Top 10: Beyond the Farthest Precinct

by Paul Di Filippo

In a post-9/11 world filled with security checks and the constant threat of new forms of terror, Precinct 10, an elite police corps, keeps watch in Neopolis. While the officers are enjoying a picnic with their family and friends, a terrifying specter appears in the sky. It most resembles a semi-robotic Skeletor and fills the citizens of Neopolis with horror. The specter convinces the mayor that the tenure of the much-respected Captain Traynor has ended and appoints Major Cindercott, a man/robot who burns sulfur for fuel. The officers of the department react badly to the replacement of their beloved captain and to the restrictions applied by his successor.

Haunted House

by Mitsukazu Mihara

Sabato is a "normal" teenage boy whose life has a big hitch: his family (mom, dad, two sisters) are all goth worshippers of the night who love nothing more than to freak him out. Time after time, Sabato brings girlfriends back to the house, only to have them run scared at the sight of goths in heavy makeup staging mock executions, dismembering dolls and engaging in all sorts of Adams Family-esque shenanigans. Most of the humor in this surprisingly funny volume derives from Sabato's hair-pulling frustration, which takes the usual adolescent complaints about one's family's power to embarrass to a new comic level.

Suzuka (Volume 2)

by Koyji Seo

After moving from the boonies to downtown Tokyo, Yamato toils at his aunt’s all-girl apartment complex. But along with free room and board, he gets to live right next door to Suzuka, the girl of his dreams. Yamato is sure that he’s in love with Suzuka, but what’s the next step? If he tells her how he feels, it could ruin their friendship. But when Yamato unexpectedly breaks a high school track-and-field record, Suzuka suddenly seems possibly romantically interested. The words “I love you” dance on the tip of Yamato’s tongue. But once he utters them, his life will change forever!

Suzuka (Volume 1)

by Koyji Seo

Yamato is ready for a fresh start. So when his aunt invites him to stay rent-free in her big-city boarding house in hustling, bustling Tokyo, Yamato jumps at the chance. There’s just one teensy-weensy catch: It’s an all-girl housing complex and spa! Things get even more nerve-racking when Yamato meets his neighbor Suzuka, a beautiful track-and-field star. She’s not just the cutest girl Yamato’s ever met, she’s also the coolest, the smartest, and the most intimidating. Can an ordinary guy like Yamato ever hope to win over a girl like Suzuka?

Re: Play (Volume 1)

by Christy Lijewski

Cree and the remaining members of Faust find themselves in the hot seat after their bassist abandons them. Cree stumbles upon Izsak, a talented bassist living in the subway, who just happens to be playing a song that she holds dear. Much to the objections of close friend and guitar player Rail, Cree not only invites Izsak to join the band but also asks him to move in with her. Though Cree and Char (Faust's drummer) accept Izsak with open arms, Rail remains suspicious of a man with no past and no future. Watching Cree grow close with Izsak only succeeds in pushing Rail to dislike him further, and he eventually goes so far as to trail Izsak. But things are not exactly as they seem, and the mysteries surrounding Faust's new bassist run deep.

Lex Luther: Man of Steel

by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo

Superman has been called many things, from the defender of Truth, Justice and the American way to the Big Blue Boy Scout. In Lex Luthor: Man Of Steel, he is called something he never been called before: a threat to all humanity! In this trade paperback collecting the acclaimed 5-issue miniseries Lex Luthor: Man Of Steel, writer Brian Azzarello (Superman, 100 Bullets) teams up with artist Lee Bermejo (Batman/Deathblow) for a bold story in which readers get a glimpse into the mind of Superman's longtime foe.

The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation

by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón

On December 5, 2005, the 9/11 Commission issued its final report card on the government’s fulfillment of the recommendations issued in July 2004: one A, twelve Bs, nine Cs, twelve Ds, three Fs, and four incompletes. Here is stunning evidence that Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón, with more than sixty years of experience in the comic-book industry between them, were right: far, far too few Americans have read, grasped, and demanded action on the Commission’s investigation into the events of that tragic day and the lessons America must learn.

American Born Chinese

by Gene Luen Yang, Lark Pien

As alienated kids go, Jin Wang is fairly run-of-the-mill: he eats lunch by himself in a corner of the schoolyard, gets picked on by bullies and jocks and develops a sweat-inducing crush on a pretty classmate. Oh yes, and his parents are from Taiwan. This much-anticipated, affecting story about growing up different is more than just the story of a Chinese-American childhood; it's a fable for every kid born into a body and a life they wished they could escape. The fable is filtered through some very specific cultural icons: the much-beloved Monkey King and a buck-toothed amalgamation of racist stereotypes named Chin-Kee.

Pet Shop of Horrors, Vol. 1

by Matsuri Akino, James Lucas Jones, and Tomoharu Iwo

A smoke-filled alley in Chinatown harbors Count D's Pet Shop. The pets sold here aren't your everyday variety and the Count prides himself on selling Love and Dreams in the form of magical creatures that come with an exclusive contract. But buyers beware, if the contract is broken the Count cannot be held accountable for whatever may happen. A fascinating and macabre look into the very soul of human nature.

School Rumble

by Jin Kobayashi

Already super-popular in Japan, this cute romantic comedy promises to be a surefire manga hit in America, too. Its plot is as simple as a triangle: High-schooler Tenma Tsukamoto has a gigantic crush on her classmate Karasuma Oji who, alas, is slated to transfer next year to another school. Meanwhile, sympathetic delinquent Harima is nursing his own crush on, you guessed it, sweet, clueless Tenma!

Ultimate X-Men, Vol. 1

by Mark Millar

The place is a world very much like ours. The time is now. The phenomenon is genetic mutation. Humanity now faces mutants hidden among the population, a mysterious sub-species that is gifted with strange and frightening powers. As rumors and urban myths about their existence spread across the world, the US government creates its own initiative to deal with this threat: the Sentinel Project. Meanwhile two men wage a secret war for the hearts and minds of young mutants everywhere.

Absolution

by J. M. DeMatteis and Brian Ashmore

Ten years ago, an attack on Wayne Enterprises by a group of urban terrorists left behind death and a furious Batman. Now he finds himself on the other side of the world, where sources tell him the architect behind the bombing is in hiding. Batman must confront the question of whether any human being can truly change and whether a mass murderer could possibly be worthy of Absolution.

Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda

by J. P. Stassen and Alexis Siegel

This is the harrowing tale of the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda as seen through the eyes of a boy named Deogratias. He is an ordinary teenager, in love with a girl named Bénigne, but Deogratias is a Hutu and Bénigne is a Tutsi who dies in the genocide, and Deogratias himself plays a part in her death. As the story circles around we watch Deogratias in his pursuit of Bénigne, and we see his grief and descent into madness following her death, as he comes to believe he is a dog.

Megatokyo, Vol. 2

by Fred Gallagher

This is the second collected volume of the popular online comic. Piro, an anime otaku (obsessed fan), and Largo, a reality-challenged gamer, are stuck in Japan until they earn money for plane tickets home. Piro has a job at a game store, while Largo masquerades as an English teacher at a public high school. Piro is timid and shy around girls, yet inexplicably attracts them. There are misunderstandings that result in Piro looking like a pervert even though he really isn't. The book also spoofs anime/manga/games for humorous effect.

Ocean

by Warren Ellis, Chris Sprouse, and Karl Story

100 years from now, UN Weapons Inspector Nathan Kane is dispatched to Cold Harbor, a government research space station orbiting the Jovian Moon Europa. His mission is to analyze and access the origin and danger of what could possibly be the most significant discovery in history. But there is a glitch in the works, also orbiting Europa is a space platform operated by the multi-planetary super-conglomerate, DOORS. Now Kane and the crew of Cold Harbor find themselves in a life or death struggle, one in which human civilization could hang in the balance!

Moped Army

by Paul Sizer

In the year 2277, gasoline is an illegal substance, aircars dominate the sky, and Rust city has become the 'underground' infrastructure for the endless vertical construction of Bolt Harbor above. This is the story of Simone, a young rich girl from the mile-high steel and glass towers of Upper Bolt Harbor, who has her world forever altered when she encounters the moped gangs that roam and patrol the lower regions of her city.

Marvels

by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross

Within the Marvel Universe, heroes such as Spider-Man swing from rooftop to rooftop, while the Avengers soar high in the skies. These figures, blessed with fantastic superhuman abilities, stand ready to battle the villains who threaten their world. Yet living in the shadow of these extraordinary icons are ordinary men and women, who view the "Marvels" with a mixture of fear, disbelief, envy and admiration. Among them is Phil Sheldon, a New York City photojournalist who has dedicated his career to covering the exploits of the Marvels and their effect on humankind.

Adam Strange: Planet Heist

by Andy Diggle

The DC Universe calls Adam Strange a superhero, but he languishes in a tenement, trying unsuccessfully to convince the police that he's allied with the Justice League and one of the good guys. Even a visit from Superman does nothing to help. When Adam learns that his home planet is missing, he is terrified that his wife and child are gone forever. Traveling to find them, he is captured by an armada that treats him suspiciously well. When he discovers the planet has been teleported away in an attempt to fool him, the scheme is revealed and Adam and a group of mercenary aliens fight in intergalactic space.

Identity Crisis

by Brad Meltzer

After the tragic death of Sue Debny, the wife of the Elongated Man, the members of the Justice League of America and most of the DC superheroes are brought together to investigate. Sue's murder is unsettling for a couple of reasons: she was a friend, and whoever committed the crime knew enough personal information to be able to sneak past security. Even more troubling are the letters that the family members of other heroes receive, indicating that they are the next targets. The superheroes split into teams to follow the leads that they are most suited to solve.

The Making of a Graphic Novel: Featuring the First Time Publication of the Original Science Fiction Graphic Novel, THE RESONATOR

by Prentis Rollins

This unique "double-sided flip book" contains the graphic novel, The Resonator on one side and a description of the technical construction of it on the other side. The Resonator begins with an intriguing futuristic concept where humans lose the ability to sleep. It then follows the story of Bronsen, a man who uses an illegal resonator (a highly evolved cat) to help him sleep (and dream) for the first time as an adult. Their minds connect in an unusual way, and this connection has repercussions that will have an impact on humanity as a whole. In "The Making of a Graphic Novel," Rollins takes readers through every step of the process and explains his fictional and real-life inspirations for the story.

Inu Yasha Ani-Manga

by Rumiko Takahashi

Volume 1 covers the events of the first three exciting episodes of the TV and video series using actual full-color film frames to narrate the story. High-school coed Kagome lives with legends: A legendary tree, a legendary well, and a legendary fortune-teller grandfather. When her little brother goes into the shrine that houses the well, Kagome goes in to stop him from playing in dangerous places. Suddenly a demon appears and drags her into the well and out the other side into a legend. Rumiko Takahasi's vibrant tableaux of feudal Japan is filled with magic, demons, and a half dog-demon boy who is thrown together with the spirited, modern girl, Kagome, on an epic quest. This is where legends begin.

Alichino, Vol. 1

by Kouyu Shurei

This example of shojo, manga for teen girls, will captivate anyone by its art alone. The story involves Alichinos, beautiful, supernatural beings hunted by humans because they have the power to grant wishes; in fact, the name means "those who entice," and the Alichinos actually feed on the souls of those who seek them out. They especially hunger for the "Kusabi," humans born with exceptionally powerful souls who are the only beings able to kill an Alichino.

Alichino, Vol. 2

by Kouyu Shurei

Alichino are a form of demon, mystical beings that grant deeply held wishes in return for souls. Only one person is able to slay them, Tsugiri, but he's faced with an unexpected bond with one of his hereditary enemies. Tsugiri is a typical goth hero in that he's haunted by destiny and cursed by being special, but the fantasy situation allows a strong expression of such themes as searching for one's place in the universe and trying to make decisions while manipulated by forces beyond one's control.

Arcana

by So-Young Lee

Inez is a young adolescent who wanders with her ancient grandfather through a lushly illustrated world of castles, pageantry, mystical wonders and age-old blood feuds. The landscape is seen through the wondering eyes of a girl on the verge of womanhood, who is also blessed with the unexplained ability to communicate with all species of animals. When Inez's gift becomes known to the local powers that be, she is pressed into service to lure a guardian dragon to protect the people as the delicately balanced peace with a malevolent race of demons hangs in the balance.

Starman: Grand Guignol, Vol. 9

by James Robinson and Peter Snejbjerg

Jack Knight, Starman, returns to Opal City from his adventure in space only to find the Shade has reverted to his villainous ways. Plus, several of his friends seem to be mysteriously missing. Before Jack can fully investigate, he witnesses his most horrible nightmare becoming a reality: his beloved hometown burning to the ground! Chaos ensues as all the city's villains take the opportunity to strike, pushing Starman to his limits.

The Jungle

Adapted by Peter Kuper

In this arresting and visually stunning graphic novel, artist Kuper adapts Upton Sinclair's hugely influential novel set in the stockyards of Chicago. Young Lithuanian immigrant Jurgis Rudkus has come to America with his family in search of prosperity. Instead the Rudkus family is taken advantage of by a corrupt system that exploits workers. After the loss of several jobs, prison stays, and the death of his wife and son, Jurgis falls victim to despair and drink, until he finds hope and purpose in the union movement. Kuper does an outstanding job of fitting Sinclair's dense novel into a slim and cogent graphic format.

Lazarus Jack

by Mark Ricketts and Horacio Domingues

Plagued by an incident that cost him his family, escape artist Jackson Pierce struggles to reclaim them by embarking on a terrifying, nonstop, dimension-hopping thrill ride. On this journey through fantastic worlds both seduced and devastated by black magic, Jackson undergoes disturbing transformations, falls prey to an insane sorcerer, defies zero gravity, and ultimately confronts the demons from his past.

Shockrockets: We Have Ignition

by Kurt Busiek, Stuart Immonen, and Wade Von Grawbadger

It's 2071 A.D. In the wake of a devastating alien war, earth is protected by the Shockrockets, an unbeatable squadron of hi-tech aerial fighter craft, built from a fusion of captured alien technology and the best Earth has to offer. Manned by the world's most elite pilots, the Shockrockets protect an unstable Earth from natural disasters, worldwide piracy, rampaging mutations and more.

Pretear, Vol. 1

by Kaori Naruse

Himeno is a high school freshman who’s having trouble adjusting to the lifestyle into which she has been reluctantly thrown. Her father Kaoru, a once famous author of young girls’ novels, has been plucked from a rundown apartment and pulled into the grasp of Natsue, a woman not only in control of a vast amount of wealth, but also in control of Himeno. Himeno’s dad takes the side of Natsue rather than his own daughter, and Natsue’s two daughters from a previous marriage aren’t very fond of their new stepsister. One day, Himeno meets a young boy and when she takes the boy’s hand, she’s transported to a fantasy world that lies on the brink of extinction.

Batman: Year One

by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli

A young Bruce Wayne has spent his adolescence and early adulthood, traveling the world so he could hone his body and mind into the perfect fighting and investigative machine. But now as he returns to Gotham City, he must find a way to focus his passion and bring justice to his city. Retracing Batman's first attempts to fight injustice as a costumed vigilante, we watch as he chooses a guise of a giant bat, creates an early bond with a young Lieutenant James Gordon, inadvertently plays a role in the birth of Catwoman, and helps to bring down a corrupt political system that infests Gotham.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Stake to the Heart

by Fabian Nicieza

Adolescence is tough enough without the added distress of a family falling apart, not to mention the responsibility of standing alone against the powers of darkness. In an incredibly misguided attempt to alleviate Buffy's pain, the vampire with a soul, Angel, has unleashed a group of Malignancy Demons upon her and her family. They feed on the pain of the Summers family and bring to life the negative emotions which grip them.