Baker (Why I Hate Saturn, Special Forces) has put his skills to scorching use in this depiction of events leading up to and culminating in the infamous 1831 slave rebellion, illuminating the dehumanizing horrors of American chattel slavery in unflinching terms. Slave Nat Turner's story is told almost wordlessly, with sparse text culled from Turner's own confessions, and the portrayal of slavery's myriad horrors is brought to life by the stark, sepia-toned images. Turner's divinely inspired rebellion, which resulted in the massacre of fifty-five men, women, and children, is chilling to witness, and Baker's animation-influenced style employs a storytelling power that rivets the reader, its charming lines working to add a disturbing counterpoint to the savagery it relates. A compelling historical account, Nat Turner throws a bucket of ice cold water into the face of readers whose history classes may have glossed over this event; it's a harsh, bracing effort that serves as a reminder of the price paid on the long road to the abolition of slavery. Unlike many recent graphic novels seeking to illustrate history, Baker stresses the emotional impact of historical events, with far more gripping results. (June)

As Japanese manga has become a global phenomenon, its popularity is inspiring artists from around the world to test their skills in the field of sequential art. These artists are also creating works very much inspired by the styles and techniques of Japanese manga, while at the same time adding their own stylistic elements. In a number of countries, however, the works of domestic artists are overshadowed by the popularity of licensed manga, ending up overlooked by the world market and rarely making their way back to Japan. PWCW spoke with literary agent Yukari Shiina about international manga creators.

• Y the Last Man Vol. 10: Whys and Wherefores (DC/ Vertigo)
• Killing Girl Vol. 1: A Sisters Love (Image)
• Pocket Full of Rain (Fantagraphics)
• Safest Place (Image)
• Iron Man: Haunted (Marvel)
• Blues Man (NBM)
• Cat Eyed Boy Vol. 1 (Viz Media)
• Shin Megumi Tensei Kahn Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)
• Yggdrasil Vol. 1 (Go! Comics)
• Gakuen Alice Vol. 3 (Tokyopop)
• Venus Versus Virus Vol. 4 (Seven Seas Entertainment)
• Turning Points: Sons of Liberty (Simon & Schuster)

• Shuster Award Winners
• New David B. from NBM
• PW The Beat: Tokyopop, San Diego, More
• Hotwire Comics Show
• June Zuda Competition
• MediaBistro Comics Class