Links: Classics and curmudgeons

SLJ’s own Rocco Staino spotlights some of the new creators of comics for younger readers who were honored with Eisner nominations this year.

Richard Bruton takes a look at the original Classics Illustrated comics at the Forbidden Planet blog, and there’s an interesting story about the marketing of the first revival of the line in the comments section. (Via Journalista.)

The folks at Nick Magazine present some samples of their annual April Fool issue.

John Hogan interviews Gene Yang and Derek Kirk Kim at Graphic Novel Reporter.

At The Pulse, Jennifer Contino talks to Joey Weiser about his mini-comic, The Late-Night Gang, which features kid versions of our favorite movie monsters. Jennifer also has an interesting column about being picked on by kids and teachers for her love of comics in grade school. And she posts some press releases about upcoming Archie and Sonic comics and new Papercutz releases.

Ray Friesen has been blogging up a storm lately at the Kids Love Comics blog. He’s looking for kids’ webcomics to review. In his latest post, he checks out the Zuda comic Celadore but finds it closer to PG-13 than all ages.

A British comic about acceptance of diversity backfires when a Christian group objects to a drawing of a boy with a cross bullying a Moslem girl in hijab. (Via Robot 6.)

This article in the The Morning Call, which serves Allentown, PA, almost seems like satire, but I think the guy is serious: He misses the good old days when teachers were like drill instructors and reading a book was the equivalent of 20 pushups. Also, comics don’t cost a dime any more, and they have boobies in them now. So therefore, using them in the classroom is evil. It’s like a mashup of every curmudgeonly writer you have ever seen. The comment thread to this post starts out OK but has a depressingly large representation from the children-should-be-forced-to-read contingent. Happily, a parent with a child in the class in question responds with a good defense of comics in school.

Youth librarian Beth Zambito, of the Adriance Memorial Library, recommends some graphic novels for children to the Poughkeepsie Journal. (Via Blog@Newsarama.)

Reviews

John Hogan on Amulet, Book One: The Stonekeeper (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Lissa Pattillo on The Color of Earth (Kuriousity)
Scott Campbell on vol. 1 of Dinosaur Hour (Active Anime)
Michelle Smith on vols. 2 and 3 of Goong (soliloquy in blue)
Brigid Alverson on Luke on the Loose (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Casey Brienza on My Mommy Is in America and She Met Buffalo Bill (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Matthew J. Brady on vol. 2 of Salt Water Taffy (Warren Peace Sings the Blues)
Jeffery Klaehn on Seaguy (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Lori Henderson on vol. 16 of Skip-Beat (Comics Village)
Casey Brienza on The Super-Cool Life of Strawberry-Chan (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Sarah Miller on Tales from Outer Suburbia (PowellsBooks.BLOG)
Holly Ellingwood on vol. 6 of Vampire Knight (Active Anime)
Casey Brienza on Vidia and the Fairy Crown (Graphic Novel Reporter)
John Hogan on Zot! (Graphic Novel Reporter)

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