Stuff We Love
The Art of Invader Zim [Abrams Books, $35] Take a nice, long break from singing “The Doom Song” and get cozy in your invasion base to enjoy this welcome revisitation of one of the strangest, most rabidly enjoyed Nickelodeon cartoons of all time. Chris McDonnell (Steven Universe: Art & Origins, BoJack Horseman: The Art Before the
Horse) is our guide through the history of indie comics artist Jhonen Vasquez’s big animated break. From the inception of the original 2001 series to last year’s Netflix movie Enter the Florpus, this all-access compendium delivers never-before-published artwork, photos and ephemera, along with exclusive interviews with Vasquez and key members of the crew across 240 beautiful designed pages. A must-have for any turn of the millennium “kid!”
The Garden of Words [Yen Press, $20] Acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai delves deeper into the story of his award-winning 2013 animated feature in this novelization, full of additional scenes and perspectives that reveal a whole new side to many of the film’s characters. The story centers on teenager Takao, who prefers to spend rainy mornings in the beautiful Shinjuku Gyoen gardens rather than in class. One day, he meets a mysterious woman named Yukino skipping work in his peaceful haven, and an unlikely friendship blooms. A touching — but not sugar-coated — reflection on the struggle to find one’s path in life, which explores the dynamics of private connections and public expectations.