Dr. Charles Coletta | BGSU Pop Culture Professor
I have selected four titles to highlight in celebration of “National Comic Book Day.” The first two texts that I have chosen are the creations of BGSU alums.
Showcase Presents: Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld by Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn
Showcase Presents: Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld collects the popular 1980s series from DC Comics. Creators Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn were childhood friends who both attended BGSU. Amethyst debuted in 1983 and tells the story of a seemingly ordinary girl named Amy Winston who discovers she is the orphaned princess of the magical world of Gemworld. She discovers that its evil ruler, Dark Opal, is out to destroy her and so she travels to Gemworld to overthrow him. This is a great story for those who enjoyed the Harry Potter books. Amethyst is a strong and resourceful heroine who takes her readers on exciting adventures as she learns how to use her magical abilities and save her mystical realm.
All Ghouls School by Marc Sumerak
For my second selection, I have chosen All Ghouls School by BGSU alum Marc Sumerak. This is another fun graphic novel for young readers. Becca Norman is a brainy, beautiful, and popular high school student who becomes involved in a cheating scandal. As punishment, she’s sent to Darkmoor Academy, a creepy old boarding school. Becca discovers that Darkmoor is a finishing school for girl monsters and that she’s been enrolled as the first human student. This story has a fine mix of comedy and chills!
Saga by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples
My third selection is Saga, an epic space opera/ fantasy comic book series by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples. This “mature readers” tale depicts two lovers from long-warring extraterrestrial races, Alana and Marko, fleeing authorities from both sides of a galactic war as they struggle to care for their newborn daughter, Hazel, who occasionally narrates the series. Vaughn is a master at creating fully dimensional characters whose lives are a filled with the mundane realities of parenthood occurring within a fantastic universe of strange planets, mythical creatures, and bizarre adventures. Vaughn’s writing is well matched with Staples’ detailed and textured artwork.
DC: The New Frontier by Darwyn Cooke
Finally, for my fourth selection I have chosen DC: The New Frontier by the late writer and illustrator Darwyn Cooke. This six-issue miniseries is set during the 1950s and early 1960s and features Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the roster of DC Comics superheroes navigating the Cold War era. This is the best of epic superhero storytelling as it traces the enduring appeal of these iconic characters. It’s great fun for both longtime readers as well as those with only a glancing knowledge of DC Comics history.
Charles Coletta has taught in the Department of Popular Culture at Bowling Green State University since 2000. He teaches courses related to Comics Studies, Contemporary Popular Literature, Television Studies, and Media Studies. He’s a longtime comics reader and has written for several academic comics related texts, including: The St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, The Encyclopedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels, Icons of the American Comic Book, and Comics Through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas. In 2006, he assisted BGSU alumna Eva Marie Saint in preparation for her role of “Martha Kent” in Superman Returns.
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