Want to try reading comics? Don’t know where to start? Want to try something different?
Wednesday is New Comics Day! Each week, The Comics Observer spotlights up to three brand new releases worthy of your consideration. All of these have been carefully selected as best bets for someone who has never read comic books, graphic novels or manga before. They each highlight the variety and creativity being produced today. These are also great for those that haven’t read comics in awhile or regular readers looking to try something new.
While we can’t guarantee you’ll like what we’ve picked, we truly believe there’s a comic for everyone. If you like the images and descriptions below, click the links to see previews and learn more about them. You can often buy straight from the publishers or creators. If not, head over to your local comic book store, check out online retailers like Things From Another World and Amazon, or download a copy at comiXology, or the comics and graphic novels sections of the Kindle Store or NOOK store. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on Facebook.
For a full list of this week’s new releases, see comiXology and ComicList.com.
(Please note these aren’t reviews. Recommendations are based on pre-release buzz, previews, and The Comics Observer‘s patented crystal ball. Product descriptions provided by publisher.)
Susceptible by Geneviève Castrée
Susceptible
Written and illustrated by Geneviéve Castrée
Published by Drawn and Quarterly
Genre: Drama, Coming of Age
Ages: 14+
80 pages
$19.95
“With mesmerizing honesty Castrée resurrects the obscenely disorienting turning points of a childhood, the ones that haunt a person for a lifetime. After reading the last page I closed the book and wept a little bit about its simple, perfect ending.” –Miranda July, author of It Chooses You and No One Belongs Here More Than You
Geneviève Castrée has long been beloved for her mini-comics, comics, visual art, and music. There is a unique quality to all of her artistic endeavors– quiet, serene, depressing.
SUSCEPTIBLE is the story of Goglu, a daydreamer growing up in Quebec in the ’80s and ’90s with a single mother. From a skillful artist comes a moving, beautiful story about families, loss, and growing up. Whether she’s discussing nature versus nurture or the story of her birth, Castrée imbues her storytelling with a quiet power and a confidence in the strength of imagery.
Ariol: Just a Donkey Like You and Me by Emmanuel Guibert and Marc Boutavant
Ariol Volume 1: Just a Donkey Like You and Me
Written by Emmanuel Guibert
Illustrated by Marc Boutavant
Published by Papercutz
Genre: Humor
Ages: 7+
124 pages
$12.99
From multiple award-winning author Emmanuel Guibert and renowned illustrator Marc Boutavant!
Ariol is your everyday tween donkey. He lives in the suburbs with his mom and dad. His best friend is a pig. He’s in love with a beautiful cow in his class. His teacher is a dog. His gym teacher is a huge rooster. In short, Ariol is just like you and me.
This new series from is a hilarious adventure through recess, silly nicknames, gym class, and everything else life throws our way!
Emerald and Other Stories by Hiroaki Samura
Emerald and Other Stories
Written and illustrated by Hiroaki Samura
Published by Dark Horse Comics
Genre: Action/Adventure, Short Stories, Anthology
Ages: 16+
228 pages
$12.99
Hiroaki Samura’s Emerald and Other Stories collects seven powerful short pieces from the manga maestro that have appeared in various Japanese magazines. In “Emerald,” Samura tells his first explosive adventure set in the Wild West, and a series of humorous vignettes about two motor-mouthed teen girls is woven through several other riveting tales. A masterful storyteller bounces around genres and time periods in this unique collection!
* A perfect companion to Samura’s Ohikkoshi collection!
* Hiroaki Samura is the winner of Japan’s Media Arts Award, an Eisner Award, and three British Eagle Awards!
* Presented in English for the first time!
