Houston Public Library
Now and Then
 
The new year is a time of renewal; what was old becomes new, and what was new becomes old. In honor of this (and in honor of One Piece reaching 1000 chapters and 100 volumes this last November) your humble narrator thought it would be nice to look at some ongoing series now and before. No, we’re not going to go read Detective Comics No.1, (well, not the one from 1937; it’s pretty racist), but we are going to go back and look at some classic and current stories in the same comics (as well as start a couple of manga from the beginning). So, strap in for origin stories, alternate histories, and contemporary capers from some old friends. Stay warm, and we’ll see you in the new year.
Miles Morales: the ultimate Spider-Man : ultimate collection
by Brian Michael Bendis

Chronicles the exploits of Miles as he takes up the mantle from Peter Parker, worrying about his new life, grappling with Parker's legacy, and fighting off the Scorpion
Miles Morales stranger tides : a Spider-Man graphic novel
by Justin A. Reynolds

"While at a launch for a brand-new video game, Spider-Man must swing into action when a villain named the Stranger, who has deemed humanity lacking, manipulates the game. Original. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations."
Skip beat! / : 3-in-1 Edition
by Yoshiki Nakamura

When her true love, Sho, breaks up with her after becoming famous, Kyoko Mogami decides to get revenge by beating Sho in show business
Skip beat! 47
by Yoshiki Nakamura

"Kyoko and Moko are finally going to Dayjowey Land to have tea with a princess! A chance encounter with show biz royalty interrupts Kyoko's dreams of a sweet afternoon in an enchanted castle though. Now she and Moko are putting their English skills to the test as they escort an excited American around the park. But as Kyoko well knows, nothing is ever exactly as it seems in show biz, and their new friend is no exception!"
X-Men : the dark phoenix saga
by Chris Claremont

When Jean Grey gains power beyond conception and is corrupted, the X-Men must decide if the life of someone they cherish is worth the existence of an entire universe
Reign of X. Volume 1
by Al Ewing

"In the wake of X OF SWORDS, it's one giant leap for mutantkind as Krakoa turns its attentions to space--and relaunches S.W.O.R.D.! Back on Krakoa, Cyclops and his allies grapple with the ramifi cations of their recent ordeal and the fateful decisions that were made--setting in motion the X-Men's next evolution! Meanwhile, the resurrection protocols have been thrown into chaos--and as the Five deal with the fallout, it's up to X-Factor to restore order! And as Sinister continues to scheme, the recently reborn Hellions face an urgent mission to retrieve Nanny's ship and build new armor for a transformed--and deadly--Orphan-Maker!"
One piece / : East Blue 1-2-3 Omnibus
by Eiichirō Oda

Join Monkey D. Luffy and his swashbuckling crew in their search for the ultimate treasure, the One Piece
One piece. Vol. 100, Color of the supreme king
by Eiichirō Oda

"The big powers converge as Luffy, Law, and Kid face off against Kaido and Big Mom. Is there any hope of victory against this ultimate alliance?! Onigashima quakes with power as some of the fiercest pirates in the world go head-to-head!!"
Batman : year one
by Frank Miller

Chronicles the events that led to Bruce Wayne's becoming Batman and his first year fighting crime
Batman, zero year : Zero Year
by Scott Snyder

"Witness the twists and turns as Bruce Wayne takes the final steps toward his destiny and confronts the dangers of Gotham City at this point in time. Batman: Zero Year features secret moments from Bruce's training abroad, run-ins with aspiring district attorney Harvey Dent, and how Bruce learned to work with his new ally, Lieutenant Jim Gordon. This collection spins into total darkness as the Riddler stirs up chaos in Gotham City in the "Secret City," "Dark City," and "Savage City" events. What corners of Batman's past will be revealed? And how will they impact his very near future? Unravel the mysteries set forth by the Riddler and join the madness as Batman gets closer to the endgame."
The neighborhood : The Neighborhood
by Mariko Tamaki

"With the loss of his fortune and manor, the election of Mayor Nakano, and the growing anti-vigilante sentiment in Gotham, Bruce Wayne must rethink how to be Batman...or risk being left behind by his own city. Introducing Mr. Worth! When his daughter is killed during the brutal crime wave gripping Gotham City, eight-foot-tall stack of muscle and money Roland Worth sets out on a path of revenge toward the prime suspect in the crime: Batman! The Dark Knight has been framed for murder, and to make matters worse, this grisly deed seems to be connected to yet another emerging villainous force on the horizon. It's a rogues gallery explosion, and this time there's no mansion on the hill for Bruce Wayne to mount his counterattack from!"
Case closed
by Gōshō Aoyama

High-school mystery fan Shin'ichi Kudo is actually one of his high school's best minds, but he gets his reality checks from his childhood friend and almost-girlfriend Ran Mori.
Case closed. Volume 80
by Gōshō Aoyama

"Chasing a stray cat, the Junior Detective League stumbles upon a chilling crime. Before they know it, they're trapped in a refrigerated truck with a corpse, and Conan has to figure out how to escape before they become kid-sicles! Then a cooking show heats up when one of the judges is found dead in the secret ingredient, proving that revenge isn't always a dish best served cold"

Links
Comics Plus: Library Edition

Comics Plus is our digital comics subscription service. Read thousands of comics on your computer, tablet or mobile device. All you need is your Houston Public Library card and a wireless connection!  
Image Comics

Image is a comics and graphic novels publisher formed in 1992 by seven of Marvel Comics’ best-selling artists. Since that time, Image has gone on to become the third largest comics publisher in the United States.
 
Viz Media

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation.
Marvel 

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.
DC Comics

DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner.  DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. 
First Second

Is it first? Or second?
First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh.
Pressing the reset button. A clean slate. A fresh start.
Everything begins with the First Second. . . .
Yen Press

Yen Press is a US-based graphic novel publisher that releases a wide range of Japanese and Korean comics and well as a number of original English-language properties.
Otaku USA

Otaku USA is a thick, full-color magazine featuring comprehensive coverage of manga, anime, videogames and Japanese pop culture written from an American point of view. Otaku USA also publishes 32 pages of the hottest manga previews from the top publishers. Because Otaku USA is an independent US magazine, not a licensed product owned by those with an vested interest in a particular line of comics, anime, manga, games or movies, it presents the reader with objective coverage. 
ICv2

For the people on the front lines of the pop culture business, staying ahead of the trends isn’t something that can be left to chance—it’s a basic necessity for being successful. That’s why ICv2 is the #1 source of news and information for the buyers, gatekeepers, and tastemakers on the front lines. ICv2 is where trend-watching has become a science.
 
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