New Releases by Stephen Weiner

Jonastar has a major problem. His cousin Prince Nestor imprisoned him unfairly and threatened his family. To keep his family safe, Jonastar escaped to another world where he doesn''t know anyone and can''t speak the language. To save his family and to return home he must fulfill ancient legend. Can he find the dagger of Briandigo and rescue his family? Or will he be trapped in this world forever?

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY PREVIEW! Comics were once seen as disposable entertainment, but Will Eisner was instrumental in transforming them into a powerful art form in America, capable of conveying deep emotion, complex ideas, and stunning visuals. Eisner’s riveting story is expertly told by comics historian Steven Weiner and cartoonist Dan Mazur in the perfect format: a graphic novel! Eisner’s lasting impact on the medium is honored by the Will Eisner Award, and now through WILL EISNER: A Comics Biography!

Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Scott McCloud and…Hellboy? In his new collection, Will the Real Will Eisner Please Stand Up? Award-winning author Stephen Weiner (The Will Eisner Companion, Hellboy: the Companion) writes about Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Scott McCloud, and the NECON conference of 1998. Other pieces include a history of Weiner’s avocation as a comics’ librarian/historian, comics and an exceptional child, and an outtake from Hellboy: the Companion.

Heroes and superheroes provides insight into more than 150 of the most popular and studied graphic novels. These essays look beyond the pop culture aspects of the medium to show the wide range of literary themes and artistic styles used to convey beliefs and conflicts, some harking back to ancient times. They challenge the researcher to see beyond the panels of a comic book, and show readers how the themes of ancient literary tradition are still alive in the literature of graphic novels.

"When Nothing Is Real: Notes of a Humanist" is a courageously honest account of living with mental illness. Set within a political, sexual and cultural context, this book challenges all of us to a deeper awareness of the grief and hope of our own lives.

The popular primer on the best graphic novels, initially called The 101 Best Graphic Novels, is back in its third updated edition. Expert librarian Stephen Weiner—with the crowdsourcing help of professionals in the field, from artists to critics to leading comic store owners—has sifted through the bewildering thousands of graphic novels now available to come up with an outstanding, not-to-be-missed 101. With an all-encompassing variety of genres, including both fiction and nonfiction, this serves as a great introduction to this increasingly influential world of pop culture and entertainment while also serving as a reference list for fans on what they may have possibly overlooked.

Graphic novels have exploded off bookstore shelves into movies, college courses, and the New York Times book review, and comics historian and children''s literature specialist Stephen Weiner explains the phenomenon in this groundbreaking book—the first history of graphic novels. From the agonizing Holocaust vision of Art Spiegelman''s Maus to the teenage angst of Dan Clowes''s Ghost World, this study enters the heart of the graphic novel revolution. The complete history of this popular format is explained, from the first modern, urban autobiographical graphic novel, Will Eisner''s A Contract with God, to the dark mysteries of Neil Gaiman''s Sandman, the postmodern superheroics of Frank Miller''s Batman: The Dark Knight, and breakout books such as Alison Bechdel''s Fun Home and R. Crumb''s The Book of Genesis. It''s all here in this newly updated edition, which contains the must-reads, the milestones, the most recent developments, and what to look for in the future of this exciting medium.

Things are spinning out of control for Tom. His mother left unexpectedly with no clear plans to return, and the class bully has decided that it''s Tom turn to be his punching bag. His brother is away at college and his father has retreated into a world of books and memories. Tom''s friends are powerless to help him. After many beatings from the bully and strange meetings with his mother, Tom realizes that only when he takes action will his situation change for the better. Can he do that all by himself?

The archaeological record is a combination of what is seen by eye, as well as the microscopic record revealed with the help of instrumentation. The information embedded in the microscopic record can significantly add to our understanding of past human behaviour, provided this information has not been altered by the passage of time. Microarchaeology seeks to understand the microscopic record in terms of the type of information embedded in this record, the materials in which this information resides, and the conditions under which a reliable signal can be extracted. This book highlights the concepts needed to extract information from the microscopic record. Intended for all archaeologists and archaeological scientists, it will be of particular interest to students who have some background in the natural sciences as well as archaeology.

The perfect introduction to the work of a comics legend, The Will Eisner Companion is a must-have celebration for new fans as well as old.

Provides bibliographic information on more than one hundred graphic novels.

Arrange a successful author visit with this handy guide. Learn how to plan and promote the event, order books, recruit authors, prepare the audience, organize author workshops, plus fund-raising ideas.

This work addresses the question of why minerals form in a large variety of organisms, from bacteria to man. The authors discuss the basic principles of mineral formation by organisms, and compare the various mineralization processes.