Graphic novel publisher First Second has announced their books planned for Spring 2008, and I’m excited! Here are the ones I’m particularly looking forward to.

Kaput and Zosky
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Kaput and Zosky

by Lewis Trondheim, April, $13.95

I remember these wacky aliens from reading their stories in Trondheim’s Fantagraphics series The Nimrod. They’re a hoot! First Second has some sample pages available so you can see for yourself. They want to conquer worlds, but they’re so darn bad at it!

Little Vampire
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Little Vampire

by Joann Sfar, May, $13.95

I just finished Sfar’s Vampire Loves, and I quite enjoyed it. (Supposedly, that character later ages into this little guy. Yes, backwards.) And I’d seen some of these books in their original French, and I liked them enough to try and read them in translation. (An activity I quickly gave up on — it’s been too long since high school language class.) So I’m glad to see that First Second is making it easy to read the cute adventures.

Life Sucks
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Life Sucks

by Jessica Abel, Gabe Soria, and Warren Pleece, May, $19.95

Young adult lives and loves among the undead. Pleece previously worked on Deadenders and Hellblazer, and his style looks great for this. It’s gotten a good review already. Plus, I like Abel’s work.

Drawing Words and Writing Pictures

Drawing Words and Writing Pictures
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by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden, June, $34.95

But THIS is the one I anticipate most of all. I adored Madden’s previous book about comics, 99 Ways to Tell a Story, and I expect this “course on comics creation” to be as much or more enlightening. It promises 15 lessons focused on storytelling, from concept to comic creation, plus homework and additional reading suggestions, suitable for either a college course or independent study. Best of all, Abel and Madden have taught similar courses, so they know what they’re talking about through practice.