Papercutz, the kids-friendly brainchild of Terry Nantier and Jim Salicrup, has announced 41 new titles for Fall 2016! They have an interesting mix: original graphic novels, imports from overseas, classics from decades past, and the occasional licensed property. So, what are the highlights? BARBIE! Yes, you might have heard and seen that Ms. Roberts has undergone a corporate […]

Sanjay and Craig #1: Fight the Future with Flavor! Written by Eric Esquivel Illustrated by Ryan Jampole, James Kaminski, Sam Spina Papercutz — Nickelodeon       9/22/2015 978-1-62991-302-5 56 pages           Age 8+ “Nickelodeon’s animated television series Sanjay and Craig follows best buds Sanjay Patel and Craig Slithers as they embark …

Papercutz debuted the first issue of their rebranded Nickelodeon Magazine this past weekend at Book Con 2015.   First announced back in February, the magazine takes its name from the children’s publication that ceased production in 2009.  While that version of the periodical focused on celebrity interviews and other textual content,  Papercutz’s version of Nickelodeon Magazine will bring original comics based upon Nickelodeon titles to a mass market audience.  According to company publisher Terry Nantier, circulation numbers will begin at 125,000.

The publication of Nickelodeon Magazine as a monthly periodical marks the arrival of an expansive new era for Papercutz, which has focused on graphic novels in the past.  The magazine will not only be featured in local bookstores, but in big box chain stores such as Wal-Mart and Target.  The first issue debuts content based upon the popular Nickelodeon properties Sanjay and Craig and Breadwinners, with Harvey Beaks and Pig Goat Banana Cricket comics to follow in subsequent issues.

Papercutz plans to collect and release the comics featured in Nickelodeon Magazine in trade editions on a triannual basis.  The first trade edition of Sanjay and Craig will arrive in September, followed by a trade version of Breadwinners in November and Harvey Beaks in January 2016.

I’m very excited to see Papercutz putting out a magazine.  Throughout the majority of my childhood years, I had a subscription to Disney Adventures magazine.  It was filled with all sorts of content, but I would always skip to the comics section in order to read about my favorite animated characters like Buzz Lightyear and Lilo and Stitch.  It was my favorite time of each month, and the new Nickelodeon Magazine seems poised to fill the void left by Disney Adventures when it ended production in 2007.

The all-ages market often feels neglected by major comic book publishers, which is unfortunate given how important that market is to the development of the comics industry in general.  Having a monthly comic magazine that is kid friendly and readily available at prolific department stores seems like a great way to attract and create a new generation of comics readers.

Disclaimer: Alex worked as an editorial intern at Papercutz in 2014.  His words and opinions are his own.

More editorial moves around comics, as Bethany Bryan has joined Papercutz as Associate Editor.

An industry veteran, Bryan comes from a background in children’s books, starting her career at Scholastic, working on books for babies and toddlers, and then moving over to library nonfiction publishing for a teen market. A writer, she’s frequently published online, and co-edits Gamervescent, a gaming blog geared toward women. Most recently, she helped promote diversity in children’s book publishing as the social media manager for the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.

At Papercutz, Bryan will work on a range of titles including the recently announced NICKELODEON magazine and the BREADWINNERS and SANJAY & CRAIG series of graphic novels.

• And Molly Mahan, formerly at Dynamite, has joined DC’s west cost office as assistant editor to Jamie S. Rich at the Vertigo imprint.

So very happy to be assistant editor to @jamieESrich !

— Molly Mahan (@Mollitude) March 27, 2015

Thank you everyone for the continued congratulations & support! Very happy to be back in CA & excited to be @vertigo_comics

— Molly Mahan (@Mollitude) April 4, 2015

Vertigo’s new editorial team consist thus far of topliner Shelly Bond, Senior Editor Rich, former Marvel editor Ellie Pyle, and Rowena Yow. DC’s rebuilt editorial staff includes some smart young whippersnappers alright.

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Benny Breakiron #2: Madame Adolphine

by Pierre Culliford aka Peyo
Papercutz                           9/24/2013
978-1-59707-436-0
Age 7 +                        54 pages
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“Madame Adolphine is a kind, gentle old lady, and a good friend of the super-strong Benny Breakiron. So why is she robbing a bank, banging a man on the head with a mallet, and being thrown in the trunk of a car, with no memory of what happened? It’s up to Benny to get to the bottom of it . . . and stop it if he can.”

Opening

“Vivejoie-Grande, a cute, little city with provincial charm, that’s where Benny Breakiron lives.”

The Story

Benny has super-strength that works abominably well as long as he does not catch a cold. Colds knock Benny’s super-strength right out of him. Odd, but true. He can leap over buildings in one bound, out run any racecar, and is molding a rather interesting logical mind that he uses to solve many of the situations he faces.

Today, Benny plays a game of cowboys and Indians with Madame Adolphine, an older woman who looks to be in her eighty’s. When she runs out of steam, Benny carries her home and calls the doctor, who is not amused. Madame does not have a pulse and the good doctor figures out the trouble. Finally, Benny finds her identification and a phone number of a friend, who is glad to have the wondering woman back.

Later, Madame Adolphine frees herself with Benny’s help. He thinks her friend is abusing her and helps her get away from his home. This time, Madame Adolphine robs a gun store, a bank, and several people before hijacking a taxi and skedattling out of town. She is on to bigger heists. Her friend is frantic, as is Benny. The police arrest the real Madame Adolphine, placing her directly in jail due to the preponderance of evidence and witnesses, no passing go, no going home. Benny breaks her out of jail, then goes on the hunt for the robber, planning to bring her back and clear the real Madame Adolphine.

Review

The Benny Breakiron comics are funny and kids, probably more boys than girls, will like the stories. I am amazed at Benny’s naivety and trust level considering this is not his first outing with criminals. When he asks the robot to return and she agrees, he believes her, returning on a train alone, convinced she will follow as soon as she “cleans up” her business. She has a major heist to pull with her criminal gang. Until Benny hears of the latest burglary, he is calmly riding home. Quickly he hops off the train, scaring a man who he had terrified so much while breaking the real Madame Adolphine out of jail he is close to a nervous breakdown. I was surprised that the law-abiding Benny would break anyone out f jail. I guess when he is sure of the person’s innocence it is okay. Not a great message but then comics are not about messages they are about fun.

Benny consistently dupes adults, especially the gang of strong criminals who think they can toss Benny out of the club, but are grossly mistaken when Benny beats them all to a pulp—in bloodless, humorous ways that is as safe as the roadrunner is for a seven-year-old. Even after Benny catches a cold causing the shutdown of his super-strength, the men are afraid. When they figure out Benny lost his powers they go after him but, thanks to the barkeep charged with keeping Benny locked up and who nurses Benny’s cold, Benny has recovered enough to restore his powers and shock the gangsters once more when he pulverizes them all.

In the end, police drop all charges against the real Madame Adolphine and the robot returns to its maker for disassembly. There is a twist, leaving the robot to her own devises once more and the real Madame Adolphine returning for disassembly. Does this mean the story will continue? I do not know and don’t see a new edition with Madame Adolphine in the story-line. I guess we must wait and see.

Kids who like lighter-fare comics, without a lot of violence and anger, will love Benny Breakiron. Benny is an everyday kid who happens to have strength unknown to man. He is a nice kid, a little naive, and maybe too trustworthy, but he always tries to do what is right, even if it means he must use his powers. Benny Breakiron is a good old-fashioned comic by the comic genius of his time—Peyo.

BENNY BREAKIRON, #2: MADAME ADOLPHINE. Text and illustrations copright © 2013 by Peyo. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Papercutz, New York, NY.

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Purchase Benny Breakiron #2: Madame Adolphine at Amazon—B&N—Book Depository—iTunes—Papercutz—your favorite bookstore.

Learn more about Benny Breakiron #2: Madame Adolphine HERE.

Meet the author / illustrator, Peyo, at the XX wiki:     http://smurfs.wikia.com/wiki/Peyo

Find more great comics at the Papercutz website:     http://www.papercutz.com/

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Also by Peyo

The Smurfs #15: The Smurflings

The Smurfs Anthology #1

Benny Breakiron #1: The Red Taxis

Review of Smurflings #15 HERE

Review of Smurf Anthology #1 HERE

Review of Benny Breakiron #1 HERE

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copyright © 2014 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews

Dinosaurs #1: In the Beginning…

by Plumeri & Bloz

translated by Nanette McGuinness

   1/07/2014

978-1-59707-490-2

Age 7 to 9    56 pages

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 Papercutz Website

“Think you know everything there is to know about dinosaurs? Think again! In this brand new series, kid dinos show us what their lives were like in short, funny, teeth-gnashing bursts of prehistoric mayhem. DINOSAURS is your guided tour through the rough-and-tumble world of the mightiest beasts to ever walk the earth!”

Opening

“You want to learn about dinosaur records? Ask Indino Jones! That’s me, hee hee!”

The Story

The Dinosaurs series begins where it must:  In the Beginning. We first meet the local paleontologist, Indino Jones.  Indino likes to introduce in categories. The first is Records such as the fastest dinosaur—Gallimimus, at 40 mph—the most massive dinosaur—Giganotosaurus, at 17, 636 pounds cast over 46 feet—and smartest dinosaur—Troodon, it is as smart as a cat.

From records, the logical place to head is the first dinosaur, beginning in the Triassic, a mere 230 million years ago, is the Eoraptor, a rather little fellow that walked on two legs, making it a fast hunter. Does anyone not know about the Tyrannosaurus rex? T-rex starts out life as one of the smaller creatures, possible bullied by the large reptiles, but in time, T-rex grows from its tiny feathered body to a humongous, 11,000 pound, North American carnivore with an anger management problem.

What exactly is a dinosaur, other than an extinct creature that once roamed the Earth millions of years ago? “Dinosaur” means Fearfully Great Lizard. Sir Richard Owen invented the term using Greek though many are based on Latin terms, based on postulated descriptions and features of the creature. The first Creature Feature! 

Dinos ruled Earth from 230 to 65 million years ago, but not all dinosaurs lived during the same period of time. They ate most anything that moved and had muscle –carnivores—or gathered plants—herbivores. One other existed, that being the Piscivore, which feasted on fish. There were dinosaurs that walked on two feet and those that crawled on all four. Some carnivores had egg cravings,  pilfering from an unattended nests. Caution was needed to ensure the carnivore didn’t snatch from a pile of eggs ready to hatch, from say a Velociraptor momma. Those babes will be carnivores and hungry.   Indino Jones has much more in store for the reader. In addition to several more dinosaurs, he will explain the value of dinosaur tracks, all about coprolites, marine reptiles, and those creatures that preceded birds. To finish his tour of Dinosaurs #1: In the Beginning, Indino Jones talks about why dinosaurs disappeared from the world.

Review

Dinosaurs #1: In the Beginning will enthrall kids interested in dinosaurs and reptiles. These early creatures are presented in a light-hearted manner by the paleontologist Indino Jones, a man who loves handling coprolites, yet refuses to pick up after his dog. While Indino acts as the narrator, the dinosaurs speak to one another and have a great time. One dinosaur, the Albertosaurus, discovered in Alberta, Canada looks at the reader and says, “Have a nice day from Alberta,” while menacingly standing over a map of the area.

Kids will witness typical dinosaur behavior, such as a momma guarding her young ones before and after birth. Fighting is common. Many dinosaurs, such as the pointy dragon-headed Dracorex, liked head-butting each other, while the spike-backed Kentrosaurus tries to avoid than I had been aware of existing. Kids will love the varieties and Indino Jones’s commentary.

The illustrations are grand. Most have a slightly cartoonish bent to them, making the dinosaurs a tad less ferocious than they most likely were millions of years ago. Carnivores like the Allosaurus. It has no trouble killing and then eating another dinosaur, calling his meal, an “American Steak-Osaurus,” while the dead Orintholestes ay on the ground ribs showing, insides flowing out. To counter this the dino-dinner has its tongue out, head on the ground with stars above its now deceased head.

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Learn more about the Dinosaur Series HERE!

Purchase Dinosaurs: In the Beginning at Amazon—B&N—Papercutz—your local bookstore.

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Get to know the author, Arnaud Plumeri     twitter     goodreads

Get to know the illustrator, Bloz

Get to know the translator, Nanette McGuinness       blog     twitter     goodreads     scbwi     jacketflap

Check out more great graphic novels and comics at Papercutz:     website     blog     facebook     twitter      tumblr

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DINOSAURS:  IN THE BEGINNING. Text 6yrrr`copyright © 2010 by Arnaud Plumeri. Illustrations copyright © 2010 by Bloz. Translation copyright © 2014 by Nanette McGuinness. Reproduce by permission of the publisher, Papercutz, New York, NY.

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.ALSO IN THE DINOSAUR SERIES (THUS FAR)

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Dinosaurs #2: Bite of the Albertosaurus    5/06/2014

Dinosaurs #3: Jurassic Smarts    8/05/2014

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Ariol: Just a Donkey Like You and Me
By Emmanuel Guibert
Illustrated by Marc Boutavant
Translated by Joe Johnson
Papercutz
$12.99
ISBN: 978-1-59707-399-8
Ages 9-12
On shelves now.

The French are different from you and me. They have better comics for their kids. Sure, America’s been doing passably well in the last few years, but take a look at the graphic novel shelves of your local library or bookstore and you won’t be able to help but notice how many of the names there sound distinctly French. Joann Sfar. Guillaume Dorison. Goscinny. The list goes on. While we’ve been frittering away our time with discussions of “New Adult” fads, the French have come very close to perfecting the middle grade graphic novel, and Ariol: Just a Donkey Like You and Me typifies that near perfection to a tee. School stories wrapped in the guise of animal characters, Emmanuel Guibert and Marc Boutavant have managed to create yet another GN that will be cluttering up our American shelves with its presence. And if we’re going to be honest about it, you’ll welcome Ariol with open arms. If the French keep producing books as good as this one, let ‘em. There’s always room for more.

Split into twelve short stories, Ariol follows the day-to-day life and small adventures of an average blue donkey, his best friend (a pig), his crush (a cow), and his friends. As we watch he and his best friend Ramono go to school, survive gym class, and participate in a disgusting but fun game. On his own Ariol contends with his parents, longs for Petunia (the aforementioned sow), pretends to be his favorite superhero Thunderhorse, and plays pranks. Nothing too big. Nothing too epic. Just everyday school stories from a donkey you’ll love in spite of yourself.

It’s interesting to me how very everyday and down-to-earth Guibert’s stories are. In spite of the barnyard cast (complete with a talking teacher’s pet who also happens to be a fly) there’s nothing magical or out of this world to be found here. Ariol is sympathetic if flawed. His best friend’s a bit of a jerk, but for some reason you don’t hate him. His parents are well meaning without being pushy and his teacher’s put upon. In its review of this book Kirkus said it was “less vicious with the satire” than a lot of the Wimpy Kid type novels out that the moment. I’d agree, but that doesn’t meant the book doesn’t have bite. True it dares to get a little introspective from time to time (Ariol contemplating whether or not donkeys really are as stupid as the prejudiced say) but for every thoughtful contemplation there are at least two instances of characters sneaking fake vomit into their classmates’ changing rooms or nicking movie theater standees behind the backs of their grandmas. Let’s just say there will be plenty of stuff for uptight parents to object to if they really want to do so.

Author Emmanuel Guibert I knew from various graphic novels over the years like Sardine in Outer Space and The Professor’s Daughter amongst many others. Turns out, it’s Marc Boutavant who’s the surprise here. Not that I didn’t already know his work. It’s just that when you see a Marc Boutavant children’s book in America it inevitably stars big headed, wide-eyed children that seem this close to bursting out into a chorus of “It’s a Small World After All”. He’s . . . . cute. He does cute little books with cute little themes. There is nothing to indicate in All Kinds of Families or For Just One Day that the man is capable of giving life to a sardonic aquamarine donkey with superhero aspirations. Yet give life to Ariol he does. The art here is sublime. The style is just straight up panels. No messing with the essential design of the book or anything. Within these panels you can get one story from the text and another from the art. For example in the story “Moo-Moo” I got the distinct sense that the mother of the girl Ariol’s been crushing on was more than a bit aware of the boy’s feelings for her daughter. Little interstitial details make the whole thing fun too. I loved the tiny art at the beginning of each chapter. Some of it tells crazy stories, and others tell the story before the story (if you know what I mean).

The tales found here are universal in the best sense of the word. Yet like the Nicholas series by Goscinny (the series to which Ariol bears the closest resemblance) there is something overwhelmingly French about this book. I didn’t notice it at first. Not when the first story in the collection (“Match Point”) was essentially a one-donkey show of Ariol pretending to win a tennis match and become a rock star too while he’s at it. Not when the second story (“Rise and Shine”) compared the act of getting up to go to school with a person’s birth. Not when the furniture in Ariol’s living room looked more like something out of a doctor’s waiting room than a home. No, it wasn’t until we got to the chapter “Operation ATM” that it clicked. In that chapter Ariol engages in a raucous game of pretend in the backseat of the car as his dad drives. He leaps, he dances, he hides, he throws himself bodily all about and if you’re an American parent like me then you spend the better part of the chapter gripping your seat so hard that stuffing is coming out in clumps between your fingers as you growl through gritted teeth, “Where. Is. His. Seatbelt?!?” Kids won’t care a jot, but expect the parents to lift an eyebrow or two here and there.

Oh. And can I just give a special shout out to Joe Johnson for the translation here? Over the years I’ve come to recognize when a translator goes above and beyond the call of duty. I don’t think there’s a kid alive who will read this book and think the language is stilted or funky. Instead it reads like it was written in English in the first place. There’s only the most occasional slip-up and it goes by so fast that no one will ever notice.

In the end, a school set Animal Farm this is not. It’s just regular everyday stories with the slightest French lilt. American kids will gobble it up right quick and then hunger for more. New middle grade graphic novels are rarer in America than they should be considering their popularity. Here’s hoping funny imports like Guibert and Boutavant’s continue to make up for the lack we feel on our shelves every day.

On shelves now.

Source: Final copy sent from publisher for review.

Like This? Then Try:

• Nicholas by Goscinny

• Amelia Rules: The Whole World’s Crazy by Jimmy Gownley

• Big Nate: In a Class By Himself by Lincoln Peirce

Other Blog Reviews:

• Comic Attack
• The Comics Journal
• Kid Lit Reviews

Professional Reviews:

• Kirkus
• Onion A.V. Club

Other Reviews:

• The Lottery Party

Interviews:

• Free Comic Book Day interviews both Guibert and Boutavant about the series.

TweetFollowing a multi-volume and ongoing celebrated run of bringing Peyo’s original SMURFS comics to English-speaking reader, all ages comics publisher Papercutz is poised to release the first volume of another Peyo classic, BENNY BREAKIRON on May 7th, 2013. Papercutz, headed by former Marvel editor and all round comics ambassador Jim Salicrup, has been kind enough [...]

5 Stars Scrooge: A Christmas Carol & A Remembrance of Mugby Charles Dickens Papercutz 96 Pages   Ages: 8 and up   Scrooge is actually two books in one. In addition to the traditional Dickens classic  A Christmas Carol there is also another Charles Dickens classic, A Remembrance of Mugby. Chances are good you have not [...]

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2 Comments on Coming Attractions: Winter 2013: Macmillan, and Friends, last added: 8/24/2012

Display Comments

Greg McElhatton said, on 8/24/2012 6:16:00 PM

“Doesn’t Dark Horse publish Nancy comics?”

No, but they do publish John Stanley’s Little Lulu comics.

Fantagraphics has, however, recently begun a reprinting of the Nancy comic strips by Ernie Bushmiller. Maybe that’s what you’re thinking of?

Torsten Adair said, on 8/24/2012 6:23:00 PM

Oops. Somewhere, someone has done an illustration where they meet. Perhaps with Little Dot as well.

Thanks for the gracious No Prize explanation, but I did get the Stanley Nancy confused with the Stanley Lulu.

I’ve seen too much… it’s too easy to get confused…

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By: Heidi MacDonald, on 5/5/2012
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Bongo, Capstone, Hermes Press, Bluewater, Yen Press, Zenescope, Papercutz, Avatar Press, Gemstone, Liquid Comics, Red 5, Th3rd World Studios, Hachette, Oni, DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, Image, Archie, Viz, IDW, Fantagraphics, Drawn & Quarterly, Valiant, Top Shelf, NBM, 2000AD, Boom Studios, Arcana, Aspen, Archaia, D&Q, FCBD, 12 Gauge, Antarctic Press, Add a tag

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Once again, I collected (almost) all of the Free Comic Book Day offerings, and offer my reviews on what’s good, what’s great, and what should have been better!

Titles are arranged alphabetically by publisher, and the images and summaries come from the offical FCBD website.  My comments are in purple.

What did you grab?  What did you enjoy?

Kid Friendly Titles

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ANTARCTICS ZOMBIE KID

Publisher: ANTARCTIC PRESS

(W/A) David Hutchinson, Fred Perry (CA) David Hutchinson

(W/A) David Hutchinson, Fred Perry
(CA) David Hutchinson
All 6th-grader Bill Stokes wants is to get through middle school unnoticed so he can go on to become a big-time pro video-gamer.  Then his mom comes home from her medical research volunteer job with a zombie virus.  Now Bill has to deal with skin problems and body chemistry changes that make puberty look like a walk in the park!  How’s he supposed to realize his dream when his life has become a festering, rotting, undead nightmare?

I read the first four pages… it doesn’t appeal to me.  It’s kind of interesting…his mother is a zombie, he’s sort of a zombie (he’s still got his human reasoning).  But this is just another variant in the “kid’s diary” genre, with spot illustrations, which are pretty good for a zombie kid!

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MOUSE GUARD LABYRINTH & MORE HC

Publisher: ARCHAIA ENTERTAINMENT LLC

(W/A) Jeremy Bastian & Various (CA) David Peterson

(W) Jeremy Bastian, Nate Cosby, Royden Lepp, Jim McCann, Ted Naifeh, David Petersen (A) Jeremy Bastian, Chris Eliopoulos, Cory Godbey, Janet Lee, Royden Lepp and David Petersen
(C) David Petersen

This Free Comic Book Day, Archaia offers readers the chance to experience history in the making with a FREE, gorgeous, 48-page, 6″ x 9″ full-color original anthology hardcover featuring all-new material! David Petersen returns with an all-new Mouse Guard tale that’s guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings! Lose yourself once again in Jim Henson’s amazing world of Labyrinth, featuring a fantastical story from Eisner Award-nominee Ted Naifeh (Courtney Crumrin) and Cory Godbey (Fraggle Rock). Get a new perspective on Jet Jones in Royden Lepp’s

15 Comments on Free Comic Book Day 2012: Reviews!, last added: 5/7/2012

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Chris Hero said, on 5/5/2012 8:59:00 PM

Yo Gabba Gabba AND Mike Allred together at the same time? Oh wow!

The Guild is a show on YouTube and Dark Horse occasionally releases comics based on it written by Felicia Day and drawn by one of the greatest comic artists alive, Jim Rugg.

I badly want the KaBoom book with the Adventure Time story.

I’m really jealous people live in places where they can get these books. I’ve never had such an opportunity.

Torsten Adair said, on 5/5/2012 9:36:00 PM

Sources at Diamond tell me that stores can order FCBD titles by the PIECE. Given the lead time in announcing the titles, one could conceivably preorder a complete set of comics very cheaply. (25 cents a copy?)

Of course, this is a slippery slope… some stores might start selling complete sets on eBay.

Kevin said, on 5/5/2012 10:01:00 PM

Thanks for this! I didn’t get a chance to read all the ones I wanted, like the 2000AD one, so this was helpful. I took my friend and baby cousin to Graham Crackers Comics in Chicago, and everyone got a copy of The New 52 freeborn with a special cover that allowed 3free Comics from select boxes… in the future! I think it was a good way to get pepper in the door and KEEP them coming.

Kater said, on 5/5/2012 11:01:00 PM

The Pedestrian Palm was probably the best five pages I read on the FCBD. “Sell-outs assemble!” So awesome!

Shark Jumper said, on 5/6/2012 2:38:00 AM

In hindsight, I should have grabbed that Mouse Guard HC but this was a great opportunity to pick up some kid-friendly books for my students.

Brent Frankenhoff said, on 5/6/2012 4:36:00 AM

Marvel’s Season One hardcovers are coming out approximately bimonthly. Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and X-Men were all on my retailer’s shelf yesterday.

Drew said, on 5/6/2012 8:47:00 AM

“The Rock of Eternity and what may be the seven letters of Shazam! ”

Shazam has only 6 letters, unless the exclamation counts. But there are 7 deadly sin (and possibly there opposite?)

James A Woods said, on 5/6/2012 10:50:00 AM

Love “The Guild” and pretty much everything Felicia Day touches. She first caught my attention in “Dr. Horrible.” I am surprised to see that you were unaware of the web series. Day has a new channel on YouTube — http://www.youtube.com/user/geekandsundry — where you can see “The Guild” and other projects.

Al™ said, on 5/6/2012 11:22:00 AM

My local stores had very few FCBs left by the time I came by, but the Bongo comic caught my eye. I flipped through it and left it there.

Mostly it was a day of saying hello to the managers, and browsing the sales they offered on ‘already read’ copies of GNs.

One shop had 20 people in line at the cash at 2pm, the next shop had ‘zip’.

Rob J. said, on 5/6/2012 4:42:00 PM

Torsten: The Guild is a webseries written, produced and starring Felicia Day from Dr. Horrible and Eureka (and last week’s episode of Supernatural). There have been five seasons — each equivalent in combined time to one episode of a TV series. They have aired via Xbox, MSN and a couple other places I forget and each season but are also available on DVD, which is how I got it. The first season is *very* rough — hey, nobody else had really done a webseries to this extent back then — but the DVD I got had both season 1 and season 2, so I can tell you that it grows in quality.

The Guild is an hilarious look at a group of players of an unnamed World-of-Warcraft-like game. Very droll comedy that should appeal to the geekiest, nerdiest fans of The Big Bang Theory and Community.

So far, Dark Horse has published eight comics, a 3-issue miniseries, siumply called “The Guild,” written by Felicia Day and centering around her character, Codex. (All of the characters are referred to by the names of their in-game characters.) And five more one-shots each co-written by Day each charater’s corresponding actor: Vork, Bladezz, Clara, Tink and Zaboo. The miniseries has already been collected into a TPB and I expect that a TPB of the one-shots will be published before the end of the year.

You don’t need to have seen the webseries to appreciate the comics. They’re mostly backstory. Hilarious backstory, especially the absolutely insane Zaboo tale illustrated by Backy Cloonan. I’ve never been a gamer, but this was one of those circumstances where I was hooked by the sample pages of the first issue of the miniseries that ran in Previews.

Hope that helps! The series is a blast!

Nathan Aaron said, on 5/7/2012 7:31:00 AM

Something curious I’m noticing about FCBD comics, as each year goes by. I could swear when it first began most of the books were full done-in-one stories. Now many of them appear to be nothing more than glorified teaser previews. I’m not sure that’s the best way to get people to read comics. I mean, I get it, but still. My boyfriend came to his very first FCBD, and he was disappointed to learn most of the books weren’t full stories, but rather teasers of things he was going to have to buy down the line…

Kevin said, on 5/7/2012 7:39:00 AM

Doh! Forgot about the 2000 AD one, oh well, my store didn’t have it. Love Atomic Robo’s free comic book day…love Doctor Dinosaur.

Torsten Adair said, on 5/7/2012 9:32:00 AM

Interesting comment about the teasers…

Most of these comics did have at least one complete story, even if the rest of the comic was teaser/ads.

Bongo, Dark Horse (both), Boom (all three), Valiant (half), Donald Duck, My Favorite Martian, Archie (both), 2000 AD, Avengers, DC Nation (half), Atomic Robo, Yo Gabba Gabba…

Ron said, on 5/7/2012 9:44:00 AM

My store limited subscribers to two comics so I picked up the Bongo and the Kaboom issues.

I really liked the Adventure Time story in the Kaboom issue. Oddly it was paired with a Peanuts story, which I understand was a limited series and now finished? Should have paired it with Snarked, another excellent Kaboom title.

Torsten Adair said, on 5/7/2012 10:25:00 AM

The Peanuts content was already available as a #0 issue last November. They should have paired it with the new Garfield series using cover #1B!

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12. Coming Attractions: January 2012: For Kids of All Ages!

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By: Heidi MacDonald, on 1/29/2012
Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  Bluewater, Zenescope, Papercutz, Ape Publishing, First Second, Publishers, Archie, NBM, Coming Attractions, Dynamite, Arcana, Archaia, Add a tag

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Got kids?  Nieces? Nephews?  Students?  Or just love reading something fun and not too heavy-handed?  Here are some new titles you might enjoy!

(But first, the serious boilerplate:)

So, here’s what caught my eye.  Please comment below, and please feel free to mention titles I may have marginalized or overlooked.  My tastes are eclectic, but there’s stuff which doesn’t interest me, or doesn’t evoke much of a response.  I respect everyone who manages to publish something, but with some 400 graphic novel titles a month, I have to be selective.

CAVEAT:  As I discovered while doing the publisher posts, that some titles have been canceled or postponed.  The titles below, the information is subject to change.  Some may already be out and on sale, some may be vaporous.  Covers and text are supplied by the publishers.

Oh, and the advisory:  I am employed as a bookseller.  Nothing I say here or anywhere else online has any connection to my employer.  I know my employer can take umbrage at any association people may make between my private and professional activities, so I’m careful to let Lions Mane Jellyfish be.

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Betty & Veronica: Best Friends Forever

Dan Parent

Trade paperback, $9.99

9781879794764, 1879794764

Author Bio: Dan Parent (born 1964 in St. Albans, Vermont) is an American comic book artist and writer best known for his work for Archie Comics. A graduate of the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, Parent began working for Archie immediately after graduation. His writing of the Love Showdown series from 1994 received widespread attention. Parent has also illustrated Felix the Cat, Barbie, Disney Adventures, and a wide variety of other titles.

Summary: Betty & Veronica’s very first full-length graphic novel story is another major step forward for the Archie book line! A follow-up to the successful full color Betty & Veronica: Storybook graphic novel collection of fun fairy-tale sendups—Best Friends Forever should continue to gain ground with girls in bookstores and libraries.

Features an engaging story celebrating the power of friendship featuring the most famous BFFs in all of comics in an all-out reality show friendship competition!

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Hades: Lord of the Dead

George O’Connor

Hardcover, $16.99

9781596437616, 1596437618

Author Bio: GEORGE O’CONNOR is the author of several picture b

6 Comments on Coming Attractions: January 2012: For Kids of All Ages!, last added: 1/29/2012

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Jeremy said, on 1/29/2012 10:18:00 AM

Wow, that’s a load of stuff my fiancee would be interested in. She’s going to be an elementary school teacher, and wanted to incorporate comics into the class library.

Also, there’s just something about one of the Zenescope guys doing an all ages book that is delightfully warped. But good on him!

Claudio said, on 1/29/2012 10:22:00 AM

What? No POLLY & THE PIRATES vol. 2? Ted Naifeh and Robbi Rodriguez are awesome. You are sentenced to walk the plank, reporter!

Torsten Adair said, on 1/29/2012 10:27:00 AM

Zenescope started the Silver Dragon imprint for young readers in 2010.

http://www.silverdragonbooks.com/index.php?l=page_view&p=news

One of their FCBD issues last year showcased the Discovery Channel titles. (Sharks! Dinosaurs!)

Lerner has a good line of graphic novels (including a “choose your own adventure” line!) Toon Books, via Candlewick, specializes in beginning reader titles.

(I’m working on a “what I saw” post from the recent American Library Association conference. Lots of kids comics!)

Kat Kan said, on 1/29/2012 12:18:00 PM

Billy Fog and Spera are both better suited for tweens and older, not for younger readers – they’re both excellent books, but younger kids who are easily scared should not read Billy Fog (they’ll be crying for days after, and probably scared to sleep, too). On the other hand, younger kids who have a sort of ghoulish sense of humor will really enjoy it.
Capstone/Stone Arch’s Graphic Revolve line has been publishing some interesting graphic adaptations of fairy and folk tales; this season, the Kipling Just-So Stories are being adapted, so there are 6 of them, all with uniform covers.

Torsten Adair said, on 1/29/2012 2:47:00 PM

Thanks, Kat!

That, folks, is why you need libraries and librarians! Let them know what you like, what you need, and they’ll recommend all sorts of stuff! (And advise you if something you picked might not be quite what you want.)

Santiago Casares said, on 1/29/2012 5:17:00 PM

It would be helpful to know the publishers of each project… otherwise, it looks like a lot of good books are on their way!

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