Pitch Black Makes Top Ten

I am happy to see Pitch Black by Youme Landowne and Anthony Horton (Cinco Puntos Press) made the 2009 Top Ten Graphic Novels for Teens named by the Young Adult Library Services Association. Landowne and Horton’s work, which at the start of reading I thought might be “too dark” for teens, is indeed dark, but in a realistically compelling manner of story, character, and style. It’s the kind of graphic story teens can read and be informed and educated in a way that they’ll feel is subversive to their 8-4 schoolwork, while being completely acceptable to adults who want teens to know “the truths” that exist in life.

Others on the top ten list (and visit the site for even more complete lists):

Life Sucks
Jessica Abel, Gabriel Soria and Warren Pleece
First Second, 2008

Sand Chronicles, v. 1 – 3
Hinako Ashihara
VIZ, 2008

Atomic Robo: Atomic Robo and the Fightin’ Scientists of Tesladyne
Brian Clevinger and Steve Wegener
Red Five Comics.

TakeReal, v. 1 & 2
hiko Inoue
VIZ

Uzumaki, v.1.
Junki Ito
VIZ

Japan Ai: A Tall Girl’s Adventures in Japan
Aimee Major Steinberger
Go Comi

Skim
Mariko Tamaki and Jilliam Tamaki
Groundwood Books

Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite
Gerard Wayand Gabriel Ba
Dark Horse

Cairo
G. Willow Wilson and M. K. Perker
Vertigo