Midwest Book Review

September 2008

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.


Image from Amazon
Classics Illustrated Deluxe #1: The Wind in the Willows
by Kenneth Grahame

Papercutz
c/o NBM Publishers
40 Exchange Plaza #1308, New York NY 10005
1597070963, $13.95 www.papercutz.com

Michel Plessix adapts the classic WIND IN THE WILLOWS for graphic novel presentation suitable for libraries, adding to the full-color graphic 'Classics Illustrated Deluxe' series. High school, college and public libraries alike will find popular this book form of a comic classic series which takes classics and adds embellishments and action readers will appreciate. What a fine way of getting reluctant readers to enjoy classic works!

Image from Amazon
Draw Comics Like a Pro: Techniques for Creating Dynamic Characters, Scenes, and Stories
by Al Bigley

Watson-Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
9780823006793, $19.95 www.watsonguptill.com

Al Bigley is a professional artist and cartoonist whose work has contributed to many organizations, from Disney to Marvel Comics. DRAW COMICS LIKE A PRO: TECHNIQUES FOR CREATING DYNAMIC CHARACTERS, SCENES, AND STORIES thus packs in a working professional's tips on creating pro-quality comics, from depicting characters at unusual angles to give them added dimension to extending panels, adjusting body proportions to reflect character psychology, and more. A top pick for any library catering to would-be graphic novelists or comic book artists.

Image from Amazon
Bluesman Complete
by Rob Vollmar and Pablo G. Callejo

Comics Lit
c/o NBM Press
40 Exchange Place, Suite 1308, New York, NY 10005-2742
9781561635320, $24.95, www.nbmpublishing.com

This 'twelve-bar' graphic novel is a masterpiece narrative set in the 1920s in the south and focusing on the blues music world through the eyes of two traveling bluesmen who chance upon a blues joint with a possible record contract -- until romance and murder interfere. A powerful story of danger, change, and music history evolves in a fine graphic novel drama suitable for any high school to public library graphic novel collection.

The blues is music from the soul, and one man has a lot to be blue for. "Blues Man" is a graphic novel uniquely assembled like a blues song to tell its story. Lem Taylor is being chased across Arkansas, wrongfully accused of things he did not do. The dark scenery of the late 1920s paves the way for a highly engaging and entertaining tale, giving "Blues Man" our highest recommendations.

Image from Amazon
Wormdye
by Eamon Espey

Secret Acres
75-22 37th Avenue, #452, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
9780979960918, $13.00, www.secretacres.com

Original and unique, "Wormdye" is a graphic novel like no one has seen. A bizarre story involving alien technology, the River Styx, and corn, the entertainment value is nonstop through the whole thing. Through its humor it also offers insights on the human experience as a whole, from everything from relationships to religion to death. "Wormdye" is a must for anyone seeking something offbeat and different.

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