Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times announced the finalists for their 2009 Book Prizes. Notably, for the first time since the awards were founded in 1980, graphic novels were given their own LA Times Book Prize category, with five nominees reflecting a diverse range of great graphic novels published in the past year. And surprise, surprise, one of the nominees was a manga title and another is a popular manga-inspired graphic novel series!
The five nominees for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Graphic Novel category are:
- Luba by Gilbert Hernandez (Fantagraphics)
- GoGo Monster by Taiyo Matsumoto (VIZ Signature / VIZ Media)
- Asterios Polyp by David Mazzuchelli (Pantheon)
- Scott Pilgrim Vol. 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni Press)
- Footnotes in Gaza by Joe Sacco (Metropolitan Books)
Okay, since this is in Los Angeles and it's Academy Awards season, let's do a little odds-making here, shall we? I'm obviously biased since I love GoGo Monster. It's a fascinating story about a young boy who can see monsters that takes a lot of artistic chances that largely pay off. It's also a beautifully presented book that's clearly a work of art in so many ways. Check out my review of GoGo Monster and find out why it's one of the few manga that came out in 2010 that I gave a 5-star rating.
I'm also rooting for Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe by Bryan Lee O'Malley. While it's not "manga" in the strictest sense of the word, O'Malley's love for manga shines through in the way he creates an action-packed, humorous story with strong characters and relationship-driven drama. Plus, it's soon to be a "major motion picture," Scott Pilgrim vs. the World- how can the Hollywood set resist that?
I personally think either of these books deserves the nod - but when pitted against
Luba, a book by Southern California native son Gibert Hernandez best known for Love & Rockets (one of the first and best comics about Southern California Latino-American culture); or Asterios Polyp, a gorgeous, artsy and almost universally critically acclaimed graphic novel by David Mazzuchelli; or Footnotes in Gaza, Joe Sacco's politically and socially conscious drama... well, I can pretty much say that GoGo Monster is the darkest of dark horses in this particular race. Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe has slightly better chances, but it's a pretty strong group of nominees, so it's hard to say who'll definitely take home the prize come April.
Each of the five books are truly worthy of the honor of being nominated for this inaugural category. I'm just stoked that there's a graphic novels category at last, and that a manga title is included- and one that truly deserves the attention that comes with this nomination. So yay on you, Los Angeles Times - I'm glad you're paying attention.
According to the Los Angeles Times blurb, "many of the book prize finalists will participate in panels, discussions and book signings." Do we dare hope that Taiyo Matsumoto might be in attendance at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books? Well, probably not, given how busy Japanese manga artists tend to be and how rarely they come to visit the U.S. But hey, I can hope, right?
The 2009 LA Times Book Prizes will be awarded in an invitation-only ceremony held in conjunction with the 15th annual LA Times Festival of Books, which takes place April 24-25, 2010 on the campus of the University of California - Los Angeles. The LA Times Festival of Books attracts a lot of book lovers - last year, almost 130,000 people attended the festival. Top name authors and publishers big and small come to the show for lectures, book signings and lots of special events for all ages.
I've been to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books several times, and it's a really fun event! Sure, manga and graphic novels aren't the main focus here, but there's always some big name celebrities, authors and illustrators making appearances. There's music, food and lots and lots of wonderful books on all subjects, for all ages. If you're in the area, I highly recommend checking it out.
Admission is free for most events, but tickets are required for some of the author talks and events. Tickets for these events will be available through Ticketmaster after Sunday, April 18, 2010, at 12 noon through Ticketmaster.com with a service fee of $.75 per ticket. You can find out more about the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books by visiting their official website for the latest info on scheduled guest appearances, events and much more.
Image credits: 2000 Taiyou MATSUMOTO/Shogakukan
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