In this episodes of In the Library with a Comic Book, Jack and Amanda interview Mariko Tamaki of This One Summer, winner of the American Library Associations's Youth Media Awards as a Caldecott Honor and a Printz Honor.

Recommended Reads:

How to be Happy by Eleanor Davis
Rocket Girl by Brandon Montclare
Star Wars by Jason Aaron
Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell
Over Easy by Mimi Pond
SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki

In the News:

Interview with Mariko Tamaki of This One Summer and Skim.

Listen to it here.

This podcast is produced by Donna Mettier of Marin County Free Library.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Interviews with Brian K. Vaughan & Brian Buccellato

In this episodes of In the Library with a Comic Book, Jack and Amanda finish their wrap-up of Image Expo,

Recommended Reads:

The Age of License by Lucy Knisley
Displacement by Lucy Knisley
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl by Ryan North
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan

Interview with Brian K. Vaughan of Saga at the Image Expo 2015 After Party at the Cartoon Art Museum.

Interview with Brian Buccellato of Sons of the Devil at Image Expo 2015.

And here is where you can find Buccellato’s Sons of the Devil short film.

Listen to it here.

This podcast is produced by Donna Mettier of Marin County Free Libray.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Episode 26: Image Expo 2015 and Kelly Sue DeConnick

In Episode 26, Jack and Amanda discuss Image Expo 2015 and interview Kelly Sue DeConnick. Produced by Donna Mettier of MCFL's Technical Services...

Recommended Reads:

Bitch Planet by Kelly Sue DeConnick
Oddly Normal by Otis Frampton
The Sculptor by Scott McCloud

Image Expo Wrap-Up:

Emma Rios and Kelly Sue DeConnick return with Pretty Deadly
Brandon Graham and Emma Rios on 8House and Island
Emi Lenox with Jeff Lemire and Jordie Bellaire on Plutona
Jeff Lemire and Scott Snyder on AD
Brian K. Vaughan with Steve Skroce on We Stand On Guard
Brian K. Vaughan with Cliff Chiang on Paper Girls
Marjorie Liu with Sana Takeda on Monstress

For a complete write-up of the event, see Comic Book Resources: Image Expo: Keynote Address Announces New Projects from Vaughan, Snyder, Lemire and More

Interview with Kelly Sue DeConnick

Monday, December 22, 2014

Favorite Kids Comics of 2014

In Episode 24, Jack and Amanda discuss their favorite comics of 2014. Produced by Donna Mettier of Technical Services.

Recommended Reads:

Batgirl by Cameron Stewart
Multiversity by Grant Morrison

Favorite Kids Comics of 2014 discussion:

Sisters by Raina Tegelemier
Hidden: A Child’s Story of the Holocaust by Loic Dauviller
Comics Squad: Recess by Jenniifer L. Holm
The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth by Ian Lendler
The Return of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: Treaties, Trenches, Mud and Blood by Nathan Hale
El Deafo by CeCe Bell
Howtoons: Tools of Mass Construction by Nick Dragotta
Amulet #6: Escape from Lucien by Kazu Kibuishi
Cleopatra in Space: Target Practice by Mike Maihack

Monday, December 15, 2014

Favorite Adult Comics of 2014

In Episode 23, Jack and Amanda discuss their favorite adult comics of 2014. Produced by Donna Mettier of MCFL's Technical Services...

Recommended Reads:

Tomboy by Liz Prince
El Deafo by CeCe Bell

Favorite Adult Comics of 2014 discussion:

Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction
Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe
Velvet by Ed Brubaker
Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast
The Fuse by Antony Johnston
Over Easy by Mimi Pond
She-Hulk by Charles Soule

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Favorite Teen Comics of 2014

In this episode, Jack and Amanda talk about their favorite teen comics of 2014. Produced by Donna Mettier of Technical Services.

Recommended Reads:

Alex + Ada by Jonathan Luna
Multiversity by Grant Morrison

Favorite Teen Comics, 2014:

In Real Life by Cory Doctorow
Afterlife with Archie by Roberto Aquirre-Sacasa
Captain Marvel: Higher, Further, Faster, More by Kelly Sue DeConnick
Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson
The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang
Through the Woods by Emily Carrol

Monday, December 1, 2014

Episode 21: CLA Panel with Gene Yange, Mariko Tamaki ad Nick Dragotta

Jack and Amanda hosted an amazing panel at the California Library Association Annual Conference on Sunday, November 9, 2014 and recorded it for your listening pleasure; which is produced by Donna Mettier of Technical Services.

We were thrilled to host three incredible graphic novel creators:

Gene Luen Yang, author and illustrator of Boxers & Saints, American Born Chinese and The Shadow Hero
Nick Dragotta, illustrator of HowToons, East of West and Fantastic Four
Mariko Tamaki, author of This One Summer and Skim

Take a listen…

Monday, October 13, 2014

Alternative Press Expo and Faith Erin Hicks Interview

In Episode 20, Jack and Amanda attend the Alternative Press Expo (APE) where Jack interviews Eisner-Award winning comic book author Faith Erin Hicks of The Adventures of Superhero Girl, The Last of Us, the upcoming series The Nameless City and an untitled collaboration with Rainbow Rowell.

AND, Jack and Amanda will be running a In the Library with a Comic Book panel at the California Library Association Annual Conference on Sunday, November 9 at the Oakland Convention Center with Gene Luen Yang of The Shadow Hero, Mariko Tamaki of This One Summer and Nick Dragotta of HowToons and we want to hear from YOU. So send us your questions to inthelibrarywithacomicbook@gmail.com or via Twitter using the hashtags #CLABeTheChange #comics.

The In the Library with a Comic Book podcast is produced by Donna Mettier of the Marin County Free Library.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Episode 19: Banned Books Week

In Episode 19, Jack and Amanda discuss the American Library Association’s annual Banned Books Week and comics with special guests Eva Volin, Head of Children Services of Alameda Free Library and Casey Gilly of Comic Book Resources:
Recommend Reads:

Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley
The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker
The Rise of Aurora West by Paul Pope
The Woods by James Tynion IV

Banned Books Week discussion:

Monday, September 15, 2014

San Diego Comic-Con Wrap-Up #3: Spotlight on Lucy Knisley

In Episode 18, Jack and Amanda complete their San Diego Comic-Con coverage with an overview of the con plus:

Interview with Lucy Knisley of Relish, Age of License, Displacement, New Kid and Something New.

Plus: We both contributed to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s latest publication: Working with Libraries: A Handbook for Comics Creators.

Monday, August 18, 2014

San Diego Comic-Con Wrap-Up: Spotlight on Scholastic Graphix

In Episode 17, Jack and Amanda cover comics at San Diego Comic-Con; with a focus on Scholastic’s Graphix imprint and two of their authors:

Interview with Kazu Kibuishi of the Amulet series.

Interview with Raina Telgemeier of Smile, Drama and Sisters.

Monday, August 11, 2014

San Diego Comic-Con Wrap-Up: Spotlight on First Second Books

In Episode 16, Jack and Amanda cover comics at San Diego Comic-Con; particularly one of our favorite publisher’s: First Second Books and two of their authors:

Interview with Gina Gagliano of First Second Books.

Interview with Paul Pope of Battling Boy and The Rise of Aurora West.

Interview with Cecil Castellucci of Odd Duck.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Interviews with Jimmy Gownley, Mike Maihack and Chris Butcher

In Episode 15, Jack and Amanda cover comics at the American Library Association Annual Conference:

Interview with Jimmy Gownley of The Dumbest Idea Ever! and Amelia Rules!

Interview with Mike Maihack of Cleopatra in Space.

Interview with Chris Butcher of Udon Entertainment and Toronto Comic Arts Fest.

Check out our additional ALA coverage with Episode 14: Interviews with Gill & Hale, plus our ALA wrap-up.

Jack, Amanda and our esteemed producer, Donna Mettier, will be at San Diego Comic-Con this week. We’ll have some limited conference swag, so if you see us at the con, be sure to stop us and say hi.

Jack will be presenting Publishers Weekly: Creating Great Graphic Novel Events in Libraries on Sunday from 4:00-5:00 at Room 32AB.

AND we’ll be podcasting live, so stay tuned for lots of exciting coverage!

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

In Episode 13, Jack and Amanda interview John Bultena of UC Merced and his use of comics in the college classroom and also discuss the Big Wow Comicfest.

Recommended Reads

Starlight by Mark Millar
Young Avengers, Vol. 3: Mic-Drop at the Edge of Time and Space by Kieron Gillen
Southern Bastards by Jason Aaron
Scalped by Jason Aaron

Coverage of the Big Wow Comicfest; including our interview with Greg Rucka and Michael Lark of Lazarus.

Comics in the classroom:

Batwoman, Vol. 1: Hydrology by J. H. Williams III
Saga by Brian K. Vaughn
The Massive by Brian Wood
Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
March, Book One by Nate Powell
The Rock and The River by Kekla Magoon
The Silence of Our Friends by Nate Powell

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Episode 12: Big Wow ComicFest

In Episode 12, Jack and Amanda cover the Big Wow Comicsfest in San Jose CA on Sunday, May, 18, 2014:

Interview with Greg Rucka and Michael Lark of Lazarus.

Interview with Andrew C. Robinson of The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Episode 11: Listener Mail Bag

In episode 11, Jack and Amanda answer listener questions:

Recommended Reads:

Bad Houses by Sara Ryan
She-Hulk by Charles Soule

Listener Question #1 from Courtney Saldana of Ontario Public Library: What are the best horror comics for teens ages 13-18?:

The Lost Boy by Greg Ruth
Locke & Key by Joe Hill
Ape Sapian, Vol. 2: The Devil Does Not Jest and Other Stories by Mike Mignola
Hellboy by Mike Mignolla
Hoax Hunters, Vol. 3: The Book of Mothman by Michael Moreci
Justice League Dark by Peter Milligan
Batman by Scott Synder
Severed by Scott Synder
The Wake by Scott Synder

Listener Question #2: What graphic novel recommendations do you have for a 12-year-old boy from Genesis Hansen of Mission Viejo Library?:
Battling Boy by Paul Pope
Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell
Rust series by Royden Lepp
Adventure Time series by Ryan North
March: Book One by Congressman John Lewis
Cardboard by Doug TenNapel
Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown
The Lost Boy by Greg Ruth

Question #3: Bitch Magazine’s Three New Comics Starring Great Female Characters… are these any good from Lauren?:
Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe
Rocket Girl by Brandon Montclare
Pretty Deadly by Kelly Sue DeConnick

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Podcast #10: Fantastic Ladies Comics Club

In episode 10, Jack and Amanda the Eisner nominations and Amanda interviews members of the Fantastic Ladies Comics Club in Berkeley, CA:

Recommended Reads:

Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson
This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki
Skim by Mariko Tamaki
Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki

In the News:

Graphic Novel Spotlight in VOYA by Jack and Amanda
Princeless by Jeremy Whitley now available in trade paperback
Gene Luen Yang won the Los Angeles Times Book Award for Young Adult Literature for Boxers & Saints
Eisner Award nominations
Captain America: The Winter Solider

Fantastic Ladies Comics Club of Fantastic Comics in Berkeley,CA