Top 17 Graphic Novels, Comics & Manga (original) (raw)

January 2022

Happy New Year (well, in a six weeks or so!). As we enter 2022, manga take the lead, from a bold new ecological allegory by Eldo Yoshimzu to the first English edition of a prime psychodrama by Japan’s ‘God of Manga’, Osamu Tezuka..

Graphic biographies really are growing into one of today’s major genres and Django Reinhardt’s life story is ripe for re-telling…

And it’s always a buzz to find comics-makers like Ray Fawkes and Norm Konyu challenging themselves, and us, with what the medium is capable of expressing…

Further details of these and more of my PG Tips below - join me month by month through our New Year of exploration ahead…

Above & Below: The Voyages of Virgilio
by Mia Wolff
Fantagraphics
$25.00

Lewis Shiner says:
Mia Wolff is probably best known as the artist of Bread & Wine, the graphic novel written by Samuel R. Delany. To me, she’s a painter of dream landscapes whose best work I find comparable to that of Max Ernst. She’s always had an affinity for water that recurs in her paintings, so I was excited when she told me she was working on a picture book with an aquatic theme. Above & Below: The Voyages of Virgilio (named for her son, Virgil) exceeded all my expectations. Narrated in rhyming verse and rendered in gorgeous calligraphy, the story takes the form of a fable. The hero sails away from the quotidian world of New York City and out into the open water where “the sea was strange.” A powerful storm carries him into a land of mythological creatures where, in true hero fashion, he “danced with the dead.” As dawn breaks, he escapes and makes his life-giving return to the known world. In keeping with the title, many of the paintings contrast the world of air with the world of water, including my favourite, showing Virgilio swimming on the surface as a beautifully delineated whale seems to urge him on. Celebrating strength and self-reliance, the book provides an adventure story for younger readers and a parable about confronting death for older ones. It’s a beautiful package that invites repeated visits. 32pgs colour hardcover.

Neil Gaiman says:
Mia Wolff’s elegiac depiction of a young man’s journey takes us in a sequence of gentle paintings and rhymes above and beneath the water and into dreams.

Alley Oop & Dinny Vol. 1
by V.T. Hamlin
Manuscript Press
$19.99

The publisher says:
The adventures of the famous comic strip caveman begin, when he meets for the first time Dinny the Dinosaur, destined to become his faithful steed. All strips newly scanned and cleaned from newspaper pages. Alley Oop was created in 1932 by American V.T. Hamlin, who wrote and drew the popular and influential strip through four decades. Hamlin introduced an engaging cast of characters, and his storylines entertained with a combination of adventure, fantasy and humour. Alley Oop was a sturdy citizen in the prehistoric kingdom of Moo. He rode his pet dinosaur, Dinny, carried a stone war hammer and wore nothing but a fur loincloth. He would rather fight dinosaurs in the jungle than deal with his fellow countrymen in Moo’s capital (and only) cave-town. In spite of these exotic settings, the stories were often satires of American suburban life. Tbc pgs B&W paperback.

Bomba!
by Osamu Tezuka
Vertical
$14.95

The publisher says:
Tetsu is a seemingly normal student whose passionate love for his teacher turns violent in the most unexpected of ways when another suitor attempts to stand between them. Haunted by his family’s past, Tetsu must learn to navigate his desire and quell his rage if he hopes to find peace and solace in his relationships with others. Osamu Tezuka’s masterful artwork and irrepressibly creative page layouts reach a feverish peak in depicting the manifestation of the tortured youth’s explosive angst. Thematically rich yet instinctively relatable, Bomba! deftly weaves an exploration of the complex nature of friendship and the lasting psychological ravages of war into its tale of love, jealousy, revenge and redemption. 168pgs B&W paperback.

Comic Book Women: Characters, Creators, and Culture in the Golden Age
by Peyton Brunet & Blair Davis
University of Texas Press
$45.00

The publisher says:
The history of comics has centered almost exclusively on men. Comics historians largely describe the medium as one built by men telling tales about male protagonists, neglecting the many ways in which women fought for legitimacy on the page and in publishers’ studios. Despite this male-dominated focus, women played vital roles in the early history of comics. The story of how comic books were born and how they evolved changes dramatically when women like June Tarpé Mills and Lily Renée are placed at the center rather than at the margins of this history, and when characters such as the Black Cat, Patsy Walker, and Señorita Rio are analyzed. Comic Book Women offers a feminist history of the golden age of comics, revising our understanding of how numerous genres emerged and upending narratives of how male auteurs built their careers. Considering issues of race, gender, and sexuality, the authors examine crime, horror, jungle, romance, science fiction, superhero, and Western comics to unpack the cultural and industrial consequences of how women were represented across a wide range of titles by publishers like DC, Timely, Fiction House, and others. This revisionist history reclaims the forgotten work done by women in the comics industry and reinserts female creators and characters into the canon of comics history. Peyton Brunet is a graduate of DePaul University’s communication and media master’s programme. Blair Davis is an associate professor of media and cinema studies at DePaul University. He is the author of Movie Comics: Page to Screen/Screen to Page, Comic Book Movies and The Battle for the Bs: 1950s Hollywood and the Rebirth of Low-Budget Cinema. Foreword by Trina Robbins. 320pgs B&W hardcover.

Django, Hand on Fire: The Great Django Reinhardt
by Efa & Salvio Rubio
NBM
$19.99

The publisher says:
Django Reinhardt is a legend. But Django — which may have meant “He who wakens” — was twice born. A first time in the snow, during the winter of 1910 in a nomadic gypsy family stationed in Liberchies, Belgium. The second in Saint-Ouen, near Paris, in the fall of 1928, when a fire in his caravan mutilated his left hand. Writer Salva Rubio and artist Efa have already produced together a remarkable biopic on Monet, paying tribute to the painter’s obsession with light. Likewise, this biopic devoted to the youth of the prodigy musician features the passion and determination of the man who has always considered himself the greatest guitarist in the world. In this story-score, by laying out the panels like chords, the artist brings to life his passion in vibrating watercolour to better accompany the musical and technical development of the inventor of gypsy jazz. From musette to jazz, from violin to banjo then to guitar, Django’s destiny is that of his ‘hand on fire’, possessed by the supernatural spirit of the duende, which burns in the soul of each gypsy musician. That of a miracle who is reborn from his ashes, more dazzling than ever. Cue the music! Salva Rubio is a Spanish writer specialised in history. With a master’s degree in scriptwriting, he has been involved in many documentaries, short- and feature-length films. He also wrote the Monet biography with Efa (NBM). EFA is a pen name for Ricard Fernandez, a Spanish artist who left school at 16 to pursue his dream of being in comics. He has since published quite a few graphic novels and series. He also did the art for the superb Monet biography (NBM). 88pgs colour hardcover.

Enter the Blue
by Dave Chisholm
Z2 Comics
$19.99

The publisher says:
What begins as one woman’s search for her own artistic courage unravels into a stunning look into what jazz music can teach us about our search for the truest versions of ourselves. For decades, seasoned players on the scene have spoken in whispered tones about The Blue: a mysterious meeting place for jazz history — a place where ghosts from this music’s storied past spring to life for those courageous enough to enter. When Jessie Choi’s mentor Jimmy Hightower collapses at a gig and loses consciousness, she finds herself reluctantly pulled back into the jazz scene she abandoned years earlier. In investigating the music and mystery behind Jimmy’s comatose state, every thread leads to the same question: is Jimmy somehow trapped in this enigma known as The Blue? In her search to save her teacher, Jessie rubs shoulders with legends, uncovers the secret history of Blue Note Records and faces her own deepest fears. Dave Chisholm is a trumpet player, cartoonist, composer and educator currently residing in Rochester, NY where he received his doctorate in jazz trumpet from the Eastman School of Music in 2013. 120pgs colour paperback.

Hen Kai Pan
by Eldo Yoshimizu
Titan Comics
$14.99

The publisher says:
Dismayed by the havoc wreaked on the Earth by humankind, its five guardian spirits decide to act. But as they argue amongst themselves on what the judgement should be, one enraged spirit, Nila, becomes determined to take matters into her own hands, forcing the remaining four to unite in a desperate final battle to prevent her from wiping not just humans, but all life from the face of the planet. This is a highly personal and timely book that features some of Eldo’s most beautiful artwork to date. With its central themes of ecology, philosophy and spirituality, Hen Kai Pan is a kinetic, emotionally charged work that delivers a powerful message that will resonate not just with manga fans, but all readers. ‘Hen Kai Pan’ translates as ‘One and All’, and is the motto of Cosmotheism. Eldo Yoshimizu was born in 1965 in Tokyo. Having specialised in sculpture while studying at the University of Arts in Tokyo, he has installed numerous works in public space — some of them are among the most significant sculptures in Japan. Exhibitions in Japan as well as throughout Asia and in New York prove his international success and led him in 1994 to a scholarship as ‘Artist in Residence’ in New York. In 2003 he realised the work First Light for the art and exhibition space of the Louis Vuitton branch in Omotesando. With the feeling of having satisfied his hunger in the field of contemporary fine art, he turned to Gekiga and began to focus on the interplay of object and space in the art of storytelling. He also works as a photographer and as a musician. 192pgs B&W paperback.

Illustrating Spain in the US
by various, edited by Ana Merino, translated by Marta González-Cutre
Fantagraphics
$24.99

The publisher says:
A dazzling combination of comics and essays sheds light on the rich but often overlooked contributions of Spanish immigrants to the political, cultural and scientific history of the US. Since the very founding of the United States, the country’s history has been intertwined with that of Spain’s, in many essential yet often overlooked ways. Illustrating Spain in the US brings together some of Spain’s most acclaimed cartoonists and scholars to celebrate and interrogate the contributions of Spanish immigrants to America’s political, cultural and scientific history. Diplomat Eduardo Garrigues and cartoonist Rayco Pulido resurrect the historical figure of Bernardo de Gálvez, who played a crucial role in the Revolutionary War. Professor James Fernández, filmmaker Luis Argeo and artists Ana Penyas and Seisdedos bring to life the rollicking immigrant enclave of Tampa, once known as the ‘Cigar Capital of the World.’ Professor Estrella de Diego and cartoonist Carla Berrocal shed light on the Spanish actors, screenwriters and musicians who broke into Hollywood and made their mark on American cinema. Professor María Dolores Jiménez-Blanco and cartoonist Max lead readers through the labyrinthine history of Spanish art-collecting in the US, and the influence of Spanish art on popular American art movements. And much more! Combining the graphic expressiveness of comic art with the illuminating perspective of scholarly essays, this project aims to spark a creative dialogue about Spain’s legacy in the US. Ana Merino (b. Madrid) is an award-winning writer and a Professor of Spanish Creative Writing and Cultural Studies at the University of Iowa. She has written extensive criticism on comics and graphic novels, has authored two academic books and a monograph on Chris Ware and has curated five comic book exhibitions. She was a member of the ICAF (International Comic Arts Forum) Executive Committee from 2001–2011 and a Directors Board founder member at The Center for Cartoon Studies from 2004–2014. She currently lives in Iowa. Marta González-Cutre is a freelance translator, proofreader and professor of English based in the Canary Islands. She has a Masters in International Business Management from the Center of Economic and Commercial Studies. 120pgs colour hardcover.

In The Flood
by Ray Rawkes
Dark Horse
$19.99

The publisher says:
Trapped and separated by an apocalyptic rainfall, Mike and Clara, devoted husband and wife, have sworn to find their way back to one another. But they quickly discover that the rain—and their predicament—is not what it seems. Can they figure out the grand trick that’s being played on them and overcome it to reunite? In the Flood is the disturbing, surreal graphic novel by acclaimed, groundbreaking creator Ray Fawkes, author of One Soul, Intersect, Gotham by Midnight, Black Hammer ’45 and more. Collects In the Flood from the ComiXology original digital series in print for the first time. Ray Fawkes is the critically-acclaimed author of the comics and graphic novels Underwinter, Intersect, One Soul, The People Inside, The Spectral Engine, Possessions and Junction True, as well as Batman: Eternal, Constantine, Justice League Dark and Gotham by Midnight (DC), Wolverines (Marvel), Black Hammer ‘45 (Dark Horse), Jackpot! (AfterShock) and more. He is an Eisner, Harvey, and Shuster award nominee and a YALSA award winner. Ray has been making comics for over 20 years, starting with and continuing the tradition of DIY fiction as well as working for many major comics publishers in the U.S. and Canada. 120pgs colour paperback.

Karl the Viking Vol.1
by Ken Bulmer & Don Lawrence
Rebellion
£19.99

The publisher says:
Originally serialised in Lion, Karl the Viking is a sweeping historical fantasy story of an orphaned Saxon boy, adopted and raised by the viking Eingar after his raid on Britain. Upon coming of age Karl succeeds Eingar and leads his tribe into battle in Britain against wild tribes of Picts, and re-connects with his old Saxon family, gaining an ally in his cousin Godwulf, and making an enemy of the Earl of Eastumbria. These fast-paced stories were drawn by Don Lawrence shortly before he revolutionised painted comic art with The Trigan Empire, when he was already a master of pen and ink, and his Karl the Viking series was the pinnacle of black-and-white comic art. Don Lawrence was born in 1928, and worked for Mick Anglo on the Marvelman comic produced for L. Miller & Son, and then Billy the Kid in the comic Sun. When Sun was absorbed into Lion, he moved on to illustrating Olac the Gladiator, Karl the Viking and Maroc the Mighty. In 1965 he teamed with Mike Butterworth to create The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire for Ranger magazine, and continued to paint the comic through its transition into Look and Learn through to 1976. During this period he also worked on Fireball XL5 and The Adventures of Tarzan comic strips for TV Century 21. After leaving The Trigan Empire he worked with Dutch publisher Oberon to create Storm, a post-apocalypse sci-fi series, which he would draw through to his retirement in 1999. London born Ken Bulmer was a prolific writer who made his mark in a number of genres and mediums. By the end of his career he had over 160 novels published alone. Writing for American science fiction magazines like Amazing Stories whilst in his teens, he contributed to the small British fan magazines of the 1940s, and had his work published alongside such luminaries as John Wyndham and Arthur C. Clarke. In the 1950s he worked for a small number of UK SF novel publishers and started to get some recognition, which eventually led to him selling stories directly to Ace Books in New York. It was in the same decade that he started to submit scripts to Amalgamated Press and began his comics career. He wrote several of the War Picture Library stories as well as several serials for Lion and Valiant, including the famous Steel Claw for the latter. 240pgs B&W paperback.

A Quick and Easy Guide to Asexuality
by Molly Muldoon & William Hernandez
Oni Press
$6.99

The publisher says:
This book is for anyone who wants to learn about asexuality, and for Ace people themselves, to validate their experiences. Asexuality is often called The Invisible Orientation. You don’t learn about it in school, you don’t hear ‘Ace’ on television. So, it’s kinda hard to be Ace in a society so steeped in sex that no one knows you exist. Too many young people grow up believing that their lack of sexual desire means they are broken – so writer Molly Muldoon and cartoonist Will Hernandez, both in the Ace community, are here to shed light on society’s misconceptions of asexuality and what being Ace is really like. This book is for anyone who wants to learn about asexuality, and for Ace people themselves, to validate their experiences. Asexuality is a real identity and it’s time the world recognises it. Here’s to being invisible no more! Molly Muldoon is a former scholar and bookseller, current librarian and writer, and always demisexual fanfiction enthusiast. Her works include The Cardboard Kingdom, Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom and the forthcoming The Cardboard Kingdom: Roar of the Beast. Although she’s spent the past ten years globetrotting, she currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her ridiculous cat, Jamie McKitten. 72pgs B&W paperback.

Squa Tront #14
by John Benson & Grant Geisman
Fantagraphics
$16.99

The publisher says:
The latest (and possibly last) issue of the greatest magazine devoted to EC comics ever published. This issue includes unpublished interviews with Gene Colan and Russ Heath, an illustrated critical study of Atlas’ Kurtzman-inspired war comics, a Kurtzman remembrance by R.O. Blechman, an astounding reprint of _The Hartford Courant_’s campaign against ‘salacious and depraved’ comics, a 12-page spread of Jack Davis’s Coca-Cola advertising images, and much much more. An essential historical feast for EC fans. 96pgs colour paperback.

The Complete Works of Fante Bukowkski
by Noah van Sciver
Fantagraphics
$34.99

The publisher says:
Collects the entire multiple Eisner Award-nominated series, which skewers a self-important male literary poser. Living in a beat-up motel, consorting with the downtrodden and mid-level literati, Fante Bukowski must overcome great obstacles: a love interest turned rival, ghostwriting a teen celebrity’s memoirs, no actual talent — to gain the respect and adoration of critics and, more importantly, his father. Van Sciver has created a scathing, hilarious and empathetic character study of a self-styled author determined to prove that he’s just one more poem (or drink) away from success. Originally published in hardcover in 2020, The Complete Works of Fante Bukowski quickly sold out and was nominated for a 2021 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album. This expanded paperback edition includes additional content, including a 2020 Slate interview with Fante himself and a cover gallery of Fante’s previous books. Also: a foreword by novelist Ryan Boudinot (Blueprints of the Afterlife); a facsimile reproduction of Bukowski’s literary debut, 6 Poems (thought lost to time in the wake of a motel fire that destroyed the entire original print run); a “Works Cited” section; and a selection of “visual tributes” by over two dozen cartoonists — including Nina Bunjevac, Simon Hanselmann, Jesse Jacobs, Ed Piskor, Leslie Stein and others. Noah Van Sciver lives in Columbia, SC, with his wife. He is an Ignatz award-winning cartoonist. Van Sciver is prolific: his work has appeared in the Best American Comics series, the Fantagraphics anthology series Now and Mad magazine. His many graphic novels include The Hypo and Saint Cole. 452pgs colour paperback.

The Forest
by Thomas Ott
Fantagraphics
$14.99

The publisher says:
The Forest is a graphic novella told via twenty-five singular illustrations, without words, as only Swiss artist Thomas Ott is capable. A young boy sneaks away from a family funeral and sinks into the forest depths, where he confronts man’s greatest fear and must choose his path. Drawing with a technique called scratchboard, where a white surface is covered with a black layer and scratched away, Ott creates images out of negative space to harrowing effect. In Ott’s hands, the medium becomes the perfect vessel for his eerie, horror-imbued morality tales. This gorgeous volume will be printed on heavy art paper with Pantone Black ink to best showcase every exquisite detail of Ott’s virtuosic talent. Thomas Ott is a Swiss artist born in 1967. He received training as a graphic artist at the Kunstgewerbeschule School of Design in Zürich and has been a freelance comics artist and illustrator since 1987, as well as an animator, musician and political cartoonist. His books include The Number 73304-23-4153-6-96-8, Cinema Panopticum, T. Ott’s Tales of Error, Dead End, Greetings from Hellville and R.I.P.: Best of 1985-2004. 32pgs B&W hardcover.

The Golden Ass
by Milo Manara
Humanoids Inc.
$19.99

The publisher says:
The salacious graphic novel adaptation of one of classic Roman literature’s most legendary stories, as told by one of erotica’s most legendary artists, Milo Manara. The adventures of a young man whose fascination with witchcraft leads him to be transformed into a donkey. Passing from owner to owner, young Lucius runs afoul of thieves, sorcerers and beautiful women in his search for salvation. Inspired by The Golden Ass of Apuleius, an ancient story that has inspired generations of writers, this titillating tale is a must-have for Manara fans. For mature audiences. Born in Luson, Milo Manara initially earned a living by assisting sculptors and only became interested in comics in the late sixties. He is one of the few comic artists who managed to create erotic comics and still maintain a reputation as an acclaimed artist. In 1995, Manara made Gullivera for Humanoids, loosely based on the classic novel Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift. He worked with Federico Fellini on two stories, with Neil Gaiman for DC/Vertigo in 2003 and collaborated with Alejandro Jodorowsky on the series Borgia, about the 15th century papal family. He also drew X-Women and a variant cover of Spider-Woman for Marvel, in addition to his praised erotic comics such as Pandora’s Eyes and The Golden Ass. In 1998, Manara was inducted into the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame and in 2004 he won an Eisner award in the Best Anthology category for The Sandman: Endless Nights. 56pgs B&W paperback.

The Junction
by Norm Konyu
Titan Comics
$26.99

The publisher says:
When a missing child, Lucas Jones, reappears on his Uncle’s doorstep in his hometown of Medford after an absence of 12 years, the brief moment of joy is clouded by mystery. Where has he been? Where is his father who disappeared at the same time? And how is it possible that Lucas is still 11 years old? As Lucas is uncommunicative, it is left to Detective Sergeant David King and child psychologist Jean Symonds to attempt to find some answers from the few belongings Lucas returned with; little more than four Polaroids and a personal journal which speaks of his time in a place called The Junction. The story unravels through interviews, medical and police reports, and ultimately, through visits to The Junction via the pages of Lucas’ diary, jumping back and forth in time, revealing pieces of the puzzle in a mystery that keeps the reader guessing right up until the end. Norm Konyu has been a professional animator for more years than he cares to remember, working for companies such as the BBC, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. He was Lead Animator on BAFTA and International EMMY award-winning pre-school series Hey Duggee!. A Canadian, he currently resides in the UK. The Junction is his first foray into the world of comics since being a teenager. 176pgs colour hardcover.

The True Story of the Unknown Soldier
by Jacques Tardi, translated by Jenna Allen
Fantagraphics
$19.99

The publisher says:
Mad geniuses, Jules Verne-style deliriums, dinosaurs, sex, bloodshed and the madness of World War I ― two strange and surreal early works by a master of the comics form. Fantagraphics presents two experimental works by the French cartooning legend Tardi. These comics, created in the mid-‘70s, provide a fascinating preview of the masterworks of his prolific career. While they are not narratively linked, an eerie sense of foreboding suffuses stories in this collection: they both depict sex and brutal violence and condemn the horrors of war. The True Story of the Unknown Soldier follows a pulp novelist turned soldier who, driven to delirium amidst the trenches of WWI, becomes tormented by visions of his own seedy creations. This stream-of-consciousness tale visualises the tortured psyche of its protagonist through dazzling dreamscapes and surreal scenarios. In The National Razor, a soldier returns from war a shattered man. Drowning himself in drink, he wanders the streets of Paris without purpose; in this numb stupor, he finds himself caught up in strange situations, lashes out in unexpectedly violent ways, and ultimately meets with a bloody end. At once a visceral depiction of the trauma wrought by war and a powerful denunciation of the death penalty and France’s iconic guillotine. Tardi is a pioneering, internationally award-winning European cartoonist. His Adele Blanc-Sec series was adapted into a feature by Luc Besson, and the animated film April and the Extraordinary World was inspired by his cartooning. He lives in Paris with his wife, the singer Dominique Grange, and their cats. Jenna Allen is a freelance translator based in Colorado. 64pgs B&W hardcover.

Vann Nath: Painting The Khmer Rouge
by Matteo Mastragostino & Paolo Castaldi
Humanoids Inc.
$22.99

The publisher says:
The true story of the Cambodian painter Vann Nath, who used his art to fight against barbarism and tyranny. In 1978, a young painter named Vann Nath was arrested by the Khmer Rouge, the violent and totalitarian Communist Party of Kampuchea that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. Imprisoned in the infamous Tuol Sleng prison, better known as S-21, painting became synonymous with survival for him. Ordered, like many Cambodian artists and craftsmen, to put his talent to use to glorify his captors, upon his release he continued painting—this time, to remember and pay tribute to the victims of Pol Pot’s regime. A story as fascinating as it is powerful. Matteo Mastragostino was born in Lecco on July 21, 1977. After graduating in design at the Politecnico di Milano in 2003, he began working as a graphic designer, journalist and writer. His first comic book Primo Levi (drawings by Alessandro Ranghiasci) was published in April 2017 by Becco Giallo Publishing. The volume has been translated into French (Steinkis Editions) and German (Bahoe Books), and won third place in the Prix Révélation Bande Dessinée des lycéens Hauts-de-France in 2019. In January 2020 he published his second book in Italy, Perlasca, drawn by Armando Mìron Polacco. Vann Nath is his first comic book with Humanoids. He lives in Lecco with his son Leonardo, two goldfish and an unknown number of books and comics. Born in Milan in 1982, Paolo Castaldi creates comics as well as illustrations for magazines, publishing and the music industry. His graphic novels have been published in over ten countries around the world. With Etenesh (Becco Giallo, 2011 & Des ronds dans l’O, 2016), he won the Boscarato Award in Italy as best debut author. In 2018, he published Zlatan, a comic book that marked the beginning of his collaboration with Feltrinelli Publishing. In 2019, he published his second graphic novel L’Ora X (Feltrinelli)—written and illustrated in collaboration with Erri De Luca, and La Buona Novella (Feltrinelli) in 2020—an adaptation of Fabrizio De André‘s music album, considered one of the masterpieces of Italian music of all time. 128pgs colour paperback.

Wired Up Wrong
by Rachael Smith
Icon Books
£12.99

A new graphic memoir, from the award-winning author of Quarantine Comix (also from Icon Books). Hoping to better understand her own brain, award-winning comic-creator Rachael Smith set about documenting her experiences and struggles with anxiety and depression through comic strips. The resulting book, Wired Up Wrong, is both educating and entertaining, holding a mirror up to all the flattering and unflattering aspects of mental health. Featuring Rufus the cat, Barky, a giant black dog who lives inside her head, and two tiny, imaginary game-show hosts, Comedy Women in Print-shortlisted Rachael Smith’s work is at times light-hearted, others heart-breaking, but always brave and honest. Originally self-published in 2017. Rachael Smith is a UK-based comics creator, whose books include Quarantine Comix, Artificial Flowers and The Rabbit, which was nominated for Best Book in the 2015 British Comic Awards, following her nomination for Emerging Talent. She lives in Manchester. 144pgs colour paperback.

Posted: November 1, 2021