The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

Classical Comics graphic novel adaptation of Macbeth won at last week’s British Book Design and Production Awards 2008, winning the Secondary Education books category. The book has also picked up some good reviews, especially for Jon Haward‘s artwork and the way it brings the Shakespeare play (adapted by John McDonald) to life. Classical’s latest publications – Frankenstein (see here for an interview with artist Declan Shalvey), Jane Eyre and A Christmas Carol – along with Macbeth have also been nominated for the 2009 Cybil Awards (the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards – I find it hard to say ‘Cybil’ without adopting a Basil Fawlty voice, but that might just be me).

(a fine example of Jon Haward’s excellent artwork for Classical Comics’ Macbeth)

Other graphic novels nominated in the longlist for the Cybils include Chiggers by Hope Larson (Simon & Schuster), Coraline, adapted by P Craig Russell from Neil Gaiman’s prose YA novel (Harper), James Kochalka’s Johnny Boo Volume 1: the Best Little Ghost in the World (Top Shelf), Christian Slade’s Korgi Volume 2 (Top Shelf), Joann Sfar’s Little Vampire (FirstSecond), Matthew Loux’s Salt Water Taffy (Oni Press), Jill Thompson’s Magic Trixie (Harper), Agnès Rosenstiehl’s Silly Lilly (Raw Junior) and Corey Barba’s Yam (yet another Top Shelf nominee – well done TS!), all nominated in the Elementary/Middle Grade Graphic Novels category.

(cover to Johnny Boo: the Best Little Ghost in the World by James Kochalka, published Top Shelf)

In the Young Adult Graphic novel category, in addition to the aforementioned impressive brace from Classical Comics the nominees include Ray Fawkes and Cameron Stewart’s Apocalipstix Volume 1 (Oni, reviwed here), Mariko Tamaki and Steve Ralston’s Emiko Superstar (Minx/DC), Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg’s Janes in Love (Minx/DC again), Life Sucks by Jessica Abel, Gabe Soria and Warren Pleese (FirstSecond), Prince of Persia (another nod for FirstSecond), Shannon, Dean and Nathan Hale’s Rapunzel’s Revenge (Bloomsbury),Twilight Zone: After Hours (adapted by Mark Kneece from a Rod Serling story, illustrated by Rebekah Isaacs), Jon Porcellino’s Thoreau at Walden (Hyperion), Cyril Pedrosa’s Three Shadows (FirstSecond) and Y the Last Man Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores by Brian K Vaughan and Pia Guerra (Vertigo/DC).

(Life Sucks by Abel, Soria and Pleece, published by First Second)

There are also numerous science fiction and fantasy novels nominated in the Middle Grade category, such as Neil Gaiman’s Graveyard Book, Eoin Colfer’s Airman and House of Many Ways by the always excellent Diana Wynne Jones, while the  Young Adult SF&F category includes recent offerings from writers such as Stephanie ‘Twilight’ Meyer for Breaking Dawn, Cybele’s Secret by Juliet Marillier, the Summoning by Kelly Armstrong, Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi and Nation by Terry Pratchett. The Cybils are nominated from an open internet vote, then narrowed down by a team of literary bloggers. The winners are due to be announced on February 14th, for full details of all the nominees in each category check the official site. Didn’t Classical, Top Shelf and First Second do especially well in those nominations?