Stories about the Storm

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld. Published by Pantheon, Reprint edition, 2010.

This comic book emerged from interviews from half a dozen people who were in New Orleans around the time of Hurricane Katrina. Neufeld was careful to document their stories accurately and got regular feedback from his interviewees during the creative process. We meet Denise and her family, who are awaiting evacuation. Leo, who lost his prized comics collection in the flood. Abbas and Darnell whose bad choices put them in a dangerous situation during the storm. Kwame, who was displaced and forced to continue his studies in another state. And the Doctor, who was involved in the relief efforts immediately following the storm. The book has no dialogue in the opening chapter, only the storm. Each story is beautifully crafted in its own different colour. It paints a picture of the pain and loss, and also of the strength and resilience of the people of New Orleans. Their lives are turned upside down and they work to rebuild their communities and city.

Yes is More, Please!

Yes is More : an Archicomic on Architectural Evolution by BIG Bjarke Ingels Group, Bjarke Ingels. Published in Köln by Taschen, c2010.

This may be the world's first "archicomic" (that's a comic about architecture, of course). Yes is More is a book about the projects (planned, executed or as yet unrealized) from Danish architecture firm BIG, headed by Bjarke Ingels, a man of boundless energy and contagious enthusiasm for his work. He works creatively around the restrictions to Danish planning law, pushing bureaucracy to its beautiful limits of height and shape. He joins contradictory ideas from the client to create people-friendly, highly functional buildings and spaces. He enjoys the challenge of an awkward site and honours it with a building in clever harmony with its surroundings. The comic style gives an immediacy to the information being presented, Ingels directing us to look here and hear what he's saying. The designs are so innovative and so appealing that you'll find yourself feeling exasperated at the clients and officials who turn down their designs because they are too 'radical'. The Cloverfield sports grounds and housing complex was a project that didn't become a reality for political reasons, officials decided on an inferior people-unfriendly design instead. This book is challenging and engaging and makes us wish public spaces were designed more with people in mind, to make optimum use out of any living, working or recreational space.

The Non-Combatant War

DMZ. Vol. 5, The hidden war by Brian Wood, writer ; Riccardo Burchielli, Danijel Zezelj, Nathan Fox, artists. Published in New York, NY by DC Comics, c2008.

The hidden war of the title is the the one going on with the civilians, rather than the soldiers - an American civil war being waged on the island of Manhattan. We meet creative people, professionals and activists and the stories weave seamlessly together to give the ultimate message that what we're left with is a battle against war in their city. The drawing is immediate and sometimes violent, the colours rich and evocative. The best of the DMZ series.

Aliens on Earth, in a Cow

Zig and Wikki in the Cow: a TOON book by Nadja Spiegelman and illustrated by Trade Loeffler. Published in New York, NY by TOON Books, 2012.

Zig the alien and his computer pal Wikki are heading home to their planet with their new pet fly, who's feeling under the weather. They realize that the fly needs to live on Earth in his natural habitat, so they return to the farm where they discover the fly loves to eat cow poo! When their spaceship gets eaten by a cow, Zig and Wikki let themselves get eaten too, and burped up, and they learn about ecosystems and cows and bugs. Lots of interesting facts to learn in this fun and silly mash up of aliens, science and imaginative non-fiction. Entertaining enough for reluctant early readers, in a deceptively educational format. Check out other Zig and Wikki books for more wacky adventures.

Easter Bunny Finds a Home

A home for Mr. Easter by Brooke A. Allen, published in New York by NBM, 2010.

Tesana is a sweet, lonely, overweight teen who prefers to hide in a fantasy world of her own creation rather than face the boring, harsh reality of her own life. One day in a failed attempt at making (real) friends she comes across a bunny who, she thinks, lays Easter eggs. But soon, other odd people want a piece of this potential goldmine, so Tesana must escape with the bunny and find a safe place for him - and her. The story builds to a daft extended chase scene told with frenetic energy and a cast of kooky characters. It's a story about not fitting in, but somehow finding a way to feel at home in the world.

Welcome to Wasteland

Wasteland Book 1: Cities In Dust (the first book in the Wasteland series) by Antony Johnston. James Lucas Jones (Editor), Christopher J. Mitten (Illustrator). Published in Portland, OR by Oni Press 2007.

Set 100 years after the Big Wet in a barren desert Earth, devoid of nature. There's Michael, a quiet stranger to the town of Providens after years of roaming the wastelands, and Abi, Sheriff of Providens, who is emotionally invested in the survival of her community. The town is pillaged by Sand-Eaters and the residents are forced to make the dangerous journey through the desert to the city of Newbegin, a growing metropolis where Providen's Sun-Singer religion is viewed unfavourably. The harsh drawing style contrasts with the characters' unexpected depth and warmth. It is an intense story, with vivid action.

It's a toxic, Toxic Planet

Toxic planet by David Ratte, inking by Sylvie Sabater, translated from French by J. Gustave McBride. Published in New York, N.Y. by Yen Press, 2009.

Sam has a girlfriend, but they haven't seen each others' faces for years (or anyone’s face, for that matter). The United Global States has become too polluted to even breathe the air and drink the water, so what can Sam do but resign himself to wearing his gas mask (like everyone else) and just get on with living (unlike everyone else)? There's terrorism and manipulation by the government to instill an unhealthy fear of nature, and nothing but genetically modified food to eat - but you can get used to anything, right? The number of comic strips per page gradually increases, showing less white space and more pollution as the story progresses. Drawn in beautiful sludgy browns and grays, with toxic waste oozing, sizzling and smoking the whole way, this comic uses political satire to poke fun at fears of our chemical world and attitudes towards the environment. Suitable for older teens and adults.