Graphic-Novel-Loving Librarian Blog

Summary: Told through comic book format, we learn of the journey of Stanley Lieber, first as an assistant for Timely Comics then later as his current role as the Face of Marvel Comics, a.k.a. "Stan 'the Man' Lee." He is so universally recognized as Marvel comics that his cameos in Marvel's superhero movies are a way for others to pay respects to the man for all of the work he put into the company (especially after the debacle involving DC Comics and Superman creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster).  Throughout much of the history of comic books, Stan Lee has been a constant in the success of Marvel Comics.  We learn of his many roles that he played in the company, as well as the trials and tribulations/ups and downs of the comic book industry. We also get to see how Stan's personality and character helped to create/co-create so many of Marvel's heroes and promoted them. Why I Picked It Up: Having been a reader of Marvel Comics since the early 1970&#

Summary: Kevin is regular guy going about his day when he happens upon an individual he mistakes for a homeless man, but in reality, he meets a Mage (a magician), named Mirth.  Later, as Kevin is riding in an isolated subway car, he is startled to find himself being attacked by three bald-headed men with pale complexions, eyes with no pupils, and pointy spikes for elbows. In utter confusion and bewilderment of his current situation and because of his opponents makeover, Kevin decides to escape his plight by jumping out of the window of the moving subway.  As luck would have it, Kevin may have alluded his transgressors, but only to wind up in the direct path of an oncoming subway train. Surprisingly, Kevin survives being run over by the subway!  Dusting himself off, he desperately tries to wrap his brain about what's happening and longingly seeks the solace of his apartment home.  However, when he gets there, Kevin finds Mirth awaiting him in his living room.  Despite Kevin'

(Note: Although this is not a graphic novel, it does deal with the comic book industry, so I included it in my list of reviews.) Summary: When I first started working in the retail industry, I was naively believing that those who were above me knew a great deal about working in the business. Months later, I began to wonder how the department store where I was employed was staying open. I no longer saw my bosses as being competent of the retail business, as a matter of fact, I thought a couple of them were complete morons. In other words, I saw behind the curtain of the Great Oz. I was no longer in awe of my managers; I felt let down. That feeling I had back then is how I feel now after reading Marvel Comics: The Untold Story . I saw behind the curtain of the Marvel Logo and it made me wonder, "How in the world did they stay in business?" From the creation of super hero characters that different people took credit for, story lines that had vindictive double meanings, ha

Summary: Can a person survive in the Arctic?  If so, then how? Luke Healy tells a fictional tale, based on actual events, that describes just how some expeditions (both experienced and inexperienced) survived in the harsh wintry conditions. Or, in some cases, how many travelers (again, both experienced and inexperienced) could not survive. The story explains the power of the ice and the ramifications of those who don't respect it. It's has often times been said that Mother Nature is not to be trifled with and Healy's graphic novel shows us the awesomeness of our Mother's unyielding force in the Arctic. As you read the tale you will not look at snow the same way again. Reference : Luke Healy (2016). How To Survive in the North. Nobrow Inc. New York. Why I Picked It Up :  Being from the Southwest mountain desert of Texas, snow is often just a once-a-year occurrence, two if we're lucky. So, to deal with the weather conditions and snowy environment of the Arctic

(Note: I know it's not a graphic novel, which is what I dedicated my blog to, but the subject is about graphic novels and about one of it's most famous creators. So, I included it as one of my reviews.) Summary: "Champion" is a great description of Will Eisner, not because he was the best at graphic novels but because he supported and promoted graphic novels for many decades. He believed in what they could do and what they could become.  He was of the originators who never stopped learning and encouraged others in their works, as well. Eisner believed in the medium and practiced what he preached, so much so, that he worked on his novels up until the day he died. In his book, Paul Levitz gives us the details of Eisner's life and the struggles he faced throughout his career. But, we also learn of Eisner's business sense and he lucrativeness that allowed him to pursue his passions throughout his lifetime, despite those struggles. From his childhood until hi

Summary: Statistics have shown that college students change their major at least 3 times over their college career, which means that people are often uncertain about their future and, in many respects, uncertain about who they are. Gene Luen Yang's graphic novel is about a young man, Dennis Ouyang, who has a difficult time deciding where his passions and future truly lie.  His family pushes him into medicine, but he finds a passion for video games. Unfortunately, his addiction to video games gets Dennis kicked out of college and uncertain of his future. Then one day Dennis is visited by four "guilt-driven hallucinations" who help him get back into college and back on a medical career path.  Once he is back on track, everything should be fine and dandy, right? Well, what we find out is that things aren't okay because Dennis struggles in school again and surprisingly discovers that he can actually making a living playing video games. Is this what finall

Summary: Everyone wants success, but what that success is depends on the individual. However, to find that success many people are willing to make sacrifices in order to attain it.  David, a sculptor, is just such a person. What he sacrifices though makes him unique. David sacrifices his life . . . literally. Frustrated with his lack of any artistic accomplishments David strikes a bargain with Death: his life for success. His passion for that success blindly leads him to what he thinks will make him happy. What he could not have predicted is that he would soon fall in love. Meg is a fellow struggling artist whose emotional state is a fragile one, but David falls for her anyways. One condition of his agreement with Death states that no one can know about their contract. Another condition is that David only has 200 days before he dies. Because of this David finds himself torn between being with Meg, creating for his art, and fitting everything in before his time runs out. Will David t