Library Update

The Library Saga keeps on rolling. I sent the librarian my recommendations list and a handout for their first meeting (which I'll get to momentarily), and I'm working on some of the other handouts for the class (which I'll get to, again, momentarily). I'm not totally sure what I'll be presenting, really (except for a bunch of Free Comic Book Day comics courtesy of the awesome folks over at Stand-Up Comics), but I'll be giving recommendations and information as best I can.

So, when it came down to it, I split up my book recommendations into "all-ages" and "teens/advanced readers." I gave the librarian a larger list than was on the handout (didn't want to overwhelm the kids), and I left manga off...for the time being (that'll be my next recommendation). Here's my list of recommendations, indexed by appropriateness (all-ages, and the 10-12-and-up crowd), with the ones on the kids' handout marked in red.
All-Ages

• Amelia Rules
  
• Baby Mouse
  
• Batman Adventures
  
• Bone
  
• Fantastic Four: Franklin Richards
  
• Justice League Unlimited
  
• Leave it to Chance
  
• Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century
  
• Marvel Adventures: Iron Man
  
• Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man
  
• Marvel Adventures: The Avengers
  
• Mouse Guard
  
• Owly
  
• Power Pack
  
• Shazam: The Monster Society of Evil
  
• Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane
  
• Superman Adventures
  
• Teen Titans Go!

Which breaks down to:

• 12 superhero comics
• 6 Marvel, 6 DC
• 6 non-superhero comics
• 4 comics with specifically female protagonists
• 10 comics related to other-media properties

Teens/Advanced Readers

• Batgirl: Year One
  
• Batman: Haunted Knight
  
• Blue Beetle
  
• Confessions of a Blabbermouth
  
• Fantastic Four Vol. 1: Imaginauts
  
• Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin
  
• Kimmie66
  
• Marvel Team-Up Vol. 1: The Golden Child
  
• Re-Gifters
  
• Runaways
  
• Scott Pilgrim
  
• Superman: For All Seasons
  
• Superman: Up, Up, and Away
  
• The Plain Janes
  
• Ultimate Spider-Man
  
• Wonder Woman Vol. 1: Gods and Mortals
  
• X-Men: First Class
  
• X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga

Which breaks down to:

• 13 superhero comics
• 7 Marvel, 6 DC
• 6 non-superhero comics
• 6 comics with specifically female protagonists
• 8(ish) comics related to other-media properties

I also basically gave a blanket recommendation for the Essential and Showcase lines.
I'll be bringing more to the table when I do the presentation, and I'll be sending along some manga recommendations as well, so keep the reviews and comments coming :).

Other stuff I'll be doing for this event include an overview of terminology (paging Scott McCloud) and jobs associated with comics (%&$#ing tracers), comic-related and kid-friendly websites and blogs (Comic Book Resources/Comics Should Be Good, maybe?), and a description of the process of making a comic, from idea to finished product. I think I've got a decent handle on most of that, though advice and recommendations would be great.

One thing, though: I can give a run-down on just about every job associated with comics, from penciller to letterer to colorist, but I'm a little fuzzy on how work is split up among editors. I know there's managing editors and EICs and whatnot, and somehow continuity policing and story coordination and copy correction and deciding what books come out, and when, is all part of the "editorial" province, but I'm not totally clear on who does what. Anyone a little more informed on the process? I may even drop an e-mail off to the DC offices later tonight if I find that it's a real sticking point.