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FROM HERE ON OUT ALL OUR NEWS AND REVIEWS ARE POSTED ON OUR BLOG.
'GRAPHIC NOVELS FROM EUROPE' SERIES OF After a very-well attended exhibit opening at the French consulate on Tuesday evening the 18th of November (the exhibit can be seen M-F from 12 to 5PM until December 12, 972 5th ave.), The School of Visual Arts hosted a forum with all the authors (De Crecy, David B, Igort, Max, Isabel Kreitz, Jaroslav Rudis and Jaromir 99) the following evening which was packed to the rafters.
See the story on Heidi McDonald's The Beat. |
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| Recent Reviews | ||||||
| MORESUKINE "Sure you'd want to see the normal sights and sounds, but if you're looking for the coolest of the cool shit to do in Japan, this is the book you'll need to carry with you." -Ain'tItCoolNews. com "His engaging manner combined with artwork that is striking as well as realistic, makes Moresukine highly entertaining." -Daily Yomiuri "The assignments range from the expected to the bizarre. The most endearing entries are often where the assignment is vague: when asked about his most awkward social interaction, Schwieger depicts his battle with complicated Japanese toilets. Beautifully evokes the wide range of Japanese culture, from the serene to the absurd." -Publishers Weekly "An intriguing variation of the travelogue comic" "Neither proscribed to the tourist monuments nor opposed to trying them out, Schwieger represents a new kind of visitor-someone who makes an act of observation to get as close to whatever the real Tokyo might be. "Assigment: Para Para" (wherein Schwieger examines Japanese synchronized hip-hop dancing) makes the funny scenes in Lost in Translation look like a bad episode of Full House. "Assignment: Pod Hotel" alone captures in drawing, all the absurdity, profundity and successful literary potential of an outsider's look into Japan." -Publishers Weekly Comics Weekly "What a fun idea" "A hell of a lot of fun to read, and a great idea for a comics/journal blog". -Evan Dorkin |
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| DUNGEON Monstres, Vol. 2 "Packed with action and story payoffs, this is possibly the most exciting yet cohesive volume of the Dungeon series so far. The snappy dialogue and quirky characterization make Dungeon a fun ride!" -Booklist |
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| THE MUSEUM VAULTS ONE OF 30 BEST ADULTS BOOKS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS 'this story has visual puns as well as real insight on art-preservation efforts, resulting in an inspiring and inspired tale.' -School Library Journal "Definitely a winner. Droll and deadpan, filled with dry wit that punctures the pomposity of art criticism." "A gem of a book. It's a slim book but don't be fooled. It's as rich and rewarding as many books three times its length." -Santa Fe New Mexican "As the reader descends into the museum along with the narrator, the sense of being plunged into a subtle and surreal adventure becomes ever more heightened until you find yourself almost literally lost in the book." -Jeff VanderMeer, Amazon "A Kafkaesque catalogue of paradoxes." "Mathieu has a very dry sense of humor running through the book and through Volumer’s journey. Like De Crecy’s earlier book, this is a fascinating effort, and one any serious graphic novel reader will want to own." "A beautiful and absurd play on human nature and the act of creation." "Very droll, highly delightful." -Booklist |
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| THE LINDBERGH CHILD A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF 2008. 'A well-researched account of one of the most controversial true crime cases in American history. Recommended!' 'A good example of the origins of modern forensics, crime-scene investigation, and celebrity hysteria, this work is an excellent choice.' "As for the differences between XXth Century Murder and Victorian Murder, they mainly have to do with the rise of the mass media, and the way impossible mysteries become all the more frustrating when so many people are following the story. Geary's Victorian series was all about the creepy America that was; this new series looks like it'll be about the creepy America that is… A-" "I devour each of Geary's volumes the instant they come out, and I'm running out of superlatives. Just go buy one, already, and you'll be as hooked as I am." "As with his series on Victorian murders, Geary doesn't point fingers or lay blame, but simply lays the case before the reader in a clear and concise manner. For a quick interesting coverage of major cases to get one up to speed on what happened along with a bibliography of further reading -- this is a great place to start." "Showing his customary droll mastery of the short, telling stroke and laconically precise sentence, Geary portends that he'll render the rest of the twentieth century's most celebrated enormities as handsomely as he did the nineteenth's." -Booklist "Rick Geary's version is gripping and grisly precisely because it does away with extracurricular characterization and overt violence, bringing the historical tragedy's full effect into finer focus. The same can be said of his earlier works, especially The Bloody Benders and The Murder of Abraham Lincoln." -Scott Thill, WIRED.com "The Lindbergh Child" is the sort of book that once you pick up, you can't put back down until you're finished. Forget modern murder cases like O.J. Simpson or Robert Blake; once you read "The Lindbergh Child" you'll really understand what it takes to have a sequence of events be named "the crime of the century." Unforgettable, from start to finish."-Comic Book Resources.com "This thoughtful retelling of one of the century's most notorious crimes deserves several readings." |
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| MUTT AND JEFF "A real work of art. I love how these knuckleballs are always scrambling for 50 cents so they can get some ham and eggs. I thought Herriman was the greatest till I started reading Fisher's working-scrub comics. Now I'm not sure." -Tony Millionaire (in the Comics Journal). "A blast to read. There is a lively wackiness to them that still makes them funny today and transcends the decades. A great bit of nostalgic fun!" "Fisher really was a terrific artist and writer, finding characters and themes he could build upon, and creating material that truly set itself apart from others working at that time. An excellent holiday gift." -Marc Mason, Comicswaitingroom.com "Brilliantly constructed. Most strips start with the lanky Mutt stumbling into a new moneymaking scheme that often involves blackening the eye of his diminutive partner Jeff. The scratchy art and rapid-fire comic rhythm takes some getting used to, but once readers get on Fisher's wavelength, just seeing Mutt gamely assert, "Jeff, we're in soft, I just got a job as war correspondent," is enough to generate a smile of anticipation." "The sharp pacing and sardonic wit in Fisher's work set the standard for every newspaper strip that would follow." -Washington Post "Will reward checking out." |
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| METRONOME "*** 1/2. The rare item in the stack: the one that is truly different. Impressive achievement." -The Comics Buyer's Guide "Touching and artful the story is effective, and the way the images build in sequence is stunning." "Thanks to Tanaka's gift with facial expressions and her strong compositional sense, the characters' exhiliration, frustration and desires resonate deeply." "It’s a great testament to the power of telling a story strictly through graphics; there’s nary a word uttered between our lovers. None is needed; their actions say it all." "Tanaka’s strength is definitely the tight focus that each panel has, using it almost like a television camera. By controlling exactly what the reader sees and keeping that focus fixed and narrow, it helps move the story along quickly and effortlessly." "Although hardly as ambiguous as the New Wave movie classic Last Year at Marienbad, Metronome has, Tanaka has disclosed, the same literary inspiration: the existential nouveau roman of Alain Robbe-Grillet. Tanaka's wordless work yields nothing in fascination and high concept to its cinematic forebear." -Booklist |
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| A Treasury of Victorian Murder: Vol. 4: THE FATAL BULLET The Assassination of President Garfield "***1/2. Geary brings history to life with his writing. And his art? Finely detailed, but with his own unusual, quirky style." -The Comics Buyer's Guide "First rate. Superb as always" Publishers Weekly "Subtly expressive low-key wit. First-rate historical graphic novel" Booklist |
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| NO PASARAN VOL. 3 "A tense noir, grounded in a believable but accessible historical reality. It’s sharp, beautifully drawn and full of twists, and it’s well worth your time." -Newsarama.com |
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| DUNGEON Monstres, Vol.1 "Everyone who has read this column knows how much I love the Dungeon series. The art for John-John The Terror is wonderful. Both stories are well above average in terms of fantasy comics" -Jeff Vandermeer, Realms of Fantasy "Tickled my funny bone!" "A great job of adding dimension to the cast of characters that make the Dungeon run." -Booklist |
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| BLUESMAN "Takes you directly into the world of the traveling bluesmen of that era. The story is thoughtful and engaging, and the art work is amazing." -Thedevilsmusic.net "In its knowing play of dark words and raw images, Rob Vollmar and Pablo Callejo's earthy graphic novel tells a tale worth hearing – and seeing. Bluesman, in the end, is a cathartic ghost story. Is there a better description of the blues?" -Laurel Maury, NPR See the complete review |
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| ORDINARY VICTORIES: What is Precious "A subtle, powerful work, using the tools of comic art beautifully." -Publishers Weekly Starred Review "Masterpiece. The best example of graphic-novel realism to date." "Larcenet is witty and varies the mood of the piece so that it became neither too introspective nor too slapstick. That wit shines through in his drawing as much as it does in the dialogue. There's a warmth in Larcenet's work that welcomes the reader in, but the questions he raises offer a challenge as well. We don't just read of Marco's life, we find ourselves asking the same questions he did, and that's why ORDINARY VICTORIES lingers in one's mind long after it's been read." |
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NBM IN SAN DIEGO, a few pics
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| Dirk Schwieger (Moresukine) and Neil Kleid (Brownsville) signing, David Seidman, NBM publicist in background. |
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Publisher Terry Nantier interacting with Cornnell Clarke
(Peanut Butter), Seidman sitting. |
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| Moresukine was premiered at the show and sold briskly! |
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| ...with the help of some frightening character... |
| IN MEMORIAM Rory Root of Comic Relief One of the greatest comics retailers of our day. You will be sorely missed. |
| Rick Geary's Saga of the Bloody Benders makes YALSA (Youth Librarians) 2008 GREAT GRAPHIC NOVEL List. |
| More Reviews |
| LITTLE NOTHINGS "They're at times cute, telling, hilarious, and transcendent–and usually insightful. Well worth checking out. Whether you're laughing with him or cringing at him, odds are you can relate to him. ***1/2" -Ray Sidman, Comics Buyer's Guide "This guy is just like me, and I imagine anyone who reads this will see a little of themselves in him" -Comic Book Resources "One is left feeling comforted by the shared absurdities of life in the 21st century. A charmingly lighthearted stroll through life." "Extraordinary artist." -Booklist "Really delightful – witty, astute, low-key, sweet, and polished, but never fussy. It’s also gorgeous. I just can’t say enough good things about this book. It’s charming, funny and sincere without being saccharine or remotely self-involved." "Trondheim’s art is typically beautiful. He’s taken his craft to a new level here. Highly recommended." "If the Curse of the Umbrella isn't the best thing that NBM has ever published in its 30 years of making graphic albums available to the English-language market, it's one of the top three. Moreover, it's the best showcase for Lewis Trondheim North American readers have yet encountered. these deceptively simple diary comics provide our first, full measure of one of the most important cartoonists of the last 25 years. It's the best new book I've read so far this year, and I can't imagine I'll read a half-dozen better than this one by next January 1. You should really buy it." "Lewis Trondheim tells it honestly, without compulsion, without self-loathing. It is part of NBM’s Comicslit program, aiming to publish graphic novels about the human experience and Little Nothings is nothing if not that." "Fans of James Kochalka's American Elf will find he has an international soulmate in Lewis Trondheim. Quirky, cute, and yet microdetailed with the inflections of a peculiar life, Little Nothings is a hoot..." -The Onion "Beautifully scribbled strips center on such existential hiccups as extreme self-doubt, spontaneous superstitions and unjustified paranoia." -The Washington Post |
| HOUSE OF CLAY "The art transcends what readers would normally expect to find in a graphic novel; any page in this book would not be out of place in a frame on the wall of an art gallery. This is a unique book for thoughtful, mature readers." -School Library Journal "Beautiful graphics. Artfully disturbing tale will appeal to 'shojo alumnae' ages 18+." "For anyone reminiscing about Neil Gaiman’s sense of fantasy or looking for someone with a little “what if…” this is a comic book artist worth watching for." -Feminist Review "Fans of manga stylings, especially shojo should enjoy the art, and the story will reward anyone who has or is about to come of age." "The book is brimming with luscious, pastel-hued drawings, like a fairy tale retold in the pages of a fashion magazine. Beyond their attractiveness, the drawings tell a parallel story in an interesting, nonlinear way." -Santa Barbara News-Press "Gorgeously rendered. The surreal art is lovely." -The Onion "She's an extremely gifted artist; I'd go as far to say that she looks like the second coming of P. Craig Russell. Very few people in comics are doing work that you could compare to hers, and there's always a place on the shelves for someone doing something that looks unique and appealing." "Romantic, Pre-Raphaelite color washes and poses mingle with modern fashions as well as concerns common to both styles’ eras. |
| DINOSAURS ACROSS AMERICA EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD -Library Media Connection "One of 25 outstanding new graphic novels for kids" "An excellent resource to get children interested in geography. Recommended." "I've got a holiday cheat sheet to enable a surgical strike on the bookshelves. Yes, there are dinosaurs on the cover. But this graphic novel is really a geography lesson, as a band of dinos travels throughout the country, picking up snippets of history along the way."-Austin American-Statesman "A winning formula. This is the cool way to learn geography" "Ideal for older elementary-school kids..." -The Onion "Provides an entertaining way to learn information such as a state's nickname and its capital, a few other major cities, and landmarks clearly designated." -Kat Kan, Booklist "Great book for kids interested in state capitals or geography in general. (Or even for kids who aren’t interested in that, but need to learn some of it.)" -ComicMix.com "A terrific job with what turns out to be a snazzy little learning tool." -ComicsWaitingRoom.com "DINOSAURS ACROSS AMERICA is the perfect place for children to begin to study geography. |
| REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST Part Three: Love of Swann, Vol. 1 "Heuet's project continues as a successful venture. The narrative that unfolds is self-contained enough that readers new to the series will be able to embark on a tale with a compelling cast of characters and a satisfying beginning, middle and end within these covers." -School Library Journal "Just as delightful as its predecessors. I have to admit part of what impresses me is that Heuet is trying this at all. I can think of few novels that suggest themselves for comics adaptation less. Yet he pulls it off, adding texture to Proust's immortal prose." "Heuet manages to marry Proust's prose with incredibly detailed cartooning. This results in an admirably accessible edition of Proust's social satire."-Syracuse Post-Standard "Gorgeous Classics Comics-style rendition." "Heuet's translation to sequential art retains the work's distinctive period feel and eye for detail. A useful primer." -Publishers Weekly |
| THE ART OF BRYAN TALBOT With a foreword by comic book legend Neil Gaiman, a very comprehensive stripography and the large format of the book itself, ‘The Art of Bryan Talbot’ is a wonderfully executed celebration of Talbot’s work to date, and it showcases exactly why he is held in such high esteem in the comic book and fantasy art fields. -Judas Kiss "If you're a big Talbot fan this is gonna be a must-have for your collection but for those new to the name, this is great sampling of his work and is a good resource to help find his in-print material." "This is how you do an "Art" book. Bryan Talbot is one of the greatest living artists in our field. Any serious collector of comic or pop culture art will want this excellent work on their shelves."
"Highlight(s) the detailed clarity and exuberant inventiveness of his acclaimed illustrations." |
| THE SAGA OF THE BLOODY BENDERS A SELECTION OF THE 'BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2008' Guest edited by Linda Barry. Rick Geary's Saga of the Bloody Benders makes YALSA (Youth Librarians) 2008 GREAT GRAPHIC NOVEL List. "ONE OF THE BEST COMICS OF 2007. Geary is working on a higher plane than just about every other comics creator in the business." -The Onion A 'Comics Worth Reading' Best Book of 2007 "Just plain old good comic storytelling with juicy subjects". "The grisly details and the uncertainty create an intriguing murder mystery that will appeal to graphic novel readers." "There's a panel of the murderous Kate Bender, that will haunt my dreams for some time to come. An engrossing, meticulously researched and drawn graphic novel and one of the best in Geary's series so far." "His research and story-telling are flawless. He never stretches the facts, or speculates beyond the known. Of course, with juicy sagas such as this, there's no need for hyperbole, "Benders" is just as mesmerizing as previous entries." "Hits the spot. Geary's black-and-white drawings are terrific at conveying this deadly slice of Plains history." "A little gem of a book." -Comics Reporter "All is presented with a sense of dread and an offbeat tone that makes Geary totally unique in the pantheon of great cartoonists. Highly recommended, as are all the other volumes of this wildly entertaining series." -Alan David Doane, Comic Book Galaxy "Exquisite art. Riveting writing." -Publishers Weekly "Another triumphant entry in Geary's Treasury of Victorian Murder series." -Booklist |