The library has recently added substantially to its graphic novel collection, and they have been moved to right by the circulation desk, in the front of the library. Many titles in many genres have been added – if you like comics, now would be an excellent time to browse for something to read.
New volumes include compilations of classic comics and newspaper strips, such as Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, The Far Side, Uncle Scrooge, and Pearls Before Swine. Humorous and easy to read, many of these characters are deeply embedded in the popular consciousness.
The library has also expanded its selection of manga, Japanese comic books, with titles like Death Note, about a sociopath who discovers a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone he wants and the policemen who try to stop him; Higurashi: When they Cry, a story about a bucolic small village in the 1980s trapped in a time loop where random inhabitants always seem to be driven to madness; Claymore, about a monster slayer who finds her employers to have much evil of their own to hide; and Read or Die, about a secret agent for the Royal British Library pursuing stolen books. These comics are read from right to left, starting with what Americans might consider the ‘back’ of the book.
Literary or historically significant graphic novels make up much of the new material, and include volumes like Daytripper, a story about selected days in one man’s life, each treated as though it might be his last; 300, about the small band of Spartan warriors who fought against an overwhelming Persian army in 480 BCE; Northlanders, about Vikings at odds with themselves, other countries, and Christianity; Sandman, about a seemingly immortal being who can control dreams that explores mythmaking and human drama; and Age of Bronze, an adaptation of the Trojan War which eliminates the presence of the gods to focus on mortal pathos.
There are also plenty of new classic mainstream superhero comics, featuring larger-than-life heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and the Power Rangers in adventures against their perennial and equally colorful foes.
Child-friendly comics are also expanded, with titles including Zebrafish, about a middle school rock band trying to do good in the world; Ramp Rats, a story about kids learning to skateboard while contending with outlaw bikers; Apocalypse Bow Wow, where two dogs try to survive a post-apocalyptic world after their owners disappear; and Lunch Lady and the Field Trip Fiasco, about a cafeteria lady protecting students on a trip to an art museum.
The library was also kind enough to add a graphic novel I made, Willow, an adaption of the 1980s film in which a man tries to protect a baby from the wrath of a wicked sorceress.
Want to enjoy some graphic novels over spring break? Check some out at the library! And if you have any questions or want help finding a book of interest to you, Ask Us at iueref@iu.edu or click this button:
