Kearsten's Book Club Wrap-Up: Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson

It's been awhile, but Kearsten really wanted to share our book club experience last night wherein we discussed the first volume in the trade comics superhero series Ms. Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson.

Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City -- until she's suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? When Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them, as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to bear?

Our discussion rambled all over the place, from superhero costuming (as in, "what a relief it is that Kamala isn't wearing a tiny leotard with combat boobs and boots!") to strict parenting. However, the most interesting part of the meeting came as we approached the topic of racism.  We talked about the unkindness Kamala faces in her story, and the way Kamala fans used her image to defuse racist ads in San Francisco, which then led to ways in which book club members have seen and faced racism in their own lives. 

We also had a bit of time left to talk about the creators' reasons for creating Kamala, and to discuss her importance in the comics world.

Already read Ms. Marvel: No Normal?  Why not try one of these teen-recommended titles?

Ms. Marvel: Generation Why (Vol. 2) by G. Willow Wilson. Who is the Inventor, and what does he want with the all-new Ms. Marvel and all her friends? Maybe Wolverine can help! Kamala may be fan-girling out when her favourite (okay maybe Top Five) super hero shows up, but that won't stop her from protecting her hometown. Then, Kamala crosses paths with Inhumanity for the first time - by meeting the royal dog, Lockjaw! Every girl wants a puppy, but this one may be too much of a handful, even for a super hero with embiggening powers.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. As plague ravages the overcrowded Earth, observed by a ruthless lunar people, Cinder, a gifted mechanic and cyborg, becomes involved with handsome Prince Kai and must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect the world in this futuristic take on the Cinderella story.








I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education. On Tuesday October 9, 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price.

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King. Overburdened by his parents' bickering and a bully's attacks, fifteen-year-old Lucky Linderman begins dreaming of being with his grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War, but during a visit to Arizona, his aunt and uncle and their beautiful neighbor, Ginny, help him find a new perspective.








Captain Marvel: In Pursuit of Flight by Kelly Sue DeConnick. Carol Danvers is back. After changing her superhero name, Captain Marvel tries to live up to the legacy of her fallen predecessor, while facing a time-traveling adventure that's intricately linked with the woman who inspired her military career.









What Stands in a Storm by Kim Cross. Weaving together heart-wrenching stories with immersive reporting and dramatic storytelling, a gripping account of a weather event in April 2011 that saw a record 358 tornadoes rip through 21 states in three days shows how things that tear our world apart also reveal what holds us together.








Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story (Vol. 1) by Nobuhiro Watsuki. In the 11th year of Meiji, in the middle of Tokyo, the tale begins. Himura Kenshin, a humble "rurouni," or wandering swordsman, comes to the aid of Kamiya Kaoru, a young woman struggling to defend her father's school of swordsmanship against attacks by the infamous Hitokiri Battosai. But neither Kenshin nor Battosai are quite what they seem...

DC's New 52

So in case you aren't a comics nerd like me (and Merideth), DC Comics (publishers of Batman and Superman) did a big relaunch of their characters. The relaunch was supposed to open the door to new readers without having to figure out back story and such. I wasn't expecting much honestly when I heard about it, but then again, I'm much more of a manga nerd than a superhero nerd.

During lunch this month I've been catching up with graphic novels. I've read great ones and mediocre ones. Some I'll blog about later on; some I'll quietly forget that I ever read them. I picked up two graphic novels of the new 52 so far to read and one I really, really liked and want to share.

Batman Volume 1: The Court of Owls is not a graphic novel you can read without knowing who the characters are. But most likely if you don't know who Batman is, you aren't going to be picking this up to read anyway! I adore the Batman concept and movies, but I've never been a superhero graphic novel reader. Something about too much text and not very pretty artwork (for my tastes that is!). But I really wanted to read this one. Batman is dark and dreary and this one is totally the case.

The urban legend of the Court of Owls is, well, legendary in Gotham City. Batman has never placed any stock in it until now. Gruesome murders will make him question everything he knows and believes about his city. And he quickly becomes the next target as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Dark, twisted, and mind blowing in different places. There's one page in my copy that is completely upside down. I think it may have been a publishing mistake, but I need to double check other copies because it worked sooo well with the storytelling. So if it's not a mistake I will think it's absolutely creative genius. :)

Some people may not love the blockiness of the characters, but I sort of like the chiseled designs. A great mystery (though beware it does end in a cliffhanger which will make you want to go and buy the single issues rather than wait for the graphic novel!) with very little superhero-y things to get annoyed at. I gotta tell you, I really loved the book. On my goodreads page I gave it 5 stars. That's only the 2nd book this year that has gotten 5 stars. Take a chance on this superhero if you like stories dark and gritty, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Perry Moore

I was planning on blogging about I am Number Four, but that will wait until tomorrow or next week. Perry Moore, the author of Hero passed away. So to honor his memory I'm going to talk about his teen novel.


First of all, this first image is from the hardcover book and always reminded me of Zorro rather than superheros. The second one reminds me of Superman. Okay, enough about the cover artwork.

Thom is a regular teen boy living with his regular single father. Well, not quite regular. Thom has superpowers and has been invited to join the League of superheros. Since his father has voiced his opinion about superheros and Thom doesn't want to disappoint him, Thom hides his identity, both as a superhero and as a gay teen, from him.



I really like the concept of superheros dealing with real life issues, whether it be in comic format or in prose. Thom dealing with his identity and parental issues while trying to be a hero at the same time is a story I can get behind. So while we say goodbye to another author, let's take a moment to appreciate his work he has left behind.

Books I REALLY Wanted to Like

Oh, wow, it has been a super long time since I've posted, hasn't it. And surprise, surprise, I'm posting about comics.

Something that has been interesting to me is watching "real" writers dabble in comics. Once upon a time, back in the Dark Ages (a.k.a. 5 less than five years ago) comics writers were at the bottom of the food chain as far as writers go. Even fanfic writers looked down on them. But then, some comic book writers starting writing prose books, some big budget movies came out, and voila! All of a sudden it's "cool" to write comics.

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I like comics, and anything that gets people interested in comics means more comics get made, which means more comics for me to like. However, writing comics isn't like writing a book, or a newspaper article, or even a movie. If you don't know what you're doing, don't add another crummy comic to the world.

Tamora Pierce is one of my favorite writers ever. I've read all of her books, hung out on her website, am reading her books to my daughter, and would basically turn into a slavering fangirl if I ever met her. So, a Tamora Pierce graphic novel should be manna from heaven, right? I wish this were true.

In White Tiger: A Hero's Compulsion, Pierce tells the story of Angela Del Toro, a former FBI agent who inherits mystical amulets that give her superhuman strength and speed. Since she's from a family of cops, she's already got above average skills, which the amulets only augment. So far, so good, right? I mean, everything is right in Pierce's wheelhouse -- a strong woman, who with the help of mystical guidance, and the support of those around her, fulfills her destiny as a hero and a champion. This sort of thing is Pierce's bread and butter. Problem is, this is a Marvel book, and as such, is so tied up in Marvel's convoluted back story and continuity that there is really no chance for Pierce to let the characters breathe. Honestly, if Tamora Pierce's name wasn't on the cover, I would think this story had been written by any number of Marvel staff members.

The second book I was interested in was Wonder Woman: Love and Murder, by Jodi Picoult. Wonder Woman is the most iconic female comic book character ever, and it's rare for a woman to write her. Also piquing my interest is my ...complicated relationship with Picoult. Second Glance is one of my favorite books ever, and I loved My Sister's Keeper the first time I read it, but lately, I really think that she writes the same book over and over and over again. Since that wouldn't be possible in a Wonder Woman graphic novel, I was intrigued.

Much like A Hero's Compulsion, Love and Murder gets bogged down in continuity issues. Picoult had to work within a existing storyline "event" that was stupid to begin with, and that doesn't get any better here. That's not her fault, but some of the things that are wrong with this book are; namely, Picoult doesn't seem to know all that much about Wonder Woman, characterizing her as a supernaturally powerful hick. Really -- Diana's lived in Man's World for a while now, and you're telling me she doesn't know how to order coffee? What is interesting to me is that Picoult is much better at writing the bad guys than she is writing the heroes; Diana's foes are much more interesting than Wonder Woman is.

I really wanted to like these books. There aren't enough female writers and artists in comics, and having big names work on high profile books like these should be a good thing. Who knows, maybe if these "real" writers keep practicing, they may eventually get it right.

If I had superpowers...

I wonder what type of superpowers I would want if I had them. When watching Heroes I think that Peter Petrelli's powers are pretty cool, but then I would have to remember everyone's names and powers. And let's be honest, I don't have that great of a memory for anything but book and movie plots. Then there's Claire--never being able to die (and of course this season, feel pain). Cool, right? Being impervious to pretty much everything. Then we met Adam and let's face it immortality probably is overrated. Who would want to have to work forever! So I don't know what superpower I'd want. I'd like to think I'd use my powers for good if I had them, but who knows. More likely, I'd use them to further my laziness!

Anyway, you're probably wondering why I'm rambling on about this. I have a point really, I do. I just finished this fast-paced science fiction, action novel by Michael Carroll called The Awakening.

The first book in the Quantum Prophecy series focuses on Colin and his friend Danny. It's the tenth anniversary of Mystery Day, the day superhumans vanished from earth. For homework, Colin has to write a four page essay on what it would be like to be a superhuman. He tries to think how a super villian would rationalize their evilness, but can't make it work out. He thinks about the ability to fly so he could be a star athlete. He can't focus on his school work to well, because his best friend Danny did something odd and incredible after school. He saved a girl from being hit by a bus. The odd part of it was it happened too fast to be physically possible, unless...

And that's when Colin thinks that Danny may have superhuman abilities. The it gets really weird. The next night, Colin can hear things he should never be hearing--the water for the tea kettle being started four houses away, and Danny and his father coming to visit his family really late at night, and even worse, a helicopter pilot speaking about taking the boys alive is the number one priority--everyone else is dispensable.

Colin and Danny are kidnapped and Colin's parents are hostages. Who took them? What are they wanting to do with two teen boys who have just discovered their abilities? And where are they going?

All this and more is answered within the pages of The Awakening. It's a fast-paced read. I finished it in just a few hours. Will Colin and Danny end up good guys or villains, I don't know, but this first book is just the beginning. I'll have to pick up book 2 at the bookstore to see what will happen next!

This Book Made My Brain Hurt!

Can it be called a "team comic" if it's really seven interconnected mini-series, each featuring a different character?

Can a team be a team if they never meet? If they don't know about each other?

Are there really pirates in the subways of New York in the DC Universe? Half demon puritans living underground, using zombies as slave labor? Why haven't I ever heard about them before, in any other comic? Where exactly does Darkseid fit into all of this?

Why do I keep reading Grant Morrison, when I know this is the effect he has on me?

You see, I had heard a lot about Morrison's maxi-series Seven Soldiers of Victory while it was coming out in monthlies. I like Grant Morrison, in kind of a casual way; I like what he did on New X-Men, and in Arkham Asylum with Dave McKean. And hey, anybody who has written for Dr. Who Magazine is O.K. in my book. So while I wasn't interested enough to pick up Seven Soldiers in comic book format, I was interested to see it when it came out in Trade Paperback. Then, this summer, Seven Soldiers of Victory won the Eisner Award (kind of like the comics Oscar) and I was even more intrigued...

Then, I started reading it. And... wow. And... ouch, my head!

You see, in this four volume meta-series, seven people with super powers, but not Super Heroes, are recruited to stop an apocalyptic event, the Harrowing. An interdimensional menace, known as the Sheeda, periodically raze the Earth, destroying it's champions and turning civilizations to ruins, but leaving enough behind that the survivors can rebuild, and the Sheeda can again invade. It is prophesised that a team of seven will stop the Sheeda; and knowing this, they target super-hero teams with seven members.

So the Seven soldiers aren't actually a team. In fact, they never even meet. These heroes come from different places, different backgrounds... different times. Zatana, Shining Knight, the Manhattan Guardian, the Bulletter, Klarion the Witchboy, Frankenstein, and Mister Miracle work separately, and together at the same time to stop the Sheeda. Even if they don't realize they're doing it.

This is a very.... chewy graphic novel. It's not for the faint of heart. It moves backwards and forwards in time, jumps from character to character. It references, and then destroys, years of DC backstory. In some ways, its a great choice for readers who are new to comics, because, if you don't know anything, it's harder to be confused.

Morrison has a reputation for sacrificing character for the sake of his story. When he was writing New X-Men, you heard a lot of fanboy howling that "Wolverine (or Cyclops, or Storm, or anybody else) would never do that!" He gets around that problem here by using characters that nobody but the most hardcore comics reader has ever heard of. Also, Morrison sometimes gets accused of being too clever for his own good, and writing things that are simply weird for the sake of being weird. That accusation might carry a little more weight with this title, as it is deeply strange in some places.

After I started writing this entry, I went back and re-read it, and it sounds like I didn't like Seven Soldiers -- but I did. Yes, it made my brain hurt. Yes, I was deeply confused at times. Yes, I shouted "What the He** are you doing to Zatana, Grant!?" more than once; but, I was completely enthralled by the story and characters . I was shouting at the book for goodness sake!

Therefore, I make a qualified recommendation for Seven Soldiers of Victory by Grant Morrision. If you read it, have some caffeine and aspirin nearby -- you might need it.

I Wanna, Wanna, Wanna be a Mutant...

I admit it. I am a closet wanna-be superhero. Yes, I have contemplated what type of powers I would (the ability to manipulate air molecules – Dude... I could do practically anything!) and would not (telepathy – all those voices in my head, and what if someone was thinking something mean about me?!?) want to have.

Because I want to have super powers – which I would definitely use to get back at all the mean girls and bullies in my past, and would probably, eventually, use to save lives, avert tragedy, yadda, yadda – I love reading books about ordinary (and not so ordinary) people with extraordinary abilities. And yes, I have been watching the TV show, Heroes, and enjoy it so far. I especially love the Japanese office worker, Hiro, who can teleport, and I also enjoyed his discussion with a coworker about using his powers for good and not for gain, though I’m definitely not that idealistic… as you well know, given the fact that I’ve already admitted I’d first use my powers for revenge – a trip-them-repeatedly-while-walking kind of revenge, not evil revenge. Geez! However, I do have one “beef” with the show: what’s with the only two (so far) female heroes being blonde? C’mon, NBC – Jean Grey and Rogue have shown the world that non-blonde gals can be superhero bad-...er...-‘tushes’, too!

Anyway, back to books… I just finished reading one about a feisty, female ‘superhero’: Ill Wind, by Rachel Caine. The first in her Weather Warden series, Ill Wind opens with Joanne Baldwin, a Weather Warden, on the run. It seems her ability to manipulate the weather (an ability she uses as a Warden to protect humans from the deadly forces ‘Mother Nature’ would otherwise use to wipe out us all) has gotten her into big trouble.

Among her problems: she's an accused murderer, meaning that the branch of Wardens responsible for removing the ‘powers’ of rogue wardens is chasing her; an incredibly powerful storm keeps following her and trying to fry her with lightning bolts; and she’s in possession of one ugly, and slowly debilitating demon mark, which, if anyone finds out about it, and if she manages to get outta the murder rap, will ‘mark’ her for major power-removal - stat!

Ill Wind is fast-paced, exciting, and Joanne is one of my favorite kind of characters: sarcastic, intelligent and – oh, yeah – she’s one of the most powerful Wardens in the world, though she doesn’t quite believe it yet.

And she drives a classic Mustang.

And she’s a brunette.

Take that, NBC!

So, Where were YOU Tuesday night?

At say, 11:00 p.m. ? Hmmmm...

Watching TV? Reading a good book? Maybe you were goofing off of the computer, reading your favorite librarians' blog.

Well, I was in a movie theatre with my husband and my 4 year old, watching the premiere of Superman Returns.

And, while holding my sleeping kid, and watching the movie, it occurred to me -- I'm not that into Superman.

I mean sure, I respect the guy -- he kind of set the mold for all superheroes that came after him, and he has the longest running continuing comics series in history.

But -- I mean, he's just not that interesting to me. He's so good, and (ignoring the travesty that was Superman 3) he'll always be good, always do the right thing. I prefer my heroes with a tad more darkness to them -- Batman, Wolverine, the Authority, the Outsiders, Hellboy, Invincible.

However, some very excellent comics writers and artists have taken on Superman, and its always my pleasure to recommend good comics.


DC Comics has this thing they call Elseworlds -- it's kind of an alternate universe from the regular DC universe, where strange things can happen. My favorite Elseworlds title is Kingdom Come. In it, Superman has abandoned Earth, as the daughters and sons of his contemporaries have come to act as protectors of humanity. These new metahumans have all of the power of their forefathers, but few have the self-control or sense of responsibility that Superman has. When a group of metahumans causes a nuclear holocaust, Superman must leave his self-imposed exile, and again take charge... Written by Mark Waid and illustrated by the amazing Alex Ross, this is a great story with beautiful artwork.

Superman stands for Truth, Justice and the American way, right?
But, what if he didn't? This is the question asked by another Elseworlds title -- Red Son. In this graphic novel, baby Supes didn't land in a Kansas cornfield, he landed in a Soviet commune. And so Superman is a socialist, a communist, the favorite of Joesph Stalin. As America watches helplessly, Superman spreads Soviet doctrine across the globe, and looks to bring the United States under his rule. America's only hope is the brilliant scientist Lex Luthor -- who abandons his wife Lois Lane to defeat Superman. The writer on this, Mark Millar, isn't my favorite (I quit reading Ultimate X-Men because of him) this is a great book, with a corker of an ending.

Finally, we have Trinity. I'll be honest -- I didn't read this book because of Superman. I read it because of Batman and Wonder Woman, who make, in my opinion, the greatest almost-couple EVER. But Superman is key to this story, which is a kind of retelling of his early days, and how the "Big Three" of the DC universe met. It's written and illustrated by the unbelievably talented Matt Wagner and gives a great insight into these iconic characters.

And because everybody is asking me, I will say I did like Superman Returns. It was a little long, and I don't think Kate Bosworth made a very good Lois Lane, but it is a good movie.

Just don't hate me because I like Luthor better, O.K.?

Three From Marvel -- No, Really!

So, although I'm a big fan of comics in general, I've always had a little problem getting into the Marvel Universe.

It's not that I don't like superheroes, or that I don't appreciate the more human aspects of the characters. It's just that, all those mutants start bleeding together after a while, you know? And sometimes, I just wish that Spider-Man (and the Hulk, and Wolverine) would just get over himself.

So, I was amazed when I found not one but three new Marvel titles that I totally dug.

First up is Arana: Heart of the Spider. This is the story of Anya Corazon, a teen who lives in Brooklyn, NYC. She's bright, athletic, and incapable of backing down from a fight. Although Anya gets along well with her dad, an investigative reporter, she is haunted by memories of her mother. One night, her life is changed forever, when a mysterious man named Miguel saves her life. Miguel is part of the secretive Spider Society, a shadowy organization that is engaged in an ancient battle with the villainous Sisterhoodd of the Wasp. A cool Latina heroine and bright artwork that shows a lot of manga influences make this a great read.


Every school has it's cliques, right? You've got the jocks, the drama geeks, the goths. But in Spellbinders: Signs and Wonders, which is set in Salem, MA, the teens divide themselves between the Wicks and the Blanks, or those who have magic, and those who don't. Kim Velasco, the new girl in town, figures she'll settle right in with the Blanks, seeing as only the descendents of the original settlers of Salem have magic. So imagine her surprise when she's attacked by magical creatures and starts talking to dead people. She turns to the Wicks for help, but the members of these rival covens will have to stop bickering long enough to fight. Mike Carey, the author of this series, is one of my favorite writers, and he is a master of combining magic and the real world. If you miss Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or are a fan of Charmed, you should check this title out.


Saving the best for last, we come to my favorite Marvel series ever. Every teen knows that their parents are up to something, right? But what if you discovered that your parents really were evil? This is the set-up for Runaways by Brian K. Vaughn. Six very different teens: gamer Alex, goth girl Nico, chubby nerd Gertrude, jock Chase, beautiful vegan Karolina and pre-teen Molly are forced to attend a yearly meeting at the home of Alex's parents, supposedly for the adults to talk about their charity work. Getting the bright idea to spy on the meeting, the kids discover that their parents are actually super-powered villains who are part of a secret society known as The Pride. Horrified by what they see, the teens run away, taking Molly with them, and make startling discoveries about themselves and true nature of their parents. The four books in this series are great, with believableable characters, great action scenes, mystery, intrigue -- even a hint of romance. Even if you're not into superheroes, this book is worth reading.

The Best Comic You're Not Reading...

When I walk through Club Fishbowl (the teen space at Main) after a busy afternoon, I get a pretty good sense of what the teens who hang out there like to read, just by what’s left lying around on the tables.

(And the shelves…and the chairs…and the floor. Seriously people, were you born in a barn? )

Anyway, just by glancing around I can tell that more than a few of you like to read comics, or, as we librarian types call them, graphic novels. Manga seems to be the big-eyed, curse-enduring, deceptively fragile-looking, but still butt-kicking Ruler of teen fiction. However, a few of you still seem to like a good superhero comic.

Which makes me wonder why none of you are reading Astro City.


You see, Astro City is a great superhero comic – perfect, for old school fans like me AND for people who don’t really like superheroes. Unlike most “capes comics”, the action here focuses more on the interactions between the costumed heroes and everyday people, and how the two can live together in one remarkable city.

With some “realistic” superhero comics, the reader has to know a ton about some fictional universe in order for the book to make any sense. Not so with Astro City . There are no issues with “continuity” no “retconning” no “pre- and post-Crisis” or any of the other scary words that hardcore fanboys use when they talk to each other. This is a wonderful superhero story that you can pick up and read, just like that. The five volumes in the series can each stand on their own, there’s no need to go back to volume one, issue one to catch up on the story.

So please, if you enjoy stories about men in tights or women with super-strength, give Astro City a try. You’ll be happy you did.