We have some very cool graphic novels, in general, in our collection but these are some interesting new arrivals! You can find them on the display case past the Reference Desk; look for the “What’s New Wednesdays” sign. Need help? Use these instructions for holds or Ask a Librarian.
A Fire Story / by Brian Fies – “Early on the morning of Monday, October 9, 2017, wildfires burned through Northern California, resulting in 44 fatalities. In addition, 8,900 structures, including more than 6,200 homes, were destroyed. One of those homes belonged to author and illustrator Brian Fies and his family. In the days that followed, Fies hastily pulled together a firsthand account of his experience in a twenty-page online comic, entitled ‘A Fire Story,’ that went viral. News outlets instantly picked up the story, and it was featured on CNN, in the ‘Washington Post,’ ‘Entertainment Weekly,’ and ‘Mother Jones,’ as well as local newspapers and TV stations. More than 700,000 people read the original comic on his blog, and another three million or so saw an animated version produced by San Francisco PBS station KQED that was also covered on NPR. In June 2018, the animated film short won a regional Emmy Award for Best Public/Current/Community Affairs–Feature/Segment. Less than a year after the fire, Brian Fies expanded his webcomic into a full-length graphic novel, including environmental insight and the stories of others affected by the disaster. As he did with ‘Mom’s Cancer,’ Fies has taken tragedy and created art, illuminating his experiences and crafting his story to make it universal. ‘A Fire Story’ is an honest account of the wildfires that left homes destroyed and families broken. But at its core, it is a story about second acts. It’s about what’s important in life. It’s the story of a community determined to rebuild.”–Book jacket
No Small Plans / by Gabrielle Lyon, Devin Mawdsley, Kayce Bayer, Chris Lin, Deon Reed – “The book was inspired by the 1911 Wacker’s Manual, which was once used in classrooms to explain Daniel Burnham’s 1909 Plan of Chicago. It is filled with beautiful illustrations and divided into three chapters set in the years 1928, 2017 and 2211. Each chapter ends with a map and a short interlude about Burnham, to give readers insight into the creation of the 1909 Plan and other urban planning challenges. ‘No Small Plans’ was launched in conjunction with CAC’s 50th anniversary and our new ‘Meet Your City’ initiative, which aims to foster civic engagement. In partnership with Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Public Library, CAC aspires to distribute 30,000 copies of ‘No Small Plans’ for free to Chicago teens over the next three years.”–Publisher description
They Called Us Enemy / written by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott ; art by Harmony Becker – “A stunning graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei’s childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon–and America itself–in this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love. George Takei has captured hearts and minds worldwide with his captivating stage presence and outspoken commitment to equal rights. But long before he braved new frontiers in ‘Star Trek,’ he woke up as a four-year-old boy to find his own birth country at war with his father’s–and their entire family forced from their home into an uncertain future. In 1942, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every person of Japanese descent on the west coast was rounded up and shipped to one of ten ‘relocation centers’, hundreds or thousands of miles from home, where they would be held for years under armed guard. ‘They Called Us Enemy’ is Takei’s firsthand account of those years behind barbed wire, the joys and terrors of growing up under legalized racism, his mother’s hard choices, his father’s faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future. What is American? Who gets to decide? When the world is against you, what can one person do?”–Publisher description
Nancy / by Olivia James – “In 2018, Olivia Jaimes became the first woman to write and illustrate the classic comic strip ‘Nancy.’ Her fresh, irreverent take on the classic comic strip has become a sensation with readers and has earned praise from dozens of media outlets, several of which have named it the best comic of the year. This hardcover collection includes the first nine months of Jaimes’ run on ‘Nancy,’ along with an introduction, essay, interview with the author, and a special gallery of ‘Nancy’ fan art by the author.”–Publisher description