In the first two collections of Hero Cats, readers were introduced to the team of cats who have tasked themselves with keeping Stellar City safe; Cassiopeia, the newest team member from whose perspective we see the story, leader Ace, mind reader Belle, tough Rocco, skittish Rocket, and mysterious Midnight. Throughout the previous titles they have battled mysterious criminals and super villains who have unexpectedly started threatening the city, and they’ve formed an uneasy alliance with superhero Galaxy Man and his sidekick Cosmic Girl, now known to be Cassie’s family, Professor and Suzy Quest.
Throughout their adventures, there have been hints at a more powerful foe who is orchestrating the events in Stellar City and in this collection of issues 7 to 9, the villain begins to play his hand more clearly. The Crow King is an evil and mysterious creature. They will need all their skills to fight him, including the talents of Cassie’s brother, Bandit, who reappears after a long absence with secrets and abilities of his own. But when the Crow King’s power sends them all into a dream realm, will any of them have the power to escape or will they be trapped in a nightmare forever?
There’s an interesting change to the art in issues 8 and 9 in this collection. In their dream, the Hero Cats have become human and the artists must translate their feline characters, coloring and personality, into a human representation. Cassiopeia becomes a somewhat naive and clumsy but sweet girl in orange and white that mimics her coloring; Ace is a young, silver-haired Navy captain who is dedicated to defending his queen and country. Each of the characters are recognizable by their traits, coloring, and physical features but their “human” aspects in the dream also give more insight into their characters. Heavy, colorful clouds bordering the panels signify the dream world and their color changes as the Crow King’s influence becomes more marked.
This collection also shows an interesting side to Belle, whose powers come into play and show her as one of the more powerful team members, rather than a reluctant tag-a-long, as in previous adventures. While some of the characters remain one-dimensional or stalled in their development, like Cassie and Ace, readers can hope for future issues to flush out their stories a little more.
As usual, there are a number of ads, notes and sketches, and fan art and costumes included in the comics. However, the ads include more mature comics in this collection, First Hero, Venture, etc. This may be why a rating system for the comics is included, from E to M, but only some of the ads have the age rating on them. I’m also skeptical of the ratings anyways, as Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab, a murder mystery with blood spatters on the cover, is rated A for ages 9 and up. This may seem irrelevant to the actual content of the comic itself, but by including ads for their other properties, the publisher is marketing these to the readers of the comic which, in a public library, will be primarily children.
As these titles are available only in paperback and the layout and binding is less than stellar—whole chunks of text are lost in the gutter in one explanatory sequence—they’re not a top choice for libraries. However, the stories themselves are very kid-friendly and readers who enjoy Warriors, Zita the Space Girl, Super Pets, and kid-friendly superhero comics will devour these titles. Be prepared to buy the whole series and future sequels, as each comic and collection ends on a cliffhanger.
Hero Cats of Stellar City: The Crow King Saga, vol 3 by Kyle Puttkammer Art by Marcus Williams, Ryan Sellers, Omaka Schultz ISBN: 9781632291486 Action Lab, 2016 Publisher Age Rating: All Ages
The Hero Cats return in a second volume of adventures, collecting issues 4 through 6. Cassiopeia, still a new member of the team finding her way, joins her friends as they explore underground. Deep fissures have been appearing, closer and closer to the center of Stellar City, and the Hero Cats are ready to put a stop to it. They discover new friends and enemies, and possibly new mysteries as well, in their adventures underground. Cassie learns more about her teammates, especially the mysterious Belle, along the way. But the new discoveries aren’t over; Cassie also finds out the secret her family, Professor Quest and his daughter Suzy, have been hiding from her. Now Cassie isn’t sure who to trust—and neither is her team—but they have to decide fast as they face an invasion of space bugs! The final story arc involves a missing scientific machine and hints at further adventures and villains yet to come.
This collection also includes multiple ads for Action Lab’s other properties, mostly teen or all ages titles, as well as for some books and toys. Each issue ends with notes from the creators, letters from fans, or hints at stories to come. The art continues the clean, slick style of the earlier comics, while incorporating some of the blocky, more cartoonish elements of the Galaxy Man shorts into the Hero Cats’ interactions with Galaxy Man and Cosmic Girl. The cats still have limited expressions, but they are growing as characters; glimpses into the backgrounds of Belle, the feelings of Rocket, and Ace and Cassie’s growing relationship give the cats stronger personalities, even if they remain interchangeable beyond a few differences in color and fur. Most humans remain faceless or hastily sketched in, keeping the focus on the cats and their activities.
Cassiopeia’s role grows in this second title, as does Belle’s. As I was unsatisfied with the roles given to the female cats in the first book, this was a welcome development. Cassie deals with feelings of betrayal and uncertainty, but the reader also sees more emotional depth from the male cats, especially Rocket and Ace, and Cassie begins to take more initiative and become a stronger member of the team. A flashback to Belle’s former life helps the reader understand her sometimes standoffish demeanor and we get hints of her powerful abilities as well. Quirky new characters, drawn to look like animated crystals and rocks, glowing green space bugs, and even a little hint of romance all add up to a fun development in the series.
These titles are only available in paperback and their binding and layout is not superb; strips of art and even sections of introductory text are sometimes lost in the gutter. However, fans of the first collection will be eager to find out more about the Hero Cats and new readers will want to read more about their background and future adventures.
Hero Cats of Stellar City: New Discoveries, vol 2 by Kyle Puttkammer Art by Marcus Williams, Ryan Sellers ISBN: 9781632291097 Action Lab, 2015 Publisher Age Rating: All Ages
Cassiopeia was once a street kitten. She and her brother defended a small territory. Now she’s a member of the Hero Cats of Stellar City, and has much bigger things on her mind. Along with her fellow cats, all experienced operatives, she fights against the strange and sometimes powerful criminals who have begun showing up in Stellar City. But Cassie has more to worry about than her status as the youngest and least-trained member of the team; she’s supposed to be comforting and helping her new human family, Professor Quest and his daughter Suzie. Not long ago Suzie’s mother, Amelia, went on a trip to space and never returned. Now the professor spends days in his observatory, searching for a sign of his wife, and Cassie does her best to help out.
Through the eyes of Cassiopeia, this first volume of Hero Cats introduces the team: Ace, Midnight, Belle, Rocket, and Rocco, each of whom has a different ability or skill. Together they battle criminals, like the misguided Johnny Arcado, who brings video games to life, as well as investigating the mysterious happenings in Stellar City. Why are super villains—and superheroes like Galaxy Man and his sidekick Cosmic Girl—suddenly appearing? Where are all these strangers coming from? The first volume ends with Cassiopeia making significant strides in her new life, becoming ready to face the mysteries and challenges that lie ahead.
This volume collects the first three issues of Hero Cats, including short stories of Galaxy Man and Cosmic Girl. It primarily introduces the six hero cats, all of whom have distinct personalities, as well as giving hints about some of their backgrounds. This is a straight bind-up of the original comics, so includes multiple ads for Action Lab’s other titles, including Princeless, Vamplets, Planet Gigantic, and Nutmeg as well as ads for books and games. Each separate comic also includes notes from narrator cat Bandit, Cassiopeia’s older brother, as well as sketches, activities, and notes from creator Kyle Puttkammer.
The art for the main stories sticks with a classic, clean line. The cats have faces that express human emotions, while still remaining feline, but most of their differing personalities are marked by their different colors and shapes. There are only a few human faces shown and they are often just a little bit off, more cartoonish than the tone of the comic suggests. Some of Johnny Arcado’s pixelated monsters are correspondingly fuzzy, but others have a smoother, more finished appearance. The short Galaxy Man comics use a blockier, more unfinished style and are clearly meant to be a homage to classic comics with a goofier look and story.
This is promoted as an all ages comic, a fun choice for kids and parents who want a less violent and more kid-friendly superhero option. I was annoyed by the default female stereotypes; Captain Amelia Quest wears a pink space suit and after her initial appearance is only an off the page inspiration for Professor Quest and Suzy. Of the six hero cats, only two are female, Cassiopeia, who is young and untrained and brings the ability to read, and Belle, who is fluffy and pampered and can read minds. Both can and do fight with the others, but the male cats handle most of the leadership and active roles. I also found the inclusion of ads disconcerting and it made the plot, which is rather winding, harder to follow. These titles are available only in paperback and their binding is not ideal, as the gutters sometimes cover the words or edges of pictures.
However, despite these flaws, this is overall a fun beginning to an interesting story. I found myself interested and eager in finding out what happened next and look forward hopefully to more growth in the various characters. Kids who are fans of Erin Hunters’ Warriors series or Zita the Spacegirl will enjoy the fresh and light-hearted storyline and look forward to more stories of the Hero Cats of Stellar City.
Hero Cats of Stellar City, vol 1 by Kyle Puttkammer Art by Marcus Williams, Ryan Sellers ISBN: 9781632290793 Action Lab, 2015 Publisher Age Rating: All Ages
Adrienne, Bedelia, and Sparky continue their quest to save Adrienne’s sisters in the newest volume of Princeless. The next princess on their list is Adrienne’s middle sister Angoisse. To find her they must travel to a tower located in the middle of a dark and scary swamp full of man-eating goblins, zombies, and a mysterious monster called the Grimmorax. As usual Adrienne and Bedelia’s rescue attempt does not go as planned and instead of landing on Angoisse’s tower they end up deep in the swamp. There follows a series of events involving goblin politics, spa treatments, a run in with the Grimmorax, a case of flaming hair, and a chance encounter with a pack of zombies.
If you have been following the series you are aware by now that while we mainly follow the events of Adrienne and Bedelia’s quest to save Adrienne’s sisters, there are several side plots percolating as well. In one of these plots Adrienne’s brother Devon is dragged off by their father on a quest to save his mother from the Black Knight (following up on events from volume 2) and he is joined on his quest by Kira of the wolf pack, much to their dismay. The mysterious Black Knight is also still on the trail of Adrienne and Bedelia and is seen several times in this book observing their actions.
As usual Jeremy Whitley’s writing stays light and witty. His characters, however, still address serious issues from race to gender equality. They simply do so while maintaining their dry humor. This volume is similar structurally to his previous volumes. There are incremental increases in plot, new characters, misunderstandings, and the introduction and “rescue” of one of Adrienne’s sisters. Emily Martin returns from volume 1 and 2 to do the art on this volume. Her style is slightly reminiscent of that found in manga with character’s reactions often overdramatized for effect and humor. If you are looking for photo realistic art and full backgrounds in your graphic novels then this is not the book for you. Martin’s art is accompanied by Brett Grunig’s colors which are soft and jewel toned, lending support to the book’s fantasy setting and plot.
This title is marked as all-ages by its publisher and would do well in either the kids or teen’s graphic novel section due to the manga-influenced art, wry humor, sight gags, and the ongoing reversal of gender roles in the narrative. I think kids will appreciate the story at face value and teens will better be able to enjoy more of the meat in the text. Princeless is a fun book, and volume 4 continues to deliver on both its title and premise.
Princeless, vol. 4: Be Yourself by Jeremy Whitley Art by Emily Martin ISBN: 9781632291165 Action Lab, 2015 Publisher Age Rating: All Ages
Two evil brothers have been knocked out and piled up on top of each other like pieces of laundry. The victor stands on top of them at a wide stance and proudly announces to other possible enemies, “Tell them that Raven’s back.”
That’s Raven, short for Princess Raven Xingtao, eldest child of the Pirate King and otherwise known as the Black Arrow. Raven can effortlessly swing, kick, joust, flip, and outsmart her enemies—and you especially don’t want to be near her if she’s carrying a bow and arrow. Raven was locked up in a tower by her two younger brothers who thought a life of helplessness was more befitting for a princess and to limit their competition for inheriting their father’s throne. Raven is rescued not by a prince, but rather by a princess, and not just any princess, but Adrienne Ashe, the daughter of her father’s sworn enemy King Ashe. With Adrienne at her side, Raven not only has to learn how to get along with a former enemy, but also has to re-establish herself as the rightful heir to the pirate kingdom.
Younger fans of swift-paced superhero comics will love the female leads, the plentiful fight scenes and the artful use of perspective to make readers feel as if they’re inches away from having their cheeks sliced with a porcelain dish turned into an impromptu weapon. In communities that serve a primarily elementary audience, I could see this volume being a hit with boys and girls alike. The racially diverse cast fight against sexism just as nimbly as they wield a sword.
However, I doubt this appeal would transfer to an early adolescent reader craving a darker and broodier action/adventure comic. The color palette is so pastel and the fight scenes are so easily resolved that the idea that the princesses might ever face a significant threat seems ludicrous. Raven and Adrienne don’t offer us much as far as characterization goes, and that they can go from sidekicks to rivals to practically sisters within a few pages is an unrealistic pacing for an older reader.
While younger readers may appreciate the girl-power intent of this series, self-conscious adolescent readers (or maybe just me) might find Raven’s and Adrienne’s impossibly proportioned hourglass figures dispiriting. If our superheroes are going to look like us in skin tone, shouldn’t they also have bodies like ours, too?
Princeless: The Pirate Princess, vol. 3 by Jeremy Whitley Art by Rosy Higgins and Ted Brandt ISBN: 9781632291028 Action Lab Entertainment, 2015 Publisher Age Rating: 9-12
What could possibly be better than an all ages graphic novel about a team of crime fighting fluffy cats? Very, very few things. But that’s just my admittedly biased opinion on Hero Cats of Stellar City, a graphic novel featuring, you guessed it, a team of heroic felines who protect a city called Stellar.
Fun, colorful, and lively, this comic has much to offer those fans of both cats and superheroes. In this second volume of the series, the titular cats investigate a fishy situation beneath Stellar City that leads them into adventure with otherworldly beings. While this is the main storyline, there are a few others peppered throughout the pages, including how each kitty joined the ensemble.
Each cat is graced with a superpower to offer the group. Cassiopeia can read human writing. Belle can also read, but her talent lies less in literature, and more in reading minds. Rocco is the muscle. Rocket has super speed. Also, he believes that he is an alien. Bandit is an expert in covert operations. Midnight is a fighter. Ace is the leader.
Cassiopeia is of particular interest, because her owners are actually the human superheroes, Galaxy Man and Cosmic Girl. The human father and daughter (Stanley and Suzy Quest) work as a team in their heroic alter egos, but each is unaware of the other’s plain clothes identity. Neither Stanley nor Suzy know that Cassiopeia is a Hero Cat. While Galaxy Man and Cosmic Girl were created first, it is definitely the cats that star in this series.
The artwork is absolutely adorable, and each cat has a distinct look, be it their breed—Belle is a Himalayan cat—or just the mischief in their eyes, like Rocket, for instance. Not to mention that they are also oh so fluffy looking; any cat lover would be hard pressed not to want them to pounce off the page and into their lap for a pet.
But I digress! The Hero Cats have little time for laps, as their hijinx spill out of the panels inviting the readers to join in. Won’t you consider giving this series a forever home on your shelves?
Hero Cats of Stellar City, volume 2 by Kyle Puttkamer Art by Marcus Williams, Ryan Sellars, Matt Herms, Briana Higgins, Keek Stewart ISBN: 9781632291097 Action Lab, 2015 Publisher Age Rating: All Ages
Who doesn’t have a cartoon alter-ego, really? If you don’t, you should cook one up as soon as possible—they can make life a little sweeter. I’ve had one since I was ten, and she’s changed mercifully little in the last twenty years. When I draw my life as my cartoon alter-ego would experience it, everything seems a bit brighter and more manageable. Gronk seems to make life a little lighter for Katie Cook, who developed her adorable alter-ego many years before she started drawing a webcomic featuring the little green monster. Cook started publishing Gronk: A Monster’s Story online in 2010, and volumes one and two collect the first two years of Gronk’s escapades. Here are some important facts about the monster in question: Gronk is green; has shaggy, blond hair; is roly-poly; and is kind, but bumbling. Gronk lives with Dale and her cat and dog, and makes their lives just a little bit weirder and sweeter (and messier!). It’s clear that Gronk is more or less a vehicle for Katie Cook’s musings on life, food, holidays, and nerd culture, and that’s just fine.
Gronk is a four panel weekly webcomic with mostly stand-alone stories, so it doesn’t gain or lose much from being collected into a book. It’s nice to follow Gronk, Dale, and Dale’s cat and dog through the seasons—they have a lot of fun around Halloween and Christmas, playing pretend, and watching lots of movies. Jokes and visual cues reference Star Wars, Batman, Muppets, and Harry Potter frequently. Bacon and ice cream and pizza are giddily consumed. It’s nerd life as normal, except with a little green friend for company. Gronk bumbles to learn the rules of adulthood with varied success, and gives Dale a reason to feel playful and goofy, as well as perhaps a little superior.
You can’t read too much into Gronk. It’s pleasant, it’s cute, and Gronk gets to do all the things one wishes they could do: make messes, draw googly eyes on everything in the house, get swallowed and slobbered by puppies, and travel the universe in cardboard boxes. Volume one introduces the cast as they get comfortable with each other and Gronk learns, unlearns, and relearns house rules, while volume two finds Gronk taking up topiary, sitting in snuggies, and starting a twitter account—it’s a bit more aimless than volume 1. I might speculate that Gronk draws inspiration from Katie’s own interests (Gronk’s surprisingly articulate for a childish monster), her pets (there’s more than a bit of puppy and kitty in Gronk’s eager and friendly attitude), and possibly, just possibly, her own daughter, as many of the shenanigans that Gronk gets into feel like those of a curious child. That’s just wild speculation on my part, but Gronk’s glee has a childishness that is refreshing and elusive in the adult world.
Gronk is not too much of any one thing, except devastatingly cute. The roundness and perpetual grins of Gronk, Harli the dog, and Kitty the Cat were just a bit reminiscent to me of Andy Runton’s unapologetically sweet Owly cast. Cook has done lots of illustration work for licensed comic book franchises, most recently My Little Pony, so she’s no stranger to the relentlessly, geekily cute. Gronk seems to be the place where she expresses her own sweet self, both her human self and wackier monster alter-ego. Although the Gronk serieshas been widely categorized and reviewed as a book for kids, the countless cultural references, the plentiful moments of adult exasperation, and the very nature of its origin as a webcomic (not generally the province of grade schoolers) argue for a different categorization. Gronk is suitable for all ages in terms of appropriate content, but its context and point of view are most suited for and will be best enjoyed by non-cynical adult audiences. The Gronkcollections, not too ambitious or too serious, are a nice little reverie for the young-at-heart nerd within us all.
The true star of Mishka and the Sea Devil is author and illustrator Xenia Pamfil’s quick change act: each chapter of the nine that make up the book is illustrated in a different style, creating an entirely new atmosphere for each section of the story. Mishka is a fast-paced adventure with a tinge of magical mystery, so the rapid-fire artistic changes coupled with protagonists who never stop moving, meeting new people, and exploring new parts of their island will make it an irresistible treat for younger readers.
Mishka is a fisherman out on her boat one day when a storm boils up and a huge red-feathered whale-like fish, the Devil of the Sea, capsizes the vessel. She falls down to the bottom of the sea and wakes up on an island, her memories gone. On her first night she shelters in the ruins of another wrecked ship and witnesses shadowy figures patrolling the shore. When she goes exploring she finds some native people with whom she has a communication problem and a cat with an eyepatch, who becomes a companion. A fierce girl who claims to be the ghost of a dead admiral finds Mishka taking a nap, and soon the quest is set. As it turns out, the Admiral was also attacked by the Devil of the Sea, but survived because she was already a ghost. Her account opens up Mishka’s memories, and she realizes that part of her is still with the Sea Devil and has to be retrieved.
By this point, Pamfil has gone through three different styles: two manga-influenced, with aggressively cute character designs, and one with a more Euro-comic flavor. Throughout the rest of the book she samples the house style of Adventure Time, an angular and gothic expressionist style which features both a soft and misty sepia tone, a detailed and dusky-colored indie style, and more. It would be hard not to admire her flexible, creative mind as it churns out more and more wholly realized sets.
By the fourth chapter, the women are confronted by the inhabitants of the island, who luckily do know how to speak English. They have extra information about the quest, in a striking coincidence. So Mishka, the Admiral, and Captain Furball are joined by a tribesman, Awaweko, who suffers from an unfortunate case of Sidekick Dialect—he mostly refers to himself in the third person.
This, coupled with Pamfil’s habit of leaning heavily on explication and exclamation in her characters’ dialogue, might tire older teen and adult readers. Moreover, Mishka’s is a journey with a goal solved by coincidental meetings, with complications to the plot that, when discovered and unraveled in a single chapter, end up not being that complex. For that reason, Mishka and the Sea Devil is best suited to elementary age readers who can revel in the dazzle of characters whose environments and aspects change from page to page, and a story that stays light, fun, and on its set path to a satisfying resolution for all involved.
Mishka and the Sea Devil by Xenia Pamfil ISBN: 9781632290700 Action Lab Entertainment, 2014 Publisher Age Rating: age 8-12
Highlights from the past week, with commentary from the NFNT gang:
Above the Dreamless Dead: World War I in Poetry and Comics (First Second, 9781626720657) Jennifer W: I would personally like to read Above the Dreamless Dead. It’s not the kind of thing I’d usually enjoy, but I discovered WWI poetry as a teen and was obsessed with it for a while.
An Age of License (Fantagraphics, 9781606997680) Andrew S: This falls into the same type of category as Lucy Knisley’s first book, French Milk, but Lucy’s storytelling abilities and artistic talents have grown tremendously since then and the mix of life, crushes, and journeys is beautifully told.
Batwoman Volume 4: This Blood is Thick (DC Comics, 9781401249991) Thomas: Batwoman’s artwork continues to look so gorgeous my eyes hurt. J.H. Williams III just doesn’t quit.
El Deafo (Amulet, 9781419712173) Andrew S: Everyone needs to go read it. Like now. I put El Deafo in the fictional realistic biographical section, similar to Drama by Raina Telgemeier. I had the chance to meet Cece Bell at BookExpo and she was kind, generous, and awesome.
Finder: Third World (Dark Horse, 9781616554675) Jenny: I’ve already put in a request for Finder: Third World. I will read anything Carla Speed McNeil writes/draws, especially if it’s a new Finder story.
Forever Evil (DC Comics, 9781401248918) Thomas: Forever Evil is a neat DC event that gives Lex Luthor an opportunity to begrudgingly play the good guy.
Kill My Mother (Liveright, 9780871403148) Jenny: After reading encouraging NPR and NYT Book Review reviews of Jules Feiffer’s noir detective tale Kill My Mother, I thought it’d be perfect for a future graphic novel discussion.
Library Wars: Love and War Volume 12 (Viz, 9781421569512) Thomas: I am professionally obligated to endorse Kiiro Yumi’s Library Wars to all library-addicted people.
New Lone Wolf and CubVolume 2 (Dark Horse, 9781616553579) Andrew S: The New Lone Wolf and Cub is also something that I can’t wait to pick up.
Noragami: Stray God Volume 1 (Kodansha, 9781612629063) Jessikah: Noragami is something to look out for. It’s a fun story, and I think it will be popular.
Jenny: Ooh, yes, Noragami looks swell. The anime adaptation is quite well done and managed to make me get all emotionally invested, so I expect the source material will be just as good.
Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign Volume 1 (Viz, 9781421571515) Marissa: I really enjoyed Seraph of the End volume 1 and am excited to read the next volume. I don’t usually buy manga for myself anymore, but I was drawn to the summary and artwork in Barnes and Nobles and was not disappointed. I think I may actually buy the second one, as well. And, of course, I told the teen librarian to buy it for our library.
Jenny: I enjoyed the first volume of Seraph of the End, too! I wasn’t expecting much when I picked it up, but it surprised me and now I’m curious to see where the mix of darkly serious and silly tones goes next.
Skip Beat Volume 33 (Viz, 9781421569529) Jenny: Skip Beat is great fun. I always look forward to seeing how nutty, talented Kyoko tackles her next challenge, be it a new role or her wonderfully slow-boil romance. The tension has really ramped up with this arc, so I’m all impatient to get my hands on volume 33.
Walt Disney – the Don Rosa Library Volume 1: Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: The Son of the Sun (Fantagraphics, 9781606997420) Thomas: Don Rosa should be an institution here like he is in Europe.
What Did You Eat Yesterday Volume 4 (Vertical, 9781939130792) Jenny: I want to see how What Did You Eat Yesterday 4 quietly reveals more of its characters’ lives while making me feel hungry and domestically inadequate (but not in a bad way). 🙂
The Wrenchies (First Second, 9781596434219) Andrew S: Like everything that First Second puts out, I can’t get enough of it. The Wrenchies is fantastic. While dystopian tales have been overdone lately, this one will make you think and leave you wondering what reality is, what it can be, and what life is about. Extremely well done and worth owning.
WWE Slam City Volume 1: Finished (Papercutz, 9781597077217) Jennifer W: I don’t know about literary quality, but I can tell you that I have pre-ordered WWE Slam City and expect it to be crazy popular.
LEGEND KORRA ART ANIMATED SERIES HC BOOK 02 SPIRITS
NEW LONE WOLF AND CUB TP VOL 02
PARIAH TP VOL 02
DC Comics
BATWOMAN TP VOL 04 THIS BLOOD IS THICK
FOREVER EVIL HC
JLA EARTH 2 TP NEW ED
MARTIAN MANHUNTER RINGS OF SATURN TP
MR PUNCH 20TH ANNIVERSARY ED HC
Fantagraphics
AGE OF LICENSE GN
DISNEY ROSA DUCK LIBRARY HC VOL 01 SCROOGE SON OF SUN
First Second
ABOVE THE DREAMLESS DEAD WWI IN POETRY & COMICS HC
WRENCHIES GN
Gen Manga
KAMEN GN VOL 01
IDW
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS FORGOTTEN REALMS OMNIBUS TP VOL 02
GI JOE ORIGINS OMNIBUS TP VOL 02
JUDGE DREDD (IDW) TP VOL 05
JUDGE DREDD MEGA CITY TWO TP
MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC TP VOL 05
TMNT NEW ANIMATED ADVENTURES TP VOL 03
TMNT ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SP ED HC
TRANSFORMERS IDW COLL PHASE 2 HC VOL 01
Image
EGOS TP VOL 01 QUINTESSENCE
MERCENARY SEA TP VOL 01
WALKING DEAD HC VOL 10
Kodansha
NORAGAMI STRAY GOD GN VOL 01
Liveright
KILL MY MOTHER GN
Marvel
DARK TOWER GUNSLINGER OMNIBUS HC SLIPCASE
DEADPOOL MINIBUS HC
INFINITY TP
KICK-ASS 3 PREM HC
MMW FAMOUS FIRSTS 75TH ANNIV SLIPCASE SET
OZ OMNIBUS HC
REVENGE SECRET ORIGIN OF EMILY THORNE PREM HC
Papercutz
WWE SLAM CITY HC VOL 01 FINISHED
Seven Seas Entertainment
A CENTAURS LIFE GN VOL 04
ALICE I/T COUNTRY OF CLOVER KNIGHTS KNOWLEDGE GN VOL 02
MAYO CHICKI GN VOL 07
ZEROS FAMILIAR CHEVALIER GN VOL 02
Shambhala
MUSASHI GN
Simon & Schuster
MASTERFUL MARKS CARTOONIST WHO CHANGED THE WORLD HC
Studio Farlaine
FARLAINE GOBLIN TP VOL 01
Titan
A1 PRESENTS CARPE DIEM HC VOL 01 I HATE MONDAYS
ALIEN LEGION DEAD & BURIED OMNIBUS TP
DOCTOR GRORDBORT PRES ONSLAUGHT HC
EPIC CHRONICLES HAGAR THE HORRIBLE HC 1980-81
FOUR HORSEMEN O/T APOCALYPSE HC
VOID HC
Vertical
WHAT DID YOU EAT YESTERDAY GN VOL 04
Viz
BLEACH 3IN1 TP VOL 09
DAWN OF THE ARCANA GN VOL 13
DRAGON BALL 3IN1 TP VOL 06
LIBRARY WARS LOVE & WAR GN VOL 12
MIDNIGHT SECRETARY GN VOL 07
NARUTO 3IN1 TP VOL 09
NISEKOI FALSE LOVE GN VOL 05
ONE PIECE GN VOL 72
PHANTOM THIEF JEANNE GN VOL 04
POKEMON ADVENTURES GN BOX SET VOL 03 RUBY SAPPHIRE
POKEMON ADVENTURES GN VOL 24 FIRE RED LEAF GREEN
POKEMON BLACK & WHITE GN BOX SET VOL 02
SERAPH OF END VAMPIRE REIGN GN VOL 02
SKIP BEAT GN VOL 33
TIME KILLERS GN
YU GI OH 5DS GN VOL 06
Anime
Funimation
Baka and Test Season 1 Collection
Baka and Test Season 2 Collection
Hal – the Movie
NIS America
Love Live! School Idol Project – Season 1
The Right Stuf International
Junjo Romantica – Season 1 Collection
Sentai
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya
Gatchaman Crowds – Complete Collection
Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3 – Complete Collection
Viz
Blood Lad Complete Series
Keep in mind that titles are not always available from book vendors on the same dates as they are released in comic book stores, so not all of these will be available everywhere at the same time. Check with your vendors, just to be sure!
Highlights from the past two weeks, with commentary from the NFNT gang:
Amulet Volume 6: Escape from Lucien (Scholastic/Graphix, 9780545433150)
Ellen: I already read an ARC of the new Amulet, but I’m STILL psyched to have the book coming out! Totally going to grab it and read it again.
Jessikah: Amulet is also a constant favorite on our shelves, and I don’t blame the kids, because I LOVE this series.
Chi’s Sweet Home Volume 11 (Vertical, 9781939130518)
Marissa: I love Chi’s Sweet Home and cannot wait for volume 11! I got a lot of my kids into it, as well. It’s such an adorable series.
Jessikah: I am also happy to see more Chi’s sweet home. My kids eat those volumes alive, and I’m always in need to reorders. Plus, who can resist that cute kitty?
Displaced Persons (Image, 9781632151216)
Gail: I am certainly looking forward to Displaced Persons — have a signed copy in my hands but have not yet had a chance to read it.
Hip Hop Family Tree Volume 2 (Fantagraphics, 9781606997567)
Garrett: I’ve been following Piskor’s Hip-Hop Family Tree on boingboing…really good stuff.
Jellaby Volume 2: Monster in the City (Capstone, 9781434291967)
Jessikah: I am happy to see the second Jellaby back in print. I would love to see a third issue come about. I can dream, right?
Andrew S: I’m also excited about the new release of Jellaby (and I think that he is working on a 3rd volume…or thought I read that somewhere. Maybe. Hopefully.)
Samurai Executioner Omnibus Volume 2 (Dark Horse, 9781616553203)
?Garrett: I’ve always been a fan of the black & white samurai dramas and Dark Horse has been re-releasing Lone Wolf and Cub and Samurai Executioner in omnibus editions. I think that’s great primarily because they were first released in those teeny little pulp-style books, and I found those to be completely infuriating to read. The omnibus editions are about twice as big…the art and text are much easier to digest in addition to the books themselves being easier to hold and read.
Scott Pilgrim Color Edition Volume 5 (Oni, 9781620100042)
Andrew S: I’m happy to see the 5th volume of Scott Pilgrim color coming out. I love the original and the color just really enhances it.
Sisters (Scholastic/Graphix, 9780545540605)
Robin: Yay for Sisters! I got a chance to read this ahead, and it brought back all the joys (and grumpiness) of being a younger sister to my older, much cooler sister. Or so she thought. And I thought too, I admit. 🙂
Jessikah: Yay for Sisters, and all things Raina! (Including the reprint of the Babysitters Club graphic novels.)
Andrew S: Love, love, LOVE Sisters and the latest version of Amulet! Got both at BEA and got Raina to sign Sisters for me. Just as awesome as Smile and Drama.
Rachel: I just read Smile earlier this summer and loved it, so I’m psyched to read Sisters too!
Tales Designed to Thrizzle Volume 1 (Fantagraphics, 9781606997642)
?Garrett: I’d love to have Tales Designed to Thrizzle for my home shelf; alas, I missed the boat on the hardback of volume 1, and now it’s all expensive. Michael Kupperman is a national treasure. I’m dead serious. If you haven’t checked this out or Mark Twain’s Autobiography 1910-2010, I highly suggest you do so.
Tsubasa Omnibus Volume 1 (Kodansha, 9781612625959)
?Jessikah: An omnibus edition of Tsubasa? That’s plain fantastic.
Vinland Saga Volume 4 (Kodansha, 9781612624235)
Thomas: Vinland Saga Volume 4 is essentially the “Red Wedding” of the series and y’all need to hop on board the hype train WOO WOOOOOO
AND NOW FOR THE COMPLETE LIST
The following list of new releases is compiled from Diamond Comic Distributors’ complete weekly shipping list and Anime News Network’s Releases encyclopedia
Graphic Novels
Action Lab
VAMPLETS NIGHTMARE NURSERY HC BOOK 02
Alternative Comics
NIGHT O/T LIVING VIDIOTS GN
Ape Entertainment
RUN LIKE HELL GN
Archie Comics
BEST OF ARCHIE COMICS TP VOL 04
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG ARCHIVES TP VOL 23
BOOM! Studios
ADVENTURE TIME FIONNA & CAKE MATHEMATICAL ED HC
BRAVEST WARRIORS TP VOL 03
DEAD LETTERS TP VOL 01
KILLER OMNIBUS TP VOL 02
SUICIDE RISK TP VOL 03
Caliber Entertainment
CARBON GN
Capstone
JELLABY GN VOL 02 MONSTER IN THE CITY
Comixtribe
RED TEN TP VOL 01
Dark Horse
GUNS OF SHADOW VALLEY HC
SAMURAI EXECUTIONER OMNIBUS TP VOL 02
SECOND CHANCE AT SARAH HC
STAR WARS LEGACY II TP VOL 03 WANTED ANIA SOLO
STAR WARS LUCAS DRAFT DELUXE ED HC BOX SET
DC Comics
BATMAN ARKHAM UNHINGED HC VOL 04
BATMAN ARKHAM UNHINGED TP VOL 03
BATMAN EARTH ONE TP
BATMAN INCORPORATED TP VOL 02 GOTHAMS MOST WANTED
BRIGHTEST DAY OMNIBUS HC
FLASH HC VOL 04 REVERSE
FLASH TP VOL 03 GORILLA WARFARE
GREEN LANTERN WRATH OF THE FIRST LANTERN TP
HE MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE TP VOL 03
INVISIBLES HC BOOK 02 DELUXE EDITION
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK TP VOL 04 THE REBIRTH OF EVIL
KATANA TP VOL 01 SOULTAKER
LUCIFER TP VOL 04
PREACHER TP BOOK 05
Dynamite
DEJAH THORIS & GREEN MEN OF MARS TP VOL 02
GRIMM PORTLAND WU GN
HEART OF THE BEAST HC 20TH ANNV ED
KINGS WATCH TP VOL 01
LEGENDS OF RED SONJA TP VOL 01
PATHFINDER HC VOL 02 TOOTH & CLAW
VAMPIRELLA BITES TP
WARLORD OF MARS TP VOL 04
Fantagraphics
CONSCIENCE OF A CARTOONIST HC
HIP HOP FAMILY TREE GN VOL 02
JIM HC
PEANUTS WAITING FOR GREAT PUMPKIN HC
TALES DESIGNED TO THRIZZLE TP VOL 01
First Second
GIANTS BEWARE GN
ODD DUCK GN
Hermes
PHANTOM COMP SUNDAYS HC VOL 02 1943-1945
Humanoids
EL NINO OMNIBUS HC
MEGALEX HC
IDW
AIRBOY ARCHIVE TP VOL 02
GI JOE SILENT INTERLUDE 30TH ANNV ED HC
MONSTER & MADMAN TP
MY LITTLE PONY TP VOL 03 RETURN OF HARMONY
SINISTER DEXTER TP
TMNT ADVENTURES TP VOL 08
Image
DISPLACED PERSONS OGN
Jet City Comics
HUGH HOWEYS WOOL GN
Kenzer & Co.
KODT BUNDLE OF TROUBLE TP VOL 45
Kickstart Comics
ROBOT CLOWN MOB GN
Kodansha
ATTACK ON TITAN BEFORE THE FALL GN VOL 02
FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 41
HEROIC LEGEND OF ARSLAN GN VOL 01
MISSIONS OF LOVE GN VOL 08
MONSTER SOUL GN VOL 02
MY LITTLE MONSTER GN VOL 03
NEGIMA GN VOL 28 NEW PTG
TSUBASA OMNIBUS GN VOL 01
VINLAND SAGA GN VOL 04
Magnetic Press
ZAYA HC
Marvel
CAPTAIN AMERICA EPIC COLLECTION SOCIETY SERPENTS TP
CAPTAIN AMERICA PREM HC VOL 04 IRON NAIL
DAREDEVIL BY MARK WAID TP VOL 06
DEADPOOL BY DANIEL WAY COMPLETE COLL TP VOL 04
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY BY GILLEN TP VOL 02 COMPLETE COLL
LOKI AGENT OF ASGARD TP VOL 01 TRUST ME
PUNISHER TP VOL 01 BLACK AND WHITE
WINTER SOLDIER TP BITTER MARCH
Microcosm
SNAKEPIT 10 YEAR ANNVERSARY ED GN
NBM
ZOMBILLENIUM HC VOL 02 HUMAN RESOURCES
Oni
SCOTT PILGRIM COLOR HC VOL 05
THE PEOPLE INSIDE HC
Panini
DOCTOR WHO CRUEL SEA GN
Papercutz
DINOSAURS HC VOL 03 JURASSIC SMARTS
LEGO LEGENDS OF CHIMA GN VOL 02 RIGHT DECISION
SMURFS ANTHOLOGY HC VOL 03
TOTO TROUBLE VOL 02 DEADLY JOKESTER
WWE SLAM CITY GN VOL 01 FINISHED
Penguin
LENA FINKLES MAGIC BARREL GN
PS Artbooks
ACG COLL WORKS ADV INTO UNKNOWN SLIPCASE ED VOL 08
ACG COLL WORKS FORBIDDEN WORLDS HC VOL 07
ACG COLL WORKS FORBIDDEN WORLDS SLIPCASE ED VOL 07
HARVEY HORRORS BLACK CAT MYSTERY SOFTIE TP VOL 03
HARVEY HORRORS COLL PACK BLACK CAT MYSTERY HC ED
ROY THOMAS PRESENTS SHEENA QUEEN JUNGLE VOL 01
Razor Wolf Entertainment
SWORD AND THE BUTTERFLY GN
Rebellion/2000 AD
ABC WARRIORS VOLGAN WAR GN VOL 04
US JUDGE DREDD COMP CASE FILES TP VOL 08
Rorschach Entertainment
BULLYS BULLY TP VOL 01
Scholastic Graphix
AMULET SC VOL 06 ESCAPE FROM LUCIEN
BABY SITTERS CLUB GN VOL 01 KRISTYS GREAT IDEA NEW PTG
SISTERS GN
SMILE SISTERS SC BOX SET
SelfMadeHero
LOVECRAFT ANTHOLOGY TP VOL 02
Seven Seas Entertainment
ALICES ADV IN WONDERLAND & THROUGH LOOKING GLASS GN VOL 01
Adrienne, Bedelia, and Sparky continue their quest to save Adrienne’s sisters in the newest volume of Princeless. The next princess on their list is Adrienne’s middle sister Angoisse. To find her they must travel to a tower located in the middle of a dark and scary swamp full of man-eating goblins, zombies, and a mysterious monster called the Grimmorax. As usual Adrienne and Bedelia’s rescue attempt does not go as planned and instead of landing on Angoisse’s tower they end up deep in the swamp. There follows a series of events involving goblin politics, spa treatments, a run in with the Grimmorax, a case of flaming hair, and a chance encounter with a pack of zombies.
Who doesn’t have a cartoon alter-ego, really? If you don’t, you should cook one up as soon as possible—they can make life a little sweeter. I’ve had one since I was ten, and she’s changed mercifully little in the last twenty years. When I draw my life as my cartoon alter-ego would experience it, everything seems a bit brighter and more manageable. Gronk seems to make life a little lighter for Katie Cook, who developed her adorable alter-ego many years before she started drawing a webcomic featuring the little green monster. Cook started publishing Gronk: A Monster’s Story online in 2010, and volumes one and two collect the first two years of Gronk’s escapades. Here are some important facts about the monster in question: Gronk is green; has shaggy, blond hair; is roly-poly; and is kind, but bumbling. Gronk lives with Dale and her cat and dog, and makes their lives just a little bit weirder and sweeter (and messier!). It’s clear that Gronk is more or less a vehicle for Katie Cook’s musings on life, food, holidays, and nerd culture, and that’s just fine.
The true star of Mishka and the Sea Devil is author and illustrator Xenia Pamfil’s quick change act: each chapter of the nine that make up the book is illustrated in a different style, creating an entirely new atmosphere for each section of the story. Mishka is a fast-paced adventure with a tinge of magical mystery, so the rapid-fire artistic changes coupled with protagonists who never stop moving, meeting new people, and exploring new parts of their island will make it an irresistible treat for younger readers.
