First, let me explain that this story is set in 1950's Algeria.

Probably most Americans are not aware of what was going on during this period. So for the mainstream American reading public, the storyline will be a little confusing as to who was who during this conflict set in Algeria and France.

This was during Algeria's long and bloody struggle to free itself from French colonial rule.

Baru takes the main character in this story, a boxer, who has an impoverished lifestyle until he rises to fame due to his boxing prowess.

Chaos surrounds him during this time in the slums of his hometown and even into the bright lights of Paris.

The artwork is stylized and may take a little while to get used to while reading. The storyline is not helped by the lack of text on many of the panels. The attempt is to be more cinematic in the panels, which doesn't always easily convey what is going on...

This graphic novel is interesting enough that I did finish it. However I do have a love for history which helped me in staying with the storyline.

This would probably be a good graphic novel for a library, but I am not for sure what personal libraries this would be marketed for. 

Please Note: This is just one of over 460 Reviews that Tina and I have placed in our eBay Reviews Section. Just click here to see our latest reviews!

(Note: A complimentary copy for this review was NOT provided by the publisher.)

My new Facebook Friend Cheryl Myfanwy Morgan informs me that as of next year there will be a Hugo Award for Graphic Story-telling.

Although Cheryl is not a fiction writer, she is very interested in this development. She states that the new award is on a trial basis, and that there needs to be strong interest in the new category for it to be continued.

Cheryl has a Science Fiction Awards Watch web site as can be seen at:

http://www.sfawardswatch.com/?page_id=1099

You can go there to recommend your favorite Sci-Fi Graphic Novel.

Cheryl also told me the following:

"For 2009 the Montreal Worldcon is using its right to add a single one-off Hugo category to trial Graphic Story. 
 
A proposal to make Graphic Story a permanent category from 2010 onwards passed in Denver this year and goes to Montreal for ratification (changes to the Hugo rules are subject to vote by the members of the World Science Fiction Society). 
 
The proposal includes a sunset clause that allows WSFS to drop the category in 2012 if it is not attracting sufficient interest. 
 
The result of all this will be as follows: 
- if there are not enough good nominees next year then the proposal may not get ratified 
- if we don't continue to get good nominees from 2010 onwards then the sunset clause may be invoked 
- so we need to drum up interest in the category. 
 
The official definition of a Graphic Story used in the Hugo rules is as follows: 
 
" Any science fiction or fantasy story told in graphic form appearing for the first time in the previous calendar year." 
 
This can include a single issue of a comic, or even a one-off newspaper strip, though we are expecting graphic novels to dominate the category. Electronic distribution is allowed, so web comics are eligible. 
 
A major issue is the requirement for first publication in the eligibility year. Reprints are not allowed. This causes issues with serial works and collections. So, for example: 
 
- A reprint collection of 1970s X-Men would not be eligible 
- A single issue of a comic is eligible in the year in which it is published 
- A complete story arc is eligible in the year in which the final episode is published (this parallels rules for TV series, and for novels serialized in magazines) 
- A graphic novel collection of a story arc is not eligible because it is a reprint 
 
And to give some concrete examples, Girl Genius Vol 8 is eligible in 2009 because the final story in that arc was published in 2009. Girl Genius Vol 7 is not eligible in 2009. The collection was published in 2008, but that is just a reprint of a serial story whose first publication ended in 2007."

I realize that this blog post of ours does cross-over into several areas of pop culture, so if you do have an interest in the above new Hugo Award category, be sure to recommend your favorite literature at her web site:

http://www.sfawardswatch.com/?page_id=1099

BTW, the above photo at the top of this blog post is one of the several different Hugo Awards that have been presented during the many decades this award has been presented.

An interesting point is that the base of the Award trophy changes in looks, because each location that is chosen to present the awards is allowed to design their own base that the Rocket Spaceship is affixed to!

It was the cover of this book that grabbed my attention when I looking at our local library for trade paperbacks or graphic novels to read.

This is a story in manga art style that kind of grabbed me, the more I read into the storyline. I normally don't reach for manga art books, unless they are ones that  I am familar with from anime films that I see at comic conventions.

This book is from Tokyopop, who has a large presence at the San Diego Comic Con International each year.  I had not
seen this storyline before, but found that Stuart Moore, (the writer), and Christopher Schons, (the illustrator), combined
to tell such a good story that I'll be looking for Volume Two!

The story is set in the year 2068, on the Earthlight Lunar Colony. The colony has become a melting pot of scientific discovery and global tensions.

It is  a fiveteen-year-old Damon Cole who has come from Earth with his mom and dad that attends the new Earthlight Academy. Damon has it tough as his mom is the teacher, and his father is the new Chief Administrator of the entire colony.

Damon wants to fit in with the rest of the kids, several who have been born on the moon, but he hits a few rough spots when he is drawn into the life of a mysterious girl, her abusive boyfriend, and a finale to the first volume that you don't see coming!

Other than some of the language used in the book, (not appropriate IMHO for younger children), this is a well written and extremely well drawn graphic book. The only exception is the very ending when there is a radical turn in the storyline. But that is what Volume Two Is For!

I for one will be looking forward to reading Volume Two of this series! 

Please Note: This is just one of over 459 Reviews that Tina and I have placed in our eBay Reviews Section. Just click here to see our latest reviews!

(Note: A complimentary copy for this review was NOT provided by the publisher.)

The above is the cover of the comic book that will be distributed FOR FREE at next year's FCBD, (Free Comic Book Day), on May 2nd 2009...

The comic is written by William Shatner, Scott Davis, David McIntee and CJ Henderson. With art by various artists, and the cover by Alan Brooks.