Hey y’all, it’s Pisces season, AKA my season! I’m not big into astrology but I do know that Pisces are known for being dreamy and emotional. I don’t really think of myself as a dreamy type, but I am secretly pretty emotional, and one thing I get really emotional about is sharing stories. WWACommendations is just one place for sharing stories — WWAC itself is of course another, as are libraries, my chosen place of work. However, I think was drawn to revive WWACommendations because it’s a very simple and immediate way to share stories, and thus share things that move us and make us feel big feelings. If you want to celebrate Pisces season before it slips away, check out one of the recommendations below or share them with someone else! Have a sweet little moment of connection and joy.
Alenka Figa: Obviously I am a sucker for a comic with a cool librarian protagonist, but The Vampire Librarian by Emily Cotton Cram isn’t just about a library. The story begins with Madison Nelthorp, a young girl who’s very unhappy to have to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere. However, she loves to read and she’s happy to find that there’s a big, strange old library with beautiful but odd doors that only open for some — certainly not for Madison. As the comic progresses perspectives shift, and we see that in some ways this is a normal town: the teens here are bored, emotional, and learning to cope with childhood traumas. Some of them just also have magical secrets, and those secrets are just as compelling as their emotional and social lives. But what is Beth, the librarian’s companion, studying in her books full of ritualistic symbols? How did the librarian come to be in this small town, and how did his children come into his care? The Vampire Librarian has reached its seventh chapter on WEBTOON, but there are still many mysteries left to be revealed.
If you’re not yet convinced to check out this atmospheric, mysterious comic then you must take a look at Cram’s art. Often colored in warm, earthy tones, Cram creates scenes that defy the smallness of the setting of their comic. The library feels huge, even endless, Julian (the librarian)’s home feels cold but lived in, and Cram’s colors are all emotion emotion emotion, creating a warm moment between Beth and Julian that immediately becomes complex, thanks to the cloudy watercolors of the background. If you can’t stand a slow burn this might not be for you, but each gorgeous update will make you eager to see where The Vampire Librarian is headed.
It’s my comics one year anniversary #WebtoonCanvas pic.twitter.com/aofCF9uDkv
— Vampires and Monster's Oh My (@Emilycottonbird) February 12, 2023
Carrie McClain: Modern Suburbia is a webcomic operating in the sci-fi, action and comedy realms. With just a few episodes up on WEBTOON, this comic put together by an all Black femme creative team (artist/creator @REALSaturoosky, artist/storyboarder @cybertheartist and writer @diva_jayF) follows two best friends and all the bizarre things that happen to circulate around them in their wacky beach town of Bluestone. It happens to be home for the two girls and also a tourist attraction for all types, extraterrestrials too. With really fun and eclectic artwork, jokes for days, magical girl discourse (“Magical girls are tryhards”–hell of a line) Modern Suburbia is hilarious to read as a hidden gem I stumbled upon thanks to Tiktok!
My brand is always yelling on the internet about Black girls and femmes in my favorite mediums like comics and this series brings a slice of life feel to Katrina and Liddya’s lives that I can’t get enough of. This webcomic will appeal to those who love internet/meme humor, anime and all the tropes known to us flipped on their heads. Trips to the corner store end up as rides on the struggle bus of intergalactic conflict. Roasting unkind male individuals who attempt to control womankind bring new meaning to the definition of funny. The introduction of colors in later episodes adds new dimensions to the visual look of the comic and a more polished feel as well.
Modern Suburbia is what I want to see more in the world of comics: Black girlhood, strong female friendships and just plain weirdness in all thee flavors. The webcomic is ongoing with a call for support through one of the artists’ Patreon where readers can claim exclusive merch — like Patreon-only prints and stickers, see all behind the scenes content and have access to special things like a playlist inspired by the comic!
Hey #PortfolioDay !✌️
This is Modern Suburbia a webcomic about two bruh girl best friends and all the chaos surrounding them! Written by 3 black femmes artist/creator @REALSaturoosky artist/storyboarder @cybertheartist & writer @diva_jayF !
Follow us for great art & literature! pic.twitter.com/baMfxzDwa1
— Modern Suburbia 🔜 Momocon (@SuburbiaModern) January 10, 2023
Emily Lauer: I read Thieves by Lucie Bryon after reading Masha’s recommendation! It’s a really sweet, wholesome story about flawed teenagers supporting each other, and it also has teens lying, drinking too much, smoking, having sex and stealing stuff. We start with Ella and her crush on Madeleine, a quiet and pretty girl in one of her classes. Ella’s boisterous personality and strong friendships are contrasted with Madeleine’s reserve. After the two kiss, we back up and get events of the same period from Madeleine’s perspective, and it turns out Madeleine is seething inside. I’m avoiding spoilers about the thieving, but it’s very fun.
Madeleine and Ella have a nice romantic arc, with Bryon’s rounded art providing emotional depth. For instance, Madeleine’s unhappy thoughts appear scrawled in the background color in many panels featuring her smiling face, and water imagery recurs when Ella feels overwhelmed, like she’s drowning. Neither of these two are as healthy as they appear on the surface, but they work together, which I found heartening. Another thing I appreciated about Thieves was that Ella’s smart, blunt best friend and her posh boyfriend are a straight couple who are supportive about Ella’s relationship with Madeleine, and the shenanigans they get up to.
I mostly read American YA comics, and it was refreshing to read this book about teenagers elsewhere.
Il est arrivé !! (Voleuse nouveau format idéal pour les petites mains et les chats!!) pic.twitter.com/HZ2BoT1jV9
— Luchie 🍳 (@heyluchie) February 20, 2023
Kathryn Hemmann: Elizabeth Colomba and Aurélie Lévy’s Queenie: Godmother of Harlem is a graphic biography of Stephanie “Queenie” St. Clair, a legendary racketeer and community pillar who resisted both the mafia and the New York City police during the Prohibition Era of the 1920s and 1930s. The book’s artwork is phenomenal, with beautiful fashion and vibrant cityscapes. Each scene is presented in bold monochromatic panels that make brilliant use of negative space to heighten the impact of character interactions. Meanwhile, the writing explores the nuances of Queenie’s story, highlighting her strength and intelligence while explaining the necessity of her moral compromises.
Colomba and Lévy are sensitive to readers who may not be familiar with the world at the turn of the twentieth century, and they present the various settings of Queenie’s life in a way that subtly provides context without interrupting the flow of the story. About a quarter of the graphic novel is set in Queenie’s birthplace in the West Indies, and Godmother of Harlem is notable for the way in which it weaves the religions and cultures of diasporic African communities into the tapestry of a larger immigrant narrative. I also appreciated the non-intrusive and creatively illustrated spreads on topics such as, “How to Run a Lottery Numbers Operation.”
Originally published in 2021 as Queenie: La Marraine de Harlem, this graphic novel still retains a portion of its multilingual text, as well as its gritty bande dessinée sensibilities. The creators aren’t shy about depicting the explicit realities of racial violence, and the “mafia thriller” genre elements of the story are often gory and difficult to read. Still, I’d argue that these scattered scenes of violence are germane to an accurate portrayal of the challenges faced by minorities standing against corrupt systems, and I’d recommend Colomba and Lévy’s work to mature readers interested in the power and politics underlying the glamor of the Harlem Renaissance.
I want to add that I discovered Queenie: Godmother of Harlem thanks to Stacy Yvonne’s fantastic review on Black Girl Nerds, which contextualizes Queenie’s story within the milieu of the early twentieth century while deftly relating its themes to contemporary conversations.
Look what made it here! Queenie @editions.anne.carriere! The book looks fabulous thanks to Cerise Heurteur, graphic designer extraordinaire! It’s now available in France! It’s something else to see it printed! #queenielamarrainedeharlem #stephaniestclair #harlemnyc #GraphicNovel pic.twitter.com/Ls7rcSmux0
— Elizabeth Colomba (@EliColomba) September 1, 2021
Kayleigh Hearn: I am compelled to write a recommendation for Osamu Tezuka’s 1970 manga Bomba! not just because it’s a captivating, tautly terrifying read, but also because I have never seen a publisher undersell what a book is about so badly. Kodansha describes Bomba! as “thematically rich” and “a tale of love, jealousy, revenge, and redemption.” What the official summary never mentions is this: Bomba! is about a boy summoning an evil ghost horse to murder his enemies.
I say again, this is a manga about a ghost horse. Why the inside flap doesn’t simply read “Ghost horse!!!!” in 18-point Impact font I have no idea, but it’s a hell of a hook. I’ll say a little more: Bomba! tells the story of Tetsu, a troubled young man who develops a dangerous obsession with his teacher, Miss Mizushima. Tetsu’s hatred of anyone who comes between him and Miss Mizushima summons the spirit of Bomba, a horse whose mysterious connection to Tetsu’s family stretches back to World War II. Another audaciously original work by the “God of Manga,” Bomba! suffers from an abrupt ending and some pungent 1970s sexism, but the haunting atmosphere and startling twists will linger long after you put the book down. The ghost horse is pretty damn cool, too.
