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Monday, December 27, 2021

Graphic Novels

Graphic Novels are the glorious combination of comics and novels. However, the "novel" part of graphic novels includes non-fiction as well as fiction. The predominant categories include Manga, (the Japanese word for "comic" that the U.S. uses to describe the Japanese style of comics. These are read top to bottom and right to left), Superhero Stories, Personal Narratives, (Memoir), Non-Fiction, and of course Fiction.

Graphic novels are rich in text and beneficial for the development of reading skills especially for those who require a different style of learning. The fast pace helps to keep the reader's attention and the images help to bring life to the stories, and in this way bring a greater depth to Classics;

I certainly would have loved to have the graphic novel version of Beowulf when I was in high school. 





MANGA:



"Learn how to create manga from Hirohiko Araki--creator of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and a master of the medium! Hirohiko Araki is the author of one of the longest-running and most beloved manga of all time, the epic fan favorite JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. According to him, "manga is the ultimate synthesis of all forms of art," and in this book, he reveals the secrets behind how to make the magic happen using concrete examples from his own work. Read all about his "golden ratio of beauty" for drawing, the "investigative reports" he draws up for each of the characters he creates, his methodology for storytelling inspired by the great Ernest Hemingway, and many more aspects of manga creation in this how-to guide penned by an industry legend"-- Provided by publisher.


All aboard! This book is your ticket to seven romances--from confessions in Iriuda to proposals in Enoshima and all points
in between.



In a world where magic is commonplace, Eru has just enrolled in magic school but he's incredibly concerned about having smaller horns than his classmates. But when he meetsRihito, the high-scoring top student of their year, it's a sign that things are about to change!



"A curated collection of eight short stories and graphic essays by famed manga author Naoki Urasawa, creator of the acclaimed series Monster and 20th Century Boys! Urasawa's characters confront fantastical elements ranging from psychic powers, toalien visitors to planet Earth, toattacks by giant monsters. On the flip side, the author philosophizes about his real-world experiences with the wild and wacky international music scene. Plus, a classic, funny animal tale, in Urasawa's inimitable style!" -- ONIX annotation.



"From the creator of That Wolf-Boy Is Mine! and Love in Focus comes a story of a hard-working high schooler who falls for a bad boy, and discovers that the lives of him and his friends are nothing like what she imagined. Don't miss Yoko Nogiri's newest shojo hit! A DEBT OWED Midori drops her wallet on her first day of high school, but her new classmate Ichijo swoops in to help. She wants to thank him, but he's part of a tight-knit trio and none of them are ever in class! Rumor has it that they all got expelled for acting up, and studious Midori's actually at risk of expulsion, too... In order to help support her family, she has a part-time job, which is against the school rules. When the chairman of the school board catches her leaving work, he says he'll let it go--but only if she's up to the task of bringing the three boys back to school. Well, why not? It'll be a piece of cake...right?"--Publisher description.


"For fans of Japanese manga and anime, a trip to Tokyo is an absolute must! In this captivating manga-style guidebook, manga artist and author Evangeline Neo travels to the Japanese capital with her mascots Kopi the dog and Matcha the cat, bringing you to all the otaku sights the city has to offer. She'll tell you everything you need to know about: shopping for manga memorabilia in Akihabara and Nakano; visiting anime and manga museums like Studio Ghibli and Sanrio Puroland; getting dressed up at a cosplay studio; going to a maid café and a butler café; taking a manga drawing class"--Back cover.


Superhero:



"They are two of the mightiest Avengers, who shared one of the greatest romances in the entire Marvel-Verse! They are the synthezoid Vision and the reality-manipulating Scarlet Witch - and these are some of their most action-packed adventures! First, the Vision is unleashed on the Avengers by his "father" - the evil android, Ultron! Vision's control of his density makes him a formidable opponent, but his inner nobility soon sees him turn on his inhuman creator! Joining the team, Vision soon finds love with Wanda Maximoff , the Scarlet Witch - and their far-out wedding is one of the greatest Avengers stories ever told! Wanda and Vision make one heck of a team - but even with Spider-Man by their side, can they defeat the dark sorcerer Necrodamus?"--Amazon.com.



Shang-Chi is the Marvel-Verse's Master of Kung Fu - and his deadly hands are full in these action-packed adventures! When Shang-Chi is enlisted by Nick Fury to help Spider-Man and Black Widow foil the vicious Viper's deadly plot, he must pit his fists and feet against Silver Samurai's sword - and Boomerang's boomerangs! Then, Wolverine seeks out Shang-Chi to train him in the skills necessary to defeat the savage Sabretooth! A class at Midtown High leads Shang-Chi into a team-up with Spidey against Midnight and his ninja army - and the wallcrawler asks for Shang-Chi's guidance on learning a little Spider-Fu! But will Shang-Chi find himself over his head in his newest adventure?





    "The world of Watchmen collides with the DC Universe in a story that rewrites the past, present, and future of comics! Dr. Manhattan, a near-omnipotent being from the Watchmen universe, has been using his powers to rewrite the DC Universe-reshaping some heroes' histories, erasing other heroes altogether, and playing with the fates of the good and evil alike. But why? What does a godlike being from another world stand to gain from the DC Universe? The mystery remains, but now that our heroes know they're being toyed with, what can they do to stop it? The clock is ticking..."-- Provided by publisher.


"After the disastrous dust-up with Oracle, Batgirl needs to regroup. Yet The Maker has come to Gotham to claim a prize from his past, and Batgirl must return to super-heroism and stop him before she loses herself in the grip of his twisted tales! Meanwhile, Gotham City lies in ruins after the events of 'City of Bane.' As Barbara Gordon's friends and neighbors try to rebuild their homes, she faces a conflict she can't win with her fists: 'Who Really Owns Gotham?'"--. Provided by publisher.

Personal Narrative:



"Edward O. Wilson, one of the world's preeminent biologists, launches his career, not in a classroom but roaming outside, exploring beaches, woods, and swamps with an insatiable drive to understand the natural world. Wilson's critically acclaimed memoir Naturalist is an inspiring account of his growth as a scientist and the evolution of the fields he helped define. This new [graphic adaptation] brings Wilson's childhood and celebrated career to life through full-color illustrations and Wilson's own lyrical writing."--Provided by publisher.



"In this delightfully compelling full-color graphic memoir, the author shares her process of undoing the effects of a patriarchal, colonial society on her self-image, her sexuality, and her concept of freedom. Reflecting on the ways in which oppression was the cause for her late bloom into queerness, we are invited to discover people and things in the author's life that helped shape and inform her LGBTQ identity. And we come to an understanding of her holistic definition of queerness"--. Provided by publisher.

"A powerful and moving teen graphic novel memoir about immigration, belonging, and how arts can save a life--perfect for fans of American Born Chinese and Hey, Kiddo. For as long as she can remember, it's been Robin and her mom against the world. Growing up as the only child of a single mother in Seoul, Korea, wasnt always easy, but it has bonded them fiercely together. So when a vacation to visit friends in Huntsville, Alabama, unexpectedly becomes a permanent relocation--following her mother's announcement that she's getting married--Robin is devastated. Overnight, her life changes. She is dropped into a new school where she doesnt understand the language and struggles to keep up. She is completely cut off from her friends in Seoul and has no access to her beloved comics. At home, she doesn't fit in with her new stepfamily, and worst of all, she is furious with the one person she is closest to--her mother. Then one day Robins mother enrolls her in a local comic drawing class, which opens the window to a future Robin could never have imagined"--Amazon.com.




  • "It is, perhaps, the perfect video game. Simple yet addictive, Tetris delivers an irresistible, unending puzzle that has players hooked. Play it long enough and you'll see those brightly colored geometric shapes everywhere. You'll see them in your dreams. Alexey Pajitnov had big ideas about games. In 1984, he created Tetris in his spare time while developing software for the Soviet government. Once Tetris emerged from behind the Iron Curtain, it was an instant hit. Nintendo, Atari, Sega--game developers big and small all wanted Tetris. A bidding war was sparked, followed by clandestine trips to Moscow, backroom deals, innumerable miscommunications, and outright theft. In this graphic novel, New York Times--bestselling author Box Brown untangles this complex history and delves deep into the role games play in art, culture, and commerce. For the first time and in unparalleled detail, Tetris: The Games People Play tells the true story of the world's most popular video game."--Page [2] of cover.


  • "Tyler Feder shares her story of her mother's first oncology appointment to facing reality as a motherless daughter in this frank and refreshingly funny graphic memoir."-- Provided by publisher.  

  • Non-Fiction:



"This graphic novel explores the experiences and difficulties faced by women on the spectrum, such as late or incorrect diagnosis and having to master the art of pretending to be 'normal'. A fascinating insight into an under-represented condition."--. Provided by publisher



R. Sikoryak is the master of pop culture pastiche. In 'Masterpiece Comics', he interpreted classic literature with defining twentieth-century comics. With 'Terms and Conditions', he made the unreadable contract that everyone signs and no one reads, readable. He employs his magic yet again to investigate the very framework of the country with 'Constitution Illustrated'. By visually interpreting the complete text of the supreme law of the land with more than a century of American pop culture icons, Sikoryak distills the very essence of the government legalese from the abstract to the tangible, the historical to the contemporary. Among Sikoryak s spot-on unions of government articles and amendments with famous comic-book characters: the Eighteenth Amendment that instituted prohibition is articulated with Homer Simpson running from Chief Wiggum; the Fourteenth Amendment that solidifies citizenship to all people born and naturalized in the United States is personified by Ms. Marvel; and, of course, the Nineteenth Amendment offering women the right to vote is a glorious depiction of Wonder Woman breaking free from her chains. American artists from George Herriman (Krazy Kat) and Charles Schulz (Peanuts) to Raina Telgemeier (Sisters) and Alison Bechdel (Dykes to Watch Out For) are homaged, with their characters reimagined in historical costumes and situations. We the People has never been more apt.



"Good Girls Don't Make History is an important graphic novel that amplifies the voices of female legends from 1840 to the present day. Reliving moments from the lives of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells, and Susan B. Anthony, these inspiring stories are boldly told from one of the most formative eras in women's history--the fight for the vote in the United States." --. Amazon.



"All different kinds of bods want to connect with other bods, but lots of them get left out of the conversation when it comes to S-E-X. As explained by disabled cartoonist A. Andrews, this easy-to-read guide covers the basics of disability sexuality, common myths about disabled bodies, communication tips, and practical suggestions for having the best sexual experience possible. Whether you yourself are disabled, you love someone who is, or you just want to know more, consider this your handy starter kit to understanding disability sexuality, and your path to achieving accessible (and fulfilling) sex"--Page 4 of cover.



"In Filmish, cartoonist Edward Ross takes us on an exhilarating ride through the history of cinema, using comics to uncover the magic and mechanics behind our favorite movies. Exploring everything from censorship to set design, Ross spotlights the films and filmmakers that embody this provocative and inventive medium, from the pioneers of early cinema to the innovators shaping the movies of today, from A Trip to the Moon to Inception and beyond"--Page 4 of cover.

Fiction:



"Speak up for yourself--we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless--an outcast--because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her.


                       "Follow the journey of two young adults, Joshua and Claire, each individually shaped by the day the sky went dark, but drawn to each other because of it. Coming of age in this new landscape, they will be forced to confront and challenge notions of identity, guilt, and survival as the darkness grows around them. When fear threatens to envelop all hope they have left, the two discover that love, family, and finding the true light in a world seemingly robbed of any, will guide their way forward."--Provided by publisher.



    "Annie is a smart, antisocial lesbian starting her senior year of high school who's under pressure to join the cheerleader squad to make friends and round out her college applications. Her former friend BeBe is a people-pleaser, a trans girl who must keep her parents happy with her grades and social life in order to maintain their support of her transition. Through the rigors of squad training and amped-up social pressures (not to mention micro-aggressions and other queer youth problems), the two girls rekindle a friendship they thought they'd lost and discover there may be other, sweeter feelings springing up between them."--Page [4] of cover.



    "Eight years ago an earthquake--the Big One--hit along the Cascadia fault line, toppling cities and changing landscapes all up and down the west coast of the United States. Life as we know it changed forever. But for Vietnamese American Virginia Crane, life changed shortly after the earthquake, when her mother left and never came back. Ginny has gotten used to a life without her mother, helping her father take care of her two younger brothers, Wes and Harry. But when a mysterious package arrives for her eighteenth birthday, her life is shaken up yet again. For the first time, Ginny wants something more than to survive. And it might be a selfish desire, but she's determined to find out what happened to her mother--even if it means leaving her family behind."-- Provided by publisher.


    "The first-ever graphic novel adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, an American classic, is one of the world's great anti-war books. An American classic and one of the world's seminal antiwar books, Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five is faithfully presented in graphic novel form for the first time from Eisner Award-winning writer Ryan North (How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler) and Eisner Award-nominated artist Albert Monteys (Universe!). Listen: Billy Pilgrim has...read Kilgore Trout...opened a successful optometry business...built a loving family...witnessed the firebombing of Dresden...traveled to the planet Tralfamadore...met Kurt Vonnegut...come unstuck in time. Billy Pilgrim's journey is at once a farcical look at the horror and tragedy of war where children are placed on the frontlines and die (so it goes), and a moving examination of what it means to be fallibly human"--Amazon.com.

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