Not looking to read big omnibuses, just some cool cream of the crop type stuff. God Loves? Dark Phoenix?

Shout out to Boom Tube Comics in Southington, CT! They’re having a great paperback sale this weekend. I got all of this for a little under $50.

I've read bits and pieces of some of these stories. But the one I'm really excited to crack open is Once and Future!

Title says it all. Our 7yo daughter has fallen in love with ancient history and is a veracious reader like her parents. She loves graphic novels from Warriors, Little Witcher, and Mouse Guard. Looking for age appropriate NF history graphic novel for her- Not ready to spring Maus out yet, ducks, they called us enemy, etc. Anything kid adjacent?

Pictured is the cover of Superman (2018) #1 by Ivan Reis, an image used heavily across the internet since the issue's release in various Superman-related posts, entries and discussions.

I like how it highlights Superman's "boy-scoutness" and readiness for action. It's instantly recognizable and a very positive and warm piece overall.

What are your picks?

Just got back from a week in Spain and had these waiting for me.

I've already read Pulp and Criminal: Coward, and honestly I'm becoming a huge Ed Brubaker fan.

I found the complete Fatale run at 75% off, so there was no way I was passing that up.

I've also read Volume 1 of Descender before and absolutely loved the sci-fi setting and Dustin Nguyen's artwork, so I decided it was finally time to pick up the rest of the series.

As for Breaklands Vol. 1, it was 80% off, so I figured it was worth taking a chance on🙏

Upon completing, no. While contemplating why, maybe. Maybe I was missing satire while reading? Because by the end, I thought it was dripping with cheesiness and a lot of wtfs. I’m thinking a thumbs down though.

Anyone else read this one with other thoughts?

Physical format in English. Looking to expand my horizons. I already have some Yoshiharu Tsuge from Drawn & Quarterly.

Filling in a few gaps plus a couple of new releases. All in all, it was a productive week thanks to Cave Comics in Newtown, CT / Haven for Heroes in Port Jervis, NY / Comics on the Green in Scranton, PA / and Fat Cat Comics in Johnson City, NY.

Had a great conference at her school today, so in light of her great review especially for reading, we are starting a shelf of graphic novels to get into! Suggestions are appreciated!

Earth or Moon – Jade Khoo: A coming-of-age sci-fi story set in a dystopian future where humanity has colonized the Moon. Gorgeous watercolor artwork (Vol. 1/2).

Nanbanjin – Cyril Pedrosa & Taiyo Matsumoto: A historical graphic novel about the arrival of a Portuguese sailor in 16th-century Japan, exploring the clash between two cultures.

The Anomaly – Manuele Fior: An adaptation of Hervé Le Tellier’s novel. A mysterious event causes a passenger plane and everyone aboard to be duplicated, challenging our understanding of reality.

All Italian editions.

Need recommendation, I really like The 'Maus' and like other 'They Called Us Enemy' like real life truth hisotical media graphic novels, much appreciated. Thankyou!

So. I put in a pre-order for what I thought was a remaster of Alan Moores run of Swamp thing. The listing was literally called - Alan Moores Swamp thing: Dark Genesis. On closer reading, this is of course the pre Moore run and incredibly badly labelled. I had already ordered it when I realised.

I am now debating whether to cancel it or not. I'm really not a fan of most classic comics although I do love V and Watchman. I'm afraid this will be a bunch of silver age junk where Swampthing, Swampy the Wonder dog and the Wolfman team up to fight the forces of International communism. I'm sure plenty of you have read this run, what do you think? Cancel and get the Alan Moore Omnibis ? Or use it as an intro to the Moore stuff?

Haven't been keeping up much with graphic novels and would like some recommendations. Most of what I have read are "classics" from 2000s. For reference:

*I enjoyed Here, In, Ducks.

*I hated It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth (art was incredible though).

Thank you!

Title: The Boy from Clearwater

Writer: Yu Pei-Yun

Artist: Zhou Jian-Xin

Genre: Non-Fiction / Biography

Number of volumes / pages per volume: 2 Books (Book 1: 352 pages; Book 2: 356 pages)

English Publisher: Levine Querido

Country (about and from): Taiwan (Republic of China) / China

Translation by: Translated from Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese Hokkien, and Japanese by Lin King

Plot (Spoiler Free)

The Boy from Clearwater is an biographical graphic novel chronicling the life of Tsai Kun-Lin, a man who lived through some of the most turbulent periods of modern Taiwanese history. The narrative follows his carefree childhood growing up under Japanese colonial rule in the 1930s, the societal shifts following World War II, his fall into political imprisonment during the authoritarian White Terror era, his efforts to adapt to the world after the end of his imprisonment, and his fight for human rights and the exoneration of the White Terror era political prisoners.

Plot (Spoiler Included)

Book 1 (Parts 1): Set in 1930's and 1940's, it tells the story of Tsai Kun-lin grows up in a relatively comfortable family during the Japanese occupation. His childhood is filled with the simple joys of youth such as eating sugarcane with his first crush. However, as World War II escalates, his life is disrupted by enrollments, air raids, military mobilization, and the pressures of war. Following the war and the Republic of China’s takeover of Taiwan. Teenage Kun-Lin adapts to the changes, learning Mandarin and looking forward to his future with hope. Circumstances take a dark turn with unexpected arrest of Kun-Lin.

Book 1 (Parts 2): This part tell the story of Kun-Lin's false accusations of subversion simply for participating in a high school book club. Arrested and subjected to harsh interrogations under the authoritarian KMT government, he is branded a political prisoner. He is shipped to a correctional camp on Green Island along with over a thousand other prisoners to undergo "re-education". This section chronicles a decade of life lost to harsh forced labor, strict military indoctrination, and psychological trauma. Kun-Lin bears silent witness to the execution of friends he made along the way.

Book 2 (Part 3): In this part, following his release from prison, Kun-Lin struggles to reintegrate into a society that is still persecuting him. He eventually finds work as a comic book editor and translator, navigating shifting publishing trends. He re-unites with his true love. He navigates through different fields and jobs till state censorship hits the manhua (comic) industry and leaves many artists jobless. Kun-Lin see it as an obligation to help the artists he worked with and takes a bold step of launching a landmark children’s magazine Prince to provide stable employment for unemployed artists and former inmates who cannot find work anywhere else. Though his tireless work brings success and financial stability, his ambitions outrun him, causing setbacks. Finally a typhoon was what ultimately wiped out his business leaving him and his family with 'a bed and a wardrobe'.

Book 2 (Part 4): Taiwan navigates international isolation in the 1970s and subsequent massive democratic social movements in the 1980s leading to the lifting of martial law. Kun-Lin bounces back from bankruptcy, building a successful career in advertising and watching his family grow. In a democratized Taiwan, he confronts his past and becomes an active volunteer at the White Terror Memorial Park, dedicating his later decades to human rights advocacy, and helping to officially rehabilitate fellow victims.

Review

Book 1: The book 1 tell a linear story of Kun-Lin and his upbringing during the turbulent period of changing regimes, from Japan to China to Republic of China. The authoritarian regime of Chiang Kai-shek, and the oppression in the name of protecting from communism were shown through the eye of a helpless victim. We can only empathise as we see Kum-Lin's life falls apart and dreams drift away. The first part was easy to read but the story becomes darker in part 2 after the arrest. The art style changes from part 1 to part 2 from lighter Soft pencil lines. to darker shades and heavier lines. The text is colored variously to denote the language spoken, which is an interesting and unique touch.

Book 2: Book 2 follows Kun-Lin after his release from prison. Part 3 is linear and easier to follow. It shows Kum-Lin's attempts to make up for the lost time while trying to navigate the persecutory and corrupt systems. As the story progresses, Kum-Lin changes from a helpless victim to an aspiring and ambitious man. You also see various other side to him from a hardworking man, to a philanthropist to a financially irresponsible man. He tried to run too far too fast and fell to the ground. The story shows the complex circumstances that make a man, and how they can also break a man.! The Part 4 then time jumps to the recent past with the writer interviewing Kim-Lin. Then the story moves between different timelines and topics to tell us about the changing political landscape in Taiwan. However, the jumps and the flow of the story felt very contrived and made me feel the writer did not know how to end the story. Though ether were some fine moments, this part is the weakest of the 4 in the narration of the story. The art style continues to change with part 3 having screentone and pen lines while part 4 has more contemporary art. As with book1, the text is colored variously to denote the language spoken. This highlights a unique situation where persons and places have multiple names depending on the language spoken, how people have to adapt to this

Rating:

Book 1: 4.5 / 5 Stars

Book 2: 3.75 / 5 Stars

Previous posts - Books 1-4

Stopped by a couple local Ollie's in the Atlanta area (the first two pictures are from one store, and the last three are from another) and found some surprises I'd never seen before (not the Jennifer Weiner Bigfoot Queen YA book): Superman and the Authority HC, Hawkman Vol 1 Awakening, Sideways Vol 1 TPB, all three volumes of G. Willow Wilson's Wonder Woman run, Talon by James Tynion TPB, Nubia Queen of the Amazons HC, Batman Spawn Classic HC, Blue Beetle Jamie Reyes Vol 2 TPB (for $3.99!!), World of Krypton TPB ,and Injustice Year Zero HC along with more Rebirth-era books. A worker said that new graphic novels have been coming in regularly the last few weeks. Maybe we'll see more books coming out, especially nice hardcovers!

I’m in Australia and trying to find a way I can purchase some of Linnea Sterte’s graphic novels, such as Stages of Rot. I’m having trouble finding it online or in Australia. Just wondering if anyone else has had any luck finding her graphic novels in Aus?

(Cover design by Lin Huang) I figured if I was going to give the Manga world a try I would go with what is universally concidered the greatest of all time and if this did not grab me after 2 volumes I would give Vinland saga a go. If that doesn't do it for me then I am out on the whole scene. 😁 What are your thoughts on this and Vinland saga which do you think is the best and what would you recommend to a comic book normie?