Graphic novels roundup - March 2020

With the current pandemic forcing so many countries into lockdown you'd think this would be a great time to read comics but how can we get graphic novels from the library when libraries are closed? 

Please check your library's website as some libraries do offer graphic novels as part of their digital catalogues and we also encourage you to buy some books to support the creators.

Having said that, the comics industry seems to be slowing down and in some cases stopping distribution so we'll see how things go in the coming months.

For Junior and YA books I'd highlight Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang and The Fire Never Goes Out by Noelle Stevenson.

For the general adult books, this is a big month with lots of great books but I'd highlight the reprint of 100% by Paul Pope, the first volume of the news series starring one of the greatest (and for many the greatest) villain in Marvel's history Doctor Doom: Pottersville by Christopher Cantwell and Salvador Larroca, Goblin Girl by Moa Romanova, Kairos by Ulysse Malassagne and Once & Future Volume 1 by Kieron Gillen.

Junior and YA

DC Super Hero Girls: Powerless - Amy Wolfram, Agnes Garbowska (DC Comics)

Dragon hoops - Gene Luen Yang (First Second)

The fire never goes out: a memoir in pictures - Noelle Stevenson (Harper Teen)

Glass Town: The Imaginary World of the Brontes - Isabel Greenberg (Abrams)

The Mythics Volume 1: Heroes Reborn - Patrick Sobral, Patricia Lyfoung, Philippe Ogaki (Papercutz)

My Hero Academia Volume 23 - Kohei Horikoshi (Viz Media)

The Oracle Code - Marieke Nijkamp, Manuel Preitano (DC)

The Phantom Twin - Lisa Brown (First Second)

The Plain Janes - Cecil Castellucci, Jim Rugg (Hachette Australia)

General Adult

100% - Paul Pope (Image Comics)

Conan the Barbarian Volume 2: Life and Death of Conan - Jason Aaron, Mahmoud A. Asrar, Garry Brown, Gerardo Zaffino (Marvel Comics) 

Corto Maltese: The Ballad of the Salty Sea - Hugo Pratt (IDW)

Doctor Doom Volume 1: Pottersville - Christopher Cantwell, Salvador Larroca (Marvel Comics)

Emanon Volume 3 - Kenji Tsuruta, Shinji Kajio (Dark Horse)

Goblin Girl - Moa Romanova (Fantagraphics)

The Immortal Hulk Volume 6 - Al Ewing, Joe Bennett (Marvel Comics)

Kairos - Ulysse Malassagne (First Second)

King Thor - Jason Aaron, Esad Ribic (Marvel Comics)

Marvel Comics #1000 - Curated by Al Ewing, various creators (Marvel Comics)

No one left to fight - Aubrey Sitterson, Fico Ossio (Dark Horse Comics)

Once & Future: Volume 1 - Kieron Gillen, Tamra Bonvillain, Dan Mora (Boom! Studios)

Phoolan Devi, Rebel Queen - Claire Fauvel (NBM)

Star Wars, Vol. 13: Rogues and Rebels - Greg Pak, Phil Noto (Marvel) 

Web of Black Widow - Jody Houser, Stephen Mooney (Marvel Comics)

We're going #LibComixOnline

Library buildings are closed. Schools are closed. Conventions and book launches have been cancelled.

As everyone scrambles to move their services online and attempts to figure out what to do during social isolation, we thought this was an opportunity to try something new.

The American Library Association's Graphic Novels and Comics Roundtable(GNCRT) has announced an online initiative that "will spotlight online comic reading and recommendations, resources and toolkits, and other #libcomix content virtually through #LibComixOnline. These series of events and spotlighted resources will feature live streamed webinars, recorded interviews and discussions with some of our favourite creators, stores, and libraries plus virtual brainstorming sessions, and maybe even a few live draws or virtual art drops."

We are very proud to announce that ALIA Graphic Novels and Comics is joining the GNCRT on this project. We will, of course, share the content they create and publish but we will also create some content of our own and, even better, some content in collaboration with them.

These are some of the planned events that we will roll out in the coming weeks:

• Compile and share comics related resources for everyone who's staying at home (printables, learning activities, etc) 
• Recorded interviews and creator meet ups with some of our favourite Australian creators
• Webinars for librarians on different aspects of comics librarianship
• Live drawing parties online 

Best of all, there will be some crossover ALIA Graphic & GNCRT events with Australian comics creators speaking with creators from the US and Canada. 

We already have three Australian creators confirmed and it's fair to say that we're very excited!

The #LibComixOnline tab on our page will be updated regularly and we'll keep you posted as soon as we have more details.

The first event has already been announced and should not be missed:

April 1: Collection Development and Readers' Advisory with GNCRT President Amie Wright and special guest. The discussion will cover new and upcoming titles, recommended back issues and best practices. Attendees can weigh in with their faves or ask for advice.