Links: Comic-Con, Manga, and Pokemon Go

Comic-Con International, the largest comic con in the U.S., took place in San Diego last month, and children’s and teens’ comics and graphic novels were a huge presence, with guests including novelist Margaret Atwood, who was promoting her first graphic novel, Angel Catbird; the creators of the Pokemon manga, Hidenori Kusaka and artist Satoshi Yamamoto; and of course Raina Telgemeier, whose new graphic novel Ghosts will be out in September. Check out my roundup of kids’ and YA comics news at Publishers Weekly and my more teen-focused roundup at School Library Journal. I also covered Rep. John Lewis’s March panel, which concluded with a procession to the convention floor, and more—watch for more links in the days to come!

On the manga front, I also rounded up the best new releases in August for the B&N Sci-Fi/Fantasy blog, and I took part in the Best and Worst Manga of 2016 panel, together with organizer Deb Aoki, our own Eva Volin, retailer and critic Christopher Butcher, and editor and critic David Brothers. It was a manga “lightning round,” with each of us getting one minute to defend our choices—or attack someone else’s. The audio and PowerPoint from the panel are at the link.

In other news…

The retailer newsletter ICv2 lists the top 10 kids/tweens graphic novel properties for Spring 2016.

Speaking of March, Lewis and Aydin, who co-wrote the book, discuss its origins in a New York Times article, and Alex Dueben interviews Aydin in depth at CBR.

Victor Van Scoit covers a panel on comics and literacy at Comic-Con. The panel featured three librarians Jason Poole (a 2016 Eisner judge), Candice Mack, and Lalitha Nataraj.

Dave Roman’s space fantasy school story Astronaut Academy is being adapted for a live-action television series as well as a film franchise. Writer and producer Vivek Tiwary (creator of The Fifth Beatle), who bought the film and TV rights, describes the story as “Harry Potter in Space.” Roman first published the story as a webcomic (titled Astronaut Elementary), then as mini-comics, First Second published then picked it up as a two-volume graphic novel titled Astronaut Academy.

Parker Jacobs discusses his new design for Ranger Rick.

Verneida Vergara recommends five manga for Pokemon Go fans. And at Forbes, Pokemon Go creator John Hanke talks about the genesis of the game and what it’s like seeing everyone around you playing something you created.

Previews

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Beats Up the Marvel Universe

Reviews

Alysa Stewart on Bad Machinery (Everead)
Mark Dickson on Baggywrinkles: A Lubber’s Guide to Life (Panel Patter)
Mark Dickson on Batman ’66 (Panel Patter)
Mark Dickson on Fetch: An Odyssey (Panel Patter)
Stergios Botzakis on How to Talk to Girls at Parties (Graphic Novel Resources)
Johanna Draper Carlson on Jellaby: Monster in the City (Comics Worth Reading)
Stergios Botzakis on The Lunch Witch (Graphic Novel Resources)
Johanna Draper Carlson on Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: Alamo All-Stars (Comics Worth Reading)
Stergios Botzakis on Owly (Graphic Novel Resources)
Mark Dickson on Phineas and Ferb (Panel Patter)
Stergios Botzakis on Poppy! and the Lost Lagoon (Graphic Novel Resources)
L.B. Bryant on vol. 1 of Yona of the Dawn (ICv2)

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