Readings for the Graphic Novel Discussion Group @ Main 

Note:  The suggested items below are ones that fit a certain month’s topic and were available in our catalog prior to the meeting date of that month.  The items may no longer be in LFPL’s catalog at this time.  As well, the lists are not meant to be comprehensive but as a guide for those who may not have a title in mind for a meeting.

• Captain America: Sam Wilson
• Captain America: Secret Empire
• Falcon and Winter Soldier (Marvel TV show)

Also: Captain America: Steve Rogers (connects the Sam Wilson and Secret Empire titles but not essential)

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person programs were suspended from April 2020 to June 2021

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March 9, 2020 – (in honor of Eisner Week, March 1st-7th)

The Contract with God trilogy: Life on Dropsie Avenue by Will Eisner

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February 10, 2020 – Hip-Hop Family Tree by Ed Piskor

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January 13, 2020 – Korean-American Comic Creators

Examples:

• Frank Cho
• Amy Chu
• Gene Ha
• Derek Kirk Kim
• Jae Lee
• Jim Lee
• Greg Pak

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December 9, 2019 – BOOM! Studios

Sample titles in the library:

1. Giant Days
2. Gunnerkrigg Court
3. Lumberjanes
4. Mouse Guard
5. The Woods

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November 11, 2019 – Sword and Sorcery Comics

Sample titles in the library:

1. Conan the Barbarian
2. Elric of Melinbone 
3. Freebooters
4. Red Sonja
5. Solomon Kane

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October 14, 2019 – John Constantine, Hellblazer 

• For a list of relevant John Constantine titles available at the Library, click here.

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September 9, 2019 – Latino Comics (in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month 2019) 

• For a list of Latino Comic titles available at the Library, click here.

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August 12, 2019 – The Adventures of Tintin

• For a list of Tintin titles available at the Library, click here.

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July 15 10, 2019 – Canadian Comic Books

• For a list of Canadian Comic titles available at the Library, click here.

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June 10, 2019 – The Dark Phoenix Saga

• For a list of relevant X-Men titles available at the Library, click here.

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May 13, 2019 – The Umbrella Academy

• For a list of titles available at the Library, click here.

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April 8, 2019 – Graphic Jazz

• For a list of comics with jazz themes available at the Library, click here.

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March 11, 2019 – Battle Angel Alita

• For a list of Battle Angel Alita titles available at the Library, click here.

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February 11, 2019 – Black Lightning

• For a list of Black Lightning titles available at the Library, click here.

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January 14, 2019 – Star Wars Comics

• For a list of Star Wars titles available at the Library, click here.

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December 10, 2018 – Aquaman

• For a list of Aquaman titles available at the Library, click here.

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November 12, 2018 – Digital Comics at LFPL

• There are currently over 1,200 free comics that you can view on your computer, tablet, or smartphone!

  

  Biblioboard‘s offerings are primarily comics of the Golden Age (1938-1954) and biographical works of artists and writers. There are also some interesting public domain works from before the Golden Age.Overdrive‘s collection is primarily composed of modern, up to the minute comics from publishers such as BOOM! Studios, DC Comics, Image Comics, and Top Shelf Productions. 
  RBdigital offers comics from Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing.

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October 8, 2018 – Buffy the Vampire Slayer

• For a list of Buffy the Vampire Slayer titles available at the Library, click here.

Major titles set in the WildStorm Universe that can be found in the library:

• 21 Down
• A Man Called Kev
• Batman/Planetary
• Captain Atom: Armageddon
• DV8
• Gen¹³
• Grifter
• Majestic
• Planetary
• Point Blank
• Sleeper
• Stormwatch
• Team 7
• The Authority
• The Midnighter
• The Wildstorm
• Voodoo

• For a list of Ghost in the Shell titles available at the Library, click here.

• As the Crow Flies by Melanie Gillman
• Body Music by Julia Maroah
• Generations by Flavia Biondi
• Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson
• Pregnant Butch: Nine Long Months Spent in Drag by A. K. Williams
• Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe
• Spit and Passion by Cristy C. Road
• This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki
• Tomboy by Liz Prince
• Wandering Son by Takako Shimura

• Batman
• Catwoman
• Dead Boy Detectives
• Gotham Central

• Daredevil

For Vertigo Comics:

• Deadenders

• Point Blank
• Sleeper

• Best American Comics
• Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year
• Creepy Presents
• Dark Horse Presents
• DC Showcase Presents
• Drawn & Quarterly Showcase
• Flight
• Love is Love
• Put the Book Back on the Shelf
• Simon & Kirby Library

• For a list of Black Panther titles available at the Library, click here.

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Monday, January 8, 2018 – As part of LFPL’s New Year, New You, New Gadgets Month, our topic will be Retcons, Reboots, and Rebrands. We will discuss how continuity, legacy, and change shape the stories told in comics.

Some definitions:

• Retcon (or Retroactive Continuity) is the changing of some past event in a comic by a current plot line. It typically involves some kind of alteration or nullification of the previously understood continuity. However, a clever retcon will fit seamlessly with the past continuity though the understanding of events will change.
• Reboot (or Continuity Reboot) is when previously established continuity is ignored in part or completely. Some feel that rather than the old continuity being destroyed, the comic simply recounts the tales of an alternate universe version of the same characters. This interpretation is generally not accepted by the publisher as that comic is now put forward as the new continuity with the older version ceasing to exist.
• Rebrand (or Retool) is when a character changes without the rest of the continuity itself changing. It may be as simple as a costume change, more general as a new set of powers, or as complicated as a total change of the character’s identity. There may be no good reason for the change, other than for marketing purposes.

More terms to consider:

• Continuity is the accumulated history of a character or shared universe that is accepted by the publisher and the community of readers. It is often coherent in the way that a life story seems to be. This means that there may be odd stories or character quirks that exist but are explained or ignored in favor of consistency.
• Legacy characters are ones who take on the identity of a previously established character. Often this is due to the age, disability, or death of the original character.

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December 11, 2017 – The Runaways by Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona

• For a list of The Runaway titles available at the Library, click here.

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November 13, 2017 – Archie Comics

• Afterlife with Archie
• Archie
• Betty & Veronica
• Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
• Jinx
• Josie and the Pussycats
• Jughead
• Sabrina the Teenage Witch
• The Fox

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October 9, 2017 – Monster Comics

What is a “monster comic”?

Usually, it is a horror title that has some kind of non-human creature (demons, vampires, werewolves, giant-sized animals, human-animal hybrids, mummies, etc.) as a main character. Often they are different from the superhero comic where the character looks like a monster (the Beast from X-Men comics) though some superhero comics can be monster comics if the story is about how the monster deals with ostracism, being hunted, body horror, etc. (the Incredible Hulk).

• For a list of comics with monster themes at the Library, please click here.

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September 11, 2017 – Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

September is International Month at the Library and the Main Library will be spotlighting Ireland

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August 14, 2017 – Warren Publishing

• Creepy Archives, Volume 1
• Creepy presents Bernie Wrightson: The definitive collection of Bernie Wrightson’s stories and illustrations from the pages of Creepy and Eerie
• Eerie Archives, Volume 1
• Eerie Archives, Volume 2
• Eerie presents El Cid: The classic Warren Publishing hero’s complete adventures
• The Rook

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July 10, 2017 – Marvel’s Spider-Heroes

• Peter Parker – the original Spider-Man
• Gwen Stacy – a.k.a. Spider-Gwen
• Jessica Drew – Spider-Woman
• Ben Reilly – Scarlet Spider
• May Parker – Spider-Girl
• Gus Beezer – Peter Parker’s cousin
• Anya Corazon – Araña
• Spider-Man Noir – an alternate universe Peter Parker whose adventures take place during the Great Depression
• Miles Morales – the Ultimate Spider-Man
• The Superior Spider-Man – Dr. Octopus’ mind in Peter Parker’s body
• Cindy Moon – Silk
• Spider-verse – every variation of Spider-Man ever…including Spider-Ham!
• Web-warriors – Peter Parker teaming up with alternate versions of himself
• Spidey – young Peter Parker’s adventures

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June 12, 2017 – Wonder Woman

For a list of LFPL titles with Wonder Woman as lead or major character, please click here.

NOTE: The feature film, Wonder Woman, will be released on June 2, 2017.

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May 8, 2017 – IDW Publishing

• 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith
• Dragon Age by Orson Scott Card, Aaron Johnson, and Mark Robinson
• Groom Lake by Chris Ryall
• Kill Shakespeare by Conor McCreary and Anthony Del Col
• Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez
• Richard Stark’s Parker by Darwyn Cooke
• Smoke and Mirrors by Mike Costa
• The Dreamer by Laura Innes
• The Keep by F. Paul Wilson and Matthew Smith
• The Legend of Grimjack by John Ostrander and Timothy Truman

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April 10, 2017 – Telling My Story: Comic Biographies

At this time, LFPL has 155 items that are available if you search for comic biographies.  I have read a few comic biographies in the recent past and can suggest the following:

• • Action Philosophers by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey

• • Andre the Giant: Life and Legend by Brian Brown

• • Ghetto Klown by John Leguizamo, Christina Cassano, and Shamus Beyale

• • Pioneering Cartoonists of Color by Tim Jackson

• • She Changed Comics: The Untold Story of the Women who Changed Free Expression in Comics by Betsy Gomez

• The Fifth Beatle by Vivek J. Tiwary and Andrew C. Robinson

For the full list of LFPL titles, click here.

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March 13, 2017 – Savory Stories: Food and Comics

• An Age of License: A Travelogue by Lucy Knisely
• Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory
• Delicious! by Jacob Chabot, Ian McGinty, Jorge Monlongo, and Stephanie Buscema
• Displacement by Lucy Knisely
• French Milk by Lucy Knisely
• Get Jiro! by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose
• In Clothes Called Fat by Moyoko Anno
• iZombie by Chris Roberson and Mike Allred
• Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisely
• Seconds by Bryan O’Malley
• Too Much Coffee Man by Shannon Wheeler
• What Did You Eat Yesterday? by Fumi Fumi Yoshinaga
• Wonton Soup by James Stokoe

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February 13, 2017 – DC Comics in Other Media (Movies, Cartoons, and TV)

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January 9, 2017 – Diversity and Representation in the “All New, All Different universe of Marvel Comics

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December 12, 2016 – Love and Rockets by Los Bros Hernandez

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November 14, 2016 – Marvel Comics’ Doctor Strange

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October 10, 2016 – Hellboy by Mike Mignola

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September 12, 2016 – Understanding Comics

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August 8, 2016 – The Valiant Entertainment Universe

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July 11, 2016 – Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore

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June 2016 – The Private Eye by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin

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May 2016 – NO MEETING IN MAY

However, Happy 4th Anniversary!!!

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Ripped from the pages of New Avengers, the Eisner Award-winning team of Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev present an explosive hidden story of Marvel’s secret past, the secret history of Marvel’s most secret team – how they came together and how they are ripped apart. Plus: Spidey’s got a new lease on life, new powers and a new costume, courtesy of his new best friend Tony Stark. So what could possibly …More

Civil War By Millar, Mark Illustrator McNiven, Steve 2008-11 – Marvel Comics Group 9780785121787 Check Our Catalog

Contains materials originally published in magazine form as Civil War #1-7, Marvel Spotlight: Civil war, and Civil War script book. …More

Captain America By Brubaker, Ed Illustrator Perkins, Mike Illustrator Weeks, Lee 2007-05 – Marvel Comics 9780785127987 Check Our Catalog

Captain America has fallen into a clash with his government and his friends, and the people close to him are paying the price. The life of Cap’s girlfriend, Agent 13, is torn apart as her superiors use her divided loyalties against her. Elsewhere, a new villain emerges; the Red Skull begins to make himself known; and the Winter Soldier again comes face-to-face with Cap. But which side will he …More

Iron Man Civil War By Gage, Christos N. Author Knauf, Daniel Author Knauf, Charlie 2007-06 – Marvel Comics Group 9780785123149 Check Our Catalog

Two tales of suspense ripped from the pages of Civil War! Captain America has fallen into a clash with his government and his friends, and the people close to him are paying the price. The life of Cap’s girlfriend, Agent 13, is torn apart as her superiors use her divided loyalties against her. Elsewhere, a new villain emerges; the Red Skull begins to make himself known; and the Winter Soldier …More

Civil War: Thunderbolts By Nicieza, Fabian Illustrator Grummett, Tom Text by (Art/Photo Books) Nicieza, Fabian 2007-04 – Marvel Comics 9780785119470 Check Our Catalog

The superhuman registration act has been signed into law – sides are being chosen – but what side do our former villains fall on? Well… their identities are already public knowledge – and they sure can get good publicity by hunting down renegade heroes, so… time for the T-Bolts to kick some spandex butt! Plus: Zemo and Songbird? When did that happen? A new base, a new mission statement, and a …More

Civil War By Straczynski, J. Michael Author McDuffie, Dwayne Illustrator McKone, Mike 2007-05 – Marvel Comics Group 9780785122272 Check Our Catalog

One member of the Fantastic Four lies hospitalized, a casualty of the Civil War that has fragmented the superhuman community. Amid the tumult and tensions, the Fantastic Four break up. Who will toe the line, who will join the resistance, and who will leave the battlefield altogether? …More

Civil War: War Crimes By Tieri, Frank Illustrator Johnson, Staz 2007-05 – Marvel Comics 9780785126522 Check Our Catalog

Wilson Fisk, the incarcerated ex-Kingpin of Crime, has a deal to propose to Iron Man: He’ll use his underworld connections to help track down Captain America and his anti-Registration underground in exchange for consideration on his sentence. This volume collects “Civil War: War Crimes” and “Underworld” issues #1-#5. Older teens. …More

Civil War: Peter Parker, Spider-Man By Aguirre-Sacasa, Roberto Illustrator Crain, Clayton Illustrator Medina, Angel 2007-05 – Marvel Comics Group 9780785121893 Check Our Catalog

The War has begun, sides have been chosen, and the die has been cast! With the repercussions of recent events in Civil War spreading across the Marvel Universe, see how every action can have enormous consequences – even in Peter Parker’s life. Collects Sensational Spider-Man #28-34. …More

Young Avengers & Runaways By Wells, Zeb Illustrator Caselli, Stefano 2007-05 – Marvel Comics Group 9780785123170 Check Our Catalog

As the public turns against Marvel’s heroes, the gears of Civil War threaten to crush Brian K. Vaughan’s Runaways. But when Allan Heinberg’s Young Avengers offer their assistance, how can the Runaways believe they’re on the same side? Don’t miss this Civil War tie-in that promises to have lasting repercussions for both popular teams! Collects Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways #1-4. …More

Civil War By Bendis, Brian Michael Illustrator Chaykin, Howard Illustrator Ferry, Pasqual 2007-08 – Marvel Comics Group 9780785124467 Check Our Catalog

The Civil War is on, and no book is more affected than New Avengers. The Avengers are about to go to war over their beliefs, and the shake-up will shock fans. This volume collects “New Avengers” issues #21-#25. Young adult. …More

Civil War Front Line By Jenkins, Paul Illustrator Bachs, Ramon Text by (Art/Photo Books) Jenkins, Paul 2007-05 – Marvel Comics 9780785123125 Check Our Catalog

There’s a truth buried deep in the heart of every war, and reporters SallyFloyd and Ben Urich will be there, uncovering that truth in the midst of the biggest conflagration in the Marvel Universe! In the wake of the Stamford disaster, the public cries out for super-hero registration. Are the costumed heroes of the Marvel Universe protectors or ticking time bombs? And in “Civil War …More

Spider-Man By Straczynski, J. Michael Text by (Art/Photo Books) Aguirre-Sacasa, Roberto Text by (Art/Photo Books) David, Peter 2011-01 – Marvel Comics 9780785148821 Check Our Catalog

Life couldn’t be more complicated – or more dangerous – for Peter Parker. After rushing to the aftermath of the Stamford Massacre, he travels with Tony Stark to Washington, D.C., where the enactment of the Superhuman Registration Act appears imminent. As the Marvel Universe braces for the implications of legislation that will forever change the societal status of super heroes, Peter is forced to …More

Civil War: Amazing Spider-Man Tpb By Straczynski, J. Michael Illustrator Garney, Ron Text by (Art/Photo Books) Straczynski, J. Michael 2007-05 – Marvel Comics 9780785122371 Check Our Catalog

As the Marvel Universe braces for the implications of legislation that will forever change the societal status of super heroes, Peter Parker is forced to make an important personal decision–maybe the most important decision of his life. …More

Marvel Universe By Slott, Dan Author Brubaker, Ed Author Bendis, Brian Michael 2007-06 – Marvel Comics 9780785124702 Check Our Catalog

Civil War is encompassing the entire Marvel Universe, and the effects of the war are being felt by every hero, villain, and civilian. This volume collects “Winter Soldier: Winter Kills, Civil War: Choosing Sides, Civil War: The Return,” and “She-Hulk” #8. Young adult. …More

Civil War: Wolverine By Guggenheim, Marc Illustrator Ramos, Humberto 2007-05 – Marvel Comics Group 9780785119807 Check Our Catalog

In the aftermath of the Stamford tragedy, Logan makes it his personal mission to take down the man responsible. No sooner does he begin his hunt, however, than he discovers someone else is stalking the same prey: a mysterious trio whose identity, and disturbing mission, will come as a shock to many! If Logan’s unsettled by who these guys are, then just wait until he discovers who they answer to! …More

Civil War X-Men: A Marvel Comics Event By Hine, David Illustrator Paquette, Yanick 2007-04 – Marvel Comics 9780785123132 Check Our Catalog

Enough is enough! The tension between the X-Men, the 198 and the O*N*E* has finally reached a breaking point. As Civil War rips apart the Marvel Universe, the X-Men also find themselves crumbling from the inside out. Will they admit defeat, or will they finally start to fight back? Collects Civil War: X-Men #1-4. …More

X-Men Universe By Nicieza, Fabian Author David, Peter Illustrator Calero, Dennis 2007-05 – Marvel Comics Group 9780785122432 Check Our Catalog

Hot on the heels of both smash hits “House of M” and “Son of M,” Quicksilver returns. But is he friend or foe? Complicating matters even more, the divisiveness of Civil War has spread to X-Factor. Its Jamies choice that may well decide whether X-Factor stays together or cracks apart. This volume collects “Cable & Deadpool” #30-#32, and “X-Factor” #8-#9. Older teens. …More

The Death of Captain America By Brubaker, Ed Illustrator Epting, Steve Illustrator Perkins, Mike 2007-12 – Marvel Comics 9780785128496 Check Our Catalog

The death of Captain America! Leaping from the final pages of Civil War, this is the biggest Cap story that Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting have yet to tell – guaranteed to stun readers and send shockwaves through the entire Marvel Universe for the next year! As repercussions ripple outward, the Winter Soldier finally chooses a side, after the Civil War has ended – his own. But what are the Red Skull …More

In the vein of “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,” Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author Hedges and American Book Award-winning cartoonist Sacco bring a searing on-the-ground report on the crisis gripping underclass America. …More

Footnotes in Gaza By Sacco, Joe 2009-12 – Metropolitan Books 0805073477 Check Our Catalog

From the great cartoonist-reporter comes a sweeping, original investigation of a forgotten crime in the most tormented of places. Spanning 50 years and moving fluidly between one war and the next, “Footnotes in Gaza” captures the essence of a tragedy. …More

Journalism By Sacco, Joe Illustrator Sacco, Joe 2012-06 – Metropolitan Books 9780805094862 Check Our Catalog

A first for the world’s greatest cartoon reporter, a collection of journalism, including articles on the American military in Iraq that have never been published in the United States. …More

Palestine By Sacco, Joe Illustrator Sacco, Joe Introduction by Said, Edward W. 2001-12 – Fantagraphics Books 9781560974321 Check Our Catalog

Awards:
Firecracker Alternative Book Award (2002)

Based on years of research and extended visits to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the early 1990s, “Palestine” is the first major comics work of political nonfiction by Sacco. …More

Fixer By Sacco, Joe 2003-10 – Drawn & Quarterly 1896597602 Check Our Catalog

When bombs are falling and western journalism is the only game left in town, local “fixers” sell war correspondents the human tragedy and moral outrage that makes news editors back home happy. American Book Award winner Sacco goes behind the scene of war correspondence to reveal the anatomy of the big scoop. …More

The Great War: July 1, 1916: The First Day of the Battle of the Somme By Sacco, Joe 2013-11 – W. W. Norton & Company 9780393088809 Check Our Catalog

Awards:
L.A. Times Book Prize (2013), Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award (2014)

Launched on July 1, 1916, the Battle of the Somme has come to epitomize the madness of the First World War. Almost 20,000 British soldiers were killed and another 40,000 were wounded that first day, and there were more than one million casualties by the time the offensive halted. In The Great War, acclaimed cartoon journalist Joe Sacco depicts the events of that day in an extraordinary, …More

War’s End: Profiles from Bosnia 1995-96 By Sacco, Joe 2005-06 – Drawn & Quarterly 1896597920 Check Our Catalog

War cartoonist Sacco visits the Bosnian conflict to uncover the stories that are often ignored or uncovered by traditional media and gives the reader an inside peek at the darkly humorous news process. …More

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January 2016 – Dystopian Narratives in Comics

Akira, Volume 1 By Otomo, Katsuhiro 2009-10 – Kodansha Comics 9781935429005 Check Our Catalog Welcome to Neo-Tokyo, built on the ashes of a Tokyo annihilated by a blast of unknown origin that triggered World War III. The lives of two streetwise teenage friends, Tetsuo and Kaneda, change forever when paranormal abilities begin to waken in Tetsuo, making him a target for a shadowy agency that will stop at nothing to prevent another catastrophe like the one that leveled Tokyo. At the core of …More

Attack on Titan 1 By Isayama, Hajime 2012-06 – Kodansha Comics 9781612620244 Check Our Catalog Humanity’s numbers have been decimated, and the remaining population lives inside an immense walled city to protect them from the monstrous and mysterious titans in this bestselling manga series that marries “The Passage” and “The Walking Dead.” …More

East of West, Volume 1: The Promise By Hickman, Jonathan Illustrator Dragotta, Nick 2013-09 – Image Comics 9781607067702 Check Our Catalog .This is the world. It is not the one we wanted, but it is the one we deserved. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse roam the Earth, signaling the End Times for humanity, and our best hope for life, lies in DEATH ” …More

Freakangels, Volume 1 By Ellis, Warren Illustrator Duffield, Paul 2008-11 – Avatar Press 9781592910564 Check Our Catalog Twenty-three years ago, twelve strange children were born in England at exactly the same moment. Six years ago, the world ended. Today, eleven strange 23-year-olds live in and defend Whitechapel, maybe the last real settlement in flooded London. When a dazed, gun-toting girl appears on the outskirts with a deadly grudge against the self-proclaimed Freakangels, the kids realize that an old enemy is …More

Lazarus Volume 1 Tp By Rucka, Greg Author Lark, Michael Illustrator Lark, Michael 2013-10 – Image Comics 1607068095 Check Our Catalog Collecting the first four issues of the Eisner-winning team of Rucka and Lark’s critically acclaimed new series about Forever Carlyle, the Lazarus of the Carlyle Family. Included is the previously only-available-online, four-page short, “Family: Prelude.” In a dystopian near-future, government is a quaint concept, resources are coveted, and possession is 100% of the law. A handful of Families …More

The Incal: The Epic Conspiracy – Volume 1 By Jodorowsky, Alexandro Illustrator Moebius 2005-02 – DC Comics 1401206298 Check Our Catalog Moebius, the internationally acclaimed illustrator of countless graphic novels and film designer for Alien, Blade Runner and The Fifth Element first influenced a generation with The Incal. John Difool, a low class detective in a degenerate world, finds his life turned upside down when he discovers an ancient artifact called “The Incal.”–Difool’s adventures will bring him into conflict with the …More

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys By Way, Gerard Author Simon, Shaun Editor Hahn, Sierra 2014-05 – Dark Horse Comics 9781595824622 Check Our Catalog Years ago, the Killjoys fought against the tyrannical megacorporation Better Living Industries, costing them their lives, save for one–the mysterious Girl. Today, the followers of the original Killjoys languish in the Desert while BLI systematically strips citizens of their individuality. As the fight for freedom fades, it’s left to the Girl to take up the mantle and bring down the fearsome BLI …More

The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye By Kirkman, Robert Author Moore, Tony, Mphil Illustrator Moore, Tony 2013-02 – Image Comics 9781582406725 Check Our Catalog Statements of responsibility vary from issue to issue. …More

The Wrenchies By Dalrymple, Farel 2014-07 – First Second 9781596434219 Check Our Catalog Sherwood and Orson should never have gone into that cave. That day, a door was opened to a dark and profane realmNand Earth’s destiny was changed forever. Comics legend Dalrymple brings his literary and artistic powers to bear in this sprawling science-fiction graphic novel about regret, obsession, and the uncertainty of growing up. …More

V for Vendetta By Moore, Alan Illustrator Lloyd, David 2008-10 – Vertigo 9781401208417 Check Our Catalog In an alternate future in which Germany wins World War II and Britain becomes a fascist state, a vigilante named “V” tries to free England of its ideological chains. …More

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December 2015 – The World of Webcomics

There are so many great webcomics out there and some have been collected in paper form.

The following items can be found in LFPL’s collection:

5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (and Other Useful Guides) [With Poster] By Oatmeal 2011-03 – Andrews McMeel Publishing 9781449401160 Check Our Catalog

In Inman’s work, samurai sword-wielding kittens and hamsters that love .50-caliber machine guns commingle with a cracked-out Tyrannosaur that is extremely hard to potty train. Inman creates these quirky scenes for theoatmeal.com. …More

The Adventures of Dr. McNinja: Night Powers By Hastings, Chris Author Cereno, Benito Illustrator Hastings, Chris 2011-05 – Dark Horse Comics 9781595827098 Check Our Catalog

Award-winning cartoonist Chris Hastings brings you the first three full-colour story arcs of Dr. McNinja, as well as an exclusive-to-print story by Benito Cereno and Les McClaine …More

Battlepug, Volume 2: This Savage Bone By Norton, Mike Illustrator Norton, Mike 2013-08 – Dark Horse Comics 9781616552015 Check Our Catalog

When the Warrior was just a child, the beast mage Catwulf destroyed his village. Since then, the Warrior has become strong, and he will have his vengeance Joined by his trusty steed and friend Battlepug, a crazy loon, elite warrior Black Sasha, and a foul-mouthed child mage named Bryony, the group will not be denied revenge, but are they ready to meet on of the most powerful mages in the world in …More

The Best of the Joy of Tech By Nitrozac Joint Author Snaggy 2003-12 – O’Reilly Media 0596005784 Check Our Catalog

Frustrated and frazzled by technology? Or perhaps your cynicism is starting to wane? “The Joy of Tech is just the boost you need to get a fresh and funny look at the geek world and restore your sense of humor along the way. With a style that’s simultaneously retro and modern, smart and sexy, “The Joy of Tech comics poke fun at the latest cultural and technological trends, including those mired …More

Earthsong Vol 1 By Yates, Crystal Author Yates, Lady Illustrator Yates, Lady 2006-06 – Seven Seas 9781933164151 Check Our Catalog

The top-ranking, fan-favorite webcomic comes to print!

A young woman named Willow awakens to find herself on a mystical world with no memories of her former life. She soon discovers that not only are the residents of this world fantastical creatures of ancient lore, but the planet itself is alive and conscious… and in grave danger! Caught in the middle of a terrible struggle, Willow …More

Epic Legends of the Magic Sword Kings By Holkins, Jerry Illustrator Krahulik, Mike 2006-09 – Dark Horse Comics 1593075413 Check Our Catalog

Verily, the heroes of “Penny Arcade” return in the second volume of valiant chivalric deeds of brave heroism, heroic gallantry, and bravery. Collecting all the “Penny Arcade” strips posted online from 2001 and 2002, “Volume 2” includes creator commentary and a sketchbook section. …More

Freakangels, Volume 1 By Ellis, Warren Illustrator Duffield, Paul 2008-11 – Avatar Press 9781592910564 Check Our Catalog

Twenty-three years ago, twelve strange children were born in England at exactly the same moment. Six years ago, the world ended. Today, eleven strange 23-year-olds live in and defend Whitechapel, maybe the last real settlement in flooded London. When a dazed, gun-toting girl appears on the outskirts with a deadly grudge against the self-proclaimed Freakangels, the kids realize that an old enemy is …More

Get Your War On: The Definitive Account of the War on Terror, 2001-2008 By Rees, David Introduction by Taibbi, Matt 2008-10 – Soft Skull Press 9781593762131 Check Our Catalog

In 2001, Rees began a comic strip on his Web site that depicted office workers and their vociferous and profane commentary on the so-called War on Terror. “Get Your War On” combines the original strips as well as new material created in the last three years. …More

Girl Genius Omnibus, Volume One: Agatha Awakens By Foglio, Phil Author Foglio, Kaja 2012-02 – Tor Books 9780765331328 Check Our Catalog

Girl Genius, the multiple Hugo Award winning steampunk webcomic by Phil and Kaja Foglio, now collected in hardcover

The Industrial Revolution has become all-out war Mad Scientists, gifted with the Spark of genius, unleash insane inventions on an unprepared Europe. For centuries, the Heterodyne family of inventors kept the peace, but the last Heterodyne disappeared twenty years ago, leaving …More

Gunnerkrigg Court, Volume 1 Orientation By Siddell, Thomas 2015-04 – Archaia 9781608867035 Check Our Catalog

Archaia’s beloved Gunnerkrigg Court makes its paperback debut

Antimony Carver is a precocious and preternaturally self-possessed young girl starting her first year of school at gloomy Gunnerkrigg Court, a very British boarding school that has robots running around along side body-snatching demons, forest gods, and the odd mythical creature. The opening volume in the series follows …More

Hark! A Vagrant By Beaton, Kate 2011-09 – Drawn & Quarterly 1770460608 Check Our Catalog

“Hark! A Vagrant” takes readers on a romp through history and literature–with dignity for few and cookies for all–with comic strips about famous authors, their characters, and political and historical figures, all drawn in Kate Beaton’s pared-down, excitable style. This collection features favorite stories as well as new, previously unpublished content. Whether she’s writing about Nikola Tesla, …More

How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You By Oatmeal Author The Oatmeal Author Inman, Matthew 2012-10 – Andrews McMeel Publishing 9781449410247 Check Our Catalog

Mr. Oats delivers a sidesplitting serving of cat comics in a hilarious, brilliant offering from the creative wonderland at TheOatmeal.com. It presents fan favorites, such as “Cat vs. Internet,” “How to Pet a Kitty,” and “The Bobcats,” plus 15 brand-new, never-before-seen cat jokes. …More

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened By Brosh, Allie 2013-10 – Touchstone Books 9781451666175 Check Our Catalog

Collects autobiographical, illustrated essays and cartoons from the author’s popular blog and related new material that humorously and candidly deals with her own idiosyncrasies and battles with depression. …More

Megatokyo Datapack, Volume 1-3 By Gallagher, Fred Illustrator Gallagher, Fred 2014-05 – Dark Horse Comics 9781595828231 Check Our Catalog

Mayhem and possibly love await irrepressible Otaku, Piro, and his game-obsessed freakazoid friend, Largo, as they go on unexpected adventures while stranded in Japan in the first of Gallagher’s three-volume set. …More

Mom’s Cancer By Fies, Brian 2006-03 – HNA Books 0810958406 Check Our Catalog

The winner of the 2005 Eisner Award in the category of Best Digital Comic for the original Web version, “Mom’s Cancer” is now available as a graphic novel. It offers an honest, unflinching, and sometimes humorous look at the practical and emotional effect that serious illness can have on patients and their families. …More

Nimona By Stevenson, Noelle Illustrator Stevenson, Noelle 2015-05 – Harper Teen 9780062278234 Check Our Catalog

Awards:
National Book Awards (2015)

National Book Award Finalist

The graphic novel debut from rising star Noelle Stevenson, based on her beloved and critically acclaimed web comic, which Slate awarded its Cartoonist Studio Prize, calling it “a deadpan epic.”

Nemeses Dragons Science Symbolism All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive …More

The Nodwick Chronicles V: Tour of Doodie: A Henchman Collection of Nodwick 25-30 By Williams, Aaron 2006-08 – Dork Storm Press 1933288116 Check Our Catalog

…More

Red Meat By Cannon, Max Foreword by Griffith, Bill 1997-11 – St. Martin’s Griffin 031218302X Check Our Catalog

Currently featured in over 50 alternative weeklies and college newspapers, “Red Meat” is quickly becoming one of the most popular alternative comic strips in the country. The official “Red Meat” Web site averages 30,000 page views a week. This collection offers readers a peek at the strip that’s caused all the commotion. …More

Step Aside, Pops: A Hark! a Vagrant Collection By Beaton, Kate 2015-09 – Drawn & Quarterly 9781770462083 Check Our Catalog

The “New York Times “bestseller, featured on the “Washington Post” best of 2015 list” “

Somewhere in my heart is a folder titled Things I Did Not Know I Wanted and it is full of Kate Beaton comics Sharp, charming, and weird, ” Step Aside, Pops” is a fine sampling of Beaton’s work, and I can’t recommend it enough. “NPR”

Nobody’s ever gotten so much comedy out of omitting …More

User Friendly: The Comic Strip By Frazer, J. D. 1999-10 – O’Reilly Media 1565926730 Check Our Catalog

One of the funniest, most off-beat and original comic strips to come along in years–“User Friendly”–tells the story of Columbia Internet, a friendly, hardworking ‘Net service provider. This humorous title provides an outsiders lighthearted look at the world of the hard-core geek and allows those who make their living dwelling in this world a chance to laugh at themselves. …More

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November 2015 – Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the Vol 01 By Moore, Alan and O’Neill, Kevin Check Our Catalog Presented in this edition is the League’s first adventure along with the illustrators’ masterful sketchbook. …More

League of Extraordinary Gentleman, the Vol 02 By Moore, Alan and O’Neill, Kevin Check Our Catalog Awards: Bram Stoker Awards (2003) The inspiration behind the blockbuster movie, “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 2” once again uses classic characters from familiar literature to tell a tale of epic proportions in Victorian England. When alien invaders from Mars mercilessly attack London, the throne quickly calls upon the League to defend against the invasion with their various skills and intellect. …More

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier By Moore, Alan and O’Neill, Kevin Check Our CatalogNow, after many years, the still youthful Mina Murray and a rejuvenated Allan Quatermain return and are in search of some answers that can only be found in a book buried deep in the vaults of their old headquarters, a book that holds the key to the hidden history of the League throughout the ages: The Black Dossier. …More

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume III: Century #1 1910 By Moore, Alan and O’Neill, Kevin Check Our Catalog The new volume detailing the exploits of Miss Wilhelmina Murray and her extraordinary colleagues spans almost 100 years. …More

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume III: Century #2 1969 By Moore, Alan and O’Neill, Kevin Check Our Catalog Take a group of extraordinary literary figures like Allan Quartermain, Captain Nemo, Dr. Jekyll, the Invisible Man and Mina Harker and put them together to save England from its enemies. …More

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume III: Century #3 2009 By Moore, Alan and O’Neill, Kevin Check Our CatalogIn Chapter Three, the narrative draws to its cataclysmic close in London 2008. The magical child whose ominous coming has been foretold for the past hundred years has now been born and has grown up to claim his dreadful heritage. …More

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Art & Music at the Library

October 2015 – Sound and Vision, an examination of works influenced by or that are about music.

• 20th Century Boys
• Baby’s in black : Astrid Kirchherr, Stuart Sutcliffe, and the Beatles
• BB Wolf & the Three LPs
• Beck
• Chicken with plums
• Comic book tattoo : narrative art inspired by the lyrics and music of Tori Amos
• Doomboy
• Fatale. Book Four, Pray for rain
• The fifth Beatle : the Brian Epstein story
• Ghost World
• Godspeed : the Kurt Cobain graphic
• High school musical mystery
• Jay-Z : hip-hop icon
• Klezmer. Book 1 : tales of the wild East
• Long Hot Summer
• Marceline and the Scream Queens
• Music for Mechanics (Love and Rockets collection, vol. 1)
• My life in a jugular vein : Snakepit comics 2004-2006
• Nana
• One model nation
• Phonogram
• Put the book back on the shelf : a Belle and Sebastian anthology
• Runaways : Rock zombies
• Scott Pilgrim
• Shake, rattle & turn that noise down! : how Elvis shook up music, me, and mom
• The Snake Pit Book
• Today is the last day of the rest of your life
• Tricked : a graphic novel
• Umbrella Academy
• The Wicked + the Divine
  

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International Month at the Library

Note: The Main Library will be doing programs that focus on China.

September 2015 – Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang This month we will be discussing the companion pair of graphic novels put out by Gene Yang that look at the turbulent period of China’s Boxer Rebellion.

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August 2015 – Fables by Bill Willingham This month we will discuss the Bill Willingham’s Fables series and its spin-offs, Jack of Fables and Fairest.

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July 2015 – Finder by Carla Speed McNeil This month we will discuss Carla Speed McNeil’s Finder series.

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June 2015 – LGBT Characters in Comics

1. The Heart of Thomas by Moto Hagio
2. Husbands by Brad Bell
3. Prism Comics: Your LGBT Guide to Comics
4. Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse
5. The Essential Dykes to Watch Out for by Alison Bechdel
6. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
7. Are You My Mother by Alison Bechdel
8. A + E 4ever by Ilike Merey
9. Wandering Son by Shimura Takako
10. Blue is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh
11. Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore
12. Love and Rockets by Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez
13. Spit and Passion by Cristy C. Road
14. The Invisibles by Grant Morrison
15. Tomboy by Liz Prince
16. Angel Diary by Yun Hee Lee
17. What Did You Eat Yesterday by Fumi Yoshinaga
18. Astonishing X-Men: Northstar by Marjorie M. Lui
19. Batwoman by J.H. Williams III
20. Gotham Central by Greg Rucka
21. Young Avengers by Kieron Gillen
22. The Authority by Warren Ellis
23. Rawhide Kid by Ron Zimmerman
24. A Distant Soil by Collen Doran
25. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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May 2015 – Planetary series by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday

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April 2015 – Manga for Adults

Seinen – Manga originally produced for Men:

• Berserk
• Gyo
• Lone Wolf and Cub
• Mushi-shi
• Puella Magi Madoka Magica
• Real
• Samurai Executioner
• Satsuma Gishiden
• Vagabond

Josei – Manga originally produced for Women:

• Pet Shop of Horrors
• Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa (this is technically “manhwa” — Korean manga)

Manga considered Adult in the U.S. (but are really for Kids or Teens in Japan):

• Attack on Titan
• Barefoot Gen

Non-fiction about Manga:

• Mostly Manga: A Genre Guide to Popular Manga, Manhwa, Manhua, and Anime by Elizabeth Kalen
• Manga: Sixty Years of Japanese Comics by Paul Gravett

For more info on the different types of Manga (and its sister art, Anime), check out the FAQ created by our staff member, Katherine Skaggs.

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March 2015 – Graphic Medicine: Narratives of Illness & Caregiving

• 7 Miles a Second by David Wojanowicz and James Romberg
• An Elegy for Amelia Johnson by Andrew Rostan, Dave Valeza, and Kate Kasenow
• Black Hole by Charles Burns
• Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast
• Cancer Made Me a Shallower Person by Miriam Engelberg
• Cancer Vixen by Marisa Acocella Marchetto
• Epileptic by David B.
• Health Care Reform: What It Is, Why It’s Necessary, How It Works by Jonathan Gruber, H.P. Newquist, and Nathan Schreiber
• Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Brosh
• Interesting Drug by Shaun Manning and Anna Wieszczyk
• The Long Road Home: One Step At a Time by G. B. Trudeau
• Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, + Me  by Ellen Forney
• The Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon
• Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned by  Judd Winick
• Polarity by Max Bemis
• Revival by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton
• Science Fiction by Joe Ollmann
• The Silver Scorpion by Sharad Devarajan, Ron Marz, and Ian Edginton
• Stitches: A Memoir by David Small
• With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child by Keiko Tobe

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February 2015 – Comics on Television

Listed below are 20 live action TV shows based on comics that can be found at LFPL.   Corresponding comics are listed in parenthesis if the title of the TV show is different.

• The Adventures of Superman
• Agent Carter (Captain America)
• Agents of Shield (Fury)
• The Amazing Spider-Man
• Arrow (Green Arrow)
• Batman
• Birds of Prey
• The Flash
• Flash Gordon
• Agents of Shield (Fury)
• Gotham (Gotham Central)
• Constantine (Hellblazer)
• Human Target
• The Incredible Hulk
• Sabrina the Teenage Witch
• Shazam!
• Swamp Thing
• The Walking Dead
• Witchblade
• Wonder Woman

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January 2015 – The Influencing Machine by Brooke Gladstone, illustrated by Josh Neufeld You may also be interested the following books by  Josh Neufeld:

• A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge
• Terms of Service, a free web-comic about Big Data (with Michael Keller)

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December 2014 – Collecting Comics (plus comic swap!)

• Comics Buyer’s Guide…Comic Book Checklist & Price Guide
• Comics Values Annual : The Comics Books Price Guide
• The Encyclopedia of Collectibles (specifically vol.4, Children’s Books–Comics)
• Official Hake’s Price Guide to Character Toys
• Official Overstreet Comic Book Companion: Selected Comics from 1956-Present, Including Illustrated Catalogue & Evaluation Guide
• Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide

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November 2014 – Graphic Adaptation of Novels

• The Adapted Victor Hugo by Christophe Renault
• The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho
• The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
• Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged by Charles Santino
• The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker
• Coraline by Neil Gaiman
• The Dark Tower series by Stephen King
• Discworld series by Scott Rockwell
• Fever Moon by Karen Marie Moning
• Game of Thrones by Daniel Abraham
• The Girl Who Played With Fire by Denise Mina
• The Hobbit: An Illustrated Edition of the Fantasy Classic by Chuck Dixon
• The Last of the Mohicans by Roy Thomas
• The Little Prince by Joann Sfar 
• The Man in the Iron Mask by Roy Thomas
• The Metamorphosis by Peter Kuper
• The Oz series by Eric Shanower
• The Picture of Dorian Gray by Roy Thomas
• The Wheel of Time series by Chuck Dixon
• A Wrinkle in Time by Hope Larsen

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October 2014 – Ghost Stories

• Abracadabra by Alex Gutteridge
• Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol
• Brody’s Ghost by Mark Crilley
• The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings: Eight Uncanny Tales of Spirit Manifestations, Apparitions, and Otherworldly Horrors – Edited by Scott Allie.
• Deadman /Challengers of the Unknown by Paul Jenkins/Dan DiDio
• Five Ghosts by Frank Barbiere
• Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks
• Ghost/Hellboy by Mike Mignola
• Ghost Projekt by Joe Harris
• Ghost Rider – various
• Ghosted: Haunted Heist by Josh Williamson
• Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel
• Ghosts – various
• Haunt of Horror by Richard Corben
• iZombie by Chris Roberson
• The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service by Eiji Otsuka
• Locke & Key by Joe Hill
• The Spectre (DC character) – various
• Weird War Tales by Joe Kubert

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 September 2014 – Dark Horse Comics

• The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist (based on the character created by Michael Chabon)
• The American by Mark Verheiden
• Angel & Faith by Christos Gage
• Baltimore by Mike Mignola
• Battlepug by Mike Norton
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Buzzkill by Donny Cates
• Criminal Macabre by Steve Niles
• De:Tales – Stories from Urban Brazil by Fabio Moon
• The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch by Neil Gaiman
• Finder by Carla Speed McNeil
• Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser by Howard Chaykin
• The Goon by Eric Powell
• Grendel by Matt Wagner
• Hellboy by Mike Mignola
• Madman by Mike Allred
• The Massive by Brian Wood
• Mind MGMT by Matt Kindt
• Perhapanauts by Todd Dezago
• Rex Mundi by Arvid Nelson
• Sin City by Frank Miller
• Star Wars (several series)
• 300 by Frank Miller
• The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way
• Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai

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August 2014 – Image Comics

• Age of Bronze
• Astro City
• Battle of the Planets
• Chew
• Cyber Force
• The Darkness
• A Distant Soil
• East of West
• Fathom
• Five Ghosts
• Invincible
• The Magdelena
• The Maxx
• Morning Glories
• Powers
• Rex Mundi
• Rising Stars
• Saga
• Savage Dragon
• Shadowhawk
• Spawn
• Supreme
• The Walking Dead
• Wanted
• Witchblade

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July 2014 – Batman: The First 75 Years

Because there are so many great Batman stories over the years, the following is an extensive but by no means exhaustive list.  LFPL has many of these which can be found by searching our catalog.

• Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
• Arkham Asylum: Living Hell
• Batman and Robin
• Batman Incorporated
• Batman R.I.P.
• Batman: A Death in the Family
• Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying
• Batman: Battle for the Cowl
• Batman: Black and White
• Batman: Blind Justice
• Batman: Broken City
• Batman: Cacophony
• Batman: Cataclysm
• Batman: City of Crime
• Batman: Contagion
• Batman: Dark Knight, Dark City
• Batman: Dark Moon Rising
• Batman: Dark Victory
• Batman: Death and the Maidens
• Batman: Face the Face
• Batman: Gotham by Gaslight
• Batman: Gotham Underground
• Batman: Gothic
• Batman: Haunted Knight
• Batman: Hush
• Batman: Knightfall
• Batman: Last Rites
• Batman: No Man’s Land
• Batman: Officer Down
• Batman: Red Rain
• Batman: Rules of Engagement
• Batman: Son of the Demon
• Batman: Strange Apparitions
• Batman: Tales of the Demon
• Batman: Ten Nights of the Beast
• Batman: The Cult
• Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
• Batman: The Killing Joke
• Batman: The Last Arkham
• Batman: The Long Halloween
• Batman: The Man Who Laughs
• Batman: Turning Points
• Batman: Under the Hood
• Batman: Venom
• Batman: War Games
• Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?
• Batman: Year 100
• Batman: Year One
• Bruce Wayne: Fugitive
• The Return of Bruce Wayne

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June 2014 – 1986: A Watershed Year in Comics What an amazing year for comics. Like 1938 or 1961, comics were changed irrevocably in 1986.  This is the year that many say is the beginning of the Dark Age of Comics. Here are some of the big titles of 1986:

• The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
• Maus by Art Spiegelman
• Watchmen by Alan Moore
• Superman: The Man of Steel by John Byrne
• Squadron Supreme by Mark Gruenwald
• Daredevil by Frank Miller
• The second volume of Los Bros Hernandez’ Love and Rockets series (“Chelo’s Burden”) is published by Fantagraphics
• Crisis on Infinite Earths (DC’s company-wide crossover event) finished its year long run

Some of the big events in the industry:

• American Splendor by Harvey Pekar, one of the longest running creator-owned indie comics,  is collected into book form by Doubleday, a major American publishing company.
• Cerebus‘ “High Society” storyline is collected into the first soft-cover edition that comes to be known as the “phonebook.”
• Dark Horse Comics, Slave Labor Graphics (now SLG), and  Guy Delcourt Productions Productions (a giant of the French comic industry) were founded.  All are still in business.

Gladstone Publishing, Eternity Comics, and Malibu Comics were launched.  As well, Marvel debuted its New Universe imprint.  All are now defunct.

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May 2014 – Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos Papadiminitriou 

Bertrand Russell was born on May 18, 1872. He is known as a philosopher, mathematician, and social activist. But did you know that he is also the star of his very own graphic novel?

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April 14, 2014 – Classic Comic Strips

• Dick Tracy by Chester Gould
• Flash Gordon by Alex Raymond
• Krazy Kat by George Herriman
• Li’l Abner by Al Capp
• Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay
• Mickey Mouse by Floyd Gottfredson
• Peanuts by Charles Schultz
• Pogo by Walt Kelly
• Popeye by E.C. Segar
• Prince Valiant by Hal Foster
• Terry and the Pirates by Milt Caniff
• Walt & Skeezix (Gasoline Alley) by Frank King
• The Yellow Kid by Richard Outcault 

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March 2014 – Female Comics Creators

There have been many, many influential women such as Elizabeth Holloway Marston, co-creator of Wonder Woman; Patricia Highsmith, writer of pulp comics (before finding success as a mystery writer); Jenette Kahn, former editor-in-chief of DC Comics; and Karen Berger, former executive editor of Vertigo Comics, among others. In March, we will be looking at the contributions of women in the comics industry, focusing on artists and writers. The following list is just a tiny smattering of those whose works can be found in LFPL’s collection:

• Alison Bechdel
• Amanda Connor
• Barbara Kesel
• Caitlan R. Kiernan
• Chynna Clugston-Major
• Denise Mina
• Fiona Avery
• Fiona Staples
• G. Willow Wilson
• Gail Simone
• Jessica Abel
• Jill Thompson
• Kathryn Immonen
• Kelly Sue DeConnick
• Lynda Barry
• Marjorie Liu
• Patricia Briggs
• Ramona Fradon
• Trina Robbins
• Wendy Pini  

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February 2014 – The memoir of Congressman John Lewis, March. Book One

You might also want to read:

• The Montgomery Story – This 1958 comic book about Martin Luther King, Jr. (which inspired John Lewis as a young man) is availbale in its entirety online
• King: A Comics Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Ho Che Anderson
• The Silence of Our Friends by Mark Long
  

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January 2014 – Indie Comics

Once again there is no suggested reading list for this month.

Yes, some indies have made it big (such as Spawn or Hellboy) which muddies the waters.

However, a good rule of thumb is that if a comic is a) not one published by Marvel or DC, b) if it is creator-owned, or c) if it is a collection of comics that were originally born digital then it is most likely “indie.”

Still not sure? You might check out Indie Comics Magazine.

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December 2013 – Favorite Comics of 2013

This is a pretty open topic so there was no suggested reading list for this month. If you are interested in my picks for 2013, you can check out this post from the general Readers Corner blog.

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November 2013 – Westerns

• All Star Western
• American Vampire (particularly Volume 1)
• Bat Lash
• Blueberry (some items are in English, some are in French)
• Caliber
• The Dark Tower
• Dead Irons
• Dead West
• Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears
• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
• Jonah Hex
• Les Bleus Tournent Cosaques (French language)
• The Long Haul
• Loveless
• Marvel Westerns
• Preacher
• Rapunzel’s Revenge
• Rawhide Kid
• Serenity
• Tex the Cowboy
  

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October 2013 – Science Fiction Comics

• 24 Seven, edited by Ivan Brandon
• Adam Strange: Planet Heist by Andy Diggle
• Air by G. Willow Wilson
• Alien Legion by Chuck Dixon
• Animal Man by Grant Morrison
• Battle Hymn: Farewell to the First Golden Age by B. Clay Moore
• Deathlok: The Demolisher by Charlie Huston
• Desolation Jones by Warren Ellis
• Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
• Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison
• Echo by Terry Moore
• Electric Ant by Philip K. Dick
• Ex Machina by Brian K. Vaughan
• Girl Genius by Phil Foglio
• H.G. Wells’ War Of The Worlds by Ian Edginton
• Ignition City by Warren Ellis
• The Incal: The Epic Conspiracy by Alexandro Jodorowsky
• Madman by Mike Allred
• Martha Washington by Frank Miller
• Ministry of Space by Warren Ellis
• Mr. Stuffins by Andrew Cosby
• Ocean by Warren Ellis
• Orbiter by Warren Ellis
• The Red Wing by Jonathan Hickman
• Science Fiction Comics: The Illustrated History by Mike Benson
• Serenity by Joss Whedon
• Shockrockets: We Have Ignition by Kurt Busiek
• Top 10 by Alan Moore
• We3 by Grant Morrison
• Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn

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September 2013 – Censorship of Comics

• Amazing Spider-Man: Revelations by J. Michael Straczynski
• Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again by Frank Miller
• Blankets by Craig Thompson
• Bone by Jeff Smith
• The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa
• Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
• The Horror! The Horror!: Comic Books the Government Didn’t Want You to Read! – edited by Jim Trombetta; introduction by R.L. Stine
• Ice Haven by Daniel Clowes
• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier by Alan Moore
• Maus by Art Spiegelman
• Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughn
• Sandman by Neil Gaiman
• Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse
• The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-book Scare and How It Changed America by David Hajdu
• Watchmen by Alan Moore
  

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August 2013 – What Makes a Hero?

• Batman
• Bone
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Captain America
• Captain Marvel
• Daredevil
• Hellboy
• The Hulk
• John Constantine, Hellblazer
• Oracle
• Power Girl
• Powers
• The Punisher
• Scott Pilgrim
• Spawn
• Spider-Man
• Superman
• Watchmen
• Wolverine
• Wonder Woman

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July 2013 – Fantasy Comics

• Avalon High by Meg Cabot
• Bone by Jeff Smith
• Books of Magic by John Ney Rieber
• Cerebus the Aardvark by Dave Sim
• Conan the Barbarian by Robert E. Howard
• Creatures of the Night by Neil Gaiman
• Crux by Mark Waid
• Discworld by Terry Pratchett
• Elfquest by Richard and Wendy Pini
• Elric by Michael Moorcock
• Everlast by Chad Michael Murray
• Fables by Bill Willingham
• Good Neighbors by Holly Black
• Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Crusades by Steven T. Seagle
• Legend of Grimjack by Jon Ostrander
• Lucid by Michael McMillian
• Mage by Matt Wagner
• Meridian by Barbara Kesel
• Mouse Guard by David Petersen
• Orc Stain by James Stokoe
• Prince Valiant by Hal Foster
• Tales of Alvin Maker by Orson Scott Card
• The Guild by Felicia Day
• The Hedge Knight by George R. R. Martin
• The Stuff of Legend by Mike Raicht
• Thorgal by Jean Van Hamme
• Unwritten by Mike Carey
• Valen the Outcast by Michael Alan Nelson
• World of Warcraft by Walter Simonson
  

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June 2013 – Metafiction in Comics

• Alias by Brian Michael Bendis
• Animal Man by Grant Morrison
• Astro City by Kurt Busiek
• The Authority by Warren Ellis
• Battlepug by Mike Norton
• Cerebus by Dave Sim
• Deadpool by Daniel Way
• Doom Patrol by Grant Morrison
• Invincible by Robert Kirkman
• The Invisibles by Grant Morrison
• It’s A Bird by Steven T. Seagle
• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore
• Nemesis by Mark Millar
• Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. by Warren Ellis
• Penny Arcade by Jerry Holkins
• Planetary by Warren Ellis
• Powers by Brian Michael Bendis
• Promethea by Alan Moore
• The Sandman by Neil Gaiman
• Supreme by Alan Moore
• The Unwritten by Mike Carey
• Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
• Wanted by Mark Millar
• Watchmen by Alan Moore
• X-Static by Peter Milligan