Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe by Garth Ennis & Jonathan Maberry, Illustrated by Doug Braithwaite & Goran Parlov

 

In this Punisher tale the Avengers and the X-Men save the island of Manhattan from yet another apocalyptic catastrophe. Unfortunately among the collateral damage are Frank Castle’s wife and child.  With nothing left to lose,  and backed by a cabal with unlimited resources, Frank decides to live up to his superhero name and begins to dismantle every superpowered character in the Marvel Universe. 

Each kill brings the Punisher closer to his goal, but pushes Frank Castle further away from his humanity. Will his hunger for vengeance be satisfied, or will it consume him entirely? 

Action-packed from the very start, this collection brings together two storylines in which the Punisher is pitted against the entire Marvel Universe. Readers who enjoy dark, gritty stories, and all fans of the Punisher will find this a compelling read.--Claudio Leon

Ennis, Garth. Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe. New York: Marvel Entertainment LLC, 2024. Print.

Fantastic Four: Solve Everything by Jonathan Hickman, Illustrated by Dale Eaglesham

What is the cost of solving all the problems of the universe to create a world with no hunger, no enmity, and no war?  Mr. Fantastic, one of the most brilliant minds in existence, soon discovers that task carries a price he may not be willing to pay. 

Filled with well-paced action, intertwined timelines, and multi-dimensional travel, Fantastic Four: Solve Everything explores how Marvel’s first family confronts the challenges faced by superpowered individuals tasked with solving galactic-scale problems. 

Readers seeking more than just nonstop action and who would like a deeper insight into the Fantastic Four’s family dynamics should be sure to pick this one up!--Claudio Leon

Hickman, Jonathan. Fantastic Four: Solve Everything. New York: Marvel Entertainment LLC, 2025. Print.

Batman: City Of Bane by Tom King, Tony S. Daniel, and Janin King

The Cape Crusader is missing and Gotham is being ruled by one of its worst enemies… Bane. With Batman gone the city has descended into chaos under the greatly feared Bane.  But all is not lost, Batman’s sidekicks are still around biding their time and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Will they come to Gotham’s rescue? Who will lead them against Bane’s army of supervillains? Batman and DC fans will enjoy reading this one. --Claudio Leon

Who Was the Greatest? Muhammad Ali by Gabe Soria, illustrated by Chris Brunner with colors by Rico Renzi

For comics fans who can’t get enough of Muhammad Ali, I highly recommend this short, punchy biography.  It’s a mix of comics narrated by Ali’s friend,  photographer, and biographer Howard Bingham.  Pages alternate between gorgeously coloured panels and non-fiction paragraphs about Joe Frazier, the Philipines, and professional boxing.  The actual fight is nearly wordless and thus perfect for discussions of sequences, storytelling, layout and perspective.  This book will be of interest to students of all ages and accessible to our younger readers, as well as a good fit for older ones looking for a short read.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama

 

Before the sequel Dragon Ball Z  was Dragon Ball where  we follow the adventures of Goku, a boy with a taill, who loves to do nothing but eat and hunt.  That is until he meets Bulma who is seeking the Dragon Balls. 

Together the pair go in search of the magical spheres that can summon a great magical dragon who can grant a single wish. Goku and Bulma’s adventure leads them through some dangerous and at times comical situations when  every Dragon Ball they gather reveals a bit more of Goku’s true identity and power. --Claudio Leon

Toriyama, Akira. Dragon Ball. San Francisco: VIZ Media, 2003. Print.

Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes by Tracey Baptiste, illustrated by Shauna Grant

You probably know who Rosa Parks was, and it’s likely you’ve also heard of Claudette Colvin.  But did  you know the two women knew each other?  And do you know what teenager Colvin was up to during the time of the 1955-56 Montgomery Bus Boycott?  

In this double biography of the two civil rights figures author Baptiste and illustrator Grant give readers the missing pieces needed to better understand the events of the Montgomery Bus Boycott,  and the brave actions of Parks and Claudette,  all done in comic book format.

Adolescent readers who enjoy comics as well as reading about history and civil rights heroes will enjoy this book as will Social Studies teachers.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Baptiste, Tracey.  History Comics: Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin.  New York: First Second, 2023.  Print.

Artemis: Wild Goddess of the Hunt by George O’Connor

“I am wild, untamed, unattached, unfettered.”  O’Connor does not disappoint when he finally allows us to hear Artemis’ voice, but he takes a while to get there, permitting several other voices to narrate Artemis’ story.  While the transitions do not always go smoothly, it is a small price to pay for the overall effect of O’Connor’s manner of weaving together multiple storylines to present an Artemis with a rare emotional complexity and challenging family situation.  The quality of care and creativity displayed in the storytelling and artwork is surprisingly paralleled in the front- and backmatter, which includes a very helpful family tree, character pages, discussion questions, annotated bibliography, and notes.  The latter two do an admirable job conveying the author’s humorous and playful attitude toward his seriously well-done research and thus conveys the persona of a researcher/writer/artist in a context generally skipped over by casual young readers.  Artemis is a valuable teaching text students will be motivated to read independently.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

O’Connor, George.  Artemis:  Wild Goddess of the Hunt.  New York: First Second, 2017. 

World War Hulk by Greg Pak, illustrated by John Romita Jr.

When the Illuminati (Iron Man, Namor, Mr. Fantastic, Black Bolt, Professor X and Dr. Strange) decided to send the Hulk into deep space, they had no idea of the repercussions their action would have. It was only a matter of time before the Incredible Hulk found his way back home and he’s returned with a vengeance. Shortly following the events of Planet Hulk, this direct sequel follows Bruce Banner’s return to planet Earth seeking revenge on those who deep-sixed him. The Hulk returns under the impression that the Illuminati wanted to make sure he stayed away permanently by bombing the planet where the Hulk had made his new home. Little did the perpetrators know that the Hulk would survive both his wife and son. The Illuminati become the Hulk’s primary target as he wages war on some of Earth’s most intellectual heroes. Can they survive the full might of an angry Hulk? This all-out brawl between the smartest and the toughest will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. --Claudio Leon

Pak, Greg. World War Hulk. New York: Marvel Entertainment, 2014. Print.

Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

After losing their bodies in an alchemy experiment gone wrong, Edward and Alphonse Elric set out on a journey for the only item that can bring their bodies back: the Philosopher’s Stone. The two brothers must overcome many challenges and are forced to choose between what they want most or save those they love. The Elrics will meet many memorable characters along their way in this typically stylized manga series which spans across twenty-seven volumes. As with many popular shonen, themes such as friendship, perseverance, grit and self-sacrifice are woven into this series. The black and white drawings are sharp and full of details which bring to life the multitude of action scenes found in nearly every chapter. Readers of Naruto, Bleach and One Piece are sure to enjoy following Edward and Alphonse along their epic journey.--Claudio Leon

Arakawa, Hiromu. Fullmetal Alchemist. San Francisco: Viz, 2005. Print.

No Fear Shakespeare: Graphic Novels: Romeo & Juliet

Getting ready to teach Shakespeare? Then I’m sure you’ve heard of No Fear Shakespeare, but have you seen the comic book?  The graphic novel version of No Fear Romeo & Juliet manages to keep many of the jokes and double entendres found in the original play.  Unlike the full-text versions of the No Fear series, the manga adaptation does not contain both the original text and a plain English translation.  Instead, it only has the latter which is suitable for high school students. The graphic novel really excels where it should-- the illustrations.  The black and white panels support the text as they depict characters’ emotions as easy to read; shading helps separate night and day, as well as give characters depth and help the reader understand the mood/tone of each scene. Not every graphic novel reader will gravitate to this adaptation on their own. Students who have read and enjoyed Persepolis and Maus will certainly feel right at home due to the similar art styles, and the demand of students’ background knowledge about the time period. Teachers may want to consider using this adaptation as a scaffolding tool when teaching Romeo and Juliet. I highly recommend pairing this version with both more complex and simpler versions of the play to enrich a reading.--Claudio Leon

Shakespeare, William. No Fear Shakespeare: Graphic Novels: Romeo & Juliet. New York: Spark Publishing, 2008. Print.

DC Comics: The Ultimate Character Guide

Can you tell the difference between The Green Lantern and The Green Arrow, or Mister Terrific and Mister Mxyzptlk?  You may be in need of DC Comics: The Ultimate Character Guide.  This handy volume is extremely popular at our Belmont site where teens and adults alike are eager to expand their DC comics lexicon.  Prefaced by the shortest of introductions and a table of contents, over 200 heroes and villains from “the DC Universe” are listed and then presented in alphabetical order, beginning with Adam Strange and ending with Zoom.  Each character or group receives its own page.  Layout consistently features the character’s name, a one to three sentence summary of the character, vital stats (real name, occupation, height, weight, base, allies and foes), and boxed text describing the character’s powers.  The best-loved element are the accompanying illustrations, although they are only credited in the back as part of a mass “artists credits,” which is, in fact, the only backmatter.  Perfect for comic book fans, developing readers, and developing schema, this book may also be of interest to educators looking for a hi-lo non-fiction text for an introductory lesson on features of informational text and the sub-genre of visually busy non-fiction that DK practically invented. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Snider, Brandon T.   DC Comics: The Ultimate Character Guide.  New York:  DK Publishing, 2011.  Print.

Fresh for '01...You Suckas: A Boondocks Collection by Aaron McGruder

If you enjoyed watching The Boondocks on television; or the daily, though sometimes censored, comic strip published in the newspaper; and have missed Huey, Riley and the rest of the residents of Woodcrest, this book might be a good fit for you. The black and white cartoon illustrations compiled from the daily comic strip feature the residents of Woodcrest as Huey and Riley attempt to maintain their cultural identity in their suburban surroundings. Caesar, from Brooklyn, is a welcome addition to Woodcrest, and brings his own humor to the small suburban community. Students enjoy the comic strip format of the book as well as the humor of the characters and their antics. The political commentary is still surprisingly relevant more than a decade after the publication date and can serve as a springboard for discussions about current race relations and politics in America. --Bernardine Lowery-Crute

McGruder, Aaron. Fresh for ‘01...You Suckas. Kansas City, MO: Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, 2001. Print.

Megaman Megamix by Hitoshi Ariga

Like classics?  Well Megaman Megamix takes it back to the good ol’ days.  This is the original Megaman we all fell in love with and he’s joined by the rest of the original crew, Roll, Rover, Dr. Light and of course Dr. Wily - they’re all here.  In the future, Dr. Light creates a multitude of robots to help humanity.  Megaman (or Rockman as he is called in the series) is Dr. Light’s robot helper.  Dr. Wily, an evil scientist and old acquaintance of Dr. Light, reprograms all of the robots via computer virus (except for Megaman!) to become destructive.  With Megaman being one of the only robots not affected by Dr. Wily’s virus, Dr. Light is forced to change Megaman from a helper robot to a combat robot.  Megaman receives his very famous Mega-Buster, an arm-mounted energy cannon, along with the ability to steal his adversary's abilities.

In each chapter Megaman will battle it out with different robots all while trying to figure out Dr. Wily’s base of operation.  The series is only three volumes long, but it has all the great things that make Megaman such a great read.  Students who enjoy Pluto or Megaman NT Warrior will likely enjoy reading this series.--Claudio Leon

Ariga, Hitoshi.  Megaman Megamix. Tokyo: Enterbrain INC, 2003. Print.

The Cartoon History of the United States By Larry Gonick

Looking for history with comic relief? The Cartoon History of the United States is one of the most entertaining history books I’ve ever read.  The book delivers hundreds of years of history about the United States while keeping it all light with witty humor.  The drawings are simple, entertaining and accompanied by large quantities of text, allowing the book to deliver an ample amount of information disguised as a graphic novel. The caricatures are often entertaining and provide the much needed breaks between all the chunks of text.  It feels as if the book is flying through the years, providing just enough information about events to whet students’ appetites.

The Cartoon History of the United States would make an excellent place to start an inquiry project. This text could be used to introduce students to U.S History or as a companion to the course textbook.  Students who enjoy comedy, history and other non-fiction graphic novels might enjoy this selection. --Claudio Leon


Gonick, Larry. The Cartoon History of the United States. HarperCollins, 1991. Print.

Batman Hush story by Jeph Loeb

The world’s greatest detective is back, trying to solve one of the greatest mysteries of his life.  Who is Hush? How is he always one step ahead of the Caped Crusader? After rescuing a kidnapped boy and discovering Catwoman in the process of stealing the ransom money, Batman gives chase to the feline thief above and below the streets of Gotham City.  The chase leads them both to a larger mystery that will force the long time frenemies to join forces and investigate what connects all of Batman’s greatest villains to the mysterious figure named Hush.  With every one of his well-honed skills put to the test, Batman will prove why he’s the world’s greatest detective.  But as he gets closer to the truth the Caped Crusader will have to figure out how Jason Todd’s (Robin) death is connected to Hush.

Batman fans will not be disappointed by Batman: Hush.  Students will love seeing the Joker, Two-Face, the Penguin, Nightwing and plenty of other guest appearances in the book.  I would recommend this book to any comic book reader who likes their mysteries mixed with action. --Claudio Leon

Loeb, Joseph. Batman: Hush. New York, 2003. Print

Hulk Vs Wolverine by Damon Lindelof, art by Leinil Francis Yu & Dave McCaig

Two of Marvel’s biggest names come together to create a story fueled by love, betrayal and vengeance.  Told from the viewpoints of Bruce Banner, Betty Ross, Jennifer Walters and one relentless hunter, Wolverine, this story is full of twists, turns and surprises.  Bruce Banner, better known as the Incredible Hulk, has been sentenced to death but he (not surprisingly) survives the death sentence and goes into hiding.  In comes Wolverine who is ordered by Nick Fury to find and eliminate the Hulk.  The entire story plays out as a high octane action film with an underlying love story between Betty Ross and Bruce Banner.  Can Wolverine really bring an end to one of Marvel’s most powerful heroes?  And why would Nick Fury select Wolverine for this task out of all the other heroes?  Those aware of Jennifer’s true identity will be surprised at the turn of events.  This is a must read for any comic book fan. --Claudio Leon

Buddha by Osama Tezuka

This compelling manga series takes readers on a journey of enlightenment across 8 volumes.  It begins before Siddartha, the Buddha, is born.  Book one starts by explaining the different social castes in Kapilavastu, India.  Siddartha who is born a prince sacrifices his riches and family in order to search for the meaning of life.  This journey is what makes the series such an amazing read.  A Throughout the series we learn about a multitude of characters, that change their lives as they interact with Siddartha.  In turn they also force the future Buddha to rethink the purpose of his journey.  This manga series offers an accessible entry point to classic works on the buddha, such as Hermann Hesse’s Siddartha. The first volume in the series can be helpful to introduce students to the concepts of social classes and segregation and to world religions, perhaps in Global Studies.  Students looking for drama or that have read titles like The Alchemist would likely enjoy the series. -- Claudio Leon

Wolverine: Prodigal Son by Antony Johnston, art by Wilson Tortosa

This is a refreshing and interesting new take on the story of Logan, better known as Wolverine.  Wilson Tortosa, the artist, uses manga style art with black and white graphics to re-write Wolverine’s origin.  The story takes place before Wolverine joins the X-Men, and introduces Logan as a 16 year old living in a martial arts monastery.  Logan, who was abandoned in the forest, was taken in by the master of the monastery.  Readers learn how Logan obtained his nickname “Wolverine” and his unique fighting skills.  When the monastery comes under attack, Logan is left full of questions and yearning for answers.  Prodigal Son is a never before seen take on Logan’s origins because the Marvel Universe has always kept Wolverine’s past a tightly guarded secret, including his actual age, birth place and family background.   In addition to this new revelation about Wolverine’s past, readers may particularly enjoy the manga format of this volume. --Claudio Leon

Alex Rider: Point Blank by Anthony Horowitz

One of our graphic novel readers has been asking for the next book to this series for some time now, so I decided to see what the buzz was all about. Alex Rider connected with my younger self, and from the beginning to the end the novel reads like a film. Alex Rider: Point Blank is the second book in the Alex Rider series; so far only three titles have been adapted as comics from the original series. The central story from the original books remains, albeit shortened. Alex Rider is a teenager and a secret agent of the British organization MI6. As cool as this sounds, for Alex this is a curse more than a gift because he has to work twice as hard to maintain his grades. Readers are engaged quickly through the introduction, where Alex catches some bad guys using unorthodox methods, which get him into trouble with his own agency. The story evolves at a fast pace and adds a few layers of complexity. There are some plot twists which readers may or may not see coming. This graphic novel is colorful and vivid, and that’s definitely part of the appeal-- all the gadgets, explosions and action in the novel are exciting, largely due to the artwork. --Claudio Leon

Bart Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror: Spine-Tingling Spooktacular by Matt Groening

The Treehouse of Horror series, a special publication within the regular Simpsons comic book series, may be perfect for Halloween, but the books excite readers all year long. Since acquiring a handful of these last year, they have been some of the most often-handled, picked up and flipped through books in the library. Some students ask if we have any books based on TV shows, and these and the Boondocks comics are among the first that I point them towards. Described by one student as “mad colorful,” these Simpsons comics are eye-catching, in sharp contrast to the black and white art of the Boondocks. Presented as episodes that stand alone, each segment allows for bite-sized enjoyment. In Spine-Tingling Spooktacular, ELA teachers might want to look for the Simpsons’ take on Kafka’s classic Metamorphosis, where Homer turns into a bug-breath beetle. --Anja Kennedy