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Graphic Novels and Comics January 2016
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Hello there! 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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Trashed
by Derf
The author of My Friend Dahmer returns with the (fictionalized) story of his life as a garbage collector in all its unpleasantness, featuring interludes both educational and entertaining. Disgusting!
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Two Brothers
by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá
Alexander Jones at The Beat says of Two Brothers that, "[w]hile comics mostly now have color, the newest original graphic novel published by Dark Horse from brothers Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon is depicted in striking black and white. Stripping away the color in the comic takes away a sense of familiarity from typical American work that draws readers in in a manner not commonly seen in western comics. Bá and Moon imbue much of their artwork with a sense of simplicity and a shortage of background that showcases the power of empty negative space on the comics page. [...] the story is over 200 pages, and the Moon Twins use this space to flesh out the narrative with a complex series of moments and chapters and that illustrate the rich history that surrounds the men and women present within the story."
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Witchfinder vol. 3: The Mysteries of Unland
by Newman, McHugh, Crook and Stewart
From the publisher (and the pages of Hellboy): "Sir Edward Grey is sent to Hallum to investigate the death of a crown-appointed official, but once he is there he hears rumors of the mysterious Unland, the wetlands around the town, and the creatures that inhabit it. Grey's skepticism of the murder vanishes when he encounters the monsters of Unland, and he realizes that Hallam is a place of secrets." More Tyler Crook-drawn comics, I say!
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Fables: The Wolf Among Us
by Sturges & Justus et al
A comics adaptation of the video game based on the comic series inspired by folklore (Phew!), The Wolf Among Us follows Fables regular Bixby Wolf as he unravels a murder mystery with the help of Snow White and Mayor Ichabod Crane. Yikes!
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All You Need is Kill
by Ryosuke Tekeuchi and Takeshi Obata
Adapted from Kiroshi Sakurazaka's novel (which was the inspiration for the recent Tom Cruise film Edge of Tomorrow), All You Need is Kill follows a new recruit killed in a seemingly endless and hopeless war against alien invaders, only to find himself awake and confused at the beginning of his last day among the living.
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Nijigahara Holograph
by Inio Asano
From the publisher: "Even as butterflies ominously proliferate in town, the rumor of a mysterious creature lurking in the tunnel behind the school spreads among the children. When the body of Arié Kimura's mother is found by this tunnel's entrance, next to apparently human traces, the legend seems to be confirmed. Is the end of the world coming? [...] But this is only the beginning of the complex, challenging, obliquely told Nijigahara Holograph, which takes place in two separate timelines and involves the suicidal Suzuki; Higure, his stalkerish would-be girlfriend; their teacher Miss Sakaki, whose heavily bandaged face remains a mystery; and many more brothers, sisters, parents, co-workers, teachers, aggressors and victims who are all inextricably linked to one another and all will eventually ten years later have to live with what theyve done or suffered through."
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King City
by Brandon Graham
Not manga per se, but HEAVILY influenced thereby, King City follows a young catmaster (master of - that's right - the cat) and his friends as they are drawn deeper and deeper into intergalactic urban warfare. As you might expect from such a premise, Graham's work is equal parts silly and serious, but his expert world-building and unique artwork (not to mention a barrage of truly ridiculous puns) make it a really great read. Recommended!
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"The man behind the spooky manga GeGeGe no Kitaro passed away [the morning of November 30.] Mizuki was 93. "The highly influential GeGeGe no Kitaro debuted in 1960 and went on to spawn anime adaptations and live-action films. His manga, and the cartoons, helped rekindle the country’s love affair with yokai [monsters and spirits from Japanese folklore]. "Prior to becoming a full-time manga artist, Mizuki served in World War II. While being treated for malaria in New Guinea, his hospital was bombed by the Allies, and he lost his left arm. Through manga, Mizuki also detailed his war experiences and how he developed such a strong relationship with the New Guinea tribespeople that he considered deserting the military... "In recent years, Mizuki has stayed busy [...] showing a love for hamburgers, cakes, coffee, and well, life itself."
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Onward Towards our Noble Deaths
by Shigeru Mizuki
From the publisher: "Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths is [Mizuki's] first book to be translated into English and is a semi-autobiographical account of the desperate final weeks of a Japanese infantry unit at the end of World War Two. The soldiers are instructed that they must go into battle and die for the honor of their country, with certain execution facing them if they return alive. Mizuki was a soldier himself (he was severely injured and lost an arm) and uses his experiences to convey the devastating consequences and moral depravity of the war."
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Showa vol. 1-4
by Shigeru Mizuki
This sweeping history of twentieth-century Japan mixes conventional historical narrative with memoir. "Passionate and meticulously researched (with copious explanatory footnotes and endnotes) Showa is an astounding and sweeping epic, and a must-read. It offers an indelible and engaging combination of human storyline, riveting life-and-death plot twists, historical education and passionately conveyed moral messaging on the horrors of war." - Hans Rollman at popmatters.com.
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Saturday, January 23, 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. This month we're reading manga! Check out some recommended titles above.
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Ultimate Ladies Book ClubThursday, Jan. 3, 7:30 p.m. Ultimate Comics Raleigh,1301 Buck Jones Rd, RaleighThe 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.January's Pick is X-Men: Magik Storm & Ilyana.
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Durham Comics Project: Drink & DrawWednesday, January. 20, 7-9 p.m.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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Check out the library's top ten checkouts! Lists include top tens for adult fiction and nonfiction, movies, young adults fiction, picture books and kids' fiction.
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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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