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Max Allan Collins is best known for his Nathan Heller mysteries, making him no stranger to historical crime stories. Less well known is his time writing the Dick Tracy comic strip after Chester Gould retired. Road To Perdition could be considered a middle ground between these two projects, albeit much darker than either. Road To Perdition is brilliant dark crime storytelling, relating the tale of a hitman seeking revenge for the death of his family, told through the eyes of his son. The artwork is gritty, the story is superbly paced, and moves through a 1930s Chicago so real we can nearly smell it. This book combines crime, love, religion and redemption and is well worth a read for crime fans and comic fans alike.

Reviewed by Ian R., North County Regional

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One of the more popular modes of graphic novel storytelling is the fictionalized autobiography. The best known of these is Art Spiegelman's Maus, but Blankets is a close second to it in quality. It tells the story of a young man, uncomfortable with his life, finding first solace in religion, then escape in a long distance relationship. The story and art combine in a beautiful fusion, with Thompson telling his story expertly through an amalgam of his often stark, but always exquisite visuals and his careful, lonely prose. Blankets is a story about loneliness, love, finding and losing religion, and ultimately about identity. The main character ends the story comfortable with himself, and this is as much of a triumph as he needs. Beautiful storytelling.

Reviewed by Ian R., North County Regional

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Like Pekar's long-running autobiographical comic American Splendor, the concept is: he's an ordinary guy from Cleveland, working for the federal government as a file clerk, writing about his life. This graphic novel is more ambitious than the series: it's a unified autobiography, mainly covering Pekar's childhood and young adulthood. At first our narrator bails on one thing after another, so afraid of failure that he quits everything before he has a chance to fail. Pekar fearlessly shows himself, warts and all. And by the end he's mellowed a bit, made some successes and learned a lot about himself. He makes effective use of the device of talking directly to the reader, and Haspiel's gritty black and white illustrations suit the story well.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Gilbert Hernandez established his reputation telling stories about the fictional town of Palomar in the Love & Rockets comic series. Sloth moves to the suburbs to tell a similarly surreal tale of troubled teenagers, a haunted lemon orchard, and a possible murder. Miguel is so bored with life that he willfully slips into a coma. When he wakes a year later he is virtually unchanged, except for his sloth-like pace. After resuming life with his girlfriend Lita and their best friend Romeo, the three are gradually drawn into the investigation of an urban legend which changes all three of their lives in bizarre, unexpected ways. Hernandez's distinctive black and white artwork effectively evokes his unique characters and the strange, yet familiar world they inhabit.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Irony operates on many levels in this harsh but beautiful memoir. The title, for example, refers both to Bechdel's father's funeral parlor and the never ending bitterness that flourishes in a household that includes a closeted gay father, a betrayed and worn-down mother, and a budding lesbian daughter. Humor and heartbreak play equal parts in Bechdel's longing for a meaningful relationship with her father. Interestingly, they come closest in their shared interest and discussions of James Joyce and, among others, F. Scott Fitzgerald. This element adds a cultural sophistication to the narrative that, along with her highly evocative artwork, places this book among the best of its kind -- a wonderful argument for the viability and value of the graphic literary form.

Reviewed by Jim B., Main Library

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When the English couple Charlie and Gemma Bovery move to Normandy, their neighbor Joubert is struck by the parallels between Gemma and Flaubert’s notorious heroine. He soon becomes fascinated by her, and it is he who narrates her story. The charms of French country living soon wear off, and a bored Gemma turns to adultery. That her story will end in tragedy is never in doubt—Joubert begins the story three weeks after Gemma’s funeral—but the unraveling of the mystery continues right to the end. Simmons uses a combination of text and line illustrations, sometimes telling the story almost entirely with words, other times with pictures. Either way, these characters and their story will stick with the reader for a long time.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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A pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad Zoo during an American bombing raid in the spring of 2003. Writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Niko Henrichon take this true story as their starting point, telling it from the lions' perspective. Free at last, the four lions roam the Baghdad streets, confused and hungry. They try to understand what has happened, meeting other animals along the way. Vaughan and Henrichon succeed in creating believable animal characters, while raising questions about war and the meaning of freedom. The lions' day of freedom becomes an epic story, vivid and heartbreaking.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Vivid and beautifully drawn. This haunting and unforgettable tale is a natural for this genre.
-Jim, Charlotte, NC

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The Battle of Thermopylae is one of history’s most famous battles. The dramatic story of King Leonidas’ 300 Spartan guards facing off against Emperor Xerxes’ massive Persian army has inspired a bold presentation by writer/artist Frank Miller. As the Greeks march, the stories of how Leonidas became king and why he comes to be facing the Persians with his personal guard rather than a full army are told, revealing much about the key players. Then there is the battle itself – presented as an epic clash between great leaders, as well as the new Greek ideal of human freedom versus the old feudal ways – brave, violent, bloody, and glorious. Miller’s bold images are presented in oversize form, with each of the original double-page spreads presented as a single large page.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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If you genuinely want to get a detailed abstract version of The 9/11 Report from the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, then don’t snub the graphic novel The 9/11 Report: a Graphic Adaptation. Beginning with a timeline of the hijacked airlines that led to the national tragedy in September 2001, the narrative veers from its conclusion and analysis to the development of Bin Laden and Al Qaeda and beyond. The book tracks the careful growth of Al Qaeda from Afghanistan to U.S. shores with its training and lethal plots of destruction. Writer Sid Jacobson gives the report its just due with wordy passages and artist Ernie Colon hits the mark too with his well-drawn portraits, maps and images of violence.

Reviewed by Lawrence T., South County Regional

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Carla, a young American estranged from her Mexican father, heads down to Mexico City with no real plan in mind. A supposed short visit soon turns into an extended stay, as she crashes with her ex-boyfriend Harry and devotes herself to exploring the city, learning Spanish and trying to understand Mexican culture. She meets Anglo expatriates and a group of young Mexicans, eventually rejecting the expatriate set and finding an apartment and a Mexican roommate. Things take an ugly turn when Harry is kidnapped and held for ransom, and Carla’s friends may be involved. Abel tells the story with a unique mix of English and Spanish; her black and white drawings paint an evocative picture of Mexico City and her memorable characters.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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This memoir, in graphic novel format, is a heart-wrenching look at life as the child of two Holocaust survivors. The main body of the work is text, with illustrations scattered on the pages. The style calls to mind Evard Munch's "The Scream." Only one section is in comic book style. Eisenstein recalls her life and relates what happened to her Polish parents as they survived concentration camps, met each other, married, and made their way to Canada. As in most graphic novels, the author's writing style is straight forward with nothing softening the blows of her words. It took courage for the author to accept the painful truth about her parent’s past, as it takes courage for the reader to listen to that truth.

Reviewed by Susan G., Myers Park Branch

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The Scott Pilgrim saga continues, with extra romance, conflict, and mystical powers. In this volume we learn more history about Scott and rock star Envy's relationship, and the band they had together. Envy and Ramona fight (with a big hammer!). Scott and third evil ex-boyfriend Todd fight twice, until Todd's mystical vegan powers are revoked by the Vegan Police. And the video-game artifacts include a save point and an extra life. It's just like real life, only crazier. This collection also includes a helpful guide to the large cast of characters, and a bonus section of Scott Pilgrim short stories and drawings by other artists.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Linda is a rebellious teenager who has fallen in with a bad crowd. Soon after discovering that they are actually faeries, she finds herself embroiled in a civil war between Queen Titania and her mad predecessor, Queen Mab. Not only that, but her mother is a faerie, as well (and she thought her father was the strange one!). As the story alternates between North London and the Faerie kingdom, both come to seem dark, dangerous, and strange. This is not your childhood fairy book place, but the Faery of the Vertigo series the Books of Magic and The Sandman. Artist John Bolton's paintings bring writer Mike Carey's dark fantasy to life with style.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Nana Komatsu moves to Tokyo to try to live her own life, away from a string of serial boyfriends. Nana Osaki moves to Tokyo to follow her dream of hitting the big time with her punk band, Blast. The two very different young women meet on the train and end up becoming roommates. Yazawa’s hip and popular manga follows the ups and downs of twenty-something life in modern Tokyo. Volume one of the continuing series has two chapters, one for each woman, introducing them and setting the scene for their first encounter. With fashion conscious art and a cutting edge story, Yazawa’s manga is a great choice for older teens and college age women.

Reviewed by Snow W., Mountain Island Branch

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This seventh Hellboy collection gathers together a number of short tales, several originally published in Dark Horse book of… anthologies. There are stories adapted from Malaysian, African, Norwegian, and Eastern European folklore. The centerpieces of the volume are both illustrated by guest artists. “The Vampire of Prague,” the only previously unpublished story, tells the tale of a fight with a vampire, a card game, and some scary puppets. Beautifully illustrated by artist P. Craig Russell, who makes use of the Prague setting to provide mysterious atmosphere. For the longest selection, “Makoma,” Mignola contributes a framing sequence and veteran horror artist Richard Corben gets to strut his stuff with giants and lush African settings. No big contributions to the Hellboy mythos here, just the usual fun with the big red guy wisecracking and punching monsters.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Elwood is a young thief trying to raise money to help his sister. Gamma Akutabi is a wanted criminal with an attitude and a six-foot long chainsaw for a sword. Fate throws these two unlikely companions together in the search for the twelve mythical rings of the dead, said to be able to grant the power to raise the dead or to grant its owner eternal life. Together with Gamma’s ally, C.T. Smith, this small group faces down several gangs with explosive consequences and runs into the psychopathic menace that is Ranewater Calder. This is the first manga created by Kubo, who would later become known for his series, Bleach, and it bears all the distinctive qualities that make his work pure entertainment to read.

Reviewed by James S., Sugar Creek Branch

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After their battle with the Ash Daughters gang, Gamma, Smith and Elwood set off in search of the next ring of the dead only to have Gamma run into his old arch-enemy, Balmunk, a deranged magician with a flair for the theatrical. Complicating matters is the introduction of Wolfina, a journalist who has her own agenda and painful past with the rings that she tries to hide. Also included in this volume is Kubo’s very first manga story, Ultra Unholy Hearted Machine, about a android girl and a bounty hunter set up to destroy the mafia. Unlike the first volume, you can see the subtle emotional development that Kubo is known for begin to take form which is guaranteed to pay out in upcoming volumes.

Reviewed by James S., Sugar Creek Branch

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The battle with the mad Balmunk continues as he lures Gamma and his companions to his diabolical circus where they are separated and forced into combat with his troupe of killers. In the fracas, Wolfina discovers that Balmunk has kidnapped her comatose brother and has imprisoned him aboard a circus train that is speeding away. She and Gamma give chase hoping to stop the train before another ring is lost to them forever. This volume also includes a short manga story called “Rune Master Urara” about a girl who binds demons to her body with tattoos and uses them to fight demonic infestations wherever they occur. This is another solid entry into this short series and the final volume should be a spectacular ending.

Reviewed by James S., Sugar Creek Branch

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Less of an ending and more like a breaking point is an apt description of the final volume of Zombiepowder. Wolfina’s fight for her brother’s safety continues aboard an out of control locomotive on a collision course with Alcantara. We are also introduced to the mysterious doctor that Gamma has alluded to in the past as his drug supply runs out and it is revealed that only this doctor can free Emilio from the power of the ring but at a high cost. This volume also includes a short manga story called “Bad Shield United” about a team who hunts down renegade combat androids. Sadly, Zombiepowder is unlikely ever to be resolved due to the popularity of Bleach taking up all of Kubo’s time.

Reviewed by James S., Sugar Creek Branch

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Acclaimed British comic creator Bryan Talbot turns his attention to the town of Sunderland in this epic narrative. During Lewis Carroll's time it was a great shipbuilding port; the roots of Alice in Wonderland can be found there. Talbot explores the history of the place, and its many connections to English art and culture, in the form of a stage presentation, "An Entertainment." As the author takes the roles of actor and audience in the theatre, yet another version of him conducts a local guided tour. It's a visual feast of collage, drawings, photographs, and comics. A unique combination of fact and fantasy, and a graphic novel unlike any other.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Our slacker hero continues his adventures in hyperspace and the real world in this fourth volume. This installment includes: color pages (for the first time in the B&W series); a swordfight in hyperspace with an evil ex-boyfriend who's a girl; and another swordfight with an irate father. But the big news is that Scott Pilgrim does indeed start to get it together. He gets a regular job, and finally tells Ramona he loves her (and moves in with her, finally ending his parasitic relationship with his roommate), truly committing to the relationship for the first time. These notes of character maturity combine with the action craziness to make a rich storytelling mix.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Masterfully illustrated, The Gunslinger Born offers a graphical expansion upon the history of the main character Roland from Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series of novels that was briefly told in Wizard and Glass. However, this graphic novel, which collects seven individual comic issues, goes into much greater detail and is extremely entertaining to anyone who has and to those who have not read the original source material. The reader is regaled with Roland’s first meeting with Susan Delgado, the forging of his guns, and the first encounter with Eldred Jonas and the Big Coffin Hunters. Many literary works do not survive the transition between the original text and comic images but The Gunslinger Born does it and does it with both style and aplomb.

Reviewed by James S., Sugar Creek

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When filmmaker Darren Aronofsky's original production of The Fountain was shut down, his first thought was to tell the story as a graphic novel instead. Finishing the script and seeing the first painted pages inspired him to recast it as a lower budget film. So the graphic novel The Fountain is a sister-project to the film based on the same story, but freely illustrated by artist Kent Williams. In the end, the film and the book were completed nearly simultaneously. Both tell the story of one man's thousand-year struggle to find the Fountain of Youth and save the woman he loves, feverishly traveling through the 16th century as a conquistador, the present as a scientist, and the future as an explorer trying to reach a dying star.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Bustling present-day Cairo is the setting for an ancient battle between good and evil in this fascinating graphic novel. The fates of a drug runner, an American student, an Egyptian journalist, an American expatriate, and an Israeli solder become intertwined as a stolen hookah and an ancient artifact are sought by a gangster-magician. The narrative moves into magical realism with the addition of an ancient jinn and a spiritual realm called the Undernile which runs under the city, below the path of the Nile River. Flying carpets, gunfights, and a mystical sword all come into play as the thriller comes to its surprising conclusion. A strong first graphic novel from Wilson and artist M.K. Perker, whose gray tone illustrations fit the mood perfectly.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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"I could learn to hate this town." Life in Snowtown leaves its mark. No-one knows that better than Richard Fell, former NYPD, transferred to the dead-end, no-hope Snowtown for reasons only later revealed. Tasked with solving crimes in a place where murder is a matter for shrugs and belonging is a brand seared literally into the skin, the dour but brilliant Fell elects to observe and reason his way from bad to worse situations in Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith's grim, noir comic, resorting to his gun as a last resort. As much a quick-sketch treatise on Transactional Analysis as police procedural, Fell drags both its eponymous title character and the reader through an intrinsically corrupt yet strangely alluring psychic obstacle course, at the end of which awaits, if not redemption, at least acceptance.

Reviewed by Paul B., Hickory Grove Branch

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Dulce bellum inexpertis...Sweet amateur war...video-blogger Jimmy Burns is flung to unanticipated, largely unearned notoriety when accidentally on the scene of the bombing of a Starbucks. He experiences the true nature and cost, in lives and horror, of a war waged by amateurs in the course of Shooting War, adapted from the web-comic of the same name. Lionised and abandoned, captured and tortured, shot by both sides in a conflict without "good guys", Jimmy (and the reader) soon learn that fame is no shield in a conflict where only TV ratings can ever win.

Reviewed by Paul B., Hickory Grove Branch

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In this eighth collection, Hellboy has finally emerged from his ocean adventures and is staying with an old friend in England. A short walk turns in to an encounter with a deceased witch hunter, an offer to become the King of the Witches, and a trip into the magical realm of the Russian witch Baba Yaga (including a skeleton army and her champion Koshchei the Deathless). This encounter ties up some loose ends from previous storylines, while two Epilogue scenes look towards the future. Veteran artist Duncan Fegredo makes his debut on Hellboy, and does a beautiful job capturing Mignola’s atmosphere while still retaining his own style.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Age of Bronze is the series title for Eric Shanower's graphic novel rendition of the Iliad and Odyssey. It is a long-term project, and he launches it beautifully with this first volume: A Thousand Ships. He uses a realistic style in his black-and-white illustrations and makes effective use of perspective changes and breaking the frame for emphasis. The story sets the stage for the Trojan war and introduces the reader to the large cast of characters. The action revolves around political scheming and sexual desire and jealousy with no scenes of battle - yet. Along the way one gains appreciation for the customs of the ancient Mediterranean world.

Reviewed by Tom C., Main Library

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Like Pekar's long-running autobiographical comic American Splendor, the concept is: he's an ordinary guy from Cleveland, working for the federal government as a file clerk, writing about his life. This graphic novel is more ambitious than the series: it's a unified autobiography, mainly covering Pekar's childhood and young adulthood. At first our narrator bails on one thing after another, so afraid of failure that he quits everything before he has a chance to fail. Pekar fearlessly shows himself, warts and all. And by the end he's mellowed a bit, made some successes and learned a lot about himself. He makes effective use of the device of talking directly to the reader, and Haspiel's gritty black and white illustrations suit the story well.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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When a group of friends enter musty London cellars for a subterranean circus called “The Theater of Night’s Dreaming,” they’re expecting a little light entertainment before dinner. But this is no ordinary circus: when their dour companion Miss Finch is offered a wish, she is spirited away, only to reappear in a later room, transformed almost beyond recognition. And when the circus comes to an abrupt end she is nowhere to be seen. This strange little mystery was adapted from a Gaiman short story by Todd Klein and beautifully illustrated by artist Michael Zulli (who has previously worked on The Sandman series and other Gaiman projects).

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Jonathan A. is a mess. Poor self-esteem, obsessed with sex, a substance abuser…and probably an alcoholic. We first meet him sitting in a car in a drunken stupor with a strange woman, and as he explains how he got there, more and more of his life history is revealed. It's not a pretty picture, but Ames uses a creative narrative technique, moving backward and forward in time. No matter how successful he becomes as a writer, or how good the detox program, he finds himself falling into his old bad habits. Only a longtime relationship with his elderly great aunt keeps him grounded. In the end her advice helps him resolve to stop drinking…maybe for good this time.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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This collection focuses on two Jaime Hernandez characters from his recent Love and Rockets series. "Day by Day with Hopey" follows Hopey Glass through a week in which she prepares to start a new job as a teacher's assistant, tries to learn to drive, and lovers come and go. Hernandez makes even the most everyday events interesting, and longtime readers will recognize many in the supporting cast. The second main storyline follows Ray (Maggie's former boyfriend) as he pursues the elusive "Frogmouth," an aspiring actress with a complicated, sometimes dangerous life. This story involves murder, romance, and comic books. Not quite as normal as the events in Hopey's story, but the art and characterization are equally compelling. Hernandez remains one of the greatest cartoonists in comics.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Art Spiegelman had a career in underground comics long before he became famous for creating the award-winning graphic novel Maus. This oversized collection compiled much of his published work when it was originally issued in 1978. For the new edition Spiegelman has included several new pages, plus a detailed Afterword, doubling the length of the book; the original Breakdowns is reproduced in facsimile form, even including the cover. Many of these cartoons (most are four pages long or less) were frankly experimental, and often deliberately provocative. It's a fascinating look at the development of his style, and includes sketches and examples of his commercial work, as well as the first published Maus strip.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen is one of the most honored comics ever created, as well as one of the most influential. It caused an immediate sensation during its original run as a twelve-issue maxi series, and has been in print as a graphic novel ever since. Illustrator and co-creator Gibbons shares his memories of the making of the project, accompanied by a wealth of previously unpublished art. We see the opening of Moore's original proposal, early character designs, and rough thumbnail layouts for every page in the series. Colorist John Higgins explains how he helped create a distinctive look, despite limitations in available printing technology. Finally, Gibbons reflects on the success of Watchmen, including merchandising and later editions of the book. No Watchmen fan should miss this.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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This Love & Rockets collection focuses on Maggie Chascarrillo, Jaime Hernandez's most beloved character. She's the ghost of the title because when she revisits her old neighborhood (known to its residents as "Hoppers") she finds herself feeling disconnected. Can "home" really have become the apartment complex she manages in the Valley, with all of its quirky characters? And did her childhood friend Hopey really confess her love or did she dream the whole thing? As Maggie remembers her childhood, she is visited by memories and ghosts, angels and demons. Hoppers is still a magical place, but Maggie has moved on.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Koby drives a cab in modern day Tel Aviv, and has been estranged from his father for years when he is contacted by a woman named Numi. She suspects that his father may be the unidentified victim of a suicide bombing. Though reluctant at first, he joins her in searching for clues after she tells him that she had been involved with his father. In the process he learns not only about the events of the last few months, but an entire hidden life--and falls in love with Numi as well. Modan's story hinges on details from contemporary Israeli life, but her themes--the search for identity and for love--are universal.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Cartoonist Gilbert Hernandez gets his turn in this collection of recent Love & Rockets stories (Book 23 in the Love & Rockets library, and the third volume in his trilogy chronicling the post-Palomar adventures of Luba, matriarch and ex-mayor). The focus is on Luba and her two half-sisters Fritzi (psychiatrist and cult film star) and Petra (body-building soccer mom). The sisters share a past, as well as husbands and lovers (on occasion). But it's a family saga above all, made intergenerational by the stories of the sister's children and grandchildren. Longtime readers will have read many tales about Venus, who is all grown up here. Like all of the characters in the series, she has aged over the years, naturally and (usually) gracefully.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Writer Harvey Pekar is much older--and maybe even wiser--than he was when he began telling stories about his life in his American Splendor comic book series, "from off the streets of Cleveland." But he's still finding drama in everyday events, such as fixing a toilet, helping raise his stepdaughter, or signing books at a comic convention. This collection also includes stories about his parents, childhood fights, and his Cleveland neighborhood. Pekar makes it look easy, but he's a master of the short vignette. He is assisted here by a wide variety of well known artists, including frequent collaborators like Dean Haspiel and Gary Dumm, as well as Eddie Campbell, Richard Corben, Rick Geary, Gilbert Hernandez, Chris Weston, and others.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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In a fun exercise of giving “Batman” fans multiple visions and versions of the superhero, this graphic novel is a fanboy’s gift. In basic black and white illustrations, this title gives a compilation of mini Batman stories—up to 10 pages or so per story, which fits this project nicely—from 20 dramatically different artists. Included also are 17 writers with strong backgrounds in comic lore such as Dennis O’Neil and Neil Gaiman. However, it is the artists given the true showcase here, even when the story comes from one writer and artist. The unique appearance of the hero in the long cape and mask by Matt Wagner, Kent Williams, Howard Chaykin and others just take this fantasy medium to a more conceptual, abstract level.

Reviewed by Lawrence T., South County Regional

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From brooding vigilante to colorful caped crusader, there have been a lot of Batmen over the years, with each new writer trying to make their take the one that stands out the most. Grant Morrison, however, is one of the few writers to maintain that all versions are the real thing, and work out a way this can be possible. Batman and Son is the first volume of his synthesis, a book that takes the idea of the masked crime fighter and makes it impressive and exciting once more. Along this path we will meet ninja man-bats, a trio of dark Batmen, and a boy claiming to be his son, and we have only just started the journey to what this character is capable of.

Reviewed by Ian R., North County Regional

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These days, life is full of decision-making deadlines for the attractive, freckled Meiko Inoue. She is a recent college graduate in big city Tokyo. A disgruntled office employee, she is prepared to quit work and just figure out things later with her boyfriend Naruo. He has quietly moved in with her as he cannot cover his rent as a freelance illustrator. If he can manage though, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. Nauro resurrects a college band with friends and pours his resources into a new--hopefully, successful--CD. Too soon though, Meiko finds life has different options after a sudden twist of fate. This is an appealing, contemplative, even fanciful story about accepting what life has to offer.

Reviewed by Lawrence T., South County Regional

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This sequel to Aya continues the story of three young women living in the Ivory Coast in the late 1970’s. A comedy at heart, the story begins with the birth of a baby who looks nothing like his supposed father, though he’s a dead ringer for the town’s handsome drifter. Aya’s friend Bintou falls for a European man who’s more of a scoundrel than she cares to notice. The characters’ stories take a back seat to the setting, however, in a new country struggling to find its identity and reaching towards the modern world. Scenes where traffic jams due to herding cattle and characters rush off to put on perfume to have their pictures taken illustrate the unique setting in a way that only graphic novels can.

Reviewed by Meri H., University City Regional

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In the near future anti-establishment militias (calling their territories “The Free States”) have risen up across the United States. With the Army and the National Guard busy overseas, the U.S. government is unable to stop the armed rebellion that turns Manhattan into a war zone: the DMZ. Aspiring young photojournalist Matty Roth accompanies a veteran journalist to cover the story. When things go horribly wrong, he finds himself alone in the DMZ. Should he try to escape, or stay to report the story of a lifetime? Wood and Burchielli paint a vivid picture of opposing armies and the politics swirling around them, along with the street-level violence that defines the new NYC. It’s a setting rich with story possibilities, and a strong opening to the series.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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We’ve all had that moment: a dull day at a dull job, an unkind comment from a friend, when we wonder what it would be like if we were special. But what would it be like if it turned out that “special” is a bad thing? Mark Millar’s dark and cynical look at superheroes starts with the good guys losing, and asks what you would do if the bad guys asked you to rule the world. The book is sharp, and artistically gorgeous. Its only flaw is that it sometimes chooses to be “mature” in the sex and violence sense rather than the ideas and concepts. However, it handles its concepts in a fascinating and often visceral way that leaves you wanting more.

Reviewed by Ian R., North County Regional

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This gritty piece tells of a veteran’s struggle to remember a massacre that he witnessed during the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. Dark and probing, the graphic novel takes its scenes from the award winning animated film by the same name. Ari Folman draws from his own experiences during the invasion, while David Polonsky’s drawings resemble photographs, though with some surreal coloration. Both bring a stirring truth to the story. A stunning portrait of the futility of war and its lasting effects on the people involved, this is no light read, but well worth the effort.

Reviewed by Meri H., University City Regional

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It's 1933, and Charon, Mississippi, can be a dangerous place. We meet young Lee Wagstaff as she is diving into the bayou to retrieve the body of a lynching victim. Then her friend Lily goes missing, and her father is accused of kidnapping. When Lee ventures into the swamp to look for her friend, she meets a friendly giant named Bayou, an unfriendly giant named Cotton-Eyed Joe, a talking dog named General Bog, and other strange creatures. Lily is freed by a flock of crows who carry her off…so Lee's adventure is just beginning. Love's South is a unique mix of gritty realism and magical folklore. Bayou began as a webcomic series (and is still running online), but the story translates well to the printed page.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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As he woke up, hardboiled P.I. Joe Coogan knew he'd had a rough night. After examining the gunshot wound in his gut, he realized something else: he was dead. Investigating, he soon finds his killer gruesomely murdered, and suspects a scientist he had been tailing. Turns out it's something of a mad scientist, engaged in fantastic genetic experiments… Veteran horror comics creators Niles (30 Days of Night) and Wrightson (Swamp Thing) have created a unique stylistic mashup here, both gruesome and humorous. This collection includes bonus Wrightson art: pin-ups and a short reprinted story.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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Jason is a Norwegian cartoonist, known for his sparse drawing style and anthropomorphic animal characters (what used to be called “funny animal” comics). These animals are not funny. The main character is a hit man who makes his living assassinating everyday people who have annoyed their neighbors or family. One day someone comes to his office to hire him to kill Adolf Hitler, with the aid of a time machine. The machine can only make the trip once every fifty years. So when the assassination attempt fails and Hitler escapes to the present, it sets off a chain of events, each fifty years apart. The drawing style makes both the violence and the science fiction seem normal, if quirky. And there’s even a heartwarming happy ending.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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From dinosaurs and foreign dictators to female wrestlers and California punks, LOCAS: The Maggie and Hopey Stories spans fifteen years of Love and Rockets comics featuring the Hernandez brothers’ best loved characters. Insecure yet magnetic Maggie and rebellious Hopey are best friends, soul mates, lovers, and strangers in their decades-long relationship. Along with their colorful group of friends and enemies they embody the aimlessness and energy of youth, along with the disappointment and missed opportunities of age. Hernandez imbues their world with amazing realism and humor with stylish artwork to match in this 700-page plus comic-novel.

Reviewed by Ciara M., Scaleybark Branch

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Batman is dead. No more clever escapes or last minute surprises, no more caped crusades or dark knights; the life of Bruce Wayne has ended. But his story is not over just yet, the mystery of the Dark Knight has one final twist. This is the story of his funeral, occupied by the allies and villains that came to define him over the years, and each has a story to tell about just what defined the Caped Crusader. This book is an incredible journey, taking the reader across seventy years, that ends with a tragic, but ultimately gratifying farewell. The Batman needed to go out in style, which Neil Gaiman accomplished with his characteristic nuance and emotion.

Reviewed by Trey W., Scaleybark Branch

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Man and robots coexist in a world that looks like the near future. But someone or something is destroying the world’s most powerful robots, and a key figure in a robot rights group has been murdered. Interpol assigns robot Detective Gesicht to the case. He detects no other human presence in the room at the time of the murder: but the robot laws state that no robot may harm or kill a human being. And what to make of the staging of the victims with what looks like horns placed by their heads? An intriguing first volume in a series based on Osamu Tezuka’s iconic manga series Astro Boy.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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George Gerfaut is cruising around Paris in the small hours of the morning, listening to the jazz music that gives the story its title. This has nothing to do with his recent adventures, but the narrative quickly shifts to the car crash that started it all. He takes an injured man to the hospital, not realizing the chain of events he has started. Soon he finds himself pursued by two hit men. He manages to elude them, mainly by luck, and goes on the run. It’s a classic crime noir setup, an innocent man in over his head. Manchette builds an elaborate structure of crime and revenge, brought to gritty life by Tardi’s black and white illustrations. Easily recommended to any crime fiction fan.

Reviewed by Mark S., University City Regional

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"I feel like someone parked a car on my brain." Set six years after a catastrophe of undefined origin left London submerged under water and centering on the daily struggles (some lethal) of the small, fractious group of dark-haired, violet-eyed, psionic 'wild talents' who may or may not have caused it, Warren Ellis' Freakangels, sumptuously illustrated by Paul Duffield, is one of the Internet's most attractive web-comics, only improved in collected hard-copy. Part Village of the Damned, part streampunk sideshow, seen through the bemused eyes of Alice Connor, a normal human being 'adopted' by the 12, Freakangels Vol. 1 leads the reader through a green, picaresque, peculiarly English sort of apocalypse. Let Warren Ellis park a car on your brain.

Reviewed by Paul B., Hickory Grove Branch

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