GC4K Summer Reading Challenge 2009

This old adage is printed on t-shirts, mugs, and bumper stickers. And it’s so true. Especially in the life of a reviewer or someone who works closely with books, because amidst all your work, you’re constantly reaching for the newest titles and letting some of the older titles slip to the bottom of the pile. Somehow, we never get to the bottom, because there’s always something new to add to the top.  That’s where the GC4K’s Summer Reading Challenge was born.

Actually, it started with my inventorying and reorganization of my graphic novel collection at the end of the school year.  I was handling titles that I knew I should have read long ago, but just never got around to.  Knowing that my summer vacation was around the corner, I contacted my fellow bloggers and asked them if they wanted to join my challenge.

To my delight, everyone was on board.

So how’s it going to work?

We’ve all chosen titles and series that we want to read, re-read, or catch up on.  We’ll be posting reviews throughout the summer.  So if you haven’t set GC4K to your RSS feed, now is a good time to do so.

We urge readers to join us in our challenge.  Pick up a book, something that was published over a year ago, and finally get around to reading it. Comment under this post or one of our later summer reading posts telling us about what you thought of the book you read. Was it worth the wait? Or you can throw out a title at us and see if any of us can find it.

Here are some of our picks. Please keep in mind that our choices are subject to change.  You know how it is when you’re faced with piles and piles of books!

All of XXXholic so far (I’ve been meaning to get through this forever) by Clamp (Del Rey)
The Elsewhere Chronicles by Bannister & Nykko (Graphic Universe)
Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Siddell (Archaia Studio Press)
(finally finish) Courtney Crumrin’s Monstrous Holiday by Ted Naifah (Oni Press)
Runaways: Dead Wrong by Terry Moore (Marvel)
And potentially catch up on both Buffy Season 8 by Josh Whedon (Dark Horse) and Blue Beetle by various authors (DC Comics)
–Robin Brenner

Biker Girl; Rock and Roll Love By Misako Rocks!, (Disney/Hyperion)
Fashion Kitty; Fashion Kitty vs. the Fashion Queen; Fashion Kitty and the Unlikely Hero By Charice Mericle Harper (Disney/Hyperion)
First in Space by James Vining (First Second)
Off*Beat, Vols. 1-2 By Jen Lee Quick (Tokyopop)
–Katherine Dacey

My summer reading list: (basically everything I haven’t yet read on my shelves, and some new stuff from my public library)
Let’s Stay Together Forever By Tomoko Taniguchi (CPM Manga)
Call Me Princess By Tomoko Taniguchi (CPM Manga)
3 issues of Manga Vizion (Viz)
Fate/stay night (3 volumes) by Nishiwaki Dat and Type-moon (Tokyopop)
Girl Got Game (10 volumes) by Shizuru Seino and Kelly Sue Deconnick (Tokyopop)
–Sabrina Fritz

A Steel Wing Shattered Vol. 1 by Chris Hazelton and Beth Mashburn (Demented Dragon)
The Phoenix Chronicles: Awakenings by Kenyth Mogan (Demented Dragon)
NECROphealia by Yoko Molotov and Beth Mashburn (Demented Dragon)
Lafcadio Hearn’s Japanese Ghost Stories (Demented Dragon)
–Lori Henderson

Courtney Crumrin Series by Ted Naifeh (Oni Press)
Leave it to Chance (Vol. 1-3) by James Robinson (Image Comics)
Land of the Blindfolded Vol. 1 & 2 by Tsukuba Sakura (CMX) I’ll read more volumes if I can get my hands on them.
–Esther Keller

From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa (Viz)
Cardcapter Sakura (provided I can find Vol. 6) By Clamp (Tokyopop)
Hana-Kimi by Hisaya Nakajo and Annette Roman (Viz)
And Fruits Basket!  by Natsuki Takaya  (Tokyopop) With the final volume coming out this month, I’d love to have an excuse to re-read the series from the beginning.
–Eva Volin

History of the West Wing by Jiayu Sun and Guo Guo (Yen Press)
Utahime by Aki (Digital Manga Press)
Wonderland by Tommy Kovac and Sonny Liew  (Disney)
Boys Over Flowers by Yoko Kamio (Viz)
–Snow Wildsmith

Goong, by Park SoHee (Yen Press)
The Dreamland Chronicles, by Scott Christian Sava (Blue Dream/IDW)
The Eternal Smile, by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim
… and tons of Archie, Salem, Sonic, and Sabrina comics!
–Brigid Alverson

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