December 31, 2012

2013 Challenge Button

Thank you to the generous talents of Carrie @ West Virginia Red Reads we now have a button for the 2013 Challenge.  Feel free to add this to your blog and use it when mentioning the challenge.  Right click and download the small or big one.

Thanks Carrie!!





    

December 20, 2012

Graphic Novel Challenge 2013 Sign-Ups

It's almost time for the 2013 challenge to start and so we'll start taking names of participants now.  There will be two ways to play and two levels this year!  Please write a sign-up post on your blog and then sign-up below with a link to your specific sign-up post.  Here is how the Challenge will play this year:


runs from Jan.1 - Dec. 31, 2013

Levels
Level 1: read and review 12 books during the year (you could spread them out and read one a month or have a blast and read all 12 in a row!)

Level 2: read and review 24 books during the year (same as above only you would read two a month for the slow rate)

Game Play

Basic: no change from last year. just read any book generally considered a graphic novel, manga, or collection of comics, write a review and link to your post.

Advanced:  For advanced play we are going to play categories.  Players will pick 1 book from each of the 12 categories below.  If you are playing at Level 2 you could double up, choosing two from each category, or use the remainder as free picks.  You only have to read one book from each of the 12 categories.

1. manga
2. superhero
3. classic adaptation (a classic work adapted into the graphic format)
4. memoir
5. fantasy
6. translated from a foreign language
7. a single-issue comic book
8. science-fiction
9. crime or mystery
10. fairytale or mythology (true to the original or fractured, such as Fables series)
11. children's book (specifically written for children)
12. anthology (a collection of short stories by different authors/artists)

Any questions just ask in the comments.


December 1, 2012

December Reads

And here we come to the conclusion of our 2012 Graphic Novel Challenge! This is our month to catch up and finish off the challenge. So many of you are close!

Congratulations to Jim for completing the challenge and then some!

Next year, the challenge will run the same way with the basic challenge to read and review 12 graphic novels over the course of the year.  However, I thought I'd mix it up and add some variety by adding themed challenges/levels as well.  What I have planned will be a lot of fun and add some excitement but for those who don't like change the basic way we've always played will still be an option.  I will also be changing one rule on how we keep track of how many books you've read.  You'll be responsible for reporting in, rather than me keeping tally but more on that in January.

For now, let's see how many can join the nine of us who have completed the 2012 Challenge by the end of the year.  Are you up to it??

Twelve and Over:
Nicola: 118
Tom: 35
Karissa's Reading Review: 29
Aaron: 21
Mervi: 19
Jim Black: 16
T Frances: 15
John: 14
Sandy: 12

Rankings:
Joseph: 11
Joe: 10
Larissa: 10
Tattoogirl: 8
Bex: 6
Reading Challenged: 4
Kat: 4
The misanthropologist: 3
Tif: 3
Chris@ Nerf Reader: 3
Healiel: 2
GuadiRC: 2
Nancy: 1
Jean-Paul: 1


November 1, 2012

November Reads

Congratulations are in order for our October winner for the Halloween Prize pack from Eureka Productions:

#29. Karissa's REading REview



Status as of end of October:
 Nobody finished the challenge this month but a coulple of you are close. Tattoogirl joined this month and has risen to 7 books read & reviewed already.  That's the way to do it!  Some of our non-active members have got back into the game; keep up the reading, you still have two hole months to complete the challenge!

Twelve and Over:
Nicola: 108
Tom: 35
Karissa's Reading Review: 28
Aaron: 21
Mervi: 19
T Frances: 15
John: 13
Sandy: 12

Rankings:
Joseph: 10
Larissa: 10
Joe: 8
Tattoogirl: 7
Jim Black: 7
Bex: 6
Reading Challenged: 4
Kat: 4
Tif: 3
Chris@ Nerf Reader: 3
The misanthropologist:2
Healiel: 2
GuadiRC: 2
Nancy: 1

Jean-Paul: 1

October 1, 2012

October GIVEAWAY & Reading Linky

Fall is full upon us here where I live.  I've always found fall to be great for reading and this month we have an extra incentive for you keep reading Graphic Novels!

Courtesy of Tom Pomplun at Eureka Productions, the Graphic Classics Publisher has offered our group a PRIZE Pack of 3 Graphic Classic Volumes to 1 lucky winner this month!!  The publisher is generous enough to open the Contest to all our members, making it an International Giveaway.

This will include the BRAND NEW release Halloween Classics: Vol. 23



The recently revised 4th edition Edgar Allan Poe: Vol. 1


The ever popular best-selling Bram Stoker, Vol. 7


How to enter the giveaway.  You must be signed up as a paarticipant of this blog challenge.  Enter a link to your review in the linky below as usual.  Each link you enter will count as 1 entry to the giveaway.  (ie. read and review 1 book this month = 1 entry into the contest; read and review 7 books this month = 7 entries into the contest).  (N.B. My links (Nicola) will be listed below but, obviously, will be excluded from the choosing a random winner process.  These are great books!  I have Halloween in my hands and it looks spectacular, especially "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari"!  I reviewed Edgar Allan Poe here, and I have Bram Stoker on ILL at the library.  

As usual, record your October reads below:  Remember each link equals one entry to the giveaway.



Status as of end of September:
 Congratulations to John for completing the challenge last month! Please keep adding your reviews for the rest of the year. Welcome to a late joiner who is already climbing the ranks in October! Tatoogirl.
 
Twelve and Over:
Nicola: 95 Tom: 30
Karissa's Reading Review: 27
Aaron: 21
Mervi: 19
T Frances: 15
John: 12
Sandy: 12

Rankings:
Larissa: 10
Joseph: 9
Joe: 8
Jim Black: 6
Bex: 6
Reading Challenged: 4
Kat: 4
Tif: 3
Chris@ Nerf Reader: 3
Healiel: 2
GuadiRC: 2
Nancy: 1
The misanthropologist:1
Jean-Paul: 1

September 1, 2012

September Reads

August was a successful month for us, with lots of combined reading. Congratulations to Sandy for completing the challenge this month!
John has quickly moved up the ranks from near the bottom to closing in on the finish line.
Several people are moving steadily up in the ranks and, alas, we seem to have lost a few participants who are sitting at 1,2, or 3 books read & reviewed and not moving.
As always we have a very eclectic mix of genres represented. I love the varied selection this group is representing! But we do seem to have a small Fables & Superheroes theme this month. I'm thrilled to see our first Asterix comic added to the list. Keep up the great reviews people! We are entering our last quarter of this years challenge.

Status as of end of August:

Twelve and Over:
Nicola: 80 (finally got my count corrected!)
Tom: 24
Karissa's Reading Review: 25
Aaron: 20
T Frances: 15
Mervi: 16
Sandy: 12

Rankings:
Larissa: 10
John: 9
Joseph: 7
Bex: 6
Jim Black: 5
Joe: 5
Reading Challenged: 4
Kat: 4
 Tif: 3
 Chris@ Nerf Reader: 3
 Healiel: 2
 GuadiRC: 2
 Nancy: 1
The misanthropologist:1
 Jean-Paul: 1

August 1, 2012

August Reads

Congratulations to T Frances who completed the challenge in July. Please feel free to continue linking to your reviews throughout the rest of the year. Take a look at the rankings below.

Status as of end of July:

Twelve and Over: 
 Nicola: 53
 Tom: 23
Karissa's Reading Review: 22
Aaron: 20
 T Frances: 15
Mervi: 14

 Rankings: 
 Larissa: 10
Sandy: 8
Joseph: 6
Jim Black: 5
Joe: 5
Reading Challenged: 4
Kat: 4
John: 3
 Tif: 3
 Chris@ Nerf Reader: 3
Bex: 2
 Healiel: 2
 GuadiRC: 2
 Nancy: 1
The misanthropologist:1
 Jean-Paul: 1

Individual Books Read Up and Including August:

Jason Aaron:  Punisher Max: Kingpin (Jim)


Ninomiya Ai: Are You Alice? Vol. 1 (Healiel) 

Natsumi Ando:  Arisa, Vol. 2 (Sandy)

Anthologies: Tall: Great American Folktales (Nicola)

Arnold Are: The Mythology Class (Nancy)

Hiroyuki Asada: Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 1 (Larissa); Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 7 (Nicola); Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 8 (Nicola)

Atsuko Asano: NO.6, Vol. 1 (Healiel)

Penelope Bagieu: 
Cadavre Exquis (Larissa); La Page Blanche (Larissa)

Frank Beddor: 
Hatter M, Vol. 1 (Karissa); (TFrances); Hatter M, Vol. 2 (TFrances); Hatter M, Vol. 3 (TFrances)

Alison Bechdel: Fun Home (Bex)

Arne Bellstorf: Baby's in Black (Nicola)

Brian Michael Bendis: Torso: A True Crime Graphic Novel (Nicola)

Hannah Berry: Britten and Brulightly (Chris@Nerfreader)

Ned Bowden: Holliday (Nicola)


Raymond Briggs: 
When the Wind Blows (Nicola); Ethel & Ernest, a true story (Nicola)


Joe Brusha: Neverland (Karissa)

Charles Burns: Black Hole (John)

Kurt Busiek: 
Superstar: As Seen On TV (Jim Black);
Avengers: The Morgan Conquest (Mervi); Avengers: Assemble, vol.1 (Mervi); Avengers Assemble, vol. 2 (Mervi); Avengers: Living Legends (Mervi); Avengers Forever (Mervi)

Blair Butler:  Heart (Joe)

Gail Carriger:  Soulless, Vol. 1 (Sandy)

Michael Cavallero: The Wizard of Oz (Tom)

Scott Chantler: Two Generals (John)

Scott Ciencin: Power at the Plate (Nicola)

Clamp: X 3-in1. Vol.1 (Nicola); X 3-in-1. Vol. 2 (Nicola)

Chris Claremont:  Essential X-Men Vol. 3 (Mervi)

Daniel Clowes: The Death-Ray (Kat)

Max Allan Collins: Road to Perdition (John)

Tim Conrad: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Nicola)

Richard Corben: Creepy Presents Richard Corben (Nicola)

Paul Cornell: Batman & Robin: Dark Knight, White Knight (Karissa)

Willow Dawson: Hyena in Petticoats, The Story of Suffragette Nellie McClung (Nicola)

Keith R.A. DeCandido: Star Trek :TNG: Perchance to Dream (Mervi)

Nunzio DeFillipis: The Avalon Chronicles #1 (Nicola)

Guy DeLisle: Burma Chronicles (Larissa); Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City (Larissa)

Ian Edington:  Leviathon (Nicola)

Will Eisner: The Contract with God Trilogy (John)

Garth Ennis: The Boys, Vol. 9 (TFrances); The Boy, Vol.10 (TFrances)

Gerry Finley-Day: Rogue Trooper: Tales of Nu-Earth Vol. 01 (Nicola)

Christos Gage:  Sunset (Nicola)

Michel Gagne: The Saga of Rex (Karissa)

Neil Gaiman: 

The Sandman #1: Preludes & Nocturnes (TFrances); The Sandman #2 (TFrances)The Sandman #4 (TFrances); The Sandman #5 (TFrances); 
Death: The High Cost of Living (Larissa); Death: Time of Your Life (Larissa)
1602 (Bex)


Amy Kin Ganter: Sorcerers and Secretaries, Vol. 2 (Sandy)

Rick Geary: The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans (Nicola)

Kasra Ghanbari: Monocyte (Nicola)

Rene Goscinny: Asterix in Britain (Joseph)

Graphic Classics: Vol. 9, Robert Louis Stevenson (Nicola); Vol. 22, African-American Classics (Nicola);

Alan Grant: Judge Andersen: The Psychic Crime Files (Nicola)

Justin Gray: Trailblazer (Jim Black)

Nathan Hale: One Dead Spy (Nicola)

Steve Henglehart: Marvel Treasury Edition #26, The Rampaging Hulk (John)

Jim Henson: Tale of Sand (Jean-Paul)

Herge:
Cigars of the Pharoah (Aaron); The Blue Lotus (Aaron); The Broken Ear (Aaron); The Black Island (Aaron); King Ottokar's Sceptre (Aaron); The Crab with the Golden Claws (Aaron); The Shooting Star (Aaron); The Secret of the Unicorn (Aaron); Red Rackham's Treasure (Aaron); The Seven Crystal Balls (Aaron); Prisoners of the Sun (Aaron); Land of Black Gold (Aaron); Destination Moon (Aaron); Explorers on the Moon (Aaron); The Calculus Affair (Aaron); The Red Sea Sharks (Aaron); Tintin in Tibet (Aaron); The Castsifiore Emerald (Aaron); Flight 714 (Aaron); Tintin and the Picaros (Aaron)

Faith Erin Hicks: 
Friends with Boys (Nicola); Zombies Calling (Nicola)

Joe Hill: Locke and Key #1: Welcome to Lovecraft (Tif); Locke and Key #5: Clockworks (Karissa)

Gareth Hinds: The Odyssey (Tom)

Shane Houghton:  Reed Gunther,The Bear Riding Cowboy: Volume 1 (Nicola)

Humayoun Ibrahim: Jack Vance's The Moon Moth (Nicola); (Karissa)

Carla Jablonski: Victory, Resistance Bk 3 (Nicola)

Jeff Jensen: Green River Killer: A True Detective Story (Nicola)

Jeff Johns: The Brightest Day, Vol. 2 (Tom); The Justice League, Vol. 1: The Origin (Nicola)

R. Kikuo Johnson: The Shark King (Tom)

Antony Johnston: The Coldest City (Nicola)

Chigusa Kawai: Alice the 101st, Vol. 2 (Reading Challenged)

Kazu Kibuishi: Amulet #5 (Karissa)

Robert Kirkman: 
Super Dinosaur, Vol. 1 (Nicola); 
The Walking Dead, Vol. 1 (GuadiRC); (Tom), The Walking Dead, Vol. 2 (Tom); The Walking Dead, Vol. 3 (Tom); The Walking Dead, Vol. 4 (Tom) (TFrances); The Walking Dead, Vol. 10 (Joseph); The Walking Dead, Vol. 11 (Joseph); The Walking Dead, Vol. 12 (Joseph)

Tite Kubo: Bleach, vol. 37 (Kat)

Lang, John: Lone Hawk: The Story of Air Ace Billy Bishop
 (Nicola)

Joseph Lanzara: 
Dante's The Inferno: The Graphic Novel (Tom); (Nicola)

Tony Lee:
Excalibur: The Legend of King Arthur (Tom); Doctor Who: The Forgotten (TFrances)

Jeff Lemire: Animal Man, Vol. 1 (Tom)

Robert James Luedke: Eyewitness: Unknown God (Tom)

Brian Lynch: Angel, vol. 6: Last Angel in Hell (Larissa)

Ellie Mamahara: Double Cast (Reading Challenged)

David Michelini: The Avengers: Nights of Wondergrore (Mervi)

Mike Mignola: B.P.R.D.: Being Human (Joseph); 
Masks & Monsters (Joseph)

Frank Miller: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (John)

Rutu Modan: Maya Makes a Mess (Tom)

Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba: Daytripper (the misanthropologist)

Alan Moore: 
Tom Strong, Book 3 (Mervi); Tom Strong, Book 4 (Mervi); Tom Strong, Book 6 (Mervi)

Leah Moore: Doctor Who: Through Time and Space (TFrances)

Tom Morello: Orchid, Vol. 1 (Nicola)

Grant Morrison: Judge Dredd: Crusade & Frankenstein Division (Nicola)

Mozchops: Salsa Invertebraxa (Nicola)

Ted Naifeh: 
Courtney Crumrin in the Twilight Kingdom (Karissa); Courtney Crumrin and the Coven of Mystics (Karissa); Courtney Crumrin's Monstrous Holiday (Karissa)


Jai Nitz: Tron: Betrayal (Tom)

George O'Connor: Hades: Lord of the Dead (Nicola)

Héctor Germán Oesterheld: El Eternauta (GuadiRC)

Bryan Lee O'Malley: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life (Nicola)

Megumi Osuga: 
MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 7 (Nicola); MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 8 (Nicola); MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 9 (Nicola); MAOH: Juvenile Remix, Vol. 10 (Nicola)

Greg Pak: Alpha Flight, Vol. 1 (Jim Black)

JT Petty: Bloody Chester (Nicola)

James Patterson: Maximum Ride, Vol. 3 (Sandy); Maximum Ride, Vol. 4 (Sandy); Maximum Ride, Vol. 5 (Sandy)

David Peterson: 
Mouse Guard: Fall of 1152 (Karissa); Mouse Guard: Winter of 1152 (Karissa)

Peyo: The Smurfs #8: The Smurf Apprentice (Tom); The Smurfs #10: The Return of Smurfette (Tom)

QuinRose: Alice in the Country of Hearts, v.1 (Sandy)

Mike Raicht: The Jungle (Karissa)

Scott Mitchell Rosenberg: Cowboys and Aliens (Tom)

Greg Rucka: Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia (Tom)

Chris Ryell: Complete Zombies Vs. Robots (Joseph)

Marjanne Satrapi: Embroideries (Larissa); Chicken with Plums (Larissa); Persepolis 1 (TFrances); Persepolis 2 (TFrances)

Bob Schrek: Jurassic Park: Redemption (Tom)

Mark Schultz: Tom Strong, Book5 (Mervi)

Chris Schweizer: Crogan's Loyalty (Nicola)

Tim Seeley: The Occultist, Vol. 1 (Nicola)

Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream: Manga Edition (TFrances)

Hiroshi Shiibashi: 
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 5 (Nicola); Nura:Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 6 (Nicola); Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 7 (Nicola), Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 8 (Nicola); Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 9 (Nicola)

Brian Smith: The Stuff of Legend #3: A Jester's Tale (Karissa); 

Voltron Force, vol. 1: Shelter From the Storm (Nicola); Volton Force v.2: Tournament of Lions (Nicola)

Kevin Smith: The Bionic Man Vol. 1 (Nicola)

Scott Snyder: 
American Vampire Vol.1 (Tom); American Vampire vol. 2 (Tom); Batman: Black Mirror (Tom); (Joe)

Kean Soo: Jellaby (Nicola); (Chris@Nerfreader); Jellaby:Monster in the City (Nicola)

Nadja Speigelman:  Zig and Wikki in the Cow (Tom); (Nicola)

Ashley Spires: Binky, The Space Cat (Karissa); Binky Under Pressure (Nicola)


John Stanley:   Yow! Drawn & Quarterly Presents A "John Stanley Library" Grab-Bag for Free Comic Book Day 2010 (Nicola)


Roger Stern: Avengers: Under Siege (Mervi) 

Studio Ghibli: 
The Secret World of Arrietty, vol. 1 (Nicola); The Secret World of Arrietty, vol. 2 (Nicola)


Mary M Talbot - Dotter of her Father's Eyes (Nicola)


Brandon Terrell: Riptide Pride (Nicola) 

Yumi Tsukirino: 
Fluffy, Fluffy Cinamoroll, Vol.1 (Nicola); Fluffy, Fluffy, Cinnamoroll, vol. 2 (Nicola)

Sara Varon: Bake Sale (Karissa)


Brian K. Vaughn: Pride of Baghdad (John)

John Wagner: Judge Dredd: When Judges Go Bad (Nicola); Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 05 (Nicola)

Aron Warner: Pariah, Issue #2 (Sandy)
Zeb Wells: X-Men: Second Coming (Merv)

Scott Westerfield:
Ugly's: Shays Story (Karissa)

Joshua Williamson:  Xenoholics, Vol. 1 (Nicola)

Willingham, Bill: 

Fables #2: Animal Farm (Bex); 
Fables #3: Storybook Love (Bex); 
Fables #4: March of the Wooden Soldiers (Karissa) (Larissa) (Bex); 
Fables #5: The Mean Seasons (Karissa); 
Fables #8: Wolves (Karissa); 
Fables #10: The Good Prince (Karissa); 
Fables #11: War and Pieces (Karissa); 
Fables #12: The Dark Ages (Karissa); 
Fables #13: The Great Fables Crossover (Karissa); 
Fables 14: Witches (Karissa); 
Fables #16:Super Team (Kat)

Marv Wolfman: Teen Titans: Games (Jim Black)

Craig Yoe: Bob Powell's Terror, Vol. 2 (Kat)

Boaz Yakin: Marathon (Nicola)

Jane Yolen: The Last Dragon (Nicola); (Chris@NerfReader

Kiiro Yumi: Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 7 (Nicola)