Science Comics: Frogs: Awesome Amphibians

You know what is awesome? Libraries! Recently, I realized I was the only one in my family without a library card. So I rectified that matter and checked out a couple of graphic novels. This one, Frogs, was the first one I read, because I have really enjoyed the Science Comics series and Liz Prince is one of my favorite comics artists. I have read and reviewed many of her books, about relationships, bands, and growing up, and I was eager to see her take on nonfiction comics.

This book stars Fran, a "city kid" whose parents have taken new jobs and moved to the country. She is not thrilled about this situation, and when she goes out to explore the local neighborhood she finds a pond and what she thinks is a fish. It is actually a tadpole, and it can talk(!). In short fashion, Fran finds herself enrolled in Amphibian Academy where she (and by extension, the reader) learns all sorts of things about these animals. For instance, it has lots about how they breathe, grow up, survive over winters. I also learned that they include more than frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders but also the limbless caecilians. 

There is also a good amount of info about environmental factors, diseases, and parasites that affect amphibians. One of the biggest revelations for me here was the existence of Big Night, a multi-community response to the transition from winter to spring when amphibians face danger getting to their habitats. There are lots of calls for action in the book, and that one in particular is very accessible for anyone. Altogether, this book is a fantastic resource for any readers eager to learn about frogs and other amphibians. 

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been superlative. In a starred review for School Library Journal, Emilia Packard summed up, "Prince’s devoted investigation of frogs and toads offers effortless education for readers of all ages and levels of interest, poised to make an Anura aficionado of every reader." Johanna Draper Carlson called it "the best kind of educational comic, one that teaches the reader while keeping their interest so much they might not realize how much they’re learning, on an unusual subject with plenty of awesome facts." Jaime Herndon wrote that "readers of any age will find this volume filled with fun facts."

Frogs: Awesome Amphibians was published by First Second, and they provide a preview and more information here.

Eve Stranger

Eve Stranger is a book totally up my alley. It tells the tale of a young woman named Eve Stranger who wakes up once every week alone in a hotel room. She has no memory of the recent past and is surrounded by a used syringe, a gun, a stuffed animal, a notebook where she explains to herself some basic facts, a package containing some assignment, and unlimited credit. If and when anything untoward happens, when she tries to report it to the police she finds the scene completely cleaned up with no evidence of her presence. When she goes to the doctor to give blood, it eats a hole through the beaker. Put simply, this book contains all sort of mysteries to unravel.

Getting to the bottom of her existence and mysterious employers is only part of the fun of this book. It is well plotted, with lots of clues along the way that add up to a satisfying solution. But her missions, which include fast motorcycles, a jet-pack, running with the bulls in Pamplona, contending with a twenty-foot-tall gorilla, and assassinating a potential future tyrant are all fast-paced, madcap adventures full of hand-to-hand combat, chases, and interesting twists. 

 

Finally, I love the artwork done by two of my favorite artists. The main narrative was rendered by Philip Bond, whose work I have been following since I was a teenager on vacation in Greece, reading translated British comics. His style is cool, full of stylish, stylistically unique people and tiny details that pop and also crack me up. He does great spreads that feature action and battle scenes in excellent fashion. 

The second feature in each chapter (or issue, as this book originally appeared as a five-issue limited series) is a sort of comic strip by Liz Prince, where Eve is an intrepid girl reporter. These stories are more frivolous and surreal but also contain more clues about her identity that comment on the main narrative. Combined, the two strands make for intriguing, fascinating storytelling.

My biggest criticism of this book is that I feel it was a fun, wild ride that ended too quickly. Certainly, it ends in a way that seems to beg for a sequel, but unfortunately this is the last book published under the Black Crown imprint. I hope it does well enough to get picked up elsewhere, because I'd love to read more Eve Stranger adventures from this creative team.

Joining Bond and Prince in this collaboration is writer David Barnett. He is a novelist who has also written a number of comics for DC and IDW, notably the series Punk's Not Dead. Bond is known for his work with Deadline and the Vertigo Imprint, especially for the one-shot Kill Your Boyfriend. I have read and reviewed lots of Prince's books, including Tomboy and Be Your Own Backing Band.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Clyde Hall wrote in his spoiler-filled review that there is a "bright Britpop..spirit" that "buoys Eve Stranger above mere Noir." Bruno Savill De Jong called it "a satisfying and exhilarating read that is worth remembering." Max Beaulieu called it a "fun series," adding that Eve is "a mix of vulnerable and badass, childlike and mature, driven and yet romantic."

Eve Stranger was published by Black Crown, and they offer previews and more about the series here.

Be Your Own Backing Band

Be Your Own Backing Band is the latest collection of comics from Liz Prince, an Ignatz Award winning cartoonist. I have read, admired, and reviewed a couple of her other books, Alone Forever, which focuses on her love life, and Tomboy, which focuses on her formative years. Both books are full of excellent observational humor and they are also very relatable. I love the nerdy persona that Prince portrays in these books.

This latest collection focuses on Prince's musical tastes, and they were originally published in Razorcake Magazine. She tends to like punk bands, and I have to admit I was not very familiar with many of the ones she talks about, but I could totally relate to tales of geeking out over a particular band, elaborate trips to go to shows, and the autobiographical connections she makes throughout.

And as you can see from the excerpts here, each chapter/episode lasts about a page, and they do not necessarily follow in any particular order other than chronological. So this book is a relatively breezy read that you can take in parts or in larger chunks. It works well either way.

I am enamored with Prince's observational and self-deprecating sense of humor, and I really enjoyed reading this book. If you or someone you know is into music, or just has a punk rock sort of mentality, this would be a fun book to read.

I was not able to find a lot of reviews of this book, but the ones I read have been positive. Johanna Draper Carlson wrote that she found much to relate to and sympathize with, even if she was unfamiliar with most of the bands mentioned in the book. There are a bunch of reviews of it over at Goodreads, where it has a 3.72 overall rating.

Be Your Own Backing Band was published by Silver Sprocket, and they offer a preview and more about it here. It does contain a fair share of profanity, so it is recommended for readers mature enough to handle that.

Tomboy

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed Liz Prince's Alone Forever collection and learned she had created an honest to goodness graphic novel. Being a big fan of her earlier works I just had to check it out. Tomboy is a memoir about growing up, feeling weird, and trying to fit in, with a huge focus on gender issues and how they get defined from an early age. The book opens with a pivotal scene that sets the stage for the rest of the book. Liz, age 4, communicates how she hates how she's been dressed and has a meltdown:

 

Her family is very positive about her wants, and they cater to her wishes without making a fuss or being critical or hurtful. They just want her to be happy with who and how she is. As she grows older and interacts with friends in school though, things get tense. The young children and adolescents she encounters in all her schools (elementary, middle, and high) and in her neighborhood are not always the most accepting of her toy, wardrobe, playtime, or pastime choices. And from these points of conflict come a discussion about what's right, who gets to decide what is right, and how people judge one another based on preconceived gender roles.

Looking at what I wrote above, it may seem like this book is somewhat academic, and it is in a few places. But I hope you can see from the excerpts that it more consistently is a book with heart, humor, and very human feelings. There are many laughs, moments of sadness and hurt, glimpses of hope, and lots of opportunities where I felt personally connected with the characters and situations. The storytelling, facial expressions, and pacing are all expertly delineated and make this book a joy to read.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been full of praise. The notoriously tough Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review and called it "Spectacular; a book to make anyone think seriously about society’s preordained gender role." The School Library Journal's Amanda MacGregor called it "utterly fantastic." For those interested in learning more what's behind this book, Prince talks about her work on Tomboy in this interview with Comic Book Resources.

Going by the tried and true Joe Bob Briggs 3 B's scale, this book has 7 beasts (three bullies, three mean girls, and one crazy "friend"), a few mentions of blood (menstrual), and 3 boobs (in an educational film the girls have to watch in school). It also features some profanity, harsh taunting, and more than a few romantic or sort of sexual situations, so I recommend it for readers mature enough to handle those things.

Tomboy was published by Zest Books, and they offer a preview, reviews, and more here.

Alone Forever

Alone Forever is the most fun piece of schadenfreude I have experienced in a while. It is an autobiographic look at Liz Prince's love life, and although there is not so much a unified narrative as there is a series of episodes, the whole work hangs together quite well. I know that some folks think there may be a glut of autobiographical comics, but there is much to like about this book. I will give you three big reasons:

1. Prince's self deprecating sense of humor. She reveals a lot about herself in this book. She is into bearded guys who wear hip band shirts. She is not a girly girl. She is particular about her likes and dislikes. And she is sometimes awkward. Still, I find her antics hilarious.

2. How she throws herself under the bus. Even though she is the protagonist of her own stories, she does not always cast herself in the best light. She is frequently blunt and offensive, and I love her sense of confidence while she takes potshots at herself.

3. Her sense of comics. Although these various entries are somewhat sketchy sometimes, they also show a great awareness of how comics work. Her storytelling is clear, and she's got excellent comedic timing. Prince is deceptively crafty, and I think she makes very accessible, fun, and funny comics.

Prince has a few other collections available, including the Ignatz Award winning Will You Still Love Me if I Wet the Bed? and Delayed Replays. She also published a graphic memoir Tomboy, which was named a Best Teen Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews. She speaks more about her work on Alone Forever in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read about this book have been positive. Colleen Frakes wrote, "Her art has improved with each book, but in this one she's really nailed it with a cute, spare style." Greg McElhatton suggested, "Leave Alone Forever on your coffee table and I promise you, before long you'll hear chuckles and groans of recognition as your guests start leafing through it." Matt D. Wilson added, "The gags make readers laugh in the moment, but there are insights that stick around long after the book goes back on the shelf."

Alone Forever was published by Top Shelf, and they have a preview and much more here. There are frequent profanity and adult situations in this book, so it is suggested for readers mature enough to handle both.