above: the opening sequence from Prisoners of Gravitym by Ty Templeton.
The Beat's Heidi MacDonald writes a long post on Dave Sim. While claiming Sim is "one of the world's greatest living cartoonists", MacDonald goes on to detail Sim's misogyny and double standards and the double standards of those who seemingly ignore his "dark side" for the sake of art or charity. Tom Spurgeon has a nice follow-up and critic Charles Hatfield has some very insightful things to say in the comments section.
(Via Tom Spurgeon) Neil Gaiman posts a Youtube clip of an old episode of Prisoners of Gravity, the once-popular TVOntario show hosted by Rick Green and produced by Mark Asquith, about comics and science fiction. Here are some other clips that pop up in a quick search.
Mark your calendars: cartoonist Michel Rabagliati will be in Toronto, Saturday, March 5, for a slideshow and Q+A. Toronto Public Library, Lillian H. Smith Building, downstairs auditorium, 239 College Street.
Vancouver web start-up Zeros 2 Heroes asserts that it is publishing its first comic book, a post-apocalyptic adventure called Gustav Hayes written by first-timer Morgan Jeske.
From the press release:
Zeros 2 Heroes Media is currently producing Gustav Hayes from Winnipeg creator Morgan Jeske. Jeske is working with editors and artists provided by Zeros 2 Heroes Media to bring his comic to life on the page. "With 'Gustav Hayes' I hold the genre close to my heart. Science Fiction has always appealed to me, more so than Fantasy for instance. My hope is that some people read the book, and decide that they'd like to read more stories like it. In all seriousness, the fact that I'll have had a comic book published, is an amazing event for me," says Jeske on the excitement around his book. Gustav Hayes centers on a broken anti-hero amidst the post apocalyptic nightmare of a world he is in. Gustav is a former 80's-style pop singer that battles hordes of evil creatures sent to destroy the remnants of civilization. Morgan Jeske is currently working with Zeros 2 Heroes comic editors and artists to produce his very first comic. As part of the agreement, Zeros 2 Heroes Media not only produces Jeske's book, but they will be working to get fan and media driven publicity from his hometown of Winnipeg Manitoba. "I've been interested in the potential of Web comics for a long time," says Zeros 2 Heroes Editor-in-Chief Paul Dini. "I thought that was a very supportive way to bring new talent into what has generally been a tough business for novices." Zeros 2 Heroes Media will be providing Jeske with his own online publication as well as putting together a plan to help get the word out to various media sources. The intention is to have not only a piece of professional work for his portfolio, but also to help him launch his professional writing career. "Morgan's talent and creativity shines brightly in his story I think Gustav Hayes is one of those pieces of work that has potential," says Zeroes 2 Heroes Media Chairman Paul Gertz. "This cross-platform entertainment opportunity is exactly what we're looking for in terms of our corporate mandate," says Western Region Director Earl Hong Tai of Telefilm Canada. Telefilm Canada plays in integral part in the development of Canadian writers and artists and helping pitches come to life with Canada Comic Creation Nation is another way for them to lend a hand.
On the heels of yesterday's report on attacks on comics in libraries comes news of the latest batch of comics seized by Canada Customs (via Journalista). Publishers include Fantagraphics/Eros and Icarus Publishing.
Michel Viau highlights some of the bd bestsellers in Montreal comic shops.
The Top 50 Graphic Novels in Canada, courtesy of BookManager. The full list is available here. The list is compiled by BookManager based on sales through over 400 independent bookstores. Sales through comic shops and larger retailers like Chapters-Indigo and Walmart are not reflected in this list. For balance, you might want to try the Amazon.ca and Chapters-Indigo lists. This list has two parts, the top 50 overall and (at the bottom) the top 25 by Canadian creators.
Lots more Naruto, again. The volumes tend to jump around quite a bit with very few ranks repeated week to week. The highest ranked Naruto always varies, but Naruto 16 hasbeen at #47 for three weeks now. A reflection of the actual market, or a function of BookManager's tracking software? Who can say? Naruto occupies 17 of the 50 spaces this week. Other titles jump around as well. Over the last 3 weeks, the Dark Tower has ranked 45, 14, and 23. Ditto Louis Riel, which has been 20, 25, and 37.
See here for last week's list. I've added last week's ranking in parentheses, with a (-) indicating an absence from the top 50 last week --although books that were not in the top 50 last week were most likely in the top 100, with the possible exception of a few newly published hits. The pattern that emerges from looking at these lists over a period of weeks is that certain books, especially manga series, continuously jostle with each other, sliding up and down the longer list on the strength of a new volume or a spate of purchases for the kiddies.
The BookManager List is a wondrous, scary place, where everyone from Todd Hignite to Charles Schulz to Dan DeCarlo to Oor Willie to Avril Lavigne duke it out and where one sale in one tiny bookstore can move a book from #999 to #200. This is also the place where you find books by Canadian creators and where our Canadian Top 25 comes from:
Sequential's All-Canadian Top 25 from BookManager
1. (1) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 2. (2) Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography, Chester Brown (D+Q) 3. (4) Jellaby, Kean Soo (Hyperion) 4. (3) Essex County 1: Tales From the Farm, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf) 5. (7) Essex County 2: Ghost Stories, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf) 6. (10) Dramacon 3, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) 7. (12) Teaching is a Learning Experience!, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 8. (19) Scott Pilgrim 4, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni) 9. (5) The Plain Janes, Cecil Castellucci et al (DC/Minx) 10. (-) Skim, Marissa Tamaki/Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood) ----- 11. (6) Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Guy Delisle (D+Q) 12. (-) Last Straw (1985), Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 13. (-) Never Wink at a Worried Woman, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 14. (9) White Rapids, Pascal Blanchet (D+Q) 15. (8) Therefore Repent! Jim Munroe Salgood Sam (insomniac) 16. (22) The Collected New Frontier (Paperback), Darwyn Cooke (DC) 17. (-) Scott Pilgrim 3, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni) 18. (-) The New Frontier 1 (Paperback), Darwyn Cooke (DC) 19. (-) Northwest Passage: The Annotated Collection, Scott Chantler (Oni) 20. (11) Dramacon 2, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) ----- 21. (-) Just One More Hug, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 22. (-) 365 Days, Julie Doucet (D+Q) 23. (-) Portfoolio 22, Guy Badoux et al (Mcarthur) 24. (13) Dramacon 1, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) 25. (14) The Big 5-0, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
An impressive debut for Skim and slightly less dominance for Lynn Johnston (6/25 vs 10/25 last week).
Patrick Berube reviews the bd album Magasin General, Vol 1 for CBB.
Zak Edwards reviews Essex County 2: Ghost Stories by Jeff Lemire at CBB.
News:
Reed Elsevier, the U.S. producer of Book Expo Canada, has announced the sale of its publishing division, including Publisher's Weekly and its subsidiaries, inclyding Heidi MacDonald's The Beat weblog.
Exclaim profiles the new Cumulus Press book, Extraction!
Emru Townsend of Frames prr Second magazine reviews an academic anthology about manga and anime, Mechademia 2: Networks of Desire.
Eye weekly profiles Toronto's The World's Biggest Bookstore.
Dave Sim reveals his other secret project, a history of the Holocaust, Judenhass.
Report Says Patrons challenge books, videos by Bryan Munn
Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass, Dicken's Oliver Twist, and some of the best graphic novels ever published in Canada were among the library materials challenged by Canadian library users in 2007, according to a new survey released February 22.
The Canadian Library Association's 2nd annual Survey of Challenged Materials in Canadian Libraries identified 42 items challenged by patrons. Graphic novels were among the hardest hit by library patron "challenges" but film, video, and internet screening policies were also categories that were subject to scrutiny by the proverbial, overly-sensitive "concerned parents", nervous nellies and other book banning entities. The report was released on the occasion of Freedom to Read Week (Feb 24-March 1).
According to CLA President Alvin Schrader, author of the study Fear of Words: Censorship and the Public Libraries of Canada, not much has changed in the world of library complaints and censorship over the last 20 years. "The reasons given for challenges this past year strongly echo those documented in the mid-1980s. Librarians and public library trustees need to continue to be knowledgeable and articulate about potentially controversial topics and about our core values, freedom of expression and the freedom to receive information. If libraries don't create a safe space in Canadian society for as many voices as possible, nobody else will. This will always be an important policy goal for libraries in Canada."
To the credit of Canadian libraries and their knowledgeable Canadian librarians, most of the complaints did not result in any changes, beyond making sure that the titles were shelved correctly and that patrons were made aware of content and library policies.
The graphic novels identified in the survey form an interesting cross-section of popular works and works by award-winning cartoonists. Indeed, the Canadian comics on the list comprise something of a "Who's Who" of cartooning greats, with books by Chester Brown, Julie Doucet and 2006 Doug Wright Award-winner Lorenz Peter.
Also of note, the classic Tintin adventure, Cigars of the Pharoah. Originally published in 1934 (updated in 1955 and translated into English in 1971), this adventure by Herge takes place in India and Egypt and contains depictions of stereotyped inhabitants of those countries that may appear dated, at the very least. The patron objections to this book also bring to mind the recent controversy over shelving of Herge's Tintin in the Congo.
Below are the graphic novels included in the report, with the patron complaints.
The Monkey King (Dragon Ball Vol. 1) by Akira Toriyama. Offensive language, age inappropriate "in the head of the parent -- 'oh a 14 year old can see her underpants...'"
Video Girl Ai by Masakazu Katsura. Sexually explicit, violence, offensive language.
My Most Secret Desire by Julie Doucet. Sexually explicit, "sexual filth" and "sexual sickness".
The Madam Paul Affair by Julie Doucet. "Pictures on front & back covers"; "Most dialogue takes place in a bar, or bed"; "feeling sleazy & dirty, like smoking & drinking"; "Julie Doucet has no morals or talent"
The next Comix Jam will be held at Bar des Pins, 3714 Park, this coming Thursday, February 28 at 8 PM. As usual, bring your artist gear and good humor!
Le Comix Jam se tiendra au Bar des Pins, 3714 rue du Parc Jeudi prochain, le 28 fevrier a 20hres. Comme d'habitude amenez votre attirail du dessinateur et votre bonne humeur!
International: in a move sure to be reflected on Canadian bestseller lists, VIZ has announced the publication of a new Naruto series, following the adventures of the titular ninja student as a teenager: the launch of the long-awaited new NARUTO manga story arc begins with Volume 28, "which is the first to feature Naruto as a teenager. The volume is expected to hit stores nationwide on March 4 with an estimated retail price of $7.95"
From your friendly neighbourhood Toronto Comic Jam coordinator Dalton Sharp:
The Toronto Comic Jam rolls this Tuesday, February 26th, 9:30 p.m. and on, back room at the Cameron House Pub, 408 Queen St. W. near Queen-Spadina. All welcome. Paper provided. Please note the later 9:30 start time because of Video Cabaret.
Featuring film, a dealers pavillion, a tea house, cosplay shows and contests, and talks about anime and manga.
Anime Panels -"Shading and Texture" with Astra Crompton shows you how to give your characters the best of physical depth. Emotional depth sold seperately. -"Manga Proportions" with Astra Crompton will teach you how to make sure your characters are well developed and don't look like wobbleheads in a truck with bad suspension. -"Shounen Ai and Yaoi" with Natasha and Dani explores the PG-13 version of the subject of male-male manga love.
Role Playing Panels -"World Building" with James and Dan explores the best way to build your own campaign setting from scratch. -"Styles of Storytelling" with Kelly, James, Roman, Dan, Mike, etc. discusses how to run a unique experience for your players. -"Stylish Combat Scenes and You" with James et all. explains how to run the most entertaining, graphic, and humerous fight scenes possible.
Video Game Panels -"Step Up" with Adam teaches you how to make the best Step Step Revolution songs!
Misc Panels -"The Finer Points of Yaoi: (18+)" with Dani and Natasha. Yep, it's just like it sounds.
OCAD-grad Kosma Gatner is one of 31 international finalists in the 2nd International Manga Competition sponsored by Morning 2, a manga magazine in Japan (circulation, 500,000).
Jeet Heer writes about Middle Eastern superheroes (and even talks on a related podcast).
Robin Bougie is launching a trio of projects tonight, including the second issue of the adults only Sleazy Slice comics anthology, featuring work by Bougie, S.H.K, David Paleo, S.C.A.R, Putrid, and more. Also on offer is the latest issue of Cinema Sewer, the Bougie-edited zine devoted to adult film.
The Vancouver-based social networking site and webcomics idea factory Zeros 2 Heroes recently picked their fourth weekly winner in its ongoing webcomic pitch popularity contest, "Canada: Comic Creation Nation". In related news, the first such pitch to be chosen for actual production is described in the following Press Release:
Vancouver, British Columbia (February 11, 2008) – After a month of voting on Canada's Comic Creation Nation, the fans have crowned writer Greg Robinson as their winner. Robinson's pitch Age of Heroes stood out amongst all of the competition and is now in the process of being put into production. The first issue of Age of Heroes will be produced and published online by Zeros 2 Heroes Media. Greg Robinson will be working with comic book editors and artists provided by Zeros 2 Heroes to bring Age of Heroes to life on the page. "For me as a writer, I would hope the experience could maybe open a creative door or two, or present an opportunity or two that maybe was not there before," says Robinson on the excitement around his pitch. Age of Heroes is centered on a world run by super-powered beings and enslaved humans. Robinson's first issue focuses on a small resistance group as they attempt desperate and drastic action that will either begin them down the road of salvation or damnation. Greg Robinson will now work with Zeros 2 Heroes comic editors and artists to produce his very first comic that will be published online by Zeros 2 Heroes Media. As part of the agreement, Zeros 2 Heroes Media not only produces Robinson’'s very first book, but they will be working to get fan and media driven publicity from Robinson’s hometown of Langley British Columbia. "I've been interested in the potential of Web comics for a long time," says Zeros 2 Heroes Editor-in Chief Paul Dini. "I thought that was a very supportive way to bring new talent into what has generally been a tough business for novices." Zeros 2 Heroes Media will be providing Robinson with his own online publication as well as putting together a plan to help get the word out to various media sources. The intention is to have not only a piece of professional work for his portfolio, but also to help him launch his processional writing career. "Fans know what a good story is and where it can go so we trust them to decide what ideas we should invest in. Jason's talent and creativity shined brightly in his pitch and I have no doubt that the fans made a great decision to see Blake Undying go into production," says Zeroes 2 Heroes Media Chairman Paul Gertz. "This cross-platform entertainment opportunity is exactly what we're looking for in terms of our corporate mandate," says Western Region Director Earl Hong Tai of Telefilm Canada. Telefilm Canada plays in integral part in the development of Canadian writers and artists and helping pitches come to life with Canada Comic Creation Nation is another way for them to lend a hand. Zeros 2 Heroes plans to award all Canada Comic Creation Nation winners with their published online comic. All creators are encouraged to pitch their ideas online in order to let the fans decide what they would like to see published. As the contest continues, members of the Zeros 2 Heroes community will rate, review and ultimately choose one winner for every month.
The Top 50 Graphic Novels in Canada, courtesy of BookManager. The full list is available here. The list is compiled by BookManager based on sales through over 400 independent bookstores. Sales through comic shops and larger retailers like Chapters-Indigo and Walmart are not reflected in this list. For balance, you might want to try the Amazon.ca and Chapters-Indigo lists. This list has two parts, the top 50 overall and (at the bottom) the top 25 by Canadian creators.
Top 50 Comics and Graphic Novels in Canada
1. (4) Bleach, Vol. 22, Tite Kubo (VIZ) 2. (10) Naruto Vol. 25, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 3. (12) Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon) 4. (43) Naruto, Vol. 2, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 5. (6) Naruto Vol. 26, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 6. (1) Tsubasa 16: Reservoir Chronicle (Paperback), Clamp (Random House) 7. (15) Naruto Vol. 1, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 8. (2) Naruto Vol. 27, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 9. (3) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 10. (5) Death Note, Vol. 1, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 11. (7) Garfield Goes Bananas, Jim Davis (Random House) 12. (16) Death Note, Vol. 2, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 13. (24) Naruto Vol. 4, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 14. (-) Death Note, Vol. 13, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 15. (-) Fruits Basket 1, Natsuki Takaya (Tokyopop) 16. (9) Absolute Boyfriend, Vol. 5, Yuu Watase (VIZ) 17. (-) Hack Gu Vol. 1, Hamazaki Tatsuya (Tokyopop) 18. (11) Naruto Vol. 24, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 19. (32) Vampire Knight Vol. 3, Matsuri Hino (VIZ) 20. (37) Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography, Chester Brown (D+Q) ----- 21. (22) Negima! 16: Magister Negi Magi, Ken Akamatsu (Random House) 22. (8) The Far Side 2008 Desk Calendar, Gary Larson (Andrews McMeel) 23. (19) Bleach, Vol. 1, Tite Kubo (VIZ) 24. (28) Death Note, Volume 3, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 25. (-) Bleach, Vol. 2, Tite Kubo (VIZ) 26. (-) Bleach, Vol. 3, Tite Kubo (VIZ) 27. (25) Naruto, Vol. 3, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 28. (13) Godchild, Vol. 8, Kaori Yuki (VIZ) 29. (-) Naruto, Vol. 7, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 30. (17) Naruto Vol. 23, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 31. (-) Death Note, Vol. 5, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 32. (-) Naruto, Vol. 18, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 33. (-) Asterix at the Olympic Games, Goscinny & Uderzo (Orion) 34. (-) Fruits Basket 3, Natsuki Takaya (Tokyopop) 35. (-) Fruits Basket 2, Natsuki Takaya (Tokyopop) 36. (-) Naruto, Official Handbook, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 37. (-) Fall In Love Like a Comic Vol. 2, Chitose Yagami (VIZ) 38. (-) Hana-Kimi, Vol. 22, Hisaya Nakajo (VIZ) 39. (29) Naruto Vol. 22, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 40. (36) Vampire Knight Vol. 2, Matsuri Hino (VIZ) ----- 41. (18) Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 15, Hiromu Arakawa (VIZ) 42. (-) Naruto, Vol. 9, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 43. (33) Persepolis 2, Marjane Satrapi (Knopf) 44. (31) Fruits Basket 18, Natsuki Takaya (Tokyopop) 45. (14) Dark Tower:The Gunslinger Born, Peter David (Marvel) 46. (46) The Best of Pokemon Adventures: Yellow, Hidenori Kusaka Mato (VIZ) 47. (47) Naruto Vol. 16, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 48. (-) The Best of Pokemon Adventures: Red, Hidenori Kusaka Mato (VIZ) 49. (-) Naruto Vol. 5, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 50. (48) The Authoritative Calvin And Hobbes, Watterson (Andrews McMeel)
Whew! It's quite an effort to keep track of all those Naruto, Death Note, and Bleach volumes. I find it hard to believe that the Bookmanager lists are sophisticated enough to keep track of these differences, especially when I see such wild fluctuations in rank from week to week. That being said, the most salient aspect of this week's list, as with the last several months' lists, is that all volumes of Naruto are popular (there are 16 in the top 50).
See here for last week's list. I've added last week's ranking in parentheses, with a (-) indicating an absence from the top 50 last week --although books that were not in the top 50 last week were most likely in the top 100, with the possible exception of a few newly published hits. The pattern that emerges from looking at these lists over a period of weeks is that certain books, especially manga series, continuously jostle with each other, sliding up and down the longer list on the strength of a new volume or a spate of purchases for the kiddies. One other note: if the publishers of Persepolis would concentrate on a single volume, wouldn't they have a higher ranked book?
The BookManager List is a wondrous, scary place, where everyone from Todd Hignite to Charles Schulz to Dan DeCarlo to Jerry Siegel to Tove Janssen duke it out and where one sale in one tiny bookstore can move a book from #999 to #200. This is also the place where you find books by Canadian creators and where the Canadian Top 25 comes from:
Sequential's All-Canadian Top 25 from BookManager
1. (1) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 2. (2) Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography, Chester Brown (D+Q) 3. (5) Essex County 1: Tales From the Farm, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf) 4. (3) Jellaby, Kean Soo (Hyperion) 5. (10) The Plain Janes, Cecil Castellucci et al (DC/Minx) 6. (4) Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Guy Delisle (D+Q) 7. (12) Essex County 2: Ghost Stories, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf) 8. (16) Therefore Repent! Jim Munroe Salgood Sam (insomniac) 9. (6) White Rapids, Pascal Blanchet (D+Q) 10. (8) Dramacon 3, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) ----- 11. (9) Dramacon 2, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) 12. (7) Teaching is a Learning Experience!, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 13. (18) Dramacon 1, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) 14. (19) The Big 5-0, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 15. (21) The Spirit (Hardcover), Darwyn Cooke Jeph Loeb J Bone (DC) 16. (11) Middle Age Spread, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 17. (25) Keep The Home Fries Burning, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 18. (14) She's Turning into One of Them!, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 19. (-) Scott Pilgrim 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together, Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni) 20. (15) Graphic Witness: 4 Wordless Graphic Novels, George A Walker (Firefly) ----- 21. (-) Family Business, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 22. (-) The New Frontier (Paperback), Darwyn Cooke (DC) 23. (-) Striking A Cord, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 24. (-) It'S The Thought That Counts, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 25. (-) It's All Downhill From Here, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
That last one was published in 1987. Lynn Johnston collections (10 in all) continue to be the favourite snack food of Canadians (or maybe it's more accurate to say that For Better or For Worse is the Naruto of Canada (except that Naruto is already the Naruto of Canada)). Svetlana Chmakova, Darwyn Cooke, and Jeff Lemire also score with multiple books on the list.
The Geek OUT! is a regular series of get-togethers where you can play board games, roleplaying games, have snacks, talk about comic books, do arts and crafts, watch sci-fi movies, have more snacks and then sugar crash!
We're also going to have some projections (The Hulk, Logan's Run and others) and yummy foodies (juice!, pudding, probably some soup.)
How does it work? We provide some games, the place to play'em and foodies. You come along with any other games you want to play. There's no set price to attend - it's is a by-donation-type-thing.
We noted this event awhile ago, but Chris Butcher has more details about the graphic novel component of Toronto's Luminato Festival, featuring underground legend Spain Rodriguez as part of a "Political Graphic Novel" panel hosted by Peter Birkemoe. Spain has just published a biography of Che Guevera.
Speaking of comics events, the comic component of the Salon du livre de l'Outaouais (coming up on Feb. 28) has been posted over at the BDQ forums. The event features a host of Quebec cartoonists.
Canada's largest manga publisher UDON has announced five new additions to its Korean Manhwa line-up: joining a series of comics originally published by Korea's Haksan Publishing, a new Haksan series - Daring Students' Association. In addition, four new series from Seoul Cultural Publishers: Dear Waltz, Chronicles of the Grim Peddler, Evyione: Ocean Fantasy, and Reading Club.
The Top 50 Graphic Novels in Canada, courtesy of BookManager. The full list is available here. The list is compiled by BookManager based on sales through over 400 independent bookstores. Sales through comic shops and larger retailers like Chapters-Indigo and Walmart are not reflected in this list. For balance, you might want to try the Amazon.ca and Chapters-Indigo lists. This list has two parts, the top 50 overall and (at the bottom) the top 25 by Canadian creators.
Top 50 Comics and Graphic Novels in Canada
1. (-) Tsubasa 16: Reservoir Chronicle (Paperback), Clamp (Random House) 2. (6) Naruto Vol. 27, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 3. (1) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 4. (2) Bleach, Vol. 22, Tite Kubo (VIZ) 5. (5) Death Note, Volume 1, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 6. (4) Naruto Vol. 26, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 7. (3) Garfield Goes Bananas, Jim Davis (Random House) 8. (7) The Far Side 2008 Desk Calendar, Gary Larson (Andrews McMeel) 9. (10) Absolute Boyfriend, Vol. 5, Yuu Watase (VIZ) 10. (8) Naruto Vol. 25, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 11. (9) Naruto Vol. 24, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 12. (11) Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon) 13. (-) Godchild, Vol. 8, Kaori Yuki (VIZ) 14. (12) Dark Tower:The Gunslinger Born, Peter David/Robin Furth (Marvel) 15. (24) Naruto Vol. 1, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 16. (14) Death Note, Volume 2, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 17. (13) Naruto Vol. 23, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 18. (15) Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 15, Hiromu Arakawa (VIZ) 19. (25) Bleach, Vol. 1, Tite Kubo (VIZ) 20. (21) Hell Girl 1, Miyuki Eto (Random House) ----- 21. (-) Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, Charles M Schulz (Perseus Books) 22. (29) Negima! 16: Magister Negi Magi, Ken Akamatsu (Random House) 23. (36) The Best of Pokemon Adventures: Red:Red, Hidenori Kusaka Mato (VIZ) 24. (38) Naruto Vol. 4, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 25. (41) Naruto, Volume 3: Vol. 3, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 26. (18) Bleach, Vol. 21, Tite Kubo (VIZ) 27. (33) Dilbert: Cubes and Punishment, Scott Adams (Andrews McMeel) 28. (17) Death Note, Volume 3, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 29. (19) Naruto Vol. 22, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 30. (22) Vampire Knight Vol. 1, Matsuri Hino (VIZ) 31. (16) Fruits Basket 18, Natsuki Takaya (Tokyopop) 32. (20) Vampire Knight Vol. 3, Matsuri Hino (VIZ) 33. (42) Persepolis 2, Marjane Satrapi (Knopf) 34. (34) Naruto Vol. 17, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 35. (26) Naruto Vol. 19, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 36. (32) Vampire Knight Vol. 2, Matsuri Hino (VIZ) 37. (28) Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography, Chester Brown (D+Q) 38. (35) Death Note, Vol 4, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 39. (-) Fruits Basket 12, Natsuki Takaya (Tokyopop) 40. (37) Hobbit Graphic Novel, Tolkien et al (Harpercollins) ----- 41. (31) Death Note, Vol 7, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 42. (27) Death Note, Vol 8, Tsugumi Ohba Takeshi Obata (VIZ) 43. (30) Naruto, Vol. 2:2 Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 44. (23) Herman: Living With Animals, Jim Unger (ECW Press) 45. (-) Naruto, Vol. 14, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 46. (44) The Best of Pokemon Adventures: Yellow:Yellow, Hidenori Kusaka Mato (VIZ) 47. (39) Naruto Vol. 16, Masashi Kishimoto (VIZ) 48. (40) The Authoritative Calvin And Hobbes, Watterson (Andrews McMeel) 49. (48) Bleach, Vol. 20, Tite Kubo (VIZ) 50. (-) The Complete Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (Knopf)
See here for last week's list. I've added last week's ranking in parentheses, with a (-) indicating an absence from the top 50 last week --although books that were not in the top 50 last week were most likely in the top 100, with the possible exception of a few newly published hits. The pattern that emerges from looking at these lists over a period of weeks is that certain books, especially manga series, continuously jostle with each other, sliding up and down the longer list on the strength of a new volume or a spate of purchases for the kiddies. This week, Lynn Johnston is bumped out of the top spot for the first time since Sequential started keeping these lists last year.
The BookManager List is a wondrous, scary place, where everyone from Todd Hignite to Charles Schulz to Dan DeCarlo to Jerry Siegel to Linda Medley duke it out and where one sale in one tiny bookstore can move a book from #999 to #200. This is also the place where you find books by Canadian creators and where the Canadian Top 25 comes from:
Sequential's All-Canadian Top 25 from BookManager
1. (1) Senior's Discount, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 2. (2) Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography, Chester Brown (D+Q) 3. (-) Jellaby, Kean Soo (Hyperion) 4. (-) Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, Guy Delisle (D+Q) 5. (4) Essex County 1: Tales From the Farm, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf) 6. (6) White Rapids, Pascal Blanchet (D+Q) 7. (3) Teaching is a Learning Experience!, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 8. (7) Dramacon 3, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) 9. (11) Dramacon 2, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) 10. (5) The Plain Janes, Cecil Castellucci et al (DC/Minx) ----- 11. (16) Middle Age Spread, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 12. (-) Essex County 2: Ghost Stories, Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf) 13. (-) Just One More Hug, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 14. (8) She's Turning into One of Them!, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 15. (9) Graphic Witness: 4 Wordless Graphic Novels, George A Walker (Firefly) 16. (10) Therefore Repent! Jim Munroe Salgood Sam (insomniac) 17. (18) Never Wink at a Worried Woman, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 18. (19) Dramacon 1, Svetlana Chmakova (Tokyopop) 19. (22) The Big 5-0, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 20. (25) Northwest Passage: Annotated Collection, Scott Chantler (Oni) ----- 21. (-) The Spirit (Hardcover), Darwyn Cooke Jeph Loeb J Bone (DC) 22. (-) Last Straw, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel) 23. (12) 365 Days: A Diary by Julie Doucet (D+Q) 24. (13) Wimbledon Green, Seth (D+Q) 25. (-) Keep The Home Fries Burning, Lynn Johnston (Andrews McMeel)
This week, the newly-released Jellaby rockets to the #3 spot, Pyonyang & The Spirit return to the top 25, and "the Lynn Johnston assortment" is shuffled with a book from 1984 (!) ranking fairly high.
When: Saturday, February 16th, 2008. 8pm until midnight. Where: Clubhouse Japanese Restaurant 255 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver ( map ) Who: Anyone who is of legal drinking age is invited. How Much: Free. Bring your own pencils/pens. Paper is provided.
I've reserved the upstairs room at the Clubhouse Japanese Restaurant for the Jam.
The CBC radio programme As It Happens features an interview with the Danish filmaker behind Killer Cartoons who discusses the recent arrests in the alleged cartoonist assassination plot. (podcast, second 1/2 hour)
Stumble It!
