Fresh Graphic Novels

Similar to Shrek, Barbarian Lord is ousted from his farm because (in part) he has not been friendly with his neighbors. Supplied with a boat and an onion tied to his belt, he begins a quest to find King Hammerheart who may be able to help Barbarian Lord get his farm back. Along the way, he fights a sea serpent, a snow monster and other creatures. He also drinks lots of mead. Though an adventure tale, Barbarian Lord’s sense of humor seems to be the prevailing element, poking fun at the fantasy, sword and sorcerer genre.

The Star Wars is a graphic novel adaptation of a 1974 screenplay written by George Lucas. My first thought was it would be just like Episode IV and it is in some ways, but this story is also quite a bit different from the first Star Wars film. The Death Star is there and so is Darth Vader, though he’s not as scary as in the film. Luke is a general and Han Solo is a lizard. And Chewbacca looks less like a large swath of carpet and more like something out of H. G. Well’s The Time Machine. Despite these differences, the Star Wars spirit is alive in this early version of the saga.

These books are part of the Manga Shakespeare, a fourteen-part series of manga versions of Shakespeare plays. They offer the benefits of popular manga artwork with condensed texts that retain Shakespeare’s language while focusing on primary plot elements. For more information about Manga Shakespeare go to www.mangashakespeare.com.

Story by Ransom Riggs

Art by Cassandra Jean

In this graphic adaptation of Ranson Griggs’ novel, Jacob searches the ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, which just happens to be located on a remote island. He discovers those peculiar and potentially dangerous children may still be alive. The artwork is clean striking, and color is used sparingly, often creating dramatic effects