It’s that time of year when we enjoy the new flowers, bust out the Justin Timberlake memes, and eagerly anticipate a new crop of comics and graphic novels. This month’s selection includes romance, fantasy, mystery, and even a nonfiction guidebook. And yet, for all the different genres represented here, a lot of these comics feature protagonists with a very similar problem: loneliness. From the fangirls who bond over their favorite franchise to the witch whose village has turned against her, many of these characters must deal with feelings of emotional and physical isolation and exclusion. We’v ..read more

It might be Star Wars Day on Saturday (look at the date), but that’s not the only fun celebration this weekend. It’s also Free Comic Book Day. Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is an annual event put together by the North American comics industry to encourage readers to discover new comics and make their way into indie comic book stores. Consider it Independent Bookstore Day but for comics. FCBD began in May 2002, and now, it has over 1,000 participating comic book stores. This year is one of the most robust years in terms of the free comics that will be available at participating stores. A total of ..read more

Today’s pick is a new, queer, young adult graphic novel that I absolutely love. Punk Rock Karaoke by Bianca Xunise This book is set in the Southside of Chicago and school is out for the summer. Our main characters are around 19 or 20-ish years old. Ariel Grace Jones is determined for their garage punk band, the Baby Hares, to break into the music industry. They have a repeat festival gig coming up, and music is life. Ariel (aka Ari) is the lead singer, and they write most of the songs for the band. As with many creatives and musicians, the reality of that space between high school and wha ..read more

Are you a fan of YA books? What about comics and graphic novels? Then you’re in for dozens of treats as this spring’s collection of YA comics and graphic novels is out of this world good. There are cozy fantasies, engaging memoirs, and so much more. This roundup of spring 2024 YA comics and graphic novels has a few parameters. It does not include titles from superhero series or long-time franchises, nor does it include ongoing manga series. Those are worthy of discussion, but this isn’t the particular post for it. Instead, what you’ll find here are comics and graphic novels written explicitly ..read more

Well, folks, we’ve officially made it a quarter of the way through the year! How’s it going so far? Don’t answer that. I get it: there’s a lot to be angry and scared about these days. I’m scared and angry, too. But I am also happy and hopeful, in part because of how many thoughtful, uplifting, and inspiring comics and graphic novels are being published this year. Obviously, no comic, no matter how good, will solve all our problems. But they can provide a much-needed respite from daily stress. If you’re in a nostalgic mood, we’ve got a couple of titles here that are perfect for feeding your inn ..read more

Happy April, readers! It feels like just yesterday I was talking to y’all about the Japanese concept of shinseikatsu, the time of year when people get to start fresh in conjunction with the start of the new fiscal year. But shinseikatsu is in April, which means it was an entire year ago! Dang. Anyway, in keeping with shinseikatsu, ‘tis the season for new beginnings and renewal, which also means the renewal of this regularly scheduled new manga release roundup programming to a quarterly cadence! So have no fear, we will still be bringing you the best new manga releases, just at three-month inte ..read more

We talk about books a whole lot and between our onsite content, podcasts, and newsletters. we cover a lot of ground. But even though we read a boatload of books every month, we don’t always get the chance to talk about each one of our favorites. In this roundup, we’re sharing the best comics, graphic novels, manga, and more we read in the last few months — and why we think you should read them, too. From a YA graphic novel about broom-racing witches and a stunning graphic memoir to a sweet BL manga story, there’s something here for all comics readers! Barda by Ngozi Ukazu Barda is an elit ..read more

Today’s pick is a translated graphic novel from a Spanish comic artist. Us by Sara Soler, lettering by Joamette Gil, and translated by Silvia Perea Labayen This graphic novel is a memoir about a very specific time in the author’s life. It is the story about when her girlfriend, Diana, came out as trans and how they navigated their relationship and her transition together. They decide to share their story so that folks can have some insight into one version of the reality of transitioning. Every trans person has a different story and so, Sara and Diana are sharing theirs. I am completely b ..read more

Novels are my first love, but I’ve been making room in my heart for more graphic novels lately. And so I thought it would be fun to share with you one of my favorite graphic novels I’ve read this year, and if you love cosmic horror, this is a really fun one. Content warning: body horror and suicidal thoughts. Black Paradox by Junji Ito If you know anything about horror manga, then you’ve likely heard of Junji Ito before. Ito’s name is basically synonymous with the genre, and he’s developed quite the cult following. I’d consider graphic novels like Uzumaki and Tomie contemporary horror cla ..read more

Unless you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, in which case you’ll want to fall into autumn. In any case, March marks a big change in seasons. Time to pull out those weather-appropriate clothes from the back of the closet — and pick up the latest graphic novel releases, of course! This month, as you’re chugging green beer or planting seeds in the garden, you’ll have a wide range of brand-new comics to choose from. There are adventures set in distant fantasy lands and on the baseball diamond. You can spend time with an aspiring witch or with one of the most beloved crime-fighting teams of the past ..read more