American Vampire by Stephen King and Eric Snyder

American Vampire is King's and Snyder's attempt to bring vampires back from the sparkly and brooding individuals that they have become. This graphic novel is the first in a series and follows Skinner Sweet, a Jack of Fables-esque vampire with a love for candy and Pearl Skinner, a young up and coming actress.

1. Snyder and King split up each issue with a story each. How did this affect the story?

I had trouble with the format, I thought that the two authors writing half a story per issue never came together cohesively. Sure, there's an interesting duality with Sweet being evil in one story and semi-evil in another, but I would have preferred a more straightforward story with an already great premise.

2. In the foreword and in interviews, King talks about the current state of vampires. Did American Vampire help de-Twilight vampires in pop culture? How so?

I think it took some steps towards making vampires important in popular culture again. The twist on any vampire story is how they act, the powers they have, and the types of people they are. Compare the psychic vampires from Dan Simmons' Carrion Comfort to Anne Rice's sultry and more traditional vampires.

3. What's the difference between the European and American vampires? What's the significance of each?

The European vampires were almost a way to satirize the state of traditional vampires, making them goofy and pompous. This served a stark contrast to all American badasses like Skinner Sweet.

4. King wrote Skinner Sweet's backstory. Your thoughts on it?

King made a big deal of talking about Sweet's backstory in the foreword, but I didn't think there was anything out of the ordinary that interested me. Maybe some of the elements will come to a head in future volumes?

5. Snyder will take over sole writing credit starting with issue six. What are your thoughts on this and King's appearance on only the first trade?

It feels like a gimmick that Vertigo employed to help get the series off of the ground if King is leaving right after the first trade. This also will likely represent unevenness in storytelling, with Snyder having to refer to material that King wrote.

7. By breaking the "rules" of vampirism like walking in sunlight, did Snyder and King really write a vampire story? Is changing up the traditional rules necessary for a good vampire story?

Yes. As previously mentioned, one of the hallmarks of vampire storytelling is to break some of the rules and make your vampires unique and a continuing threat.

8. Is Pearl's resistance to devouring her lover believable?

I guess so? Pearl was supposed to be the non-evil vampire throughout the story and the authors never make the vampires seem too bloodlust-y in the story, so it's possible that she could resist the temptation of "eating" him.

9. Did American Vampire read like a Stephen King story? How did it compare to 'Salem's Lot?

Didn't get a great answer from the book club. Thoughts?

10. In the foreword, King mentions reading his son's Locke and Key series for a refresher/inspiration. Is there evidence of this in the story?

Not a whole lot. Locke and Key benefits from a small setting with a small cast of characters while American Vampire is more sprawling, so its tough to get a bead on similarities.

Future graphic novel selections September - December

Here's a list of potential future selections for our graphic novel book club. Please comment or e-mail me your top choices and/or bottom choices. Scandalously, I have not read any of these, so below are the Amazon.com descriptions.



The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch by Neil Gaiman: "In his grandfather's seaside arcade, a young boy encounters a mysterious Punch & Judy man with a dark past and a woman who makes her living playing a mermaid. As their stories unfold, the boy must confront family secrets, strange puppets and a nightmarish world of violence and betrayal."



Chew series by John Layman: "Tony Chu is a detective with a secret. A weird secret. Tony Chu is Cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. It also means he's a hell of a detective, as long as he doesn't mind nibbling on the corpse of a murder victim to figure out whodunit, and why. He's been brought on by the Special Crimes Division of the FDA, the most powerful law enforcement agency on the planet, to investigate their strangest, sickest, and most bizarre cases."



American Splendor by Harvey Pekar: "American Splendor is the world’s first literary comic book. Cleveland native Harvey Pekar is a true American original. A V.A. hospital file clerk and comic book writer, Harvey chronicles the ordinary and mundane in stories both funny and touching. His dead-on eye for the frustrations and minutiae of the workaday world mix in a delicate balance with his insight into personal relationships. Pekar has been compared to Dreiser, Dostoevsky, and Lenny Bruce. But he is truly more than all of them—he is himself."



Incognito by Ed Brubaker: "From the creators of Criminal and Sleeper comes the most insane and evil super-villain comic you've ever read! What if you were an ex-super villain hiding out in Witness Protection... but all you could think about were the days when the rules didn't apply to you? Could you stand the toil of an average life after years of leaving destruction in your wake? And what if you couldn't stand it? What would you do then? Incognito - a twisted mash-up of noir and super-heroics."



Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine: "Tomine's lacerating falling-out-of-love story is an irresistible gem of a graphic novel. Shortcomingsis set primarily in an almost otherworldly San Francisco Bay Area; its antihero, Ben Tanaka, is not your average comic book protagonist: he's crabby, negative, self-absorbed, über-critical, slack-a-riffic and for someone who is strenuously race-blind, has a pernicious hankering for whitegirls. His girlfriend Miko (alas and tragically) is an Asian-American community activist of the moderate variety."



Thief of Always by Clive Barker: "When archetypal 10-year-old Harvey Swick desperately wishes to be delivered from a boring February afternoon, he is miraculously rescued by Rictus, a smiling (if somewhat sinister) creature. Rictus takes Harvey to the Holiday House, where every morning is spring, every afternoon is summer and every evening offers Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas in quick succession. Barker masterfully embroiders this fantasy world with a mounting number of grim, even gruesome details. Harvey must heroically battle what is gradually revealed to be the malevolent force behind the Holiday House in order to save not only himself but all its previous young guests."



Seven Soldiers of Victory by Grant Morrison: "What if there was a team of superheroes who never met each other? Included are stories of four of the eventual seven members—the magician Zatanna is a highlight—all of whose adventures stand alone but also subtly interweave. The art is uniformly impressive, the standout being Frazer Irving’s Klarion the Witch Boy, pulsing with ominous supernatural life."



Scalped series by Jason Aaron: "Fifteen years ago, Dashiell "Dash" Bad Horse ran away from a life of abject poverty and utter hopelessness on the Prairie Rose Indian Reservation in hopes of finding something better. Now he's come back home armed with nothing but a set of nunchucks, a hell-bent-for-leather attitude and one dark secret, to find nothing much has changed on "The Rez" -- short of a glimmering new casino, and a once-proud people overcome by drugs and organized crime. Is he here to set things right or just get a piece of the action?"

Creature Tech by Doug Ten Napel - April 14th

Creature Tech is a black and white graphic novel inked and written by Doug Ten Napel, the creator of the Earthworm Jim video game series. Similar to the quirky platforming video game, Creature Tech is a humorous take on graphic novels. It is essentially a science and religion debate with some monster cats and space eels thrown in for good measure.

The book club for Creature Tech will meet on Thursday April 14th at 6:30 p.m. at Koelbel Library. Here are the discussion questions:

1. What about Dr. Ong changes throughout the graphic novel? What were the catalysts? Map out his transformation.

2. Creature Tech was written over the course of many, many years. Is there any evidence of this when reading it?

3. What is the significance of the strange scene in which the parasite is "crucified?"

4. Why is Blue the mantis important to the story? What does he teach us?

5. What is the importance of Blue's near death experience?

6. The introduction calls Creature Tech a better animated "film" than any of Pixar's offerings. Do you agree?

7. Do you think Ten Napel is spiritual? Do you think his views could be classified as agnostic, Christian, or atheist?

8. The parasite turns Dr. Ong into an Iron Man-like tragic superhero. How is Dr. Ong different from other superheroes and their depictions?

9. Why does Dr. Ong have a crucifix around his neck in the last third of the book? Where did it come from?

10. Dr. Ong's father is upset by the existence of the "real" Shroud of Turin. Why?

11. Why did Dr. Ong throw the water balloon at Katie? Was her reaction correct? She can now be considered "beautiful," but what kind of lesson is that?

12. What is the significance of Dr. Ong keeping the parasite quite possibly for life? What happens in Dr. Ong's life after the last page?

Superman: Red Son Discussion Questions

Superman: Red Son is an Elseworlds what if tale about Superman. The what if is: what if Superman had been born in Russia instead of Smallville, Kansas? This alternate universe has Lois Lane as Lois Luthor and Jimmy Olsen as Lex Luthor's advisor. The book club for it will take place on March 10th at Koelbel Library starting at 6:30 p.m. Here are the discussion questions:

1. What parallels does Superman: Red Son draw to other graphic novels based in historical events? Titles that come to mind: Maus, Berlin, Persepolis, Sacco's works.

2. What about Superman's moral code stays the same when he's Russian? What's different? How is he the same and different in general?

3. The ending of Superman: Red Son reminded me of the ending of Watchmen. Why?

4. Many, many superhero graphic novels ask the reader if the world is better off without them. Using this graphic novel's take, should the world even have superheroes?

5. What other alternate universe one-shots have you read and enjoyed?

6. Batman's silly hat. Your thoughts?

7. How did Superman negatively and positively effect the Russian Empire? Can this be said for regular superman and the United States?

8. Superman: Red Son brings up the age old nature versus nurture argument. Is it in Superman's nature to be good, or did the environment he grew up in change him?

9. Superman stories like Kingdom Come, All-Star Superman, and The Dark Knight Returns all seem to keep using similar ideas of Batman vs. Superman and Superman's strong moral code. Is the Man of Steel becoming stale? Can you think of any other commonly used plot threads in Superman stories?

10. Much of the criticism of Superman: Red Son is that its far too short for what it's trying to do. Your thoughts?

11. How did you feel about the very ending of the book, the last few pages?

12. How do Lex Luthor's actions mirror those of current world politicians? Luthor uses a means to an end-type approach.

A Contract with God - Discussion Questions

Will Eisner is one of the most respected names in comics. Heck, the presigious Eisner Awards are named after him. After Josh bugged us just enough, then threatened to leave right when we set a date for it, we decided on Eisner's flagship work, A Contract with God. (Just kidding, Josh, we'll miss you). Here are the pretty much spoilerless questions:

We'll be answering these questions with VIGOR and ENTHUSIASM on February 10th at 6:30 p.m. at Koelbel Library.

1. A Contract with God is widely considered to be the first comic to be called a "graphic novel." What about Eisner's work differentiates it from other comics? Is it worthy of the "graphic novel" title?

2. Many different comics writers we've read write vignettes and short stories. Gaiman did it throughout the Sandman series, Willingham does the occasional short story in Fables. What about the graphic novel medium lends itself to short stories? Can many short stories form to make a cohesive whole like one thought out story arc can?

3. A Contract with God is often used as literature in Jewish literature classes. What about Eisner's work pays homage to his heritage?

4. How does Eisner's writing and art compliment each other? How do they clash?

5. Why did Frimme die at the end of "A Contract with God?"

6. What is the moral or lesson of "The Street Singer?"

7. What does A Contract with God tell you about tenement living in the 1930s?

8. Eisner is a huge inspiration for comics writers. Which writers would you venture to say he's inspired?

9. What do each of the characters in the stories have in common?

10. What is the significance of Eisner's narration and lettering style?

11. How does poverty effect the lives of Eisner's characters, especially in "Cookalein?"

12. Some argue that the title story "A Contract with God" takes an atheistic bend. What are your thoughts?

13. Has Eisner's work been dated or does it remain fresh and relevant today? Are comics' highest prestige, the Eisner Award, rightfully named?

Webcomic Whenever - WIGU!

Jeffrey Rowland is one of the best success stories in webcomics. He started in 1999, with a sort-of okay comic called When I Grow Up. It wasn't bad, but it never really stood out from the crowd. After a few years Rowland gave up on it, and that's where these stories usually end.

But Rowland is a cooler-than-average dude, so instead of going back to his dayjob and occasionally awkwardly mentioning to coworkers at social gatherings that he used to be a cartoonist, he started another comic, called Wigu. Wigu was almost immediately better than Rowland's previous attempt. The characters were sharper, the writing was funnier, and the serial adventures were more delightfully ridiculous.



Wigu is the story of a young boy named Wigu Tinkle. He has a goth older sister named Paisley, an uber-professional mom, and a well-intentioned but somewhat misguided father. They go on adventures together.



The other thing about Wigu is that his imagination is the key to the continued existence of an alternate universe known as Butter Dimension 3. His favorite cartoon characters (stars of a show known as "Magical Adventures In Space") are actually from here, such as the flying potato Topato (who is actually made of poison) and his sidekick Sheriff Pony.



If all of this seems totally bizarre and insular, that's because it is. The whole thing is just this wonderful web of weird self-references and long absurdist tales.

It's funny, it's loveable, and it's almost hypnotic.

So anyways, Jeffrey Rowland did Wigu for a long time. But then he stopped, and started working on another, more traditional, comic called Overcompensating. Which was great. And he started a company called Topatoco, which is such an awesome thing it deserves its own post.

Now he's gone back to doing Wigu. As of like, a few days ago.

And you should read it.

Kingdom Come Discussion Questions

Kingdom Come is a one shot apocalyptic graphic novel penned by Mark Waid and beautifully painted/illustrated by Alex Ross. It bears similarities to other one shot comic classics such as Watchmen and Busiek's Marvels. Some have criticized it for being too difficult to follow or for feeling like an excuse to get as many superheroes fighting each other as possible, but Kingdom Come's popularity and staying power can not be denied.

Here are the questions and answers:

1. Why does the story eventually hinge on Captain Marvel?

Captain Marvel is the only one with the link between humans and metahumans. In a way, he is both. This represents the battle between the two factions and Captain Marvel ends up being both the problem and the solution.

2. Some criticize Kingdom Come for feeling like a "who's who" of the Marvel Universe. Did you feel this way? Did you feel cheated that the characters with the most dialogue are the standards: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman?

It's most definitely a two way road. I know little of the DC Universe, so I felt lost with so many seemingly pointless secondary characters. On the other hand, the DC trinity of Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman feels a bit stale. A greater focus on Green Lantern or (the very crucial to the plot) Captain Marvel would have been more interesting.

3. Alex Ross paints amazing comic art, there's no denying that. Is his realistic style right for the fantastical world of superheroes?

Some criticize Alex Ross for his art feeling like Norman Rockwell is painting superheroes. Much like Dave McKean, his art is great for covers, but sometimes overwhelming for a full on comic. I think on special occasions, Ross's art brings an extra touch to the story (especially in this one, bringing the reality of Armageddon home) but in my opinion it should be reserved for covers and pricy comic art auctions.

4. Why does Superman care about human beings so much if he is inhuman? With Armageddon imminent, should he make an exception to his view that war should be fought with minimum human sacrifice and kill to succeed?

Superman didn't care about human beings long after Lois Lane was killed and Magog got all up in his program. Only after his hometown was destroyed did Superman realize his passion for justice and helping the human race. Superman's unwillingness to kill is commendable, but it is too idealistic. Magog was a hero for finally killing the Joker, it's what people wanted. Trying to work with the government and only punishing mass murdering villains seems like a practice in futility.

5. The most liked DC and Marvel graphic novels/storylines seem to be the ones that eschew past storylines and decide to do an alternate universe one-shot. (Age of Apocalypse, Watchmen, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns) Why is this? What are the pros and cons of these one-shots?

Jeremiah vehemently argues that these one-shots could not be done without the known superheroes in weekly comics. I find this argument questionable, but in either case I think this brings to attention that comics writers are hugely handicapped by staying with continuity and not angering long time fans. When those restraints are lifted, an interesting, acclaimed, and meaningful story seems more likely.

6. Why has kryptonite has been eliminated as a weakness for Superman? What is Superman's importance in the story?

Kryptonite was likely eliminated because as the club put it, the least of Superman's worries should be a rock. Superman, though he doesn't realize it, is the catalyst for what the rest of the superheroes do. Everyone looks up to him, he is the closest thing to a god on Earth. His turmoil regarding his moral ground on killing is the driving force of the story.

7. What is the significance of Wonder Woman being kicked out of her Amazonian tribe?

Wonder Woman is the devil on Superman's shoulder, encouraging him to be less of a total wuss and actually get something done. He's Superman, for heaven's sake. This was a plot point for Wonder Woman to give her the excuse to be angry and bloodthirsty.

8. The world is coming to an end in Kingdom Come. Was there enough build-up and tension? Did you feel that Armageddon was really going to happen?

Personally, I didn't get the ticking clock feel or the tension that one would reading Watchmen or Tricked by Alex Robinson. Sure, Armageddon might happen, but Superman and Batman are on the case. I never felt worried for the fate of the human race or this particular world.

9. We witness all events through the eyes of Norman McKay, a minister. Why?

McKay is essentially Ebeneezer Scrooge traveling around seeing how crappy the world is now that Superman isn't around. The story also makes use of many apocalyptic biblical verses to draw parallels between the two. McKay is a necessary narrator, he plays the uneducated horrified spectator so that things can be explained to him and as a result, the reader.

10. Much like Dr. Manhattan in Watchmen, Superman in this graphic novel has given up on the human race, exiling himself rather than helping in the time of need. Why should these god-like creatures care about the human race?

Kind of similar to that other question, sorry. I found it to be a bit of a copout that the most powerful man in the universe just happens to be moping in Kansas during the apocalypse. Similarly, Dr. Manhattan hangs out on Mars while the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Both needed a tragic catalyst (love/death) to decide that oh yeah, we should stop the world from ending.

11. Why did Aquaman refuse to join the cause?

Aquaman's a jerk! He was bitter for lack of attention! Well, kind of. Aquaman bitterly stated that he protects 70% of the Earth with no help, so why should he help with that remaining bit? What a jerk indeed.

12. The X-Men series, Kingdom Come, and numerous other comics have tackled the issue of racism, pointing out the tension between mutants/metahumans and humans. Has this become a tired cliche in comics? What other societal issues have comics successfully or unsuccessfully tackled?

In my opinion, racism in comics has been done and redone. X-Men is a great series, but not necessarily because of its ability to tackle racism. I'm a little tired of the superhero/human relationship, I think it's time to explore other issues in comics. (Maybe more politics in the vein of Ex Machina?

13. Superheroes and the government have always been at odds, superheroes often favoring vigilantism over government-abiding actions. The ending of Kingdom Come implies an agreement between the U.N. and Superman. Could a government-sanctioned justice league work?

It would never work, the superheroes are more powerful than the government and the U.N., why would they ever listen? What could the government possibly offer a superhero that she or he doesn't already have? Plus, can you imagine the bureaucracy behind, say, Batman punching Joker in the face?

14. What are your thoughts on the reinterpretations of characters such as the Flash and Green Lantern?

The Flash was apparently a combination of old timey Flash who wore the goofy helmet and a newer Flash who is mega powerful and so fast that he's in between dimensions. Even our resident Green Lantern expert couldn't decide which version this one was, so that's still a mystery to us. Old guy knight Green Lantern is all we know.