The Infinite Wait and Other Stories is Julia Wertz’s followup to Drinking at the Movies, her collection of autobiographical comics about moving to New York. Her art style hasn’t changed, although here it’s often more ambitious in the contents of her panels, with more detailed backgrounds and complex staging. She still draws herself with spaghetti arms, saucer eyes, and helmet hair, though, which provides a comfortable familiarity. What’s different is how she’s framing her stories. This book has three “comic […]

The highest praise I can give an adaptation is that this graphic novel version of the classic science fiction fantasy novel by Madeleine L’Engle gave me new insight into the beloved story. Meg Murry struggles at school, for social and academic reasons. She’s too bright for the other kids to be comfortable around her, she’s too distracted to care about class, and she doesn’t even bother trying to fit in. Her younger brother, Charles Wallace, is thought to be “just […]

Poorcraft is obviously a terrific guide for college students, but it’s also full of inspiring ideas for anyone facing a life change or wanting to get their finances under control. Writer Spike Trotman covers all the basics of personal spending: food, housing, entertainment, transportation, and more. Now, some of her suggestions will seem far out to some readers, but there’s so much good advice here that it’s easy just to focus on what inspires or relates to your particular situation. […]

Ellen Forney first came to my attention with Monkey Food, her collection of comics about growing up in the wacky 70s. Marbles takes a different autobiographical turn, capturing her struggles with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and the resulting concerns over what it means for her as an artist. Like the previous book, it’s alternately touching, informative, entertaining, and at times, unbelievable. Marbles opens with a particularly revelatory, life-changing moment for Forney, as she gets the first stage of a […]