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1984: The Graphic Novel by George Orwell

War is Peace * Freedom is Slavery * Ignorance is Strength

In 1984, London is a grim city in the totalitarian state of Oceania where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind.  Winston Smith is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions.  Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called the Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party.  Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.  With evocative, immersive art from Fido Nesti, this vision of George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece provides a new perspective for longtime fans but is also an accessible entry point for young readers and adults who have yet to discover the iconic story that is still so relevant today.

he Art of War: A Graphic Novel by Sun Tzu

Hailed as the oldest philosophical discussion on military strategy, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War has been adapted as a graphic novel by award-winning illustrator Pete Katz.  In this collectible thread-bound edition, the narrative focuses on a teacher instructing a pupil on the main points of Sun Tzu’s treatise, with vibrant battle scenes interspersed throughout.  Issues such as planning, tactics, maneuvering, and spying are illustrated with full-color scenes, so that readers may gain a greater understanding of principles from the fifth century B.C.

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei (Graphic Novel)

George Takei has captured hearts and minds worldwide with his captivating stage presence and outspoken commitment to equal rights.  But long before he braved new frontiers in Star Trek, he woke up as a four-year-old boy to find his own birth country at war with his father's -- and their entire family forced from their home into an uncertain future.  In 1942, at the order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every person of Japanese descent on the west coast was rounded up and shipped to one of ten "relocation centers," hundreds or thousands of miles from home, where they would be held for years under armed guard.  They Called Us Enemy is Takei's firsthand account of those years behind barbed wire, the joys and terrors of growing up under legalized racism, his mother's hard choices, his father's faith in democracy, and the way those experiences planted the seeds for his astonishing future.  What does it mean to be American?  Who gets to decide?  When the world is against you, what can one person do?  To answer these questions, George Takei joins co-writers Justin Eisinger & Steven Scott and artist Harmony Becker for the journey of a lifetime.

The Comic Book Story of Beer: The World’s Favorite Beverage from 7000 BC to Today’s Craft Brewing Revolution by Jonathan Hennessey and Mike Smith and illustrated by Aaron McConnell

The History of Beer Comes to Life!  We drink it.  We love it.  But how much do we really know about beer?  Starting from around 7000 BC, beer has emerged as a major element driving humankind’s development, a role it has continued to play through today’s craft brewing explosion.  With The Comic Book Story of Beer, the first-ever nonfiction graphic novel focused on this most favored beverage, you can follow along from the very beginning, as authors Jonathan Hennessey and Mike Smith team up with illustrator Aaron McConnell to present the key figures, events, and, yes, beers that shaped and frequently made history.  No boring, old historical text here, McConnell’s versatile art style—moving from period-accurate renderings to cartoony diagrams to historical caricatures and back—finds an equal and effective partner in the pithy, informative text of Hennessey and Smith presented in captions and word balloons on each page.  The end result is a filling mixture of words and pictures sure to please the beer aficionado and comics geek alike.

The Life of Frederick Douglass: A Graphic Narrative of a Slave’s Journey from Bondage to Freedom by David F. Walker, Damon Smyth, and Marissa Louise

A graphic novel biography of the escaped slave, abolitionist, public speaker, and most photographed man of the nineteenth century, based on his autobiographical writings and speeches, spotlighting the key events and people that shaped the life of this great American.  Recently returned to the cultural spotlight, Frederick Douglass's impact on American history is felt even in today's current events.  Comic book writer and filmmaker David F. Walker joins with the art team of Damon Smyth and Marissa Louise to bring the long, exciting, and influential life of Douglass to life in comic book form.  Taking you from Douglass's life as a young slave through his forbidden education to his escape and growing prominence as a speaker, abolitionist, and influential cultural figure during the Civil War and beyond, The Life of Frederick Douglass presents a complete illustrated portrait of the man who stood up and spoke out for freedom and equality.  Along the way, special features provide additional background on the history of slavery in the United States, the development of photography (which would play a key role in the spread of Douglass's image and influence), and the Civil War.  Told from Douglass's point of view and based on his own writings, The Life of Frederick Douglass provides an up-close-and-personal look at a history-making American who was larger than life.

Conan the Barbarian Epic Collection: The Original Marvel Years – The Coming of Conan Written by Roy Thomas and Illustrated by Barry Windsor-Smith and Gil Kane

The greatest saga in sword-and-sorcery history begins - the saga of Conan!  Born on a battlefield in the frozen lands of Cimmeria, Conan fights his way through the untamed Hyborian kingdoms, sparing no man, woman or wizard his wrath.  His adventures will become legend.  He will become king.  Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith brought Robert E. Howard's iconic creation to four-color life with work that set new standards for comic book storytelling.  Marvel is honored to present their original epic sagas - all painstakingly restored to match the majesty of the original editions.  In these early exploits, Conan ventures from his homeland for the first time, honing his skills as a thief, mercenary, and above all, warrior!  Includes: CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1970) 1-13 AND MATERIAL FROM CHAMBER OF DARKNESS (1969) 4

The Hobbit: An illustrated edition of the fantasy classic by J.R.R. Tolkien

When Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves embark upon a dangerous quest to reclaim the hoard of gold stolen from them by the evil dragon Smaug, Gandalf the wizard suggests an unlikely accomplice: Bilbo Baggins, an unassuming Hobbit dwelling in peaceful Hobbiton.  Along the way, the company faces trolls, goblins, giant spiders, and worse. But as they journey from the wonders of Rivendell to the terrors of Mirkwood and beyond, Bilbo will find that there is more to him than anyone—himself included—ever dreamed. Unexpected qualities of courage and cunning, and a love of adventure, propel Bilbo toward his great destiny . . . a destiny that waits in the dark caverns beneath the Misty Mountains, where a twisted creature known as Gollum jealously guards a precious magic ring.

The Thief of Always by Clive Barker - Graphic Novel

Mr. Hood's Holiday House has stood for a thousand years, welcoming countless children into its embrace.  It is a place of miracles, a blissful round of treats and seasons, where every childhood whim may be satisfied... for a price!  A graphic adaptation of Clive Barker's hit novel, featuring full color art by Gabriel Hernandez.

The Black Panther Party by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson

Founded in Oakland, California, in 1966, the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense was a radical political organization that stood in defiant contrast to the mainstream civil rights movement.  This gripping illustrated history explores the impact and significance of the Panthers, from their social, educational, and healthcare programs that were designed to uplift the Black community to their battle against police brutality through citizen patrols and frequent clashes with the FBI, which targeted the Party from its outset.  Using dramatic comic book-style retellings and illustrated profiles of key figures, The Black Panther Party captures the major events, people, and actions of the party, as well as their cultural and political influence and enduring legacy.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

In 1953, Ray Bradbury envisioned one of the world's most unforgettable dystopian futures, and in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, the artist Tim Hamilton translates this frightening modern masterpiece into a gorgeously imagined graphic novel.  As could only occur with Bradbury's full cooperation in this authorized adaptation, Hamilton has created a striking work of art that uniquely captures Montag's awakening to the evil of government-controlled thought and the inestimable value of philosophy, theology, and literature.  Including an original foreword by Ray Bradbury and fully depicting the brilliance and force of his canonic and beloved masterwork, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is an exceptional, haunting work of graphic literature.

Illegal: A Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, and illustrated by Giovanni Rigano

How can a human being be illegal for simply existing?  Ebo is alone.  His brother, Kwame, has disappeared, and Ebo knows it can only be to attempt the hazardous journey to Europe, and a better life―the same journey their sister set out on months ago.  But Ebo refuses to be left behind in Ghana.  He sets out after Kwame and joins him on the quest to reach Europe.  Ebo's epic journey takes him across the Sahara Desert to the dangerous streets of Tripoli, and finally out to the merciless sea.  But with every step he holds on to his hope for a new life, and a reunion with his family.  An achingly poignant tale for learning about immigration and current global issues.  This book is fiction, but it is based on a very real and terrible journey.  There are young people who have lived this, and it is a story those young people want us to know about.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

An American classic and one of the world’s seminal antiwar books, Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five is faithfully presented in graphic novel form for the first time from Eisner Award-winning writer Ryan North (How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler) and Eisner Award-nominated artist Albert Monteys (Universe!).  Listen:  Billy Pilgrim has read Kilgore Trout, opened a successful optometry business, built a loving family, witnessed the firebombing of Dresden, traveled to the planet Tralfamadore, met Kurt Vonnegut, and come unstuck in time.  Billy Pilgrim’s journey is at once a farcical look at the horror and tragedy of war where children are placed on the frontlines and die (so it goes), and a moving examination of what it means to be fallibly human.