That’s right, September 18-24, 2022 is Banned Books Week. America has seen a disturbing resurgence in book banning recently, mostly spurred by bigots who can’t stand the thought of queer kids and children of color seeing themselves in the media, or of white kids learning about anyone but themselves.
Comics have been getting caught up in book bans since at least the 1940s. We’ll cover a couple of those later, but for now, let’s dive into Bookish Goods…
Bookish Goods
Classic Marvel Comics H2O Crossbody Bag by BBknitsCo
Sick of carrying your water bottle around like some civilian? Get one of these Marvel-themed bags instead! $30
New Releases
Spy x Family Vol. 8 by Tatsuya Endo
I know a lot of people who are going to be very happy about this one! The beloved manga returns with Yor, the secret assassin, trying to fulfill a new assignment on a cruise ship that her “husband” and “daughter” also happen to be on. Their presence causes Yor to reconsider the kind of life she wants.
Tokyo Rose: Zero Hour by Andre R. Frattino and Kate Kasenow
“Tokyo Rose” was a nickname given to a Japanese radio announcer who delivered anti-American propaganda to U.S. soldiers during World War II. But there’s a lot more to her story than that. This graphic biography introduces you to the real Tokyo Rose: an American named Iva Toguri who did the best she could with the hand she was dealt.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
Today’s Riot Rec theme is: banned comics! I already did this theme in July, but since this is Banned Books Week, and since there is an unfortunate surfeit of banned and challenged comics out there, I think it’s worth a revisit.
The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa
Ehwa grew up socially isolated thanks to snobbish villagers who shunned her single mother. As a result, Ehwa doubts she will ever find love. It isn’t until her mother takes a second chance on love that Ehwa starts to think there might be someone out there for her, too. The Color of Earth is the first of a trilogy.
Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince
Being yourself is no easy task when you don’t fit into any of society’s neat boxes. Prince found that out at an early age, when she wasn’t “feminine” enough to fit in with the girls and not “masculine” enough to fit in with the boys. Only with the wisdom of maturity (and the help of the punk community) was she able to confidently make a place for herself in a world that constantly told her she didn’t belong anywhere.
If you want to help fight back against book bans, we have some suggestions. In any case, don’t let anyone stop you from reading what you want to read!
~Eileen