#Meggie Ramm

[lgbtqreads]

New Releases: April 16, 2024

Queer and Fearless: Poems Celebrating the Lives of LGBTQ+ Heroes by Rob Sanders and Harry Woodgate Learn about the lives of some of the most important LGBTQ+ heroes in this unique picture book that combines poetry and biographical information to honor those at the forefront of LGBTQ+ history. Young readers will learn about the lives and legacies of seventeen heroes of the queer community from…

[roesolo]

Graphic Novel rundown

As I continue scaling Mount TBR, I’ve got some good graphic novels to share! Batcat, by Meggie Ramm, (March 2023, Amulet Books), $13.99, ISBN: 9781419756573 Ages 7-10 Batcat is a round, pink, half-bat and half-cat who lives alone in their oak tree home on Spooky Island. They love mushroom pizza and junk food, video games, and being alone – until the day when a ghost decides to haunt their home.…

[graphicpolicy]

Batcat is a cute graphic novel with some solid lessons and entertains

Batcat is a cute graphic novel with some solid lessons and entertains #comics #comicbooks #graphicnovel

Batcat loves being all alone in their home on Spooky Island. Up in their tree house, they pass the time playing video games and watching TV. But when Batcat suddenly finds themself haunted by an annoying, ice cream-stealing ghost, they visit the local Island Witch for a spell to remove their ghastly guest permanently! Story: Meggie RammArt: Meggie Ramm Get your copy now! To find a comic shop…

[redgoldsparks]

December reading and reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon.

The Savage Beard of She Dwarf by Kyle Latino

She Dwarf might be the last of her kind, but this only fuels her desire for adventure, danger, and travel. Her famous warrior mother died before she could lead She Dwarf though the final coming of age trials, so our hero is on a quest to find the lost kingdom of Dwarves to see what knowledge she can gain from the ruins. A long the way she battles and befriends a whimsical cast of misfits who end up tagging along for the journey for reasons of their own. This story is action packed, fun, beautifully drawn and extremely aesthetically queer though there are no outright discussions of anyone's gender or sexuality. I highly recommend this comic for fantasy comic fans of all ages, it was released during covid and never got the promotion or attention it deserved. Buy this book for someone for the holidays!

Under a Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, read by Michelle Dockrey

This third book is the series is more whimsical and light than the first two, which I suppose makes sense as it takes place primarily in a nonsense world. It introduces a few new characters, as well as bringing back Christopher and Kane from book 1. A group of these teens sets out together on a quest, but not all of them return to Earth at the end of it. I'm definitely planning to continue with the audio books of this series.

Batcat by Meggie Ramm

This magical, brightly-colored tale follows Batcat, a creature of comfort, who is driven out of their cozy home by an annoyingly friendly ghost. On their quest, Batcat is forced to face some of their deepest fears (the dark, being eaten) and some of their biggest questions: are they more a bat, or more a cat? Readers of all ages who have wondered about their own place in a world keen on dividing things into categories will relate to this quandary, and delight in the playful ways that Batcat defines themself outside of the binary. I got to read an advanced copy of this adorable book because it was written by a dear friend. Yes, I am biased, but I loved this story and highly recommend people check it out when it is released in March of 2023, or preorder it now!

Funny Planet: How Comedy Ruined Everything by Ken Jennings

This is a conversational, light, easy to read nonfiction that traces the way comedy and humor have spread their roots into almost every aspect of American life. Advertisements are now expected to be funny, as are politicians, the news, the modern art world and some types of avant-garde fashion and food. Also, social media, particularly twitter, which (even in its crumbling perhaps final days) is a near constant stream of jokes and jibes at every current happening, large or small, including very horrific tragedies that probably shouldn't be made light of. And things that were already funny, like sitcoms, have nearly doubled their joke density in the past 50 years. The author explores the historical development of comedy in these different fields, and also wonders what it is doing to our brains to be fed such a constant stream of jokes. I missed a lot of the references by virtue of having seen almost none of the TV shows or comedy specials the author was referring to, yet still found this a quick and lively read.

¡Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico by Christine Suggs

Suggs' debut memoir is a complete delight. The themes of language, translation, family, queerness, fatness, and being biracial are beautifully woven together into a rich and authentic whole. Nothing is overstated, simply presented as it was lived, and illustrated in a lovely palette of warm browns, bright golds, and smoothing blues. I loved the tiny avatar of the author's internal thoughts and how it interacted with the text and images on the page. This book uses all of the visual tools of comics to tell a wonderful coming of age story and the result is as sweet as pan dulce. I had the chance to read this book ahead of it's review and I can't recommend it more! Pre-order it now or look for it on shelves in April 2023.

The Box In The Woods by Maureen Johnson read by Kate Rudd

This fourth book in the Truly Devious YA murder mystery series introduces a new cold case for anxious teen detective Stevie Bell to bang her head against. This one, a quadruple murder from 1978 which took place in the woods outside a summer camp, was mishandled from the beginning. Dubbed 'The Box in the Woods' murders, the police at the time initially thought it was a drug deal gone wrong, then thought it might be the work of a contemporary serial killer. Stevie is hired by the new owner of the summer camp, who wants to make a podcast about the crime. Stevie doesn't care about the podcast, but she does love getting to bring her friends with her to a camp and getting her hands on a difficult case. This book continues to develop Stevie's friendships and romantic relationship in satisfying ways. I remain very delighted by and impressed with this series, and I'm excited there's a fifth book coming out before the end of the year!

Buzzing by Samuel Sattin and Rye Hickman

]The power of a supportive role playing group can't fix everything, but it goes a long way. Isaac is a teen with OCD, who suffers from near constant intrusive thoughts, cleverly visualized here as bees with mean voices. Over the story he builds confidence and community by leaning into his love of fantasy and drawing; as a former fellow misfit teen artist, it was wonderful to watch him grow. This is a nuanced and diverse coming of age story, I'm so excited for all of the readers who will discover it and see themselves in it. The art is excellent, both in the real world day to day parts of the story and the D&D fantasy parts of the story. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this book because I am friends with both of the authors- pre order it now, or look for it on shelves in July 2023!

Falcon written and read by Helen Macdonald

This was my second book this year by Helen MacDonald. Shorter and more traditionally nonfiction that H is for Hawk, this book is a collection of facts and anecdotes about the relationship of falcons and humans across many centuries and cultures. Human have long anthropomorphized falcons, attributing to them traits such as nobility, cunning, and martial prowess. Humans have been training and hunting with falcons for at least 3,000 years; lately, we have driven many species to near extinction, and created involved and wide ranging programs to try and rehabilitate the dwindling populations. I listened to this entire four hour audiobook during one long car ride and was well entertained the whole time.

Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni

Chris, Jo, Elise, and Alex bonded over being the only queer waiters at a restaurant, but their friendship long outlasted their stint at the job. Ten years on, the crew, now in their mid and late thirties, face a whole slew of new challenges: parenting, vying for promotions, balancing partying and work, being judged by baby gays at the club, and scariest of all, drifting apart. Fans of Bongiovanni's Grease Bats will enjoy the familiar flavors of a messy, horny, queer and trans friend squad but paired with a more nuanced slice-of-life narrative. These characters are trying to stay true to themselves, invest in their communities, get laid, and support each other. But it's not so easy to balance all of those conflicting needs, and they frequently fall short. I was left hoping that the characters could forgive each other's deeply human failings. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of the book- it's available for pre-order now, or check it out when it's released in March 2023!

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker Chan

What a wonderful book to end the year with! This one came highly recommended by many friends and did not disappoint. Epic in scale, with fantasy rooted in Chinese history, this story is set in an alternate mid-1300s with Mongols attempting to control all of mainland China, but resisted by a rebel force. The book opens with Zhu, the only daughter of a peasant family struggling to survive during a famine. A fortune teller predicted a great destiny for Zhu's one brother, and nothing for her. But when her brother dies, Zhu decides she will inhabit his destiny instead. She disguises herself as a boy to seek shelter and education in a monastery, a story trope I have always enjoyed, but especially here because this book takes the narrative in a explicitly trans/genderqueer direction by the end. Elsewhere in the story, a eunuch general in the Mongol army hides a bitter desire for revenge from his dearest friend; the rebel leaders battle each other for power, doing nearly as much damage to their cause as they do to their enemies; and a daughter of a rebel commander despairs over the constant bloodshed and death of the seemingly endless war. This is a complicated conflict, in which neither side is morally superior to the other; I was equally compelled by the personalities on each side and also certain that all of them were on a path towards destruction that they could not escape.

[stephaniejoanneus]

Batcat: Sink or Swim! by Meggie Ramm

Batcat: Sink or Swim! by Meggie Ramm. Amulet Books, 2024. 9781419756597 Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5 Format: Hardcover graphic novel Genre:  Fantasy What did you like about the book? Batcat is hoping for some ‘me’ time, and heads to Mermaid Lagoon. Not that they’re going to swim, of course, because swimming is too scary. But the mermaids (skeletons with fish tails)…

[winningthesweepstakes]

Batcat: Sink or Swim! by Meggie Ramm

Batcat: Sink or Swim! by Meggie Ramm. Amulet Books, 2024. 9781419756597 Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5 Format: Hardcover graphic novel Genre:  Fantasy What did you like about the book? Batcat is hoping for some ‘me’ time, and heads to Mermaid Lagoon. Not that they’re going to swim, of course, because swimming is too scary. But the mermaids (skeletons with fish tails)…

[thegirlwiththelantern]

5 Books I Saved in May

There were only a few books that really stood out to me this month. But it was still hard to round it down to five. Don’t let the first book mislead you. These run the gamut of my reading Batcat, Vol. 1: The Ghostly Guest by Meggie Ramm | 28 / 03 / 23 – Abrams Books Batcat loves being all alone in their home on Spooky Island. Up in their tree house, they pass the time playing video games and…

[a2caf]

WE'RE BACK! A2CAF SUPER SUMMER SATURDAY!

After two years of COVID cancellations, Kids Read Comics and the Ann Arbor District Library are happy to announce a one-day mini-show on July 16!

We'll be welcoming special guests Dana Simpson and Jo Rioux, who will be presenting, signing books, and joining our Artists Alley.

We're thrilled to have them along with returning guests Ruth McNally Barshaw, Matt Feazell, Meggie Ramm, James Anderson, Porche Johnson, Aaron Polk, Bruno Hohn and Chloe Cordero!

Come back here for more info, and mark your calendar for July 16!

[fourcolour-ace]

TCAF haul, featuring:

Reylo fan comic, by Om Nom Berries

Sticker sheets by Raizap(creator of the webcomic Slightly Damned!)

Shiny stickers by Meggie the Ramm

I love TCAF, it just might be my favourite place to go for indie writing and artwork. And the venue is an actual library with some very neat architecture.

[meggietheramm]

Nothing is more fun than having MULTIPLE SKIN CONDITIONS. 

Honestly, psoriasis is just annoying because it takes constant vigilance and care. If I skip a day then it comes back with a vengeance. 

Maybe the solution is just getting more octopus tattoos...

[stickworldcomic]

FYI, the boss is NOT the sharpest tool in the shed. I based him on another idiot in power (can you guess?)

[smashpages]

Here’s a fun one, especially if you have little ones looking for something to look forward to every Sunday: Sunday Haha, a new email subscription service that delivers kid’s comics right to your email box.

[plutarian2]

PAGE 48- It’s been a long weekend my dudes! Not like...an extra day or anything, but just feeling long.  Anywho- this is the last page in this run and the next updates will be brand new, never-before-seen kinda pages. There are so many good things coming up, I hope you are into it!

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Meggie Ramm and I’s podcast, I hope you get some time to listen in, especially if you are making your own comics.  We talk about the theory and process behind comics and about books we are reading.  

https://soundcloud.com/pwbpod

Have a great week! Read something new, listen to something uncomfortable, read something unexpected!

What I’m Listening To

Podcasts-  Dr. Death, My Brother, My Brother, and Me, Happy Face, How Did This Get Made, Up First

Music- Nightmare and the Cat, Robyn, Laura Gibson, Calvin Locklear, Typhoon, Papercuts, Arcade Fire, The Shins

Follow Me

Instagram: Plutarian_2

Twitter: @plutarian_2

[timesnest]

Abrams Picks Up Meggie Ramm's The Adventures of Batcat Graphic Novels

[graphicpolicy]

Silver Sprocket Announces their Spring Publishing Season

Silver Sprocket Announces their Spring Publishing Season #comics #comicbooks

Silver Sprocket has announced its upcoming slate of releases. On top of these, there’s more to come from Ashley Robin Franklin, Benji Nate, Ben Passmore, Caroline Cash, Jenn Woodall, Micheal Sweater, and Travis Rommereim.

Big Punk by Janelle Hessig

Fed up with wealthy techies destroying the formerly gritty culture of Fog City, a punk lady moves out to the sticks to soothe her soul. Though…

[biscuitbeastsociety]

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