Recordpub.com - One for the Books: Graphic Novels--Not just comic books for grownups

Graphic novels have come a long way. They’re more popular than ever, and nobody can say they’re just comic books for grownups. My ultimate test: Do I want to read it again?

ARTICHOKE TALES

“Artichoke Tales” by Megan Kelso is a strange, other-worldly story about birth and death, coming of age, dealing with war, finding love, accepting tragedy. The book is peopled with beings who have artichoke leaves for hair. Those who live in the north follow their queen’s desire to build up the military and they let her spend all the country’s money on her army. The people of the south live a holistic way of life and have no wish to fight. This multi-generational saga follows the women of one family, first introducing us to a southern girl who runs a botanical apothecary with her grandmother. The girl falls in love with a soldier boy from the north but can’t be with him because of the civil war. A widow is thrown in jail for protesting, and she declares, “For hundreds of years north and south were one, but you, my queen, are a wedge between us, pitting the salty sea air against the sweet mountain breezes.” The story shows that “Wars don’t always end in victory or defeat. Sometimes they end when the soldiers decide to go home.”

The story was a bit confusing for me, but good enough to want to read again. The simple, comic-strip-like illustrations in teal and white express movement beautifully with a minimum of lines. Explicit content, hardcover, 231 pages.

OOKU: THE INNER CHAMBERS

The Japanese are masters of the art of manga, and “Ooku: The Inner Chambers” by Fumi Yoshinaga displays this mastery with a polished flair. The book is published in the Japanese style, reading from back to front and from top right to bottom left of the page. It’s enjoyable and involving, and its alternate-history storyline reads like a regular novel. Its premise: In the Edo period in Japan, a disease has killed about 3/4 of the male population. The women have taken over all the roles of power and work, and boys are “raised with extreme care as precious seed-bearers.” With men so rare, “The right to take a son-in-law became a privilege accorded only the samurai warrior class and very wealthy merchants and village magistrates.” Even the shogun is a woman. And at Edo Castle, the building’s inner chambers are reserved for beautiful men — think “harem” — waiting to serve as her intimate companions. Our hero, a young man of 19, can’t marry the girl he loves because she is an heiress and her family can afford a better match for her. He decides to “enter into service in the inner chambers” because the men who serve the shogun receive a stipend — money he could send home to buy a husband for his sister. In the castle, the class system is very much in evidence, as is the bully system. Our hero fights his way to the shogun’s attention and is promoted to groom of the bedchamber. But by tradition, the first one chosen by the shogun must die.

This is one great read, and the premise is thought-provoking. It’s book one of a series; book four comes out in August. I must say, I do want to read it again, and then all the sequels. Explicit content, paperback, 210 pages.

TROUBLEMAKER

Troublemaker Janet Evanovich wrote two fun novels featuring crime-solving Alexandra Barnaby and her NASCAR boyfriend, Sam Hooker — “Metro Girl” and “Motor Mouth” — and then we waited for a third. And we waited. And we waited. Finally, she and her daughter, Alex Evanovich, have produced “Troublemaker,” the third Barney book, but it is in the form of a graphic novel, with gorgeous artwork by Jöelle Jones. Barney’s friend, Rosa the cigar-roller, has gone missing, and so has her “rat-faced” boss from the cigar shop. Barney and Sam scramble around southern Florida, looking for her. Voodoo is involved. Meanwhile, Sam’s mother has moved to Miami after her divorce, and she wants Sam and Barney to get married and start supplying her with grandchildren. Sam’s willing, but Barney’s freaked out.

It’s great fun, but there are several problems here: It’s book one of several, and just when it gets interesting, it’s over, and we have to wait until November for the second part to be published. It’s the first graphic novel for this writing team, and it shows: It’s disjointed, the timing’s off, and Janet Evanovich’s usually lively humor falls flat. Much of her usual subtlety is lost here. It was a noble attempt, but it’s disappointing. They should have brought out a completed book; it’s way too expensive as one of a series. But, that said, I had fun reading it, I’ll read it again, and I’m ready for the next one. So far, OK for all ages, hardcover, 106 pages.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TOTHE WORLD OF TOMORROW?

Finally, “Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow?” by Brian Fies really works well, on several levels. A little boy is excited to see the images of the future at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, and we follow him as he develops an interest in science — fiction and fact — through the monster movies, “duck and cover” drills and fallout shelters of the ’50s and the space race of the ’60s to the last Apollo mission in 1975. “While the fifties reflected our anxieties about powers we weren’t sure we could control, in the sixties we domesticated them,” says the author. The boy hopes the space program will “teach us ways to improve ourselves down here. Work together. Live in peace.” The book shows advances in technology and pays homage to visionaries such as Walt Disney, artist Chesley Bonestell, and physicist Wernher von Braun. It shows how our vision of the future has changed over time. “People used to think the world of tomorrow would be heralded by colossal, clanking, gear-grinding monuments to industrial prowess that towered over shining metropolises and pounded lightning into the heavens. Instead, advanced technology became lean, efficient, smart, and small. It’s invisible and everywhere.”

The author mixes drawings with photos and several inserted “comic books” (the “Space Age Adventures” of Cap Crafter and the Cosmic Kid) that are even printed on different paper and become progressively more sophisticated. They’re wonderful! Science, history and culture — very fun. I could read it again and again. And I want my jet pack. OK for all ages, hardcover, 202 pages.

For best-seller lists and more book news, go to:

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4868767

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BOOK NOTES, One for the Books Extra Online

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Follow me on Twitter @One4TheBooks.

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Check out my blog on books, inspiration, fun and thought-provoking goodies! It’s called “Shine A Light!”

http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/

If you lose that link, go to www.recordpub.com. Click “Blogs” in the blue bar at the top of the page, and find “Shine A Light.”

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-----

For best-seller lists and more book news, go to:

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4868767

------

Here are links to other recent One for the Books columns. More links are available on my blog at http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/one-for-the-books/

Prize-Winning Fiction -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4803780

Authors’ Lives, Real or Imagined -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4856578

Memorable Characters -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4822150

True-Life Adventure for Dad -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4842039

Rainy Day Books for Children -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4835050

Questions of Identity -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4826618

Lives of Real Women -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4817982

A Bit of Southern Hospitality -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4813799

Marriage -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4805797

Politicians Behaving Badly -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4796121

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Thanks for reading One for the Books. Please let us know what kind of book news you’d like to see on this page. Send e-mail to Books@recordpub.com. Send other mail to Mary Louise Ruehr, Books Editor, Record-Courier, 126 N. Chestnut St. (P.O. Box 1201), Ravenna, OH 44266.

“One for the Books” now appears on Saturdays (approximately the second and fourth of each month) on the Books page in the Arts & Entertainment section of the Record-Courier.

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Home \| Back One for the Books: Graphic Novels--Not just comic books for grownups Print Story \| Comments \| Mary Louise Ruehr July 31, 2010 Graphic novels have come a long way. They’re more popular than ever, and nobody can say they’re just comic books for grownups. My ultimate test: Do I want to read it again? ARTICHOKE TALES “Artichoke Tales” by Megan Kelso is a strange, other-worldly story about birth and death, coming of age, dealing with war, finding love, accepting tragedy. The book is peopled with beings who have artichoke leaves for hair. Those who live in the north follow their queen’s desire to build up the military and they let her spend all the country’s money on her army. The people of the south live a holistic way of life and have no wish to fight. This multi-generational saga follows the women of one family, first introducing us to a southern girl who runs a botanical apothecary with her grandmother. The girl falls in love with a soldier boy from the north but can’t be with him because of the civil war. A widow is thrown in jail for protesting, and she declares, “For hundreds of years north and south were one, but you, my queen, are a wedge between us, pitting the salty sea air against the sweet mountain breezes.” The story shows that “Wars don’t always end in victory or defeat. Sometimes they end when the soldiers decide to go home.” The story was a bit confusing for me, but good enough to want to read again. The simple, comic-strip-like illustrations in teal and white express movement beautifully with a minimum of lines. Explicit content, hardcover, 231 pages. OOKU: THE INNER CHAMBERS The Japanese are masters of the art of manga, and “Ooku: The Inner Chambers” by Fumi Yoshinaga displays this mastery with a polished flair. The book is published in the Japanese style, reading from back to front and from top right to bottom left of the page. It’s enjoyable and involving, and its alternate-history storyline reads like a regular novel. Its premise: In the Edo period in Japan, a disease has killed about 3/4 of the male population. The women have taken over all the roles of power and work, and boys are “raised with extreme care as precious seed-bearers.” With men so rare, “The right to take a son-in-law became a privilege accorded only the samurai warrior class and very wealthy merchants and village magistrates.” Even the shogun is a woman. And at Edo Castle, the building’s inner chambers are reserved for beautiful men — think “harem” — waiting to serve as her intimate companions. Our hero, a young man of 19, can’t marry the girl he loves because she is an heiress and her family can afford a better match for her. He decides to “enter into service in the inner chambers” because the men who serve the shogun receive a stipend — money he could send home to buy a husband for his sister. In the castle, the class system is very much in evidence, as is the bully system. Our hero fights his way to the shogun’s attention and is promoted to groom of the bedchamber. But by tradition, the first one chosen by the shogun must die. This is one great read, and the premise is thought-provoking. It’s book one of a series; book four comes out in August. I must say, I do want to read it again, and then all the sequels. Explicit content, paperback, 210 pages. TROUBLEMAKER Janet Evanovich wrote two fun novels featuring crime-solving Alexandra Barnaby and her NASCAR boyfriend, Sam Hooker — “Metro Girl” and “Motor Mouth” — and then we waited for a third. And we waited. And we waited. Finally, she and her daughter, Alex Evanovich, have produced “Troublemaker,” the third Barney book, but it is in the form of a graphic novel, with gorgeous artwork by Jöelle Jones. Barney’s friend, Rosa the cigar-roller, has gone missing, and so has her “rat-faced” boss from the cigar shop. Barney and Sam scramble around southern Florida, looking for her. Voodoo is involved. Meanwhile, Sam’s mother has moved to Miami after her divorce, and she wants Sam and Barney to get married and start supplying her with grandchildren. Sam’s willing, but Barney’s freaked out. It’s great fun, but there are several problems here: It’s book one of several, and just when it gets interesting, it’s over, and we have to wait until November for the second part to be published. It’s the first graphic novel for this writing team, and it shows: It’s disjointed, the timing’s off, and Janet Evanovich’s usually lively humor falls flat. Much of her usual subtlety is lost here. It was a noble attempt, but it’s disappointing. They should have brought out a completed book; it’s way too expensive as one of a series. But, that said, I had fun reading it, I’ll read it again, and I’m ready for the next one. So far, OK for all ages, hardcover, 106 pages. WHATEVER HAPPENED TOTHE WORLD OF TOMORROW? Finally, “Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow?” by Brian Fies really works well, on several levels. A little boy is excited to see the images of the future at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, and we follow him as he develops an interest in science — fiction and fact — through the monster movies, “duck and cover” drills and fallout shelters of the ’50s and the space race of the ’60s to the last Apollo mission in 1975. “While the fifties reflected our anxieties about powers we weren’t sure we could control, in the sixties we domesticated them,” says the author. The boy hopes the space program will “teach us ways to improve ourselves down here. Work together. Live in peace.” The book shows advances in technology and pays homage to visionaries such as Walt Disney, artist Chesley Bonestell, and physicist Wernher von Braun. It shows how our vision of the future has changed over time. “People used to think the world of tomorrow would be heralded by colossal, clanking, gear-grinding monuments to industrial prowess that towered over shining metropolises and pounded lightning into the heavens. Instead, advanced technology became lean, efficient, smart, and small. It’s invisible and everywhere.” The author mixes drawings with photos and several inserted “comic books” (the “Space Age Adventures” of Cap Crafter and the Cosmic Kid) that are even printed on different paper and become progressively more sophisticated. They’re wonderful! Science, history and culture — very fun. I could read it again and again. And I want my jet pack. OK for all ages, hardcover, 202 pages. Copyright © 2010 by Mary Louise Ruehr. For best-seller lists and more book news, go to: http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4868767 ------ BOOK NOTES, One for the Books Extra Online ------ Follow me on Twitter @One4TheBooks. ------ Check out my blog on books, inspiration, fun and thought-provoking goodies! It’s called “Shine A Light!” http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/ If you lose that link, go to www.recordpub.com. Click “Blogs” in the blue bar at the top of the page, and find “Shine A Light.” ------ ----- For best-seller lists and more book news, go to: http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4868767 ------ Here are links to other recent One for the Books columns. More links are available on my blog at http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/one-for-the-books/ Prize-Winning Fiction -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4803780 Authors’ Lives, Real or Imagined -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4856578 Memorable Characters -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4822150 True-Life Adventure for Dad -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4842039 Rainy Day Books for Children -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4835050 Questions of Identity -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4826618 Lives of Real Women -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4817982 A Bit of Southern Hospitality -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4813799 Marriage -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4805797 Politicians Behaving Badly -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4796121 ------ Thanks for reading One for the Books. Please let us know what kind of book news you’d like to see on this page. Send e-mail to Books@recordpub.com. Send other mail to Mary Louise Ruehr, Books Editor, Record-Courier, 126 N. Chestnut St. (P.O. Box 1201), Ravenna, OH 44266. “One for the Books” now appears on Saturdays (approximately the second and fourth of each month) on the Books page in the Arts & Entertainment section of the Record-Courier. Comments By Posting to this site, you agree to our Terms of Service Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed. Recordpub.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Login above or Register to comment. 0 Total Comments Home \| Back
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