COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT l GRAPHIC NOVELS & NONFICTION

The explosion of artistic expression and the breadth
of subject matter in the current comics scene are astounding.
In fact, it is entirely possible to create a microcosm of your
library within the graphic novel collection that ref lects your
patronage, emphasizes diverse experiences, and provides
popular works alongside titles ripe for discovery. The bal-
ance will look different from library to library, but there are
a few things to keep in mind when building an effective core
collection.
STYLE & SUBSTANCE
Graphic novels creators come from many backgrounds, and
this is reflected in the stories they tell and the art they create.
Seek out titles that challenge expectations of the format and
expand readers’ horizons. For example, Luke Pearson’s chil-
dren’s series “Hilda” has an artistic impact on par with Brecht
Evens’s high-concept Panther. Graphic memoirs can provide
perspective on world events. Riad Sattouf’s “The Arab of the
Future” trilogy tells the history of the author’s uneasy Syrian
childhood. Many readers know manga well but not always its
broad potential—Shigeru Mizuki’s Showa provides a detailed
multivolume history of modern Japan. Consider the literal
world of cartoonists as you craft your holdings. Politics, history,
science, journalism, immigration, philosophy, and true crime
Emilia Packard, MLIS, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
has worked in a variety of libraries and archives. Her deep dive into
graphic novels began when she read Craig Thompson’s Blankets,
and she never looked back. An LJ reviewer since 2012 and a 2014
Reviewer of the Year, she resides in Austin,TX, where she reads and
reviews countless comics while caring for her two young children
are but a few subjects recounted in graphic format—if there’s a
college course about it, there’s probably a comic about it, too.
CULTIVATING THE COLLECTION
In the world of comics, where ongoing story lines develop over
the course of a series of individual single issues, Marvel and DC
are superhero stalwarts, while Vertigo, Image, Dark Horse, and
Fantagraphics trend toward envelope-pushing and experimen-
tation. One-off graphic novels are largely the province of inde-
pendent publishers such as Canada-based Drawn & Quarterly
and the UK’s NoBrow. Imprints supported by major publishing
houses, such as Macmillan’s First Second and Penguin Random
House’s Pantheon, choose titles thoughtfully for wide appeal.
Niche publishers such as Microcosm and self-published works
may also fit well in the collection—personal voice holds a spe-
cial appeal in graphic novels.
Combining comics classics with lesser-known works will also
add richness. New entries often reflect on or expand upon themes
in older works. Some examples include pairing Holocaust stories
such as Art Spiegelman’s Maus with Jérémie Dres’s Polish pilgrim-
age We Won’t See Auschwitz, or coupling Linda Medley’s sweet
epic Castle Waiting with Noelle Stevenson’s giddy fantasy Nimona.
Collect with an eye to various audiences, from prereaders to
adults. Graphic novels are often separated into adult, YA, and chil-
dren’s, with more mature (often sexual or violent) content in the
realm of older readers. Oftentimes, challenging subjects may be
approached more easily in graphic format, while children’s materi-
als may have artistic appeal for the most sophisticated reader. Clear
signage, accessible shelving, and cross-department recommenda-
tions will encourage readers to use the collection to its fullest.
Starred () titles are essential purchases for most libraries.

By Emilia
Packard
(MOSTLY) NONFICTION
A COURSE IN
Czerwiec, MK. Taking Turns: Stories from
HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371. Pennsylvania
State Univ. (Graphic Medicine). Mar. 2017.
224p. ISBN 9780271078182. pap. $29.95.
With simple, even amateur panels and
wise words, Czerwiec reveals a hospital at
the heart of the AIDS crisis. Working as a
nurse on a unit for AIDS patients, she and
her colleagues helped patients die, cele-
brated life, and strove to combat the poorly
understood disease. Cathartic and clinical.
Goodwin, Michael (text) & Dan E. Burr (illus.).
Economix: How and Why Our Economy
Works (and Doesn’t Work), in Words and
Pictures. Abrams. 2012. 304p. bibliog.
index. ISBN 9780810988392. pap. $19.95.
Visual learning happens in charts, graphs,
and time lines, and integrating quantitative
visuals with cartoon-paced narrative can be
a boon for both, if done with a bit of flair.
Presenting a rich, entertaining history of
economics from its philosophical begin-
nings to the 2009 housing crisis, this title
shines a humorous, informative light on a
complicated field of study. (LJ 11/15/12)
Guibert, Emmanuel & others. The
Photographer: Into War-Torn Afghanistan
with Doctors Without Borders. First Second.
2009. 288p. tr. from French by Alexis Siegel.
ISBN 9781596433755. pap. $34.99.
This dense diary of photojournalist Didier
Lefèvre’s 1986 trek through rural Afghan-
istan with the nonprofit Doctors Without
Borders is an impressive example of com-
ics journalism. Guibert’s incisive, studied
illustrations document the war-torn re-
gion, revealing good intentions to help
the underserved that turn, sharply, into a
struggle for survival. (SLJ 7/09)
Modan, Rutu. The Property. Drawn & Quarterly.
2013. 232p. ISBN 9781770461154. $24.95.
Stories of turmoil in modern Israel meet
their antecedents: a woman accompanies
her grandmother to Warsaw, Poland, to
reclaim property she abandoned when
fleeing the Nazis. There, they are faced
with the challenges of reclaiming the past.
Moore, Dan Méndez. Six Days in
Cincinnati: A Graphic Account of the
Riots That Shook the Nation a Decade
Before Black Lives Matter. Microcosm.
(Comix Journalism). Jun. 2017. 96p. ISBN
9781621068006. pap. $11.95.
This personal perspective on protests
against police brutality in 2001 demands
that we see how history repeats itself and
how deep are the roots of systemic op-
pression. With a zine-like style featuring
community voices, this reissue demon-

48 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2017

strates comics’ potential for calling out in-
justice and sparking social change. (Xpress
Reviews 4/14/17)
Spiegelman, Art. The Complete Maus:
A Survivor’s Tale. Pantheon. 1996. 296p.
ISBN 9780679406419. $35.
Spiegelman’s seminal work recounts his
father’s Holocaust experience, with cats
representing Nazis and mice as Jews in
block print–like illustrations. The animal
stand-ins offer an illusory distance be-
tween the reader and the subject, creat-
ing a powerful style that has influenced
cartoonists for decades. (SLJ 5/87)
Trotman, C. Spike (text) & Diana Nock
(illus.). Poorcraft: The Funnybook
Fundamentals of Living Well on Less.
Iron Circus. May 2017. 168p. ISBN
9781945820014. pap. $10.
Trotman has created this deceptively light
COMICS
guide in Betty Boop style, with tips on
everything from keeping a simple kitchen
to living with roommates to affording an
education on a miniscule budget. (Xpress
Reviews 9/6/13)
(MOSTLY) FICTION
Abouet, Marguerite (text) & Clement
Oubrerie (illus.). Aya: Life in Yop City.
Drawn & Quarterly. 2012. 384p. ISBN
9781770460829. pap. $24.95.
Abouet depicts the day-to-day life of an
Ivorian teenager in the 1970s—the roman-
tic entanglements and rampant gossip famil-
iar to teens the world over, richly imagined
in Oubrerie’s detailed, colorful illustrations
of a dusty yet vibrant city life. (LJ 5/15/13)
Camper, Cathy (text) & Raul the Third (illus.).
Lowriders in Space. Bk. 1. Chronicle. 2014.
112p. ISBN 9781452128696. pap. $9.99;
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ebk. ISBN 9781452130507.
A wolf, a mosquito, and an octopus are
gearing up to build the greatest low-rider
car ever. They fix up a beater with rocket
parts and blast off into space—what could
possibly go wrong? High-energy heroes,
free-f lowing Mexican American slang,
and tricolor ball-point pen sketches emit
the vibe of an extremely creative class-
room doodle that will take any reader for
a spin. (SLJ 11/14)
Coates, Ta-Nehisi (text) & Brian Stelfreeze
& Laura Martin (illus.). Black Panther: A
Nation Under Our Feet. Bk. 1. Marvel. 2016.
144p. ISBN 9781302900533. pap. $16.99.
Coates brings his real-world perspective
on political machinations and social un-
rest to bear on this recent revival of the
Marvel character. Stelfreeze and Martin
enhance the story with their vision of
Wakanda, an imaginary African nation
approaching turmoil, that blends elements
of traditional aesthetic and natural beauty
with ultramodern architecture and fantas-
tic technology. (LJ 11/15/16)
Eisner, Will. A Contract with God: And
Other Tenement Stories. Norton. Mar. 2017.
224p. ISBN 9780393609189. $25.95.
Eisner’s classic, regarded widely as the
first graphic novel, collects four stories
of tenement life, struggle, and despair in
a culturally Yiddish mode—a snapshot
of a bygone New York City. His visuals
are loosely plotted rather than paneled,
with streaming emotions and dramatic
perspectives. As intriguing for the con-
ventions it avoids as for the inspiration it
provided later artists. (LJ 1/06)
Fraction, Matt (text) & Christian Ward
(illus.). ODY-C: Cycle One. Image. 2016.
400p. ISBN 9781632159274. $49.99.
Bursting with psychedelic color, this re-
imagining of Homer’s Odyssey is set in
outer space, with mighty women play-
ing parts traditionally assigned to men.
Told in verse, sailing through worlds of
unimaginable beauty and unforgettable
horror, this lyrical series reinvigorates and
reworks the old stories in all their bright
madness. (Vol. 1, LJ 9/15/15)
Gaiman, Neil (text) & Sam Kieth & others
(illus.). The Sandman. Vol. 1: Preludes and
Nocturnes; New Edition. DC. 2010. 240p.
ISBN 9781401225759. pap. $19.99; ebk.
ISBN 9781401236557.
Gaiman’s prolific series begins with this
eight-issue collection starring Morpheus,
his sister Death, and an eerie and unpre-
dictable supporting cast. With different
issues illustrated by a variety of artists,
the work explores the contours of story
while weaving its own dark fantasy. (LJ
11/1/03)
Loeb, Jeph (text) & Tim Sale (illus.). Superman
for All Seasons: Deluxe Edition. DC. 2014.
224p. ISBN 9781401250782. $29.99.
This iteration of the Superman story cap-
tures its wholesome origins with beauti-
ful, retro-style illustrations. Stories touch-
ing on Clark Kent’s alien roots, rural
upbringing, and youthful encounters with
his famous nemeses make this a nostalgic
primer on America’s superhero, while of-
fering a new perspective on the Man of
Steel. (Xpress Reviews 1/30/15)
THE DEVELOPING SCHEDULE
FEB 2018 SUSTAINABLE LIVING
MAR 2018 FEMINISM
APR 2018 INCOME INEQUALITY
MAY 2018 SF ROMANCE
JUN 2018 WORKING/SERVICE ANIMALS
To submit titles (new and/or backlist),
contact Barbara Genco four to six months
before issue dates listed above
(email: bgenco@mediasourceinc.com)
DECEMBER 2017 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | 49
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
MEMOIRS
Bechdel, Alison. Fun Home: A Family
Tragicomic. Houghton Harcourt. 2007.
232p. ISBN 9780618871711. pap.
$15.99; ebk. ISBN 9780547347004.
Fun Home is a family history, Bechdel’s
own coming-out story, and a bevy of
philosophical treatises and book re-
views, all connected by the author’s
grief for a bitter, brilliant, closeted
father. Brutally precise drawings add
weight to already heavy pages. (LJ
7/06)
Bell, Cece. El Deafo. Abrams. 2014.
248p. ISBN 9781419712173. pap.
$10.95; ebk ISBN 9781613126219.
Using a bright-eyed perspective and a
bunny as her stand-in, Bell muses on
childhood hearing loss and the magical
powers she gained from it (like eaves-
dropping on teachers with her hearing
aid), as well as its myriad complications,
such as lip-reading TV and fraught
friendships. (SLJ 12/14)
Hart, Tom. Rosalie Lightning: A Graphic
Memoir. St. Martin’s. 2016. 272p. ISBN
9781250049940. $19.99; ebk. ISBN
9781250110787.
McGuire, Richard. Here. Pantheon. 2014.
304p. ISBN 9780375406508. $35.
Using the intentionally static eye of a
graphic designer, McGuire creates an al-
most wordless house history that mostly
focuses on mundane moments, small
dramas, and quiet passings of those who
made “Here” their home, switching eras
from page to page.
Miller, Frank (text) & David Mazzucchelli
(illus.). Batman: Year One; Deluxe Edition.
DC. 2007. 138p. ISBN 9781401207526. pap.
$14.99; ebk. ISBN 9781401235888.
An essential piece in the build-up of the
Batman character, this collection com-
bines Miller’s tight noir storytelling with
Mazzucchelli’s delightfully nostalgic style
for a dark and compelling read. A great
introduction to the gloom and glamour of
the Dark Knight. (SLJ 5/07)
Mizuki, Shigeru. The Birth of Kitaro.
Drawn & Quarterly. 2016. 200p. ISBN
9781770462281. pap. $12.95.
This Kitaro compilation offers great back-
ground on the monster manga of later
decades and also recalls the history of
yokai, monsters and ghosts of Japanese leg-
end. The origins of Kitaro, born from his
mother’s grave and carrying his father’s
50 | LIBRARY JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2017
l GRAPHIC NOVELS & NONFICTION
Hart’s memoir delves un-
sparingly into his life after
the sudden death of his
young daughter. Grief is
messy (here it looks like a
mother eating a raw hunk
of beef ), and Hart’s vi-
sual style is messy as well.
Reaching far beyond his
own experience, Hart has
created a chaotic playbook
for the grieving process.
(Xpress Reviews 10/2/15)
Lewis, John & Andrew Aydin (text)
& Nate Powell (illus.). March (Trilogy
Slipcase Set). Top Shelf: IDW. 2016. 560p.
ISBN 9781603093958. pap. $49.99.
The March trilogy chronicles Con-
gressman Lewis’s experience fight-
ing for voting rights and against seg-
regation while navigating competing
agendas during the civil rights move-
ment. Powell’s shadowy, portentous art
makes this story unforgettable. (LJ 7/13;
Xpress Reviews 1/23/15; LJ 11/15/16)
Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete
Persepolis. Pantheon. 2007. 341p. ISBN
9780375714832. pap. $25.95.
eyeball on his shoulder, are hilariously
and dubiously explored. A light intro-
duction to manga for new readers, Kitaro
also holds great potential for fans delving
deeper into manga history.
Takano, Ichigo. Orange: The Complete
Collection 1. Seven Seas. 2016. 384p.
ISBN 9781626923027. pap. $19.99.
A great example of shojo, girls romance
manga, with a slight sf twist, this story of
teenage friendships and letters from the
future features broad emotional range and
beautiful imagery. Takano’s handle on
the sweetness and drama of teen life is re-
flected in classic, cute, and emotive teen-
dream artwork.
Tamaki, Mariko (text) & Jillian Tamaki (illus.).
This One Summer. First Second. 2014.
320p. ISBN 9781626720947. $21.99.
Veins of adolescent sexual awakening,
middle-aged grief, and the perils of sea-
sonal friendship flow together and apart
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Set in Tehran during the
Islamic Revolution, this
classic work explores the
imposition of restrictive
Islamic law as it affected
the author’s coming of
age. Striking at issues of
national loyalty, political
ideology, and family up-
heaval, Satrapi’s lush lines
and f lowing storytelling
give this memoir the qual-
ity of personal mythology.
(Persepolis, LJ 5/1/03)
Sattouf, Riad. The Arab of the Future.
Vol. 1: A Childhood in the Middle
East, 1978–1984; A Graphic Memoir.
Metropolitan: Holt. 2015. 160p. ISBN
9781627793445. pap. $26.
In this first volume of a trilogy, Sattouf
recalls a childhood spent in his father’s
native Syria, with interludes in his
mother’s French countryside. Marked as
“other” by bushy blonde hair and lousy
language skills, Sattouf sees the uncer-
tain footing and outsized ambitions of a
developing nation through the curious
eyes of a child. (Vol. 1, LJ 9/15/15; Vol.
2, Xpress Reviews 7/22/16)
here. Deep-blue brushstroke illustrations
evoke the complicated emotions of ado-
lescence, when self-interest crashes hard
into an expanding worldview. The lush
words combined with beautiful images
create something more powerful than
either one alone. (SLJ 12/14)
Thompson, Jill. Wonder Woman: The
True Amazon. DC. 2016. 128p. ISBN
9781401249014. $22.99.
Princess Diana’s journey from spoiled
child to justice-seeking leader is told at a
lyrical pace, and Thompson’s deftness at
melding story, image, and cultural touch-
stones captures the role of comic book
characters as the stuff of modern myth.
(Xpress Reviews 8/19/16)
Varon, Sara. Robot Dreams. Square Fish.
2016. 224p. ISBN 9781250073501. pap. $9.99.
A wordless story of the improbable
friendship between a dog and a robot and
their struggle to move on after a day at
the beach separates them. Varon relates
big stories with simple images—her col-
ors and characters are cupcake-cute, and
the story is ultimately uplifting, but the
emotional range of love and loss will hook
early readers as well as literary-minded
adults. (SLJ 9/07) ■
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