Gwen: Hah, I feel you on tight budgets!
Silence of Our Friends GN by (w) Mark Long (a/c) Nate Powell
As the civil rights struggle heats up in Texas, two families - one white, one black - find common ground. This semi-autobiographical tale is set in 1967 Texas, against the backdrop of the fight for civil rights. A white family from a notoriously racist neighborhood in the suburbs and a black family from its poorest ward cross Houston's color line, overcoming humiliation, degradation, and violence to win the freedom of five black college students unjustly charged with the murder of a policeman. $16.99
Lee: First Second publishes is one of the best small publishers out there. The subject matter alone is very, very interesting but the fact that FS is publishing makes me think this will be a winner. If you like history and human interest then this is an easy buy.
Gwen: Texas is a scary place. Well, maybe not but that's how it seems sometimes! Seriously though, I agree with Lee - it looks like this will be a good read.
Hades: Lord of the Dead tells the story of the great God of the Underworld and one of the most famous of all Greek myths: Hades' abduction of Persephone and her mother's revenge. Be prepared to see a new side of Persephone in this dynamic adaptation of the story of the creation of the seasons. O'Connor's vibrant, kinetic art brings ancient tales to undeniable life in a perfect fusion of super-hero aesthetics and ancient Greek mythology. $9.99
Lee: I met O’Connor at Balti-Con last year and picked up the first three books in this series. I can tell you they are great and the kids will tell you they are great. A fantastic read that will suck you right in! Perfect for kids and adults alike.
Gwen: Oh my gosh, this is awesome. I want it! I am a huge fan of mythology and my husband would probably get a kick out of this as well. The art looks great and I am definitely attracted to the subject matter.
Baby Boomers GN by (w) Richard McAuliffe (a/c) Chad Cicconi
Gus and Callie are babies with a difference. Fueled by a mutual hatred, they seek to cause each other as much distress as possible. A toddle in strollers becomes a 90-mph race of epic Ben-Hur proportions, playgrounds become death-match arenas and an innocent hamster becomes the weapon of choice in a John Woo-style shoot-out. Filled with comedic violence and changing battlegrounds, if you're looking for cute and cuddly you've come to the wrong playpen! $15.99
Lee: This just seems silly and fun all at the same time. I'm not sure that it will be real deep and meaningful but I bet there's enough "just wrong" violence to make you laugh.
Gwen: Um, yeah. Pass for me. I never did get the rooster vs Peter fight in family guy and that's what this reminds me of.
My Friend Dahmer HC by (w/a/c) Derf Backderf
You only think you know this story. We all have that one friend we grew up with--the strange kid, the class freak, the one whose antics amused and entertained, maybe even alarmed us--the kid who sticks in our heads even with the passing of the years. That friend is invariably left behind when we become adults, faded into memory and filed away with our yearbooks and other teenage mementos. But every now and then we might wonder whatever happened to that person. For one cartoonist who grew up in the small town of Richfield, Ohio, that question was answered without warning by every media outlet in the world. My Friend Dahmer is the hauntingly original graphic novel by Derf Backderf, the award-winning political cartoonist and comix creator. In these pages, Backderf tries to make sense of Jeffrey Dahmer, the future serial killer with whom he shared classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, libraries, and car rides. What emerges is a surprisingly sympathetic portrait of a young man struggling helplessly against the ghastly urges bubbling up from the deep recesses of his psyche. The Dahmer recounted here, universally regarded as an inhuman monster, is a lonely oddball who, in reality, is all too human. A shy kid sucked inexorably into madness while the adults in his life fail him. We all know what Dahmer did, but in My Friend Dahmer Derf provides profound (and at times, even strangely comic) insight into how, and more important, why Jeffrey Dahmer transformed from a high school nerd into the most depraved serial killer since Jack the Ripper--coming as close as anyone yet has to explaining the seemingly unexplainable phenomenon of one Jeffrey Dahmer, Revere High, Class of 1978. $24.95
Lee: If you like true crime then this is the book for you. Then again maybe not. This isn’t a crime story so much as it’s Derf’s memories of his time with Dahmer on paper. Derf is an outstanding writer and I have several things by him already and soon I shall have this. There’s a cheaper sc version available too.
Gwen: Wow, this looks excellent. As someone who's a fan of stuff like Criminal Minds I find this type of book to be fascinating. Also I bet the Forensics teacher I work with would like to check it out too.
Fantastic Life GN by (w/a/c) Kevin Mutch
Fantastic Life is the critically-acclaimed Xeric Award-winning new graphic novel which follows the misadventures of a young slacker who begins to question his own sanity against the backdrop of punk rock, quantum mechanics, and the living dead. $9.95
Lee: I'm a strong believer in the Xeric grant process and I try to read the books from the winners because.. well because whoever picks the winners is usually right. I'm not sure how quantum mechanics and zombies go together but I'm sure it'll be interesting. And for the record, QM and punk rock actually goes together real well. Some of my best scientist friends like some of the nastiest heavy metal I've ever heard. Go figure!
Gwen: I can't say I've had the same experience but maybe that's because I work with high school science teachers.
Steed and Mrs. Peel #1 of 6 by (w) Grant Morrison, (C/A) Ian Gibson
From the one and only Grant Morrison -- The Golden Game Part One: Crown and Anchor! Your favorite Avengers finally return! When Tara King is kidnapped by a mysterious organization, John Steed and Emma Peel must reunite to solve this mystery. Featuring gorgeous art from Ian Gibson, best-known for his work with Alan Moore on The Ballad of Halo Jones. A science fiction/spy fiction mash-up from Grant Morrison and two of TV's most iconic heroes! $3.99
Lee: This is a reprint of work Morrison did back in the early 90’s. I still prefer the early Morrison work before he got too strange and too out there with his story lines. I love Ian Gibson’s work so this is an easy buy for me.
Gwen: I never really got into this material. Easy pass for me. Which is good because there's too much stuff I want on this list already!
More tomorrow...
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