APSARA ENGINE, South Asian graphic story collection

APSARA ENGINE
Bishakh Kumar Som
The Feminist Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$24.95 paperback, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: By turns fantastical and familiar, this graphic short story collection with South Asian roots is immersed in questions of gender, the body, and existential conformity.

Winner of the 2020 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Graphic Novel/Comics

Winner of the 2021 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Comics

Finalist for the 2021 Ferro-Grumley Literary Award for LGBTQ Fiction

The eight delightfully eerie stories in Apsara Engine are a subtle intervention into everyday reality. A woman drowns herself in a past affair, a tourist chases another guest into an unforeseen past, and a nonbinary academic researches postcolonial cartography. Imagining diverse futures and rewriting old mythologies, these comics delve into strange architectures, fetishism, and heartbreak.

Painted in rich, sepia-toned watercolors, Apsara Engine is Bishakh Som's highly anticipated debut work of fiction. Showcasing a series of fraught, darkly humorous, and seemingly alien worlds—which ring all too familiar—Som captures the weight of twenty-first-century life as we hurl ourselves forward into the unknown.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A beautiful work of South Asian-set and -themed mostly queer stories. All take place in elegantly, cleanly rendered spaces, involve women in transitional times and relationships, and stress the pleasures and/or complexities of being in the midst of Life.

these are the spreads provided for publicity use

The author's website contains much more varied artwork from the book. It is very much worth you time to view.
The stories themselves are not really interlinked, though all feel like they're meant to form something greater than the sum of their parts. If there's more than the thinnest connective tissue, though, I didn't find it. Straight people on a shoreline are surprised by merfolk accosting them; differing degrees of queer/trans people in their cells...apartments really, but cells in all the confinement senses...are the focus of the title story, one that fascinated me but never paid off in the way I was built up to expect. I think my personal favorite story was "Swandive," in which Onima...a "cartographer of trans realities" who uses her own blood to make maps, thus create art, that explains other Desi trans people to themselves.

It's not hard to see this opening a young trans person's eyes to the welcome reality that others feel the same way they do. No one in the 21st century, with all its stunning technological advances in medicine, psychology, communication should ever again feel isolated. A work like this that was created by someone deeply marginalized yet extending her hand to others, is a lifeline for a struggling trans person.

"You, as you are right now, are not alone and do not need to change to be loved" is still the most intensely powerful message you can send with this gift.

THE AWL, Korean Manha of labor trouble like we're having

THE AWL Vol. 1
CHOI GYU-SEOK (tr. Lynn Eskow)
Ablaze Publishing (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$14.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 3.75* of five

The Publisher Says: The Awl is a story of ordinary folks struggling to be treated as humans.

Set in the latter half of the 2000s, against the backdrop of “Pureumi”, a fictional superstore chain in South Korea, the work unfolds with a focus on two protagonists: Yi Su-in, who has been instructed by the corporation to dismiss workers unjustly; and Gu Go-sin, a labor activist.

A man of principles, Su-in is someone who cannot restrain outspoken criticism and is constantly at odds with the world. Though he has quit a career in the armed forces to live quietly and chosen an ordinary job, he once again clashes against the world because the company has ordered him to drive out employees by force.

Aiding Su-in is Go-sin, a cool-headed and deft labor activist who runs a labor counseling center near the Pureumi chain. Unlike Su-in, who has difficulty getting along with people and sternly sticks to rules, he approaches others without hesitation and even resorts to extreme measures at times to accomplish goals.

Together, Su-in and Go-sin will oppose the manipulation and moral harassment to which the employees are cynically subjected. The process through which these two figures remind ordinary, diligent workers of their rights and bring change together will fire up readers.

Remarkable in mastery and brilliance, author Choi Gyu-seok (The Hellbound) depicts with finesse all the adventures of this shock of two worlds, and at the same time offers an amazing portrait of a complex Korean society, crossed by multiple tensions.

Proof that popular works can also be created based on social topics, The Awl has left an indelible mark on South Korean comics. Entertaining and moving at the same time, The Awl remains a monumental work in the nation’s comics, consummate in its artistry, while conveying an important social message.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I'm the target audience for this story. I had a hard time following it because my sequential-art skills are pretty poor. I'm working to get myself past that barrier, but this story challenged my determination hard. I can't get to a full four stars because if I, fully on the side of these union guys, can't keep focused, what's the less-convinced reader going to do?

It seems odd to provide the US-market reviewers with Korean language artwork.

Nonetheless, I found the story of a man in corporate slavery, I mean work, with a functional conscience and a powerful moral compass, refreshing; I appreciated the PoV of the street-tough union organizer being humanized, as well.

It's not for everyone, but the ones it's for should know it exists.

DON'T CALL ME DIRTY, manga I didn't hate!

DON'T CALL ME DIRTY (Don't Call Me Dirty #1)
GOROU KANBE
Tokyopop (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$12.99 paperback, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: After some time in a long distance sort-of-relationship with his crush, Shouji is crestfallen when weeks of getting ghosted finally result in a confession: his boyfriend just isn't gay.

Having struggled with his sexuality for years, Shouji throws himself into his work to distract himself from the rejection—but when a young homeless man called Hama shows up at the shop, Shouji finds himself curious to learn more about him and, hopefully, befriend him. Attempting to make their way in a society that labels each of them as 'outcasts' and 'dirty,' the two men grow closer.

Together, they begin to find they have more in common than either of them could have anticipated.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: When you're Other in your very bones, you know it early. Othering either becomes your ugly secret, your curse to bear, or your identity. The way some people are Othered for external things over which they have no, or little, control might be crueler...hard to say. In this tale of Othered men coming together in large part because of their shared Otherness, they each learn a wonderful lesson about authenticity.

Becoming your real self is the project of post-adolescent adulthood. Many stay in the imposed selves, accept identities that aren't a great fit because they lack the resources of identity-example to alter what isn't working.

Stories like this one might hit hardest in Japan, although homelessness in the US is pretty marginalized. When Hama receives Shouji's overtures of friendly connection, he's stunned...he's homeless! He's like a stray pet, afraid every caress will turn into a kick. Shouji's need not to be rejected is pretty easy for Hama to meet, albeit with trepidation. Can this turn into more?

Not rushing into powerful emotions, not having sex right away, not following The Tropes℠ of romantic fiction, are all very appealing ways to build a story between Othered people who each crave similar connections. The artwork is standard manga:

...so you like it already, or you don't. Me, I'm lukewarm. I got past my impatience with sequential-rt storytelling because I very much like the story, and the narrative mode, used here. I know this begins a series. I hope you'll think about it for your young manga-reading queer kid. The message is genuinely positive, without the hypersexualization of many, if not most queer stories.

JESSICA FREEBURG & NATALIE FOWLER'S PAGE: GHOSTS OF THE WILD WEST; MONSTERS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST; MONSTERS OF THE SOUTH

MONSTERS OF THE SOUTH: Stories of Swamp Creatures, Aliens, and Other Legendary Beasts
JESSICA FREEBURG & NATALIE FOWLER
Adventure Publications (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$8.99 ebook, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Read 26 chilling stories, from two paranormal investigators, about reportedly true encounters with monsters in the South and Southeast.

A mysterious winged creature descends upon a community, leaving behind a horrific disaster and whispers of a deadly omen. A family’s peaceful night becomes a nightmare when their home is attacked by otherworldly beings. In the dead of night, a man is visited by a monstrous half-dragon, half-bird beast. The South’s history includes several unimaginable encounters with legendary creatures. This collection of “ghost stories” presents the creepiest, most surprising tales of monsters in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Authors Jessica Freeburg and Natalie Fowler are active paranormal investigators with a shared fascination for things that go bump in the night. The professional writers spent countless hours combing the region for the strangest and scariest run-ins with the unexplained.

Horror fans and history buffs will delight in these 26 terrifying tales. They’re based on reportedly true accounts, proving that the Southern USA is the setting for some of the most unnerving monster tales ever told. The short stories are ideal for quick reading, and they are sure to captivate even the most reluctant of readers. Share them with friends around a campfire or try them alone at home—if you dare.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A great choice for your advanced eight-year-old cryptid fancier! Nothing in here will scare the ordinary ten-year-old or older. None of the vocabulary should present much of a problem after sixth-grade level. Any weird words are explained in the text.

It's a car/plane/travel book, one that's easy to put down and pick up. Best not to give it to the gulp-it-down reader, it gets repetitious.

I *love* this title!

I don't think anyone who isn't already into cryptids will get much joy. There's only the one alien story:

You're bound to know at least one kid who'll like this.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MONSTERS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST: Stories About Bigfoot, Sea Serpents, and Other Legendary Creatures
JESSICA FREEBURG & NATALIE FOWLER
Adventure Publications (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$8.99 ebook, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Read 22 chilling stories, written by two paranormal investigators, about reportedly true encounters with monsters in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

A pastor’s afternoon hike takes a horrifying turn when a creature follows him home and terrorizes his family. A woman’s routine drive becomes a heart-pounding encounter when a Sasquatch chases a deer into the path of her car. A child’s innocent night games go from sporty to sinister when a Wendigo stalks him from the shadows. The Pacific Northwest’s history includes several unimaginable encounters with legendary creatures. This collection of “ghost stories” presents the creepiest, most surprising tales of monsters in the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Authors Jessica Freeburg and Natalie Fowler are active paranormal investigators with a shared fascination for things that go bump in the night. The professional writers spent countless hours combing the region for the strangest and scariest run-ins with the unexplained.

Horror fans and history buffs will delight in these 22 terrifying tales. They’re based on reportedly true accounts, proving that the Pacific Northwest is the setting for some of the most unnerving monster tales ever told. The short stories are ideal for quick reading, and they are sure to captivate even the most reluctant of readers. Share them with friends around a campfire or try them alone at home—if you dare.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Exactly the same formula as the author duos other browsing or traveling books. Tales of cryptids, monsters, oddball stuff, designed to entertain anyone over a sixth-grade reading level. Challenging vocabulary is about the critters themselves, so is explained in the text.

Going to Seattle, Portland, Yakima, Vancouver? Give the kid this book for the trip.

It's not a huge investment, the series looks fine on a tablet or ereader, and who knows? Might keep kid plus siblings quiet!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

GHOSTS OF THE WILD WEST: Stories from Deadwood, Tombstone, and the Old Frontier
JESSICA FREEBURG & NATALIE FOWLER
Adventure Publications (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$8.99 ebook, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Read 21 chilling ghost stories with ties to the Wild West, based on actual accounts, as told by two paranormal investigators.

Too many lawmen and bandits met their ends on the streets of Deadwood, and their ghostly whispers still remain. In Tombstone, the infamous Bird Cage Theatre is haunted by the shadows of gamblers and painted ladies from long ago. The Wild West produced some of America’s most legendary characters—whose spirits might still roam among us. This collection of ghost stories unearths the creepiest, most surprising tales about old cowboys, outlaws, sharpshooters, prospectors, and more!

Authors Jessica Freeburg and Natalie Fowler are active paranormal investigators with a shared fascination for things that go bump in the night. The professional writers spent countless hours combing the country for the strangest and scariest run-ins with unexplained phenomena connected to the Old Frontier.

Horror fans and history buffs will delight in these 21 terrifying tales. They’re based on reportedly true accounts, proving that the Wild West sparked some of the most notorious and compelling ghostly tales ever told. The short stories are paired with brief retellings of each figure’s deeds while among the living and are ideal for quick reading. They are sure to captivate anyone who enjoys a good scare. Share them with friends around a campfire or try them alone at home—if you dare.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Nothing in here will scare anyone over thirteen, at least not of average maturity level. I'd give it happily to an advanced twelve-year-old for a long, dull car trip or flight.

Adults? If they like the ghost hunter shows, sure, but not just because. Someone without that interest won't much enjoy the read...plus, like all compendiums like this, don't gulp...sip.

What it looks like.

I though these were more interesting:

Utilitarian, made for a purpose and serves it.

BIOS in Search of Zoe: Ecological Graphic Novel, a science graphic novel to fire curiosity

BIOS in Search of Zoe: Ecological Graphic Novel
ASSIA CRAWFORD
Actar Publishers (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$37.95 paperback, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: In her groundbreaking new publication, Dr. Assia Crawford takes readers on a captivating journey at the intersection of architecture, science, and critical theory.

A distinguished Assistant Professor in Technology with a Ph.D. in Architecture, Crawford pioneers a visionary exploration of bio-design practices, experimental bio-fabrication methods, and the ethical considerations surrounding the manipulation of living organisms. This unique work emerges from Crawford’s creative practice research, which is deeply rooted in the development of biological material alternatives and digital fabrication practices tailored for a post-Anthropocene era. The ecological graphic novel format serves as a dynamic medium for conveying complex ideas about the symbiotic relationship between human and non-human entities, pushing the boundaries of traditional academic discourse.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I am unendingly amazed at the deeply creative minds hiding behind the label "scientist." I shouldn't be; engineers and scientists are all kids who never got the memo that grown-ups don't ask "why" as often as kids do.

why?

The other bit of asking "why?" is not accepting the answer "because I said so." At least those who end up pushing the boundaries don't...and the institutionalization and specialization rampant in today's world militate against boundary-pushers. "What of you're wrong? look how much it cost! we can't reuse any of this!"

It's hogwash; sometimes wrong is only temporary. Look at the Miller-Urey experiment. A failure in 1952...reanalyzed in 2007, much more discovered than technology could record in 1952.

Author Crawford's speculations, or warnings, or predictions...really all three...are not dumbed down for a popular audience. The illustrations do the heavy lifting of explaining hard ideas. I don't think this is one for just everybody. I'm recommending it for your youthful, still flexible-of-mind bioscience nerd.

It's a pricey item so it's going to be for the very special recipient. I still feel it offers enough to think about, enough information and explanation to chew on, to be a really good gift for someone still learning about bioscience and the technology it's going to spawn, to make a clever high-schooler fire up with excited curiosity.

What better gift is there, for them as well as us?

THE ANTIFA COMIC BOOK: Revised and Expanded (2nd Edition, Revised) builds on the success of the first edition

THE ANTIFA COMIC BOOK: Revised and Expanded (2nd Edition, Revised)
GORD HILL (Introduction by Mark Bray)
Arsenal Pulp Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$21.95 paperback, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: With fascism in our midst, Indigenous artist Gord Hill revises and expands his brilliant graphic history of fascism and anti-fascist movements

When it was first published in 2018, Gord Hill's The Antifa Comic Book was heralded for its searing imagery documenting the history of fascism and anti-fascist movements over the last century. In the years since its publication, the term "antifa" has been co-opted by the right to falsely describe far-left political extremism and even terrorism. But the role played by antifa movements in fighting fascism and racism around the world remains as relevant and important as ever.

For this expanded edition, Gord Hill adds new material depicting more recent flashpoints of fascist activity, including the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack, the murderous spree by Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik, the infamous 2022 Canadian convoy protests, and Islamophobic and anti-migrant sentiment in a growing number of fascist governments in Europe. At the same time, Hill depicts the important work being done by anti-fascist individuals and organizations to combat this worrisome trend, made all the more crucial by Donald Trump's return to the White House.

Powerful and inspiring, The Antifa Comic Book is an important reminder of fascism in our midst and what can be done to stop it.

The book includes a new foreword by Mark Bray, historian and author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: If you're wondering why this graphic novel's appearing here, welcome! You must be a first-time visitor. This is not a safe space for fascists or their silent supporters. You will be offended, and not accidentally. Do not complain, you've been warned, and have the option...nay, encouragement...to leave any time. More than your kind offer to the decent people you're victimizing for whatever it is you hate so much.

So, everyone else, this is a graphic novel/history of the horrors the fucking fascists enact in pursuit of their disgusting, evil goal of immiserating people their tiny brains and smaller souls hate with fury and passion. It is meant to summon the answering, opposite...oppositional...fury and passion in you.

What's the point of this, I can hear people in my circle ask. It is easy to get numbed by the onslaught of awful these scum are unleashing. "They", to use the paranoid tense, are busy undoing generations of progress as fast and as hard as they can. Court orders say cease and desist? Ignore them! People hate your agenda? So what, do it anyway, we've got the Army.

In a coup, there is no neutrality. Yes, it's hard. It's scary. It's not fair. Your other option is silent, supine submission.

If that's not okay with you, you'll need some emotional support. Sometimes the best way to get that is to read...even read outside your usual genre or medium preferences. I was heartened by reading this book because it got past my text-reader's prejudices. my "I can handle anything words can say" conviction by putting it in images.

It's a valuable thing to have, to give to someone you know who's flagging...support is a wonderful gift to give and to receive.

ODD BIRDS & FAT CATS (An Urban Bestiary), beautiful gift item indeed

ODD BIRDS & FAT CATS (An Urban Bestiary)
Peter Wortsman (illus. Aurélie Bernard Wortsman)
Turtle Point Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$23.00 hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Ravens in Berlin . . . Parakeets in Brooklyn . . . Chickens in Tel Aviv . . . Spiders in Cognac. City creatures spark the imagination and intellect in words and art by this father-daughter team.

Odd Birds & Fat Cats (An Urban Bestiary) is an illustrated collection of brief observations on city creatures. Inspired by the tradition of the medieval bestiary, bestiarum vocabulum, a 12th-century bestselling genre that chronicled animals and beings both real and fantastical, the book features pithy impressions of birds and animals that delight, confound, and edify, written by Peter Wortsman, coupled with detailed naturalist artwork by his daughter, Aurélie Bernard Wortsman.

Featured creatures include:

Pigeons: “When, finally, it takes flight . . . this asphalt-colored bird is like a piece of the pavement which by some fluke of gravity broke loose and is foolishly falling upward by mistake."

Seagulls: “Fallen splinters of eternity, they hang overhead with the equanimity and mild disdain of angels in a medieval altarpiece, and unlike pigeons, refuse any direct contact with man."

Ants: “Micro-managers in three-piece bodies, ants parody human antics to a tee. Or is it the other way around?"

Dust mites: “Every time you scratch yourself or comb your hair, you are feeding the tiny intruders with the detritus of self."

With four-color images throughout, printed in a beautiful hardbound edition, this one-of-a-kind volume will please the discerning animal lover, traveler, art lover, iconoclast, and literati on your gift list—and, of course, also you!

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: The world is changing around us at huge speed. A bestiary such as this will stand as a record as change accelerates, making these creatures either obsolete or altered. It's a great gift item for your environmentalist giftee, of any age after fourteen. It's gorgeous, informative, not in the least bit dry; this is a gift item pure and simple.

contents page

In studying the urban world, the father/daughter team decided we should feature as much as the other animals..after all no us, no cities:

Of course, the creatures around us are as prominent as they are to our quotidian notice...maybe moreso:

And, I must say, I found the humor, and the observations of beauty, both equally delightful as I browsed the book.

Something for a discerning special late teen, young adult, or friend who loves to look at te world through beautiful glasses.

GOLEMCRAFTERS, fascinating middle-grade fantasy about identity and acceptance

GOLEMCRAFTERS
EMI WATANABE COHEN
Levine Querido (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$11.99 ebook, available now

Rating: 4.5 of five

The Publisher Says: Emi Watanabe Cohen’s sophomore novel travels from the most awkward surface tensions to the beautiful depths of Jewish culture and lore for a tale of magical and emotional discovery.

On the same day Faye's brother comes home with a black eye, a package arrives from a relative they have never met. It's a slab of clay: some weird kind of bar mitzvah present?

The strange gift turns out to be an invitation to learn a craft that has been in their family for centuries. And it's not pottery.

Faye and Shiloh are driven to New York City by their grandfather for a spring break filled with magical instruction. But at night, they find themselves transported to a strange parallel world, where groups of innocent people are facing appalling hatred and violence. Are Faye and Shiloh destined to defend them?

How is that possible for a brainy, unpopular eleven-year-old and her vulnerable older brother?

It will take all the strength they can draw from their Jewish and Japanese heritage to not only crack the mystery of this alternate world but to find the power in them to confront the troubles of their present.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Fascinating remix of the well-known, always interesting, legend of the Golem. Imagine being Othered twice over: Japanese and Jewish so too Jewish for the Asian crowd, too not-Jewish for the Jews. The bullying, the name-calling, all terrible enough in middle school, get that much worse!

Shiloh comes home after being roughed up by bullies at school...at no time in the narrative do we see kids more than glancingly interact with their parents, which I recall tracks well with middle school behavior...to find his last bar mitzvah present waiting for him. It's from his father's father, whom he's never met, so of course he's intensely curious about it. It's decided, after it gets opened to reveal it's a big lump of clay, that the kids will go spend the summer coming up with their Zeyde, there to learn the family secret trade of golemcrafting...a trade I'd *literally*never*considered might exist, even in a fantasy world.

In this summer of learning about Zeyde, about their ethnic history, about magic and its workings, there's a fair old bit of Jewish historical trauma. Here's what I say to parents who think their children can't, or shouldn't, be exposed to traumatic historical facts: If they've ever watched the news at all, they already know the worst of what people can do to each other in god's name. Teach them, or let them learn about if you can't do it yourself, the history of how hate for the Other has warped and perverted societies. They'll know what to look out for if they've seen it before they can fall into it.

The author's unique heritage, like Shiloh and Faye's, is part of the reason she should bet trusted to tell your middle-grader about this blended identity, its struggles, and its rich rewards. Even if your child is not either of these ethnicities, this novel is a delightful fantasy work about a stern old mage teaching bumptious apprentices the whys, hows, and don'ts of magic. I've never met a middle-grader (look at the name, forevermore!) who didn't feel that awkward neither fish nor fowl unbelonging. This novel will give the reader of most all ages the strong sense of being seen in their social awkwardness.

As there is a lot of violence dealt with, discussed, but not shown directly, so as to make the middle-grade designation fit comfortably. There is also a very...pat...ending. I'm not sure I'd expect a fourteen-year-old not to complain about the kid-book vibe this presents, so be aware before gifting it up.

A solid performance from a writer gifted in making the tough parts feel manageable.