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.

Empowered: Volume 2
Adam Warren
Dark Horse Comics, Inc.
10956 SE Main Street, Milwaukie, OR 97222
9781593078164, $14.95 www.darkhorse.com

The second volume starring the barely clad exploits of an aspiring but less than impressive super heroine who calls herself 'Empowered', writer/artist Adam Warren continues to demonstrate a superb sense of wit, whimsey, and humor that ranges from slapstick to gallows. "Empowered" is a compilation of short (some very short) individual stories of our plucky gal whose powers depend on her skin-tight body suit, a garment that is easily torn (read shredded) resulting in the loss of her superpowers. The result is her almost inevitable capture and bondage by the bad guys (and gals). Humiliation is the result -- and not just from the bad guys! Her boy friend and ninja girlfriend are solidly behind her. Her super team mates somewhat less so. Readers who appreciate a manga style artwork, a wickedly clever short story, a lovely semi-clad female form of the buxom variety, and a rollicking fun read will not only enjoy this second volume of "Empowered", but will avidly seek out Volume 1, and line up at their favorite comic book shop awaiting the arrival of Volume 3!

The Best Of Mutts
Patrick McDonnell
Andrews & McMeel
4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
9780740768446, $24.95 www.andrewsmcmeel.com 1-800-851-8923

Patrick McDonnell's legendary comic strip showcasing the adventures and observations of Earl the dog and Mooch the cat entertained readers throughout its 300+ strip history. These two unlikely buddies were supported by a cast of memorable characters that included Shtinky Puddin', Sourpuss, and Guard Dog. Deftly embedded in this popular newspaper cartoon series were lessons on love, friendship, animal advocacy, and pet ownership. Now Andrews & McMeel have meticulously published "The Best Of Mutts" featuring McDonnel's own hand-picked favorites from the dailies and the Sunday strips over the past ten years. the cartoons are arranged into ten chapters, each of which is enhanced with an introduction by McDonnell. A welcome addition to any personal or community library collection, "The Best Of Mutts" will well serve to introduce a whole new generation to a superbly crafted series that is as popular today as when it first appeared so many years ago.

Kurohime 1
Masanori Ookamigumi Katakura
Viz Communications Inc.
295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
9781421513669, $7.99 www.viz.com 1-800-394-3042

Kurohime volume 1 is the debut collection of a brand-new shonen (intended especially for boys and action-fans) manga by Japanese creator Masanori Ookamigumi Katakura. In his own words, Katakura has crammed Kurohime cover to cover with everything he loves, and it's all here: sexy women, blazing guns, gigantic summoned monsters, villains, heroes, and everything in between. Kurohime herself is a master of "witch bullets" with the power to call slavering fantastic beasts; her arrogance led her to confront the gods themselves, and they punished her with a curse that traps her in a near-powerless preteen body! Only by experiencing love can she break the curse - but love is a foreign emotion to the self-centered Kurohime. But when she crosses paths with a teenaged gunslinger she once rescued from death and inspired to pursue justice, her fleeting feelings of affection have the power to overcome the curse, if only momentarily! An episodic adventure blending fantasy and wild west themes, with a clean, smooth art style and excitement leaping off every page.

The Complete Peanuts 1965 to 1966
Charles Schulz
Fantagraphics Books
7563 Lake City Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115
9781560977247, $28.95 www.fantagraphics.com 1-800-657-1100

The Complete Peanuts 1965 to 1966 continues Fantagraphics Books' laudable project of collecting and publishing all of Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strips. This definitive edition features an introduction by Hal Hartley, and chronicles Charlie Brown's visit to summer camp, where he makes a new friend named Roy - who in turn introduces him to the audacious, enthusiastic, sandle-wearing young girl Peppermint Patty! Other sagas include Snoopy's exploits fighting the Red Baron, Charlie Brown's promotion to school safety patrol, and the Van Pelt family's move (as well as the surprising effect the impending loss of Lucy has on young Schroeder!) A true treasure, enjoyable cover to cover and a "must-have" for Peanuts collectors.

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 in order to avoid possible conflict of interest issues. 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.

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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, audio CDs, or DVDs, 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