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Blog Post

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man

by wampishing

In the Ultimate universe, Peter Parker is dead, but Spider-man lives on!

Thirteen year old Miles Morales doesn't want to have superpowers. When he gets bitten by an experimental Oscorp spider and begins to exhibit all the same powers as Spider-man and more, he's terrified. But it doesn't matter, he thinks, since there's already a Spider-man. He's just a kid, after all; nobody needs him to be a hero. Until Peter Parker dies. Left as the lone bearer of spider-powers, Miles takes to heart the words that drove Peter – "with great power comes great responsibility" – and dons the mantle of Spider-man. But Miles has a lot to contend with that Peter didn't, including a father who hates all superpowered people, a criminal uncle, and a guilt-ridden Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D, who feel responsible for not saving Peter.

The beautiful, expressive art by Sara Pichelli and Chris Samnee is worth a look all on its own - add that to Brian Michael Bendis' script and you have the recipe for one of my personal favorite ongoings. If you like characters like Captain America or Superman, fundamentally good characters with the strength to do what's right and an innate sweetness that persists even in the face of personal tragedy, you'll love Miles Morales!

Volume 4 has only just recently hit our shelves, and we have volume 1, volume 2 and volume 3 here as well, so the whole series as it stands is at your finger tips. While the original Spider-man spins webs in the box office, why not give his successor a try?

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Public Event

Comic Artists Forum with Brandon Dayton

Sunday May 4, 2014: 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room
Adults And Teens Grade 6 And Up.

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Blog Post

Avatar, the Last Airbender

by Enzy

If you're looking for a fun TV show that appeals to both kids and adults, check out Avatar, the Last Airbender. This cartoon has a great plot that will keep you interested until the very end.

The wold is divided into four nations (Earth, Water, Fire, and Air). Each nation’s people are able to manipulate their specific element. This manipulation is called “bending” and each nation’s bending is based off of a specific martial art (for example, water bending is based on tai chi, and fire bending is based on Northern Shaolin). There is one person who is born with the ability to bend all of the elements called the “Avatar,” this person is also in charge of keeping peace between the nations. However, when the Fire Nation decides to attack, the Avatar disappears.

A hundred years later, the Fire nation is now on the verge of dominating the entire world. But two siblings from the water tribe, Katara and Sokka, have just found the missing Avatar, a twelve-year-old boy named Aang, and his flying bison frozen in an iceberg. But can Aang learn to master all four elements and restore peace in time?

While this cartoon is not technically considered anime, it is heavily influenced by anime in it’s character designs. The fighting sequences are incredibly entertaining to watch and there are plenty of humorous moments which makes this cartoon a hit with the young and not-so-young.

If you enjoy the TV show, you should also check out the books, graphic novels, or even The Last Airbender movie that was directed by M. Night Shyamalan (disclaimer, if you are a big fan of the cartoon, this movie may miss the mark).

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Writing & Publishing

Comic Artists Forum with Cartoonist Joshua Hauke

Sunday April 6, 2014: 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room
Adults And Teens Grade 6 And Up

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Blog Post

Go on tour with Marceline and the Scream Queens!

by wampishing

Battling bands and monsterous fears in the world of the hit cartoon Adventure Time! Rock and roll vampire queen Marceline and the responsible, respectable Princess Bubblegum don’t tend to see eye to eye; in fact, Bubblegum thinks that Marceline’s music is just a bunch of discordant noise. Or at least, she does until she hears Marcy and her band play their hearts out in concert. Inspired to learn the true meaning of rock, Bubblegum joins Marceline and the Scream Queens on a tour that takes them from the Candy Kingdom, to the bottom of the ocean, to the depths of the dreaded Nightosphere. But while Bubblegum might be having herself a fun summer vacation, Marceline is plagued with a slowly growing, emotionally-crippling anxiety that might just end her musical stardom for good.

And Marceline and the Scream Queens isn't the only Adventure Time comic we have by any means! Check out the ongoing series by Dinosaur Comics' Ryan North for further adventures of Finn and Jake, Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake by series storyboard artist Natasha Allegri, or the Flame Princess-centric graphic novel, Playing With Fire by Girls With Slingshots creator, Danielle Corsetto!

If you like this book, considering checking out the creator's other work. Marceline and the Scream Queens is for all ages, but writer and artist Meredith Gran is best known for her less kid-friendly webcomic, Octopus Pie. It's another tale of two ladies: one a directionless post-grad creative writing student, the other a successful hippie baker, who begin rooming together in Brooklyn, NY. You can give it a go here at AADL or online at www.octopuspie.com.

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Blog Post

Fearless adventurers heed the call - to Spera!

by wampishing

When her tyrannical mother the queen attacks a neighboring kingdom, murdering their king in cold blood during a royal visit, Pira steals away to save her friend, the dead king’s daughter - Princess Lono. Two Princesses on the run don’t seem to have much chance against a powerful sorceress like the queen, even with a shape changing fire-spirit to guide them. And gentle Lono doesn’t seem very well equipped for a life of adventuring. But Pira was born with a sword - quite literally - and she has big plans to make a career out of questing, once they get to the city of Spera. She’s not about to let a little thing like her evil mother get in her way!

Set up as a series of short stories as opposed to one unbroken narrative, and showcasing a variety of different artists and styles, Spera is a unique fantasy read. Check out both volumes 1 and 2 here at AADL, and head on over to spera-comic.com, where you can find additional short stories set in Spera's world for free!

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Blog Post

KAPOW! Comics - an art display at Eastern Michigan University

by wampishing

When we read comics, we tend to look at the work as a whole; art and story together. The experience may be so engaging that we forget that the art is actually ART. But if you get the chance see the original artwork for the pages in person, the skill and beauty of that art becomes much more apparent. From March 10th to April 16th, Eastern Michigan University is giving you the opportunity to do just that!

EMU art professor Richard Rubenfeld has put together a fabulous collection of original pieces, with artwork from masters of the form. The opening, on March 12th from 4 to 7 pm, will be followed by a panel discussion featuring comic book artists and writers: Dave Coverly, Steve Lieber, Hilary Price, Sara Ryan and Len Wein! If that wasn't enough, the gallery will also have an exclusive free comic available - only 300 available.

You can find the show in the University Gallery in the EMU Student Center - that's at 900 Oakwood St, Ypsilanti, MI 48197 - and more information at EMU Art Department's website, here!

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Public Event

Comic Artists Forum: Jerzy Drozd Presents Podcasting To Reach New Audiences

Sunday March 2, 2014: 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room
Adults And Teens Grade 6 And Up

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Blog Post

New Podcast Series: Martin Bandyke Under Covers

by mariah

Many Ann Arborites recognize Martin Bandyke as the longtime morning drive host at ann arbor’s 107one, WQKL-FM, his home station since 2006. In addition to a friendly voice guiding locals through their a.m. soundtrack, Bandyke is also known for his delightfully format-free Fine Tuning program on Sundays. Readers of the Detroit Free Press may have enjoyed his periodic music coverage as well.

Prior to his tenure with 107one, listeners in Southeastern Michigan benefited from Bandyke's vast musical knowledge through his role at WDET-FM, Detroit - first as a host, and subsequently as Music Director from 1995-2005. His own passion for music began with his father Ted's love of records, evolved through his role as a gigging drummer, and led to working behind the counter as a musical matchmaker at Dearborn Music and Car City Records.

Although Bandyke's talent is no secret, many of the things he loves are found between covers - including both records and books. With this in mind, AADL is pleased to be partnering with Bandyke for a new series of podcasts, called Martin Bandyke Under Covers. These podcasts, hosted by Bandyke, evidence his knowledge of music and pop culture in interviews with a variety of authors, musicians and creators.

In the first Under Covers podcast, Bandyke chats with Ray Davies of the Kinks about his new memoir, Americana. The second episode features Bandyke in conversation with Vivek Tiwary about his graphic novel, The Fifth Beatle (a recent #1 on the New York Times best-sellers list), which traces the story of Brian Epstein, the Liverpool record shop owner who discovered and then managed the Beatles from 1961 until his untimely death in 1967.

These two episodes are just the beginning for Martin Bandyke Under Covers - stay tuned for more conversations and interviews with creative minds! If your interest in popular culture and media extends to film, we hope you'll join Bandyke with Michigan Theater director Russ Collins for an Academy Awards Preview event, Downtown on Wednesday, February 26, 7-8:30pm.

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Public Event

Comic Artists Forum with Ryan Estrada

Sunday February 2, 2014: 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room
Adults And Teens (Grades 6 And Up).