Book News & Features

Richard F. Outcault's goofy, nightshirt-wearing, smart-alecky tyke became the breakout star of the newspaper strip Hogan's Alley, which debuted in 1895.

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The Old School: Classic Strips That Continue To Shape Comics

10:00am July 13, 2017

by Glen Weldon

When we asked readers to name their favorite comics, many classic, hugely influential newspaper strips got nudged out of the running. We thought we'd give them a shout-out.

Thoreau was born 200 years ago, on July 12, 1817. He died of tuberculosis at age 44.

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If Thoreau Were Alive, He'd Be 'Shouting From The Rafters,' Biographer Says

5:34pm July 12, 2017

by Tom Vitale

Henry David Thoreau, author of Walden and Civil Disobedience, was born 200 years ago in 1817. Biographer Kevin Dann says the philosopher's ideas about individual sovereignty remain relevant today.

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Bad Machinery: The Case of the Team Spirit

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Let's Get Graphic: 100 Favorite Comics And Graphic Novels

5:06pm July 12, 2017

We asked readers to name their favorite comics and graphic novels, and we got thousands of answers. Now, with the help of our expert panel, we've curated a list to keep you flipping pages all summer.

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The Negative Zone: What Didn't Make Our Final List

12:00pm July 12, 2017

by Petra Mayer

In a list of 100 favorite comics and graphic novels, inevitably some people's favorites will get left out — some because they don't stand the test of time, some because there's just no room.

Eloise's dog, Weenie, wasn't always a pug, as evidenced by this 1954 Hilary Knight drawing.

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'Eloise At The Museum' Tells The Story Behind The Beloved Mischief-Maker

4:33pm July 11, 2017

by Jeff Lunden

The 6-year-old children's book character struck a chord when she debuted in the 1950s. Now a new exhibition shines a light on how Eloise came to be.

G. Willow Wilson writes the Hugo Award-winning Ms. Marvel.

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Summer Comics Poll: Meet Our Expert Panelists!

4:24pm July 11, 2017

by Petra Mayer

While we prep our awesome reader poll of great comics and graphic novels for all ages and tastes, we thought we'd introduce you to the panel of expert judges who helped curate the final list of 100.

Did Thoreau steal pies off neighbors' windowsills? The myth persists.

What Did Thoreau Really Eat? You Might Be Surprised

8:00am July 11, 2017

by Jean Fain

There's no shortage of dietary lore about naturalist and Walden author Henry David Thoreau, so as his bicentennial birthday bash arrives, we wish to debunk these myths deliberately.

Octavia Butler at home. A lifelong bibliophile, she considered libraries sacred spaces.

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Octavia Butler: Writing Herself Into The Story

3:14pm July 10, 2017

by Karen Grigsby Bates

An exhibit at the Huntington Library shows visitors how famed science fiction writer Octavia Butler created a career for herself in a genre that had few women and even fewer African-Americans.

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Behold the Manga: Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy.

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Nothing Was Ever The Same: 10 Comics That Changed The Game

12:36pm July 10, 2017

by Glen Weldon

We're previewing this year's summer reader poll on comics and graphic novels by highlighting comics that stand as historic milestones.

Comics combine two crafts that I am passionate about — writing and art. It is a rich medium that brings me joy as a reader and creator.

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Cartoonists Tell Us: What Do Comics Mean To You?

10:03am July 09, 2017

by Petra Mayer

In honor of our big summer reader poll of favorite comics and graphic novels, we've asked a few very cool cartoonists to tell us — or really, draw for us — what comics mean to them.