Religion Gets Graphic

Some of the greatest excitement in religion at this year's BEA was found in religion publishing in unexpected houses and genres, especially the graphic novel. Vertical featured its three-volume narrative biography Buddha, written and drawn by the late Osamu Tezuka, known as "the godfather of Japanese manga comics," according to Vertical managing director Micah Burch, who said, "We're interested in doing more classics like it, in religion and otherwise."

Chris Oarr, sales rep for ADV Manga, described as "wildly popular" the house's "so-called 'Nun with a Gun' series," ChronoCrusade, drawn and written by Daisuke Moriyama. The series is rife with Christian symbols seen through Japanese eyes, features a gun-toting nun as its heroine, and involves the classic war between good and evil. Dark Horse Comics publishes Neil Gaiman, whose titles consistently wrestle with non-sectarian spiritual and religious themes and issues. Viz editor Megan Bates pointed to their "sneak peak" sampler show give-away and noted, "Almost all of these (titles) deal with spiritual issues and generic religion," especially ones like Angel Sanctuary, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Please Save My Earth.

For those who track religion, one of the most intriguing developments at BEA this year was the quiet proliferation of novels from "secular" trade houses that deal with religious or spiritual themes. Clearly, the popularity of books like the Left Behind series and The Da Vinci Code, as well as Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ, seems to be paving the way for a new openness to exploring religion. Religion is a carefully considered backdrop in Adam Langer's coming-of-age novel, Crossing California (Riverhead, June). Nina Marie Martinez's zesty Caramba! A Tale Told in Turns of the Card (Knopf, Apr.), features a born-again Christian mariachi musician and a host of ruminations on folk Catholicism and religious syncretism. Other new offerings—such as Milkweed Press's Katya: A Novel of the Russian Revolution (Sept.); Algonquin's The Coal Tattoo (Sept.), In the Land of Second Chances (Oct.) and The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green (Sept.)—are more explicitly spiritual, tracing individuals' faith journeys and struggles. (For more coverage of religion at BEA, see the June 22 issue of our e-mail newsletter Religion BookLine.)

At BEA, the "big three" children's religion publishers were continuing to build on past strengths. Zonderkidz is adapting Rick Warren's mega-selling The Purpose-Driven Life in two board books by Warren's daughter, Amy Warren Hilliker, Little One, God Made You and Little One, God Loves You, all illus. by Carol Thompson (they will include a note to parents from Rick Warren); and the picture book Made for a Purpose by Dandi Daley Mackall, illus. by Glin Dibley, with a foreword by Warren.

At Tyndale, excitement still bubbles around the Left Behind: The Kids series by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, which has sold more than 11 million copies and will conclude in October with #39, The Road to War, and #40, The Triumphant Return.

Tommy Nelson was highlighting new entries in Max Lucado's Hermie and Friends line: Webster: The Scaredy Spider (video, DVD, picture book and board book, Aug.) and Flo: The Lyin' Fly (board book, Oct.). Dee Ann Grand, Tommy Nelson v-p and associate publisher, commented that BEA-goers' heads were swiveling at another title, Boogers Are Blessings by nine-year-old Michael McDermott, illus. by Bill Ross, described by publicist Jana Burson as following in the tradition of Walter the Farting Dog.

At Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Anita Eerdmans, v-p of publicity and promotion, reported that Paul Goble's picture book Song of Creation "elicited a lot of excitement among booksellers, who instantly recognized his name as a Caldecott winner, and were delighted to see something new from him." Eileen Spinelli's Something to Tell the Grandcows, about the bovines brought along by Admiral Byrd on his expedition to the South Pole, "turned out to be a great handsell," Eerdmans added.

Simon & Schuster is also be revving up for the children's religion market, debuting its Little Simon Inspirations imprint in spring 2005. Max Lucado, whose editorial assistant Karen Hill is writing two Little Simon Inspiration titles, will write forewords for the books.

At Running Press, senior editor Andra Serlin pointed to the interactive title Stained Glass. "We're working on a deal now with one of the larger Christian houses to do more," she said. "But you want to do religion right. It's such a fast-growth money area."