2011 ALA/YALSA Great Graphic Novels For Teens List Released
“Great Graphic Novels For Teens”, the annual list of the best in teen-appropriate graphic novels from the past year, as chosen by American Library Association's Young Adult Library Services Association has been released. A favorite among fans, librarians and booksellers alike, the 2011 edition of the diverse list of titles includes everything from real life tales of street violence (Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun and Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty) to a variety of graphic novel takes on mythology (Trickster and two different editions of The Oddyssey) to a large selection of manga (Library Wars, Maoh: Juvenile Remix and Bokurano Ours among others). Titles on the list are not necessarily aimed at the young adult market – comics created for adults but also suitable for teens are also included. The YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens list can be found here.
Win A Complete Graphic Novel Library
Diamond Book Distributors is teaming up with the GraphicNovelReporter.com and the Brodart Company to sponsor The Great Graphic Novel Library Giveaway contest at the Texas Library Associations’s annual conference in Austin, Texas, April 12-15. The contest will give away a complete graphic novel library set up at the conference—the giveaway installation will have 700 graphic novel volumes, complete with library furnishings, shelving and spinner racks—to one lucky library at a drawing to be held at 1pm on the final day of the conference. The complete collection plus library furnishings is worth more than $20,000. The collection itself features titles from all the major publishers as well as the entire list of graphic novel titles selected for the Texas Library Association’s Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List and the ALA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens list. In addition, during the conference, the Great Graphic Novel Library Giveaway booth will have graphic novel experts in the booth to answer questions during the conference. “With the economic crunch impacting libraries all over the country, this complete prize package, with books and furniture, will be appreciated by any community,” said John Shableski, Sales Manager with Diamond Book Distributors.
India Gets a Comic Con
India is getting its first ever major comic book convention, entitled Comic-Con India, next month on February 19-20 in New Delhi. The event will feature booths and panels from Marvel and DC Comics, Indian comics publishers Vimanika, Campfire and Chitrakatha as well as India's National Book Trust. More details are available on ComicConIndia.com.
Frazetta's 50's Comic Strip to be Collected in Full
Johnny Comet, the 1950's comic strip by the famed fantasy artist and comics creator Frank Frazetta, has now been collected by Vanguard Publishing. Originally scheduled for release last December, the book was cancelled and rescheduled for a very special reason. Now, for the first time ever, the Frank Frazetta Johnny Comet Sunday Strips have been collected in their full original color. The new edition is scheduled to come out this March.
Sikoryak's Comics Carousel Returns
Comic creator and multimedia artist R. Sikoryak will be presenting the latest installment of his “Carousel” series of comic book multimedia art events on Wednesday, 1/19. Presenting creators will include Lisa Hanawalt, Eric Drysdale, Jason Little and Sikoryak himself, among others. Carousel will take place from 7:30 p.m. into the night at Dixon Place, 161A Chrystie Street (between Rivington and Delancey), New York, NY. Admission is $15 to the general public, $12 to students and $25 for two with a “Carousel” promotional postcard. Details are available at the Dixon Place website.
Fables Novel Released as Ebook
Peter and Max: A Fables Novel, a traditional text novel in Bill Willingham's Fables series, will now also be released as an ebook by Vertigo. The book is story of the two rival piper brothers Peter (who picked a peck of pickled peppers) and Max (the Pied Piper of Hamlin). Priced at $9.99, the ebook edition is $5 cheaper than the paperback release price. Further details are available on DC's blog The Source here and the book is available on Amazon for the Kindle and Kindle computer and smartphone apps here.
This Week @ Good Comics For Kids
This week School Library Journal’s blog Good Comics for Kids had reviews of The Murder of King Tut, Little Lulu: The Burglar-Proof Clubhouse, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth, Bunny Drop Vol. 1-2, Seiho Boys' High School Vol. 1-2, what the GC4K bloggers are reading this week, and the 1/12 roundup of good comics for kids and a Great Graphic Novels for Teens and Other Distinctions links roundup by Brigid Alverson.
This Week @ The Beat
This week PWCW editor Heidi MacDonald’s blog The Beat interviews new Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, discusses ways to release your comic digitally without Apple, Mark Millar tops the digital comics lists yet urges caution, and reviews MAC's new Wonder Woman makeup line.
