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PREMIUM
Flip It Like This!
Some conservative churchgoers might protest that they are being misrepresented by Hayward’s comics. However, pastors, readers sympathetic to a broader Christianity, and many people who have been hurt or excluded by conservative Christianity will recognize the ring of truth and find a hilarious, brutally honest ally in Hayward and his work.
PREMIUM
The Amazing Screw-On Head
Nothing that will disappoint Mignola fans, but nothing to overly excite them either. Not recommended, except for serious Mignola completists.
PREMIUM
Crema
While Christmas’s (Tartarus) narrative and character development could have used more page-space to breathe, this paranormal lesbian romance (a digital graphic novel that’s collected here in print for the first time) is nevertheless a promising choice for libraries with a strong graphic novel readership.
This volume, which collects issues 1 through 4 of the “Parasomnia” series, is highly recommended for fans of Bunn, Mutti, stories of parents seeking their missing children, or parallel worlds.
Fantasy, science fiction, and western elements seamlessly come together in a compelling and rich world filled with vivid characters. It recalls the blending of western and science fiction tropes in the Firefly/Serenity universe, creating a fresh experience for readers.
Midori (Kuchikake Ryu no Keiyakusha) has created a sports-themed manga that will really entice fans of similar titles like Haikyu!!, where naturally talented protagonists learn a sport from the bottom up. This manga will especially appeal to readers looking for a sports manga with realist emotions (with downs as well as ups), whose protagonist recovers from a major trauma and navigates life with disability.
PREMIUM
Fear Case
Kindt (Mind MGMT) amps up the cursed object concept, taking a police procedural approach to horror and centering the relationship between Winters and Mitchum. Tyler and Hilary Jenkins’s art is unsettling, presenting both eerie, dreamlike imagery and macabre depictions of death. Overall, this is a satisfying one-shot evoking a nihilistic worldview.
PREMIUM
Delver
This enjoyable adventure pulls readers in with quirky fantasy details underlain by universal issues: gentrification, coming of age, fear of change, and family legacies. Teens through adults will enjoy Temerity’s exploits.
PREMIUM
Snow Angels, Vol. 1
Lemire (Sweet Tooth) and Jock (The Losers) create a harsh, frozen world that generates more questions than answers. This first volume sets the stage for deeper mysteries that might be resolved in later issues. The story will appeal to mature tweens and older readers as they follow the young female protagonists surviving in a violent, alien landscape.
PREMIUM
The Worst Dudes
Not recommended for public libraries, unless they have a large audience for niche science fiction graphic novels.
PREMIUM
The Ghost in You
A cleverly plotted, thoroughly entertaining thriller with a keen focus on characterization and exceptionally realized illustration.
Woodring’s animation-influenced cartooning creates a powerful sense of fluid motion across panels bursting with fantastic imagery. This hallucinatory adventure resonates with the intensity of raw self-disclosure.
Crane’s magnum opus is a stylistically adventurous evocation of how fear and grief create barriers to genuine intimacy. Not to be missed.
Drnaso’s mastery of pacing and tone, plus his knack for developing characters through specific detail and natural dialogue, results in an incisive exploration of alienation that is increasingly unsettling as it builds to a shocking conclusion.
Cunningham’s simplistic, unobtrusive cartooning and keen ability to communicate a clear narrative (even with the multitude of characters and historical events detailed here) create an insightful, often-chilling account of both Putin and Russian history since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Walden’s knack for character development and unique perspective result in a tale perfect for diehard fans of The Walking Dead, as well as newcomers.
PREMIUM
Alice in Borderland, Vol. 1
Aso proves a master of suspense and visual storytelling, especially over the course of a sequence depicting a game of tag through a sprawling apartment complex, complicated by the presence of a hulking, gun-toting serial killer wearing a terrifying horse mask. This first volume, which is the inspiration for a hit Netflix series, should have readers clamoring for future installments.
PREMIUM
Deadpool: Samurai, Vol. 1
A unique, thoroughly enjoyable blend of action-adventure and cutting satire.
PREMIUM
Meteor Men: Expanded Edition
Jarrell’s (Teen Titans Go! Roll With It!) realistic, occasionally moody illustration creates a sense of gritty realism that’s perfectly matched to Parker’s (Warlord of Mars Attacks) cleverly subversive script in this surprising, emotionally resonant science-fiction coming-of-age story.
Creators Kniivila (Year of the Dog) and Vuong (The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn) present a funny, uncommonly charming mash-up of martial arts, superhero, and sci-fi comics. The rare all-ages title that will entertain, and perhaps even enthrall, adolescents and adults alike.
PREMIUM
Love of Kill, Vol. 1
The artwork is very nice, though the violent action scenes are reminiscent of a Quentin Tarantino film. This is a love story with guns and dead bodies. Despite their more futuristic settings, Cowboy Bebop and Gunslinger Girl have similar vibes.
PREMIUM
Deep Beyond, Vol. 1
This title has beautiful artwork that is very similar to “Ultimate X-Men” and other superhero comics from the early 2000s. The plot of the book is fast paced and entertaining in a manner reminiscent of the plot in Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven.
This new series will take readers on the ride of their lives and leave them eager for the next volume.
Highly recommended for all fans of Harren’s and Stewart’s works, as both put their best efforts into this story.
PREMIUM
Old Head
Against this campy backdrop, Eisner-nominated Starks (Sex Castle) weaves an endearing multigenerational tale about family bonds and standing up for what’s right. A charming pastiche of humor, classic horror, and modern family drama, this title has something to appeal to just about any reader.
PREMIUM
Unnatural Omnibus
With an action-packed plot and vibrant, likable characters, this title perfectly balances humor, thrills, and eroticism and will make a great fantasy addition to adult collections.
This smart, scary mystery from sci-fi/fantasist Machado (Her Body and Other Parties) will suck in readers intrigued by haunting body horror wrapped in a women-centered plot.
The expert plotting that packs so much into each vignette can be breathtaking, while the skillful incorporation of historical injustices adds moral depth. This title will easily draw in mystery/crime readers looking to feed their fix.
Early in this hefty tome, Campbell’s seemingly haphazard willingness to follow various tangents quickly proves a brilliant structural design that allows intuitive and enlightening connections between cases, texts, and the author’s own life. True crime fans are sure to embrace this funny, fascinating volume.
Abounding in lavish color reproductions from historical comic books, Quattro’s exhaustive research allows glimpses into the challenges, roadblocks, and successes that Black comics illustrators experienced. A compelling eye-opener about boundary-breaking stories behind the stories, and winner of a 2021 Eisner Award.
The sublime coloring makes this graphic novel a sparkling gem in this genre. Although the story does not feel original, fans of high-quality graphic artwork, reluctant super-antiheroes, and bombastic fight scenes will truly love this ambitious and wonderfully composed book.
PREMIUM
Black Star
Despite the sometimes-unclear narrative flow, the story is gripping thanks to the inventiveness of the pair’s planetary struggles, plus the psychological twists. A good choice for readers attracted to survivalist thrillers and women protagonists.
PREMIUM
Fine Print, Vol. 1
Sejic’s dialogue is quick and clever; the line work, staging, and color are perfect. Adult readers who enjoy some titillation, bordering on lascivious spice (including explicit nudity and sex acts), will find this a uniquely seductive visual fling filled with beautiful people from cover to cover, including the covers.
PREMIUM
Haha: Sad Clown Stories
Fans of jarring and ironic sequential art books will enjoy this aggregation of carnival melancholy.
PREMIUM
Other Lives
Some of the aughts-era technology references here may feel dated, but Bagge’s exceptional insight into self-delusional characters, who are struggling to retain carefully crafted identities, proves timeless. A compelling, fierce satire.
Kleist’s study in contrasts paints a powerful portrait of an athlete fighting not just opponents but also racism and homophobia. In reexamining such wrenching events of the past, readers are encouraged to understand today’s still-necessary push-back against sociocultural stigmas.
This mesmerizing blend of Black American folk tradition and dark fantasy provides much food for thought, as well as edgy entertainment.
PREMIUM
MPLS Sound
A graphic novel that can entertain and inspire readers to dream big themselves and to seek new ways when original goals slip out of reach.
A terrific anthology containing powerfully funny insights into modern life and highlighting how diverse voices and fresh perspectives can enliven a seemingly exhausted format.
PREMIUM
Time Before Time, Vol. 1
This series has potential for growth but may be frustrating for fans of gripping time travel fiction such as Brian K. Vaughan’s Paper Girls.
Based on a true incident, this beautifully rendered and rousing graphic novel will give readers naïve about Belgian colonialism an entry point for understanding viewpoints and outcomes.
Like the infamous 1921 Tulsa race massacre, the Detroit uprising was historically one of thousands of riots nationwide, resulting from centuries of racism and inequity that still echo today. Williams’s thoroughly researched case study provides much to ponder for activists or simply those concerned about social justice.
Hardcore science fiction fans and newcomers alike are sure to enjoy this comprehensive overview of the genre, spotlighting both well-known and under-appreciated authors.
A beautiful and dark homage to the classic “child sleuth” character, crossed with the Sunday funnies page. It’s funny, brutal, and most of all riveting in a way that feels at once nostalgic and frightening. This collection is enticing from page one and becomes nearly impossible to put down once opened.
Rudahl packs both detail and feeling into Robeson’s life story, profiling a hero for all seasons to inspire today’s activists, as well as inform others unaware of restrictions imposed upon descendants of slaves before the 1960s civil rights breakthroughs.
May appeal to some readers, but this collected edition is is only recommended for libraries that don’t already have the series’ individual issues. Otherwise, librarians looking to bolster their adult graphic novels collections should seek out alternatives to this title.
PREMIUM
BRZRKR, Vol. 1
Garney renders action sequences with frenetic energy while Reeves and Kindt’s script explores the psychological and spiritual toll of combat with real depth. More than just another gorefest, the four issues collected here form the beginning of what promises to be a fascinating character study of a traumatized warrior searching for peace of mind.
This nuanced and gripping history supplies much needed background for today’s activism relating to violence against Black people. For all adult and teen collections.
PREMIUM
Cutting Edge
Dimitri’s dense, fast-paced plot prioritizes action and intrigue, leaving little room for in-depth characterization. Regardless, the story is thoroughly entertaining, and Alberti’s stunningly intricate illustrations are among the most impressive published in 2021. A refreshingly strange high-concept thriller.
This well-done art-text collage about an unimaginably horrific crime resonates eerily with 2020’s racist murders and antiracist activism
A masterfully illustrated and poignant biography presented with a sense of drama that’s well-suited to its subject, who gave a performance powerful enough to remain iconic after almost a century.
PREMIUM
This Is How I Disappear
An empathetic, detailed character study exploring the interior and exterior obstacles to seeking mental health support.
PREMIUM
Hardears
With outstanding worldbuilding, this immersive, unusual adventure will charm fans of the fantastic, leavened with realistic social commentary.
By exploring the inner lives and motivations of the Replicant uprising, this tightly plotted in-canon prequel accomplishes the rare feat of enriching the source material.
Thoroughly buttressed with scholarly backmatter, this accessible and moving biography of Dunn will jolt readers with how similar Reconstruction’s political struggles were to our own today, including their roots in factionalism.
PREMIUM
Snakes Eyes: Deadgame
A beloved character on a high-stakes solo mission, with friends and enemies like Roadblock, Scarlett, and Storm Shadow appearing along the way to lend a hand and deliver unbelievably hardboiled exposition. This one might not be to everyone’s taste, but G.I. Joe fans are in for a treat.
PREMIUM
Petrograd
A tense, compelling espionage thriller woven together from real events, invented characters, and speculation. Gelatt (“Pariah” series) imbues even minor characters with rich inner lives, and Crook’s (B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth, Vol. 1) moody illustration imbues scenes of sly manipulation and thrilling action with a sense of impending doom and moral decay.
PREMIUM
Gung Ho, Vol. 2
A horror/action series with an emphasis on teenage romance; like The Walking Dead at a breakneck pace, with a sense that the lives these characters are fighting for might actually be worth living.
PREMIUM
Ninjak, Book One
Fans of high-concept thrillers and exceptional illustration are in for a very good time.
The playful illustration and casual tone struck by the creators result in an engaging and essential handbook for anyone interested in gaining insight into an oft-misunderstood community.
PREMIUM
Lure
A visually stunning science fiction thriller that touches on many of the most important issues of 21st-century life.
Fraction (Adventureman, Vol. 1: The End and Everything After) and Zdarsky (Stillwater, Vol. 1: Rage, Rage) deliver a satisfying, bittersweet conclusion to their oft-hilarious, emotionally fraught epic. The hardcover collects issues 21–30 and 69 and includes an epilogue.
PREMIUM
Stray Dogs
This is a quality graphic novel with fine craftsmanship, good color, and a fresh plot that will appeal to all adult readers of comics. Forstner’s dogs are almost cartoon-like, looking like they could come from a children’s show, in spite of the rather adult content.
PREMIUM
ExtraOrdinary
This title will succeed in both YA and adult graphic novel collections and will be a welcome addition to collections holding Schwab’s other works.
Nakatani’s beautiful and easily recognizable signature manga art style makes it easy to get caught up in her collection. A good read, but not a must-buy.
A must-read for every Dark Souls player, as Quah’s realistic art style replicates the mood of the video game. Recommended for public and academic libraries.
Phillips imbues the sun-drenched splendor of Southern California with a nostalgic mournfulness perfectly keyed to Brubaker’s script. Focusing on the fragile bond between Ethan and Anna exposes new depths in both of the characters, while building to a wrenchingly emotional climax.
Tacchia’s deceptively simple cartoonish portraits convey nuanced emotions through gesture, facial expressions, and color and combine with her biting wit to create an emotionally resonant, often hysterically funny debut.
A remarkably empathic tour-de-force crafted around testimony by Gendry-Kim’s mother and other Koreans who long to reunite with family in the North.
Shaw (Clue: Candlestick) eschews panel-to-panel storytelling in favor of overlapping images that flow across pages redolent of an artist’s sketchbook, overlaid with text and narration quoted from letters between Charlie and his sister.
Baker (Night Hunter) creates a dramatic and engrossing tale of betrayal, self-absorption, and the tenuous nature of fame.
PREMIUM
Gamma Draconis
Simmat’s (Wine: A Graphic History) script is somewhat convoluted, but the plot progresses at a thrilling pace, packing in plenty of action and enough big ideas about transhumanism and black magic to fill several volumes of manga. The real draw here are illustrator Yoshimizu’s (Ryuko) fascinatingly energetic page compositions, detailed architectural drawings, and skill at conveying movement through physical space.
PREMIUM
Blubber
Open-minded adult audiences might thrill to watch Hernandez (one of the comic book medium’s most revered storytellers) allow his imagination to run wild, without restrictions.
Mattioli (Joe Galaxy) pushes the raging libidinousness and exaggerated violence found in many classic cartoons to berserk extremes in this thoroughly demented, wildly entertaining dark comedy.
The second collaboration between Hawke (A Bright Ray of Darkness) and Ruth (Freaks of the Heartland) is an emotionally complex hard-boiled thriller.
PREMIUM
Sensor
Though it lacks the intense, visceral thrill of his best work, the latest manga from prolific creator Ito (Lovesickness) is still a chillingly unpredictable tale of cosmic horror that builds to an apocalyptic, yet strangely hopeful ending.
PREMIUM
Ex Libris
Madden (99 Ways To Tell a Story) displays a keen mastery of numerous visual and narrative styles. A formally inventive, deeply emotional tale, reminiscent of Italo Calvino’s If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler.
PREMIUM
Afternoon at McBurger’s
Galvañ presents this speculative fiction novella in oddly angular compositions filled out with bright blocks of pastel and primary colors, making it as visually distinctive as it is emotionally resonant.
PREMIUM
Run: Book One
An unsentimental chronicle of a difficult period in United States history and in Lewis’s life. Lewis makes clear that creating meaningful change is a contentious, complicated, and, most importantly, continuous process.
This graphic novel is structured like a children’s picture book, which complements the genre well. The illustrations are simple in execution, but full of hidden gems which heighten the overall comedy significantly. The tone is a hybrid of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, by John Oliver, and Pat the Zombie: A Cruel (Adult) Spoof, by Aaron Ximm. It tackles primarily political topics and contains mature content; it would be great for any adult graphic novel collection.
Jason delivers an at times whimsical but overwhelmingly melancholic portrait, revealing reverence and sympathy for Hemingway without ignoring the author’s shortcomings. One of the best releases of 2021 so far.
Brazilian illustrator Fido Nesti employs a muted color palette and a tight nine-panel layout to stress the gloomy, hopelessly claustrophobic existence of those pinned under Big Brother’s thumb. An excellent adaptation of the novel.
An insightful and compassionate investigation of loneliness, which Radke convincingly calls “one of the most universal things any person can feel.”
PREMIUM
Red Room: The Antisocial Network
While many readers may find the explicit violence displayed here repellent, aficionados of extreme horror and splatterpunk will thrill as nearly every page-turn reveals increasingly gruesome shocks.
As he tracks a few days in the course of his characters’ lives, Johnson (Night Fisher) avoids the easy cliches typically deployed in tales that depict the grieving process; he eschews even catharsis in favor of conveying raw emotion with brutal realism.
A carefully observed portrait of a time and place, as well as a deeply personal coming-of-age tale. Not to be missed.
Hanselmann (Seeds and Stems) proves the perfect author to capture American life in late 2020. His new volume escalates the depravity at a relentless pace and delivers both laugh-out-loud gags and genuine pathos, as his casts’ self-absorbed and self-destructive behavior reveals a desperate need for stability and a sense of belonging in an increasingly fractured and contentious culture.
Heartbreaking yet triumphant, Hall’s vivid reconstructions bore laser-like into a history long hidden. Her engaged scholarship adds back facts that have been stricken from many histories, and it empowers current lives and activism. Highly recommended for educators and for all adults and teens concerned about the United States’ promise, past, and future for its diverse peoples.
PREMIUM
Turtlenecks
Christie has an engaging art style, reminiscent of Milton Glaser’s 1970s work. The satire may be too affectionate for this book to get a wide following. However, given the youth and melodramatic earnestness of the characters, which is treated with a kind humor, this may be a good choice for YA readers for whom neither American superheroes nor the spectrum of manga art styles hold any appeal.
Written for readers wishing to learn about the history of the photorealist style in comic strips, this book may be dense for casual readers. Fans more familiar with the history of comics will rejoice in the depth of research and analysis provided within.
PREMIUM
Asadora!, Vol. 2
Answers remain elusive as to how Asa’s story connects to the modern-day kaiju rampage depicted in volume one of the series, but Urasawa’s masterful storytelling and brisk pacing result in an entertaining page-turner.
PREMIUM
The Black Ghost
An appealingly gritty, hard-boiled tale reminiscent of classic pulp thrillers, featuring a charismatic, complex, and deeply human protagonist. This volume collects five issues originally available online through Comixology.
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