Cold Mountain Graphic Novel

Here is a graphic novel portrait of the wild antics and legendary poetry of two of China’s greatest poets. Han Shan (known as "Cold Mountain") and Shih Te lived during the Tang dynasty (618–906 C.E.) and were critics of authority (both secular and religious) and champions of social justice. They left their poetry on tree trunks and rocks, and they were also reportedly monastics, drunks, cave dwellers, immortals, and many other unconventional and wondrous things. There is much delightful uncertainty about this "Laughing Pair"—including whether or not they actually even existed. What is known is that the poetry attributed to them was hugely influential in both China and Japan, and to the Beat writers in the United States during the 1950s and ’60s. Acclaimed manga creator Sean Michael Wilson, along with illustrator Akiko Shimojima and expert translator J. P. Seaton, brings these renegade poets to life, revealing their humor and wackiness and also their penetrating insights into the human condition.

A graphic novel portrait of the wild antics and legendary poetry of the "Laughing Pair"—Han Shan and Shih Te, two of China's greatest poets. This is a smart, funny graphic novel exploring the life, legend, and lore of two of the greatest poets in Chinese history—Han Shan (known as "Cold Mountain") and Shih Te—who reportedly lived during the Tang dynasty (618-906 CE). They were critics of authority (both secular and religious) and champions of social justice who left their poetry on tree trunks and rocks. They were also reportedly monastics, drunks, cave dwellers, immortals, and many other wild and wondrous things. There is much delightful uncertainty about this "Laughing Pair"—including whether or not they actually existed. What is known is that the poetry attributed to them was greatly influential in both China and Japan, and to the Beat writers in the United States during the 1950s and '60s. Acclaimed manga creator Sean Michael Wilson has brought these renegade poets to life, showing the places they went and the philosophical and meditative aspects of their lives, as well as revealing their humor and wackiness and their penetrating insights into the human condition.Their poetry is interwoven throughout—translations by J. P. Seaton, one of the most respected tranlsators of Chinese poetry in the United States.

A wounded Confederate soldier treks across the ruins of America in this National Book Award–winning novel: “A stirring Civil War tale told with epic sweep.” —People Sorely wounded and fatally disillusioned in the fighting at Petersburg, a Confederate soldier named Inman decides to walk back to his home in the Blue Ridge mountains to Ada, the woman he loves. His journey across the disintegrating South brings him into intimate and sometimes lethal converse with slaves and marauders, bounty hunters and witches, both helpful and malign. Meanwhile, the intrepid Ada is trying to revive her father’s derelict farm and learning to survive in a world where the old certainties have been swept away. As it interweaves their stories, Cold Mountain asserts itself as an authentic odyssey, hugely powerful, majestically lovely, and keenly moving.

This graphic novel adaptation of the cult-classic text, Bushido, brings the timeless secrets of the samurai to life for modern-day readers First published in the early twentieth century, Bushido was the first book to introduce Westerners to the samurai ethos. Written by Inazo Nitobe, one of the foremost Japanese authors and educators of the time, it describes the characteristics and virtues that are associated with bushido—honor, courage, justice, loyalty, self-control—and explains the philosophy behind how samurai were educated and trained; the connection between the sword and the samurai; seppuku; and the position of women in samurai culture; among other themes. To this day, Bushido is considered a must-read for anyone who wants to understanding the soul of Japan and navigate their world with integrity and honor.

"This volume collects Polar season 1, previously published online."

Over one hundred years ago, the writer and Japanophile Lafcadio Hearn gathered together a selection of kaidan, traditional Japanese ghost, myth, and mystery stories, and published them in English in over a dozen books. The kaidan feature vengeful ghosts and bewitching spirits that mete out karmic justice in eerie and sometimes horrifying ways. Some of the tales were Japanese versions of older Chinese tales of divination; others were influenced by Shinto and Buddhism, including a Buddhist-influenced mystery storytelling game popular in the Edo era (1603–1868). In contemporary culture, these stories have found new expression mostly in movies and manga. In this graphic novel, acclaimed manga creator Sean Michael Wilson and illustrator Michiru Morikawa present six of these classic, supernatural stories.

The basis of a Netflix Original Movie! Ripped out of retirement by an assassination attempt, the world's most deadly spy--the former agent known as Black Kaiser--is a wanted man that's wanted . . . dead! On a collision course with his former employer, the Damocles Agency, Black Kaiser goes head to head with a stab-happy, psychotic torture expert and a seductive but deadly redhead. His mission only ends if he dies or kills everyone out to get him, and he's not in the habit of dying. A guns-blazing espionage action-adventure in the grand tradition of Jim Steranko and Frank Miller, this graphic novel by Victor Santos (Mice Templar, Filthy Rich) is a brutal, fast-tempo story of revenge that Newsarama says is "as ice-cold as its name." Originally a silent webcomic, but Santos has crafted a script as hard boiled and intriguing as his art for this hardcover collection.

As awareness of climate change grows, so do the number of cultural depictions of environmental disaster. Graphic novels have reliably produced dramatizations of such disasters. Many use themes of dystopian hopefulness, or the enjoyment readers experience from seeing society prevail in times of apocalypse. This book argues that these generally inspirational narratives contribute to a societal apathy for real-life environmental degradation. By examining the narratives and art of the environmental apocalypse in contemporary graphic novels, the author stands against dystopian hope, arguing that the ways in which we experience depictions of apocalypse shape how we respond to real crises.

There's a strong interest in reading for pleasure or self-improvement in America, as shown by the popularity of Harry Potter, and book clubs, including Oprah Winfrey's. Although recent government reports show a decline in recreational reading, the same reports show a strong correlation between interest in reading and academic acheivement. This set provides a snapshot of the current state of popular American literature, including various types and genres. The volume presents alphabetically arranged entries on more than 70 diverse literary categories, such as cyberpunk, fantasy literature, flash fiction, GLBTQ literature, graphic novels, manga and anime, and zines. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and provides a definition of the genre, an overview of its history, a look at trends and themes, a discussion of how the literary form engages contemporary issues, a review of the genre's reception, a discussion of authors and works, and suggestions for further reading. Sidebars provide fascinating details, and the set closes with a selected, general bibliography. Reading in America for pleasure and knowledge continues to be popular, even while other media compete for attention. While students continue to read many of the standard classics, new genres have emerged. These have captured the attention of general readers and are also playing a critical role in the language arts classroom. This book maps the state of popular literature and reading in America today, including the growth of new genres, such as cyberpunk, zines, flash fiction, GLBTQ literature, and other topics. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and provides a definition of the genre, an overview of its history, a look at trends and themes, a discussion of how the literary form engages contemporary issues, a review of the genre's critical reception, a discussion of authors and works, and suggestions for further reading. Sidebars provide fascinating details, and the set closes with a selected, general bibliography. Students will find this book a valuable guide to what they're reading today and will appreciate its illumination of popular culture and contemporary social issues.