MBR: The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

[Midwest Book Review]

The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Stargazer
Von Allan
Von Allan Studio
PO Box 20520
390 Rideeau Street
Ottawa,ON Canada K1N 1A3
9780978123741, $14.95, www.vonallan.com

Dedicated to finding the answers, Elora may risk her own well being.
"Stargazer" is the second volume of graphic novels from Von Allan,
following Elora and her two best friends Sophie and Marni as they
journey to a tower, making friends with robots and other creatures who
at first don't seem so friendly. Through friendship and their own
creativity, they will have to see themselves back home for adventure
and much more. A fine pick for younger readers who often have
daydreams of their own, "Stargazer" is an excellent and much
recommended pick, not to be overlooked.

African-American Classics
Tom Pomplun and Lance Tooks, editors
Eureka Productions
8778 Oak Grove Road
Mount Horeb, WI 53572
9780982563045 $17.95 www.graphicclassics.com

Volume 22 of the "Graphic Classics" series, African-American Classics
is a graphic novel anthology adapting almost two dozen great literary
short stories and poems by some of America's earliest black writers,
including W.E.B. DuBois, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, and many
more. The stories selected do not shy away from troubling, complex, or
life-threatening matters, but are overall suitable for readers ages 12
to adult. Each story is vividly adapted in full color by a different
artist with a unique style complementing the work. The result is a
solid, reader-friendly introduction to African-American literary
heritage, worthy of the highest recommendation especially for public
and school library collections.

Salvatore Volume 2: An Eventful Crossing
Nicolas De Crecy
NBM Publishing
40 Exchange Place, Suite 1308
New York, NY 10005-2742
9781561636136 $14.99 www.nbmpublishing.com

Salvatore Volume 2: An Eventful Crossing continues the masterfully
translated, English-language adaptation of a French comic saga that
uses anthropomorphic characters and muted color artwork to spin the
saga of a canine mechanic in search of his beloved companion. His
chosen vehicle is a bizarre device, piloted with the aid of a tiny
human who may as well be his pet. But one distraction after another
besets him on his journey, not the least being a cute hitchhiker!
Meanwhile, Madame Amadine continues the search for her lost piglet
Frank, encountering an arrogant detective, while the rest of her
offspring seek to make a not-so-honest living through a phony
"organic" cafe and market. The absurdities mount in this wry,
whimsical tale, distinctly reminiscent of the classic novella "The
Wind in the Willows". Highly recommended. (Volume 2 of the English
translation actually collects volumes 3 and 4 of the original French
version).

Dawn of the Bunny Suicides
Andy Riley
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452104980, $12.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

Dawn of the Bunny Suicides is a fine pick for any humor collection and
particularly for those seeing prior enthusiasm for the other 'bunny
suicide' cartoons. Black and white, dark humor drawings illustrate all
the various unusual ways the cartoon bunny can meet its demise,
offering a hilarious presentation for any cartoon, comics or humor
holding.

Larry in Wonderland
Stephan Pastis
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449408176, $12.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

LARRY IN WONDERLAND provides a fine Pearls Before Swine cartoon
collection packed with color and black and white panels from the
popular strip. Duck, goat, pig, evil rat, and of course the loveable,
hungry and demented crocodiles eternally after their 'zeeba' neighbor
make for a hilarious collection recommended for prior fans and
newcomers alike. This collection has the added benefit of providing
strips even avid fans may have missed.

Never Bite Anything That Bites Back
Jim Toomey
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449407995, $12.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Never Bite Anything That Bites Back gathers nearly a year's worth of
the Sherman's Lagoon column, syndicated in over 250 newspapers in 30
countries, and is a choice for any collection strong in cartoon
titles. Sherman the shark and his underwater friends comment on their
world, life in general, and the mysterious lives of the 'white apes'
that live in the world above theirs. From Shark X-Games to
anticipation of a swimmer that won't obey the 'no swimming' signs,
this is a hilarious gathering of black and white and color panels.

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