Adults Just Want to Have Fun (Too!): Graphic Novels and Gaming for a Mature Audience

Presenters

Don Boozer (dboozer@cpl.org) Anastasia Diamond-Ortiz (anastasia.diamond-ortiz@cpl.org) KnowItNow24x7 Coordinator Computer Learning Connection, Cleveland Public Library

---COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVEL RESOURCES---

-- The Big Guys -- - Marvel -

Marvel Entertainment's web site: www.marvel.com Marvel Publishing, Inc., imprints include: Icon (creator-owned series) Marvel Comics (general comics; includes a wide range) Marvel Knights (edgier, more mature themes, not for children) MAX (mature, adult themes; can include explicit material) Ultimate Marvel (features re-imagined and updated versions of superheroes; films are based on this imprint) Marvel titles/series to be aware of: Civil War - A mini-series that involved the entire Marvel cast of superheroes. A must-have! The Dark Tower series by Stephen King (graphic novel adaptation) Secret Invasion - The Civil War saga continues in this series featuring the evil alien Skrulls. Omega the Unknown by Jonathan Lethem Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman, et al. (The Marvel Universe set in Elizabethan England) Major Marvel superheroes: The Incredible Hulk, Spider-man, Iron Man, The Avengers, X-Men, etc.

- DC - DC's web site: www.dccomics.com (NOTE: DC is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Communications, Time Warner) DC imprints include: CMX (DC's line of manga) DC Comics (general comics; includes a wide-range) MAD (the irreverent humor magazine; company acquired by DC) Vertigo (includes "Intended for Mature Readers" message; lots of horror and fantasy; late teen and adult) Wildstorm (titles include Ex Machina and Astro City) DC titles/series to be aware of: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (pivotal re-introduction of Batman) The Death and Return of Superman (1 volume) Epicurus the Sage by William Messner-Loebs (Wildstorm) Hellblazer by Ian Rankin (of Inspector Rebus fame) (Vertigo) Preacher series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (Vertigo)

Sandman series by Neil Gaiman Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil by Jeff Smith (also author of Bone) V for Vendetta by Alan Moore (Made into a film) (Vertigo) Wonder Woman: Love and Murder by Jodi Picoult Y: The Last Man series by Brian K. Vaughan (Ohio native) (Vertigo) Major DC superheroes: Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, Justice League, etc.

-- Independent & Self-Published --

Independent publishers include: Dark Horse Comics (Akira, Sin City, Trigun, etc.): www.darkhorse.com Drawn & Quarterly (works by Chris Ware, Seth, Chester Brown, etc.): www.drawnandquarterly.com Fantagraphics Books (Love & Rockets, Usagi Yojimbo, works of Vaughn Bodé, etc.): www.fantagraphics.com IDW Publishing (30 Days of Night, Metal Gear Solid, Grimjack, etc.): www.idwpublishing.com Image Comics (Spawn, AstroCity, Age of Bronze, etc.): www.imagecomics.com Top Cow Productions, Inc. (Wanted, Witchblade, Darkness, etc.): www.topcow.com Top Shelf Productions (Strangehaven, Lost Girls, Box Office Poison, etc.): www.topshelfcomix.com Independent/Self-Published titles/series/authors to be aware of: 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles (Made into a film) Age of Bronze series by Eric Shanower (re-telling of the Trojan War) (Image) Bone (1 volume edition available) by Jeff Smith (Enjoyable by all ages) (Based in Columbus, Ohio) (self-published) Concrete series by Paul Chadwick (Dark Horse) Cerebus the Aardvark (16 volumes) by Dave Sim (self-published) Strangers in Paradise series by Terry Moore Wanted by Mark Millar (Made into a film) The work of Harvey Pekar (Cleveland-native) including Our Cancer Year; Ego & Hubris; etc.

-- Manga --

Major manga publishers include: DH Publishing, Inc. (Hino Horror Collection, books about anime and manga): www.dhp-online.com DMP Books (yaoi, mature titles; also Juné Manga imprint): www.dmpbooks.com VIZ Media LLC (Fullmetal Alchemist, Inu-Yasha, Bleach, etc.): www.viz.com TOKYOPOP (Peach Girl, Chobits, D.N.Angel, etc.): www.tokyopop.com Manga titles/series to be aware of: Hino Horror Collection (16 vols.) by Hideshi Hino, master of Japanese horror manga Lone Wolf and Cub (28 volumes) by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima (feudal Japan) (Made into a film series) Vagabond manga series by Takehiko Inoue (feudal Japan) Yaoi/mature titles and series: Our Everlasting, Clan of the Nakagamis, etc.

-- International/European -- Publishers of International/European comics: NBM Publishing (Dungeon series, Boneyard, Isaac the Pirate, etc.): www.nbmpub.com

International/European titles/series/authors to be aware of: Blacksad by Juan Diaz Canales Dungeon series by Joann Sfar, Christophe Blain, Lewis Trondheim, et al.: Mini-series titles: The Early Years, Zenith, Twilight, Parade, Monstres (multiple volumes in each) Hipflask by Richard Starkings Isaac the Pirate (2 volumes currently) by Christophe Blain Vampire Loves by Joann Sfar The Rabbi's Cat by Joann Sfar (Volume 1 and 2) Wake series by Jean David Morvan and Philippe Buchet

- Books About Comics -

The 101 Best Graphic Novels (2005) by Stephen Weiner Graphic Novels: A Genre Guide to Comic Books, Manga, and More (2006) by Michael Pawuk Understanding Comics (1994) by Scott McCloud

- Comics Industry Awards -

American Awards (the most important for collection development)

Eisner Awards (the "Oscars" of comics): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisner_Award Harvey Awards: www.harveyawards.org Ignatz Awards: www.spxpo.com/ignatz.shtml (Small press award)

International Awards (ones to be aware of; not necessarily all available in translation)

Prizes of Angouleme (Prix d'Angoulême) (France): www.bdangouleme.com/index.ideal?langue=en Joe Shuster Awards (Canada): www.shusterawards.com Haxtur Awards (Premios Haxtur) (Spain): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haxtur_Award

- Online Comics Resources -

ArtBomb: A Graphic Novel Explosion (Pull The Pin!) (also has online comics): www.artbomb.net Comic Book Resources (comics news, movies, television adaptations, etc.): www.comicbookresources.com ICv2 (ICv2 includes news on comics, anime, toys, games, and movies/tv-related products): www.icv2.com The Lair: A Sister Site of NoFlyingNoTights: www.noflyingnotights.com/lair/index.html Lambiek Comiclopedia: lambiek.net/artists/index.htm The Librarian's Guide to Anime and Manga: www.koyagi.com/Libguide.html The Right Stuf (markets and distributes anime and manga-related products): www.rightstuf.com Sequential Tart: A Webzine about the Comics Industry (also has online comics): www.sequentialtart.com TCJ.com (The online presence of The Comics Journal, a good print resource to own): www.tcj.com

---GAMING RESOURCES---

- Online Information Sources for Gaming (not at all exhaustive!) - Entertainment Software Rating Board: www.esrb.org. The ESRB is a non-profit board that rates games based on content. GameSpot: www.gamespot.com. GameSpot provides gaming news and reviews and the ever popular cheat codes. Kotaku: kotaku.com. Gaming news and obsessive detail to all things related to games. Games for Windows: www.gamesforwindows.com. An exclusively online source for PC gaming news and information. Escapist Magazine: www.escapistmagazine.com. The Escapist is another respected source of gaming journalism. 1Up.com: www.1up.com. 1Up is a source for reviews and cheat codes. Women Gamers: www.womengamers.com. Site dedicated to women in the gaming industry. Twin Galaxies: www.twingalaxies.com. Site of the official records keepers for high scores on classic games.

- Massive Multiple Online Role Playing Games -

World of Warcraft: www.worldofwarcraft.com/index.xml Second Life: www.secondlife.com

- Podcasts -

GameSpot’s Podcast Hub: www.gamespot.com/misc/podcast-hub/index.html Electronic Gaming Monthly Magazine's Podcastst: www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3144909 PC Gamer Podcast: http://www.pcgamerpodcast.com/

- Especially for Libraries -

Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki: http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Gaming Game On: Gaming in Libraries: http://libgaming.blogspot.com/

- Books - Gamers-- in the library?! : the why, what, and how of videogame tournaments for all ages (2007) by Eli Neiburger Gaming & Libraries: intersection of services (2006) by Jenny Levine High score! : the illustrated history of electronic games (2002) by Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson

-Print Magazines- X-Box Magazine: www.oxmonline.com Play: www.playmagazine.com Electronic Gaming Monthly: EGM.com Game Informer Magazine: www.gameinformer.com PC Gamer: www.pcgamer.com

The Cross-overs: Graphic Novels, Comics, Games, and Films Since 2000

# Indicates a Game Made Into A Film *Indicates a Graphic Novel or Comic Also Made Into a Game

1. X-Men, based on Marvel superhero group (2000; sequels: 2003, 2006)* 2. Ghost World, based on GN by Daniel Clowes (2001) 3. # Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001; sequel: 2003) 4. # Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) 5. Road to Perdition, based on GN by Max Allan Collins (2002) 6. # Resident Evil (2002; sequels: 2004, 2007) 7. Spider-Man, based on Marvel superhero (2002; sequels: 2004, 2007)* 8. Hulk, based on Marvel superhero (2003; Marvel Entertainment version: 2008)* 9. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, based (loosely) on GN series by Alan Moore (2003) 10. Hellboy, based on comics series by Mike Mignola (2004, sequel 2008)* 11. Sin City, based on GN series by Frank Miller (2005; sequels: 2009, 2010)**(video game

coming soon) 12. Constantine, based on Hellblazer comic by Garth Ennis, et al. (2005)* 13. # Doom (2005) 14. A History of Violence, based on GN by John Wagner (2005) 15. Elektra, based on Marvel superhero (2005) 16. Fantastic Four, based on Marvel superhero group (2005; sequel: 2007)* 17. Batman Begins, based on DC superhero (2005)* 18. 300, based on GN by Frank Miller (2006)* 19. # Silent Hill (2006) 20. Superman Returns, based on the DC superhero (2006)* 21. Ghost Rider, based on Marvel superhero (2007)* 22. # Hitman (2007) 23. 30 Days of Night, based on GN by Steve Niles (2007)*(online multi-player game) 24. Iron Man, based on Marvel superhero (2008, sequel: 2010)* 25. Wanted, based on GN series by Mark Millar (2008) 26. The Dark Knight, based on DC superhero (2008)**(video game coming soon) 27. The Spirit, based on comics series by Will Eisner, adapted by Frank Miller (2008) 28. Watchmen, based (loosely) on GN by Alan Moore (2009) 29. Thor, based on Marvel superhero (2010)