Friday, November 20, 2015

New Graphic Novels











The 47 Ronin by Sean Michael Wilson; drawings by Akiko Shimojima
“In the eighteenth century, forty-seven samurai avenged the death of their master in a plot that would take over two years to complete. After succeeding in their mission, the masterless samurai—known as ronin—all committed ritual suicide. The story, which is a national legend, remains the most potent example of Japan's deeply rooted cultural imperative of honor, persistence, loyalty, and sacrifice. The historical event has inspired many writers and artists over the years and numerous fictionalized versions and adaptations have emerged. In The 47 Ronin, Sean Michael Wilson has created a historically factual portrait, enhanced by evocative and often lyrical drawings by Akiko Shimojima.” –Amazon

Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem by Steve Niles; illustrated by Dave Wachter
“A British plane crashes on the outskirts of a small Jewish town, drawing the attention of Nazi forces. To protect their homes and families, one man gives his life to create a creature of legend -- the golem. Following the orders of the man's grandson, the golem fights for the town and becomes a friend no one expected.” –WorldCat

Ghetto Brother: Warrior to Peacemaker by Julian Voloj and Claudia Ahlering
"An engrossing and counter view of one of the most dangerous elements of American urban history, this graphic novel tells the true story of Benjy Melendez, son of Puerto-Rican immigrants, who founded, at the end of the 1960s, the notorious Ghetto Brothers gang. From the seemingly bombed-out ravages of his neighborhood, wracked by drugs, poverty, and violence, he managed to extract an incredibly positive energy from this riot ridden era: his multiracial gang promoted peace rather than violence. After initiating a gang truce, the Ghetto Brothers held weekly concerts on the streets or in abandoned buildings, which fostered the emergence of hip-hop. Melendez also began to reclaim his Jewish roots after learning about his family's dramatic crypto-Jewish background.” –Publisher

Girl in Dior by Annie Goetzinger
"The Girl in Dior is Clara, a freshly hired chronicler, fan of fashion and our guide in the busy corridors of the brand new house of Christian Dior. It's February 12, 1947 and the crème de la crème of Paris Haute Couture is flocking to the momentous event of Dior's first show. In a flurry of corolla shaped skirts, the parade of models file down the runway. The audience is mesmerized: it's a triumph! Carmel Snow of Harper's Bazaar cries out: "It's quite a revolution; your dresses have such a new look!" Dior's career is launched and Clara's story begins. Soon, she is picked by Dior himself to be his model.” –WorldCat

Hansel & Gretel by Neil Gaiman; illustrated by Lorenzo Mattotti
“Best-selling author Neil Gaiman and fine artist Lorenzo Mattotti join forces to create Hansel & Gretel, a stunning book that's at once as familiar as a dream and as evocative as a nightmare. Mattotti's sweeping ink illustrations capture the terror and longing found in the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Gaiman crafts an original text filled with his signature wit and pathos that is sure to become a favorite of readers everywhere, young and old.” –Amazon

Saga by Brian K. Vaughn; art by Fiona Staples
Volume Three
“When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.” –Amazon

Saga by Brian K. Vaughn; art by Fiona Staples
Volume Four
"Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. As they visit a strange new world and encounter even more adversaries, baby Hazel finally becomes a toddler, while her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana struggle to stay on their feet. –Back cover

Saga by Brian K. Vaughn; art by Fiona Staples
Volume Five
"While Gwendolyn and Lying Cat risk everything to find a cure for The Will, Marko makes an uneasy alliance with Prince Robot IV to find their missing children, who are trapped on a strange world with terrifying new enemies.” –Cover

The Sculptor by Scott McCloud
“David Smith is giving his life for his art―literally. Thanks to a deal with Death, the young sculptor gets his childhood wish: to sculpt anything he can imagine with his bare hands. But now that he only has 200 days to live, deciding what to create is harder than he thought, and discovering the love of his life at the 11th hour isn't making it any easier!” –Jacket

The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang; art by Sonny Liew
“In the comics boom of the 1940s, a legend was born: the Green Turtle. He solved crimes and fought injustice just like the other comics characters. But this mysterious masked crusader was hiding something more than your run-of-the-mill secret identity: the Green Turtle was the first Asian American super hero. The comic had a short run before lapsing into obscurity, but Gene Luen Yang has revived this character in Shadow Hero, a new graphic novel that creates an origin story for the Green Turtle.” –WorldCat