Graphic Novels


Book Description

Covering genres from adventure and fantasy to horror, science fiction, and superheroes, this guide maps the vast terrain of graphic novels, describing and organizing titles to help librarians balance their graphic novel collections and direct patrons to read-alikes. New subgenres, new authors, new artists, and new titles appear daily in the comic book and manga world, joining thousands of existing titles—some of which are very popular and well-known to the enthusiastic readers of books in this genre. How do you determine which graphic novels to purchase, and which to recommend to teen and adult readers? This updated guide is intended to help you start, update, or maintain a graphic novel collection and advise readers about the genre. Containing mostly new information as compared to the previous edition, the book covers iconic super-hero comics and other classic and contemporary crime fighter-based comics; action and adventure comics, including prehistoric, heroic, explorer, and Far East adventure as well as Western adventure; science fiction titles that encompass space opera/fantasy, aliens, post-apocalyptic themes, and comics with storylines revolving around computers, robots, and artificial intelligence. There are also chapters dedicated to fantasy titles; horror titles, such as comics about vampires, werewolves, monsters, ghosts, and the occult; crime and mystery titles regarding detectives, police officers, junior sleuths, and true crime; comics on contemporary life, covering romance, coming-of-age stories, sports, and social and political issues; humorous titles; and various nonfiction graphic novels.




Constantine


Book Description

"In the City of Angels, Hell has always simmered just below the surface. At the shadowy border between this world and the next, John Constantine works to keep the demonic forces at bay. In the course of investigating a woman's apparent suicide, however, he discovers that something new is coming up from the inferno -- something that will destroy the delicate balance between Heaven and Hell and plunge Earth into catastrophic , other-worldly war. But can Constantine save a world which terminal cancer is about to take away from him -- especially when he knows his own soul is already condemned to eternal damnation?"--Cover.




Patmos in the Reception History of the Apocalypse


Book Description

This monograph explores the significance accorded to John's island of Patmos (Rev. 1:9) within the wider reception history of the Apocalypse. In contrast to the relatively scant attention paid to John's island in modern commentaries, this reception-historical survey reveals both the greater prominence accorded to Patmos by earlier interpreters, and the richer diversity of readings the text has provoked. These include interest in the physical character of Patmos and its significance as an island; the date and reason for John's sojourn there; attempts to locate Patmos in a geography which is sometimes more mythical than literal; the meaning of the name 'Patmos' in the context of a biblical book which treats other place-names symbolically. This diversity is supported by a close reading of Rev. 1:9, which highlights the extent to which even its literal sense is highly ambiguous. Ian Boxall brings together for the first time in a coherent narrative a wide range of interpretations of Patmos, reflecting different chronological periods, cultural contexts, and Christian traditions. Boxall understands biblical interpretation broadly, to include interpretations in biographical traditions about John, sermons, liturgy, and visual art as well as biblical commentaries.He also considers popular and marginal readings alongside magisterial and centrist ones, and draws analogies between similar hermeneutical strategies across the centuries. In the final chapter Boxall explores the wider implications of his study for biblical scholarship, advocating an approach which encourages use of the imagination and reader participation, and which works with a broader concept of 'meaning' than traditional historical criticism.




Thalamus: The Art of Dave McKean Slipcased Set


Book Description

Dark Horse Books proudly presents this two-volume hardcover artbook collection showcasing the work of the legendary artist Dave McKean, who has created some of the most iconic images in modern comics, literature, film, and music. Featuring his visually-stunning work from Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, Mirrormask, Arkham Asylum, Cages, Black Dog, Raptor, and so much more, as well as artwork featured in prose publications, film, music, and never-before-seen bonus material with commentary by Dave McKean. This deluxe two-volume set is collected into a gorgeous slipcase featuring original artwork by McKean, also including a satin ribbon marker in each volume, and a foreword by David Boyd Haycock.




Hellblazer (1988-2013) #1


Book Description

An apathetic, somewhat amoral occultist, John Constantine always manages to come out on top through a combination of luck, trickery and genuine magical skill. In this seminal Vertigo series, uncover a horror story wrapped in a mystery starring a hero who's at his best and worst all at the same time...




Constantine


Book Description

Soon to be stepping from the shadows into his own live action movie (starring Keanu Reeves) comes a classic comics character: John Constantine, the enigmatic chain-smoking mystic! Rare Cuts assembles six spellbinding stories that have never before been collected, including the horrifying events of Newcastle, 1978, that ended with Constantine confined to an asylum and, amongst others, a tale of Constantine's rough-and-tumble childhood and the beginnings of his unique skills. Created by some of the most popular and critically-acclaimed writers and artists in comics. Also includes a Constantine timeline and a map of Constantine's London.




Hellblazer (1988-2013) #138


Book Description

A revitalized John Constantine navigates London's interstices as he sets his trap for Isabelle's killer. 'Haunted' part 5.




John Constantine: Hellblazer (2019-) #1


Book Description

John Constantine is back in London, back to his old tricks-and just in time, as things have become very dark indeed in his old stomping grounds. A small-time gang lord has found himself dealing with a big-time outbreak of supernatural weirdness...and without any allies to call on and nothing left to call his own, John doesn’t have much choice about taking a paycheck from one of London’s worst, or accepting the help of one of the gang lord’s would-be foot soldiers. But what should be an open-and-shut exorcism turns out to be nothing but...and the author of this madness may just be getting started on their terrible masterpiece! The original Constantine is back in this series from Si Spurrier (The Dreaming) and Aaron Campbell (Infidel), with nothing to his name but decades of bad memories and an unearned second chance. How, exactly, will he squander it? There’s only one way to find out...John Constantine is back in London, back to his old tricks-and just in time, as things have become very dark indeed in his old stomping grounds. A small-time gang lord has found himself dealing with a big-time outbreak of supernatural weirdness...and without any allies to call on and nothing left to call his own, John doesn’t have much choice about taking a paycheck from one of London’s worst, or accepting the help of one of the gang lord’s would-be foot soldiers. But what should be an open-and-shut exorcism turns out to be nothing but...and the author of this madness may just be getting started on their terrible masterpiece! The original Constantine is back in this series from Si Spurrier (The Dreaming) and Aaron Campbell (Infidel), with nothing to his name but decades of bad memories and an unearned second chance. How, exactly, will he squander it? There’s only one way to find out...




Fables Covers: the Art of James Jean (New Edition)


Book Description

This volume includes sketch material, along with commentary and insights into Jean's creative process, and an afterword by Fables writer/creator Bill Willingham"--




The Cambridge History of the Graphic Novel


Book Description

The Cambridge History of the Graphic Novel provides the complete history of the graphic novel from its origins in the nineteenth century to its rise and startling success in the twentieth and twenty-first century. It includes original discussion on the current state of the graphic novel and analyzes how American, European, Middle Eastern, and Japanese renditions have shaped the field. Thirty-five leading scholars and historians unpack both forgotten trajectories as well as the famous key episodes, and explain how comics transitioned from being marketed as children's entertainment. Essays address the masters of the form, including Art Spiegelman, Alan Moore, and Marjane Satrapi, and reflect on their publishing history as well as their social and political effects. This ambitious history offers an extensive, detailed and expansive scholarly account of the graphic novel, and will be a key resource for scholars and students.