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Graphic Novels & Comics June 2015
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Greetings!My name is Patrick Holt, and I'm a librarian at Southwest Regional Library. I'm also a lifelong reader of comics and graphic novels. Check out the contents of this month's newsletter in the box to the left, and get access to past editions in the archive at the bottom of the page. I hope you find these recommendations worthwhile, and please email me at pdholt@dconc.gov if you have any thoughts or questions.
Thanks and enjoy!
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Robert Moses: The Master Builder of New York City
by Pierre Christin and Olivier Baliz
This stunning volume introduces the life and work of Robert Moses, a towering and controversial figure who literally changed the landscape of New York City. Well-written and beautifully illustrated (as with everything published by Nobrow), this is an excellent choice for anyone with an interest in urban American life.
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Station 16
by Hermann and Yves H.
From Bart Croonenborghs at Broken Frontier: "Station 16 is one of their many collaborations and is set amid the icy and desolate wastes of the Russian island Nova Zembla, most famous for being a (now abandoned) testing site for atomic bombs and for having the crater of the biggest hydrogen bomb known to man: Tsar Bomba. However, who knows what effect all those atoms being blasted into the sky have had on the local space-time continuum? ... [This book] is best read as an exercise in atmosphere and a showcase for the glorious art of Hermann, who gets to draw beautiful vistas of the arctic wastes, sparsely populated by soldiers who feel frosty blasts of air stinging their faces while facing an unknown terror amid their lonely barracks."
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Fatherland : a family history
by Nina Bunjevac
Of this memoir of the multigenerational horrors of Yugoslavia, Rachel Cooke at The Guardian says, "Bunjevac handles time brilliantly, and is marvellously succinct when it comes to historical facts, unpicking a complicated situation for the reader without ever bogging him down. But it’s her drawings that really lift Fatherland up. She works in monochrome, and uses cross-hatching and pointillist techniques, both of which give her strips the feeling of newsprint. This is history, then, but it’s also as vividly immediate as any headline. At a time when European nationalism is again terrifyingly on the march, no wonder it makes for such engrossing and salutary reading."
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Silver Surfer: New Dawn
by Dan Slott and Mike & Laura Allred
Sam Quixote calls this volume "the most entertaining, delightful version of Silver Surfer there’s ever been", thanks to a Dr. Who-like tone of semi-trippy sci-fi adventure, Dan Slott's great writing, and Mike & Laura Allred's wonderfully poppy, pulpy artwork.
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Supermutant Magic Academy
by Jillian Tamaki
Started as an improvisational webcomic for a sketchblog, this story about kids in a kind of Hogwarts / Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters mashup grew into a whole narrative of the weirdness of youth... plus magic... and superpowers. By turns hilarious, absurd, and heartbreaking, Supermutant Magic Academy is further proof that Jillian Tamaki is one of the finest cartoonists and illustrators in the field today. Highly recommended!
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Want more? Join in the discussion at Main Library's monthly Graphic Book Club!
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Batman: Year One
by Frank Miller, David Mazzucchelli, and Richmond Lewis
Although a well-known book, it bears repeating that Year One is one of the finest Batman stories out there. Miller and Mazzucchelli pull off a gritty reboot without delving into self-indulgence or excessive cynicism that have become prevalent in the nearly thirty years since its initial publication. It's as much about Jim Gordon as Bruce Wayne, and it has more in common with The Wire than most superhero stories. Between Miller's surprising subtlety, Mazzucchelli's uniquely realistic artwork, and Lewis' beautifully hand-painted colors, Year One stands as a high-water mark among comics of all genres.
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Batman Black and White vol. 1-3
by various contributors
This series takes the unusual approach (or anyway, unusual in the superhero realm) of letting dozens of artists and writers take a shot at telling "their" Batman story, with two constraints: stories must be eight pages long, and artwork must be monochromatic. The result is a dazzling diversity of work, with stories that explore a wide range of aspects of Batman's character -- sometimes familiar, sometimes fantastic, and always worth reading.
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Batman: Year 100
by Paul Pope
Paul Pope brings his ink depths and love of the near-future for this Batman story set in 2039. As Andrew Asberry at Batnan News says, "this is a gorgeous comic through-and-through made with extraordinary attention to detail, love for the Batman mythology, and untamed imagination. In the long list of must-read Batman graphic novels, this is not the one that gazes the most deeply into Batman’s soul, it’s not the one that has the best villains, and it’s not the one that will make you feel the most emotions. This is the one that most excels at illustrating Batman’s method in the most realistic ways possible."
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Batwoman: Hydrology
by J. H. Williams III and Haden Blackman
Batwoman is not Batman, of course. As a character that was designed simply to be a female version of Batman, but then grew to have just as much character depth, however, she is worth examining in contrast to, shall we say, the male version of Batwoman. Plus, we should accept any excuse to read this nice, otherworldly crime story and enjoy some of the finest artwork in mainstream comics today.
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| Saturday, June 27, 2 p.m. Main Library - 300 N. Roxboro St. Questions? Call John Davis at 919-560-0125 Join our MeetUp group at meetup.com/graphic-book-club
Enjoy comic books or graphic novels? Join us for the monthly meeting of Main Library's Graphic Book Club. June's theme is "Every Hero Has a Story: BATMAN"! Check out some recommended titles above. |
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Durham Comics Fest is coming in July!
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Ultimate Ladies Alliance discuss Lumberjanes at Ultimate Comics |
Thursday, June 4, 8 p.m. Ultimate Comics, 6120-A Farrington Rd., DurhamThe first Thursday of each month the Ultimate Ladies Alliance meets to discuss a different comic or graphic novel. Join the Ultimate Ladies’ Alliance on Facebook for more info and to vote on your top picks for the next month’s meeting, plus suggest books for future discussion and share your favorites. May's selection: Lumberjanes!
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Durham Comics Project: Drink & Draw Wednesday, June 17, 7-9 p.m. Location TBD - check our Meetup page or call 919-560-8590 for up-to-date info This monthly meetup is for those new to comics and seasoned vets alike. The hardest part of making comics is often making the time to draw, so let’s make that time together! We'll have an exercise or two (often collaborative), but you're welcome to just come to work on your own thing.
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For personalized reading recommendations from Durham County librarians, try My Next 5! Simply complete an online form to tell us a little about what genres, books, and authors you like (or dislike). A DCL librarian will review your submission and reply with a list of the next five books you should read.
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NoveList Plus is a comprehensive database of fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages, including recommendations, articles, and lists for your fiction and nonfiction needs. DCL cardholders can access NoveList Plus from any computer.
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Links to newsletters from the past year:
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If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Durham County Library at
919-560-0100, 300 N. Roxboro Street, Durham, NC 27702
librarywebmaster@durhamcountync.gov
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