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.
A Treasury of Victorian Murder: THE BLOODY BENDERS
Rick Geary
NBM Publishing
40 Exchange Place #1308, New York NY 10005
1561634980, $15.95 www.nbmpub.com
Rick Geary's graphic novel series A TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDER returns with volume 9 of the series especially recommended for prior fans of his graphic novel mysteries. Black and white drawings illustrate the story of four strange people who use seduction to attract wealthy victims, whom they then kill. Excellent action and high drama mystery lends to a fast-paced graphic novel story hard to put down, and recommended for any general-interest holding strong in graphic novels.
Exit Wounds
Rutu Modan
Drawn and Quarterly
c/o Farrar, Straus & Giroux
19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003
9781897299067, $19.95 www.fsgbooks.com 1-888-330-8477
EXIT WOUNDS is a graphic novel in full color, set in modern-day Tel Aviv and telling of a young man's urgent phone call from a female soldier which tells of his father's death from a possible suicide bomber. Koby joins the soldier searching for clues - and finds himself facing his father's hidden identity and secret world - and a danger which could draw him in. Excellent characterization and a vivid, contemporary plot make this a top pick for any collection strong in modern graphic novels.
Penny Arcade Volume 4: Birds are Weird
Jerry Holkins & Mike Krahulik
Dark Horse Books
10956 SE Main Street, Milwaukie, OR 97222
9781593077730, $12.95 www.darkhorse.com
The fourth, full-color collection of strips from the popular webcomic series Penny Arcade, Birds Are Weird continues the tradition of utterly irreverent, largely video game-themed humor. Due to severe cursing and the occasional phallic reference, Penny Arcade is not a comic for young children or the easily offended; and yet its humor has that irresistible effect. Bonus sketches, short text vignettes and a paragraph of extra commentary for virtually every strip enhance this anthology, offering new insights into Penny Arcade's random madness even for readers who have already seen the strip's archive online. "'Yeah, so I was looking at iPods today. I thought about you.' 'Oh yeah? Pretty great huh?' 'Oh yeah, real good. Then I got it up to the register, came to my senses, and bought a thirty dollar discman instead.' 'Yeah but the iPod doesn't skip.' 'Neither does this. It's cushioned by about three hundred and eighty dollars in cash.'" A sidesplitting collection and great gag gift, especially for the technogeek generation.
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 http://www.midwestbookreview.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 Frugalm...@aol.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
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
