internet resources Leslie Bussert Comic books and graphic novels Digital resources for an evolving form of art and literature

“Holy Hyperlinks, Batman!“ tory, and bibliographies. Sections of particular Comic books and graphic novels are becom­ interest to librarians include commentary ing two of the most pervasive and infl uen­ and reviews, collection development tools, tial media forms of popular culture. Placed recommendations for libraries, and resources within the context of changing society, com­ for teachers. Access: http://ublib.buffalo.edu/ ic books and graphic novels entertain and libraries/asl/guides/comics.html. educate, but they have also been instrumen­ Comic Books, New York Public tal in documenting and interpreting social, Library (NYPL), General Research Divi­ historical, and current events. sion at the Humanities and Social Sci­ Scholarship and research surrounding ences Library. In addition to describing the comic books and graphic novels are grow­ NYPL’s comic book collection, this research ing. Many in the fields of history, sociology, guide offers tips for searching the catalog and arts and literature realize the unique and for comics and links to related collections or valuable insight inherent in studying comic Internet sites. Valuable bibliographies are of­ books and graphic novels. Thus, new col­ fered for general comics research, history and lections and resources are being created and criticism, and more. Access: http://www.nypl. developed to meet the needs of fans, collec­ org/research/chss/grd/resguides/comic. tors, scholars, and researchers alike. • Yale University Library’s Comic With numerous comic book and graphic Books, Comic Strips, and Graphic Nov­ novel Internet resources today, it is chal­ els Research Guide. From Yale University lenging to identify those frequently up­ Library’s Mass Media and Popular Culture dated or professionally maintained; many research guide, this site offers suggested lack organization but contain authoritative LC Subject Headings for searching library content. While the list provided here is not catalogs, print and online research sources, comprehensive, librarians should fi nd these and links to comic book and graphic novel resources valuable in getting acquainted with publishers and distributors. International in the genres, making selections for their collec­ scope, there are over 30 research sources tions, and assisting users seeking comic book covering comic strips, comic books, graphic or graphic novel resources. novels, and more. Access: http://www.library. yale.edu/humanities/media/comics.html. Starting points: research guides • Comic Books: Internet Resources. News and reviews This research guide contains annotated online • ArtBomb. Brainchild of acclaimed writer comic book resources compiled by Michael Lavin, Arts and Sciences Librarian at the Uni­ Leslie Bussert is reference/instruction and ethics/ versity of New York at Buffalo. Categories humanities librarian at the University of Washington- include Internet portals and guides, news Bothell and Cascadia Community College library, e-mail: [email protected]. and previews, magazines and journals, his­ © 2005 Leslie Bussert

February 2005 103 C&RL News Warren Ellis and Internet producer Peter Siegel, comics is also available. Access: http://www. ArtBomb aims to broaden the appeal of comic comicsworthreading.com. Newsarama. Updated several times daily, this site offers breaking industry news, features, previews, reviews, and opinions and editorials in discussion board format so readers may directly respond to posted items. books and graphic novels through promoting Comic book and graphic novel reviews and and reviewing diverse and sophisticated titles. previews are posted by the contributing edi­ Reviews may be searched by creator, title, or tors as well as readers. Archives go back a few genre, and some include previews. This site days. Access: http://www.newsarama.com. also offers a “What is a graphic novel?” intro­ ductory tour in comic book format aimed at Organizations and associations librarians, educators, and new fans. Access: Comic Book Legal Defense Fund http://www.artbomb.net. (CBLDF). Aimed at preserving First Amend­ • Comic Book Resources. This popular ment rights for members of the comics com­ site offers numerous resources for any level munity, the CBLDF’s Web site offers news, of comic book featured links, convention previews, and fan. Daily news reports raising awareness of censorship is­ within the com­ sues within the comic industry. Additional ic book indus­ resources include a comic censorship bib­ try regarding liography highlighting articles, books, and writers, artists, case files for which the CBLDF has helped characters, series, and corporate activities is defend over the years, and a comic censor­ covered. Featured articles include artist and ship timeline beginning in the 1750s. Access: writer interviews or full­length articles, while http://www.cbldf.org. columns feature opinion and editorial pieces, International Comic Arts Association gossip and rumors, commentary, reviews, and (ICAA). A nonprofit organization, the ICAA satire. Archives are sparse, but they go back aims to “support, promote, and strengthen to 1998. Access: http://www.comicbookre­ the comic industry, its products, and profes­ sources.com. sionals” through a variety of programs and Comics Continuum. A very straight­ projects. Their Web site offers industry and forward site offering up­to­date breaking organizational news, interview and article industry news including publication infor­ features (coming soon), and resources for mation, film projects, writer and artist con­ retailers, libraries, teachers, creators, collec­ tracts, sales trends, and new issue previews. tors, and fans. Access: http://www.comicarts. Archives go back about three weeks. Access: org/index.php. http://www.comicscontinuum.com. • National Association of Comic Arts • Comics Worth Reading. This site pro­ Educators (NACAE). “Committed to helping vides industry news, reviews, and extensive facilitate the teaching of comics in higher recommendations for manga, independent, education,” the NACAE site contains resources DC Comics, and Marvel Comics titles and for individuals and institutions interested in series. Reviews include publishing history, art teaching visual storytelling. Their site offers samples, plot summaries, and Web links. The a forum where educators in comic and/or author has been reviewing comics for over sequential art can get and share ideas. Re­ 10 years and highlights women’s roles within sources include articles, teaching resources the comic book and graphic novel industry, (exercises, study guides, syllabi, handouts, whether they are characters, writers, artists, etc.), message boards, and more. Access: or editors. Information about how to review http://www.teachingcomics.org.

C&RL News February 2005 104 Bibliographies and collections publications. In addition to descriptions of • Comic Books, Library of Congress the collection, multiple indexes, selected im­ Popular Culture Collections, Serials & ages, the collection development statement, Government Publications Division. Both and a list of other comic research collections foreign and U.S. titles make up this largest are offered. Access: http://www.lib.msu. collection of comic books in the United States. edu/comics. The collection includes scattered issues or Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art microforms back to the 1930s but is mostly (MOCCA). The purpose of this museum is the comprehensive from 1950 on. This site pro­ “collection, preservation, vides information for using and researching study, education, and the collection including suggested techniques display of comic and car­ and subject headings. Access: http://memory. toon art.” Genres treated loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awser2/comic_ include animation, car­ books.html. toons, comic books and • Comics­Related Dissertations and strips, graphic novels, Theses. This site provides an international and more. MOCCA’s bibliography of doctoral, master’s, and under­ Web site offers informa­ graduate dissertations and theses going back tion and news about the to the 1970s. Many entries provide abstracts organization, but also past and present exhibit or annotations and links to tables of contents information, upcoming events, and features or the full text. Access: http://home.earthlink. including interviews and legal or educational net/%7Ecomicsresearch/ComicsDissertations. information. Access: http://www.moccany. html. org. • Comics Reporter’s Books about • New York City Comic Museum (NYC­ Comics Bibliography. International in CM). Founded in 1999, the NYCCM promotes scope, this bibliography contains numerous comic book his­ entries of books about comics, particularly tory, preserva­ those with an emphasis on criticism and tion, and liter­ history. Entries are in alphabetical order by acy through its title, and coverage goes back to the 1950s. Ac­ collections and cess: http://www.comicsreporter.com/index. Web site. The php/lists/lists_and_links/87. site offers online Comics Scholarship Annotated exhibits with ar­ Bibliographies (SCAB). This site offers an­ chives, resource notated bibliographies covering book­length links, an education center with lesson ideas, works about comic books and strips ranging and guides for bringing comic books into the from “fannish” histories to academic publica­ curriculum. Also included are columns and tions. Bibliographies are divided by subject current museum news. Access: http://www. categories such as genre, guides, countries, nyccomicbookmuseum.org/main.htm. collecting, and more. Additionally, tables of contents, lists of comic works within the Online magazines and journals title, reviews, links, and other general notes ImageTexT . A Web­based journal on content and organization are included. with free access to all articles, ImageTexT Access: http://www.comicsresearch.org. strives to advance the academic study of • Michigan State University (MSU) comic books and strips, cartoons, and other Comic Art Collection. With over 200,000 media blending image and text such as video items—mostly comic books—the MSU Comic games. Topical issues contain peer­reviewed Art Collection is known as the primary library articles, reviews of current scholarship in the resource for the study of U.S. comic book field, conference or publication announce­

February 2005 105 C&RL News Grand Comic Book Database. Search­ able by writer, artist, title and publisher, this database offers records for over 70,000 issues of comic books, minicomics, and fanzines. Entries are indexed by site owners, fans, ments, information on research projects of or hobbyists, using detailed and specifi c interest, and English translations of seminal instructions to ensure consistency and qual­ foreign essays on comic theory. Current and ity of records. Entries include a color image archived issues and online exhibits with cata­ of the cover, information about the binding, logs are also available. Access: http://www. ink, paper type, publisher, run dates, issues english.ufl .edu/imagetext. published, and language; also provided are Indy Magazine. Published by Alterna­ links to other indexed issues of the title. Ac­ tive Comics, this online journal offers fea­ cess: http://www.comics.org. ture articles, reviews, and news about • Who’s Who of American Comic independently published comic books and Books. This resource provides biographical graphic novels. Contributors are diverse, com­ listings for over 19,000 artists, writers, editors, ing from the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, and and personnel involved in producing comics. France. Archives of older issues are available. Access: http://www.indyworld.com/indy. • Ninth Art. A weekly online journal, Ninth Art strives to provide a space for an expanding repository of ideas, analysis, and Publishing groups are also included, with list­ contemporary thought ings for animation, syndication, small presses, through exploring ev­ pulps, and more. Researchers and writers may ery aspect of the arts inquire for specific data by e­mailing the site and industry of com­ author, but full paid subscriptions are also ics. Operating with­ available. Additional site content includes a out editorial agenda, list of artist aliases and a complete index of articles, essays, reviews, and interviews pub­ titles published. Access: http://www.noso­ lished are written with high standards. Four tomo.no/whoswho. new articles per week are published, and archives, message boards, and RSS feeds are Of particular interest to librarians available. Access: http://www.ninthart.com. • Comic Scholars Discussion List. This community is aimed at those involved Reference tools and resources in research, criticism, and teaching related • Comic Art in Scholarly Writing: A to comic art. Welcome to all academic fi elds, Citation Guide. Recognizing the maturation typical discussion revolves around theoretical of comic scholarship and the need for comic and historical issues, syllabi and assignments, bibliographic citation formats, Allen Ellis, useful scholarship or resources, and calls for research and instructional services librarian book, journal, and conference submissions. at Northern Kentucky University, created this It is also a place to discuss job searches, guide in accordance with the Comic Art and pedagogy, library acquisitions, and other Comics area of the Popular Culture Associa­ institutional factors affecting comics scholar­ tion. The online style guide offers instructions ship. The list’s Web site includes a directory and numerous examples for citing comic of comic scholars, online sample syllabi, bib­ books, comic strips, editorial cartoons, and liographies, and more. Access: http://www. graphic novels. Access: http://www.comics­ english.ufl .edu/comics/scholars. research.org/CAC/cite.html. (continued on page 113)

C&RL News February 2005 106 the Library administration won’t really know professional relationship in the first few days how the new hire is adjusting. by innocently forgetting some small detail. • Performance appraisal. Clearly state The investment of making a new employee what the criteria for evaluation are going to feel welcome will help them to identify with be so there are no misunderstandings later. the institution, the orientation process often An actual copy of the appraisal form is an stresses the why.5 excellent tool for the employee to refer to so there will be no surprises. Notes In librarianship, while poor orientation 1. Jean Dowdall. “Off to a good start: experiences most likely outnumber good Thoughts on the first weeks of a new job,” orientation experiences, it is a factor in em­ Chronicle of Higher Education Monday, ployee longevity and morale. “An employee July 1, 2002. chronicle.com/jobs/2002/07/ that has not experienced a ‘real’ orientation 2002070101c.htm. may feel alienated and resentful; they might 2. Stacey E. Kimmel and Scott R. Di­ even leave the organization when a serious Marco, “Planning an interview: What do opportunity arises. Another problem, if they candidates want?” C&RL News 58, no.4 stay they may become a disrupting/negative (1997):249–50+. force within the staff.”4 3. The Society of the Plastics Industry. The Although what has been provided in this ar­ high cost of employee turnover. www.plas­ ticle is by no means a comprehensive list, items ticsindustry.org/business/programs/orientme. listed will help in the successful transition from htm (accessed March 19, 2004). new hire to long­term contributing employee. 4. Joyce Gioia, “Use Orientation Process The use of a checklist is advisable due to the to Bond with New Employees” HR Focus 76, numerous details one must remember. i6. (1999) iS9. While it is difficult to find a good candidate 5. Randall L. Robbins, “Orientation: Neces­ and then hire that individual, it is very easy sity or Nightmare?” American Salesman 47, to ruin what may be a long and productive i9 (2002):29.

(“Comic books…” continued from page 106)

• Graphic Novels in Libraries (GNLIB­ for librarians in comic strips is also available. L). This unmoderated community is limited to Access: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/ professionals in the book trade and librarians Acropolis/2161/combks/combks.htm. and is specifically aimed at young adult and No Flying, No Tights. Created and adult services public librarians. GNLIB­L is a maintained by library technician and MLS­ space to share reviews, ideas, and resources holder Robin Brenner and friends, this re­ for the selection and development of graphic source contains three comic book and graphic novel and comic book collections. Member­ novel review sites, one each for kids, teens, ship is not required to view the archives. Ac­ and adults. Each includes core lists of rec­ cess: http://www.topica.com/lists/GNLIB­L. ommended and reviewed titles divided into • Librarians in Comics. Maintained by various topics, with some aimed at librarians Canadian librarian Steven Bergson, this site and teachers. Aside from genre divisions, contains an annotated bibliography of books, indexes for creator, title, and publisher offer comic books, and graphic novels in which a great search tools for fi nding reviews. Access: librarian or library plays a role. A bibliography http://www.nofl yingnotights.com.

February 2005 113 C&RL News