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April 2012 Graphic Novel Favorites

Click the book titles below for more information about each book.
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No Longer Human, part 1 (Paperback)

By Usamaru Furuya, Osamu Dazai
$10.95
ISBN-13: 9781935654193
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Vertical, 9/2011
Other Editions of this Title

No Longer Human, Volumes 1-3 (Vertical, $10.95 each)

Yozo Oba does not understand humans. He has spent his entirely life only acting as he thought others expected him to. But his actions--from womanizing to skipping school--have their price, and as he leaves high school he embarks on a journey of failure and relief, success and love, addiction and sorrow, and through it all he struggles to discover what he is and his purpose in the world (or, if he indeed even has one). Usamaru Furuya's stunning adaption of Osamu Dazai's famous novel of human connection in changing times is a hallmark of translated manga.

No Longer Human, part 2 (Paperback)

By Usamaru Furuya, Osamu Dazai
$10.95
ISBN-13: 9781935654223
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Vertical, 12/2011
Other Editions of this Title

No Longer Human, part 3 (Paperback)

By Usamaru Furuya, Osamu Dazai
$10.95
ISBN-13: 9781935654377
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Vertical, 2/2012
Other Editions of this Title

Unterzakhn (Hardcover)

By Leela Corman
$24.95
ISBN-13: 9780805242591
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Schocken, 3/2012

Unterzakhn by Leela Corman (Schocken, $24.95)

Taking place in early twentieth century, Unterzakhn tells the story of Esther and Fanya, twin sisters of immigrant parents, who soak up all their knowledge and experience of the world from the streets of New York City. From sexuality to religion, money to politics, Esther and Fanya move apart in their understanding of the world, each finding their own places within it. Their fates unfold in provocative and cunning ways, and though the story is full of the tragedy of life, it does not succumb to melodrama, instead adapting humor and complexity, history and religion, to tell a story as charming as it is affecting. Corman's artwork is expressive and full of time-period genuineness.

- Adam Waterreus

Afrika (Hardcover)

By Hermann
$15.99
ISBN-13: 9781595828446
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Dark Horse Comics, 3/2012
The prolific Belgian cartoonist Hermann's new English translation, Afrika, is set in a wildlife preserve, situated at the border of two warring countries. When Dario, the protector of the preserve, and Charlotte, a journalist reporting on poaching, reveal a village massacre they have to fight their way out of the country to reveal the truth of what they witnessed. This book is harsh and cynical, yet seems perfectly suited to take place in the wild. Hermann's artwork is realistic, brilliant, and colorful.

Cinema Panopticum (Paperback)

By Thomas Ott
$16.99
ISBN-13: 9781606994856
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Fantagraphics Books, 4/2012
Other Editions of this Title
This is a much needed English translation of this comics master. Ott's scratchboard stories carry an inevitable doom about them, and you can't help but feel this doom approaching as you watch the girl wander into the carnival--in all its dreary disappointment--to find her way to the "Cinema Panopticum," a bank of coin operated viewing screens where such horrors as "The Hotel," "The Champion," "The Experiment," and the "The Prophet" play for only a penny. Ott's highly detailed scratchboard, and silent stories are just about as creepy as they get.

Kolor Klimax: Nordic Comics Now (Paperback)

By Matthias Wivel
$29.99
ISBN-13: 9781606995204
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Fantagraphics Books, 4/2012
There wasn't a single story which didn't stand out in this collection. Like From Wonderland With Love, Kolor Klimax collection of Nordic comics is packed full of talent: Tommi Musturi's Woodring-esque wondering comics, Amanda Vahamaki's penciled and rubbed drawings, the vulgar and absurd "100,000,000" by Kolbeinn Karlsson, and Mari Ahokoivu's brilliantly executed "S-w-i-n-g," just to name a few. The richness and variety of Nordic comics is only becoming more and more clear to English speaking audiences; and this latest anthology combines some of the best (and varied) comics out there. Well produced, and highly recommended.

Elektra: Assassin (Hardcover)

By Frank Miller, Bill Sienkiewicz
$24.99
ISBN-13: 9780785163541
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Marvel, 2/2012
Other Editions of this Title
This reprint of Frank Miller and Bill Sienkeiwicz's Elektra is as stunning to read as it is to look at. Filling in gaps in the Elektra story, we first encounter her institutionalized, hardly aware of her surroundings, and hallucinating. As Elektra slowly gains awareness she remembers that she has a mission: to kill The Beast. Ninja arts, S.H.I.E.L.D cyborgs, mind control and big guns, need I say more? Miller's writing is hypnotic and multifaceted (probably his best) and Sienkiewicz's mixed-media artwork is daring, mind-bending, and hilarious (yes, something this violent can be hilarious). This book is a hallmark of great writer/artist collaboration, for Miller and Sienkiewicz (whose individual work easily stands on its own) are only made greater by the pairing. Highly recommended.

Corto Maltese: The Ballad of the Salt Sea (Paperback)

By Hugo Pratt
$25.00
ISBN-13: 9780789324986
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Universe, 3/2012
Other Editions of this Title

Bringing one of the most famous stories in European graphic literature back into print is a great thing. Corto Maltese is a pirate, but he's likable and caring, courageous and witty, and quite the dirty fighter. His encounter with two shipwrecked children, Cain and Pandora, lead him in a strange conflict of interest as he scrabbles to appease The Monk, the German and British Navies, and even his own strange sense of honor. Set during WWI, The Ballad of the Salt Sea is an epic period piece, which any lover of comics should read.

 Warning! This reprint has its problems: unnecessary coloring and bad reformatting most importantly. That caveat aside, this is still a story you should read.

Jean Giraud / Mœbius, 1938-2012

 

This weekend legendary French artist Mœbius passed away at 73, after a long battle with cancer. He is known to most as the seminal comic artist who helped expand the visual repertoire of science fiction by leaps and bounds. Single-handedly influencing the style of iconic films such as Alien, Blade Runner, Tron, Fifth Element, and Star Wars. Throughout his life there wasn't any subject matter that he left untouched and was equally known for his masterful western series, Blueberry. His prolific work touched many lives in profound ways that will never be forgotten.

 

Memorial

Geof Darrow

Kim Thompson 

The Comics Journal interview with Mœbius, December 1987, No.118 

The Comics Journal Tributes

Documentary 

Moebius Redux

Still Available

Madwomen of the Sacred Heart

Upcoming

The Incal Classic Collection HC

Sold Out

The Eyes of the Cat

Madwoman of the Sacred Heart

Madwoman of the Sacred Heart

$29.95
Model: 9781594650987
The Incal: Classic Collection

The Incal: Classic Collection

$44.95
Model: 9781594650154

The Eyes of the Cat (Hardcover)

By Alexandro Jodorowsky, Moebius,
$69.95
ISBN-13: 9781594650581
Availability: Not currently shipping from publisher – Subject to future availability
Published: Humanoids Inc., 12/2011

Donald on Gweek

One of our holiday favorites, Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes, is the featured topic of this weeks Gweek podcast brought to you by Boing Boing. If you haven't yet listened to this great podcast I highly recommend that you check it out. Gweek covers pretty much all that is going on in nerd mega-culture. Listen to this weeks episode here!

Walt Disney's Donald Duck: "Lost in the Andes" (Hardcover)

By Carl Barks
$24.99
ISBN-13: 9781606994740
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Fantagraphics Books, 12/2011

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