MAUS by Art Spiegelman

This is the story of Vladek Speigelman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and the son's coming to understand the father, and History itself. Described by the Washington Post as "A quiet triumph, moving and simple-- impossible to describe accurately, and impossible to achieve in any medium but comics." This is the only comic, to my knowledge, to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

MACEDONIA: What does it take to stop a War by Harvey Pekar & Heather Roberson

An intriguing examination of Macedonia, a landlocked country that has edged-repeatedly- dangerously close to the brink of violence, only to refrain.

BAREFOOT GEN: A Cartoon history of Hiroshima by Keiji Nakazawa

This is an eyewitness account of the bombing of Hiroshima. It was the first of a trilogy, followed by "The Day After", and "Life After the Bomb". Clear, frank, and horrifying, these books should be required reading for all politicians in all countries.

Growing up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis

Peter Sis's story of growing up under a totalitarian regime proves that creativity can be discouraged but not easily killed, and that the desire to be free came naturally to a generation of young people behind the Iron Curtain.

PALESTINE

Sacco lives with the Palestinians and examines life under a prolonged occupation in his first serious piece of comics journalism

"Sacco can invest his stories with an incredible intensity that's simply impossible to capture with any other medium"
Speak Magazine

SAFE AREA GORAZDE: The war in Eastern Bosnia

Sacco spent four months in Bosnia in 1995-1996, immersing himself in the human side of life during wartime, researching stories rarely found in conventional news coverage. The book focuses on the Muslim enclave of Gorazde, which was besieged by Bosnian Serbs during the war.

THE FIXER

Thanks to the fixer, Joe discovers the crimes of opportunistic warlords and gangsters who run the countryside in times of war. Almost ten years later, Joe meets up with his fixer and sees how the new Bosnian government has "dealt" with these criminals.

WAR'S END: Profiles from Bosnia

Before his groundbreaking graphic novels Safe Area Gorazde and The Fixer, Joe Sacco created two short stories of the characters from each side of the crossfire. Collected together for the first time are the acclaimed Soba and Christmas with Karadzic.

INCOGNEGRO by Mat Johnson Warren Peece

"The early 20th century; an era when lynchings were common place throughout the American South. To most of the press, this epidemic of racial murder wasn't even news, but a few courageous reporters from the North risked their lives to expose these atrocities. They were light-skinned African-American men who could 'pass' for white. They called this dangerous assignment "Going Incognegro."

AMERICAN BORN CHINESE by Gene Luen Yang

Winner of the Michael L. Printz award from the American Library Association. Three apparently unrelated stories come together with an unexpected twist in this modern fable about growing up as the only Chinese-American in the school.

PRIDE OF BAGHDAD by Brian K. Vaughan & Niko Henrichon

In the spring of 2003 a pride of lions escaped from the Baghdad zoo during an American bombing raid. This is a fictionalized account of their experience, and of the nature of life during wartime.

Northwest Passage by Scott Chantler

Historical fiction set in Rupert's Land in 1755. An exciting, fast paced book to help inspire interest in Canada's frontier days.

A CONTRACT WITH GOD written and drawn by Will Eisner

Will Eisner was one of the founders of the comic book industry in the 1930's, as well as one of it's most respected creators. This is the first of Eisner's books recalling life growing up in the Jewish tenements of 1920's New York. This book, groundbreaking in both content and style, was first published in 1979, setting the stage for a new generation of comic creators to tell their own stories, in their own way. Eisner was still writing and drawing comics in his 90's & up until his death in 2005.

SATCHEL PAGE: Striking out Jim Crow by James Sturm & Rich Tommaso

Leroy "Satchel" Paige was the biggest star of the Negro Leagues in the USA from the 1920's to 40's, and helped break down the barriers that kept baseball segregated.

CAPOTE IN KANSAS by Ande Parks & Chris Samnee

Fictionalized account of Truman Capote's journey to Kansas to research "In Cold Blood".

LOUIS REIL by Chester Brown

This comic biography, by a Toronto writer, is an account of the Metis rebellion in Manitoba, and it's controversial leader, Louis Reil. It is a clear and engaging view of one of Canada's more colourful historical figures.

PERSEPOLIS by Marjane Satrapi

Written by an Iranian woman to explain to westerners that not everyone was happy with the fundamentalism that gripped Iran after their revolution in the 1980's.

A THORN IN THE SIDE by Bill Knapp

The incredible, real-life story of Johnny Hopper, a Brit living in France at the outbreak of WW2. After the Nazi Blitzkrieg swept through France, he was determined to live his life on his own terms, becoming a one-man resistance movement and fighting back any way he could, even after his capture and imprisonment in the prison camp system. An amazing story of perseverance and strength against overwhelming adversity.

SENTENCES: The Life of M.F. Grimm by Percy Carey & Ronald Wimberly

Percy Carey tells his own personal tale about his rise, fall & rise again through the ranks of Hi-Hop industry. Carey leaves no questions unanswered, telling an uncensored tale of what life is really like behind the scenes of "The Hip-Hop Game."

A variety of BIOGRAPHIES done in a traditional Manga style.

Clear, easy to read, keeping the facts intact, but also portraying the human side. A wonderful read!

Ludwig Van Beethoven

Anne Frank

Albert Einstein

Helen Adams Keller

Mother Teresa

DRAWING COMICS IS EASY (EXCEPT WHEN IT'S HARD) by Alexa Kitchen, Age 7

An excellent how-to book written and drawn by a girl barely out of Grade one. It has been widely praised by Comics' Professionals, and is an excellent book to inspire young comic book creators.

UNDERSTANDING COMICS by Scott McCloud

Universally hailed as the most impressive explanation of the medium ever produced. If you want to know what comics are, where they came from, and what you can do with them, this is the book for you. Scott McCloud points out, among other things, that comics are the art of telling a story with pictures, and we've been doing that for thousands of years. Told completely in comics form.

MAKING COMICS by Scott McCloud

In his latest book, McCloud has produced the best "how to" book on the market. Anyone who wants to tell a story with pictures should read this book.

HOW TO DRAW COMICS THE MARVEL WAY by Stan Lee and John Buscema

A great book for fledgling artists who want to draw in the traditional Marvel Comics style.

Classic Literature

Most adaptations of classic literature into comics have been dull at best, and often artistically disastrous. Not so with the first three books in the Marvel Comics Illustrated line.

"Treasure Island", " The Man In The Iron Mask" and The Last Of The Mohican's" are all visually attractive books produced by comics professionals. They should serve well in encouraging interest in the source material.

The Last of the Mohicans

The Man in the Iron Mask

Treasure Island

TOM SAWYER, adapted by Tim Mucci and Rad Sechrist

An entertaining, all ages adaptation of the Mark Twain classic.

MOTHER, COME HOME by Paul Hornschemeir

The story of a boy who is dealing with his Mother's death, while watching his Father sink into a deep depression. The simple art style reinforces the fact that the story is told from the child's perspective.

Quietly stunning, this is a story that could not have the same impact if told in any medium but comics.

V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

The government grips England in it's Orwellian fist. But they've made mistakes.

One of those mistakes is coming back to haunt them.

Hollywood threw out most of Moore's brilliant script in their questionable adaptation, which is a shame.

This is a modern classic.

WATCHMEN, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

A serious, compelling examination of the superhero mythos, Watchmen works on many levels, yielding surprises on subsequent readings.

The Citizen Kane of superhero comics.

ESSEX COUNTY Vol 1 TALES FROM THE FARM by Jeff Lemire

Winner of the American Library Association's prestigious Alex Award for adult books with specific teen appeal, this is the tale of Lester, a recently orphaned 10-year-old who goes to live on his Uncle's farm. He befriends the town's hulking gas station owner, Jimmy Lebeuf. The two escape into a private fantasy world of superheroes, alien invaders, and good old-fashioned pond Hockey.

THE TALE OF ONE BAD RAT by Bryan Talbot

The story of a young girl running away from an abusive home life and eventually finding her place in the world.

MONSTER by Naoki Urasawa

Brilliant doctor Kenzo Tenma risks his reputation and promising career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy. Unbeknownst to him, this child is destined for a terrible fate. Conspiracies, serial murders, and a scathing depiction of the underbelly of hospital politics are all masterfully woven together in this compelling manga thriller. Rating: T+

Kingdom Come by Mark Waid and Alex Ross

Heroes & Villains are brawling in the streets, endangering the the public. Superman and those who follow him attempt to impose martial law on the super human community. Naturally, things don't go well.....

One of the best super hero stories ever written, with majestic fully painted art.

BONE, by Jeff Smith

A rollicking, hilarious adventures that's loved by children and adults alike. This is definitely my favorite all ages comic series.

Volumes 1 to 8 now available in hard or soft cover.

AMELIA RULES, by Jimmy Grownly

Nine year old Amelia has just been forced out of Manhatten and into small town life by her parents divorce. New School, new friends.

Witty, charming and oh so real! 4 volumes in print.

CALVIN and HOBBES, by Bill Watterson

In my opinion, the best comic strip in the last 40 years.

An hilarious look at the life of an imaginative, exuberant child.

Numerous volumes available.

HEROBEAR and the Kid, by Mike Kunkel

After his grandfather passes away, young Tyler inherits an old stuffed toy bear and a broken pocket watch. He soon learns things aren't what they seem, and that you shouldn't judge a bear by it's cover.

Come remember your childhood, as Tyler remembers his.

TINTIN, by Herge

The most famous comic book character in France, Tintin has delighted readers for decades.

Numerous volumes available

ARTEMIS FOWL, by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin

Beautifully drawn book adapted by the the author of the best selling novels about a 12 year old criminal mastermind.

ADVENTURES in OZ by Eric Shanower

An excellent collection of five new stories, featuring Dorothy and all her friends from the L. Frank Baum classic.

Carl Barks created Scrooge McDuck in the 1940's, and in the many stories he wrote and drew, left many clues to Scrooge's history. Modern day duck artist Don Rosa has produced this engaging biography of the iconic miser using those clues.

Shazam!

The Baby-Sitters Club

Teen Titans Go!

Shrek

Gumby

Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws

Casper the Friendly Ghost

Richie Rich

Hot Stuff the Little Devil

Walt Disney's Mickey and the Gang

The Hardy Boys

Nancy Drew

Owly

Lilo and Stitch

Tintin

Asterix

Josie and the Pussycats

SpongeBob SquarePants

The Powerpuff Girls

Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

Star Wars: Clone Wars

Fantastic Four

Avengers