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A compelling and emotionally precise work that expands the scope of queer historical narratives by focusing on longevity rather than secrecy or tragedy.
While the plot adheres closely to lore established in the classic 1933 film, the strength of this reimagining lies in execution rather than reinvention, as the creators prioritize mood, character, and visual storytelling to create a work both accessible to newcomers and rewarding for fans of the original story.
A simultaneously accessible and unsettling volume that rewards Woodring’s devoted fans while offering an unusual entry point into one of comics’ most singular bodies of work.
This gritty, tragic, and sharply crafted entry in the series underscores why Brubaker and Phillips continue to set the standard for modern crime comics.
PREMIUM
Strange Pictures, Vol. 1
Aiba’s adaptation of Uketsu’s novel relies on a puzzle-like structure that emphasizes implication over explanation and creates tension through omission, resulting in a viscerally shocking work of psychological horror. Readers of slow-burn mystery and experimental horror stories will likely find themselves enthralled and anxious for future installments.
PREMIUM
Record Journey, Vol. 1
This thoughtful, emotionally evocative collection will likely appeal to readers drawn to introspective storytelling and slice-of-life narratives.
PREMIUM
Freaks’ Squeele, Vol. 1
This opening volume establishes an expansive world and a compelling cast with strong comic chemistry. While deliberately excessive in tone, it offers a sharp, imaginative twist on superhero tropes that will appeal to readers looking for humor, action, and irreverent worldbuilding in equal measure.
Provocative and challenging, this work rewards patient readers and will make a good addition to graphic novel collections interested in socially engaged, formally inventive storytelling.
PREMIUM
Pink Monsters
Herrmann’s U.S. debut offers a warm-hearted parable of self-realization while showing how the evolution of a family’s feelings about identity can remain unresolved and disturbing to people such as Frank’s father.
Miller’s self-aware, punk-rock style pulls readers straight into identity-twisting moments of early adulthood, making for a smart, spirited read.
PREMIUM
DELAY: A Comics Anthology
A thoughtfully crafted and truly engaging anthology, this is a great pick for libraries serving multicultural populations.
A bumpy, beautiful look at handling familiar, sometimes fraught life experiences with seriousness and humor. In other words, a must-read for fans of Wertz’s work.
An artistically attractive, self-reflective examination of one woman’s post-Evangelical spirituality.
DeForge’s highly rewarding collection once again interrogates and reinvents the comics form, proving him to be contemporary comics’ boldest and most emotionally compelling stylist. This will be of high interest to fans of avant-garde, literary, and independent comics.
PREMIUM
Was That Normal?
A thoughtful and deeply human addition to the literary graphic novel canon.
PREMIUM
Clara & the Devil, Vol. 1
While this initial offering in an ongoing series focuses more on establishing character dynamics than on plot progression, Blake and Chmura offer a compelling meditation on power and temptation that is sure to hold strong appeal for fans of dark romance and supernatural fiction.
Gomont offers a rich and humane story of ordinary people navigating extraordinary historical upheaval in this tragicomic tale that will have strong appeal for readers of literary or international graphic fiction.
At once gleefully chaotic and surprisingly precise in its comedic architecture, this is a sharply crafted, idiosyncratic addition to contemporary European comics collections.
This should be of strong interest to fans of Urasawa’s multilayered narratives, manga history, or sprawling metafictional mystery stories.
PREMIUM
Benjamin
A thoughtful and humorous psychedelic science-fiction romp, elevated by Winters’s sharp characterization. Recommended for readers interested in metafictional tales about the cost of artistic ambition.
PREMIUM
Red and the Wolves
Though the stage is set slowly, Red’s well-mapped world, compelling cast, and cinematically satisfying conclusion provide a solid, sweet read for fantasy lovers and skeptics alike.
PREMIUM
Chicken Heart
Boecher (What’s Normal Anyway) writes a meaningful reflection on gender transition, which beautifully recognizes the deep debt owed to queer elders who paved the way.
PREMIUM
Anxietyland
As in Ellen Forney’s Marbles, about bipolar disorder, Correll educates while entertaining readers about unexpected ways the mind can seem to betray and what to do about it. Written for adults but helpful for teens too.
PREMIUM
Mary Shelley: The Eternal Dream
An impressionistic graphic biography, best suited for readers with some prior knowledge of its singular subject.
PREMIUM
Les Normaux, Vol. Two
Fans of the first volume will enjoy more moments of humor, tenderness, and friendship. Recommended for older teens and up who will look forward to additional entries of this long-running webcomic.
A great selection for young adults seeking affirming queer narratives and for readers who have strived to attain self-acceptance outside of conventional contexts.
PREMIUM
Free for All
A biting, visually arresting critique of greed and excess that will resonate with readers drawn to speculative fiction, political allegory, or horror-tinged social commentary.
Essential reading for anyone seeking to engage, or otherwise interested in, creative writing, journalism, or other forms of expressive art. This guide is both a reference and an inspiration.
PREMIUM
Los Monstruos
A stylish genre mash-up that will appeal to fans of noir, horror, and pulp comics alike. Readers of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillip’s crime work or Mike Mignola’s supernatural tales will find much to enjoy.
A vital work of graphic history and essential reading for those seeking context on the Russia–Ukraine war.
This is less a how-to guide than a how-I-lived-it confession, an essential, singular addition to any library’s comics and art collection.
PREMIUM
The Lost Daughter of Sparta
A smart, engaging, feminist reframing of Greek mythology, likely to be of high interest to fans of Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe and the novels of Madeline Miller.
PREMIUM
Artificial
In this stylish, sensual, and unnerving graphic novel, Llovet succeeds at delivering both the pleasures of a romance and the sting of a dystopian warning. A strong addition to adult graphic novel collections, particularly those where speculative fiction and genre-bending romance are in high demand.
The energy and attention buzzing through the pages of this project will resonate with Janeites and Austen skeptics alike.
A humorous yet poignant queer romance in a fantasy-period setting. Just the thing for grown-up fans of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper, Kevin Panetta’s Bloom, or Jarrett Melendez’s Chef’s Kiss who are intrigued by the occult.
A read to ponder that can provide helpful and entertaining guidance to insomnia-plagued readers who patiently follow her arguments and supporting detail to discover therapies they can adapt for their own circumstances.
Funneman and illustrator Brouwers collaborate to offer a visually energizing book full of interesting information to contemplate and further consider.
PREMIUM
Of Swamp and Sea, Vol. 1
This engaging first of a five-volume series will hook readers and have them eagerly anticipating the next entry.
PREMIUM
Of Swamp and Sea, Vol. 2
Fans of the first “Of Swamp & Sea” volume will be thrilled with this excellent continuation that offers intriguing adventures and emotional moments.
This long-overdue book collects a genre-shifting classic; readers will be anxiously awaiting future volumes.
Atmospheric, beautifully rendered, and psychologically rich, this is a standout thriller for fans of Ed Brubaker, Jeff Lemire, and True Detective.
PREMIUM
Sister Imperator
An atmospheric and stylish origin story that blends music lore, gothic horror, and drama. Essential for Ghost fans and an intriguing pick for all horror comics readers.
PREMIUM
Olympos: Nullhunter
This collected edition of Walsh and Vargas’s 10-issue series, as bold and brutal as it is visually arresting, is a must-have for readers of speculative graphic fiction. It will also hold strong appeal for fans of mythic reinvention, cyberpunk worlds, and works exploring the tension between man and machine.
PREMIUM
Karmen
A visually dazzling and emotionally resonant graphic novel that will appeal to those who enjoyed philosophically tinged examinations of human life such as Daytripper by Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon and The Sculptor by Scott McCloud. Highly recommended for adult graphic novel collections seeking literary depth and psychological nuance.
PREMIUM
The Magnificent Adventure
A foundational work by one of Europe’s most influential creators, this gorgeously illustrated blend of action and satire is an equally thought-provoking and thrilling read for students of the graphic novel as well as fans of high adventure.
PREMIUM
Let This One Be a Devil, Vol. 1
A haunting literary horror tale that expands regional legend into something both timeless and terrifying. Perfect for fans of cryptids, Alan Moore’s Providence, and horror that lingers.
PREMIUM
Reel Politik
A bold genre-skewering satire for fans of humor, experimental comics, and pop culture criticism.
PREMIUM
Astro Royale, Vol. 1
Wakui delivers a strong start to this new, ongoing series, with echoes of My Hero Academia and Tokyo Revengers. Likely to have high appeal to teen and adult manga fans seeking gritty action layered with emotional complexity.
Jason is in peak form here, blending historical parody, surrealist riffing, and pop culture mash-ups in stories brimming with inventive humor and sly commentary. A standout even in Jason’s already impressive body of work, ideal for fans of literary or offbeat comics, absurdist fiction, and pop culture history.
Hernandez, long celebrated for his complex portrayals of Latina women, offers here one of his most deliberately confrontational works. It’s unsettling by design, resisting catharsis in favor of ambiguity.
This is an essential work of uncompromisingly political graphic nonfiction that is provocative, funny, devastating, and rich with historical insight. A standout for fans of March, Wake, and David F. Walker’s The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History and a must for all libraries’ social justice collections.
Likely to be of interest to fans of auteur-driven film, speculative fiction, and politically charged worldbuilding.
PREMIUM
Rowlf and Other Fantasy Stories
Though some tropes have aged uneasily, the volume remains a vital document of American countercultural comics, capturing an artist at the cusp of mastery, clawing through genre toward something feral, funny, and disturbingly human.
A perfect choice for fans of intricate worldbuilding, tortured family dynamics, and high-fantasy adventure.
Essential for academics and general audiences with strong interest in comics studies, Japanese culture, or media history.
A charming, insightful, and funny tale. As a read-alike for Roz Chast’s Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, Krokus’s graphic novel of “almost-truths” might encourage younger readers to live more understandingly of their parents before and after death, while making older readers consider what legacies their children might get, or want, from them.
PREMIUM
The Knives: A Criminal Book
This ambitious and elegiac crime thriller is among the best of Brubaker and Phillips’s highly acclaimed collaborations. Reader interest should be high due to an upcoming Amazon adaptation of the duo’s “Criminal” graphic novel series.
PREMIUM
Dr. Werthless
A compelling biography that challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions and poses provocative questions about censorship and the influence of popular culture.
PREMIUM
Simplicity
Lubchansky’s latest offering is a timely and compelling meditation on identity and the dangers of surrendering too much personal and societal control in the name of safety and stability.
PREMIUM
Will Eisner: A Comics Biography
Though not as formally inventive as its subject’s best work, Weiner and Mazur have crafted an affecting and often inspiring primer for Eisner newcomers and a respectful tribute for fans, made all the more poignant by being told in the medium Eisner championed.
PREMIUM
Spectators
A visually ambitious, thematically daring, and powerfully unsettling supernatural romance that veers into incendiary social critique.
PREMIUM
It Rhymes with Takei
A bold and introspective memoir that will resonate with fans of pop culture history and LGBTQIA+ narratives.
PREMIUM
The Once and Future Riot
While the density of Sacco’s reporting occasionally threatens to overwhelm, this is an urgent exploration of political violence and how external forces often benefit by stoking racial and religious tensions within society.
PREMIUM
10,000 Ink Stains: A Memoir
An astoundingly candid chronicle of Lemire’s artistic process and evolution as a person, with strong appeal for fans and aspiring creators.
PREMIUM
Muted, Vol. 1
The compelling first installment in Mundt’s popular Webtoon webcomic about found family, identity, and breaking away from tradition is perfect for libraries seeking queer stories filled with magic and mystery.
PREMIUM
Checked Out
Fans of Julia Wertz’s quirky and frank autobiographical comics will appreciate the somewhat similar struggles of Fricas’s Lou, which seem disarmingly true-to-life. Others will identify with Lou’s oddball and often humorous balancing act between her day job and cartooning.
PREMIUM
Hate Revisited!
A skillful continuation of Buddy Bradley’s misanthropic saga, offering a brutally funny, and occasionally surprisingly poignant, reflection on aging, relationships, and personal growth.
Bechdel’s latest is a visually striking and deeply personal look at the complicated life of a modern artist.
PREMIUM
Space Usagi: White Star Rising
Sakai expertly blends genre conventions and balances action and heart to weave a tale of duty, sacrifice, resilience, and the possibility of redemption.
Supernatural retribution, monster massacres, and psychological terror abound in this triumphant revival of a classic brand.
An immersive and innovative adaptation, blending exhilaratingly experimental storytelling, tropes and an atmosphere drawn from the noir genre, metafiction, and philosophical musings about art and identity.
Kriek’s latest is an immersive fever dream that readers are likely to find lingering in their minds for quite some time.
PREMIUM
Paranoid Gardens
A fascinatingly chaotic, mind-bendingly off-kilter work of bold imagination and expert craftsmanship.
PREMIUM
Face Meat
Not for the faint of heart, though readers interested in vintage horror or eager to visit the outer limits of macabre will surely find this an essential collection.
Dranger’s graphic memoir feels overwhelming at times but drives its point home. The decades-old loss of family the author never knew feels palpable and immediate, and the lack of government action in the face of blatant evil is searing and prescient.
Horror fans and classics literature lovers will enjoy this unique take on centuries-old characters that makes their struggles feel timeless. Highly recommended.
This first volume in a print edition of a popular, long-running webcomic will become a favorite for fans of Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper and Jasmine Walls’s Brooms.
A powerful and thought-provoking exploration of alienation, the nature of freedom, and the human cost of systemic inequality that is sure to resonate with modern audiences.
The story’s sophisticated, nonlinear structure may challenge readers more interested in straightforward adventure than an exploration of grief, legacy, and redemption, but those willing to engage with this emotionally resonant tale are likely to agree that it’s an early contender for one of the best graphic novels of the year.
PREMIUM
Night Drive
The grim humor, grotesque imagery, and brilliant craftsmanship displayed here make a strong case for Sala being among the very best cartoonists of his generation.
PREMIUM
Search and Destroy, Vol. 2
Kaneko’s kinetic illustration, dynamic sense of page design, and emotionally charged storytelling combine for a gripping and intellectually provocative exploration of what it truly means to be human.
PREMIUM
Night People
Gifford’s madcap, macabre stories may feature ritualistic murder, kidnappings, violent automobile collisions, and other assorted calamities, but Condon and his collaborators prove less interested in eliciting prurient thrills than in exploring doomed love, the power of belief, and moral decay.
In their debut graphic novel, Badiucao and Chan deliver a provocative and visually stunning call to arms against modern authoritarianism.
PREMIUM
Gilt Frame
An unconventional marriage of fascinating character dynamics, cozy storytelling, and menacing atmosphere makes this memorably quirky collaboration a success.
The beautifully coherent interpenetration of design and content elevates Eriksson’s book beyond simply a compelling read; it’s an artful classic. Highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Honoria: A Fortuitous Friendship
Shapiro (Bummer: And Other Stories) offers a curious and affecting story of grief and growth in cartoon form.
Not an easy read, but an essential, necessary indictment of political systems, military aggression, and global and personal complicity.
A gently journalistic approach to graphic memoir. Sohini’s love of New York and evolving understanding of her self within its powerful context work in concert for a radiant read.
A psychological case study of secondary trauma, the first graphic memoir by illustrator and graphic designer D’Andrade (coauthor of The Type Project Book) offers a gripping plot while illustrating how to cope with mental anguish that leaves long-term emotional scars.
PREMIUM
Adrift on a Painted Sea
Simply elegant in its expression of Bird’s grief, this short, poignant read will be welcome on shelves.
This refreshingly irreverent, fast-paced, and often delightfully silly series is perfect for fans of superhero epics, Love and Rockets–style underground graphic novels, retro storytelling, experimental art comics, and quirky comedy.
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