Simon's Cat

by Simon Tofield
240p.

                  This book has no words I think, but the pictures are a delight. So funny, so charming, and if you have a cat or even known one fairly well it will ring true. I've been a fan of Simon's animations on his YouTube channel for quite some time and was very happy to find we had one of the books. Read Simon's Cat and watch the videos! You will laugh so much. Somehow he captures the terrible cat in simple black line drawing so accurately and with lots of humor.

"Best American Comics 2010" edited by Neil Gaiman

329 pages

I was pretty disappointed with this collection. I saw Neil Gaiman's name on it and had to check it out, but it just did not live up to the "best" title to me at all. Several of the selections are political, which isn't my thing when it comes to comics, and I was lost a lot of the time because I haven't read the issues that precede most of the series that are represented. Also, I just didn't like some of the comics. I felt like, in general, the book is sort of a downer. I'm okay with having some darker stuff, but I would have enjoyed it more if there had been more fun and humorous material as well. That's not to say that I hated all of it. There's a Scott Pilgrim excerpt and I love those, but I've already read them all anyway (And isn't Bryan Lee O'Malley Canadian? Maybe "Best American Comics" refers to North America, not the United States). I also enjoyed a few others, particularly one involving robots and gnomes. However, were I given the chance to go back in time, I would probably not read this collection.

"The Walking Dead, Volume 15: We Find Ourselves" by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard

132 pages

All of the things that had been building up in the preceding issues kind of blew up at the end of the last volume. In this one, which includes issues #85-90, zombies have broken through the barriers and some important characters have been injured, while others didn't make it at all. Just as the community is trying to settle down and take care of the casualties, Nicholas begins to question Rick's leadership and stir up trouble. Somehow, even after all these issues, the series is staying fresh and interesting for me. I feel like something big--a pivotal point in the plot--is coming soon and I can't wait to see what it is!

"The Walking Dead, Volume 14: No Way Out" by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Arlard

136 pages

Issues #79-84 of the popular Walking Dead comic series are collected in this trade paperback. This volume finds the community of Alexandria becoming increasingly unstable. The residents have just recently fended off the attack of a vicious group looking to take over their fortress, and this weakens the barriers holding the undead back. Meanwhile, cold weather is coming, and food stores are getting love. One of the community members is stabbed and robbed during a run for supplies, making everyone feel even more anxious about storing things up for winter and reminding them how dangerous things still are outside the town's borders. And, as things go downhill, it becomes clear that there's plenty of danger within Alexandria as well. As always, this series had me anxiously flipping through the pages, eager for more. I'm almost caught up with the series now, and I don't know what I'm going to do when I have wait for them to come out one by one. Some aspects are starting to become predictable, but there's still plenty to keep me on my toes.

I never liked you

by Chester Brown, 185 p.

Written as a sort of pictorial memoir, Chester describes growing up with a crazy mother, a neighbor that loves him, and what its like to fall in love and not know what to do next.

I basically stumbled on this one day by accident.  Having polished off the other graphic novels on the shelf, this was a true delight.

Mister Wonderful

by Daniel Clowes, 77 p.

Finding love is not easy, but being Marshall doesn't make it any better.  He has enough issues as it is, but when you add a blind date to the mix the neuroses get a bit...overloaded.  As his night with Natalie progresses, we what Marshall wants in life and just why he is Mister Wonderful.

The Best American Comics of 2006

  Ed. by Harvey Pekar and Anne Elizabeth Moore.  

293 p. 2006.

First of all - HAPPY FREE COMIC DAY!  WOOOOO!

To celebrate, I read Best American Comics of 2006, from the Best American series (which has been continually published since 1915.  How cool is that?)  

This is a really great mashing of the best of American comics from 2005 and 2006, which were chosen by guest editor Harvey Pekar.  

My particular favorite was 'La Rubia Loca,' from Justin Hall's Travel Tales.  In this series, Hall illustrated travel stories of both friends and strangers.  'La Rubia Loca' takes place on a bus trip in Western Mexico.  A woman, who had decided she would end her life after this trip, makes friends with an Austrian (?) traveler who goes off the deepest of deep ends whilst travelling with this group of strangers.  The story is moving, the art is lovely, and I can't wait to read more from Justin Hall.

Run Far, Run Fast

By: Timothy Decker, 34 pp.

This young adult comic book has great art work and story line. A young girl must find somewhere else to live while a plague is taking over her town and countryside. However, everywhere she goes turns up this plague. Is nowhere safe for her to go on this journey?

Finally, she meets a stranger and finds him helpful and she can trust him. He feeds her and sends her on her way to locate her family.

When she approaches her home, her family is not there. She ends up finding her younger brother though in a house filled with others that have this awful plague.

Dr. Horrible and Other Horrible Stories by Zack Whedon

2010/78pgs

About the Book: Five vignettes tell background stories on Penny, Captain Hammer, Moist, the ELE, and of course, Dr. Horrible.

Sarah Teenlibrarian Says: I am obsessed with Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog. The songs are pretty much in a constant loop in my head, I watch the DVD on a regular basis, and as any devoted fan, I will take any bit of Dr. Horrible I can get until Joss Whedon hopefully decides to bring us more. So of course, I had to check out the Dr. Horrible and Other Horrible Stories comic.

The stories are perfect for fans. Since they are written by Zack Whedon, who was also one of the writers of the webisodes, so I trusted he could give us some fun insight into these characters. We get a look at Captain Hammer and his view on heroes (Captain Hammer: Be Like Me!), some background info on Moist (Moist: Humidity Rising), and a look into Penny's life before that fateful day with the van (Penny: Keep Your Head Up). While these three comics were good and I enjoyed reading about the characters, there were two comics that stood out and had the feel of the web series.

Dr. Horrible starts with an early look at Billy as a child and gives us a glimpse at what might have sparked his interest in supervillinay. It also gives us an early encounter between Dr. Horrible and Captain Hammer and goes well with the series as it sets up Captain Hammer as Dr. Horrible's nemesis.

The story about the ELE (The Evil League of Evil) was my favorite of the collection. The league characters cracked me up and I thought the story was full of the quick-witted jokes that are one of the reasons I love Dr. Horrible in the first place. This story is worth picking up the collection for!

Overall the stories go well with the web series and it's a great addition for Dr. Horrible fans. While the artwork at times isn't my favorite, the stories make up for it. If only it too came with a soundtrack, the comics would be perfect! Highly recommend to any Dr. Horrible fan and will leave you wanting more Dr. Horrible. Please Joss, give us more?