LISNews: Librarian News

Anonymous Patron writes "The ten most important comic books of the 1990s: The 1990s was an incredible decade for comics. More people were buying and reading them than ever before and, in turn, more new publishers and new titles came into being. We had the formation of the superstar independent in Image Comics and the birth of the still unequaled VALIANT Universe, a high water mark in storytelling, as well as a host of others trying to imitate the two. Gimmick covers and variants were all the rage, but we loved them and (don't tell Marvel) we still do. We were all going to be rich because the generic hot book of the week was going to be the next big thing. Well hindsight is 20/20 and with that in mind, let's chart the Ten Most Important Comic Books of the 1990s."

The Seattle Times has an interview with Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes, the guys behind Unshelved. "It's kind of, like, 'Dilbert' for librarians," offers Deena Martinsen, vice chair of Longview Public Library's board of trustees.

Echoes Chris Skaugset, director of Longview Public Library, whose wife bought him a framed "Unshelved" print for Christmas: "They're just so tuned to library work," he says. "You see it every day."

Anonymous Patron writes "The 10th Annual International Comic Arts Festival, or ICAF 2005, takes place Today, through Saturday, Oct. 15, in Washington, at the Library of Congress James Madison Building (with special evening programming on Friday, Oct. 14, at the George Washington University Gelman Library). Full information on the program and the venues at the site International Comic Arts Festival"

Anonymous Patron writes "Not only are comics the hottest thing in teen and adult publishing, they're getting a whole lot of love from librarians, who are scrambling to flesh out their graphic-novel collections and understand the market.

So it was inevitable that the comics craze would extend down to the original, but long-forgotten, part of the fan base: kids.

Children's publishers suddenly are ramping up graphic-novel imprints for younger readers, secure in the knowledge that not only will kids love them, but librarians will take them seriously.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/books/242949_graphic 03.html"