Bill the Boy Wonder

Title: Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman
Author: Marc Tyler Nobleman
Illustrator: Ty Templeton
ISBN: 9781580892896
Pages: unpaged
Publisher/Date: Charlesbridge, c2012.

Bob told Bill that Bat-Man would be published and asked Bill to write it–without credit. Because such an arrangement was fairly typical, and because writing gigs were tough to get, but mainly because Bill was an agreeable sort, he said yes.
With that, Bill took on his second secret identity.
However, he would soon realize that he had been blind about this Bat.

I’ll be the first to admit that while I know slightly more than the uninitiated about comics, I do not follow them religiously like some people I’ve met in my journey. I can have a conversation about the movies, but whether or not they follow the “cannon” or the comic books is beyond what I know. So I was somewhat comforted to find out in my reading this book that MOST people wouldn’t know about this secret second creator of the superhero who become Batman. It’s incredible to think that this story first came to fruition 1939 and is still, over 70 years later, going strong and attracting new followers.

While Nobleman makes a valiant effort to present the facts in an impartial manner, you can tell that this lack of recognition sticks in his craw. Bob Kane hired Bill to do the writing and other artists to do the drawings, and insisted they all work anonymously. Nobleman reveals that even after word got out that Bill wrote the stories and at the very least contributed to the creation of Batman (although it was never proven how much), Bob still would not amend his contract “requiring that he always be listed as the sole creator of Batman.” And then, readers find out in the extensive author’s note that Bill’s only granddaughter wasn’t receiving any of the few royalties that Bill could claim for his contributions to such an iconic piece of our culture. Nobleman’s passion for this topic really shows by the work, and he strongly suggests that the only reason DC Comics hasn’t added Bill’s name is that their hands tied by legalities.

Templeton’s artwork is very eye-catching, and distinctly suited for a story revolving around the early age of comics. With very minimal shading, the bright and bold pen drawings use vibrant colors that really draw readers into the story. The layout also mimics panels of a comic book, although understandably the text boxes are larger than what you usually find in a comic.

The author’s note reveals the research that went into writing this book, with references to interviews, published articles and books, and containing previously unknown photos of Bill. And just like Batman, Nobleman’s research ultimately resulted in “writing” a wrong. While he can’t do anything about the legal side or the past, Nobleman has ensured that future generations will know the truth behind the mask. A definite point of interest considering all the recent Batman movies, this book could serve as a possible bridge for comic book fans to pursue non-fiction titles.

This post is in honor of Nonfiction Mondays. For the entire round-up of all the bloggers who participated, check out Lizann Flatt over at The Flatt Perspective.

Rapunzel’s Revenge

Title: Rapunzel’s Revenge
Author: Shannon and Dean Hale
Illustrator: Nathan Hale
ISBN: 9781599900704
Pages: 144 pages
Publisher/Date: Bloomsbury, c2008.

I didn’t anticipate the whole sticking-a-sack-over-my-head thing.
Her henchman, Brute, used to give me piggyback rides. This time, being thrown over his shoulder wasn’t so fun.
We traveled for days.
It got pretty hot and stinky under that sack.
Brute didn’t let me see again until we were in a forest as green as Mother Gothel’s garden.
It wasn’t exactly the kind of place I’d care to take an afternoon stroll.
Mother Gothel had grown a creepy tree with a hollowed-out room high up, perfect for imprisoning a trouble maker. [...]
So. There I was.
Nothing to do. (20-26)

Just after Rapunzel discovers that Mother Gothel is thankfully not her real mother, and has instead kidnapped her and thrown her birth mother in the mines, she is thrown into a towering tree and left there for years. Using her long hair as a whip and lasso, Rapunzel finally escapes and finds herself helping an ex-thief named Jack. The two pair up to rescue Rapunzel’s mother, but along the way they discover that they’re not the only ones who need a little help in this rough and tumble world.

It’s unique to see Rapunzel in a position of power, as she saves Jack several times. While there are nods to a few other fairy tales (readers find out that Jack used to have a beanstalk), this is not your typical hodge-podge retelling conglomeration like Michael Buckley’s Fairy-Tale Detectives. Instead, the Hales place the story in a setting more similar to a Western than Once Upon a Time, with expressions like “Yee-Haw”, gun slingers, outlaws, travel via wagons and horses, characters who share some aspects of Native American culture, and what could pass as a plantation cotillion.

I like this version that Shannon and Dean Hale have written and Nathan Hale has illustrated. The illustrator is quick to point out that he has no relation to the husband and wife writing duo. It’s an interesting thing to note since the text and the illustrations compliment each other so well. There are times when Shannon and Dean allow Nathan Hale’s drawings to take over and tell the story, which is unique and I wonder who came up with the idea first and how they collaborated to put it all together. The illustrations are bright and vibrant, but their coloring reminds me of a digital paint by numbers rather than containing the shading and tints that come from hand drawn artwork. I don’t know how true that observation might be, not being an artist myself, but that’s the best way I can describe what I see. It seemed slightly out-of-place that the map came 20 pages after Rapunzel and Jack find and use that same aid.

Overall, a speedy read for graphic novel fans and a good first exposure to fantasy fans who aren’t familiar with the format.

Meanwhile

Title: Meanwhile
Author: Jason Shiga
ISBN: 9780810984233
Pages: unpaged
Publisher/Date: Abrams, c2010.

“Are you an inventor?”
“Why, yes, I have over 150 patents to my name. [...] In fact, I was just about to test some of my inventions when you walked in. Would you like to help?”
“YES!”
“Well, these are my oldest and most exciting inventions. There’s the killitron 2000, my untested doomsday device. Then we have the SQUID, which can transfer memories between people. And last is my time travel machine. Which invention would you like to play with, Jimmy?” (unpaged)

Jimmy’s first choice is whether or not to buy the chocolate or vanilla ice cream. From there, he could meet up with an inventor and have the opportunity to play with three different inventions. He could meet-up with himself from another time. He could have to save the world from his own mistake. Or, he could just go home after eating ice cream. The choice is yours in this graphic novel meets Choose-Your-Own Adventure type book.

Maybe I missed something in the execution. While trying out different paths, I kept coming back to the same outcome. I used to love Choose Your Own Adventure Stories when I was younger, but I kept getting a bad case of de ja vue with this book because it seems like a lot of paths end the same way. The twisting and turning format that forces readers to follow lines off the page reminded me of the snake game (does anyone else remember that game, where the snake eats the apples and grows longer? No? Maybe I am getting old.) In any case, the plot seemed to solely involve the time machine, and any other plot line was really only a delay in getting you to choose the inevitable.

The book warns readers on the very first page that “Most [of the different adventures] will end in DOOM and DISASTER. Only one path will lead you to happiness and success.” I really wish that wasn’t the case, because I think that probably encouraged my feelings of “where have I seen this before.” I feel other positive outcomes should have been possible. An interesting concept that I wish would have made more sense to my brain, because I was really looking forward to enjoying this book and was disappointed when it fell flat.

Mercury

Title: Mercury
Author: Hope Larson
ISBN: 9781416935889
Pages: 234 pages
Publisher/Date: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division), c2010.

Two stories, two parallel lives, play out in this graphic novel by Eisner Award winning author Hope Larson.
The year is 1859 and Josey house is playing host to a traveler who turns out to be a prospector. Mr. Currey is anxious to strike a deal with Josey’s father, confident that there is gold on the farm, and they set off down the mine shaft together. Josey’s mother is not as taken by the traveler as her husband and daughter, and her foreboding feeling might just prove right in the end.

The year is 2009 and Tara’s house has burnt to the ground, forcing her to move in with her aunt, uncle, and cousins while her mom works far away. Getting reacquainted with her classmates she left two years ago, Tara learns that she might have to leave again as her mom searches for more permanent work. Cash-strapped Tara turns to her last option… searching for buried gold. Will a mysterious family heirloom assist her in finding what she needs most?

While the beginning is a little choppy with no clear introduction of the characters, readers quickly catch-up and become engaged by this tale involving buried treasure and a little magical realism. Although it takes place in Nova Scotia, Canada and contains references for that area, little asterisks and footnotes help American readers follow the dialogue, and the setting could just as easily be northern United States.

The back and forth perspectives between Tara and Josey lend intrigue, because you see how the actions in 1859 affect the events 150 years later. It also allows the action to progress at a clip, and Larson cuts out the potentially slow parts. Jumping off points between the two stories are chosen well, and I could picture this being made into a movie. For instance, on page 164 the sun sets on Tara’s story, and the following page has the sun rising in Josey’s tale. Expressions are well designed and easy to read, eliminating the need for extraneous dialogue. Sound effects are added in a style similar to comic books, with “Slap”, “Groan” and “Clap” appearing in a larger than life manner.

All in all, a fast, enjoyable read. I would be interested in reading a sequel, where the “heirloom” is explored a little more, as something tells me that there is more than meets the eye.

Resistance

Title: Resistance: Book 1
Author: Carla Jablonski
Artist: Leland Purvis
Colorist: Hilary Sycamore
ISBN: 9781596432918
Pages: 121 pages
Publisher/Date: First Second, c2010.

Paul Tessier lives with his two sisters, Marie and Slyvie, and his mother in the free area of France during World War II. The rest of France is occupied by German soldiers, who are steadily entering the free area, rounding up Jews, and hunting out members of the Resistance. When Paul’s friend Henri gets accidentally left behind when his parents get taken, Paul hides him in their wine cellar. But the secret is hard to keep as the number of people who know Henri’s hiding place grows. Can Henri get out of France before the German’s find him?

By the subtitle and the open-ending, it seems that this is the first in a possible series. I have to admit though, the cover art is more intriguing than the story it contains. The cover features Paul aiming a slingshot (set apart from the rest of the cover with bright red elastic) at the back of a soldier’s head, which doesn’t happen in the book. The plot is less striking, imitating multiple other stories where Non-Jewish children help a Jewish child by hiding him away and sneaking him off to a safer area. I’ll admit there are details that intrigue, such as the trick with chocolate towards the very end. There are also scenes that steal your sympathy, most notably page 24 where Marie climbs into her older brother’s bed and he covers her with the comforter. But extreme close-ups of people’s faces make them look like exaggerated and distorted drama masks. The narrative is interspersed by Paul’s drawings, and while some of them make sense, others are just jarring to readers. There is a subplot involving Paul’s missing father that does not get explained at all, so you’re really not invested in his well-being. In my opinion, the most jarring scene on page 96 also gets glazed over, and loses the impact it could have had. The author’s notes at the beginning and the end of the book are informative, and provide the necessary background to understand and reflect on the story. If it’s your first exposure to Holocaust fiction, it works, but there are other options that would leave more of an impact.

The Unsinkable Walker Bean

Title: The Unsinkable Walker Bean
Written and Illustrated by: Aaron Renier 
Colored by Alex Longstreth 
ISBN: 9781596434530
Pages: 192 pages
Publisher/Date: First Second, c2010.

“Somewhere, in the middle of the ocean…off the coast of an uncharted island chain… there is a TRENCH. For miles it dives beneath the ocean’s floor… past smoke-stacks… spewing boiling, toxic sulfur… Here, where sunlight cannot reach… Here, live the strangest of the strange. Here, live the most evil of the evil Here, in the deepest, darkest spot, the very bottom of the ocean, dwell Tartessa and Remora, the evil Merwitch sisters. Slowly, in their pitch black cell, they began to lose their powers, which dripped out of them like silvery glowing molasses. Desperate to hold on, they devised a plan. They scooped up the remains of their enemies. And like an oyster forms a pearl, they swished the skulls and bones in their thick, nacre saliva… And when they were coated and transformed into magical bone-shaped pearls… they SPAT tem onto the seabed. And then stacked them up like a brick wall… Each enchanted skeleton reflected the secrets of its former life. The past, present, and future laid out before the sisters. Collectively the omniscient wall projected a near perfect picture of the world above. Their prison became their auditorium of knowledge. Even now… they can see us. The visions from the wall are so STRONG that only those with HEART and BLOOD as THICK as theirs can gaze into it without going into shock and dying. But what would be the price to pay to look into just ONE bone? A SNIFFLE? A COUGH? I’d risk that, to possibly get any answers to my long list of questions.” (1-8)

Walker Bean’s grandfather falls ill after coming into possession of one of the bones. The old Admiral tasks William, Walker’s father, to take the skull back to the Merwitch sisters, believing it’s his only chance of survival. Walker’s father is approached by a suspicious doctor with a better deal; sell the skull to a wealthy merchant. Complications arise though when pirates steal the skull to find the hidden treasures of Atlantis and Walker ends up on their ship. How is he going to get the skull away from a ship full of pirates?

I was engrossed by this graphic novel. The author’s note at the back of the book goes into great detail about how the illustrations came about, and that detail is taken on the actual story. It’s a great kick-off to what appears to be a series, with a sneak peek provided of the second book’s illustrations. While the main storyline wraps up nicely, there’s still enough intrigue and unanswered questions to keep readers waiting for the sequel. The artwork is stunning, and I chuckled at what appears to be references to Where’s Waldo and Family Circus in the market scene on pages 71-72. (Can you find the pirate Waldo?) Other supporting characters are also scattered throughout that double page spread if you look carefully enough.

Aaron Renier has created an entire mythology surrounding these Merwitch Sisters, and you can just hear the Jaws theme music when they make their first appearance. Readers will love the action, from lobster clawed merwitches to swashbuckling pirates and explosive battle sequences. In fact, the battle sequences have a comic book quality, with words like “POW!” and “CHH-PPA-KRAKK” splitting across the page in bright yellows, oranges, and reds that starkly contrast against the dark blues and purples that permeate the murky, moody, and watery depths.

There are some fantastical elements mixed in with Walker’s “scientific” inventions, including a mechanical kitchen appliance and a “message in a bottle” that seems to be its own postal service. You have to suspend your rationality regarding these items. It’s impossible to explain how experienced pirates don’t realize that they’re on the wrong course. It seems impossible that a crew of pirates can transform a beached ship into a water-worthy vessel in less than 24 hours. But that’s what happens, and you’re willingly to ignore those minor details as you pulled along and into the book. It’s MacGyver meets Harry Potter as the bespectacled boy and his two sidekicks rush to return a magical item to it’s rightful place. Pick up and enjoy.

The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary: How Greg Heffley Went Hollywood

Title: The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary: How Greg Heffley Went Hollywood
Author: Jeff Kinney
ISBN: 9780810996168
Pages: 199 pages
Publisher/Date: Amulet Books, c2010.

“This book is the story of how a little idea got turned into a major motion picture, and how a fictional cartoon character became a real boy.” (1)

I don’t think you could describe this book any better than how Jeff Kinney did. This book is a handy introduction to the movie business for anyone, with the draw and appeal that Wimpy Kid fans will love. It’s filled with stills from the movies, original drawings by the actors and the author, and behind the scenes information. Highly accessible information, like how the stunts are done to what the special affects and blue screen are, will enlighten anyone interested in the film industry. From writing the script to casting the actors, designing the sets and props to the editing process, from working with child actors to what life is like on the set, this book has snippets of it all.

Although it’s more of a supplemental book and doesn’t fall in line with the rest of the novels, it’s a must have for any true Wimpy Kid fan. I encourage every library to shelve at least one copy with the rest of the Wimpy Kid books, even if it is nonfiction, because that’s where the kids will look and will check it out from.

Tales From Outer Suburbia

Title: Tales From Outer Suburbia
Author: Shaun Tan
ISBN: 9780545055871
Pages: 92 pages
Publisher/Date: Arthur A. Levine Books, c2009.

This is an odd book that defines definition, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. The book is a collection of fifteen short illustrated stories that revolve around “outer surburbia” which is unlike any small city that I’ve ever encountered. In one story, a “foreign exchange student” comes to visit a family. In another, a man in an old diving suit pays a visit, and in a third a oceanic animal appears in the front yard. Some, like the ones just mentioned, could be described as weird. Others are a little more thought provoking and border on political and social commentary. “Alert but not alarmed” hypothesizes what would happen if intercontinental ballistic missiles were placed with every household. “Wake” portrays vindictive dogs who may or may not have enacted revenge against a fallen commrade. “Distant Rain” reflects on how poems are created, and leaves readers likewise reflective on what scraps of their lives and writings yield to others and question their “strange feeling of weightlessness/ or the private smile that remains”. The end result is something that stands apart from other graphic and textual novels, but that lacks cohesiveness. The narration seems to be from residents of suburbia discussing their findings in this strange place in a matter of fact tone. “So I can’t say why it was that Eric chose to sleep and study most of the time in our kitchen pantry.” (9)

While yes, the stories stick with me, I’m not sure I can readily recommend the book into anyone. Read it, and see what stories stick. What would you do if found in these situations?

Into The Volcano

Title: Into the Volcano
Author: Don Wood
ISBN: 9780439726719
Pages: 175 pages
Publisher/Date: The Blue Sky Press, c2008.

We love Don and Audrey Wood as a children’s picture book team at my library. The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear is one of my personal favorites (just look at the picture of the strawberry wearing a disguise and try not to smile), and a coworkers was absolutely enthralled by the illustrations in Piggies when it was released. So when I saw Don Wood had done a graphic novel on a recommended reading list, I was anxious to get my hands on it, and rightly so.

The novel tells the story of Sumo and Duffy Pugg who are pulled out of class and sent to live with their cousin, Mr. Come-And-Go to visit their Aunt Lulu for ten days on an island. Sumo is not happy about this idea, and he gets even more concerned when he finds out that the island houses and active volcano that his aunt, cousin, and their companions are anxious to investigate. Things take a turn for the worse when their boat is hit by hot lava and they crash inside a cavern. But the volcano might hold more than just lava.

The back material says that Don Wood worked on this book for five years, and it shows! The illustrations are absolutely wonderful. Hold the book closed and look at the side of the book where the pages show, and you can just see the rainbow of colors that wait to meet you. Each of the 22 chapters have a different color behind the panels, setting them apart. The colors are bright, brillant, and bold. One of my favorite panels is when they first go to examine the volcano on page 46. There is a comic book quality to some of the panels, like when a large shot of water washes over the group and the page explodes with “KOOOOMBLOAAR!” on page 65. Finally, the boys enter an area filled with toxic fumes, and the sequence on pages 95-96 provide just enough detail to discern what is happening through the pale green tinged haze that fills the pictures. This is definitely for fans who have graduated from Little Mouse, as the plot is complex and some parts (like when people go missing) are quite scary for younger readers. The science of volcanic islands are explained very nicely, and might be good for current events as recently there was a news story about someone falling into a volcano.

The Storm in the Barn

Title: The Storm in the Barn
Author: Matt Phelan
ISBN: 9780763636180
Pages: 201 pages
Publisher/Date: Candlewick Press, c2009.

The Storm in the Barn tells the story of Jack Clark, an eleven-year-old boy who is facing lots of problems as a result of the dust bowl. His sister Dorothy is suffering from dust pneumonia, he’s become the target of several town bullies, and his parents feel that the only way to survive is to move. Jack is convinced that he sees a sinister being in an abandoned barn, while others are just as convinced he’s suffering from “dust dementia”. Is this thing he senses the cause of the dust bowl, or just a figment of his imagination?

This is a unique graphic novel, because of the personification of the weather into a soaked, cloaked figure who kidnaps the rain. The 2010 winner of the Scott O’Dell award for Historical Fiction, some bloggers are delighted while some feel this manifestation detracts from the historical element of the novel, placing emphasis on the fantastical rather than the historical. Regardless of how you feel, the book is beautifully illustrated. This graphic novel is sparsely colored, with different shades of pencil gray being accented by the sparse coloring of muted dusty yellows and browns — and watercolor blues in the instance of the rain stealing manifestation. The close up expressions of Jack’s face convey more of his feelings than the few sentences of dialogue which are uttered, and I think Phelan made the right decision in telling the story almost completely in dialogue and the pictures. There are mentions of Dorothy and the Oz series, which I think provides a really nice correlation for people unfamiliar with the dust bowl.

I do question how much broad appeal there is for readers, and parents might be turned off by a scene where jackrabbits are viciously clubbed to death because they are “eating whatever might wanna grow.” Parents, librarians and teachers might want to pair this with Years of Dust by Albert Marrin, which I reviewed a few months ago and does a much better job explaining the causes and effects of the Dust Bowl, or with the photographs of Dorothea Lange that apparently inspired the author/artist. Other bloggers are pointing to another Scott O’Dell Award winner, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, which also won a Newbery Award. I have not read this book yet, but hope to maybe next month. (My to-read-list is quite long enough for February already!)