Wellington City Libraries

The Amazing Spider-Man : Lizard : no turning back / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : dying wish / Slott, Dan

Into the Spider-Verse

After having his mind taken over by Doctor Octopus (see Superior Spider-Man in our Spider-Verse blog), Peter returned just in time to join the Spider-Verse crossover, where he first met Silk, Spider-Gwen, and the rest of the Spider-Army.

The amazing Spider-Man [1] : the Parker luck / Slott, Dan (also on Libby)

The amazing Spider-Man [2] : Spider-Verse prelude / Slott, Dan (also on Libby)

The amazing Spider-Man [3] : Spider-Verse / Slott, Dan (also on Libby)

The amazing Spider-Man [4] : graveyard shift / Slott, Dan (also on Libby)

The amazing Spider-Man [5] : spiral / Conway, Gerry

Spider-Man Worldwide

Continuing Dan Slott’s 100+ issue run on Amazing Spider-Man, this series has Peter Parker going global after becoming the multi-millionaire owner of Parker Industries, with Spider-Man acting as his ‘security consultant’.

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [1] / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [2] / Slott, Dan

Civil war II : amazing Spider-Man / Gage, Christos

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [3] / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [4] / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [5] / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [6] / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [7] / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [8] / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [9] / Slott, Dan

Spider-Geddon (ONLY on Libby)

Spider-Man goes Back to Basics

Nick Spencer (Superior Foes of Spider-Man, Captain America) took over the series and brought Spider-Man down to Earth and back to New York. Here, Peter rekindled his romance with Mary Jane Watson and became roommates with one of his B-list villains, Fred Myers aka Boomerang.

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 1, Back to basics / Spencer, Nick

The Amazing Spider-Man [2] : friends and foes / Spencer, Nick
(also on Libby)

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 3, Lifetime achievement / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man [4] : hunted / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 5, Behind the scenes / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man : absolute Carnage

The amazing Spider-Man [7] : 2099 / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man [8] : threats & menaces / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man [9] : sins rising / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man [10] : Green Goblin returns / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 11, Last remains / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man : last remains companion / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man [12] : shattered web / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man [13] : king’s ransom / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man [14] : Chameleon conspiracy / Spencer, Nick

Sinister war / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 15, What cost victory / Spencer, Nick

Spider-Man Beyond

Peter Parker’s clone Ben Reilly (see Scarlet Spider in our Spider-Verse blog) takes on the Spider-Man mantle while Peter is out of commission, joining up with the Beyond Corporation as their corporate-sponsored hero.

The amazing Spider-Man : beyond [1]

The amazing Spider-Man : beyond [2]

The amazing Spider-Man : beyond [3]

The amazing Spider-Man : beyond [4]

The Return of Peter Parker

The current run of Amazing Spider-Man has no shortage of ups and downs for Peter Parker, as he gains a new suit courtesy of the reformed Green Goblin, teams up with the X-Men to prevent a demonic invasion in Dark Web, and faces a mind-controlling wasp-goddess in The End of the Spider-Verse.

The Amazing Spider-Man. Volume 1, World without love / Wells, Zeb

The Amazing Spider-Man. Volume 2, The new sinister / Wells, Zeb (also on Libby)

The amazing Spider-Man. Volume 3, Hobgoblin / Wells, Zeb (also on Libby)

Dark web / Wells, Zeb

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 4, Dark web / Wells, Zeb

Spider-Man [1] : end of the Spider-Verse / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man. Volume 5, Dead language, part 1 / Wells, Zeb

More Spider-Man series

Spectacular Spider-Man

Published around the latter half of Amazing Spider-Man‘s ‘Worldwide’ arc, this series has Spider-Man reveal his identity to J. Jonah Jameson, and the two form a belligerent crime-fighting duo.

Peter Parker : the spectacular Spider-Man. Vol 2, Most wanted / Zdarsky, Chip

Peter Parker : the spectacular Spider-Man [3] : amazing fantasy / Zdarsky, Chip

Peter Parker : the spectacular Spider-Man. Vol. 4, Coming home / Zdarsky, Chip

Peter Parker : the spectacular Spider-Man. Volume 5, Spider-geddon

Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man

A smaller-scope Spider-Man series, famous for the ‘Spider-Byte’ issue in which Peter takes on a junior apprentice for a day.

Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Vol. 1, Secrets and rumors / Taylor, Tom

Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man [2] : hostile takeovers / Taylor, Tom

Ultimate Spider-Man

In the Ultimate Universe of Earth-1610, the world is in a superhuman arms race in the early 2000s. It was during this period that teenager Peter Parker was bitten by a genetically altered spider and became Spider-Man. Intended to be a modern update of Spider-Man separate from the main Amazing series, this run is celebrated for its strong writing, expressive art, and interesting reinventions of the Wall-Crawler’s classic foes and supporting cast.

We don’t have much of this series left in the collection, but we have enough up to roughly the point where Miles Morales takes over as Spider-Man in this universe (for more on his adventures, check out our Spider-Verse guide here)

Ultimate Spider-Man Peter Parker reading order

Ultimate Spider-Man : double trouble / Bendis, Brian Michael

Ultimate Spider-Man : death of a goblin / Bendis, Brian Michael

Ultimate Spider-Man and his amazing friends / Bendis, Brian Michael

Ultimate Spider-Man : war of the symbiotes / Bendis, Brian Michael

Ultimate Spider-Man : ultimatum / Bendis, Brian Michael

Ultimate comics Spider-Man. Vol. 1, The world according to Peter Parker / Bendis, Brian Michael

Ultimate comics Spider-Man : death of Spider-Man fallout / Bendis, Brian Michael

Miles Morales: the ultimate Spider-Man [1] : revival / Bendis, Brian Michael

Other Spider-Man volumes

Amazing Spider-Man : family business / Waid, Mark

Non-stop Spider-Man : big brain play / Kelly, Joe

Deadly neighborhood Spider-Man / Taboo

The sensational Spider-Man : feral / Aguirre-Sacasa, Roberto

Spider-Man : Spider’s shadow / Zdarsky, Chip

Spider-Man : bloodline / Abrams, J. J.

Legends of Marvel : Spider-Man / David, Peter

Spider-Man Team-ups

These books cover the various times Spider-Man has teamed up with other Marvel heroes, including the X-Men, Deadpool, the Avengers, and the Harlem-based heroes the Santerians.

Spider-Man and the X-Men / Kalan, Elliott

X-Men : with great power / Gischler, Victor

Spider-Man/Deadpool. Vol. 1, Isn’t it bromantic / Kelly, Joe

Avenging Spider-Man : my friends can beat up your friends / Wells, Zeb

Avenging Spider-Man : the good, the green and the ugly

Avenging Spider-Man : threats & menaces

The amazing Spider-Man : amazing grace / Molina, Jose

The Amazing Mary Jane

Peter Parker’s most famous love interest is Mary Jane Watson, a model and actress who has more than held her own against Spider-Man’s many villains. Marvel briefly published a manga-influenced series focusing on Mary Jane’s high school days, and she recently got her own miniseries where she works alongside Mysterio in Hollywood.

Spider-Man loves Mary Jane : the real thing / McKeever, Sean

Spider-Man loves Mary Jane : sophomore jinx / Moore, Terry

The amazing Mary Jane. Vol. 1, Down in flames, up in smoke / Williams, Leah

Mary Jane & Black Cat : Dark Web / McKay, Jed

The Sinister Foes of Spider-Man

Spider-Man has one of the most iconic rogues galleries in comic books, so I’ve included some of their notable stories here. We’ve already covered The Kingpin, The Prowler, and The Spot in our Spider-Verse blogs.

The Sinister Six

Usually lead by either Doc Ock or one of the many Goblins, the Sinister Six are a rotating team of Spider-Man’s greatest enemies. Recently, multiple Sinister Six teams fought each other with Spider-Man in the crossfire in the ‘Sinister War’.

Notable Sinister Six stories

Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2 (contains the Sinister Six’s first appearance, only on Libby)

The Amazing Spider-Man : the deadly foes of Spider-Man / Fingeroth, Danny

Spider-Man : Miles Morales [4] / Bendis, Brian Michael

Sinister war / Spencer, Nick

Superior Foes of Spider-Man

A comedy-oriented series featuring a group of less-respected Spider-Man villains. Boomerang, Beetle, Shocker, Speed Demon and Overdrive team up to be the best Sinister Six ever…despite the fact there’s only five of them.

The superior foes of Spider-Man [1] : getting the band back together / Spencer, Nick

The superior foes of Spider-Man [2] : the crime of the century / Spencer, Nick

The superior foes of Spider-Man. Volume 3, Game over / Spencer, Nick

Green Goblin (Norman Osborn)

Industrialist and “something of a scientist” Norman Osborn awakened his dark alter ego, The Green Goblin, following exposure to an strange chemical formula. After years of menacing Spider-Man, Norman gained a brief period of respectability leading the Thunderbolts and the Avengers, before succumbing to villainy once more.

Notable Norman Osborn stories

Thunderbolts : caged animals / Ellis, Warren

Thunderbolts : secret invasion / Gage, Christos

Thunderbolts : burning down the house / Diggle, Andy

Dark Avengers (only on Libby)

Dark X-Men / Cornell, Paul

Siege / Bendis, Brian Michael

The superior Spider-Man [6] : Goblin Nation / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [6] / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man : Red Goblin / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man [10] : Green Goblin returns / Spencer, Nick

Gold Goblin / Cantwell, Christopher

Doctor Octopus

Embittered physicist Doctor Otto Octavius was fused to his multi-armed prosthesis in a radiation accident. Empowered by his transformation, he proclaimed himself ‘Doctor Octopus’ and became one of Spider-Man’s greatest enemies, even going as far to replace him for a time (see Superior Spider-Man in our Spider-Verse blog).

Notable Doctor Octopus stories

The invincible Iron Man [8] : unfixable / Fraction, Matt

The superior Spider-Man [1] : full Otto / Gage, Christos

The superior Spider-Man. Vol. 2, Otto-matic / Gage, Christos

The amazing Spider-Man : worldwide [7] / Slott, Dan

Devil’s reign / Zdarsky, Chip

Devil’s reign : Superior Four / Thompson, Zac

Kraven the Hunter

Professional hunter and tracker Sergei Kravinoff grew tired of chasing the same old game, and rededicated himself to hunting someone who would give him an actual challenge: Spider-Man.

Notable Kraven the Hunter storylines

Marvel-verse : Kraven the hunter

Spider-Man : Kraven’s last hunt / DeMatteis, J. M

The unbeatable Squirrel Girl. 9, Squirrels fall like dominoes / North, Ryan

The amazing Spider-Man [4] : hunted / Spencer, Nick

Spider-Man : the lost hunt / DeMatteis, J. M

Sandman

After accidentally escaping into an island nuclear test facility, criminal Flint Marko was transformed into a Sandman, able to shape his particulate body into any form. Recently, Spider-Man fought a future Sandman with new and greater powers, such as turning into glass and gifting sand-controlling powers to others.

Notable Sandman stories

The amazing Spider-Man : the gauntlet [1] : Electro & Sandman

Peter Parker : the spectacular Spider-Man. Vol. 4, Coming home / Zdarsky, Chip

Mysterio

Special effects artist Quentin Beck uses his expertise in illusions to commit crime and confound Spider-Man as Mysterio. Recently, Beck returned to Hollywood and worked alongside Spider-Man’s girlfriend Mary Jane Watson.

Notable Mysterio stories

Friendly neighbourhood : Spider-Man. [Vol. 2], mystery date / David, Peter

The amazing Spider-Man : the gauntlet. [Vol. 2], Rhino & Mysterio

Spider-Men (only on Libby)

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 5, Behind the scenes / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Mary Jane. Vol. 1, Down in flames, up in smoke / Williams, Leah

Electro

Lineman Max Dillon was electrocuted on the job and discovered he had the power to absorb and discharge bolts of electricity, which he immediately used to commit crime. Dillon has since been replaced as Electro by his ex-girlfriend, Francine Frye. Recently, a multiversal team of Electros teamed up to take over the Web of Life and Destiny from the Web Warriors.

Notable Electro stories

The amazing Spider-Man : the gauntlet [1] : Electro & Sandman

The amazing Spider-Man [1] : the Parker luck / Slott, Dan (also on Libby)

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 5, Behind the scenes / Spencer, Nick

Web Warriors, protectors of the Spider-verse. Volume 1, Electroverse / Costa, Mike

The Lizard

Using altered lizard DNA to grow back his amputated arm, Dr Curt Connors inadvertently transformed himself into a reptilian monster. Now dubbed The Lizard, the creature seeks to eliminate all mammal life on Earth.

Notable Lizard stories

The sensational Spider-Man : feral / Aguirre-Sacasa, Roberto

The amazing Spider-Man : the gauntlet. [Vol. 5], Lizard

The Amazing Spider-Man : Lizard : no turning back / Slott, Dan

The amazing Spider-Man [4] : hunted / Spencer, Nick

Black Cat

Felicia Hardy is the Black Cat, New York’s premier cat burglar and an on-again/off-again romantic interest of Spider-Man.

Black Cat [1] : grand theft marvel / MacKay, Jed

Black Cat [2] : on the run / MacKay, Jed

Black Cat [3] : all dressed up / MacKay, Jed

Black Cat [4] : queen in black / MacKay, Jed

Black Cat [5] : I’ll take Manhattan / MacKay, Jed

Iron Cat / MacKay, Jed

Mary Jane & Black Cat : Dark Web / McKay, Jed

Venom

Venom might require an entire blog all to himself (not to mention his extended symbiote family). Till then, check out the first volume of his recent series and watch this space!

Venom. Vol. 1, Recursion / Ewing, Al

The Wellington Comic Lover’s Guide to… Superman

By Gus

On Friday, 17 March, 2023

In comics and graphic novels, eLibrary, stuff to read, the wellington comic lover's guide to...

Welcome to the Wellington Comic Lover’s (WCL) Guide, where we take you through the Wellington City Libraries’ collection of a comic book character. This post is about the strange visitor from the planet Krypton, the Man of Steel himself, Superman!

(via GIPHY)

Who is Superman?

Sent away in a rocket from the doomed planet Krypton as an infant, Kal-El landed on Earth and was raised by a kindly couple, who taught him the values of truth and justice. Gaining incredible superpowers under Earth’s yellow sun, he protects his adopted home as Superman, while working for the newspaper ‘The Daily Planet’ as the reporter Clark Kent.

Superman Classics

Before we get to the current run of Superman comics from the DC Rebirth era onward, here are some classic Superman stories to get you up to speed with the Man of Tomorrow.

Superman’s Early Years

The Superman chronicles. Volume two / Siegel, Jerry
Read the earliest adventures of Superman as written by his original creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Superman : secret origin / Johns, Geoff
One of the more recent takes on Superman’s origin, which takes its cues from the Christopher Reeve movies.

Superman : world against Superman / Morrison, Grant
The New 52 origin of Superman, which brings him back to his roots as a ‘champion of the oppressed’ still figuring out his powers.

Superman smashes the Klan : the graphic novel / Yang, Gene Luen
A comic adaptation of a 1946 radio play famous for exposing the then-revived Ku Klux Klan, where Superman is pitted against the xenophobic ‘Clan of the Fiery Cross’.

Classic Superman Adventures

Superman : red and blue
An anthology series where the artists are limited to Superman’s distinctive colour pallete.

Superman for all seasons / Loeb, Jeph
A coming-of-age story where Superman is torn between the big city life of Metropolis and his country home life in Smallville.

Superman : last son / Johns, Geoff
Superman finds a young boy in a ship like the one he crash-landed in as an infant, and adopts the boy as his own, not knowing he is the son of Kryptonian criminal General Zod.

Superman : Emperor Joker
Superman wakes up in Arkham Asylum to learn that the Joker has gained reality-altering powers and now rules the world.

Superman : ending battle
A mysterious villain has gathered all of Superman’s adversaries for an all-out assault on the Man of Steel.

Superman : up up and away / Busiek, Kurt
After a year-long absence due to the loss of his powers, Superman returns to Metropolis right as Lex Luthor unleashes his new master plan.

Superman : Brainiac / Johns, Geoff
One of Superman’s most famous villains, the city-collecting alien android Brainiac, returns to menace Superman once more.

Superman : the black ring. Volume one and two / Cornell, Paul
One of the definitive Lex Luthor stories. Superman’s nemesis sets out on a quest for ultimate power, battling other villains along the way.

Possible Endings

There have been many stories exploring how Superman may die or otherwise cease to be; here are some of the best.

The death of Superman / Jurgens, Dan (also on Libby)
The story that killed Superman (for a while, at least), as he goes down swinging against the unstoppable monster Doomsday.

Absolute All-Star Superman / Morrison, Grant (also on Libby)
Considered one of the best Superman stories ever. After being exposed to strange radiation, Superman discovers that he only has one year to live, and sets out to make sure the world is safe in his absence.

Superman : whatever happened to the man of tomorrow / Moore, Alan
Superman’s identity is exposed to the public, and the Man of Steel must protect his loved ones as his villains lay siege to the Fortress of Solitude.

DC Rebirth – Superman Reborn

The major change to Superman in this era is the birth of Jon Kent, the son of Lois Lane and Superman. During this period, Superman, Lois, and Jon move to a quiet farm in Hamilton County and try to live out a normal life in between alien invasions and reality alterations.

Superman : Lois and Clark / Jurgens, Dan

Superman. Vol. 1, Son of Superman / Tomasi, Peter

Superman. Vol. 2, Trials of the super son / Tomasi, Peter

Superman reborn / Jurgens, Dan

Superman. Vol. 4, Black dawn / Tomasi, Peter

Superman. Vol. 5, Hopes and fears / Tomasi, Peter

Superman. Vol. 6, Imperius Lex / Tomasi, Peter

Superman. Vol. 7, Bizarroverse / Tomasi, Peter

Action Comics

Action Comics is the comic magazine where Superman first appeared in 1938, and is still being published today as a secondary series to the main Superman title. During DC Rebirth, Action Comics reached its 1000th issue, establishing a new status quo for the Man of Steel.

Superman action comics. Vol. 1, Path of doom / Jurgens, Dan

Superman action comics. Volume 2. Welcome to the planet / Jurgens, Dan

Superman action comics. Vol. 3, Men of steel / Jurgens, Dan

Superman action comics. Vol. 4, The new world / Jurgens, Dan

Superman action comics : the Oz effect / Jurgens, Dan

Superman action comics. Volume 5, Booster shot / Jurgens, Dan

The Brian Michael Bendis run

After Action Comics‘ 1000th issue, long-time Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis jumped ship to DC Comics and began to write the Superman and Action Comics series simultaneously. Beginning with the miniseries The Man of Steel, Bendis used his run to revive the Legion of Superheroes, have Superman establish an “intergalactic UN” called the United Planets, and bring Clark and Lois into the world of international espionage with ‘Event Leviathan’.

Brian Michael Bendis Superman reading order

The Man of Steel / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman. Vol. 1, The Unity Saga : Phantom Earth / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman action comics. Volume 1, Invisible mafia / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman. Vol. 2, The Unity Saga : the House of El / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman action comics. Vol. 2, Leviathan rising / Bendis, Brian Michael

Event Leviathan / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman action comics. Vol. 3, Leviathan hunt / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman. Vol. 3, The truth revealed / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman action comics. Vol. 4, Metropolis burning / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman. Vol. 4, Mythological / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman action comics. Vol. 5, The House of Kent / Bendis, Brian Michael

Bendis run spin-offs

During the Bendis run on Superman, both Lois Lane and Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen got their own series. The Legion of Superheroes, a team that began as a spin-off to the Superman title in the 50s, return to welcome Jon Kent to their ranks. Bendis also wrapped up the ‘Event Leviathan’ storyline in the spy series Checkmate.

Lois Lane : enemy of the people / Rucka, Greg

Superman’s pal, Jimmy Olsen : who killed Jimmy Olsen / Fraction, Matt

Legion of Super-Heroes. Vol. 1, Millennium / Bendis, Brian Michael

Legion of Super-Heroes. Vol. 2, The trial of the Legion / Bendis, Brian Michael

Checkmate / Bendis, Brian Michael

Infinite Frontier – The Warworld Saga

During Infinite Frontier, Superman comes into contact with a lost refugee colony of Kryptonians fleeing from Warworld, an artificial planet powered by slave labour and ruled by the despotic alien Mongul. Despite his powers being on the wane, Superman gathers up a team of rebel heroes called The Authority to help him free Warworld’s prisoners.

Warworld Saga reading order

Superman : the one who fell / Johnson, Phillip Kennedy

Superman and the Authority / Morrison, Grant

Superman action comics. Volume one, Warworld rising / Johnson, Phillip Kennedy

Superman : Action Comics. Vol. 2, The arena / Johnson, Phillip Kennedy

Superman Action Comics. Volume three, Warworld revolution / Johnson, Phillip Kennedy

Superman : Kal-El returns / Johnson, Phillip Kennedy

Jon Kent, Son of Superman

Jon Kent is the son of Superman and Lois Lane, and occasionally fights alongside his dad as Superboy. He becomes fast friends with Damian Wayne, Batman’s son and the current Robin, regularly teaming up for adventures with him as the Super Sons.

Jon Kent, Superboy

Super Sons. Vol. 1, When I grow up.. / Tomasi, Peter

Super Sons. Vol. 2, Planet of the capes / Tomasi, Peter

Super Sons of tomorrow / Tomasi, Peter

Super sons. Vol. 3, Parent trap / Tomasi, Peter

Action detectives / Tomasi, Peter

Adventures of the Super Sons. Vol. 2, Little monsters / Tomasi, Peter

Challenge of the Super Sons / Tomasi, Peter

Jon Kent, Superman

After going missing on an adventure in space, Jon returns to Earth as a teenager, before travelling to the 31st century to join the Legion of Superheroes. In the ‘Son of Kal-El‘ series, Jon takes on the mantle of Superman while his father journeys off-planet to Warworld.

Superman. Vol. 1, The Unity Saga : Phantom Earth / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman. Vol. 2, The Unity Saga : the House of El / Bendis, Brian Michael

Legion of Super-Heroes. Vol. 1, Millennium / Bendis, Brian Michael

Legion of Super-Heroes. Vol. 2, The trial of the Legion / Bendis, Brian Michael

Superman : the one who fell / Johnson, Phillip Kennedy

Superman, son of Kal-El. Vol. 1, The truth / Taylor, Tom

Superman, son of Kal-El. Vol. 2, The rising / Taylor, Tom

Kong Kenan, the Super-Man of China

DC Rebirth saw the introduction of another Superman, an arrogant student from China named Kong Kenan. Gifted with the powers of Superman by the Ministry of Self-Reliance, Kenan must learn to master his new Kryptonian abilities to become a suitable superhuman representative of his nation.

Kong Kenan appearances

New Super-Man. Vol. 1, Made in China / Yang, Gene Luen

New Super-Man. Vol. 3, Equilibrium

Superman action comics. Vol. 4, The new world / Jurgens, Dan

A very DC rebirth holiday

Superman Across the Multiverse

Many writers have explored how Superman could be reinterpreted or reimagined throughout the DC Comics Multiverse.

Final Crisis – Features the story “Superman Beyond”, in which Clark Kent must team up with an alliance of Supermen from parallel Earths to save all of reality.

The Multiversity – President Superman of Earth-23, Superdemon of Earth-13, Captain Carrot of Earth-26 and more must answer a multiversal SOS to battle against interdimensional parasites called The Gentry.

Elseworlds : Superman. Volume one – An anthology of ‘Elseworld’ stories that reimagine Superman in different eras, like the Middle Ages or the American Civil War.

Injustice : Gods among us : Volume 1 – Based on the hit video game, Superman becomes an authoritarian ruler after suffering a tragedy, and the Justice League is split on whether to join him or resist.

Superman: Earth One (only on Libby) – A younger, more withdrawn Superman must decide if he should use his powers or not, right on the cusp of an alien invasion.

Kingdom come / Waid, Mark – In a world where superhumans run rampant with no regard for morality, Superman comes out of retirement to show them a better way.

Justice League : gods and monsters / Timm, Bruce – Based on the animated film, a Superman raised by Mexican immigrants leads a more pragmatic Justice League.

Superman : red son / Millar, Mark – An alternate history that explores what would have happened if Superman landed in Soviet Russia instead of the USA.

Crime Syndicate / Schmidt, Andy – On Earth-3, where heroes and villains are switched, the criminal Ultraman leads a super-powered mob called the Crime Syndicate.

Superman : space age / Russell, Mark – A world where Superman becomes a public hero at the advent of the 1960s Space Race.

Superman ’78 / Venditti, Robert – A comic continuation of the Christopher Reeve Superman films from the 70s and 80s.

Doomsday clock – A sequel to Watchmen, where Doctor Manhattan invades the DC Universe to confront Superman, while the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

The Wellington Comic Lover’s Guide to… Ant-Man and the Wasp

By Gus

On Monday, 13 February, 2023

In comics and graphic novels, eLibrary, stuff to read, the wellington comic lover's guide to...

Welcome to the Wellington Comic Lover’s (WCL) Guide, where we take you through the Wellington City Libraries’ collection of a comic book character. This post is about the Marvel Comics characters who grow and shrink with the power of Pym Particles: the Astonishing Ant-Man and the Wasp!

Who are Ant-Man and the Wasp?

Ant-Man is an identity adopted by a number of heroes (and one villain) based around the discoveries of Dr Hank Pym. Using the incredible ‘Pym Particles’ which can add or subtract mass, size, and strength to anything, Ant-Man can grow and shrink between human and insect size at will while maintaining his regular human strength. He also dons a helmet that allows him to command ants, using them as helpers or riding on flying ants as a mount.

The Wasp is an identity adopted by two heroines, fashion designer Janet van Dyne and teen prodigy Nadia van Dyne. Hank Pym also briefly donned the identity of the Wasp during a period where Janet was lost in the Microverse. Using Pym Particles, the Wasp can shrink to insect size, with the addition of having wings to fly and ‘bio-electric stingers’ to zap opponents.

Since Hank and Janet, there have been many heroes that have taken up the identities of Ant-Man and the Wasp in Marvel Comics history, and other characters that have taken on either one of Hank’s previous identities (like Giant-Man) or made their own heroic identity using Pym Particle-based powers (like Stature).

Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man

Dr Hank Pym is the first Ant-Man and a founding member of the Avengers with his partner, the Wasp. As the inventor of Pym Particles, he has applied them in various ways to grow and shrink objects, grow to giant sizes as Giant-Man, and discover new realms between atoms in the Microverse. He has gone by a number of identities in his time as a hero, including Ant-Man, Giant-Man, Goliath, Yellowjacket, and The Wasp.

Hank Pym appearances

Ant-Man and the Wasp : adventures

The Avengers : Earth’s mightiest heroes. Volume 1, 1963-1965 / Lee, Stan

Ant-Man/Giant-Man : growing pains / Lee, Stan

Avengers : Disassembled (only on eLibrary)

Civil war / Millar, Mark (also on eLibrary)

Secret invasion / Bendis, Brian Michael
(also on eLibrary)

The Mighty Avengers : secret invasion. Book 1 / Bendis, Brian Michael

The Mighty Avengers : secret invasion. Book 2 / Bendis, Brian Michael

The Mighty Avengers : Earth’s mightiest / Slott, Dan

Siege : Mighty Avengers / Slott, Dan

Avengers Academy [1] : permanent record / Gage, Christos

Avengers A.I. [1] : human after all / Humphries, Sam

Vision & the Scarlet Witch : the saga of Wanda and Vision / Englehart, Steve

Ultron

Hank Pym also created the robot Ultron, who rebelled against his ‘father’ and became an enemy of the Avengers. Ultron consistently upgraded over the years to destroy the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, until eventually Hank and Ultron fused together as a single being. Now, he roams space searching for power as ‘Ultron Pym’.

Ultron appearances

Avengers : Ultron unbound / Thomas, Roy

Avengers Academy [1] : permanent record / Gage, Christos

Avengers A.I. [1] : human after all / Humphries, Sam

What if? : Age of Ultron / Keatinge, Joe

Appearances as ‘Ultron Pym’

Secret Empire / Spencer, Nick

The uncanny Avengers [2] : the man who fell to Earth / Duggan, Gerry

Infinity countdown / Duggan, Gerry

Iron Man : the Ultron agenda / Slott, Dan

The astonishing Ant-Man. Vol. 1, Everybody loves team-ups / Spencer, Nick

Scott Lang, the Astonishing Ant-Man

Scott Lang is a ex-con who stole the Ant-Man suit in order to save his daughter. Proving himself a hero, Lang was allowed to keep the suit and became the second Ant-Man, joining the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. Lang is a big believer in second chances, working alongside reformed criminals like himself in his security business in Florida.

Ant-Man [1] : second-chance man / Spencer, Nick
(also on eLibrary)

The astonishing Ant-Man [2] : small-time criminal / Spencer, Nick

The astonishing Ant-Man. Vol. 3, The trial of Ant-Man / Spencer, Nick

Ant-Man and the Wasp : lost and found / Waid, Mark

War of the realms : Giant-Man / Williams, Leah

Ant-Man : World hive / Wells, Zeb

The Avengers : Red Zone / Johns, Geoff

Scott Lang’s Teams

Avengers : Disassembled

FF. Vol. 1, Fantastic faux / Fraction, Matt

Eric O’Grady, the Irredeemable Ant-Man

Eric O’Grady was a low-level SHIELD agent who stole a prototype Ant-Man suit and used it for his own selfish purposes. After proving his potential for espionage during the Skrull’s Secret Invasion, O’Grady became a member of the Thunderbolts and the Secret Avengers before eventually turning traitor. Now going by Black Ant, he is half of a villainous duo with the Taskmaster.

Appearances as Ant-Man

World War Hulk : X-Men (contains an issue of Eric’s first series, The Irredeemable Ant-Man)

Avengers : the Initiative. Vol. 3, Secret invasion / Slott, Dan

Thunderbolts : burning down the house / Diggle, Andy

Fear itself : Secret Avengers / Spencer, Nick

Secret Avengers. [Vol. 1] / Remender, Rick

Secret Avengers [3] / Remender, Rick

Appearances as Black Ant

Secret Empire / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 1, Back to basics / Spencer, Nick

The Amazing Spider-Man [2] : friends and foes / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man. Vol. 3, Lifetime achievement / Spencer, Nick

The amazing Spider-Man [4] : hunted / Spencer, Nick

Sinister war / Spencer, Nick

Raz Malhotra, Giant-Man

When Hank Pym felt that shrinking wasn’t an adequate power, he changed tack and used his Pym Particles to grow to titanic heights as Giant-Man and later Goliath. Other heroes since taken up the Giant-Man mantle, the current one being Raz Malhotra, a computer programmer who befriended Scott Lang.

Raz Malhotra appearances

The astonishing Ant-Man. Vol. 1, Everybody loves team-ups / Spencer, Nick

The astonishing Ant-Man [2] : small-time criminal / Spencer, Nick

The Ultimates [2] : Civil war II / Ewing, Al

Secret Empire : brave new world

Agents of Atlas : pandemonium / Pak, Greg

War of the realms : Giant-Man / Williams, Leah

Cassie Lang, Stinger

Cassie Lang is the daughter of Scott Lang, the second Ant-Man. After being exposed to Pym Particles, Cassie gained the ability to grow and shrink at will. Calling herself Stature, she joined a team of teenagers emulating the original Avengers, the Young Avengers. Later, she gained her own insect-controlling helmet and helps her father as the heroine Stinger.

Cassie Lang appearances

Young Avengers: Ultimate Collection (Only on Libby)

Secret invasion : Runaways & Young Avengers / Yost, Christopher

The Mighty Avengers : Earth’s mightiest / Slott, Dan

Siege : Mighty Avengers / Slott, Dan

Ant-Man : World hive / Wells, Zeb

War of the realms : Giant-Man / Williams, Leah

Ant-Man and the Wasp : adventures

Janet Van Dyne, The Winsome Wasp

Janet van Dyne is a fashion designer who fell in love with Hank Pym and became his crime-fighting partner, the Wasp. Janet has been a team-player her entire career, leading the Avengers on multiple occasions. Currently, she mentors the new Wasp, her stepdaughter Nadia van Dyne.

The Wasp appearances

The Avengers : Earth’s mightiest heroes. Volume 1, 1963-1965 / Lee, Stan

The Avengers : the Korvac saga / Shooter, Jim

Avengers : Disassembled (only on eLibrary)

Civil war / Millar, Mark (also on eLibrary)

The Mighty Avengers : Venom bomb / Bendis, Brian Michael

Secret invasion / Bendis, Brian Michael
(also on eLibrary)

Uncanny Avengers [1] : the red shadow / Remender, Rick

Uncanny Avengers [2] : the apocalypse twins / Remender, Rick

Uncanny Avengers [4] : avenge the Earth / Remender, Rick

Uncanny Avengers [5] : Axis prelude / Remender, Rick

Avengers/X-Men : Axis / Remender, Rick

Uncanny Avengers [1] : counter-evolutionary / Remender, Rick

Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda. Vol. 1, Eye of the storm / Zubkavich, Jim

Tony Stark, Iron Man [1] : self-made man / Slott, Dan

The Darkhold / Orlando, Steve

Nadia van Dyne, the Unstoppable Wasp

Hank Pym’s first wife Maria was kidnapped on the couple’s honeymoon, and unknown to Hank, she bore a daughter named Nadia. Raised in the Red Room that trained Black Widow, Nadia studied in multiple scientific fields, eventually replicating the Pym Particles and using them to escape. After arriving in America and meeting the Avengers, Nadia became the newest Wasp and founded her own scientific organisation, Genius In action Research Labs (G.I.R.L).

Unstoppable Wasp appearances

The unstoppable Wasp [1] : unstoppable / Whitley, Jeremy

The unstoppable Wasp [2] : agents of G.I.R.L / Whitley, Jeremy

The unstoppable Wasp. Vol. 1, Fix everything / Whitley, Jeremy

The unstoppable Wasp. Vol. 2, Unlimited / Whitley, Jeremy

The Unstoppable Wasp series is also collected in these volumes.

The unstoppable Wasp : G.I.R.L. power / Whitley, Jeremy

The unstoppable Wasp : A.I.M. escape / Whitley, Jeremy

Unstoppable Wasp Teams

All-new all-different Avengers [2] : family business / Waid, Mark

The Avengers : unleashed [1] : Kang war one / Waid, Mark

The Avengers unleashed. Vol. 2, Secret empire / Waid, Mark

The Avengers & Champions : worlds collide / Waid, Mark

Champions. Vol. 3, Champion for a day / Waid, Mark

Champions. Vol. 4, Northern lights / Zubkavich, Jim

Champions [1] : beat the devil / Zubkavich, Jim

Hope van Dyne/Hope Pym, the MCU Wasp

In the MCU, Hank Pym’s daughter is Hope van Dyne, who doesn’t exist in the ‘mainstream’ Marvel Universe of Earth-616. She is derived from Hope Pym, the daughter of Hank and Janet from Earth-982, a world set in a near-future where the Avengers have been replaced by new, younger heroes, including Peter Parker’s daughter Spider-Girl.

Hope Pym appearances

Spider-Island : Warzones / Gage, Christos

The Wellington Comic Lover’s Guide to… Avatar: The Last Airbender

By Gus

On Tuesday, 17 January, 2023

In comics and graphic novels, eLibrary, stuff to read, the wellington comic lover's guide to...

Welcome to the Wellington Comic Lover’s (WCL) Guide, where we take you through the Wellington City Libraries’ collection of a comic book character. This post is about the comics that continue the story of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and Avatar: The Legend of Korra!

(GIF via Giphy)

What is Avatar: The Last Airbender?

Avatar: The Last Airbender (or Avatar: The Legend of Aang) takes place in a world divided into four nations, each home to people who possess the ability to control one element of either water, earth, air and fire with a martial art called ‘bending’. The Last Airbender begins after the world has been consumed in a century of war with the heavily industrialised Fire Nation, and the only hope of ending the conflict lies with the Avatar, a person with the ability to bend all four elements. Sokka and Katara, the two siblings from the Water Tribe, discover the current Avatar, an airbender named Aang, and the trio set off to train Aang in mastering all four elements and putting an end to the war.

Mid-show Avatar comics

The following series take place during the events of The Last Airbender. These are a mix of anthology series, like the Lost Adventures, and series focusing on a particular character.

Avatar, the last Airbender : the lost adventures (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : Katara and the pirate’s silver / Hicks, Faith Erin (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : Suki, alone / Hicks, Faith Erin (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : Team Avatar tales / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Post-show Avatar comics

Starting in 2012 (four years after the show ended its run), Dark Horse Comics began publishing a series of Avatar: The Last Airbender comics that take place after the events of the show. In chronological order, they are:

The Promise

Taking place just after the victory over the Fire Nation, Aang and company, including the newly crowned Fire Lord Zuko, try to prevent the world from descending into another war.

Avatar, the last Airbender : the promise. Part one / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : the promise. Part two / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : the promise. Part three / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

This series is also available to read in one volume on the eLibrary.

The Search

The Search answers one of the biggest plot threads left hanging from The Last Airbender: what happened to Zuko’s mother? Zuko and Aang set out to find her, but are impeded by Zuko’s villainous sister Azula.

Avatar, the last Airbender : the search. Part one / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : the search. Part two / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : the search. Part three / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

The Search is also available to read in one volume on the eLibrary.

The Rift and Toph’s Metalbending Academy

Industrial activity on sacred Airbender land awakens an ancient and violent spirit, leading Aang to reconvene with one of his past lives, the Avatar Yangchen, for help. Meanwhile, Toph starts up an academy to teach Metalbending, a specialised form of Earthbending that she invented.

Avatar, the last Airbender : the rift, Part one / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : the rift. Part two / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : the rift. Part three / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

The Rift is also available to read in one volume as Avatar, the last Airbender : the rift [omnibus] (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : Toph Beifong’s Metalbending Academy / Hicks, Faith Erin

Smoke and Shadow

A movement dedicated to reinstating the former Fire Lord Ozai, Zuko’s father, gains traction in the Fire Nation. Meanwhile, Aang and company have to investigate the mysterious disappearance of children being taken from the homes.

Avatar, the last Airbender : smoke and shadow. Part one / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : smoke and shadow. Part two / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : smoke and shadow. Part three / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Smoke and Shadow is also available to read in one volume in Avatar, the last Airbender : smoke and shadow (also on eLibrary)

North and South

Katara and Sokka return home to the Southern Water Tribe to find it has been modernised into a bustling city thanks to a Northern Water Tribe member. When the two Water Tribes plan to unify, a rebel Southern faction seek to stop it, leaving Katara torn between her loyalties.

Avatar, the last Airbender : north and south. Part one / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : north and south. Part two / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : north and south. Part three / Yang, Gene Luen (also on eLibrary)

North and South is also available to read in one volume in Avatar, the last airbender. [Part 1-3], North and south.

Imbalance

Aang must quell a conflict between benders and non-benders in a small industrial town.

Avatar, the last Airbender : imbalance. Part one / Hicks, Faith Erin (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : imbalance. Part two / Hicks, Faith Erin (also on eLibrary)

Avatar, the last Airbender : imbalance. Part three / Hicks, Faith Erin (also on eLibrary)

Imbalance is also available to read in one volume in
Avatar, the last Airbender : imbalance [omnibus] / Hicks, Faith Erin

What is Avatar: The Legend of Korra?

Set 70 years after the events of The Last Airbender, the world has largely industrialised and a new Avatar appears in the form of Korra, a headstrong, athletic bender from the Southern Water Tribe. Having mastered three elements already, Korra heads to Republic City to train with Tenzin, the son of Aang and patriarch of a family of Airbenders. During her time in Republic City, Korra finds new friends, romance, and powerful enemies with bending abilities unlike anything the world has seen before.

We also have the whole series of The Legend of Korra on DVD! The comics take place after the show, so be sure to watch first if you haven’t already.

The legend of Korra. Book one, Air

The legend of Korra. Book two, Spirits

The legend of Korra. Book three, Change

The legend of Korra. Book four, Balance

Turf Wars

Korra and Asami return from their vacation to the Spirit Realm to find a gang war brewing in Republic City.

The legend of Korra : turf wars. Part one / DiMartino, Michael Dante (also on eLibrary)

The legend of Korra : turf wars. Part two / DiMartino, Michael Dante (also on eLibrary)

The legend of Korra : turf wars. Part three / DiMartino, Michael Dante (also on eLibrary)

Ruins of the Empire

The Earth Kingdom is having its first ever democratic election, but Korra and company become worried when a candidate with imperial ambitions becomes popular and looks set to win.

The legend of Korra : ruins of the empire. Part one / DiMartino, Michael Dante (also on eLibrary)

The legend of Korra : ruins of the empire. Part two / DiMartino, Michael Dante (also on eLibrary)

The legend of Korra : ruins of the empire. Part three / DiMartino, Michael Dante (also on eLibrary)

Other Legend of Korra comics

The legend of Korra : patterns in time / Konietzko, Bryan

More Avatar Books

Writer F.C Yee has penned The Chronicles of the Avatar, a series of novels about the Avatars before Aang and Korra. There are two novels focusing on Kyoshi, the Earth Kingdom Avatar who created her own island, and two about Yangchen, an Air Nomad and the previous Airbender to hold the Avatar mantle before Aang.

If you want to know how the show was made, we recommend the Avatar: The Last Airbender artbook, a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the show, featuring concept art and commentary from the creators.

The rise of Kyoshi / Yee, F. C

The shadow of Kyoshi / Yee, F. C

The dawn of Yangchen / Yee, F. C

The legacy of Yangchen / Yee, F. C

Avatar, the last Airbender : the art of the animated series / Konietzko, Bryan (also on eLibrary)

The Wellington Comic Lovers’ Guide to… Black Panther

By Gus

On Tuesday, 15 November, 2022

In eLibrary, science fiction, stuff to read, the wellington comic lover's guide to...

Welcome to the Wellington Comic Lover’s (WCL) Guide, where we take you through the Wellington City Libraries’ collection of a comic book character. This post is about the king and protector of the unconquered city of Wakanda, the Black Panther!

(Via GIHPY)

Who is the Black Panther?

The Black Panther is a ceremonial title bestowed upon the head of the royal family line of Wakanda, a technologically advanced nation in central Africa that has remained uncolonized and is known for its store of the rare energy-absorbing metal Vibranium. After the death of King T’Chaka, the role falls to his son T’Challa, a stoic and studious young prince. Empowered by a suit of Vibranium and a heart-shaped herb that increases his strength and speed, T’Challa now defends his nation and the world as the Black Panther.

Classic Black Panther

In the years before Marvel NOW!, T’Challa married Storm of the X-Men, lead the Fantastic Four, and briefly became protector of Hell’s Kitchen in Daredevil’s absence.

Black Panther : who is the Black Panther / Hudlin, Reginald
(also on Libby)

Black Panther : bad mutha / Hudlin, Reginald

Black Panther : the bride / Hudlin, Reginald

Civil War: Black Panther (only on Libby)

Black Panther : little green men / Hudlin, Reginald

Black Panther : back to Africa / Hudlin, Reginald

Secret invasion : Black Panther / Aaron, Jason

Black Panther : power / Maberry, Jonathan

Black Panther : the man without fear! : the complete collection / Liss, David

Captain America/Black Panther. Flags of our fathers / Hudlin, Reginald

New Avengers – Working with the Enemy

T’Challa discovers that Incursions (universes colliding into each other) are slowly destroying the multiverse, and he gathers the Illuminati to find a way to prevent them. However, this means working with Namor, an enemy of Wakanda since he destroyed their capital city with a tidal wave in an act of war. Jonathan Hickman’s New Avengers series (and its finale Secret Wars) explores the enmity between the two kings and how far each is willing to go to protect their nations (and to spite each other).

New Avengers [1] : everything dies / Hickman, Jonathan (also on Libby)

New Avengers : Volume 2 – Infinity (only on Libby)

New Avengers [2] : other worlds / Hickman, Jonathan

New Avengers [4] : a perfect world / Hickman, Jonathan

Avengers : time runs out. Volume one / Hickman, Jonathan (also on Libby)

Avengers. Volume 2 / Time runs out / Hickman, Jonathan

Avengers : time runs out. Volume 3 / Hickman, Jonathan

Avengers : time runs out. Vol. 4 / Hickman, Jonathan

Secret wars / Hickman, Jonathan

The Ta-Nehisi Coates run

Taking place after Secret Wars, this long-running and critically acclaimed series was written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, former columnist for The Atlantic and author of Between the World and Me. Here, T’Challa faces a populist uprising in Wakanda, meets the old gods that he draws power from, and comes into conflict with a universe where Wakanda became a galaxy-spanning empire.

Black Panther : a nation under our feet. Book one / Coates, Ta-Nehisi (also on Libby)

Black Panther : a nation under our feet. Book two / Coates, Ta-Nehisi (also on Libby)

Black Panther : a nation under our feet. Book three / Coates, Ta-Nehisi (also on Libby)

Black Panther. Book 4, Avengers of the New World, part one / Coates, Ta-Nehisi
(also on Libby)

Black Panther [5] : Avengers of the new world. Part two / Coates, Ta-Nehisi
(also on Libby)

Black Panther [6] : the intergalactic empire of Wakanda. Part one, Many thousands gone / Coates, Ta-Nehisi
(also on Libby)

Black Panther [7] : the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda. Part two / Coates, Ta-Nehisi

Black Panther [8] : the intergalactic empire of Wakanda. Part three / Coates, Ta-Nehisi

Black Panther. Book 9, The intergalactic empire of Wakanda : part four / Coates, Ta-Nehisi

The World of Wakanda

Coates’ run had a number of spin-off series exploring the nation of Wakanda and its citizens and history, written by such famous Black writers as Roxane Gay, Yona Harvey, and Nnedi Okorafor.

Black Panther : world of Wakanda / Gay, Roxane

Rise of the Black Panther / Narcisse, Evan

Black Panther : long live the king / Okorafor, Nnedi

Black Panther : Killmonger [1] : by any means / Hill, Bryan Edward

Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda. Vol. 1, Eye of the storm / Zubkavich, Jim

Marvel action : Black Panther : stormy weather / Baker, Kyle

Marvel action : Black Panther : rise together [2] / Ayala, Vita

Black Panther vs. Deadpool / Kibblesmith, Daniel

Black Panther adventures / Parker, Jeff

John Ridley run

The current run on Black Panther is written by John Ridley (screenwriter for 12 Years a Slave and writer of I Am Batman). In this series, T’Challa is hunted by his own espionage unit after a long-buried secret comes to light, and then is tasked with fighting a wandering space rancher called ‘The Colonialist’.

Black Panther. Vol. 1, The long shadow / Ridley, John

Black Panther [2] : range wars / Ridley, John

Black Panther. Vol. 3, All this and the world, too / Ridley, John

Wakanda (an anthology series highlighting Black Panther’s supporting cast, including M’Baku, Killmonger, Shuri, and Okoye)

Shuri

Shuri is T’Challa’s younger sister, and next in line for the Wakandan throne. A sorceress and an accomplished scientist, she occasionally has to take over for T’Challa as ruler of Wakanda in his absence. She even became the Black Panther for a time in the late 2000s.

Black Panther : the deadliest of the species / Hudlin, Reginald

Shuri [1] : the search for Black Panther, 1 / Okorafor, Nnedi (also on Libby)

Shuri [2] : 24/7 vibranium / Ayala, Vita

These two Shuri volumes are also collected as Shuri : Wakanda forever (also available on Libby).

Black Panther : the saga of Shuri & T’Challa

Into the heartlands / Brown, Roseanne A

Teams

Black Panther has been a member of the Avengers, the Ultimates, and briefly lead The Crew, a team of Black and indigenous heroes that fight systemic injustice.

Black Panther & the Crew : we are the streets / Coates, Ta-Nehisi

The Ultimates [1] : start with the impossible / Ewing, Al

The Ultimates [2] : Civil war II / Ewing, Al

The Ultimates 2 [1] : troubleshooters / Ewing, Al

The Ultimates 2. Vol. 2, Eternity War / Ewing, Al

Avengers by Jason Aaron. Vol. 1 / Aaron, Jason

Big Library Read 2022: A Snake Falls to Earth

By Joey Jonouchi

On Wednesday, 2 November, 2022

In eLibrary, internet culture, library news, new stuff (ooh, shiny!), stuff to do, stuff to read

The Big Library Read is now underway!

Big Library Read is like a worldwide digital version of a book club! Big Library Read is an opportunity for library users around the whole world to read the same ebook at the same time without any wait lists or holds.

This year, from 2 until 16th November, the selected title is A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger.

Click here to go straight to this book on Libby!

Over 2022, in Wellington, our copies of A Snake Falls to Earth on Libby have been really popular! Big Library Read is your chance to get hold of this book straight away without having to wait in a reserve queue!

Nina is a Lipan girl in our world. She’s always felt there was something more out there. She still believes in the old stories.

Oli is a cottonmouth kid, from the land of spirits and monsters. Like all cottonmouths, he’s been cast from home. He’s found a new one on the banks of the bottomless lake.

Nina and Oli have no idea the other exists. But a catastrophic event on Earth, and a strange sickness that befalls Oli’s best friend, will drive their worlds together in ways they haven’t been in centuries.

And there are some who will kill to keep them apart.

– Blurb

Just like a book club, you can contribute to discussion here: https://biglibraryread.com/join-the-discussion/

Keep a look out for a letter with the author, and a discussion guide, coming soon to Big Library Read’s current title page.

If you haven’t already, you can always download Libby on your smartphone as your one-stop-shop eLibrary! eLibrary Help – Getting started (wcl.govt.nz)

Happy reading folks!

From the Vaults VII: The Archives of Sexuality and Gender

On Thursday, 10 February, 2022

On Tuesday, 15 March, 2022

In eLibrary, from the vaults, internet culture, lgbtqia+, stuff to learn

As ~~internet troglodytes~~ naturalised denizens of the internet, it can sometimes be tempting to fall into the belief that everything there is to know can be found for free online. While it’s true that there is an awful lot of information out there, there are two really important things to be aware of:

Not everything you can read for free online is true (shocking thought, I know)
A lot of the really reliable, peer-reviewed stuff? Yeah. You gotta pay for that (and they wonder why disinformation is rife)

One of the most important, and coolest, things about the public library is that we can get our readers past those paywalls without you having to pay a cent — so you can get access to the most up-to-date, accurate, and reliable info at the low, low cost of typing in your library card number and trying to remember your PIN.

So today, we thought we would spotlight one of our favourite online resources — the Gale Archives of Sexuality and Gender. Whether you’re doing research for school, want to learn more about our queer elders, or are just curious about how societies all over the world have understood and approached questions of sexuality and gender across time — read on, fellow troglodyte, read on!

via GIPHY

Introducing the Archives of Sexuality and Gender

The Gale Archives of Sexuality and Gender is the largest digital collection in the world of primary sources to do with the history and study of sex, sexuality and gender. It’s split up into four different sections, all of which contain everything from magazines, photographs, cartoons, pamphlets, articles, historic books, government briefings, pieces of legislation, pieces of propaganda, and much more — all to do with how sexual norms have changed over time, the development of health education, social movements and activism, changing gender roles… the list goes on.

What’s in the Archives?

The four sections of the Archives are:

International Perspectives on LGBTQ Activism and Culture
What’s it about?
This archive collects information about sexual and gender diversity in underrepresented areas of the world, including Oceania and Africa, with a special focus on activism and the global struggle for LGBTQIA+ rights and freedoms.
What can I find here?
Newspapers, magazines, cartoons, photographs, personal letters, and other files from prominent activists in Africa and Australia.
LGBTQ History and Culture since 1940, Part I
What’s it about?
This archive focusses on grassroots movements that sprung up around the world in support of LGBTQIA+ rights during the mid-20th century, especially around the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.
What can I find here?
Newsletters, community meeting documents, newspapers, research reports, government briefings, legislation, photographs, medical research, surveys, private letters.
LGBTQ History and Culture since 1940, Part II
What’s it about?
This archive provides coverage of groups who, even within the LGBTQIA+ community, have not been as well represented as other activist groups, including religious queer communities as well as Two-Spirit, bisexual, transgender, and intersex communities. The focus in this archive is more on personal stories than on organisations.
What can I find here?
Oral histories, posters, interview transcripts, research papers, psychological surveys, personal letters, manuscripts.
Sex and Sexuality, Sixteenth to Twentieth Century
What’s it about?
This archive focusses on understanding how various societies’ understanding of sexual and gender norms have changed from the 1500s through to today.
What can I find here?
Extremely rare books and manuscripts including poetry, fiction, historic guides to etiquette and behaviour, medical and scientific texts, law, religious literature, and the personal library of Dr. Alfred Kinsey (yes, that Kinsey)

How do I use the Archives?

Well, in some ways an archive is sort of like a microcosm of the general internet. Just like you can with Google, you can do a general search in the archive’s search engine, and it will bring up an array of results that may or may not include what you’re actually looking for.

But an archive like this one is a little bit cleverer than just any old search engine — so for us to get the most out of it, we have to be a little bit cleverer too!

For example, if you’re interested in learning about LGBTQIA+ history in New Zealand, you can use a special Publication Search to limit your results to only items that were ‘born’ in New Zealand. If what you’re looking for is really specific (e.g. “political posters produced in the 1980s in New Zealand relating to the AIDs crisis”), using a combination of Advanced Search tools will be your way to go.

But we can get even cleverer still! Here are two of our favourite ways to use the Archives:

Topic Finder

The Topic Finder helps you visualise connections between what you’ve searched, and other topics that you might not have even considered! This can be really helpful if you’re doing research for a project, for example, because using the Topic Finder, you can quickly see related topics you might like to look into further, that you wouldn’t have found if you were just doing a general search.

Plus, it looks super pretty — here’s a cute example of a quick search I did for “New Zealand” — as you can see, it has quickly broken down that huge topic into a whole bunch of more specific topics that it will be way easier for me to explore further:

The colours! So fetching!

Term Frequency

If you’re a language nerd like me, you’re super interested in how the language we use changes over time. And the language used to describe the LGBTQIA+ community changes frequently as social norms are challenged and eventually changed. The Term Frequency tool lets you see exactly how this works by showing letting you compare how often particular terms are referenced in written works throughout history.

This is a really interesting example — in the below graph, the black line traces usage of the word “transgender,” whereas the blue line traces the usage of the word “transsexual.” Note that “transsexual” was the more common word, until 1993, when transgender activist Leslie Feinberg popularised the use of the word “transgender” in her impactful novel Stone Butch Blues.

Look, a graph might not seem cool to you, but it seems really cool to us!

So what?

Armed with your new array of tools and techniques, go forth and explore! There is so much interesting, exciting, challenging, inspiring, and thought-provoking stuff in this archive just waiting to be found. Go on! Find it!

Your reading guide on how NOT to get murdered

By Katie

In eLibrary, mysteries & whodunnits, real life, real problems, stuff to read

This is a blog post NOT for the faint hearted. This is NOT a blog post full of hearts, flowers and romantic embellishments. What you’re about to read is raw, gritty, deadly, but could very well save your life and may help you avoid getting murdered. This is a post for teens addicted to true crime stories/podcasts and interested in fiction, on ‘how NOT to get murdered,’ inspired by A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson.

Here are some basic tips on how NOT to get murdered?

Learn how to escape from large suitcases.
When your friend advises you “split up” to go look for something in the cemetery after dark … just don’t do that. When did that ever work out?
When someone has a knife as their hand, don’t be judgemental… but maybe do be suspicious. Archaeological proof of knife-prosthetics: Medieval Man Used a Knife as a Prosthetic Limb
Trust your gut.
Read the following books as cautionary tales that may prompt you to follow the advice above.

A good girl’s guide to murder.

“The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final-year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?” (Catalogue). Also available as an

Good girl, bad blood.

“Pip Fitz-Amobi is not a detective anymore. Her true crime podcast about the murder case she solved last year has gone viral. Yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her. But she will have to back on her word when some close to her goes missing and the police can’t do anything about it.” Also available as an eAudiobook.

They wish they were us.

The lives of Jill Newman and her friends look perfect, but nothing is as it seems. Jill’s best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila, was killed by her boyfriend, but suddenly Jill starts getting texts proclaiming his innocence. But digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.

The murder game.

“Luke Chase’s roommate Oscar convinces him to sneak out of their boarding school dorm to meet up with a couple of girls in the forest, have a good time, and no one will ever know. When the wife of one of their teachers is found dead in the woods the next morning, the group decides to solve the murder on their own. Will they be able to catch the killer before the killer catches them? — adapted from back cover.” (Catalogue). Also available as an eBook.

White rabbit, red wolf.

“A gripping and gloriously treacherous thriller without guide ropes or safety nets. Leave all certainties by the door.” Frances Hardinge A taut thriller about murder, maths and the mind. Peter Blankman is afraid of everything but must confront truly unimaginable terror when his mother is attacked. Seventeen-year-old Peter Blankman is a maths prodigy. He also suffers from severe panic attacks. Afraid of everything, he finds solace in the orderly and logical world of mathematics and in the love of his family: his scientist mum and his tough twin sister Bel, as well as Ingrid, his only friend. However, when his mother is found stabbed before an award ceremony and his sister is nowhere to be found, Pete is dragged into a world of espionage and violence where state and family secrets intertwine. Armed only with his extraordinary analytical skills, Peter may just discover that his biggest weakness is his greatest strength.” (Catalogue).

The boyband murder mystery.

“When frontman Frankie is arrested on suspicion of murdering his oldest friend Evan, Harri feels like her world’s about to fall apart. But quickly she realises that she – and all the other Half Light superfans out there – know and understand much more about these boys than any detective ever could. Now she’s rallying a fangirl army to prove Frankie’s innocence – and to show the world that you should never underestimate a teenage girl with a passion.” (Catalogue).

Pride and premeditation.

“Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit. When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates. Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case-and her feelings for Darcy-become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed.” (Catalogue). Also available as an eBook and an eAudiobook.

#MurderTrending.

“In the near future, citizens can enjoy watching the executions of society’s most infamous convicted felons, streaming live on The Postman app from the prison island Alcatraz 2.0. Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse, about to be the next victim of the app, found guilty of murdering her stepsister. But Dee refuses to roll over and die for a heinous crime she didn’t commit. Her newly formed posse, the Death Row Breakfast Club, needs to prove she’s innocent before she ends up murdered for the world to see. That’s if The Postman’s cast of executioners don’t kill them off one by one, first.” — Adapted from jacket. Available as an eBook.

#MurderFunding.

“WELCOME TO WHO WANTS TO BE A PAINIAC?, the latest reality TV show on the hunt for the next big-hit serial killer. But don’t worry-no one is actually going to murder anyone, as real as the fake gore and pretend murder may appear . . . uh, right? Seventeen-year-old Becca Martinello is about to find out. When her perfectly normal soccer mom dies in a car crash, a strange girl named Stef appears and lets Becca know that her deceased mom was none other than one of Alcatraz 2.0’s most popular serial killers-Molly Mauler. Soon, Becca ends up on Who Wants to Be a Painiac? to learn the truth about her mom’s connection to Molly Mauler, but things turn sinister when people are murdered IRL. Will Becca uncover dark secrets and make it out of the deadly reality show alive? Or will she get cut?” (Catalogue).

Two can keep a secret.

“The New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying is back with an all-new, page-turning mystery perfect for fans of Riverdale! Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery’s never been there, but she’s heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows. The town is picture-perfect, but it’s hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone has declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing. Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she’s in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous–and most people aren’t good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it’s safest to keep your secrets to yourself.” (Catalogue).

For more reading guides on how NOT to get murdered, click here.

“The most misunderstood of English villains”: Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot

By Katie

On Friday, 5 November, 2021

In eLibrary, library news, stuff to learn, stuff to read

This black-and-white drawing of Guy Fawkes was actually created over 200 years after his death by illustrator George Cruikshank! Image: Public Domain

Prepare to blow up… your mind with a veritable treasure trove of information about a gunpowder plot gone wrong. Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire Night is on this horizon this very evening, November 5th, as an annual celebration with bonfires and fireworks in remembrance of the failed plot to kill the British Government and King James VI and I.

Why do we celebrate Guy Fawkes? Guy Fawkes and a group of men were part of a plot to blow up British Parliament to kill the King of England on the 5th of November. However, the government found out about the plot before the attack could take place. The government arrested Guy Fawkes and his conspirators, who were then convicted of treason. To celebrate the survival of the Parliament, they announced a national day, now known as Guy Fawkes Day. The first celebration was held on November 5, 1606. Today, Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated with feasts, bonfires, and fireworks.

For more information, check out:

If you’d like to read more about the history and alternative stories about Guy Fawkes, here’s a selection of books at the library:

The Gunpowder Plot : terror in Shakespeare’s England.

“The Gunpowder Plot is perhaps the most famous and well-documented event in British Early Modern History. This means the story can be told through original dialogue recorded at the time to a greater extent than any other of the period. This expert retelling of the Gunpowder Plot brings seventeenth-century voices fresh to the page. It shows the complex motivations of the principal figures involved, including the plotters themselves, and tells the story of the plot without the benefit of hindsight. Today, ‘Guido Fawkes’ has become the face of political disaffection, thanks to his popularity as a mask for protestors. And in a modern world of religious terrorism, this books lets us understand what drove the participants in British history’s biggest home-grown plot.”(Catalogue).

Pity for the Guy : a biography of Guy Fawkes.

“The first fully-rounded portrait of the man behind the Gunpowder Plot for hundreds of years Guy Fawkes has been portrayed as perhaps too extreme a figure — a rabid, bloodthirsty Catholic who not only tried to bomb British Parliament but threatened the English way of life. This biography reveals that he was much more than an evil, shadowy conspirator with an axe to grind. John Paul Davis delves into the evidence and makes a convincing case for new thinking on one of English history’s greatest enigmas. Not only is the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 thrillingly retold, but Guy Fawkes can now be seen as a multi-faceted figure — husband, soldier, lover, adventurer, spy, and possibly the most misunderstood of English villains.” (Catalogue)

The Gunpowder Plot : terror & faith in 1605.

“A bestselling historian’s account of the Gunpowder Plot – ‘History as it should be written’ – Roy Strong.” (Catalogue)

Remember, remember the fifth of November : Guy Fawkes and the gunpowder plot.

“Guy Fawkes is one of the most celebrated figures in English history – but how did a failed Catholic plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 inspire a religious festival, anti-Catholic riots, political protests, novels and pantomimes, and a 60 million annual spend on fireworks?” (Catalogue)

Fawkes.

“Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.” (Catalogue) Also available as an eBook.

Tūhono: Get Yourself Some Inspiration!

On Saturday, 18 September, 2021

On Friday, 22 October, 2021

In aotearoa new zealand, eLibrary, poetry, stuff to write, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

It’s me again, with another of my periodic reminders that submissions for Tūhono 2021, our poetry journal for children and teens, are still open! You’ve got plenty of time to write something (in fact, we’ve just extended the deadline to the 14th of November!) and send it in to be published — and we will publish everything, as long as it meets our guidelines.

In case you’re searching for inspiration, we thought we would share with you some of our favourite poems written by teens for last year’s volume, Tūhono 2020. Read on to be wowed, inspired, jazzed, and just overall motivated to contribute your masterpiece to our new collection.

Note: Submissions to Tūhono 2021 have now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted.

1. Passage of History — Deanna, age 15

Passage of History

Through a thread we all hold
Through this thread all is told
Down it’s passed young from old
This thread echoes war it carries the mourning of our ancestors
Here every language is told all our traditions we hold
In our hands
In our hands we hold precious memories other than ours
Although we encounter troubles we take it on as one
Because this thread connects us all
This thread is nothing more thing less
I feel blessed
To hold this thread for my passed grandparents
Thank you for this thread I will cherish
I swear an oath I won’t let it perish
Through this thread I’m proud to hold
Through this thread all our stories are told

— Deanna, age 15

2. [Untitled] — Nadezhda, age 17

Pushing at risk teeth
Killing at risk teens

Your mother is wrong
Because all the time I knew you, you knew I would do it

I am only lying
But I am only lying to you
I am lying stretched out like a cat in the sun on the hood of your car
Black stockinged legs hanging over the edge

Kicking at the rain and chewing up the gravel
Right in front of you………………

There is blood in your teeth boy, and on my hands
What if I turn out to be something that makes your mother right?
You might just turn away
And walk into her outstretched arms

— Nadezhda, age 17

3. Included Components: Notes to My Past Self in the Form of a Contents List — Thyme, age 16

Included Components: Notes to My Past Self in the Form of a Contents List

CONTENTS:

ASSORTED COMPONENTS: BLOOD, CONNECTORS, BONES, ETC.
Factory Settings: Standard. Possibility of inherited deficiency.
(blood tests aren’t as bad as you’d expect them to be, and you won’t regret getting them)

BRAIN, 1 COMPONENT
Factory Settings: Open to programming. Runs best when fully charged.
(you’ll want to be proud of this, and that’s fine, but remember it’s okay not to be the best. it’s okay to get lower marks. let yourself fail sometimes)

CHEST, RIBS, TORSO
Factory Settings: Standard breathing. Growth in chest area expected and normal.
(you won’t like how it changes. look after your ribs when you work this out)

ARMS, 1 PAIR
Factory Settings: Standard flexibility. Bones will remain malleable for approximately 12 years.
(you’ll break them three times, but don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt as much as you think. don’t worry about your first cast’s awful colour — you’ll have plenty more opportunities)

LEGS, 1 PAIR
Factory Settings: Average length, standard flexibility.
(you might not like these either, but understand there’s nothing wrong with them. standard sizing is frustrating but you will find yourself a pair of pants that fit properly)

EYES, 1 PAIR
Factory Settings: Slight nearsightedness, standard cone cells. Optic nerves also included.
(you’ll get them tested, and think that they’re okay, but don’t be afraid to test them again later. school is easier when you can read the board)

HANDS, 1 PAIR
Factory Settings: Standard flexibility, multiple fingers, opposable thumbs. Useful for grasping.
(they won’t always feel like they belong to you — they do. they’ll learn to create nice things, and sometimes not so nice things as well, but I promise to you the scratches will fade eventually)

— Thyme, age 16

4. Tap Tap Malu — Katie, age 15

Tap Tap Malu

Tap, Tap
ink in blood out
absorbing, blending
weaving together
responsibilities of a Samoan woman
in Samoan society

Tap, Tap
ink in blood out
the bittersweet burn of the au
bleeding the ink to the surface
mapmaking the path to your ancestors

Tap, Tap
the sting on skin stretched tightly
a compact canvas freshly inked
a single colour pallette
sourced from the candlenut tree
a lama landscape
of oceans that will not wash away

Tap, Tap
O le Gafa o le Tatau,
chants of two sisters
Taema ma Tilafaiga
who swam the vasa wide
with a song and ‘ato au and echoed chant
‘only women get tattooed, not men’
‘only women get tattooed, not men’

Tap, Tap
O le Gafa o le Tatau
chants of two sisters
Taema ma Tilafaiga
who dove the vasa deep
for a faisua near the shores of Falealupo
breaking the ocean’s surface,
gasping for air
an old chant was forgotten
a new chant echoed
‘only men get tattooed, not women’
‘only men get tattooed, not women’

Tap, Tap
Malu
Tap, tap thigh
Tap, tap hand
Tap, tap arm
Tap, tap back
Tap, tap feet
Tap, tap ankles
Tap, tap face
Tap, tap neck
Tap, tap, tap…….
When is it still a Malu?

— Katie, age 15

Suffrage and the White Camellia

By Katie

In aotearoa new zealand, eLibrary, library news, stuff to learn, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

Suffrage Day is a special day in New Zealand’s history. Sunday 19 September 2021 is Suffrage Day / White Camellia Day.

Why is Suffrage Day celebrated?

On the 19th of September 1893, New Zealand became the first nation in the world to grant women the right to vote. This year marks the 126 anniversary of women winning the right to vote in New Zealand. The white camellia was the symbol of the suffragists.

Did you know? November 28th 1893 was the day New Zealand women voted for first time.

What is Suffrage Day?

Suffrage Day provides an opportunity for people to celebrate New Zealand’s suffrage achievements and look for ways to benefit women.

How do we commemorate this day?

Wearing a white camellia. Why? These flowers were worn by people supporting women’s right to vote in New Zealand.
Wear a The Suffrage 125 symbol. Why? The symbol draws on historical colours and icons adopted by women’s suffrage petitioners and presents them in a contemporary form.

Where can I find information about the suffragettes and and Suffrage Day?

ManyAnswers has a page dedicated to websites, resources and ways to search for information about the suffragettes and Suffrage Day.
NZ History has some amazing pages dedicated to women’s suffrage day and Suffrage 125.
See who signed the 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition
See images on Digital NZ of Cartooning the women’s vote.
Also check out these amazing books!

Hindsight : pivotal moments in New Zealand history.

Four pivotal events in New Zealands history, (Women’s suffrage, Springbok tour, Dawn raids and Rainbow warrior), are examined through a variety of source materials and commentary that enlivens the event and describes its impact on our society and growth as a nation. Hindsight is a resource for all schools and libraries. These topics are linked to the social sciences and history syllabus Years 7-11. An authoritative and engaging text, with high visual appeal. Buyers will be given access to download resources from our website, that will be updated as required. (Catalogue).

The book of gutsy women : favourite stories of courage and resilience.

Hillary Rodham Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, share the stories of the gutsy women who have inspired them–women with the courage to stand up to the status quo, ask hard questions, and get the job done. Ensuring the rights and opportunities of women and girls remains a big piece of the unfinished business of the twenty-first century. While there’s a lot of work to do, we know that throughout history and around the globe women have overcome the toughest resistance imaginable to win victories that have made progress possible for all of us. That is the achievement of each of the women in this book. So how did they do it? The answers are as unique as the women themselves. […] Edie Windsor, Diana Nyad, Rachel Carson, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Mary Beard, Wangari Maathai, Harriet Tubman, Malala Yousafzai — to us, they are all gutsy women — leaders with the courage to stand up to the status quo, ask hard questions, and get the job done. (Adapted from Catalogue). Also available as an eBook.

Suffragettes : the fight for votes for women.

‘Queen Victoria is most anxious to enlist everyone who can speak or write to join in checking this mad wicked folly of women’s rights, with all its attendant horrors, on which her poor sex is bent’. 1870. It was a bloody and dangerous war lasting several decades, won finally by sheer will and determination in 1928. Drawing on extracts from diaries, newspapers, letters, journals and books, Joyce Marlow has pieced together this inspiring, poignant and exciting history using the voices of the women themselves. Some of the people and events are well-known, but Marlow has gone beyond the obvious, particularly beyond London, to show us the ordinary women – middle and working-class, who had the breathtaking courage to stand up and be counted – or just as likely hectored, or pelted with eggs. These women were clever and determined, knew the power of humour and surprise and exhibited ‘unladylike’ passion and bravery. Joyce Marlow’s anthology is lively, comprehensive, surprising and triumphant.’ (Catalogue).

Hidden heroines : the forgotten suffragettes.

The story of the struggle for women’s suffrage is not just that of the Pankhursts and Emily Davison. Thousands of others were involved in peaceful protest–and sometimes more militant activity–and they includes women from all walks of life. This book presents the lives of 48 less well-known women who tirelessly campaigned for the vote, from all parts of Great Britain and Ireland, risking ridicule and condemnation from family and friends. They were the hidden heroines who paved the way for women to gain greater equality in Britain. (Catalogue).

Rise up, women! : the remarkable lives of the suffragettes.

“Between the death of Queen Victoria and the outbreak of the First World War, while the patriarchs of the Liberal and Tory parties vied for supremacy in parliament, the campaign for women’s suffrage was fought with great flair and imagination in the public arena. Led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia, the suffragettes and their actions would come to define protest movements for generations to come. From their marches on Parliament and 10 Downing Street, to the selling of their paper, Votes for Women, through to the more militant activities of the Women’s Social and Political Union, whose slogan ‘Deeds Not Words!’ resided over bombed pillar-boxes, acts of arson and the slashing of great works of art, the women who participated in the movement endured police brutality, assault, imprisonment and force-feeding, all in the relentless pursuit of one goal: the right to vote. A hundred years on, Diane Atkinson celebrates the lives of the women who answered the call to ‘Rise Up’; a richly diverse group that spanned the divides of class and country, women of all ages who were determined to fight for what had been so long denied. Actresses to mill-workers, teachers to doctors, seamstresses to scientists, clerks, boot-makers and sweated workers, Irish, Welsh, Scottish and English; a wealth of women’s lives are brought together for the first time, in this meticulously researched, vividly rendered and truly defining biography of a movement.”–Dust jacket cover. Also available as an eAudiobook.

Click here for more books about suffragettes.

Support Local: New Zealand Music Month 2021

In aotearoa new zealand, eLibrary, music and other nice noises, stuff to do, wellington (you can't beat it etc. etc.)

On Tuesday, 4 May, 2021

It’s May 2021, which means that New Zealand Music Month | Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa is upon us once again. We like music here on the Teen Blog, so we thought we’d share with you some of the cool stuff you can see, hear, or do to mark the occasion.

Album art for the following albums by Wellington artists: Kugels, Raven Mavens, Estere, Stalker, Flowz, David Harrow, Ariana Tikao, Spook the Horses, Julie Lamb, Phoenix Foundation, Neil Johnstone, and more.

A festive panoply of recent additions to our collection of Wellington music.

Find local music at the library

The theme of NZMM21 is simple: ‘Support Local. Stream Local. Follow Local. Buy Local.’ I’m not sure if there’s some kind of subliminal messaging at play here, but I think it’s possible that the kind folks at the New Zealand Music Commission are encouraging us to check out local artists. This is a message we at Wellington City Libraries wholeheartedly support. Our Customer Specialist for Music and Film, Mark, runs the Wellington Music blog and Facebook page, and if what you’re after is a constant stream of local Wellington content — interviews, videos and performances, anecdotes, new releases and more — well, he definitely has you covered. Check out his exhaustive Artist Directory for lists of literally hundreds of Wellington musicians and bands going back to the 1940s, complete with links to their material. It’s the best place you could start if you’re wanting to explore the music of this place.

On the off-chance that you are the kind of person who still likes to bust out the odd CD or vinyl record and give it a spin, we actually have a massive collection of both, at our Te Awe branch on Brandon Street, and Te Pātaka, our Collection Distribution Centre in Johnsonville. Use the Artist Directory to search by artist/composer/band, or browse the whole gosh darn collection at once:

Vinyl (Wellington) (New Zealand) (All)
Music CDs (Wellington) (New Zealand) (Māori) (All)

If you’re into classical music or jazz, we have a bunch of awesome resources for you to check out — from the score and songbook collection and classical and jazz CD collections (including the music of prominent New Zealand composers like John Psathas and Gillian Whitehead), to the truly massive and amazing online repositories of the Naxos Classical and Naxos Jazz Libraries — free with your library card.

Make music with the library

If you want to make music of your own but don’t have the means, you can actually borrow audio equipment like mics, PAs, field recorders, even the legendary Synthstrom Deluge synthesiser/sequencer/sampler/marvel of engineering from the library. It’s super easy — just pop your details in the form, tell us what you want and when you need it, and we’ll make it happen. One of our librarians will even sit down with you and show you how it all works if you need.

If the home studio isn’t quite the vibe you’re going for, you could also use our free recording studio at Tūhura/The HIVE at Johnsonville Library. For up to two hours at a time, you can have free use of the studio and all its gear to do whatever you want — record, jam, noodle, rehearse, whatever you need. Because the space is heavily used, bookings are essential — email johnsonville.library@wcc.govt.nz to book your spot. Here’re the specs on the studio software and hardware available to you:

Software: Logic Pro X, Garage Band, Da Vinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro X
Audio Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 Gen3
Microphones: Rode NT-1a, Shure SM57, Shure SM58, AKG P170
Audio Monitors: Mackie CR4BT 4″ Multimedia Monitors
Control Surface: Korg nanoKONTROL Studio
MIDI Keyboard: Icon Pro Audio iKeyboard 8Nano
Electric Drums: Alesis Nitro Mesh 8-Piece kit
Electric Guitar: Squier Bullet Mustang
Guitar amp: Marshall CODE50
Bass Guitar: ESP LTD B10

Gig guide

While our librarians have a well-documented propensity for being musical performers themselves, we also accept that there might be some cool stuff happening outside the library too. Thankfully, the excellent people behind NZMM21 have put together this fabulous calendar of live gigs for your edification and enjoyment. Make sure to visit their website for the full picture.

There will be more to come on New Zealand Music Month-related goodness in and around our libraries, but until then, remember: Support Local. Stream Local. Follow Local. Buy Local. Local is where all the best stuff is, anyway.

Why the Oxford English Dictionary is actually super cool

By Maiph

On Monday, 19 April, 2021

In eLibrary, stuff to learn

Let me introduce you to the wonder that is the Oxford English Dictionary Online. And I mean that! The OED online really is a thing of wonder, a remarkable resource, a superb site, and you have full access to it through us here at Wellington City Libraries!

To get into the OED online, just go to the eLibrary tab at the top of our website, select ‘By name’, then look under ‘O’ for ‘Oxford’. Or you could just click here.

Now you’re in, but maybe you’re not sure how it works. Luckily, that’s what I’m here for.

One of the simplest uses for the OED online is to look up a word you don’t know how to pronounce.

You know how it is, you’re reading a book, you learn a new word, you’ve never heard it said aloud, and English can be an awful language for guessing the proper pronunciation. How are you meant to know how it’s said?

Ah, how could I forget the hilarity that ensued when one of my friends foolishly and confidently and in front of me mispronounced the word ‘entrepreneurs’. She said ‘on-tray-pruners’, I laughed, and I have never forgotten it. But you can avoid such foolishness by going to the OED, searching this new addition to your vocabulary, and listening to the handy recording the OED provides for every word. See, here’s the entry for ‘entrepreneur’, with several handy blue play buttons that you can click on to listen to and never embarrass yourself with foolish pronunciation again!

Another really rad thing about the OED online is all the historical and etymological information they provide. If you’re a word nerd or just like knowing cool facts about cool stuff it can be fascinating to read through the entries and discover how meanings have changed over the years.

Did-you-know-for-example that the work ‘lemony’ used to have another meaning in NZ slang? See, it’s all written here with several examples of this older usage:

If, like me, you ever find yourself in ferocious debate with your friends over the meaning, etymology, or older spelling of a word then this is the place to go to get your proof. And hopefully your friend won’t go lemony at you when you prove them wrong!

There are other cool things to explore too, such as this interactive explanation of how a word enters the OED, or you can discover which words are the same age as you, or even submit your own word!

You can search for certain words, or browse by the date a word was added, or search for words that originated in a certain location, or look through all the sources the OED uses for historical evidence of what words used to mean. If you think any of this could be useful for a project at school then they do have a page with a bit more information on it for you.

If not for the OED online I would never have been looking through quotations from my old favourite Beowulf and I would never have discovered that Beowulf has the first recorded evidence of the word ‘blonk’! A blonk is, of course, one of those four-legged animals that goes ‘neigh’. Now, alas, this word is obsolete and we use another word to refer to this animal. But ‘elf’ was also first used in Beowulf, and we still use that word!

Anyway, I hope I’ve managed to get you even just a little bit excited in the Oxford English Dictionary Online. Now you have all you need to go and learn all about archaic meanings, obsolete words, and much more!

New LGBTIQ+ Teen Reads on OverDrive

On Wednesday, 17 February, 2021

In eLibrary, lgbtqia+, stuff to read

Look, I get it. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you what books to read. I understand that! There’s a lot of books out there — entirely too many to count — so the intrepid librarians behind our illustrious eBook collection on OverDrive and Libby have undertaken to sort these books into comprehensive, yet easily-digestible lists for your convenience. One such list in the Teen Reading Room is the LGBTIQ+ Teen Reads list, which has recently doubled in size thanks to the efforts of our mystical and talented library gremlins! Make sure to keep checking in as new lists are being worked on all the time.

LGBTIQ+ Teen Reads

This list pulls together a veritable panoply of the best of the best in LGBTIQ+ authors and titles for young adults — that’s you! Here are some of my current faves from this selection:

We Contain Multitudes, Sarah Henstra (Audiobook)

This beautiful book, told as an epistolary story (through letters and diary entries) is a classic oppposites-attract romance set in a Minnesota high school. You may have to suspend your disbelief a little at the premise of this story (letter-writing pen pals in high school? In 2019? Sure, Jan), but give it some time. The characters are deftly drawn, the storytelling by turns cerebral and intensely emotional, and the language absolutely to die for. Plus it was my sister’s favourite read of 2019. Give it a whirl!

Lizard Radio, Pat Schmatz (ebook)

I totally dig this oddball dystopian coming-of-age novel (with lizard-people aliens!) wrapped in layers of mysticism, cyber-tech, and explorations of gender identity. Kivali is a “bender,” a young person who doesn’t conform to the extremely rigid gender culture of the all-powerful Gov’s future society, sent to mandatory rewiring in a gruelling CropCamp with other nonconforming teens. From all quarters, Kivali is faced with the question — who are you? — a question she refuses to take at face value, and challenges in different ways throughout the book. A must-read for nonbinary teens everywhere!

My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen, David Clawson (ebook)

This book is a super sweet modern fairytale — a kind of Cinderella for the modern sensibility. It has its moments of darkness, sure, and like many of the mainstays of queer literature some of its musings on issues of sexuality, family, money and stability, and self-doubt will hit home a little too squarely for some. But where My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen really shines, for me, is in its lighter moments — how a random encounter with a drag queen can sweep joy into your world; how getting swept off your feet by sudden, unexpected romance can feel easier and lighter than breathing. This book is a celebration of all things glitter and warmth, and it invites you to the party every time.

The Full Spectrum, David Levithan (ebook)

This is a Very Cool and Most Timely collection of poems, essays, and stories written by young adults and teens from across the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. The writings cover a massive range of topics — coming out, dealing with family (supportive and not so much), navigating friendships that suddenly seem to have taken on a new dynamic, questions of faith and identity, and much more. Plus it’s all been pulled together by none other than the legendary David Levithan, and rad queer poet Billy Merrell, whose 2017 novel Vanilla is also a Must Read for fans of poetry and queerness.

You Asked for Perfect, Laura Silverman (ebook)

Ya okay so this book is just painfully, beautifully relatable on so many levels. Perfectionist attitude towards school keeping you down in terms of life? Check. So worried about the future that you’re losing your grip on what’s happening right now? Check. Queer and stressed? Yep, that’s one big ol’ checkeroon. But don’t worry friends, all is not lost, because books like this are here to save the day! As the wonderful Bill Konigsberg puts it in his back-cover review, “[the book] hit me straight in the heart.”

Finding Nevo, Nevo Zisin (ebook)

This powerful autobiography should be a required read for anybody to whom questions of identity are important. I can’t put it any better than the OverDrive description, so let me quote from it: “Meet Nevo: girl, boy, he she, him, her, they, them, daughter, son, teacher, student, friend, gay, bisexual, lesbian, transgender, homosexual, Jew, dyke, masculine, feminine, androgynous, queer. Nevo was not born in the wrong body. Nevo just wants everyone to catch up with all that Nevo is.” Read it now!

The Rest of Us Just Live Here, Patrick Ness (ebook)

Patrick Ness’s trademark poetic and slightly oblique style is really brought to bear in this sci-fi deconstruction to end all sci-fi deconstructions. What if something remarkable and improbable is happening in your town (dark and mystical forces colliding; people’s family members disappearing in the woods; extra-terrestrial beings descending from the Great Beyond to wreak terror and destruction, only to be stopped at the last minute by an ordinary teen who just happens to be the only one with the power to stand up to what may or may not be the gods of old made manifest in this realm), but you’re not the Chosen One? You’re just a background character (in most books like this, you’d be among the first to go, possibly before we even got to hear your tragic backstory) and you’d really like it to stay that way. You’re not trying to save the world, you’re just trying to make it through the day without embarrassing yourself too much. This book’s queerness is part of its fabric without being the main focus — you should read it anyway, because it’s Just That Good, Folks.

The Falling in Love Montage, Ciara Smyth (ebook)

This novel balances tongue-in-cheek witticisms with clear-eyed sincerity in an absolutely gorgeous way. Saoirse, 17, dealing with many issues in her life beyond her recent breakup with her ex, Hannah, meets Ruby, one of the most instantly loveable characters of any in books on this list. Ruby believes in true love, you see, and invites Saoirse to make a rom-com out of their lives together, complete with long, meaningful glances on Ferris wheels, ‘spontaneous’ skinny dipping late at night, and yes, a falling-in-love-montage just like in the movies. Not that the book is all bubbles and soft lens filters, but definitely one to curl up with under the covers, wearing out your face from all the smiling.

Rainbow Revolutionaries, Sarah Prager (ebook)

The LGBTIQ+ Teen Reads curated list doesn’t just include fiction, but a great amount of nonfiction as well. This is a compelling collection of autobiographies covering the lives and times of 50 very rad and very revolutionary queer people spanning continents and centuries, who have left some indelible mark on culture, society, and what-it-means-to-be-queer-ness at some point in their lives. The people discussed range from the super well-known (the Frida Kahlos, Alan Turings, and Harvey Milks of this world) to the less well-known, at least in Western pop culture (Maryam Molkara, Nzinga, Al-Hakam II, and Tshepo Ricki Kgositau, to name a few), all accompanied by Sarah Papworth’s striking and energising art and Sarah Prager’s concise and, at times, searing descriptions.

Are You Listening?, Tillie Walden (ebook)

I had to end this selection with one of my absolute favourite reads in recent months — Tillie Walden’s atmospheric, surreal, breathtaking ride of a graphic novel in Are You Listening? I don’t want to spoil too much of the story, but prepare yourself for a real emotional rollercoaster, and one of the most arresting and most genuine depictions of a moment of real human connection that I can remember seeing in a book (or anywhere else, for that matter). I read this one in a single sitting, oblivious to the world around me, and to be honest I can’t imagine anyone putting it down before the end. Do yourself a favour and pick this one up as soon as you can — you definitely won’t regret it.

Tūhono: It Lives!