Comic Book Book Club

Google Meeting Link:
https://meet.google.com/ype-trsd-stb

Title: Astro City
Creators: Kurt Busiek
Page Count: 160 (Only required to read issues 1 thru 6!)
Publication Year: 1996
Genre: Superhero, Fantasy

From Hoopla:
A hero dreams of flight. An alien spy prepares for invasion. A young man is mentored by a hero with dark secrets. A street criminal discovers a hero's identity. And much, much more. Step into a world of heroes and see them from a whole different perspective. These are the multiple-award-winning stories that began the epic series and changed how we think about superheroes.

Hoopla Link:
https://www.hoopladigital.com/comic/astro-city-metrobook-vol-1-kurt-busiek/14975962

Title: Hanami: You, Me, & 200 Sq Ft in Japan
Creators: Julia Cejas
Page Count: 144
Publication Year: 2024
Genre: Non Fiction, Memoir

From Hoopla:
Julia and Marc are your average creative millennial couple, full of the anxieties and optimism of their generation. When the economy takes a downturn and Marc loses his engineering job, the pair realize that their relative lack of ties means they can pool their savings and his severance to embark on a new adventure: Moving to Japan! (Until the money runs out, anyway…)
The pair move into a tiny apartment and enroll in a local Japanese school as they begin to acclimate to the local culture. Whether learning about the local fire patrol or the beautiful terror of Japanese toilets, the pair embrace their new surroundings with equal parts fear and wonder.

Hoopla Link:
https://www.hoopladigital.com/comic/hanami-you-me-and-200-sq-ft-in-japan-julia-cejas/17202340

Title: Leo Rising
Creators: Archie Bongiovanni
Page Count: 223
Publication Year: 2026
Genre: Queer, Contemporary

From Hoopla:
Lesbian influencer. Lifelong Alaskan. Part-time owl researcher. Leo Rising follows self-proclaimed “celesbian” Laura on a hilarious and heart-wrenching exploration of queer spaces, sexuality, and fame. After years of struggling for acceptance, Laura knows exactly who she is—or does she?
By day, Laura thrives as the Internet’s lesbian bestie, a role model for thousands of followers worldwide, while working part-time at the Alaska Bird Observatory. But when an old friend returns to town and introduces Laura to queer parties and sex apps she’s never experienced, she starts questioning her gender and sexuality simultaneously.
Seeking answers, Laura creates Leo, a secret trans identity. As Leo’s encounters become more and more steamy, Laura’s divergent identities collapse with real-world consequences.

Hoopla Link:
https://www.hoopladigital.com/comic/leo-rising-archie-bongiovanni/18140452