Secret Stacks

Kristin’s back on Twitter! If you’re a librarian or a professional wrestler, watch out! A Free Comic Book Day anecdote results in relationship advice. Kristin’s down with ILL. Thomas resigns from public librarianship to tend to a massive comics library (in his dreams). #NotAllTeachers #Pedagogy #ListenToDiddy #PrettyDiddy #GraphicMedicine #EyeAmTheFool Guilt Cake Comics Beat: Baker & Taylor Shuts Down Retail Distribution Business ICv2 & Comichron: Comics Sales 2018 Why Parents Should Rejoice That Their Young Readers Are Gobbling Up Graphic Novels Circulating Ideas Poet Sara Holbrook can’t answer standardized test questions about her own poem Comics & Critical Librarianship A Blockbuster Collection of Comics: Nearly 200,000 Items Donated To University of South Carolina Libraries (Thanks, Gary Watson!) USC SLIS Deans’ and Directors’ Lecture – Secret Stacks earns us the F. William Summers Outstanding Alumni Award 2019’s Eisner Nominees Announced Do you work with comics? Vote on the Eisners! K

Kristin reports on Wrestlemania, WWE, and C2E2. Buy more indie comics! What are the pros and cons of separating your collection’s DC and Marvel titles within the graphic novel stacks? What about grouping all the manga together? What is the ideal browsing scenario for your patrons? Do you pronounce cholera correctly? We namedrop a fair number of podcasts. What of Captain Marvel and Shazam? It’s a day that ends in Y, so Thomas is excited about another Green Lantern series. Last Week Tonight: WWE NashiCon reading list Quebec Library Association Association of College and Research Libraries Tim Smyth – comics in education Beastlands #1 Kickstarter (plus an advance review) Interview: La Voz de M.A.Y.O. #2 hits Kickstarter, plus Henry Barajas and Gonzo on capturing the Latinx struggle in comics Why Captain Marvel is a Recruiting Win For The Air Force Spoiler-free Shazam! review DC’s Young Animal Returns with Two New Series, More Doom Patrol No Flying No Tights (follow them/us on Facebook!)   Podcasts mention

Kristin’s been injured, and only your listening can heal her! Well, that and #GraphicMedicine, right? We talk about the comics market, including recent and decade-old descriptions of the publishing and sales landscapes. Do you prefer comics in color or black and white? Who’s the “real” Captain Marvel? Nominate comics you love for recognition! All this and Peter Falk chat await. Publishers Weekly: Comics Is A Market In Transition Captain Marvel reading order DC’s Publishing Plans IDW printing newly colorized editions of Usagi Yojimbo Children of the Sea teaser trailer – snap up this manga now! Top 10 Great Graphic Novels For Teens 2010 Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival Kids’ Comics Awards Kristin’s Picks Lighter than my Shadow 9781941302415 A Fire Story 9781419735851 Thomas’s Picks The Bridge 9781419728525 Passing For Human 9780525508922 Bonus Bob’s Burgers 9781606907948 Children of the Sea 9781421529141 Find a comics shop near you Secret Stacks logo and avatar by Severin Piehl, go read his webcomic Tove

The Secret Stacks is kicking off 2019 with LOTS of comics recommendations! Luciano Vecchio’s gives away the digital files of his black superhero posters. Kristin’s making high-stakes librarian rounds among a herd of doctors. Both of them share stories of their ill-fated high school comics, then reminisce about being touched by the works of Rumiko Takahashi. Kristin’s got another conference announcement to make, and Thomas reports why it’s a GREAT time to be a Jessica Cruz fan! All this and more in our first episode of the year!

The year is over, but your latest episode of The Secret Stacks has just begun! Kristin’s using the Arrowverse to fuel her bicycle training for a large gauntlet. BIG NEWS: We’re headed to Montreal in 2019 to deliver the keynote session of the Quebec Library Association’s annual conference! Kristin looks forward to watching Storage Wars in a Canadian hotel. Thomas credits his recent wedding to The Legend of Zelda – thanks, Akira Himekawa! Kate Kane and Mera brought the DC redheads this year. TKO tries out a new publishing model – how will libraries keep up? All this and plenty of fresh picks, all for you! Aquaman Trailer Into The Spider-Verse’s Speed Racer moment with “What’s Up Danger” Deadly Class Pilot Episode Titans reviews – Episode One, Two and Three, Four Five and Six, Seven Eight and Nine TKO Comics – New York Times Writeup – Thomas’s review of debut series Sara Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Recommendations Spider-Gwen 9780785197737 Spider-Men 9780785165347 Spider-Man: Noir (sold out in print!)

Welcome to Episode 47! We’re back, baby! After a long summer hiatus we’ve returned to give you more comics goodness. We talk about the new Batwoman TV spot, Chelsea Cain getting hosed by Marvel yet again, Thomas’s summer comics entrepreneurship program and we take some questions from the listeners! We’re glad to be back! Batwoman Coming To CW Joe Quesada deflates ComicsGate Chelsea Cain’s Vision Cancelled Mid-Production She-Ra and the Princesses of Power trailer Live-Action Avatar: The Last Airbender Scott McCloud lecture thread (courtesy of Matthew Noe) Mad Max: Fury Road VFX Breakdown Young Justice season 3 trailer Adventure Zone podcast Check your voter registration #NationalComicBookDay Kristin’s Picks Coyote Doggirl 9781770463257 The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins 9781250153708   Thomas’s Picks Speak 9780374300289 Sheets 9781941302675   Find a comics shop near you Secret Stacks logo and avatar by Severin Piehl, go read his webcomic Tove Theme song by Julie Jurgens, y’all

Is summer over already? Hop in the Secret Stacks wayback machine to the end of April, releasing now in September! Back then, Avengers: Infinity War was a theatrical event and not just a series of kiosks asking you to extend this endless cultural experience for one… more… film. There was still time to vote in the Eisners. Universal Fan Con was still flickering in the convention consciousness. Plus a con report from Kristin and fresh picks that will never spoil! Voting On The Eisners Philly Comic Con Does Universal Fan Con Ticket Holders A Solid Barnes & Noble Is Adding A Kids Graphic Novel Section SEE-IT Awards C2E2 Kristin’s Picks Bingo Love 9781534307506 As The Crow Flies 9781945820069   Thomas’s Picks Lighter Than My Shadow 9781941302415 Satania 9781681121437   Find a comics shop near you Secret Stacks logo and avatar by Severin Piehl, go read his webcomic Tove Theme song by Julie Jurgens, y’all

Welcome to Episode 45 of The Secret Stacks, your podcast about name brand footwear and knockoff drinkware. April Fool’s on Thomas and Kristin – opposite temperature extremes! It’s okay, though – Kristin can escape to the comfy halls and adjoining hotel of C2E2 while Thomas takes a nap on his back, the common cure for plantar fasciitis #GraphicMedicine. Movements regarding spoilers, a new Puerto Rico comics anthology, and 30 Days of Autistic Art are all discussed, plus fresh picks as always.     Kristin and Derek from Comics Alternative interview Suzy Hopkins and Hallie Bateman C2E2 Ada Palmer website Ricansctruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico #ThanosDemandsYourSilence If The Story Matters, Then Spoilers Matter Cross-Universe Comics Crossovers Paper Girls Something Terrible Why Hal Jordan Should Not Be In The Next Green Lantern Movie 30 Days of Autistic Art     Kristin’s Picks What To Do When I’m Gone 9781632869685 Chainmail Bikini 9781513600123   Thomas’s Picks Batman / Teenage Mutant

With ALA Annual taking place in New Orleans this summer, Kristin and Thomas reminisce about meeting there in 2011, plus convention observations in general. Student protests and repatriation get free, informative comics treatments.  A creator objecting to misuse of his intellectual property gets labeled as “the establishment” by… an establishment. March pollen ruined Thomas’s throat, but the picks are still fresh! Check in to your nearest boom tube and have a listen, won’t you?   Ava Duvernay directing ‘New Gods’ film for DC NashiCon and C2E2 are upon us again Marcela wants to hang out with us and “talk comics for a bunch of hours” – can do! Nic Cage Finally Playing Superman (as a cartoon) Two-Fisted Library Stories paired us with @carissapffffft “in the mystery of the dread incorrect citation” Black Panther clears $1B worldwide Pepe creator sues InfoWars “The establishment wants this taken down.” Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Guide To Student Protests Repatriation Comic written by Sonya Atalay Kristin’

A whole lot of news meets a whole lot of delays – what happened to our audio in February? It’s all good, just a little late. Better done than perfect, right? And these picks are so fresh they’re well within their expiration dates! Get with the times, New York Times – comics are only gaining in multimedia prominence, from print to cartoons to film adaptations to podcasts. Plus Kristin wants your sad/dead parent stories. All this and more on The Secret Stacks!   Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel Teaming Up For Free Comic Book Day Title Promoting Marvel Rising   DC Ink and Zoom Titles and Creators Announced   Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur Cartoon Coming To Disney Channel   Marvel Now, Then, and Again   Tiffany Haddish To Star in Tuca and Bertie   Tiffany Haddish & Melissa McCarthy for The Kitchen   Comics Industry Asks NYT To Restore Graphic Novel Bestseller Lists   Letter To The New York Times Asking For Return of Graphic Novel Bestseller Lists   YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels For Teens 2018   Joss Whedon

There’s a new Teen Center in town! Media companies are calling dibs on IP lines left and right. Does comics distribution need a shakeup to make entrance easier? What is proper dabbing etiquette? All of these topics plus some fresh picks for the second episode of January 2018. (Go Eagles!)   DMG acquires Valiant Entertainment Black Panther premiere Netflix acquires MillarWorld Gabriel Ba & Gerard Way mark beginning of filming Umbrella Academy Trailer for I Kill Giants Diamond maybe allowing pre-orders?   Direct comics shipping services (besides your local comics shop): Boom! Dark Horse (their website sends people to Things From Another World) DC Comics Image Marvel Discount Comic Book Service   Kristin’s Picks Imagine Wanting Only This 9781101870839 The Hunting Accident 9781626726765 (related: The Crucial Hint)   Thomas’s Picks Eternity 9781682152652 The Gods Lie 9781942993360   Find a comics shop near you Secret Stacks logo and avatar by Severin Piehl, go read his webcomic Tove Theme song by Julie J

Who has time to say ‘when’ while there’s money to be made and lost? Superhero news everywhere! Black Panther, Black Lightning, Valiant, and the Catalyst Prime universe are offering a little variety. Want something else? Explore our Goodreads categories! Don’t be like Thomas, hunting for affordable Absolutes – buy comics that will put your money to good use. All this and some fresh picks from years past, plus a new recipient of the Unanimous Recommendation honor. No matter what pushed you out of comics, there are plenty of titles ready for your return.   Black Panther pre-sales First black lesbian superhero on Black Lightning Lion Forge’s “Catalyst Prime” superhero universe on Hoopla – Noble, Accell, Superb, Incidentals, KINO, Summit Faith clothing line The Secret Stacks on Goodreads (tell us if you’d like us to use a new category) Martin Luther King and The Montgomery Story (Comixology link; proceeds go toward the Fellowship of Reconciliation)   Kristin’s Picks Andre The Giant: Life and Legend 978159

This is it, the final episode of 2017, recorded on the last day of the old year and published on the first day of the new! Kristin and Thomas gloat about their new podcasting toys before discussing a new comics creation tool for all ages, courtesy of Earth’s global entertainment authority, Disney. We talk about proven methods for multiplying checkouts by high school students. There’s a new tip jar on the website – your support means everything to us, even if you’d rather enjoy our content for free. All this and our fresh picks to close out the year.   Create your own Marvel comics! (with some restrictions) Puerto Rico comic anthology coming in March, all profits going to help Puerto Rico How My Library Doubled Its Circulation Kristin’s Picks Poppies of Iraq : Findakly 9781770462939 Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland 9781940878065   Thomas’s Picks Justice League: The World’s Greatest Super-Heroes 9781401273705 Bingo Love 9781534307506   Find a comics shop near you Secret Stacks logo and avatar by Severin Piehl, go

Is your baby a happy cooer or a frowning warlord? Does Kristin’s Aquaman Funko live in an aquarium, or the watery graveyards of the Great Lakes? Will Black Panther make us all forget about Star Wars and Avengers running on fumes? Will Disney’s corporate fiefdom continue to consume everything and everyone? (Marvel Comics now on Hoopla!) Free Comic Book Day titles have been announced, and between those and our picks, there’s something for everyone. All of this and more for the first episode of December 2017.   Disney-Fox Deal’s Effect On Boom Studios Movies Free Comic Book Day 2018   Questions from listener Victoria: 1) How do you feel that about how our current state of our country is starting to feel similar to certain comics(ex. Watchmen, Ms. Marvel, etc.)? 2) The international podcast “Welcome To Night Vale” will be adapted into a TV series next year. What are your thoughts on trying to translating a work of spoken word into a visual medium? 3) Today marks the 3-year-anniversary of Korrasami; do you think

On Episode 38 of Secret Stacks, Kristin and Thomas discuss their Thanksgiving adventures, the insane saga of C.B. Cebulski, and their favorite Christmas Carol version. They also answer the most important questions out there: Which Flash is the best? How shirtless is Aquaman in Justice League? How great is Taika Waititi? Kristin settles a debate about ghost humor.   Cebulski and Akira Yoshid at Marvel (Similar story involving Best American Poetry anthology) Eddie Berganza fired from DC Amazonian Costumes Henry Cavill Being Uncomfortable Goldie Vance movie She Makes Comics Batman & Bill   Kristin’s Picks Uncomfortably Happily 9781770462601 Going Into Town: A Love Letter To New York 9781632869784   Thomas’s Picks Mech Cadet Yu 9781684151950 (Discover Now edition out in comics shops in January!) Just So Happens 9781419715969   Find a comics shop near you Secret Stacks logo and avatar by Severin Piehl, go read his webcomic Tove Theme song by Julie Jurgens, y’all

Kristin and Thomas are the new “Tom Goes To The Mayor,” a show they both enjoy. Comic book movies Thor: Ragnarok, Justice League, Atomic Blonde, My Friend Dahmer, and A Silent Voice are all mentioned. Our hosts compare “low-brow opera” and the Zelda Symphony to reading according to your tastes. No snobs allowed! All this and some great picks for our first episode of November 2017. Van Jones is a big comics fan Zelda Symphony Reading Books Will Help You Build These 7 Habits   Some political comics: Prez – a teenager accidentally goes viral on video and wins the presidency. Satire ensues. The Legend of Koizumi / Reform With No Wasted Draws / Mudazumo Naki Kaikaku She-Hulk – commentary on political asylum for Latverian dissenters March – Congressman John Lewis’s experiences in the Civil Rights movement. Excel Saga – hooray, civil servants! Attack On Titan – fighting monstrous giants gives way to Japanese colonialism…sure? Mr. A – All your favorite Randian hits, courtesy of Steve Ditko!       Kristin’s Pick

Where have we been? Where have YOU been? Well, I guess that checks out. Kristin and Thomas revisit the ninja turtle topic, recommend some #GraphicMedicine appropriate picks, and say no to clowns. They also check out the latest ebook feature from Google, although Thomas is already smitten with ereading on the Kobo Aura One (though how could he not, right, deep-pocketed sponsor Rakuten?) All this and a knowing laugh for medical and academic librarians! You know what’s up. You’ve seen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Kobo as our next unofficial sponsor Daredevil + Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles = Connected Google + public library ebooks (strictly Overdrive?) PBS: How You Can Help Hurricane Victims In Puerto Rico       Kristin’s Picks Last Things 9781573246989 Roughneck 9781501160998 Thomas’s Picks Black Jack 9781934287279 Fragments of Horror 9781421580791   Find a comics shop near you Secret Stacks logo and avatar by Severin Piehl, go read his webcomic Tove Theme song by Julie Jurgens, y’all

We’ve got solar eclipse fever and there is no cure! Welcome to Secret Stacks Episode 35 for August! Kristin and Thomas talk about the dog days of summer, different library cosplay contests and more! Are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles superheroes? How great was Ducktales and how great will the new show be? They talk about the mess that was the response to “Make Mine Milkshake”. AND PICKS! Enjoy! Johnson City Public Library Wins Cosplay Contest #LibrarySuperHeroes Win A Teen Titans Cardboard Cutout from ALA!   “Make Mine Milkshake” George Perez On His 1987 Wonder Woman Pitch (shoutouts to editors Janice Race and Karen Berger!) Bonus! Some neat comics statues: Incredible Hulk Library Statue (2013) Statue of Harvey Pekar Unveiled (2012) Robocop Statue In Progress   Kristin’s Picks The Best We Could Do 9781419718779 Tangles 9781551111179 Thomas’s Picks Green Lanterns Vol. 2: The Phantom Lantern 9781401268497 God Country 9781534302341   Find a comics shop near you Secret Stacks logo and avatar by Severin

Kristin Lalonde: soft on Starfleet captains, hard on Batman! But wait: IS Kristin Batman? Are YOU? Don’t ask Alexa, she’s programmed to keep our secrets. Actually, can you order us some Werther’s Originals? Thomas and Kristin’s picks wound up predicting a whole lot of Eisner winners. Thomas has some games to recommend based on comics properties, plus some great animated films! Did you know a bunch of hot trailers debuted at San Diego Comic Con?? All this and the usual solid picks, now with lots of practical context! Eisner Award winners, 2017 John Lewis visits the Center For Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. (and not the National Museum of African American History and Culture) Almost Got ‘im: Batman: The Animated Series variant of Werewolf/Mafia Marie Enger and Ray are offering art prints to anyone who donates money to trans-friendly organizations and messages them the proof! (while supplies last) Free Go starter sets for schools/libraries! All 23 volumes of Hikaru No Go for schools/libraries for $25! Fat

Welcome to Episode 33 for July 2017! Happy Birthday, America! It’s a slow news cycle for comics, DC and Marvel haven’t done anything stupid of note recently so Kristin and Thomas talk a lot about nostalgia, Newspaper comics, and Archie! They also talk up School Library Journal and Shonen Jump. Plus some pretty great picks! Shonen Jump -Fun fact: Thomas once wrote them an open letter complaining about their move to all-digital. Now he’s singing their praises on a podcast. Poor public periodical policy has not obstructed his personal enjoyment! EBSCO’s SEE-IT award for comics literature (still accepting jury applications) Comics Curmudgeon Is Garfield Supposed To Be Funny? Dear CW, stop shipping Betty/Jughead The Weird & Wonderful Archie Comics Multiverse School Library Journal’s Good Comics For Kids blog Also check out SLJ’s graphic novel reporting How To Sound Professional When Talking About Cerebro Beware The Valkyries GoComics The Onion’s editorial cartoons Ducks Arrested For Loitering In Pennsylvan