Several times over the past few years, I have profiled graphic novel titles, series, and publishers (e.g., Campfire Graphics, The Misadventures of Salem Hyde, and so on). Thanks to my comic guy, I have found three more which will interest Pagan readers.

The first is Maddy Kettle: The Adventure of the Thimblewitch (Top Shelf) by Eric Orchard. A surreal and fantastical tale, it centers on Maddy Kettle, whose parents have been turned into rats by the Thimblewitch. Accompanied by her floating spadefoot toad Ralph, Maddy crosses a strange landscape, battles spider goblins, befriends cloud cartographers Harry and Silvio, and finally makes her way to Thimble Rock where -- well -- all is not as she thought it would be. This is an odd and wonderful coming-of-age tale, just a bit scary, with a strong female protagonist, and the promise of more adventures to come. Recommended to fans of Abadazad, Amulet, and Bayou. 

Next up is Spell of Desire (VIZ) by Tomu Ohmi. The first volume of this manga series has been translated into English, with at least two more volumes incoming. Spell of Desire stars Kaoruko Mochizuki, a young woman who runs an herbal shop in "a small port town up north." One day, Kaoruko notices strange things happening around the shop (like plants blooming out of season and men who had ignored her suddenly paying her too much attention) and, immediately thereafter, the mysterious Kaname Hibiki arrives on her doorstep. A Knight of the Coven of Black Witches, Kaname -- along with Unicorn and Dragon (cleverly disguised as a cat and dog) -- reveals that Kaoruko is actually the granddaughter of a White Witch and the daughter of the leader of the Black Witches; her mother "sealed" a portion of her power within Kaoruko, and then disappeared. Kaoruko has no experience with magic at all and has no idea how to control this foreign power which now resides within her ... and things have taken notice .... 

Okay, I admit it, Spell of Desire is total eye candy. Kaname is friggin' hot, and Dragon and Unicorn (in their natural forms) are stunning. It's also deeply sensual, and offers an interesting exploration of the nature of power. Here "white" and "black" are not synonymous with good and evil; rather, they have to do with the source and focus of the witch's powers. White witches draw their power from the natural world, especially plants, and tend to focus on healing and cooking and so forth. Black witches, on the other hand, draw their power from primal passions, such as lust, love, and anger. As such, whenever the untrained Kaoruko loses her temper or becomes frightened or aroused ... well ... let's just say that it has quite an effect on those around her. Recommended to fans of Dramacon by Svetlana Chmakova, The Erotic Pagans series by Erzabet Bishop, and the manga time travel romance series, Red River. 

Finally, there is Theseus and the Minotaur (Toon Graphics) by Yvan Pommaux. The book opens with a map of ancient Greece and the Mediterranean, and a photograph of a vase painting depicting Theseus slaying the Minotaur. Then there is a labyrinth, which a curious child could (try to) navigate with a pencil. The story which follows is clear and concise and true to the source material; it is not gory, but it does not shy way from details that modern audiences might consider unsavory (like the origin of the Minotaur). There are also helpful pronunciation guides for unfamiliar terms on the bottom of the relevant page (e.g., Knossos). The book closes with flash card-like illustrations of the main characters, an index with definitions, a list of further readings, and discussion questions.

Theseus and the Minotaur is the kind of graphic novel that I would like to see in classrooms and libraries around the country. Toon Graphics has published other great, hardcover graphic novels aimed at kids, and I really hope they produce more mythology books. Recommended to teachers and librarians everywhere, as well as fans of d'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, Gifts From the Gods by Lunge-Larsen, and HeroBear and the Kid.   

My comic guy is constantly plying me with new graphic novels, so check back in a few months for more recommendations!