Week ending February 15, 2019

Daubert, Michel & the Hergé Museum. Tintin: The Art of Hergé. ComicArts: Abrams. 2018. 480p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781419732751. pap. $29.99. Rated: Teen+. COMICS
This paperback edition of an art book originally published in French and English in 2013 commemorates the 90th anniversary of the iconic comics character Tintin, created by Belgian artist Georges Prosper Remi (1907–83), popularly known as Hergé. The volume opens with a description of the Hergé Museum near Brussels and a brief biography of the cartoonist, concluding with chapters on the enduring fame of his celebrated creation. Throughout are discussions of Tintin’s supporting cast, his travels, and the sources from which Hergé drew to tell his stories. The text is brief, making way for beautiful reproductions of the artist’s sketches, painted proofs, published pages, and non-Tintin work, as well as photos and memorabilia. Hergé’s brilliant draftsmanship makes perusing this a pleasure.
VERDICT While presenting only selected panels and pages of Tintin stories and thus not conveying the experience of reading the originals, this beautiful tribute to one of the giants of 20th-century sequential art will nonetheless enthrall Tintin fans and readers interested in the graphic medium.—Bill Hardesty, Georgia State Univ. Libs., Atlanta

Konietzko, Bryan & Michael Dante DiMartino (text) & Irene Koh & others (illus.). The Legend of Korra: Turf Wars; Library Edition. Dark Horse. Mar. 2019. 240p. ISBN 9781506702025. $39.99. Rated: Teen+. MEDIA TIE-IN
The 2014 finale of the Nickelodeon animated series The Legend of Korra (sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender ) saw dictator Kuvira defeated, downtown Republic City destroyed by a blast of spirit energy, and—in a landmark moment in children’s television—Avatar Korra walking hand-in-hand into the resulting interdimensional portal with her new girlfriend Asami Soto. Picking up the story moments later, the Dark Horse graphic novel written by series cocreators Konietzko and DiMartino, with art by Koh (Vault of Horror) and gorgeous coloring by Vivian Ng, focuses not only on the budding romance between the two women but on the complex fallout from the series’ aftermath. Despite the underdeveloped villain, the conflict involving organized crime, the government, homeless residents, airbenders, and angry spirits over the future of the damaged city is both realistic and fantastical and, in an interesting worldbuilding turn, explains how the world’s cultures regard same-sex relationships. This handsome library edition collecting the softcover trilogy ( The Promise; The Search; The Rift) includes concept artwork as well as introductions by DiMartino and Koh highlighting the significance of Korra for young LGBTQ+ audiences.
VERDICT Recommended as a satisfying bridge between the animated series and future Dark Horse installments, with the Kuvira-focused trilogy Ruins of the Empire scheduled for May 2019.—Michael Dudley, Univ. of Winnipeg Lib., Man.

Tubiana, Jérôme (text) & Alexandre Franc (illus.). Guantánamo Kid: The True Story of Mohammed El-Gharani. SelfMadeHero. Mar. 2019. 168p. bibliog. ISBN 9781910593660. $24.99. Rated: Teen+. MEMOIR/HIST
While not the first comic to depict the ethical quagmire that is Guantánamo Bay (see Jess Parker and Sarah Mirk’s webcomic Guantánamo Bay Is Still Open), this Amnesty International–endorsed volume is certainly the most comprehensive. Mohammed El-Gharani is just 13 or 14 when he travels to Pakistan to study English and information technology. Shortly after arriving, he’s arrested during a raid on his mosque. “The Pakistani government wants to sell you to the Americans, 5,000 dollars each,” one of the friendlier officers tells him. Labeled an enemy combatant based on two other detainees’ testimony, El-Gharani is detained at Guantánamo for seven years without trial, subject to many brutalities at the hands of sadistic guards and, worse, apathetic or cowardly bureaucrats. Journalist Tubiana’s present-day epilog reveals that the effects of El-Gharani’s imprisonment endure long after his release; unfortunately, the judge’s proclamation of innocence did not mean he would be treated like an innocent man.
VERDICT Compellingly told with simple yet effective black-and-white illustrations from artist Franc (Agatha: The Real Life of Agatha Christie), this account of one of the more shameful skeletons in America’s closet is a thoughtful nonfiction addition to any adult collection and, considering there are still 40 detainees at Guantánamo in 2019, as relevant as ever. [An editor’s pick, LJ 2/19.]—Ingrid Bohnenkamp, Springfield–Greene Cty. Lib. Dist., MO

Various. 24 Panels: An Anthology Comic To Aid PTSD Needs of Survivors of the Grenfell Tower Fire. Image. 2018. 112p. ISBN 9781534311268. pap. $16.99. Rated: Teen+. COMICS
On the night of June 14, 2017, the Grenfell Tower apartments in West London went up in flames, killing 72 and injuring many more. Materials used in building renovation were substandard for the height of the 24-story structure, and burning insulation emitted toxic cyanide gases. The rapid spread of the fire trapped many of the victims, destroying lives, families, and a community. This anthology of graphic works parallels the paperback collection 24 Stories of Hope for the Survivors of the Grenfell Tower Fire. These 24 comics in 24 panels or less capture the essence of the suffering of the survivors, whose hopes and dreams were destroyed in minutes. The contributing artists and writers, including Alan Moore, Kieron Gillen, Alex de Campi, and many others, are helping to repair the psyches of these individuals with this empathetic treatment of Grenfell and similar horrors, with funds from sales supporting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) therapy.
VERDICT A must for libraries offering graphic novels to their teen and older patrons. Art reaches out to heal damaged lives and provide needed treatment in this outstanding survey of contemporary British comic and graphic arts.—-Cliff Glaviano, formerly with Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH