Human Nature: Book 1By Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel, and Jeff Welch208 pages/Abrams ComicArts/$29.99 When an inventive filmmaker like Darren Aronofsky produces a graphic novel, it warrants attention. His work on Black Swan, The Wrestler, and Requiem for a Dream, among other movies, shows an inventive director but also an inquisitive storyteller, examining different aspects of…
Iron Man: Something Strange!By Dean Hale and Douglas HolgateAbrams Fanfare/96 pages/12.99 After three team-up books featuring Spider-Man, the young reader line shines the spotlight on Iron Man and Doctor Strange, and it’s a fun time. Aimed at 5-9-year-old readers, the book ostensibly is about an alien infestation that comes to shellhead’s attention when the Avengers’…
Song of the Lioness Book One: AlannaBy Tamora Pierce, Vita Ayala, and Sam BeckAbrams Fanfare/256 pages/Hardcover (($26.99), Softcover ($17.99) Tamora Pierce crafted Song of the Lioness, a four-part story tracing the making of a hero in the form of twins Alanna and Thom. Across the young adult novels, she dealt with gender and bullying, set…
Devour: A Graphic NovelBy Jazmine Joyner & Anthony PughAbrams ComicArts – Megascope/208 pages/$24.99 Anansi has had a bit of a revival in the last decade or so. The African trickster god has played a significant role in comics and prose, soon to conquer television in the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys. Until then, we…
Phenomena: Matilde’s Quest (Phenomena Book 2) By Brian Michael Bendis and André Lima Araújo Abrams ComicArts/156 pages/$24.99 It has to be said that writer Brian Michael Bendis rarely, if ever, repeats himself. His Ultimate Spider-Man is unlike his New Avengers, which is nothing like his Legion of Super-Heroes, his self-created Takio, or Murder Inc. He…
Fall Through By Nate Powell Abrams ComicArts, 192 pages, $24.99 Artist Nate Powell gained international acclaim for his work on the March trilogy of graphic novels recounting the life and career of the much-missed John Lewis. However, he is more than just that; he’s an acclaimed writer/artist, as seen in the just-released Fall Through. Powell…
MimosaBy Archie BongiovanniSurely Books /272 pages/ $24.99 The world of graphic novels has expanded enough to accommodate material for every age, interest, and persuasion. Itâs refreshing to see imprints arise to direct material to these specific audiences and one of the biggest splashes has come from Abrams; Surely Books, curated by Mariko Tamaki. In just…
Silver: Of Treasures and Thieves Book OneBy Stephan FranckAbrams ComicArts/224 Pages/$24.99 When you think youâve seen every interpretation of vampires, someone comes along to prove you wrong. In this case, Stephan Franck offers us vampires on a heist caper successfully mixing gothic horror and crime noir. Frank, a supervising animator on The Iron Giant, wrote…
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: Lafayette By Nathan Hale Abrams Amulet, 128 pages, $13.99 There really is a Nathan Hale providing guided tours through American history, neatly playing off his namesake’s name recognition. The Eisner-nominated creator has explored the first Hale, the Donner party, and World War I. Here’s back with his eighth fun volume spotlighting…
The Bridge: How the Roeblings Connected Brooklyn to New York By Peter J. Tomasi and Sara DuVall 208 pages, $24.99, Abrams ComicArts Once upon a time, Brooklyn was a city separate from New York, separated by a river and giving rise to vastly different cultures. Yet, people commuted from the Brooklyn shore to Manhattan Island…
On November 17th (the 37th anniversary of Life Day) Abrams ComicArts released Star Wars: The Original Topps Trading Card Series, Volume One, the first in a series of books reprinting all of the Topps trading cards for your perusal. We sat down and talked with the authors, Gary Gerani and Robert V. Conte, over their…
Sing No Evil By JP Ahonen and KP Alare Abrams ComicArts, 181 pages, $24.95 Translating music, meant to be heard live, and print, meant to be imagined in one’s mind, is a challenging task. When the music is heavy metal, a very visceral sort of sound, the challenge is even harder. As a result, artist…
