Manga: Memoirs, true stories and non-fiction

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Book SynopsisIs it possible to be gay and Christian?Stacey loves being a Christian. Her best friends are also her church friends. Her favorite place on earth is Bible camp every summer. And she talks to God like they are old friends.But one summer, she meets a girl who turns everything upside down. Is this feeling she has for her more than just friendship? Could it be a crush? Filled with dread, Stacey embarks on a journey to discover what it means to be gay, whether it is possible to change, and how to reconcile her identity with her faith. Will it even be possible?In this young-adult illustrated memoir, Stacey Chomiak tells the true story of her teenage and young-adult years: of heartbreak, family conflict, trying to become ex-gay, wrestling with her faith, and finding love. Uncovering happiness and joy while surrounded by the loneliness of a world that actively excludes her seems insurmountable. Until she learns to love her full self. Then the possibility of being both gay and Christian seems not just possible, but the best answer of all.

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Book Synopsis––– GUARDIAN GRAPHIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR ––– ––– OBSERVER GRAPHIC NOVEL OF THE MONTH ––– THE GROUNDBREAKING GRAPHIC NOVEL A story about ordinary people navigating a strange land, in even stranger times. On the eve of the US elections, a Syrian family leave their world behind for a chance at the American dream. But as the first day of their new life dawns, they are greeted by the news of Donald Trump’s victory. It’s as if they arrived in one country, and woke up in another. What does that mean for their past, their future... their home? Welcome to the New World began as a ground-breaking comic strip in the New York Times. Every week, the Aldabaan family’s experiences would be retold as a cartoon strip – keeping step as events unfolded in real life. One Pulitzer Prize later, this stunning graphic novel fills in the gaps, gradually revealing an America which is full of contradictions: foreign yet familiar, ignorant but kind, cruel yet generous. It's also an intimate portrait of family dynamics and everyday fortitude, from the first day at a new school to getting a new job (any job!) against the clock. It seems that if you can’t turn back, the only way to go is onwards.Trade ReviewAn emotive depiction of modern America and the impact Trump’s policies have on refugees -- Jyni Ong * It's Nice That *Jake Halpern and Michael Sloan’s story of a Syrian family trying to resettle in America is powerful and moving -- Graphic Novel of the Month * Observer *

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Book SynopsisNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, TIME, BUZZFEED, ESQUIRE, LIBRARY JOURNAL AND KIRKUS REVIEWS LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/OPEN BOOK AWARD ‘Hilarious and heart-rending’ Celeste Ng ‘Heartbreaking, but also infused with levity and humour. What stands out most is the fierce compassion with which she parses the complexities of family and love’ Time How brown is too brown? Can Indians be racist? What does real love between really different people look like? Like many six-year-olds, Mira Jacob’s half-Jewish, half-Indian son, Z, has questions about everything – and as tensions from the 2016 election spread from the media into his own family, they become much, much more complicated. Trying to answer him honestly, Mira has to think back to where she’s gotten her own answers. Written with humor and vulnerability, this deeply relatable graphic memoir is a love letter to the art of conversation – and to the hope that hovers in our most difficult questions. ‘Helps us think with grace and disarming wit … Reading these searching, often hilarious tête-à-têtes is as effortless as eavesdropping on a crosstown bus … Magic’ New York Times Book Review ‘Vibrant, inventive and vulnerable … Good Talk attempts to answer, with humour and heart, some of the most difficult questions of all’ Bustle ‘Moving and very funny’ EsquireTrade ReviewA beautiful and eye-opening account of what it means to mother a brown boy and what it means to live in this country post–9/11, as a person of color, as a woman, as an artist ... In Jacob’s brilliant hands, we are gifted with a narrative that is sometimes hysterically funny, always honest, and ultimately healing -- JACQUELINE WOODSON, National Book Award–winning author of Another BrooklynMira Jacob just made me toss everything I thought was possible in a book-as-art-object into the garbage. Her new book changes everything -- KIESE LAYMON, New York Times bestselling author of HeavyGood Talk isn’t just Mira Jacob's personal story: it also illuminates the increasingly fractured world we live in. By turns hilarious and heart-rending, it plunges fearlessly into the murky grey areas of race and family, of struggling to find common ground, of trying to talk to our children and help them make sense of it all -- CELESTE NG, author of Little Fires EverywhereI loved it so so much. So poignant, honest, funny, powerful, and timely, and its themes build in a way that by the end is truly artistically transcendent -- CURTIS SITTENFELDA masterful mix of pictures and words to speak on life’s most uncomfortable conversations * io9 *Good Talk begins with a child’s innocent questions about race and evolves into an honest, direct and heartbreakingly funny journey ... It broke my heart and made me laugh a helluva lot, but, in the end, it also forced me to ponder whether I have successfully provided the answers necessary to arm my own children against racism in America -- LYNN NOTTAGE, Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright of SweatSearching, often hilarious … [T]he medium is part of the magic of Good Talk. The old comic-book alchemy of words and pictures opens up new possibilities of feeling * New York Times Book Review *[A] moving and very funny graphic novel that explores identity, race, sexuality and love -- Best Books of 2019 * Esquire *[A] breezy but poignant graphic memoir that takes on racism, love and the election of President Trump ... The collage effect creates an odd, immediate intimacy ... The ‘talks’ Jacob relates are painful, often hilarious, and sometimes absurd, but her memoir makes a fierce case for continuing to have them * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *Jacob’s earnest recollections are often heartbreaking, but also infused with levity and humor. What stands out the most is the fierce compassion with which she parses the complexities of family and love. Jacob finds hope in the answers that come from asking hard questions * Time Magazine *Insightful … Good Talk’s visuals are simple but powerful, offering a witty and empathetic window into how to talk about – and live in – life’s complexities * Entertainment Weekly *

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Book SynopsisEverything I feel from reading and listening to music I commit to paper in black pen And gradually, blot by blot, stroke by stroke, A new mode of expression emerges. At this point, it’s just scribbles in a diary Not yet reborn as “Henn Kim” of the future. _________________________________ Depression and creativity, love and family, books and music: this personal and vulnerable memoir by the iconic South Korean illustrator explores her life from the ages of seventeen to thirty-three through image, text and poetry. From what nearly broke her to what saved her, everyone will find something to comfort them in Henn Kim’s world. Praise for Starry Night, Blurry Dreams: 'A compelling and unique collection that is more than worthy of a place on your bookshelves' Red 'A poignant commentary on the complex emotions that affect all of us at one point or another, from heartbreak to fantasy to sorrow' Creative ReviewTrade ReviewPraise for Starry Night, Blurry Dreams: The evocative illustrations of Henn Kim form a new graphic poem [which] riffs off her teenage desire to connect to other, possibly lost souls, through words and images * Harper's Bazaar *Praise for Starry Night, Blurry Dreams: Filled with page after page of beautiful and painfully true words and artworks, this is a compelling and unique collection that is more than worthy of a place on your bookshelves * Red *

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Book SynopsisLeone arrived to the States from Southern Italy on a boat, a story common to many. Once in New York, he worked on construction sites of skyscrapers and buildings, filling his days with effort and music. Called to arms by his country he goes back home, leaving the life that he built for himself in the States, lovers and friends, to fight the war - and save many lives.The life of Leone contains so many stories: the stories of all those who left home but never forgot their origins, and who spread courage and love in the world before going back home.Leone is a symbol of courage and strength, an unstoppable force guided by just one need: to go back home.LEONE is a true story of an Italian man who migrated to the US to seek fortune, freedom and jazz. From the stage of his last concert in New York City before going back home, through the sound of his trumpet Leone tells us about his past and future, a tale made of jazz, memories and time leaps. An emotional trip by superstar artist Carmine Di Giandomenico (The Flash, Daredevil: Battlin' Jack Murdock) and the talented Francesco Colafella.Immigration seen from the eyes of who's leaving home, a common theme to men and women all over the world.

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Book SynopsisThe year is 1872. The place, the Apache nations, a region torn apart by decades of war. The people, like Goyahkla, lose his family and everything he loves. After having a vision, the young Goyahkla approaches the Apache leader Cochise, and the entire Apache nation, to lead an attack against the Mexican village of Azripe. It is this wild display of courage that transforms the young brave Goyakhla into the Native American hero Geronimo. But the war wages on. As they battle their enemies, lose loved ones, and desperately cling on to their land and culture, they would utter, "Indeh," or "the dead." When it looks like lasting peace has been reached, it seems like the war is over. Or is it?INDEH captures the deeply rich narrative of two nations at war-as told through the eyes of Naiches and Geronimo-who then try to find peace and forgiveness. INDEH not only paints a picture of some of the most magnificent characters in the history of our country, but it also reveals the spiritual and emotional cost of the Apache Wars. Based on exhaustive research, INDEH offers a remarkable glimpse into the raw themes of cultural differences, the horrors of war, the search for peace, and, ultimately, retribution. The Apache left an indelible mark on our perceptions about the American West, and INDEH shows us why.

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Book SynopsisWelcome to the stunning conclusion of the award-winning and best-selling MARCH trilogy. Congressman John Lewis, an American icon and one of the key figures of the civil rights movement, joins co-writer Andrew Aydin and artist Nate Powell to bring the lessons of history to vivid life for a new generation, urgently relevant for today''s world.By the fall of 1963, the Civil Rights Movement has penetrated deep into the American consciousness, and as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, John Lewis is guiding the tip of the spear. Through relentless direct action, SNCC continues to force the nation to confront its own blatant injustice, but for every step forward, the danger grows more intense: Jim Crow strikes back through legal tricks, intimidation, violence, and death. The only hope for lasting change is to give voice to the millions of Americans silenced by voter suppression: "One Man, One Vote." To carry out their nonviolent revolution, Lewis and an army of young activists launch a series of innovative campaigns, including the Freedom Vote, Mississippi Freedom Summer, and an all-out battle for the soul of the Democratic Party waged live on national television.With these new struggles come new allies, new opponents, and an unpredictable new president who might be both at once. But fractures within the movement are deepening ... even as 25-year-old John Lewis prepares to risk everything in a historic showdown high above the Alabama river, in a town called Selma.Winner of the 2016 National Book Award for Young People''s Literature#1 New York Times Bestseller2017 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner2017 Michael L. Printz Award Winner2017 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Winner2017 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction - Winner2017 Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children''s Literature - Winner2017 Flora Stieglitz Straus Award Winner2017 LA Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature - Finalist 

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Book SynopsisWhen Anne learns that her 19-year-old is a transgender man, she struggles to understand her son?s new identity. A new landmark in nonfiction comics, Transitions is a sympathetic, informative, and moving story of a family?s journey to acceptance.?I thought I was open-minded… The news of my child?s gender change hit me like a tidal wave, sweeping away all my certainties. Sweeping away the comfort of my tidy little life.?When university biologist Anne Marbot learns that the 19-year-old she raised as "Lucie" is a transgender man named Alex, she?s overwhelmed by questions. How can this be? Who put these ideas in your head? What if you regret it? Am I overreacting? How will your grandparents react? Why didn?t I see it coming? Why is this so easy for others? Am I a bigot? What does gender really mean, anyway? How can I be the parent my child needs?It soon becomes clear that Alex is not the only one embarking on a journey of self-discovery. The road is not easy, and sometimes their relationship is bitterly strained. But Alex is sure of himself, and Anne is determined to be strong for his sake. With time, she too will be transformed, rediscovering her identity as a mother in profound new ways.With grace and sensitivity, award-winning graphic novelist Élodie Durand (Parenthesis) captures the unique journey of well-meaning loved ones who struggle to reconcile new gender identities with their old assumptions. Deeply researched and drawn from true experience, Transitions is a must-read companion for allies and families navigating trans issues and a compassionate roadmap to acceptance.

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Book SynopsisWhen a dear friend dies by suicide, Emilia is left with only memories. Full of humor and poignancy, this graphic memoir is a meditation on the meaning of friendship and a love letter to an irreplaceable friend.Emilia first met Charlotte in their school locker room in the late ''90s. They quickly bonded over indie music, feminist literature, a love of purple, and a shared sense of outsiderness. Their joyful, intense friendship evolved through the years—until Charlotte died in 2018 following a long struggle with depression.Now, Emilia assembles her memories into a graphic memoir reflecting on the bond they shared and the ways it shaped them. As they pass in and out of each other’s lives, teenage ideals collide with adult realities, prompting reflections about the meaning of friendship.But You Have Friends is a tender tribute to an irreplaceable friend and a sharply observed, personal account of the aftermath of loss. It is also a humorous, candid memorial that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved.

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Book SynopsisWho founded China? Are Chinese people religious? What is Chinese culture and how has it changed over time? The accessible and fun Understanding China Through Comics series answers those questions and more. For all ages, Foundations of Chinese Civilization covers China's early history in comic form, introducing philosophies like Confucianism and Daoism, the story of the Silk Road, famous emperors like Han Wudi, and the process of China's unification. Includes a handy timeline. This is volume one of the Understanding China Through Comics series. Jing Liu is a Beijing native now living in Davis, California. A successful designer and entrepreneur who helped brands tell their stories, Jing currently uses his artistry to tell the story of China.Trade Review"A great way to learn about China's vast history!"--Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club Excels at clarifying the often-confusing transitional periods between dynasties... An excellent introduction to the large trends of early Chinese history."--School Library Journal "The lucid, economical text makes one eager for the successive volumes."--Booklist "Simple and effective...This direct, appealing introduction to the foundations of one of the world's oldest civilizations is recommended for teens and adults."--Library Journal "An excellent history that clearly explains the great (and ordinary) people who have made China what it is and the conflicts and debates that have shaped Chinese history. There is nothing else like it in English or Chinese."--Alan Baumler, Professor of History at Indiana University of Pennsylvania "No more burying yourself in text-heavy history books to learn about China, this comic-style book manages to be rich in information and bring Chinese history to readers in a more clear, fun, and accessible way than it's ever been done before. Easily integrated into a social studies or Chinese culture curriculum, I can't wait to get a copy for my class."--Grace Zeng, Chinese Teacher and Middle School Chinese Curriculum Area Leader at International School of Beijing "It is certainly a fascinating look at Chinese history, and doing it in comics has certainly made it more accessible to people, especially for the Western world."--Radio Australia "Jing Liu has brought to life the long and complex early period of Chinese history in this wonderful graphic novel. Foundations of Chinese Civilization is a delight to read; humorous, informative, and truly captivating."--Alexandra Pearson, Founder of The Bookworm Literary Festival "This book is "The Magic School Bus" for those starting to explore Chinese culture."--Dan Cao, Instructor at Confucius Institute at UC Davis "Since the 1990s, Jing Liu has been entertaining and informing foreigners about China with his cartoons. His new series of comic books is a fun, easy, accessible way to gain a basic understanding of Chinese history and culture."--Jeremy Goldkorn, Founder of Danwei 4.5/5 Stars "Entertaining, engaging, and informative, this is a perfect doorway for the student new to ancient China."--Seattle Book Review "Informed and informative, Division to Unification in Imperial China is especially recommended for young readers ages 11 to 17 and should be a part of every school and community library's History of China collection."--The Midwest Book Review "The book does what it says it does: a child will come away with a basic understanding of early Chinese history, what makes the Chinese tick as a people and culture."--Asian Review of Books "With Donald Trump's focus on China, with no signs of letting up, it is a perfect time to gain a better understanding of a very misunderstood country. This is a highly accessible work tailored to fast learning while also very entertaining."--The Comics Grinder

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Book SynopsisErika & Matthew think the world of sex is fantastic.Using comedy, real-life experiences, and research, they create some the best educational, informative, sex-positive comics around. (The puns are an added bonus!) In this fourth volume, they tackle a variety of interesting topics, including sex toys, what to expect at a gynecologist visit, the question of “what even IS sex?”, and STI testing. In addition, an entire third of the book is dedicated to showcasing guest cartoonists with their unique experiences and perspectives about sex, covering topics from body image to fursuiting to pegging, to name a few!Every volume of Oh Joy Sex Toy is a stand-alone adventure into the world of sex, so whether you've collected the other volumes or not, this book is a great fit on any shelf!

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Book SynopsisEver since they started dating, Sarah and Stef had dreams of getting to visit Toronto-the home of Scott Pilgrim, the CN Tower and the legendary comic book festival, TCAF! In this Our Super Adventure Travelogue book, Sarah and Stef finally get to make this dream come true! Join them as they take in the famous sights and sounds of the city, get soaked at Niagara Falls, and try poutine for the very first time! Plus, bonus photos from their trip!

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Book SynopsisA glimpse of the man behind the spectacle: trangressive punk rocker GG Allin.

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Book SynopsisThe second installment in the series of graphic novels that began with Washington State Book Award Finalist We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime IncarcerationBasketball-loving Sumiko Tanaka, then 11, narrates this graphic novel about the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans. Through her eyes, we watch as her family is forced from their home and subjected to indiscriminate racism as they are shipped off to the concentration camp called Minidoka in Idaho.But Sumiko and her 17-year-old sister Yuri also see acts of charity and solidarity from their non-Japanese neighbors and friends in the Seattle area that make them hopeful for the future. As the young girls struggle with the horrors of being imprisoned in the dusty desert, they also find solace in the fact that some people chose to help. This story highlights the actual actions and experiences of those neighbors and friends.Trade ReviewPraise for We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime IncarcerationIt leaves you simultaneously furious, questioning ideas of loyalty and citizenship … and deeply moved. May all of us learn, and share, these stories.–Moira Macdonald, The Seattle TimesHighly recommended for high school and college classrooms.–Terry Hong, Booklist

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Book Synopsis"This ode to a beloved pet delightfully highlights the joys of living with a feline companion." —Kirkus Fans of Johnny Wander, Pusheen, and Chi's Sweet Home will love this collection of the hit webcomic Frankie Comics by Rachel Dukes, now in paperback for the first time. Now in paperback! When they discover a kitten asleep in their doorway, real life artist couple Rachel and Mike immediately fall prey to her charms. Soon, the new queen of their home is a blue point Siamese cat named Frankie. Stealing snacks, making mischief, and taking snuggling very seriously, Frankie proves again and again the wholesome joys of a feline companion. Hilarious indie comics darling Frankie Comics is collected in a new full-color paperback edition–purrfect for pet lovers everywhere.

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Book SynopsisGila, 26, was at a party when the police showed up. The men were able to get away with bribes, but the women were taken to the station, and anyone who’d been drinking was forced to submit to a virginity test. She never went to another party after that.Zeinab is 20 and she loves being a woman in Iran. She says that she feels like a queen! And despite all the risks, she confesses that she makes love with her boyfriend because the danger excites her.Vahid is 26. He was a leader with the Green Movement. Then he watched his friend Neda die right in front of him. Now he keeps his head down, trying to finish his studies.In a series of vignettes based on clandestine interviews, this award-winning graphic novel explores the politics and love lives of ten young Iranian men and women from diverse backgrounds. The result is an honest portrait of Iranian youth today and a rare glimpse into a society where the sexes are strictly segregated—and Western journalists aren’t welcome. Through testimonies from across the country, we learn about traditional marriages, the pressures of living under the regime, and how young people escape the police and defy tradition to live their love stories.Trade Review“Bold and irresistible.”—Publishers Weekly“An eye-opening, fascinating graphic novel.”—Graphic Policy“An excellent addition to any adult nonfiction graphic novel collection.”—Sunny No Flying No Tights

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Book SynopsisWhen Catherine is diagnosed with acute leukemia, a deadly form of cancer that attacks the immune system, her life is turned upside down. Young and previously healthy, she now finds herself catapulted into the world of the seriously ill—constantly testing and waiting for results, undergoing endless medical treatments, learning to accept a changing body, communicating with a medical team, and relying on the support of her partner, family, and friends.A professional illustrator, Catherine decides to tell the story of her disease in this graphic novel, and she does so with great sincerity, humor, and rare lucidity. We accompany her through the waiting, the doubts, the fears, and the tears—but also the laughter, the love, and the strong will to live.Rich in emotion, lighthearted, and profound, Down to the Bone is a powerful book.Trade Review“A stunning example of what graphic medicine can do.”—starred review Publishers Weekly“The narrative, the information about leukemia, and the details about her treatment that the book shares all have a sense of hope that made the graphic novel’s abrupt ending, with a short text note about Pioli’s death in 2017, all the more devastating.”—Gene Ambaum Library Comic“There is humor but far more humanity in Pioli’s story about a ‘rare’ cancer . . . that takes away a beautiful life and leaves sorrow in its wake. Pioli’s book helps touch this sweet spot in us all while educating readers about cancer and how they can help.”—Denise Hill New Pages“Thoughtful, graceful, unforgettable. Pioli captures both the coldly clinical and the deeply personal with honesty, humor, and revelations that hit hard. It’s as good as graphic medicine gets.”—Brian Fies,author of Mom’s Cancer“A life-affirming graphic novel that ably illustrates not only the medical issues but also the very personal ones that affect a person diagnosed with leukemia. Elegantly translated from the original French by J. T. Mahany, it’s an excellent read for anyone interested in cancer, mortality and life in France.”—Doreen Sheridan The Frumious Consortium

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Book SynopsisHome is not a place you can reach by train or plane. It’s something you carry with you. Uprooted from her childhood in Germany and set adrift in the American Midwest, Maureen was raised by a kind but neglectful mother who loved Jesus more than her own child and a stern, disinterested grandmother who waxed nostalgic about Nazi Germany. Growing up queer and isolated, Maureen often felt unmoored and unloved.Years later, Maureen reflects upon her complicated past. Queen of Snails follows Maureen through time and memory in her quest to untangle the trauma passed down to her over three generations of women. Part memoir and part family history, Queen of Snails is a beautifully drawn, powerful story that examines and transmutes the emotional baggage of violence, abandonment, and displacement.Trade Review“The rich, fascinating graphic memoir Queen of Snails addresses a personal history and heritage; it is a book that contains multitudes.”—Peter Dabbene Foreword Reviews“Burdock’s investigation into the history that has shaped her is a deeply personal reckoning, with global ripples.”—Publishers Weekly“A triumph of recovery and reinvention.”—Martha Cornog Library Journal“Maureen Burdock’s artwork is beautiful; you just wish to touch and hold those snails. Yes, one must dig deep to forgive distant parents and live with one’s history. But also to know and accept love.”—Miriam Katin,author of We Are On Our Own and Letting It Go “Maureen Burdock has produced a riveting graphic memoir that lays lush colors into subtle, grey-washed landscapes and contains both deeply considered essay writing and sharp dialogue. Queen of Snails uses surrealist imagery to illuminate an often-gritty narrative of a childhood struggling to understand itself amidst generational trauma and generational wisdom. Burdock brings us on an emotionally expansive journey as she searches for the elusive idea of home.”—Justin Hall,editor of No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics“Queen of Snails is an artfully choreographed visual memoir that sensitively presents the tangled histories of places and individuals and the messiness of emotions and memory.”—Sathyaraj Venkatesan Broken Frontier“[If] readers aim to discover the bits and pieces that make up identity, if they’re hoping to discover how to fit into the world while making room for love, riding shotgun throughout Burdock’s bizarre, tear-jerking, heartwarming experiences serves as a wise place to start.”—Alex De Vore Santa Fe Reporter

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Book SynopsisAt 38 years old, Hilnama, a manga artist, is diagnosed with colon cancer. Never one to lose hope or give in to despair, she begins cancer treatments despite the deadly diagnosis. But when going through such a grueling process, it can be difficult to keep a positive outlook... When faced with the struggles and trials of life, Hilnama turns to what she knows: writing and creating manga again, drawing herself as a rabbit in a world of humans and hospitals. This poignant and down-to-earth account of diagnosis, treatment, and living with terminal disease will be a reference for positivity and perseverance for years to come.

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Book SynopsisAn examination of some of rock'n'roll's most iconic figures—The Velvet Underground & Andy Warhol—and the loaded push-pull relationship that distorted their lives and echoed throughout popular culture. Many cultural critics would agree that Andy Warhol gave the Velvet Underground their break simply by bringing them under his wing. While they reached a certain level of notoriety and local celebrity in their time and have since acquired a lasting cult following, their success was in large part fostered by Warhol’s patronage. But at the time, this relationship was muddied by a certain level of codependence and an insatiable appetite for fame and irony, leaving Reed to ponder quietly: Would we have succeeded without Warhol's help? This doubt begins to spread like a malignant force, eventually leading to the band’s undoing as they break away from Warhol and, perhaps, give up their golden ticket to success. Explore the story behind the group The New York Times called "arguably the most influential American rock band of our time," through good times and bad, as captured in emotive style by multi-award winning artist Koren Shadmi (Twilight Man, Love Addict: Confessions of a Serial Dater). Trade Review"With absolutely gorgeous illustrations and deft pacing and plotting, every page is a masterpiece of detail and momentum. You can almost hear the music coming off the page." * Newsweek *"Shadmi’s graphic biography is richly detailed, beginning with Reed and Cale as college boys. Everyone is portrayed with both their talents and their flaws, but this is especially true of Reed and Warhol. Shadmi’s detailed illustrations convey the atmosphere of New York City in the 1960s, as well as the emotions and tension felt by the band members. Publishing is not short on musicians’ graphic biographies, but this one succeeds in showing the interconnectedness of pop culture at the time." * Booklist *"An impressive feat that shows just how much work and research went into getting the story right. It’s an inescapable book for those that want to know The Velvet Underground." -- Ricardo Serrano Denis * The Beat *"The lilting and cacophonous urgency of the Velvet Underground’s sound is adroitly packaged in this graphic history. Shadmi’s fervor for the band’s mythic history will win over longtime fans and neophytes alike." * Publishers Weekly *"Lush drawings and a captivating narrative combine for a wonderful telling of the Velvet Underground story." * Starred Kirkus Review *

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Book SynopsisThe critically-acclaimed biography chronicling the tumultuous personal and professional life of horror icon Bela Lugosi. “Poignant…. Shadmi smoothly blends characterization with chiaroscuro to perfectly spotlight Lugosi’s uncanny magnetism. On the screen—and in this fine portrait—his legacy lasts.”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Starred Review) “Haunting… Shadmi’s deeply absorbing and moving biography will appeal to Dracula afficionados of all ages.”—NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS LUGOSI, the tragic life story of one of horror’s most iconic film stars, tells of a young Hungarian activist forced to flee his homeland after the failed Communist revolution in 1919. Reinventing himself in the U.S., first on stage and then in movies, he landed the unforgettable role of Count Dracula in what would become a series of classic feature films. From that point forward, Lugosi’s stardom would be assured...but with international fame came setbacks and addictions that gradually whittled his reputation from icon to has-been. LUGOSI details the actor’s fall from grace and an enduring legacy that continues to this day.

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Book SynopsisThrough an important episode in the life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Régis Penet paints the portrait of a humanist genius who refused to submit to the powerful."Tell the French that there is still one man in Austria who is not subject to them, and that he does not bear any title!"1806, Beethoven was 36 years old and resided in the palace of Prince Alois von Lichnowsky, his friend and patron, where he would form a friendship with the young son of the prince, Eduard. It was the time of the great Napoleonic conquests and Austria was now occupied by French troops. In order to show the French officers that he was receiving at dinner, "what remains of a prince of Austria", von Lichnowsky made it a point of honor to have the composer play in front of his guests. But Beethoven refused to show his talent. By insubordination, not only towards the victors, these "servants of tyranny" but also towards his protector who wanted to show him off. He is and will remain a free man!Through the account of this particular day, Régis Penet makes a biographical work and draws a striking portrait of the "bear of the salons": a genius sure of his talent, indomitable and fond of freedom. Instructive, moving... simply magnificent!

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Book SynopsisClear Card picks up right where Cardcaptor Sakura left off, with Sakura and Syaoran starting junior high school. With the Final Judgment passed, Sakura thinks school life will be quiet, but then all her cards suddenly turn blank! The mysterious new power she discovers will change how she thinks about her powers.

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Book SynopsisA haunting and darkly funny post-apocalyptic graphic novel that follows an unusual postal worker on his very bizarre mail route.Amid the blasted rubble of a once-perfect suburb, a hazmat-suited postman delivers the mail, aloud.He shouts his letters down a vent to the bunker-bound family below.They describe the family''s prosperous past life, and then get stranger and stranger...Drawn by the famed cartoonish and Charlie Hebdo contributor Gébé, and never before available in English, Letter to Survivors is a blackhearted delight, a scathing, impassioned send-up of consumerist excess and nuclear peril: funnier—and scarier—than ever.

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Book SynopsisPaco Roca returns with a moving tale combining historical events with humour, compassion, and narrative mastery.

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Book SynopsisThe ongoing sequel to cult film, El Topo, from cult-favorite filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. “Oh, father, I cannot kill you, but I can kill your son . . .” El Topo was a bandit without limits, a man with no moral compass, but when his journey through the arid west brought him face to face with a series of rogue outcasts, he found enlightenment in the unlikeliest place and was forever transformed, becoming a holy vessel imbued with the power to perform miracles. This was a journey that took him far from his first born son, Cain, and brought about the birth of Abel. Fueled by resentment, and unable to kill his saintly father, Cain begins the slow pursuit of his half brother in a tale of magic and mayhem worthy of legendary filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky and virtuosic illustrator José Ladrönn. Together, they deliver an allegorical and surrealist western where the genre is at the service of deeper philosophical and spiritual considerations.

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Book SynopsisPoppies of Iraq is Brigitte Findakly s nuanced tender chronicle of her relationship with her homeland Iraq, co-written and drawn by her husband, the acclaimed cartoonist Lewis Trondheim. In spare and elegant detail, they share memories of her middle class childhood touching on cultural practices, the education system, Saddam Hussein s state control, and her family s history as Orthodox Christians in the arab world. Poppies of Iraq is intimate and wide-ranging; the story of how one can become separated from one s homeland and still feel intimately connected yet ultimately estranged. Signs of an oppressive regime permeate a seemingly normal life: magazines arrive edited by customs; the color red is banned after the execution of General Kassim; Baathist militiamen are publicly hanged and school kids are bussed past them to bear witness. As conditions in Mosul worsen over her childhood, Brigitte s father is always hopeful that life in Iraq will return to being secular and prosperous. The family eventually feels compelled to move to Paris, however, where Brigitte finds herself not quite belonging to either culture. Trondheim brings to life Findakly s memories to create a poignant family portrait that covers loss, tragedy, love, and the loneliness of exile.

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Book SynopsisHow to encapsulate a life in all its messiness, epiphanies, misunderstandings, disappointments, and joys? Seth, cartoonist of Clyde Fans, the first graphic novel nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, offers his tragicomic answer with George Sprott: 1894 1975. Page by page, we learn about George outmoded television host, creature of habit, charming if pompous old man, selfish lover, man about to die and though this is ultimately the story of one man s death, Seth leavens it with humour and restraint. The book s omniscient narrator offers a patchwork tale: a series of interviews with the people who cared about George, flashbacks, and personal reminiscences. The thwarted love of his life, Olive Mott, and the woman he marries, Helen. His trips to the Arctic and the exoticized portrait his documentaries painted of a Great White North. His habit of falling asleep on-air. His humdrum demise. What emerges is a story about memory, loss, time, and the stories we tell (and retell) to get through the day. George s romanticizing and repeating of his adventures up North, adventures that are revealed to be entirely fictional, holds a mirror to the ways we each historicize our own lives. Originally serialised in The New York Times Magazine before being published in an expanded, large-format hardcover by Drawn & Quarterly, this new edition is the definitive George Sprott.Trade ReviewA talent to be treasured. The Independent. [Seth] is exceptionally gifted at evoking the passing of time and the stasis of space. The Washington Post

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Book Synopsis"One of the most inventive and prolific cartoonists working today."?VultureIn the past ten years, Michael DeForge has released eleven books. While his style and approach have evolved, he has never wavered from taut character studies and incisive social commentary with a focus on humor. He has deeply probed subjects like identity, gentrification, fame, and sexual desire.In ?No Hell,? an angel?s tour of the five tiers of heaven reveals her obsession with a haunting infidelity. In ?Raising,? a couple uses an app to see what their unborn child would look like. Of course, what begins as a simple face-melding experiment becomes a nightmare of too-much-information where the young couple is forced to confront their terrible choices. ?Recommended for You? is an anxious retelling of our narrator?s favorite TV show?a Purge-like societal collapse drama?as a reflection of our desire for meaning in pop culture. Each of these stories shows the inner turmoil of an ordinary person coming to grips with a world vastly different than their initial perception of it. The humor is searing and the emotional weight lingers long after the story ends.Heaven No Hell collects DeForge?s best work yet. His ability to dig into a subject and break it down with beautiful drawings and sharp writing makes him one of the finest short story writers of the past decade, in comics or beyond. Heaven No Hell is always funny, sometimes sad, and continuously innovative in its deconstruction of society.

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Book Synopsis"Dhaliwal created a fictitious community facing xenophobia, fetishization, and media misrepresentation. It''s resonating with her thousands of Instagram followers."?Robert Ito, The New York Times?The characters in Dhaliwal?s stories sparkle. They?re tenderly rendered and their problems are real... The struggle of the cyclops unfolds in metaphors for race, sexuality, gender, and disability, tangling with ideas about fetishization, interracial relationships, passing, and representation.??Carmen Maria Machado, author of In The Dream HouseFollowing the critical and popular success of Woman World?the hit Instagram comic which appeared on 25 best of the year lists?Aminder Dhaliwal returns with Cyclopedia Exotica. Also serialized on instagram to her 250,000 followers, this graphic novel showcases Dhaliwal?s quick wit and astute socio-cultural criticism.Doctor?s office waiting rooms, commercials, dog parks, and dating app screenshots capture the experiences and interior lives of the cyclops community; a largely immigrant population displaying physical differences from the majority. Whether they?re artists, parents, or yoga students, the cyclops have it tough: they face microaggressions and overt xenophobia on a daily basis. However, they are bent on finding love, cultivating community, and navigating life alongside the two-eyed majority with patience and the occasional bout of rage.Cyclopedia Exotica is a triumph of hilarious candor.

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Book Synopsis?One of comics? preeminent humorists.? ?The AV ClubKeiler Roberts mines the passing moments of family life to deliver an affecting and funny account of what it means to simultaneously exist as a mother, daughter, wife, and artist. Drawn in an unassuming yet charming staccato that mimics the awkward rhythm of life, no one?s foibles are left unspared, most often the author?s own.When Roberts considers whether or not to dust the ceiling fan, it?s effectively relevant. She can get lost in the rewarding melodrama of playing Barbies with her daughter and will momentarily snap out of her depression. Her harmless fibs to get through the moment are brought up by her daughter a year or two later, yet without hesitation Roberts will request that her daughter?s imaginary friend not visit when she is around. Her MS diagnosis lingers in the background, never taking center stage.In My Begging Chart, her most encompassing work yet, Keiler meditates on routine and stillness. The vignettes of her everyday life exude immense presence, making her comics thoroughly relatable and reflective of our all-too-human lives as they unfold with humour, sadness, and relieving joy. In transporting these stories onto paper, Keiler observes, and at times relishes, a fleeting present.

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Book SynopsisA five-generation family history told through what is seen and heard, if not said. Let s Not Talk Anymore weaves together five generations of women from Weng Pixin s family, each at age 15. Her lineage is full of breakages her great grandmother Ku?n is sent away from her family in South China, her grandmother Mei is adopted by a neighbor to help with housework, and her mother B?ng is heartbroken by her father s estrangement. Pixin s own story centers on her feelings of isolation and her rebellion from her mother. She extends the line by envisioning a fictional future daughter, Rita, who questions her family s legacy. While spanning 100 years, Pixin moves back and forth in time seamlessly, as each woman experiences loneliness and kinship, hope and longing. As each story develops, generational traumas are revealed and fraught relationships passed on from mother to daughter. Creative impulses are stifled or nurtured. They struggle with poverty and neglect. And at some point each woman begins to separate herself from her situation and understand the woman she will become. Pixin s bold, vibrant paintings fill the aching silences between generations with beauty and emotion. Her paintings conjure complete worlds which these women inhabit. Let s Not Talk Anymore is a family history filled with tender moments as these women find connection with plants, animals, and their own creative pursuits, while struggling to connect with each other.Trade Review[Sweet Time] by Singaporean cartoonist Weng Pixin reflects her endless curiosity, vivid imagination and sense of wonder. Ms Magazine. In this book of sweeping, colorful, totally gorgeous images, [Weng] explores human relationships, loneliness, memory, and beauty. Electric Literature. Compassion and artistic ambition are evident on every page of this memorable debut. Library Journal

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Book SynopsisThis critique of the art world will have you crying with laughterIn Wendy's Revenge, Scott's titular heroine returns with a fresh set of awkward misadventures and messy nights out. When the book opens, aspiring artist Wendy has decided to move to the west coast to clear her head.She plans on getting some quality time with her collaborator and friend Winona, only to find Winona packing up to leave, having decided to move back in with her mom on the rez. All alone, Wendy endeavours to foster community in Vancouver's bleak art scene. When her hope and optimism are all used up, she packs her bags for an artist residency in Japan. Wendy then gallery hops and parties around the globe until she stumbles upon the opportunity to unite with former foe Paloma. Together they enact revenge on VVURST, the German publication that once tore her performance art to shreds.Young artists struggle with mental health issues, they get wasted and hook up with men with gross piercings, and they're afflicted with an insatiable longing for a stable identitystability they themselves undermine. Scott's deceptively simple, inky character drawings evoke millennial culture with such Jungian accuracy that you can't help but stare and giggle in equal measure. Praised by The New Yorker, Guardian, Globe and Mail, and with an appearance in the Best American Comics anthology, it's clear why Walter Scott's Wendy comics have taken critics by storm.

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Book SynopsisA wormhole into a fleeting romance told in a mind-bending first-person chorus. Time Zone J is Julie Doucet s first inked comic since she famously quit in the nineties after an exhausting career in an industry that, at the time, made little room for women. The year is 1989 and twenty-three-year-old Doucet is flying to France to meet with a soldier. He s a man she only knows through their mail correspondence, a common enough reality of the zine era, when comics were mailed from cartoonist to reader and close relationships were formed. Time is not on their side the soldier is just on furlough for a few days but the two make the most of their visit and discuss future plans, maybe even Christmas in Doucet s city, Montreal. Based on diary entries from the whirlwind romance, the passion and high emotions of youth before you know the limits of love, before you know the difference between love and lust seep through the pages. In contrast to the tryst, Doucet draws herself today, at fifty-five. After years of being in a crowd of men, Doucet compulsively returns to drawing, creating an alternate universe that foregrounds women. The pages of Time Zone J overflow with images pulled from past and present, faces and people that have inspired Doucet across more than three decades of creative work.Trade ReviewSeething, exuberant . . . Doucet s entire comics oeuvre [is] a lavish history lesson for those who might take today s outpouring of feminist comics for granted. The New York Times Book Review. Raunchy brilliance . . . Her open-ended treatment of female identity is still vital. The New York Review of Books

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Book SynopsisA memoir about trauma and writing yourself to a place of healing. At 15, Emily is a relatively typical teenage girl living in the Maritimes. She lives with her eccentric dad as he prepares to build a log cabin. She rides her beloved horse and spends all her free time taking in the fresh air. But things aren t perfect, the winters are harsh and her dad s place is cold and draughty. Enter their neighbour who sees a girl in need and offers to lend a hand. Three words: Our Little Secret, and Emily's fate is sealed. Twenty five years later, Emily is adrift and depressed when she spots her neighbour again on a ferry. The events of that long-ago winter come rushing back, and she is forced to reckon with the past anew. She vows that she will bring him to justice, tell her secret, and come to terms with the wounds that defined so many years of her life. Inept lawyers, expensive therapy, and a broken justice system block Emily s path to peace. Only when she rediscovers her youthful artistic talent by putting pen to paper does she see a way out. Now in her fifties, Carrington has crafted a compulsively readable debut that shows a powerful command of the comics medium. Our Little Secret is a testament to survival and to the importance of telling your story your way.

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Book SynopsisAn ambitious feminist anthology chronicling Indigenous rebellions around the world. In 1930s Bolivia, self-described Anarchist Cholas form a libertarian trade union. In the Northern Highlands of Vietnam, the songs of one girl s youth lead her to a life of activism. In the Philippines, female elders from Kalinga blaze a trail when pushed into impromptu protest. Equally striking accounts from Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, India, Nepal, Peru and Thailand weave a tapestry of trauma and triumph, shedding light on not-too-distant histories otherwise overlooked. Indigenous Peoples all over the world have always had to stand their ground in the face of colonialism. While the details may differ, what these stories have in common is their commitment to resistance in a world that puts profit before respect, and western notions of progress before their own. Movements and Moments is an introductory glimpse into how Indegenous Peoples tell these stories in their own words. From Southeast Asia to South America, vibrant communities must grapple with colonial realities to assert ownership over their lands and traditions. This project was undertaken in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Indonesien in Jakarta. These stories were selected from an open call across 42 countries to spotlight feminist movements and advocacies in the Global South.Trade ReviewThe artwork throughout is excellent... Taken together, these shorts carry a cumulative power, offering a heartening reminder of the strength and spirituality within resistance and a potent call to arms against injustice. Publishers Weekly. I am grateful for the heart that was poured into these comics, and even more so for the bravery of the people whose stories they tell. This book made me feel a little stronger. It helped me remember some things I had begun to forget. Eleanor Davis, The Hard Tomorrow. Movements and Moments is an important collection of unique, vibrant voices that together sing in unison the stories of identity, liberation, determination, and resilience. To finally gain the perspectives of Indigenous women from South America, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania is a powerful, uplifting celebration of communities who have been underrepresented and overlooked for far too long. Rina Ayuyang, Blame This on the Boogie. This anthology is an excellent, engaging historical resource. ALA Booklist.

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Book SynopsisFrom toddler antics to doctor appointments, Keiler Roberts breathes humour and life into the fleeting present. Keiler Roberts affirms her status as one of the best autobiographical cartoonists working today with The Joy of Quitting, a work encompassing 8 years of hilarious moments in the author s life, mined from the universal. It spans her frantic child-rearing, misfires in the workplace, and frustrating experiences with the medical system. In one strip, the author and her daughter Xia have itchy scalps. Roberts asks her husband to check her hair and all she gets is the cursory remark that he just sees a bunch of bugs. In another, Xia describes her oddly shaped poop in precise detail. We then see Xia sitting at the breakfast table telling the family that she recently learned the word nuisance and everyone agrees it s a good word for her to know. As Xia grows from toddler to big kid, the family evolves and its dynamics shift in subtle ways, changes that pass all too suddenly in real life captured forever with Roberts s keen observational humour. The Joy of Quitting is Roberts magnum opus of domestic comedy, highlighting how she continues to work within and expand the rich tradition of autobiographical comics. Again and again, Roberts shows us that most meaningful moments or gestures often don t have any meaning at all.Trade ReviewI love the way Keiler Roberts use[s] diary comics to endow small, throwaway moments with the dignity and weight of larger ones. Liana Finck, The New York Times. Her work gives off a kind of radical stillness. It always lowers my blood pressure... Keiler Roberts is my new hero. Christopher Borrelli, The Chicago Tribune

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Book SynopsisThe book that brought pre-eminent Manga-ka Shigeru Mizuki to the English-speaking world. Kokopo, 1943. A platoon of soldiers is ordered into battle. The objective is death. The alternative is certain execution as a consequence of survival. Inspired by Eisner Award-winning author Shigeru Mizuki's own mandatory tour of duty as an active combatant in the Imperial Japanese Army, Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths portrays a flailing infantry unit on its last legs near the end of the Second World War. This deeply personal and landmark anti-war work could only have been made by a pacifist. The desperation and moral depravity on display is devastating. Mizuki's fanciful characters must make do against a photo-realistic backdrop teeming with tropical life that remains inhospitable. Indeed, commanding officers prove even more ferocious than the wild unknown of Papua New Guinea. And yet the human instinct endures, seeing through the absurdity of such a rigid and outdated command structure with gallows humor.

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Book SynopsisA cutting portrayal of the pursuit of work-life balance from the cartoonist of Shit is Real. To achieve the proper work-life balance perhaps we just need the right therapist to coach us through our day-to-day. Anita, Sandra, and Dex have ambitions. Anita wants to move from making utility ceramics to fine art sculpture but her pent up dissatisfaction results in an outburst that puts her studio mate s work at risk. Sandra juggles her practical administrative day job at a startup with her wellness influencer channel, finding both in jeopardy when a messy affair with her coworker comes to light. In another corner of the same startup, Dex s innovative ideas are rejected, leading him to spend his days hacking and working as a bike courier. All three are disillusioned with their daily grinds. As the pressure for self-improvement builds they all end up looking to the same therapist for answers. Soon the boundaries between work and life begin to bleed into each other and it becomes increasingly impossible to find balance. All the solace the characters expect their therapist to provide is obscured by her quirks, whims, and psycho-parlance, leading to sessions that are neglectful at best and actively inhibit growth at worst. In striking colors and trippy transformational sequences, Aisha Franz captures the comedic absurdity of contemporary work-life and wellness culture.

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Book SynopsisA rip-roaring journey through the highs and lows of tour life. Welcome aboard the tour van of Major Threat Brooklyn s finest rock band yet to catch a break as they traverse the US of A on a last-ditch summer festival tour. On drums we ve got band dad Ed, the stoic drummer who keeps bumping into tech bro co-workers that he can't quite relate to. On bass, there s Paul, a man of mostly mystery, who drinks hard and yet manages to glide through life, intelligible to no one except energy-drink guzzling Marco, the baby of the band and newest replacement lead singer. And of course there's the gentle and serene Lilith, a weed lollipop sucking, stuffed-animal backpack wearing guitarist healing from heartbreak. There s sex, drugs, and rock n roll, sure, but there s also tender moments as the motley crew take turns behind the wheel, compiling lists of the hottest hunks and best guitar riffs to pass the miles. From tour fashion to breakdowns mechanical and emotional Leslie Stein holds no bars in this incredibly funny and heartfelt love-letter meets parody of life on the road. Her first full-length fiction, Brooklyn's Last Secret expertly showcases Stein s trademark cocktail of charm, wit, and whimsey, leaving readers decidedly affected by their time spent in her world. With her smoothest line and most stunning watercolor washes to date, Brooklyn's Last Secret reveals a lighter, more humorous tone from the LA Times Book Prize winning cartoonist.

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