Category: Graphic/Comic
December 11, 2020 December 11, 2020 2 Comments
The holidays are upon us and and along with them, colder weather and for many, new shelter in place orders. Now more than ever books make good gifts. They have the ability to carry us away and help us cope with today's realities. It's also a good time to support independent bookstores. You can find your local bookstore here, or comic book shop here. Most stores can fulfill online orders, so don't let not having a shop in your neighborhood stand in the way!
Here are a few suggestions. Click on the titles to find out more about the books and where to find them. In case you need a reminder, there's nothing wrong with shopping for yourself!
PS Sign up to follow my blog and get more in depth reviews of great books and graphic novels!
For SciFi/Fantasy Fans
Suncatcher, by Jose Pimienta: Beatriz discovers the secret to her grandfather's musical talent and realizes she must fulfill an unpaid debt. This graphic novel is a "devil at the crossroads" story with a Mexicali punk twist.
A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance and Hope, Patrice Caldwell, Editor – Sixteen top YA authors contribute to this anthology of thrilling scifi, fantasy and magical stories.
Seven Deadly Shadows, by Courtney Alameda and Valynne E. Maetani – Kira Fujikawa, keeper of her family shrine, must call upon ruthless shinigami (death gods), to save it from an attack by yokai demons.
Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn – Bree, trying to uncover the truth behind her mother's death, finds a connection to a college secret society rooted in the centuries old legends of King Arthur. She soon realizes she'll need to call on her own heritage of magic to find answers.
Looking For Romance?
This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story, by Kheryn (Kacen) Callender – Nate doesn't believe in happy endings, especially after his best friend turned girlfriend breaks his heart. Things change when Nate's childhood best friend Oliver moves back to town and – maybe – he can tell Oliver his true feelings towards him.
Opposite of Always, by Justin A. Reynolds – When Jack goes on a college tour, he falls for his tour guide Kate. He learns she has a serious medical condition and tries to save her life. Somehow he finds himself reliving the moment they met and the subsequent weeks over and over. The circumstances are different every time as he tries again and again to save her.
This Is My Brain In Love, by I.W. Gregorio: Jocelyn Wu and Will Domenici are working together to save Jos's family's struggling restaurant. Will and Jos are attracted to each other but realize they have to manage their mental health issues before they can have a relationship. Both are children of immigrants; stigmas around dealing with mental health issues in communities of color make it more complicated.
Bloom, by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau – In this sweet graphic novel, it's summer, and Ari is stuck in the city working in his family's bakery. He's tired of it and wishes he could get away. Hector, who loves baking, comes to town and takes a job at the bake shop. Ari begins to see things differently as he and Hector grow closer.
Revisiting The Past
Butterfly Yellow, by Thanhha Lai – Hang is separated from her little brother as they try to escape Vietnam during the last days of the war. When she makes it to Texas 6 years later, she finds him but struggles to reconnect when she realizes he doesn't remember her.
Outrun The Moon, by Stacey Lee – In 1906 San Francisco, Mercy Wong is determined to be admitted to a private school that usually accepts only wealthy white girls. She manages to get in only to have everything upended when the 1906 earthquake wrecks the town. Now on her own, she must find a way forward for herself and other survivors.
Lies We Tell Ourselves, by Robin Talley – Set in 1959, Sarah Dunbar faces serious harassment as one of 10 Black students integrating an all-white high school. When she and white classmate Linda Hairston are forced to work together on a project they try to understand their attraction to each other when there are so many reasons they shouldn't be together.
Realistic, Current Day Stories
Not So Pure and Simple, by Lamar Giles: Del finally gets close to his crush Kiera – by accidentally joining a church group pledging to stay pure until marriage. Barred from getting proper sex education, the teens grapple with conflicting messages about relationships and sexuality while recognizing the toxic behaviors even "good guys" are guilty of.
This Time Will Be Different, by Misa Sugiura – CJ Katsuyama loves working in her family's flower shop. A developer swindled her grandparents out of the business when they were sent to the camps during World War Two. After years of work, the shop is back in the Katsuyama's hands.The business is struggling but CJ is determined to fight back when the same developer's family tries to buy the building out from under them.
The Perfect Escape, by Suzanne Park – Scholarship student Nate Kim meets wealthy Kate Anderson when they both work at the Zombie Laboratory escape room. Nate's family struggles financially and although Kate's does not, her father uses money to keep Kate on a leash. Kate asks Nate to be her partner in the Zombiegeddon weekend-long survival challenge; the big cash prize could change both their lives.
Turning Point, by Paula Chase – Best friends Rashida and Monique are both straining under imposed structures – Monique in a predominantly white, traditional classical ballet program, Rashida in her very rigid, conservative church. Both girls must figure out how to fit into the world around them without being completely stifled by the constraints.
Joel Christian Gill is the creator of the graphic novels Strange Fruit Volumes I & II, which tell the stories of unsung African Americans. He turns the focus on himself in his powerful graphic memoir Fights: One Boy's Triumph Over Violence. His recounting of his young life is both brave and heartbreaking. He does not hold back in exposing the abuse and neglect he suffered and shows how it impacted the way he moved through the world. He admits how painful it was to recall these childhood memories – I can only imagine what it was like to live them, given how painful it was to read about them.
His father died when he was young, and his mother struggled to take care of him. He often had to stay with his mother's friends or relatives, where he was sexually abused and neglected. School provided no refuge as he was also bullied by other children and mistreated by teachers. He was drowning but there was no one to throw him a life-line. He had to swim his way out on his own. He shows how children subjected to violence in words and actions absorb it all; then, like sponges, they get filled up and start to "leak" that same behavior. Eventually he became like the children around him, a full vessel leaking abuse onto others.
He was kept afloat by the library, art and a few key friendships. Once he discovered how much he enjoyed drawing, he could lose himself in it. He struggled but made his way through middle school and high school. A decision he made at age 18 was surprising, but turned out to be life-saving.
Gill's dramatic art, with saturated colors and expressive characterizations, brings you deep into his story and doesn't let go. The scenes where he depicts his mistreatment manage to be simultaneously subtle, infuriating and devastating. Photographs from his early life through present day bring the story even closer. The language is as evocative as the visuals. In addition to imagining children as sponges, he uses fire to represent harm. Some people are arsonists, deliberately causing pain, while others are accidental fire starters. There are also those who do controlled burns — looking for the best place to start the fire. Although this book is difficult, it shows how young people, living under dire circumstances, can still find their way out to a healthy life. He leaves us with hope.
I don't know what it took to create this memoir, but I admire Joel Christian Gill for doing it. I appreciate his note saying he didn't do this as a catharsis. Instead, he is speaking to young people who are experiencing trauma, sending the message that they can think for themselves and can choose a different path. He is also speaking to adults who witness young people acting as he did; he hopes they can recognize the roots of this behavior and seek to learn that child's story.
Find Fights at your local bookstore or comic book shop.
October 2, 2020 October 2, 2020 2 Comments
Dragon Hoops follows two fascinating narratives. It's the tale of a storied high school's quest for a state championship and the author's own journey as a graphic novelist.
Bishop O'Dowd High School, located in Oakland, CA, is renowned for its strong athletic program. Gene Luen Yang taught computer science at O'Dowd, while balancing a demanding career as a graphic novel creator. Yang had just wrapped up one project and was in the market for his next book idea. He was a self-admitted lifelong hater of sports, but he couldn't ignore his students' excitement about the Dragons upcoming basketball season. His curiosity led him to sit down with basketball coach Lou Richie. Before long, Yang had his next project.
The narrative includes details on the history of the men's and women's games, including how they were impacted by racism and sexism. For example, there was so much concern about the effects of basketball on their "womanhood," women were not allowed to run the full length of the court until 1971. Profiles of the diverse team members and Coach Richie, himself an alum of O'Dowd and its basketball team, enrich the story. Some difficult history in the program is handled thoughtfully.
Yang elevates an already powerful story by weaving his own journey with sports and his career as a graphic novelist into the narrative. The concept of taking steps – taking risks – is a recurring theme.
Yang's art brings the story to life with depictions of the basketball games which are so compelling you feel as if you're there, watching. He uses a full range of colors, which are muted in historical sections and more vibrant in the time of the story. You don't have to love basketball to love this book. Find Dragon Hoops at your local bookstore or comic book shop.
The Banks
Roxane Gay, essayist and author of Hunger, Bad Feminist, and Difficult Women, has also written comics. She started with World of Wakanda, a Black Panther spinoff, and recently returned to comic writing with The Banks. This is the story of three generations of African American women holding down the family business. Matriarch Clara Banks and her daughter Cora are the best thieves in Chicago. Granddaughter Celia angrily rejects the family's criminal enterprise and goes into investment banking. Celia is a spoiled diva but she's smart. An infuriating incident at her firm makes her realize her mother and grandmother's skills are exactly what she needs to set things right. Although Gay's narrative has all of the best elements of a heist story – a complex plan, threats arising from an old grudge, detectives closing in on them, surprising twists and lots of tension – the family dynamics are what set it apart. The intergenerational bickering among the three hard-headed women adds humor and gives a fresh spin to a familiar plot. Artist Ming Doyle's bold, realistic style is just right for this story. She uses an expansive palette to bring the characters to life and illuminate the many changes in time, place and mood. With equal parts competitiveness, cooperation and grudging respect, the three women come together and do what they do best.
Find The Banks at your local comic book store.
They Called Us Enemy
Good stories always stand on their own, but some stories resonate even more if they are particularly timely. Actor and activist George Takei's graphic memoir of his experience during World War 2 is one of those stories, given the disgraceful events happening in America right now at our Southern border.
They Called Us Enemy tells the story of Takei's childhood as one of 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry who were taken from their homes and forced into concentration camps. He was 5 years old when his family was first relocated. His parents tried to protect him from the reality of what was going on, so in his young mind this started out as an adventure.
Through his experience, we see what life was like in the camps and the different ways it affected people. Among many disturbing things, he reveals how children internalized what was going on around them, no matter how hard adults tried to shield them. They acted out "Japs vs. Americans," shouted "die Japanese cowards" and fought for a turn to play the Americans. What damage did this do to the young people in these camps? What does this say about the damage being done today to children being held at our nation's borders?
Obviously, it was no better for the adults. The harsh living conditions, constant questioning of their loyalties and repeatedly being set against one another made for a bleak existence.
Takei's story covers that time through current day, reflecting back on the grave injustice done, the generational impact and how some of the same things are occurring again. Harmony Becker's black and white, manga influenced art does a masterful job of communicating Takei's innocence without downplaying the horrors around him. Unlike many families, Takei's was willing to talk about it when he was older, helping him fully understand the bigger picture of what he and Japanese Americans suffered through. This led to Takei's vocal social justice activism, which continues to this day.
This difficult, inspiring story is a good reminder that if we aren't vigilant, the worst of history will repeat itself.
Find They Called Us Enemy at your local bookstore or comic book shop.
July 12, 2019 July 7, 2019 Leave a comment
For Black women, hair can be a political issue.
Hot Comb contains a collection of comics centered on the ways hair choices impact how Black women are seen by themselves and by society. The comics also show how, between mothers and daughters or among friends, hair can be both a way to bond or a source of conflict. Black women's hair is a complicated issue. In the dominant culture, natural hairstyles have been criticized, and in Black culture straightened hair can be judged. Is it wrong to want to wear your hair the way it grows out of your head? Is choosing to straighten hair problematic? Although it's good to see these experiences represented, being reminded of the conflicts is also a bit painful. Regardless, many Black women will recognize the scenarios: spending long days in the salon, the "can I touch your hair" issue, keeping your head above water while swimming, or pondering having hair that's natural, straight, or something else entirely.
The narrative successfully weaves hair issues into a variety of "just another day" vignettes. The black and white art is realistic, but stylized in a way that supports the stories well. It's at its best in pages replicating ads for wigs and hair products that used to be found in Black magazines. They add depth to the stories and will no doubt bring back memories for many readers. This book is geared to adults but since hair questions for Black women begin in childhood, the stories will also resonate with teens. In the end, it's a reminder for Black women to get through the hair journey and embrace wherever we land.
Find Hot Comb at your local independent bookstore or comic book shop.
Haphaven
"If fortune plays you a bad hand, you can still win if you play the game right."
Alex Mills grew up learning about superstitions and how to keep herself safe. She always kept her lucky baseball bat at her side. Her father claimed that avoiding bad luck was their heritage because her great-great grandfather Zane Mills, a professional gambler, married Lady Luck. Together they watch over the Mills descendants. Alex's mother is more of a skeptic but doesn't interfere with Alex and her dad bonding over these beliefs.
Alex's father is killed in an accident when she's still a young girl. Years later her mother asks her to let go of superstitions and not be afraid to celebrate her 13th birthday. Alex agrees to do so and tempts fate by stepping on a crack. Suddenly her mother is paralyzed as if her back were broken. Alex is left to figure out what to do. She's shocked by the sudden appearance of a leprechaun warrior who whisks her away to Haphaven, the land from which all superstitions draw their power. She must complete a quest to retrieve the one thing that will cure her mother.
This graphic novel is full of colorful characters, deception, hidden agendas and shout outs to familiar superstitions, elevating it from a simple fairy tale to a genuine adventure. The narrative benefits from dialog that is funny, snarky and engaging. The art conveys the creepy world of Haphaven but still shows the warmth of interactions among the characters. Although Alex is the child of white father and black mother the story doesn't focus on her identity. Rather, it centers her love of baseball, her relationship with her parents and her dangerous quest.
Once you've seen the world of Haphaven, I think you'll join me in being more conscientious about throwing salt over your shoulder!
Click here to find Haphaven at your local independent bookstore or local comic shop.
New kid, new lifestyle?
In this graphic novel we meet Jordan Banks, a 12-year-old living in New York City, who has just started attending Riverdale Academy Day School. In addition to having to make new friends and navigate the culture of this very fancy private school, he must deal with the challenges of being one of a very few kids of color there. His parents reflect the mixed feelings Jordan brings to the experience. While his mother is excited that he has the opportunity to go to a school that's well-resourced and will allow him to make connections, his father is concerned about the lack of diversity.
A bigger issue for Jordan is that he'd rather go to art school. Jordan is a cartoonist; his creations, which are interspersed throughout the book, show how he uses his art and sly sense of humor to work out his frustrations. Many of them center around how Jordan and 2 other African-American boys at the school are treated. Jordan lives in a 2-parent middle-class household, Drew lives with his grandmother, and Maury, who has been at Riverdale since kindergarten, is the son of a Fortune 500 CEO. Despite coming from different backgrounds each of them is subject to the same assumptions. This is really brought home at the school's book fair. The only books featuring African-Americans involve slavery, gang life and poverty. Making matters worse, the event organizers hand each boy "The Mean Streets of South Uptown." The adults assume this street lit reflects the lives of the African-American boys and they expect the boys to love it.
This moment really struck me because, sadly, I personally have seen librarians do this. It is infuriating that anyone would look at Black youth and imagine that they would only be able to relate to books where someone gets shot, is forced to deal drugs or has incarcerated or drug-addicted parents. The belief that this represents all the boys' experiences is insulting; even worse is the assumption that students who could relate to this book would have no interest in reading anything else. There are other instances of macroaggressions, some of which are experienced by staff of color, others by students who feel like they're outsiders for other reasons.
However, these issues are all raised organically with irony, sarcasm and humor, so the story is refreshing, not didactic. The art brings Jordan's journey to life beautifully. The fresh, colorful palette is engaging and clearly expresses everything the characters are experiencing. Switching to black and white for Jordan's cartoons helps focus attention on his real feelings.
New Kid is a wonderful graphic novel which will resonate with a variety of readers – no matter how far removed you are from middle school. Find it at your local bookstore.
Bitter Root
Sometimes the monsters are right next door.
Set during the Harlem Renaissance, Bitter Root tells the story of a New York City beset by monsters known as Jinoo, and the African American Sangerye family, the only people with the skills and knowledge to fight them off. It seemed the monsters had been put to rest but recently they have been rising again. This time it's more difficult for the Sangeryes; the family is divided over methods, as well as who can fight the Jinoo. Even worse, a new creature, more powerful than they'd ever seen, has emerged. The Jinoo themselves used to be human. Their souls were corrupted by racism and violence, turning them into monsters; once turned they infect others. As we get deeper into the story, the battles facing the Sangeryes get more frightening. On the face, this is a good horror story. Looking deeper, the powerful narrative shows how people can allow themselves to be poisoned with hatred to the point where they lose their humanity. The art, in style, tone, and use of a deep, moody color palette, evokes a feeling of ever present danger.
Like the film Get Out, or much of Octavia Butler's speculative fiction, the events in this reimagined reality provide a different way to examine real world issues. Three issues of this knockout comic series have been released as of this writing. Normally I would wait until the whole series, or possibly the trade version (one volume containing all the issues), had been published, but this comic is so good I couldn't wait to talk about it.
Head out to your local comic book shop and pick it up! Not sure where your local comic book shop is located? Find it here!