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L.A. Times Book Prize Adds Graphic Novel Category

This year’s Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalists include a list of five graphic novels, a first in the award’s thirty year history.  The inclusion of graphic novels is highlighted enthusiastically in their announcement, and rightfully so.  The five finalists represent a strong selection of titles, from journalistic nonfiction Joe Sacco’s Footnotes in Gaza to the fan-favorite Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe.

It is particularly pleasing to see Taiyo Matsumoto’s GoGo Monster on the list, as often manga is left off of U.S. awards lists unless recognized in a separate category.  The mix of publishers, from the more independent comics publishers like Fantagraphics (Luba) and Oni Press (Scott Pilgrim) to the mainstream book publishers like Random House’s Pantheon (Asterios Polyp), also represents the diversity of current graphic novel publishing.  Noticeably absent are any mainstream comics titles from any of the major publishers including Marvel or DC Comics.

A graphic novel also appears in the Young Adult category; Shaun Tan’s Tales from Outer Suburbia.

Luba (Love and Rockets)
Gilbert Hernandez
Retail Price: $39.99
Hardcover: 608 pages
Publisher: Fantagraphics Books – (2009-06-23)
ISBN / EAN: 1560979607 / 9781560979609

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GoGo Monster
Taiyo Matsumoto
Retail Price: $27.99
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC – (2009-12-08)
ISBN / EAN: 1421532093 / 9781421532097

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Asterios Polyp
David Mazzucchelli
Retail Price: $29.95
Hardcover: 344 pages
Publisher: Pantheon – (2009-07-07)
ISBN / EAN: 0307377326 / 9780307377326

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Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe
Bryan Lee O’Malley
Retail Price: $11.95
Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: Oni Press – (2009-02-18)
ISBN / EAN: 1934964107 / 9781934964101

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Footnotes in Gaza: A Graphic Novel
Joe Sacco
Retail Price: $29.95
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Metropolitan Books – (2009-12-22)
ISBN / EAN: 0805073477 / 9780805073478

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Tales From Outer Suburbia
Shaun Tan
Retail Price: $19.99
Hardcover: 96 pages
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books – (2009-02-01)
ISBN / EAN: 0545055873 / 9780545055871

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 7:59 am and is filed under Awards. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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