Toon Talk: First in a Series

With the advent of spring springing on, it’s only natural that all of Forsyth County is soon to be found under green trees and by riversides, indulging in America’s favorite pastime: reading comics. But — worry not. As teens and their older ilk flounder to find new material, the library is here to supply. 

Below are some of the best offerings FCPL has to offer, curated by a cartoon-conscious teenager.

Superman: Lost by Christopher Priest

Here’s a recent gem from one of my personal favorite writers, Christopher Priest. The quick sell is that it’s great for anyone who loves deep space isolation, temporal freak-outs, mature relationships (“mature” is the word best fit for Lost; that doesn’t imply anything crass or gory, but rather just a refreshing maturity from the central married couple and their depicted life), great Lex Luthor characterization, atmospheric art, and that perfect balance ‘tween humor, drama, and existentialism. Find the series in the adult graphic novel section. 

Superman Action Comics by Grant Morrison

At this point, it’d feel silly scribing an introduction for Grant Morrison. With all this talk (squawking applause, I should say) for his All-Star Superman maxiseries, it’s a wonder so few people seem to bring this treasure up. Volumes one and two are available in hardcover throughout the Forsyth County Public Library system — and they’re both veritable treats, mod celebrations of the first superhero’s roots and together a refreshing return to form amidst the otherwise completely novel shake-up that was the New 52. 

You get that ideal confusion of genres here: where does science fiction end and fantasy begin? It’s a delight, and pairs particularly well with another of the library’s offerings, the Superman Chronicles series of trade paperbacks, which collect the very first adventures of Superman as penned by creators Siegel and Shuster. This is another series shelved in the Adult Graphic Novel section. 

Superman Adventures by Paul Dini, Mark Miller, Scott McCloud, and Evan Dorkin

This one’s what we call “fun for the whole family.” If you loved Superman: The Animated Series, here’s the comic series that spun out of it; if you hated Superman: The Animated Series, I can promise you that this is ten times better than the show. Each member of the comic series’ unbeatable cast of writers (Mark Millar, Scott McCloud, Evan Dorkin, come on!) really understands the fixtures of Superman’s world. They do a fantastic job in crafting both NEW stories and wonderful reintroductions to classic Silver and Bronze Age tales, fit to a new audience (could that be you?) It’s just as great for bedtime reading as for an afternoon of low stakes thrill-seeking. Find these all-ages gems in the Juvenile Graphic Novel section. Kids know what’s good.

Jade

Teen Advisory Board