Links: New Graphic Novels, More on March

Craig Thompson, best known for his adult graphic novels Blankets and Habibi, is working on a tween title, Space Dumplins, due out from Scholastic in August.

And BOOM! Studios has announced a new Adventure Time original graphic novel, Adventure Time: Graybles Schmaybles, by Danielle Corsetto and Bridget Underwood.

Representative John Lewis talks about March: Book Two, and why he chose the graphic novel format:

It was an attempt to make the words come alive. When I first moved to Atlanta back in 1963, at the age of 23, I was here to see Martin Luther King, Jr. preach. And his father would be in the church and would urge his son: “Make it plain, make it real.” I think by using the graphic format, it is making it available to a lot of people who want to read and see those illustrations, and to make them feel it. Especially young children. It’s not just simple words; it’s actions. And that’s what my life has been and what the movement was. It was about action.

Monica Edinger discusses why Cece Bell’s El Deafo should be eligible for a Newbery Award; basically, she feels that the text carries the story and therefore it should qualify.

Our fellow SLJ blogger Elizabeth Bird chats with Mark Siegel and Gina Gagliano of First Second about kids’ graphic novels in general and First Second’s recent and upcoming books in particular.

At Panel Patter, Rob McMonigal talks to Cullen Bunn and Drew Moss about their all ages adventure comic Terrible Lizard, and he also interviews artist Cary Pietsch about illustrating Adventure Time: Marceline Gone Adrift.

The Muppet fan site ToughPigs has a two-part interview with Rebecca Taylor and Cameron Chittock, the editor and assistant editor of Archaia’s Jim Henson comics (part 1, part 2).

Artist Raúl Gonzalez III talks to the newspaper in El Paso, his hometown, about how growing up there influenced his art and why it’s important to have a book with Latino characters that isn’t folk tales. Writer Cathy Camper weighs in as well on the importance of diversity in children’s books.

David Harper discusses why “All Ages” is a problematic term for comics.

In a local-news story with more general interest, Kara Newhouse looks at the popularity of graphic novels in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, schools. And the school librarian and bookseller interviewed in the article suggest five great graphic novels for kids, all of which should be familiar to GC4K readers.

Nathan Hale has made a comic of what to expect if he comes to your school. Sounds awesome!

High school teacher Dan Ryder talks about how he came to love comics and how he uses them in the classroom.

Previews

Archie vs. Predator #1 (Comic Book Resources)
Fraggle Rock: Return to the Everspring #4 (ToughPigs)
Lumberjanes #10 (Comicosity)
Samurai Jack #16 (Comicosity)
Sonic the Hedgehog #268 (Comicosity)

Reviews

Kelly Fineman on Ares: Bringer of War (Guys Lit Wire)
Henry Chamberlain on Marceline Gone Adrift #1 (Comics Grinder)
Sarah Stevenson on vol. 1 of Ms. Marvel (Finding Wonderland)
Nick Smith on Nnewts, Book 1: Escape from the Lizzarks (ICv2)
Stergios Botzakis on This One Summer (Graphic Novel Resources)
Matt Brady on Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: The Son of the Sun (Warren Peace Sings the Blues)
Stergios Botzakis on Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: A Christmas for Shacktown (Graphic Novel Resources)

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