Graphic novel news

The Clone Wars series of Star Wars graphic novels has been bridging the gap between Episodes II and III of the movie series since Attack of the Clones came out, but the end is in sight with Volume 8: The Last Siege, the Final Truth. This is the penultimate title but it wraps up the Quinlan Vos plot - a deep undercover Jedi agent who has to embrace the dark side to maintain his cover. Will he come back to the light or has the pull of the dark side been too much? Only one way to find out.

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Read Grovel's latest graphic novel review - Seven Soldiers of Victory: Volume Two by Grant Morrison.

If you enjoyed the first two titles in Harper Collins' Buddha series, written and illustrated by Osamu Tezuka, then you're in for a treat. Volumes 3 and 4 (Devadatta and The Forest of Uruvela) are out now in the UK, with volumes 5 and 6 (Deer Park and Ananda) to follow on Monday.

The books continue following the life of Prince Siddhartha on his path to ultimate enlightenment, but on the way he'll have to take care of demons, invincible bandits, stubborn monks and the greatest challenge of all - the requirement to forgive his enemies for their sins.

The Buddha series is also available in the US from Vertical.

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Order from Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk

Order from Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk

Order from Amazon.com/Amazon.co.uk

Thanks to films like The Godfather and TV shows like The Sopranos, the commonly held view of organised crime begins and ends with the Italians. However, in 1930's New York, America's Jewish immigrants had their own organisations, every bit as brutal as the Mafia. Neil Kleid and Jake Allen recreate this pocket of history in Brownsville, which follows a crew of hoods as they try to make their fortunes any way they can, amongst the towering tenements of East New York. Watch out for our full review, coming soon.

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There are many comic book series worthy of further discussion but Neil Gaiman's The Sandman is perhaps more worthy than most. The series created its own pantheon of gods, a new and coherent mythology that spanned and embraced religion, while still managing to focus on the impact that such mystical beings might have on everyday folk.

It's little surprise then that many a 'paper' has been written about it. The twelve accessible but stimulating articles in this collection disect a variety of topics, from specific episodes to the broader impact of Gaiman's work.

These are certainly essential reading for any student of Gaiman and The Sandman, but will also have wider appeal to the general fan, looking to get a little more depth from their comics or read the kind of intellignet articles on their favourite subjects that are all too rare in the mainstream media.

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DrMaster Books is continuing its assault on the manga fan with the publication of Real Fake Princess. This follows the story of an ancient Chinese princess who is hidden in a peasant village to escape the threat of conquest. When she grows up her presence is requested back in the royal court, but in the mean time she's fallen in love with a peasant boy and knows that to return would mean giving up her love.

Also out at the moment are three more titles in various series: Iron Wok Jan Volume 18, Hinadori Girl Volume 3 and Journal of the Vampire Hunter: Claws of Darkness Volume 4.

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Read Grovel's latest graphic novel review - The Red Diaries.

Still following the Countdown to Infinite Crisis? The latest volume to come out in the UK from Titan Books, via DC Comics in the US, is JLA: Crisis of Confidence, which sees Geoff Johns pair up with The O.C.'s Allan Heinberg to chart the fracture of the Justice League after the events of Identity Crisis.

Geoff Johns has also been busy writing JSA: Black Vengeance, which sees the Justice Society travel back in time to 1951 via a Middle Eastern crisis. Also out this month, Superman fans can uncover Ruin Revealed and Teen Titans/Outsiders sees The Death and Return of Donna Troy.

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Looking for something to read for free? Then check out Jeff Lemire's The Adventures of Hawker Hurricane, a World War II fantasy originally due to be published in graphic novel format by Speakeasy Comics, but now available on a page-per-day basis online. The first 30 pages are already up so you can get a good taster. If you like it, keep going back to read more.

Read Grovel's latest graphic novel review - Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda by J. P. Stassen.

The third volume of DC Comics' superb cop drama Gotham Central has just been released in the UK via Titan Books. As ever, Unresolved Targets tackles Gotham's rising crime wave through the eyes of the traditional law enforcement agency - the cops on the street - rather than its more unusual vigilante protector. When the mayor gets assassinated by one of Gotham's extreme psychopaths, however, what is there that the cop on the street can do?

Scripted by the dream team of Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka, and drawn throughout by Michael Lark, this is one of those essential books that should be popping onto the shelves of any fan of the previous Gotham Central books (read our reviews here and here).

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