“Teenagers From Mars” by Rick Spears & Rob G

This book came in with “Night Fisher” and has similar edgy issues. Drugs, violence and sex are prominent in the book – but I like it a lot better. And the message is clear. The “message” of this book is that censorship is bad. Bad, bad, bad. Meet Macon, a lost 18 year-old dying of asphyxiation at his local Mall-Mart. When a 13 year-old kid he has befriended gets in trouble for trying to buy a comic book at the store, the manager decides to ban all comic books for fear of being charged with selling pornography. A fight between Macon and the manager ensues and Macon is fired. From there, the situation continues to escalate into a town-wide hysteria by book banners. Along the way, Macon meets Madison, a determined anarchist who helps him “fight the man”. The book is written very tongue-in-cheek, with the occasional wink at the reader to acknowledge that this is a comic book about banning comic books. The art is also very well-done, visual gags being clear with the uptight establishment guys. Unfortunately, this is another title that will have to go to the Public Library. I loved it – I did. I laughed, I appreciated not only the message but the humor … but the “pipe up the butt” of the Mayor was the penstroke too far. Again, though I tend to be limited less than other librarians, there is a line, and this one crosses it, unfortunately. Who knows? Maybe I can tell kids to go to the public library for such fare, and that will help bridge the gap for them as they leave us. Read on, and power to the people.