5 Upcoming Graphic Novels You Won’t Want to Miss
This post was originally published at Panels, our sister site about all things comics! Check out more from them here.
_______________
I spent this past weekend at ALA, the American Library Association’s annual conference, and man was it a great time. Let me tell you, when it comes to graphic novels and comics, librarians really know what they’re talking about. I personally believe that librarians are invaluable to the growth of the comics market (something I’ll expand upon in a future post), but for now, I want to tell you about a few recent and upcoming comics I heard about (or got to look through!) at ALA that I’m really excited about.
Rolling Blackouts: Dispatches from Turkey, Syria, and Iraq by Sarah Glidden (Drawn & Quarterly, October 8)
I loved Sarah Glidden’s memoir How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less, so when I heard about this new graphic memoir about Glidden’s travels with two journalist friends to understand the repercussions of the Iraq War on refugees, I was instantly intrigued. I love graphic memoirs, but combine it with travel and journalism, and it’s an instant must-read for me. The fact that Glidden has a track record I like only adds to my excitement for this book.
March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf Productions, August 2)
I mean, is there anyone at this point who isn’t looking forward to this book? With the struggles the United States is currently facing, as well as the sit-in on gun control reform that John Lewis has recently led, there’s not a better time for this final installment of this ground-breaking trilogy to be released. I got the chance to flip through a finished copy of this at ALA, and man. It’s gorgeous and hefty (it almost feels like a double-sized volume), and this should be on EVERYONE’S list.
Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O’Neill (Oni Press, September 7)
Princess Princess Ever After takes its cue after Panels favorite Princeless and features a princess who refuses to wait for a prince to save her. In this case, though, she’s rescued by a fellow princess! This all-ages adventure is sure to thrill both young and old—I can definitely tell you that more than a few Panelteers will likely be awaiting this graphic novel.
Afar by Leila del Duca and Kit Seaton (Image Comics, 2017)
I spent a long time (MAYBE a little too long) geeking out over this upcoming Image graphic novel that features a young woman who can astrally project herself into a different world. I’m not sure what I’m more excited about, the all-female creative team, the color palette that’s promised to be as vibrant as Paper Girls, the PoC main character, or the fact that this is a full graphic novel instead of a series. Bottom line: I cannot wait for this.
Angel Catbird by Margaret Atwood, Johnnie Christmas, and Tamra Bonvillain (Dark Horse, September 6)
I mean, I think the entire world is looking forward to Margaret Atwood’s graphic novel debut. I first heard about this last year from Atwood herself, when she was a guest at Book Riot Live, and now we’re just a couple of months away from its release. I was lucky enough to handle a finished copy of this one at ALA, and man. We’re all in for a really great treat.
