Midwest Book Review

Midwest Book Review

November 2009

The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers.


The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book HeroinesThe Supergirls
Mike Madrid
Exterminating Angel
1892 Colestin Road, Ashland, OR 97520
9781935259039, $16.95 www.exterminatingangel.com

Any comics or graphic novel library needs THE SUPERGIRLS: FASHION, FEMINISM, FANTASY AND THE HISTORY OF COMIC BOOK HEROINES. It provides a cultural history of comic book heroines and asks whether their fantasy world has connections to our own, offering a fine survey of different super-women in comic history and crime fighting. Any long- time comic book reader will relish this blend of scene re-creation and social analysis.

The Brinkley GirlsThe Brinkley Girls
Trina Robbins, Editor
Fantagraphics Books
7563 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
9781560979708, $29.99 www.fantagraphics.com

The Brinkley Girls: Best of Nell Brinkley's Cartoons from 1913-1940 packs in full-page, color reproductions of Nell Brinkley's American Weekly covers and provides a fine biographical and artistic introduction by editor Trina Robbins. All the fine detail and intricate drawings of Nell Brinkley come to life in a keepsake survey that is a 'must have' for any serious cartoon, graphic or arts library.

Confessions of a Ex-Doofus Itchy Footed MuthaConfessions of a Ex-Doofus Itchy Footed Mutha
Melvin Van Peebles
Akashic Books
Box 1456, New York NY 10009
9781933354866, $17.95 www.akashicbooks.com

Melvin Van Peebles fostered Afro-American cinema and indie films and here provides a graphic novel that was inspiration for his latest film, offering a set of black and white drawings of a lonely man's search for love in all the wrong places. A Doofus wanders the world on a futile quest: stills from the film blend with original drawings and dialogue to provide a fun addition to any graphic novel or film library.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review