves his head, dons a robe--
and a stretch limo pulls up. "Simply perfect," croons the Devil. "Come with me now, and I'll drop all my
other clients." In blocky, whimsical black-and-white art, the plot follows the original Mark with a brainbending
blend of traditional and radical imagery. Not all imagery will work for any one reader, but Ross has
certainly shaken up the establishment picture as his superhero had done for his own first-century
establishment. Ross was looking to recapture the "surprise, awe, and sheer weirdness" of the Gospels, and
the result is engaging, disturbing, and an excellent subject for discussion groups. For teens up. Highly
recommended for all libraries.--M.C.
Shinkai, Makoto (text) & Mizu Sahara (text & illus.). The Voices of a Distant Star. Tokyopop. 2006. 232p.
ISBN 1-59816-529-1. pap. $9.99. F
This single-volume manga adapts the moving and beautiful 25-minute anime, a near-future tale written and
animated entirely by Shinkai. When the first human explorers on Mars discovered alien ruins and then were
wiped out by the ruins' creators, humanity used the alien technology to build starships to seek out and
defend against them. Fifteen-year-old Mikako is chosen to serve aboard the starship Lysithia and leaves
behind her boyfriend, Noboru, to pilot a tracer, a giant battle robot. As she goes farther out into the solar
system, the text messages she sends to Noboru on her cell phone take longer and longer to reach him.
Because of time dilation, when the Lysithia moves on to the star Sirius, Mikako remains the same age while
Noboru ages eight years on Earth. Despite the distances between them, both are determined to keep their
love alive. Sahara's sensitive adaptation maintains the emotional feel of the anime while redesigning the
look of the protagonists, fleshing out the story with additional incidents and characters, and adding a more
straightforward ending. Recommended for all collections, especially for teen and adult fans of Neon Genesis
Evangelion and Saikano.--S.R.
Straczynski, J. Michael (text) & Colleen Doran (illus.). The Book of Lost Souls. Vol. 1: Introductions All
Around. Icon Comics: Marvel. 2006. 144p. ISBN 0-7851-1940-X. pap. $16.99. F
Just before 19th-century romantic Jonathan jumps to his death, an old man offers him a book--a book that
draws Jonathan to the present day and gives him a mission. Aided by the cat Mystery, he intercedes in the
fives of Lost--those people whose paths are not set and may turn to either good or evil--judging them and
tipping them toward one path or the other. In this guise, he encounters a battered wife and a homeless artist,
but when faced with a serial killer, Jonathan (who it's implied is somehow different from his predecessors in
this role) makes a choice that draws the ire of the Dark Man, one of the Two who were there at the
beginning of all things. This dark fantasy in the vein of Sandman features an interesting take on the Garden
of Eden story; appropriately portentous and intriguing dialog by Straczynski (Babylon 5; Spider-Man); and
excellent artwork by Doran (A Distant Soil; Orbiter) contrasting gorgeous Art Nouveau-esque fantasies and
flashbacks with a grittier style for real-world and horror scenes. With sexual situations and a bit of gore, this
is for older teens and adults; recommended for all collections.--S.R.
Van Lente, Fred (text) & Ryan Dunlavey (illus.). Action Philosophers! The Lives and Thoughts of History's
A-list Brain Trust Told in a Hip and Humorous Fashion. Vol. 1. Evil Twin. 2006. 94p: ISBN 0-9778329-0-2.
pap. $6.95. PHILOSOPHY
"Give me chastity and continence ... just not NOW," prays St. Augustine as he leers at a passing Algerian
hottie. Thomas Jefferson champions personal freedom but keeps slaves. Plato begins as a wrestler but
switches careers and starts hanging out with Socrates. This collection about nine (in)famous idea-mongers
shows that real life makes just as good comics as fiction. The best part: their theories and ideas come across
unforgettably when presented in humorous visuals. Bodhidharma uses an anachronistic wrecking ball to
smash traditional Buddhist teachings. Ayn Rand's putative victim of too much altruism presents his own
heart to the "looters" who enforce his self-sacrifice. Freud's theory about sexual perversion is illustrated by a
suddenly swatted bee transferring its attraction from a flower to a fire hydrant. Neitschze, dead and
reincarnated as a superhero, screams at Hider, "Idiot! ALL religion is fundamentally oppressive, not just
Judaism!" The blocky, punkish black-and-white art is quite effective. There are occasional sexual references
but little that's graphically offensive. Funny, goofy, and educational, this inexpensive Xeric Award recipient
belongs in all academic libraries and in the adult collections of public libraries.--M.C.
* Vaughan, Brian K. (text) & Niko Henrichon (illus.). Pride of Baghdad. Vertigo: DC Comics. 2006. 136p.
ISBN 1-4012-0314-0. $19.99. F
During an American bombing raid in 2003, four lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo. That true story is the
basis for this excellent fable by Vaughan (Ex Machina; Runaways) and Henrichon in which the animals can
talk to one another and discuss the relative merits of captivity and life in the wild. After they're
unexpectedly freed, Zill, the alpha male; his one-eyed ex-lover, Sail; his current lover, Noor; and Noor's
cub, Ali, must fend for themselves in an unfamiliar land: the ruined city. They discover dangers both manmade
and--despite Noor's insistence that animals can rise above their baser natures--among their own kind.
This graphic novel works as an adventure story; a meditation on the pursuit, the problems, and the meaning
of freedom; and a thoughtful allegory about the war in Iraq, with every scene having a deeper subtext.
Vaughan's lions, with distinctive and well-rounded personalities, inspire sympathy; Henrichon's animals are
expertly rendered, and his coloring is lush (with some gore in the battle scenes). This is an important work,
strongly recommended for all adult collections.--S.R.
* Waldman, J.T. Megillat Esther. Jewish Pubn. Society. 2005. 172p. bibliog. ISBN O-8276-0788-1. pap.
$18. REL
The Old Testament's book of Esther tells a tale of intrigue, genocide, and revenge. Looking to replace Queen
Vashti because she haughtily refuses to come to his party, the King of Persia falls for the lovely foster
daughter of Mordecai. But not knowing that his new Queen Esther--and Mordecai--are Jewish, the king
unwittingly enters into a plot of his egomaniacal prime minister Haman to kill all the Jews in Persia simply
because Mordecai will not bow to Haman on the street. Can Esther foil Haman's plot without piquing her
husband's temper and courting death herself? Indeed, she does, and Haman is hanged on the gallows he built
for Mordecai. It's a satisfying tale for everyone, especially Jews--indeed, the Megillat ("scroll of") Esther is
the basis for the Jewish feast of Purim. The sumptuous, almost psychedelic black-and-white art with
Hebrew text worked into the panel design is a feast for the eyes, as appetizing as the feast of Purim itself.
Plentiful sidebars and back matter, including sources and bibliography, provide plot embellishments and
background. For teens and up. Highly recommended for all libraries.--M,C.
ABOUT COMICS
Lunning, Frenchy (ed.). Mechademia 1: Emerging Worlds of An(me and Manga. Univ. of Minnesota. 2006.
184p. ISBN O-8166-4945-6. $19.95. SOC SCI
This is the inaugural volume of an academic-level annual devoted to anime, manga, and related art forms
and issues. Opening, amazingly enough, with a statement of purpose ("Anifesto") cast in the form of an
illustrated poem, it aims to bridge the gap between academics and fans and largely succeeds. Familiar names
contributing include Susan Napier (Anime from Akira to Howl's Moving Castle) writing about the Hayao
Miyazaki fan mailing list and Antonia Levi (Samurai from Outer Space) on werewolves in anime. The most
manga-related chapters cover the globalization of the manga market and the rediscovery of a 1950s manga
creator; other topics covered are the origins of anime cosplay (that is, costume play), the evaluation of video
game design, and the anime-related "Superflat" aesthetic theories of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. A
few of the essays can tend toward abstruseness for the general reader--most accessible to fans will be the
"Review and Commentary" section, where, among other contributions, Patrick Drazen (Anime Explosion!)
discusses the concept of "Newtype" humans in Mobile Suit Gundam, and LJ's own Martha Cornog, along
with Timothy Pepper, analyzes the theme of freedom in Revolutionary Girl Utena. A great first effort,
recommended for all academic and public libraries.--S.R.
Starger, Steve & J. David Spurlock. Wally's World. Vanguard. 2006. 224p. ISBN 1-887591-80-X. pap.
$24.95. BIOG
Wally Wood (1927-81) was one of the most acclaimed American comics artists of the mid-20th century.
This first biography covers his boyhood with a father who pronounced him a sissy for his interests in
reading and drawing; his 1950s flowering at EC Comics and Mad magazine, during which he twice won the
National Cartoonists Society Award for Best Comic Book Artist; and the gradual decline brought about by
binge drinking, workaholic self-abuse, marital difficulties, and failing health that eventually led him to
suicide. Dozens of illustrations, mostly in black and white but with a 24-page color section, sample Wood's
gloriously detailed science fiction work for EC; his classic Mad magazine parodies; collaborations with Will
Eisner and Jack Kirby; more streamlined 1960s work on Marvel's Daredevil and Tower Comics'
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents; and self-published work from the underground/small-press precursor witzend
magazine (with some nudity) and the early graphic novel The Wizard King. Wood's scatological and sexfilled
"Disneyland Memorial Orgy" drawing from The Realist is also included. Some of the text is
unpolished and would have benefited from better organization and more careful editing--but this is a serious
and sensitive look at an important artist, recommended for larger collections.--S.R.
Martha Cornog is a longtime reviewer for LJ and, with Timothy Perper, edits Reviews and Commentaries
for Mechademia: An Annual Forum for Anime, Manga, and the Fan Arts, www.mechademia.org. Steve
Raiteri is Audiovisual and Reference Librarian at the Greene County Public Library in Xenia, OH, where he
started the graphic novel collection in 1996
Cornog, Martha^Raiteri, Steve
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Cornog, Martha, and Steve Raiteri. "Graphic novels." Library Journal, 1 Jan. 2007, p. 79+. General
OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A158523522/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4312f8b8. Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A158523522
SF, horror, and more
Kat Kan
Voice of Youth Advocates.
33.4 (Oct. 2010): p340+.
COPYRIGHT 2010 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
Here's another mixed plate of graphic novels, ranging from science fiction to horror to biography and more.
GETTING PRESIDENTIAL
Bluewater Productions' Political Power: Presidents of the United States collects the four comic book
biographies of Presidents Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, which were
originally published as individual comic book issues. A different team of writers and artists worked on each
story, providing different moods and approaches to the biographies. Chris Ward narrates his biography of
President Obama as a conversation between himself (in full color) and Abraham Lincoln (in black and
white) and keeps the tone light and humorous. He hits the highlights of President Obama's life from
childhood through his run for president and election in 2008. Azim Aberali's art satirizes the various
political opponents, particularly Senator John McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin (who are both
subjects of their own comic book biographies from Bluewater Productions). Don Smith writes of Ronald
Reagan's presidency in a mostly positive tone but does note the problems (such as the Iran-Contra scandal)
that occurred during his terms; the art by Heath Foley and M. Scott Woodward doesn't quite match up to the
actual appearance of most of the people. Robert Schnakenberg's biography of President Clinton discusses
the "Comeback Kid" aspect of his political career as well as the scandals that dogged his two terms; he
bookends his segment with himself undergoing a Mayan ritual of no relevance to the biography. Joshua
LaBello's approach to George W. Bush is not strictly biographical; instead, he uses the text of President
Bush's farewell address, juxtaposing the text with images of the events that occurred during his terms of
office. This serves as an effective summary of Bush's presidency, with the art providing a visual
commentary on President Bush's words. Ward uses the words "crap" and "crappiness" a couple of times in
his narrative. These are the only possibly inappropriate words in the book. While this book can't be used for
factual reports, the stories provide another way to learn about these four presidents; my teenage son
particularly enjoyed the humor of the President Obama biography.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
CLASSIC SPACE OPERA UPDATED
Tom Corbett: Space Cadet takes the story and characters from the 1950s television show (along with a series
of novels and comics), based partly on Robert Heinlein's novel Space Cadet, and updates them in a new
comic miniseries. In this new story, it is the year 2251, and humanity has spread throughout the solar
system. Tom Corbett, Roger Manning, and Astro Deaver are Solar Guard Cadets at the Solar Alliance Space
Academy. They arrive at Rescue Station RSA-4 to conduct routine maintenance on the automated station,
but they find trouble. The station computer won't respond to the cadets' ship computer, and when Tom and
Astro space walk over, they find robots shooting lasers at them and a strange robot ready to kill them. When
the cadets return to the Academy with the dead robot, Solar Guard scientists discover that it is not alien, but
based on the old designs of Dr. Sanderson Dale of Earth. Soon enough, the One State--a society of
autonomous robots--attack the outlying planets of the solar system to force all humans to return to Earth.
The Solar Alliance's only hope is for Tom and his fellow cadets to find Dr. Dale's archived copy of the
original Pathfinder Project software, originally used on the robots, and to reprogram the One State. This
space adventure provides a lot of action, great for any Star Wars fan, with the same kind of wisecracking
dialog and humor. The full-color art is rather eccentric in portraying the human characters, but the outer
space architecture and ship designs have the terrific epic/retro look of great old science fiction art. The book
has no excessive violence or bad language, making it suitable for preteens and teens, as well as adults
nostalgic for the old television series, novels, or comics. Bill Spangler, who wrote this book, also wrote the
Tom Corbett comics published in the 1990s and read the old novels when he was a boy. He brings that oldtime
sense of fun and action into his story.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
MIRROR UNIVERSE REVISITED
Star Trek: Mirror Images takes readers back to the Mirror Universe shown in the classic original Star Trek
series episode "Mirror, Mirror." In this universe, evil reigns supreme. The television episode showed
Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Commander Scott, and Lieutenant Uhura trapped in an alternate universe where
the Terran Empire rules, and promotions within the Imperial Service occur by assassination. Mirror Images
goes back in time to when James T. Kirk is still a commander onboard the I.S.S. Enterprise, under the
command of Captain Christopher Pike. Kirk is, of course, an ambitious young officer determined to advance
his career, while Pike is a canny command officer determined to find a way to destroy the upstart. Loyalties
switch back and forth at a dizzying pace as the two officers play their power games against each other. A
side story in the book goes forward seventy years past the events of "Mirror, Mirror," and concerns
Lieutenant Jean-Luc Picard. Speck had indeed taken power of the Terran Empire, but his policies, more in
line with the Federation, have made the Empire weak and unable to deal effectively with a new alliance
between the Klingons and the Cardassians. Picard decides to take drastic action when his ship, the I.S.S.
Starbreaker, faces a grueling attack by a force of Alliance ships and the Vulcan captain wants to surrender.
At the end of "Mirror, Mirror," "our" Captain Kirk advised the Mirror-Spock to find a way to lead the
Empire along a path toward the views of the Federation; in this story, readers see Picard chafing under the
peaceful strictures of the Empire under Spock. Readers don't have to be Star Trek rims to enjoy the story
although those who remember the original series (as well as Star Trek: The Next Generation) will
understand more quickly just what device Kirk has Scotty secretly constructing. Messina's full-color art is
very much on-model with the characters. Teens who like the 2009 Star Trek movie will like this excursion
to the "dark side" of Kirk, Spock, Scotty, and Sulu. A note on the cover: it features Spock and Mirror-Spock,
but only Mirror-Spook appears in the story.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
GIRL OUT OF PLACE
In Stardrop, Ashelle has run away from home--actually, from the military academy of the Galactic Empire--
and has come to Earth. Her father gave her the planet, but she has decided to come alone--without troops to
take over the world-and just live among the people. Of course, she has to find a place to stay, and she lucks
into meeting Jen Jacobs, a young woman who lives in a boarding house, and who takes Ashelle shopping at
the mall, helps her find a job at a local bed-and-breakfast, and introduces her to her college classmate Tom,
who falls for Ashelle. Trouble comes with the arrival of Ashelle's "friend," Kytanna, who decides to stay in
the same boarding house and then tries to sabotage Ashelle's happy new life in order to force her to leave.
Ashelle combines a wonderful grasp of military strategy and tactics (she led the revolutionary forces against
the Imperium for a while) with a great naivete about life in general and an innocent desire to enjoy life as it
happens. Oakley's charming black and white art and writing are very appealing. He even makes menial tasks
sound like fun when Ashelle describes her work at the B&B: "He's going to teach me how to use a vacuum
and how to put things on a tray in an elegant way, and how to pour wine and answer the phone in a relaxed
but professional manner. It's going to be very challenging, but I'm going to try very hard and be the best
employee he's ever had. I've made up my mind!" With just a little fighting action and no bad language or
other content issues, this book is suitable for middle- and high-school age readers. A note here: Stardrop is a
self-published comic, and easily ordered directly from the publisher.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
ODD'S HALLOWEEN
Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas stars in another original graphic novel, Odd Is on Our Side, set during
Halloween shortly before the events in the first prose novel. Odd lives and works in Pico Mundo, a small
town in California, he is nineteen and a very good fry cook. And he sees ghosts. On this Halloween, Odd
spots a bodach, an evil spirit that looks like a black blob. Then he gets a queasy feeling about Pico Mundo's
safe Halloween celebration. Years ago, a man named Norman Turley handed out poisoned candy that
sickened many of the town's children and killed one of them, and the town stopped all door-to-door trick-ortreating.
Now, the ghost of that child wants Odd to save her. Another little girl (a live one) wants her jack
o'lantern back; the high school seniors steal all the pumpkins they can find for the annual pumpkin roll.
Then the ghost of Elvis Presley tries to speak to Odd, but since Odd can see ghosts but they can't talk with
him, it is difficult to figure out what Elvis is trying to say. All he knows is that something is wrong,
something bad is going to happen, and he has to somehow find a way to stop it. This story is written by Fred
Van Lente and Koontz, and illustrated manga-style by Australian artist Queenie Chan. The book's format is
also manga-style, in the typical tankobon size with black and white art. Chan makes the bodachs look
malevolent and scary while keeping a lighter tone with the rest of the art. The book is more suspenseful than
scary, and makes for a good introduction to the characters and the novels. This book includes an excerpt
from the second Odd Thomas novel, Forever Odd, and notes from Chan and Van Lente on the art and
writing process of working with Koontz. Teens who like suspenseful stories, and teens who already like
Koontz's books, as well as those who already know Odd from the novels, will enjoy this story.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
WORKS DISCUSSED
Koontz, Dean, and Fred Van Lente. Odd Is on Our Side. Illus. by Queenie Chan. Del Rey Manga, 2010.
192p. $10.99 Trade pb. 978-0-345-51560-5. 4Q 4P JS
Oakley, Mark. Stardrop. I Box Publishing (P.O. Box 2418, Wolfville, NS B4P 2S3 Canada), 2010. 192p.
$9.95 Trade pb. 978-0-9681025-7-2.4Q 3P JS A/YA
Spangler, Bill. Tom Corbett: Space Cadet. Illus. by John DaCosta; letters by Wilson Ramos Jr. Bluewater
Productions, 2010.96p. $15.99 Trade ph. 978-1-4507-0014-6. 4Q 3P J S
Tipton, Scott and David. Star Trek: Mirror Images. Illus. by David Messina; art assistance by Sara Pichelli;
colors by Ilaria Traversi and Giovanna Niro; letters by Chris Mowry, Robbie Robbins, and Neil Uyetake.
IDW Publishing, 2009. 132p. $19.99 Trade ph. 978-1-60010-293-6. 3Q 3P S A/YA
Ward, Chris, et al. Political Power: Presidents of the United States. Illus. by Azim Aberali, Heath Foley, M.
Scott Woodward, David McNeil, and loshua LaBello. Bluewater Productions, 2010. 100p. $15.99 Trade pb.
978-1-61623932-9. 3Q 3P J S
Kat Kan has been reading comics for half a century (even though she doesn't feel that old) and writing about
them for almost two decades. She works as a collection development librarian specializing in graphic novels
and YA books for Brodart, and as a freelance graphic novel consultant. In addition to writing for VOYA, she
reviews children's graphic novels for Booklist and conducts workshops on graphic novels and YA services.
She also works part-time as a school librarian in a preK-8 private school, where she enjoys telling the
students, "I get paid for reading comics!"
Kan, Kat
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Kan, Kat. "SF, horror, and more." Voice of Youth Advocates, Oct. 2010, p. 340+. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A249219863/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=0611cfc1.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A249219863
Brain Boy, Vol. 1: Psy vs. Psy
Publishers Weekly.
261.19 (May 12, 2014): p46.
COPYRIGHT 2014 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Brain Boy, Vol. 1: Psy vs. Psy
Fred van Lente and R.B. Silva. Dark Horse, $14.99 trade paper (160p) ISBN 978-1-61655-317-3
This comic brings together exemplary writing, an engaging combination of line technique and vibrant
coloring, and a hero whose imaginative abilities make him a fascinating character. Matt Price is Brain Boy--
not that you should ever call him that--and his combination of telepathic and telekinetic powers make him a
deadly foe of anyone wanting to mess with national security interests. Having lost his parents in a freak
accident, he was taken under wing by their employer, Albright Industries. However, if you're the world's
most formidable user of psionics and you can channel them to levitate, fly, and blast the heck out of your
enemies, it won't take long before you attract a foe of equally formidable power. There are lots of things to
like in this graphic novel. Van Lente (Action Philosophers, Incredible Hercules) weaves a complex plot that
matches perfectly with the subject matter. Silva's action sequences are terrifically energetic and colorist
Ego's lively palette gives everything even more punch. Where the book excels is the characters' highly
emotive expressions, which tell the story without words and heighten the drama of what could be a standard
action tale. June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Brain Boy, Vol. 1: Psy vs. Psy." Publishers Weekly, 12 May 2014, p. 46. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A368847699/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d4bed90c.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A368847699
Pak, Greg & Fred Van Lente. Make Comics
Like the Pros: The Inside Scoop on How To
Write, Draw, and Sell Your Comic Books
and Graphic Novels
Heather Halliday
Library Journal.
139.16 (Oct. 1, 2014): p82.
COPYRIGHT 2014 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Pak, Greg & Fred Van Lente. Make Comics Like the Pros: The Inside Scoop on How To Write, Draw, and
Sell Your Comic Books and Graphic Novels. Watson-Guptill. 2014. 160p. illus. index. ISBN
9780385344630. pap. $22.99; ebk. ISBN 9780385344517. ART INSTRUCTION
Comics writers Pak (Batman; Superman) and Van Lente (Action Philosophers!) here focus on storytelling
and the process of getting one's comics and graphic novels published. They emphasize the highly
collaborative nature of the format and help readers understand how best to work with others in the course of
making sequential art. The authors, who collaborated on The Incredible Hercules series for Marvel Comics,
offer examples from their own careers as well as those of their fellow comics creators. All aspects of
production, from conceptualization to marketing and promotion are addressed. VERDICT Aspiring artists
and others will appreciate this inside look at what it takes to create a comic book or graphic novel.
HEATHER HALLIDAY, American Jewish Historical Soc., New York
Halliday, Heather
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Halliday, Heather. "Pak, Greg & Fred Van Lente. Make Comics Like the Pros: The Inside Scoop on How To
Write, Draw, and Sell Your Comic Books and Graphic Novels." Library Journal, 1 Oct. 2014, p. 82.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A383327281/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=06a239c1. Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A383327281
Reading with Pictures: Comics That Make
Kids Smarter
Jesse Karp
Booklist.
111.4 (Oct. 15, 2014): p38.
COPYRIGHT 2014 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
* Reading with Pictures: Comics That Make Kids Smarter. Ed. by Josh Elder. 2014.184p. illus. Andrews
McMeel, $19.99 (9781449458782). 741.5. Gr. 3-6.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
In 2009, Elder founded Reading with Pictures, a nonprofit organization devoted to recognizing comics'
potential as an educational tool. Their website is at the forefront of this effort, and Reading with Pictures is
the tangible manifestation of this mission. It's a tremendous relief, then, that the book delivers. Elder has
assembled an array of creators adept at speaking in engaging, nondidactic voices, and each subject--
language arts, science, mathematics, and social studies--features three to five stories that skillfully craft
basic principles into energetic stories. Not surprisingly, language arts and social studies achieve the greatest
success here, and Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey's "George Washington: Action President" proves the
high-water mark for a blend of facts and comics artistry. Stories run toward the comedic, but every student
will find something to connect with, and even though teacher-oriented content is included, kids will happily
gloss over that to get right to the comics. Although downloadable lesson plans are available for each story (a
fact that could be better highlighted), any one of them could easily be assigned as a supplement to a larger
lesson. A great tool in itself, hopefully Reading with Pictures will also prove to be but the first building
block of a much vaster structure.--Jesse Karp
Karp, Jesse
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Karp, Jesse. "Reading with Pictures: Comics That Make Kids Smarter." Booklist, 15 Oct. 2014, p. 38.
General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A388966011/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=6714eef1. Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A388966011
Marvel Adventures Thor Featuring Dr.
Strange, Ant-Man, and Captain America
Jesse Karp
Booklist.
106.1 (Sept. 1, 2009): p90+.
COPYRIGHT 2009 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Marvel Adventures Thor Featuring Dr. Strange, Ant-Man, and Captain America.
By Paul Tobin and others. Illus. by Jacopo Campagni and others.
2009. 96p. Marvel, paper, $9.99 (9780785133216). 741.5. Gr. 3-6.
Though Thor is the featured character, this second collection of the Marvel Adventures Super Heroes
comics gives you more superhero bang for your buck than anything else out there. Doctor Strange takes a
tour of alternate realities with Spider-Man in tow; Thor gets tangled up in romance and adventure while his
half-brother Loki plots his doom; fresh out of suspended animation from World War II, Captain America
adjusts to the cynicism of modern America; even Ant-Man shows up in a hilariously reimagined origin by
Action Philosophers! scribe Fred Van Lente. In a contemporary superhero landscape filled with darkness,
angst, and complicated crossover events, this young readers' title offers straightforward, stand-alone fun and
charmingly humanized superheroes in the mold that Stan Lee created almost 50 years ago. While the digestsize
format doesn't do the lively, popping art any favors, the whole Marvel Adventures line, along with
Marvel Masterworks and the Franklin Richards volumes, is an ideal foundation for a young readers'
superhero collection, and this one in particular is not to be missed.--Jesse Karp
Karp, Jesse
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Karp, Jesse. "Marvel Adventures Thor Featuring Dr. Strange, Ant-Man, and Captain America." Booklist, 1
Sept. 2009, p. 90+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A207943633/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b95e576c. Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A207943633
Graphic novels
Martha Cornog and Steve Raiteri
Library Journal.
137.15 (Sept. 15, 2012): p53+.
COPYRIGHT 2012 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No
redistribution permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
DRAWING ON THE GOOD in the wake of the recent Colorado shootings at the showing of a superhero
film, let us remind ourselves how stories--and comics characters--can heal and inspire positive action. The
501st Legion of Star Wars baddie enactors, who impersonate Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers, devote
themselves to fundraising and charity appearances, not violence.
Members of the growing real-life superhero movement help the needy and patrol neighborhoods.
Compelling medical narratives like Mom's Cancer, Stitches, and Tangles (about Alzheimer's) have led to an
annual international Comics and Medicine conference to spread the knowledge and empathy contained in
these narratives to medical professionals as well as to the public.
A 1950s comic about Martin Luther King's Montgomery bus boycott explained techniques for nonviolent
civil disobedience, and a 2008 Arabic translation is credited with inspiring Egyptian protestors.
In 2011, McPherson College's Miller Library developed a comic about a zombie epidemic as an entertaining
way to teach students about using the library. Within two months, the e-version of Library of the Living
Dead (ow.ly/dk0ZQ) went viral with 1.3 million hits. Soon after, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention prepared its own Zombie Pandemic comic to teach Americans about emergency preparedness, a
big hit at the New York Comic Con that is available online at ow.ly/dk0U2.
Comics get content across to readers, owing to clarity and eyeball traction. When cartoonist Will Eisner
drew vehicle repair instruction materials for the army in the 1950s, a skeptical officer had Eisner's version
tested by the University of Chicago. Eisner's instructions came off as easier to read, understand, and
remember than those that were text only.
And comics add fun to reading. Survey research, numerous anecdotal reports, and library circulation figures
all show that young people love comics, and many self-dubbed "nonreaders" will read comics. Moreover,
comics offer more "less-common words" than conversations between adults, adult television shows,
children's literature, and even some text-only books. Deaf people, those with autism or ADD, and anyone
learning a second language all may derive special benefit from comics, as reported by professionals assisting
these groups with reading. The Roman poet Horace noted more than 2000 years ago that success comes
from combining pleasure and usefulness. And so, fortunately, graphic narratives will always survive as a
force for good, despite those who might twist them to toxic purposes.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Chao, Fred. Johnny Hiro: Half Asian, All Hero. Ton 2012. c.192p. ISBN 9780765329370. pap. $16.99.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Things happen to Johnny Hiro, like when a Godzilla-type monster snatches Johnny's girlfriend Mayumi
because her mother had humiliated the beast with a mecha-enhanced knockout blow decades earlier. Or
when an innocent night at the opera coincides with a dust-up involving 47 office workers acting like
avenging ronin. Or when his boss at the sushi restaurant orders Johnny to steal a special lobster from a rival
chef. Or when New York's Mayor Bloomberg intercedes with Judge Judy in a lawsuit about the damage the
monster did to Johnny's apartment building. Chao shines at detailed, sublime chaos, dealt out bit by bit in
slightly cockeyed line art. Throughout, Johnny manages all at once to be heroic, an everyman shlub, and a
sweetheart of a boyfriend to chirpy, new-immigrant Mayumi--who specializes in goofy Gracie Allen quips.
VERDICT This guilty pleasure offers occasional existential wisdom, like this from Johnny's pal: "When
things are calmest, I shouldn't forget to dig a bit so I bring more to the table. It just makes things richer."
Chao's funny, acrobatic, and sweet treat should appeal to Japanophiles, New Yorkers, and lovers of slapstick
action from teens through adults.--M.C.
de Heer, Margreet. Philosophy: A Discovery in Comics. NBM/ComicsLit. 2012. C.120p. tr. from Dutch by
Emma Ringelberg & Dan Schiff. ISBN 9781561636983. $16.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Philosophy is thinking about thinking. That's where de Heer begins in this charming, personal work, which
features her and her husband, Yiri, as guides. What is thinking, anyway? How do we know we know? Who
are we? Well-known Western cogitators like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle have considered these questions,
as have the medieval Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, followed by Erasmus, Descartes, and Spinoza, de
Heer's fellow Hollander. For modern philosophy, however, she pulls back into the personal realm by letting
friends and relatives speak about their own philosophies and who inspires them, from Nietzsche to George
Carlin. She draws philosophy out of the abstract, academic ether and connects it to real people and their
lives. VERDICT Avoiding a systematic, scholarly overview, de Heer makes philosophical questions lively,
quirky, and enduring through her informal approach and lighthearted color drawings. Her appealing
introduction will engage those curious about this "philosophy stuff," teens and up. For younger readers, a
teacher or parent can provide further information. See also Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey's Action
Philosophers! (LJ 1/07).--M.C.
The Graphic Canon. Vol. 1: From the Epic of Gilgamesh to Shakespeare to Dangerous Liaisons. Seven
Stories. 2012. c.512p. ed. by Russ Kick. bibliog, index. ISBN 9781609803766. pap. $34.95. GRAPHIC
NOVELS
This lavish collection spanning four millennia includes 190 literary adaptations organized into three
volumes. Besides the expected choices, this first volume's culturally diverse works include a pre-Columbian
Incan play, Tang Dynasty verses, a Japanese Noh play, Rumi poetry, and an ingeniously rendered sliver of
the Mahabharata. Most of the selections are modest-sized abridgements or excerpts, 80 percent new material
and the rest reprints. Quality and artistry all convey the unique flavors of the originals, although not all will
appeal to everyone. Perhaps Kick's visual banquet is best appreciated as a seductive howdy-do that could
send readers to the originals, or to a longer graphic version. The set also makes an inspiring sampler of
graphic innovation for art students and those interested in the comics format. VERDICT The trilogy should
occupy a prominent place in all adult graphic novel collections. Note that a few selections (e.g., Lysistrata)
are sexually explicit, and high school libraries should carefully evaluate suitability. Perhaps Kick's project
will spur substantive quality adaptations of many more literary works, which would further benefit libraries
and classrooms.--M.C.
Johnson, Mat (text) & Andrea Mutti (illus.). Right State. Vertigo--DC Comics. 2012. c.144p. ISBN
9781401229436. $24.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
The second African American U.S. president is campaigning for reelection while facing threats from an
expanding citizen militia movement. In an 11th hour attempt to suss out a suspected assassination plot, a
Muslim FBI agent recruits conservative newscaster and ex-Special Forces commando Ted Akers to infiltrate
the movement, Akers being a revered spokesman for veterans with pro-militia sympathies. The hero faces
conflicting loyalties from the get-go, and things get worse when his cell phone is trashed and the
assassination plot isn't what he expected. Johnson (Incognegro; Dark Rain) delivers admirable story twists
and dialog, and he again excels at portraying characters who evoke sympathy (though you wouldn't trust
them with your wallet). His militia members range from certifiable wingnuts ranting about peanuts as
biological weapons, to "Occupy" types whose livelihood dried up owing to outsourcing. Mutti's realistic art
works well, although touches of color wash would have enhanced emotional and visual interest. VERDICT
This fine political thriller, at times uncomfortably realistic, will appeal to graphic thriller and mystery fans
who savored The Homeland Directive. Recommended for adult collections.--M.C.
* Mack, Stan. Taxes, the Tea Party, and Those Revolting Rebels: A History in Comics of the American
Revolution. NBM/ComicsLit. 2012. c.176p. ISBN 9781561636976. $14.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Meet the original Tea Party and "Occupiers" of our nation's founding: not idealistic heroes united against the
British but an uneasy and untidy hodgepodge of self-righteous intellectuals and aristocrats, money-hungry
merchants and entrepreneurs, disgruntled soldiers, and just plain hungry working people. The British
weren't very good at either fighting or diplomacy much of the time, and the American troops were often
worse. Mack reminds today's voters that success in the 1770s came not through harmony--nobody agreed
about anything--but through persistence, passion, creative thinking, and compromise. As proof, the resulting
Constitution has lasted more than 200 years and been able to modernize, addressing gender and racial
equality, for example. Mack's endearingly irreverent and well-researched black-and-white account has been
updated from his 1994 Real Life American Revolution and especially shines in coverage of issues relating
to African Americans, Native Americans, and women. VERDICT While excellent for classroom-centered
tweens and teens (who reportedly loved the 1994 version), these revolting rebels should star in all adult
collections, too, in displays, and as readers' advisory fodder through November.--M.C.
Quinn, Jason (text) & Amit Tayal (illus.). Steve Jobs: Genius by Design. Campfire. 2012. c.104p. ISBN
9789380028767. pap. $12.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Everyone's favorite iGuy changed the world with Apple computers and their electronic relatives, and people
growing up since the iPod (2001) can't imagine a world without such small, smart machines. This overview
of Jobs's life and career itself resembles Apple products in its concise accessibility, showing how one person
could envision what was possible but could also strip out the "unimportant stuff" to keep Apple products
simple and accessible. And like Apple products, the drawings are slightly stylized and nicely designed. It's
no fan polemic, though, and includes Jobs's bad temper, "reality distortion" problem that eventually led to
his early death, checkered reputation as a father, and (yes) body odor. VERDICT Campfire's extensive line
of all-age graphic novels began with adaptations of classic adventure stories and has expanded into quality
biographies. This one will help show younger people how the devices as they know them came to be,
created by a real, flawed, yet admirable human like themselves. It's also ideal for those not up to the 600-
plus pages of Walter Isaacson's best-selling biography. See also The Zen of Steve Jobs (LJ 3/15/12).--M.C.
Snyder, Scott (text) & Greg Capullo (illus.). Batman. Vol. 1: The Court of Owls. DC. 2012. c.176p. ISBN
9781401235413. $24.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
DC's New 52 relaunches Batman villains more than the heroes. Bruce Wayne with his own "court" of
sidekicks (Alfred, plus old and new Robins: Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Damien Wayne) must accept that a
centuries-old Gotham horror rhyme is real. A malevolent Court of Owls does exist, and its undead assassin,
the Talon, is out for Batman. This new villain aims to terrify Bruce by challenging his mind and memory.
The overall concept has a brilliant cohesiveness as an introduction to a creepy new clique of evildoers,
wrapped in a well-crafted plot with cool details (Dick impersonating the Joker; the owl-insignia tooth
characteristic of the Court's assassins) and incredibly good art. Some of Capullo's images of Batman
grappling with the Talon have an almost sensual passion and beauty. The story is also a prequel to the Night
of the Owls crossover event, which will fold in a dozen DC series, and kicks off an all-new series devoted to
the Talon. VERDICT A must for superhero collections, Batman fans (of course), and new Batman readers,
older teens and up, since the plot requires no prior familiarities.--M.C.
* Van Sciver, Noah. The Hypo: The Melancholic Young Lincoln. Fantagraphics. 2012. c.192p. ISBN
9781606996195. $24.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Perhaps our most beloved president, Abraham Lincoln threatens merely to disappear into sainthood for most
of us. Van Sciver has made him real by portraying one of the most difficult times in the future leader's
younger life. Confronting professional and personal setbacks, Lincoln becomes paralyzed by depression
(which he calls "the hypo," thinking himself a hypochondriac), breaks his engagement to his beloved, and
crashes into a full-fledged mental breakdown. But with the help of friends, he weathers the storm to recoup
his losses, wed Mary Todd, and go on to a revered career. Gritty, eye-opening period details include
widespread slumlike living conditions, casualness toward prostitution, ignorance about mood disorders,
barbaric medical treatments like blood-letting, and pretensions of the wealthy gentry. It's rather like an
American version of Dickens infused into a Jane Austen love stow, and Van Sciver's moody cross-hatching
works exceedingly well in showing these lesser-known facets of Lincoln's nonpolitical life. VERDICT An
excellent choice for compelling leisure reading as well as for use in classrooms. Fantagraphics plans to do a
study guide. Teens up, with caution owing to sexual issues.--M.C.
Wood, Brian (text & illus.) & Becky Cloonan (illus.). Channel Zero: The Complete Collection. Dark Horse.
2012. c.296p. ISBN 9781595829368. pap. $19.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
In the United States, sometime near the present, the Christian Right has forced passage of the Clean Act,
censoring all media. The government has begun violently exporting its ideology overseas while keeping its
citizens placated by propaganda and mindless entertainment. But in New York City, audacious rebel artist
Jennie 2.5 is mad as hell. Hacking into TV signals, she begins broadcasting guerrilla protest messages,
urging viewers to think for themselves. She becomes an icon of underground resistance--but big brother's
reach is long, and she soon finds that she's made herself part of the problem: this revolution will be
advertised. VERDICT It may take some suspension of disbelief on the part of readers to accept the
Cleaners, government agents who can kill people for littering, even in Wood's (Demo; DMZ) extreme police
state. But this is powerful, provocative stuff, and Jennie 2.5, her body tattooed with symbols and slogans,
proves a compelling, complex, and memorable figure. Wood's bold black-and-white art, heavily graphicdesign
oriented, sometimes achieves a visceral starkness akin to that of Frank Miller's Sin City. Strongly
recommended.--S.R.
Robins, Scott & Snow Wildsmith. A Parent's Guide to the Best Kids' Comics: Choosing Titles Your
Children Will Love. Krause. 2012. c.256p. ISBN 9781440229947. pap. $16.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Librarians and bloggers for School Library Journal's Good Comics for Kids, Robins and Wildsmith share
detailed information on 100 core graphic novels for K-12, plus 750 readalikes. This is a first-of-its-kind
book for parents, specifically, and so it's organized by age group, contains educational tie-ins and caveats,
and reproduces generously sized full-color pages to convince those "they're not real books!" snarkmeisters
that comics provide appealing and useful content as well as actual words to read and literacy benefits.
There's even a short section about graphic novels on parenting, like Bunny Drop. Every comics-loving
librarian will notice favorite titles and series missing, but this isn't a book for librarians or educators, even
though there's a short bibliography for these two groups. For families, this will work just great as a core list,
although I would wish for more titles with prominent characters of color. VERDICT This necessary
guidebook for parents belongs in all public libraries; buy an extra for readers' advisory. Note that librarians
and educators must augment kid-ages graphic novel selection through a wider range of sources that include,
for example, more titles with nonfiction content and literary adaptations.--M.C.
Martha Cornog is a longtime reviewer for LJ and, with Timothy Perper, edited Graphic Novels Beyond the
Basics: Insights and Issues for Libraries (Libraries Unlimited, 2009). Steve Raiteri is Audio-visual Librarian
at the Greene County Public Library in Xenia, OH, where he started the graphic novel collection in 1996.
Cornog, Martha^Raiteri, Steve
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Cornog, Martha, and Steve Raiteri. "Graphic novels." Library Journal, 15 Sept. 2012, p. 53+. General
OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A303072267/ITOF?
u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4a6ea676. Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A303072267
Maslon, Laurence: SUPERHEROES!
Kirkus Reviews.
(Oct. 15, 2013):
COPYRIGHT 2013 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Maslon, Laurence SUPERHEROES! Crown Archetype (Adult Nonfiction) $40.00 10, 1 ISBN: 978-0-385-
34858-4
A soup-to-nuts history of mostly male, mostly American superheroes of the 20th century. This slab of
superhero history is a colorful companion to Maslon (Arts/NYU Graduate Acting Program; Broadway: The
American Musical, 2010, etc.) and Kantor's (Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America, 2009, etc.)
upcoming PBS documentary. It's one of those strange amalgamations that arise from things like Ken Burns'
documentaries: the comprehensive history that only skims the surface. But as an introduction to comics
culture for novices, it does the trick. Starting in 1938, the authors chart the origins of the DC icons and delve
into the awful history of Fredric Wertham's war on fun and the development of the Comics Code Authority.
The most iconic characters get their own breakout sections, rendered in dazzling color illustrations. Better
segments bring context, with the benefit of hindsight, to groundbreaking moments like Frank Miller's The
Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore's Watchmen. However, the authors sometimes diverge from the
source texts to focus on TV and hundreds of movies ranging from Christopher Reeve's iconic performance
to the wealth of modern adaptations. This is probably based on the documentary source, which needs that
imagery to thrive. One hopes the film more deeply explores some of the more shameful events in the
industry's history, like the bad blood between DC and Superman creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel.
Another aspect that makes the book feel generic is the clear focus on the big two: DC and Marvel, with only
a slight deviation into the Image Comics rebellion. That shuts out a ton of indie publishers, effectively
pushing eclectic characters ranging from The Rocketeer to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into the shadow of
more recognizable caped crusaders. An academic recounting of a truly rich creative history, but it's territory
covered with more fun and attitude by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey's The Comic Book History of
Comics (2012).
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Maslon, Laurence: SUPERHEROES!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2013. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A345444486/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=f2988f8a.
Accessed 29 Jan. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A345444486
FRESH MEAT
Review: Ten Dead Comedians by Fred Van Lente
DAVE RICHARDS
Ten Dead Comedians by Fred Van Lente is a brilliant debut that is both an homage to the Golden Age of Mystery and a thoroughly contemporary show-business satire (available July 11, 2017).
When a comedian bombs on stage, it's said that “they're dying.” There's even a classic quote that states, “Dying is easy, comedy is hard.” So there's a natural connection between the worlds of comedy and murderous crime fiction. In his debut novel, Ten Dead Comedians, Fred Van Lente draws upon that connection to create a captivating, hilarious, and overall fun murder mystery/satire. What makes the novel truly engaging, however, is the superb character development of his cast.
Van Lente is a veteran comic book creator who's worked for companies like Marvel, Valiant, and Dark Horse. He's also self-published several books. He's written both fantastical tales and biographical ones about prominent philosophers and comic book creators. So he knows how to mesh genre details with grounded real-world issues.
He also knows how to mine them for humor. A clear example of this comes early on when he gives readers a fake IMDb page for one of the book’s prominent characters. That page includes movie titles and descriptions like the following, which in this world was the kickoff film to a blockbuster franchise:
Help! I Married a Cat (1995)
As Jerry Russell
Shallow ladies’ man learns the true meaning of love when his eccentric aunt's will stipulates that in order to inherit her fortune, he has to wed her ill-tempered calico, Miss Puffytail.
The fake IMDb page is just one of several sections designed to not only flesh out the setting of Van Lente's story but his characters as well. Over the course of the book, we not only get a fun and fantastically paced murder mystery but also little interstitial segments from a point in the career of the cast of Ten Dead Comedians. This allows the reader to see each of the characters at work and how what they do and say reflect their individual personalities.
The sheer number of different individual personalities is another area where Ten Dead Comedians shines. The characters all share the occupation of professional funny person, but they're all different types of comedians. You've got the failed comedian, a female comedian known for her jokes about sex and sexuality, a stand-up comedian who tours relentlessly, a childlike prop comic loved by his chosen audience but loathed by his peers, a comedian known for her affinity with insults, a comedian turned talk show host, a crusading social justice comedian who hosts her own podcast, and a “Blue Collar”-style comedian who is shopping for fine art when we first meet him.
The different characters and their styles help ground Van Lente's twisty murder mystery and give it an aspect of fun. We're given enough insight and detail into each comic that they feel like real people rather than archetypes. Sure, their acts and styles may be inspired by famous real-world comedians, but each of them has their own quirks and personal demons that make them feel like real people that we can identify with, root for, and even root against in some cases.
The eight comics are the reader's eyes and ears at different points in the story. We follow their perspectives as they travel to a private island and meet the two other comedians: a reclusive movie star and his aspiring personal assistant. The shifting points of view are a lot of fun and really add to the book's pacing. We get longer chapters with each of the comics, and we also get really funny and effective short ones too—like the following, which is from the perspective of the widely loathed prop comic:
Ollie lost his breath running up the hill to the cabana, but halfway there he looked around and saw that no one was following him.
“Eff me in the a-hole,” he said out loud, and then bounded down the hill to look for the others.
Being allowed to spend time with these characters and see how they view the world means the reader will come to care about them. So the sudden bursts of violence and death in Ten Dead Comedians will evoke emotional reactions, whether it's to laugh, cheer, or wince in pain:
She dropped onto her back on the stone path and felt a sharp pain in her throat, which, she began to realize, came from something she had run into while cutting through the bamboo. Placed exactly at the level of her Adam's apple, it dug into the flesh of her neck, practically cutting it in half...
All of those elements combine together to make Ten Dead Comedians an incredibly enjoyable debut novel. It's a book that proves Van Lente is just as good at spinning fun and funny prose stories as he is at scripting enjoyable and witty comics.
To learn more or order a copy, visit:
Buy at iTunes
Buy at Barnes and NobleBuy at Amazon
Dave Richards covers all things Marvel Comics for the Eisner Award-winning website Comic Book Resources and his book reviews and other musings can be found at his blog Pop Culture Vulture.