Graphic novels

Originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News, April 2009; written by Kelly Johnson.

There are always a few amazing new books at the library, but right now there seems to be an abundance of wonderful new titles. Science, history, government, biographies and more are waiting to take you places and tell you tales in ways you may never have before. You see these books aren't on the "New Book" shelves, these can all be found on the Graphic Novel shelves, back by the fiction section. I know a lot of folks dismiss graphic novels as kids books, or comics, but these volumes are not for children, though teens may enjoy some of them and they are certainly not your basic comic book either.

For example a quick glance at Icarus at the Edge of Time by Brian Greene may lead you to think it is a simple board book, the most basic of children's book formats. However if you take the time to really look you will find a reworking of the Icarus story, the boy who flew too close to the sun, set in a distant future. The images are all courtesy of NASA and the Hubble Space Telescope. Combined these create the most wonderful reworking of a classic myth that I have ever seen. The last pages tells what each of the images is and has a note on the science of the story.

Icarus is not the only science book on the graphic novel shelves; The Stuff of Life A Graphic Guide to Genetics and DNA by Mark Schultz and illustrated by Zander and Kevin Cannon is a completely different style, but still entertaining and informative. I have read a few books on this topic and to be honest I get lost here and there, but in this format I can not only get through the whole book with ease, I also can get more information out of it - the glossary in the back is a big help too! But don't think that just because it has lots of pictures that it's light weight, this is all serious information. You will not only find information about many of the scientists who were and are leaders in this field, but also things like the politics of genetics back as far as the 1930s. While there is a light hearted side to this book, the 'aliens' are sort of cute, the information is all up to date.

If you are more of a history buff than a science geek, check out The United States Constitution : A Graphic Adaptation written by Jonathan Hennessey with art by Aaron McConnell. This amazing work not only explains each article and amendment of the Constitution it also tells the reasoning behind its creation and how it effects Americans today. As with several of these other books there is a list of recommended reading in the back along with where one can get a copy of the Constitution, in a more basic format.

Now if all this seems a bit dull for you (you'd be wrong, but everyone has different tastes!) you might want to try the new "Manga Editions" of Shakespeare's work. The Public Library now has Shakespeare's Hamlet, Macbeth, and Julius Caesar in the graphic novel collection. And while these volumes are not true manga (read from the back, right to left) they are very well done. Created by Adam Sexton and Tintin Pantoja these are not children's versions of the adult tales. While there is not excessive gore, the murders and other violence are still part of the story. If you live in fear of the Bard's language but would like to know the stories this may be an excellent choice.

Also found on the graphic novel shelves are a wonderful collection of personal stories including the Eisner Award winning Mom's Cancer by Brian Fies. This true story of adult children coming together around their mother while she battles cancer not only in her lung, but also in her brain is not only moving, but also fascinating. Brian Fies is brave enough to put down his mothers true battle with cancer, and also the interactions and dynamics of his whole family. It is good that the book is reasonably short because once you pick it up it is very hard to put down again.

A graphic biography is Alan's War : The Memories of G.I. Alan Cope written by Emmanuel Guibert. Alan and Emmanuel met in 1994 when Emmanuel asked Alan for directions, the two became friends and soon Alan was telling Emmanuel stories of his life that so intrigued Emmanuel that he asked Alan if he would be willing to create books with him: Alan's stories with Emmanuel's art. This volume includes Alan's enlistment in the army shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and his service in Europe through World War II. The book also includes some of his life after the war, though it becomes much more sketchy (in literary terms, not art). Also included is a small collection of photographs from Alan's scrapbooks. Hopefully Alan's War is just the first of Emmanuel's and Alan's books together.

And there are more! The Lindbergh Child : America's Hero and the Crime of the Century by Rick Geary, American Widow by Alissa Torres with art by Sungyoon Choi, Potential : the High School Comic Chronicles of Ariel Schrag and that is only the beginning as always there are great fiction works on the graphic novel shelves too. Works by great writers like Neil Gaiman, Bill Willingham, Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman can be found on these shelves, you should really come in and check them out.

Though the library will be closed Sunday for Easter, next week is National Library Week! There will be the Friends of the Library's annual Evening of Chocolate on Tuesday at 6:30, special guests at story times Wednesday through Friday in the morning and the Teen Advisory Group will be hosting RaWR II (the second annual Readings and Wild Recitations) Friday starting at 7:00 p.m., come with your favorite poem, quote or passage to share!