The symposium was planned “to allow those who are already involved with graphic novels to further increase their knowledge, and to give those who do know a little more insight,” Taylor said. While noting the first year was a definite success, nothing has been decided about making it an annual event.

A memoir made while Schrag was still in high school, Potential is an honest, rambling, obsessive narrative of high school angst, with a potential of its own peeking through. The story starts as Schrag comes to terms with the fact that she "only likes girls," and then moves into her first failed foray at a relationship, the loss of her virginity and the ups and downs of her first serious lesbian relationship. The plot is bumpy; some segments are awkwardly inserted and lack significant resolution, such as the section focusing on Schrag’s attempt to lose her virginity to a guy friend. While an important episode of her adolescence, the segment seems isolated within the larger narrative of Schrag’s relationship with her girlfriend, Sally, which is well developed and poignant. The art is very impressive for a comic made by an artist still in high school and matures over the course of the book. The emotional depth of the characters is depicted through vivid and fluid expressions, and Schrag uses different styles to illustrate varying states of consciousness. Schrag’s later works are more mature and better formed, but this coming-of-age story amply displays the emotional uncertainty of adolescence. (May)

Mark Sable’s new original graphic novel, Hazed, is an all-too-real dark comedy that details the sordid reality of sorority life for three young women on an American college campus. Written by Sable and illustrated by Robbi Rodriguez, Hazed has just been published by Image. The genesis of the work, Sable explained, came down to this: "How is it that some of the smartest women in the country make their appearance and social status their raison d'etre the second they step on campus? Hazed was my attempt to answer that question."

• With the Light of Raising an Autistic Child Vol. 2 (Yen Press)
• Outsiders: Five of a Kind (DC)
• Repo (Image)
• Spider-Man: Reign (Marvel)
• Hack Slash Omnibus Vol. 1 (Devils Due Publishing)
• Gakuen Alice Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)
• Alice on Deadlines Vol. 2 (Yen Press)
• Painkiller Jane Vol. 2: Things Explode (Dynamite Entertainment)
• North World Vol. 1 (Oni Press)
• Psycho Busters Vol. 2 (Del Ray Manga)
• Blood Alone Vol. 4 (Infinity Studios)
• Phoenix Vol. 12: Early Works (Viz Media)

• Kids' Comic Con
• BEA Graphic Novel Day
• Amulet Movie
• Dave Stevens Obit
• Mark Siegel on ICv2
• Ralph Bakshi Exhibit
• Cold Cut Now Haven Distribution
• Ware, Kirby in Bookforum
• Noir Comics on NPR
• Reading at KGB Bar
• Fruits Basket Promotion