science comics

Over the last ten years, First Second has made a name for itself as a publisher of top quality titles by a diverse range of creators, reflecting a wide array of experiences and genres. Today, the publisher announced its Fall 2017 line-up, which includes hard-boiled crime stories, coming-of-age stories, and perhaps most important, stories about dogs.

The holiday season is fast approaching, and that means it's time to hit the shops! If you're looking for inspiration for gifts for all the important people in your life, ComicsAlliance has put together a series of guides centered on different themes and personalities! It's likely that everyone read some form of comics as a child, and for many of us it's where our passion for the medium first began. If you've got a young reader in your life who can't get enough of comic books, or you're ready to start them on that adventure, we've put together a list of some of the best titles for young readers available to buy today.

One of the biggest strides in the comic industry over the past decade has come in the form of a wave of exciting and accessible educational comics by established creators. It's something that First Second has noticed too, as the publisher is throwing its weight behind its established line of Science Comics and announcing thirteen more titles in the series, covering a wide range of topics, from cats and dogs to robots and drones.

Comics make for a pretty great teaching tool. I, for instance, spent my childhood learning virtually everything that it was possible to know about bat-shaped boomerangs and the differences between lasers and concussive force beams, knowledge that has served me pretty well as an adult. But what if there was a way to learn more about, say, actual science? Wonder no longer, dear reader. Starting next year, First Second is launching a new series of educational graphic novels, set to be released quarterly and focusing on a single subject in each volume --- and first up, we're finding out all about dinosaurs. And also coral reefs, I suppose, but really, I think we all know that we're here for dinosaurs.

First Second is that rare thing in comics: a savvy publisher that is incredibly on the ball with future releases, announcing books up to two years in advance, and getting people excited about titles via promotion that's thorough, yet not in-your-face and bothersome. In that vein, I'm happy to share another of their upcoming books for 2015; Human Body Theater, a non-fiction biology guide by Maris Wicks (Primates), in which she acts as a master of ceremonies, leading readers through a theatrical revue of each and every biological system of the human body. Starting out as a skeleton, the MC in Human Body Theater puts on a new layer of her costume (her body) with each "act." Wicks has long been passionate about science, having worked as as a science educator for elementary and middle-school students; a fact that's clearly evident when she talks about the book and its subject in our chat below -- and now that interest has combined with her artistic credentials to create this comics-format tour of the human body.