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The Stack

A Groovy Comic Love

Happy fall, y’all! It’s officially autumn where I am and I couldn’t be more excited — I get to wear jackets again, hooray!

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler plus five mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

A riff on Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks," featuring Superman and Batman in the diner with the Batmobile parked outside

World’s Finest Diner by CornerOfTheGeek

See how long it takes your friends to notice that there’s something super about this painting! $19

New Releases

Blackward cover

Blackward by Lawrence Lindell

Amor, Tony, Lala, and Lika have never felt like they truly fit in anywhere, so they decide to create a group just for weird, queer, Black kids like themselves. The idea sounds good on paper, but fending off bullies and their own insecurities to actually implement said idea is another story…

The Gimmick cover

The Gimmick by Joanna Starer and Elena Gogou

We all know that wrestling is fake, right? But one thing about it is all too real: Shane’s super-strength, which he has just used to accidentally kill his opponent right there in the ring in front of millions of fans. Shane flees to Mexico to begin his wrestling career anew, but there’s no way such a shocking past will let him go that easily!

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: the 1960s! No particular reason, I just felt like it.

The Fifth Beatle cover

The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story by Vivek J. Tiwary and Andrew C. Robinson

Everyone knows about John, Paul, George, and Ringo, but what about Brian? As this award-winning comic shows, the Beatles would not have gotten nearly as far as they did without their manager’s focus, drive, and creative vision.

Isla to Island cover

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos

The 1960s were, to put it mildly, a chaotic decade for Cuba. Marisol’s parents protect her from the upheaval by sending her to live in Brooklyn with a foster family that can never substitute for her biological one. Homesick and confused, Marisol must learn to make a place for herself on this strange new island.

Stay hip until Thursday, nerd friends!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Today is the UN International Day of Peace

Founded in 1981, the UN International Day of Peace serves as a reminder of the importance of peace, not just because all people deserve to live without fear of war, but because it helps promote long-term goals around sustainability and global stability. Today’s Riot Recs will explore how much the world needs peace — and how difficult it can be to achieve.

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler plus five mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

Three packages of four gift bows made from recycled comics

Assorted Gift Bows by PopularDesigns

If you’re giving a gift to someone who likes comics and/or being eco-friendly, give these bows a try! $8+

New Releases

Quinnelope and the Cookie King Catastrophe

Quinnelope and the Cookie King Catastrophe by HF Brownfield and Kayla Coombs

Quinnelope loves cookies, so you can imagine her reaction when she learns that there are no cookies to be found anywhere in her kingdom! Can she, her friend Star, and her butler Bub find the missing Cookie King and bring cookies back to Pleasant Towne?

The Deer King Vol 1 cover

The Deer King Volume One: Yuna and the Promised Journey by Nahoko Uehashi and Taro Sekiguchi

Only two people are left alive after a devastating attack by infected wild dogs: Van, a slave who inexplicably gains super-strength after the attack, and Yuna, a little girl whom Van must now protect. But what do they do now that the infected dogs are spreading sickness all over the land?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: war. Sometimes, the best way to deal with such a heavy subject is through a seemingly “simple” medium like comics.

Días de Consuelo cover

Días de Consuelo by Dave Ortega

Born in the midst of the Mexican Revolution, Consuelo’s life was marked by uncertainty and upheaval from an early age. Even after the Revolution officially ends, the tumult forces her father to go find work in America, leaving Consuelo and her pregnant mother to deal with the war’s aftermath by themselves.

cover of But I Live: Three Stories of Child Survivors of the Holocaust, showing an illustration in blue tones of two boys in a forest

But I Live, edited by Charlotte Schallié

This anthology tells the stories of four people — a Romanian boy, two brothers protected by the Dutch resistance movement, and a girl who survived two concentration camps — who were fortunate enough to emerge from the Holocaust alive. But inevitably, their experiences left them forever changed.

A white Havanese lies on her side with her front legs tucked in under her chin, looking at the camera with one eye covered by her fluffy hair

To end on a brighter note, here is a picture of my dog Poppy resting while I do my work!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Time for Comics to Get Real

Hello again, kindly readers! It’s time for another week of graphic novel goodness delivered right to your inbox, so brace yourselves!

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler plus five mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

Two action figures of Captain America show off doll-sized comics lined up in doll-sized longboxes

1/12 scale comic books and long boxes by GalacticBasic

Isn’t it about time your dolls, action figures, and other toys got to enjoy comics, too? Now they can, with these itty-bitty replicas! $12

New Releases

Glitch Vol 1 cover

Glitch Volume One by Shima Shinya

Akira and Minato think that seeing ghosts and other strange creatures is pretty weird, but their new neighbors seem to think it’s just another normal day. The Lee siblings soon realize that, if they want answers, they will have to find them for themselves.

Earthdivers cover

Earthdivers Volume One: Kill Columbus by Stephen Graham Jones and Davide Gianfelice

The old “go back in time and kill X” trope gets an intense new twist in this book from acclaimed horror writer Stephen Graham Jones. Indigenous linguist Tad is sent from an apocalyptic 22nd century to the 15th with a critical mission: save the future by killing Christopher Columbus. But, of course, things can’t be that straightforward…

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: based on a true story! These comics represent real people and events, although not every detail may be strictly accurate. (Who can remember things strictly accurately, anyway?)

Yummy The Last Days of a Southside Shorty cover

Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty by G. Neri and Randy DuBurke

In 1994, Robert “Yummy” Sandifer died a brutal, premature death. Now his classmate Roger tries to figure out what really happened to Yummy and who this complex boy actually was — and whether his own brother might be in similar danger.

Smile cover

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

In this award-winning graphic memoir, Telgemeier relates her eventful 6th-grade year when a serious injury required her to undergo extensive dental treatment. Meanwhile, other normal (and not-so-normal) childhood problems continue to rear their ugly heads!

Until Thursday, keep it real, nerd friends! And to all you One Piece fans, congrats on the renewal! I hope Season Two treats you well.

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Shana Tova and Happy Hispanic Heritage Month to You!

We’re sure in for a busy weekend: Rosh Hashanah and Hispanic Heritage Month both start this Friday! But before that, we have just enough time for one more edition of the Stack.

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

A folded, light blue sweatshirt with Jaime Reyes as the Blue Beetle embroidered into the front

Embroidered Blue Beetle Unisex Sweatshirt by minimalistplan

This is the perfect shirt for any nerd wanting to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! You know, like me! Someone please buy me one! $42+

New Releases

Star Wars The Mandalorian The Manga cover

Star Wars: The Mandalorian: The Manga by Yusuke Osawa

Baby Yoda fans, unite! (Yes, I know his name is Grogu. No, I will not call him that.) This new manga series follows a softhearted bounty hunter as, rather than turning a powerful yet innocent child over to the Empire, he goes on the run to keep the little one safe. But you probably knew all that already.

Lights cover

Lights by Brenna Thummler

The series that started with Sheets concludes with Lights, in which our friendly young ghost Wendell decides to investigate what his life was like prior to his drowning. With human friends Marjorie and Eliza to assist, the trio will stumble upon some frightening secrets — and some reassuring truths.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: Jewish characters! In honor of Rosh Hashanah, let’s look at some comics about Jewish characters just living their lives or exploring what it means to be themselves.

One of Those Days cover

One of Those Days by Yehuda Devir and Maya Devir

As newlyweds, Yehuda and Maya Devir started to chronicle their everyday adventures in a webcomic. Their honest, energetic, fun comics are now collected in One of Those Days, which anyone who has ever been in a relationship, had a child, or just tried to manage life in their own apartment can relate to!

Two Tribes cover

Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen

Mia is both Muscogee and Jewish, but lately, she has been struggling with how she fits into each of those identities. That’s especially true now that her remarried mother refuses to talk about Mia’s Muscogee father, who has moved back to Oklahoma. Trying to reconnect, Mia decides to sneak away to Oklahoma and explore the parts of her identity she still wonders about.

Whatever you’re celebrating this weekend, do it with enthusiasm and style! In the meantime, I will be preparing more great comics content for next week’s newsletters…

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Avast, There Be Comics Ahead

Another Monday is behind us, which means a new edition of the Stack is hitting your inbox! I hope this week has been filled with calm seas and gentle winds as you navigate your way towards the weekend.

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

A straw hat patterned after the one Monkey D Luffy wears in One Piece

Monkey D Luffy Straw Hat CreabyFAM

I just know there’s gonna be a slew of new cosplayers thanks to the One Piece adaptation, so here’s something to get you started! $42

New Releases

Roaming cover

Roaming by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki

A simple spring break trip to New York turns into so much more than that as friendships are put to the test and romance blooms where it is least expected! What will these three friends’ lives be like when they finally make it back to the real world?

Liberated cover

Liberated: The Radical Art and Life of Claude Cahun by Kaz Rowe

Cahun and her partner, Marcel Moore, met and became Surrealist artists in early-20th-century France, where they challenged others’ views of what art and gender really were. This beautiful biography covers their lives, their art, and their activism, including the work they did undermining the Nazis during World War II.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: pirates! With the live-action One Piece series now on Netflix, International Talk Like a Pirate Day next Tuesday, and the second season of Our Flag Means Death less than a month away, now is the perfect time to talk about pirates in comics!

One Piece Vol 1 cover

One Piece Volume One: Romance Dawn by Eiichiro Oda

Well, duh. If you haven’t already started this long-running series about Monkey D. Luffy’s seemingly endless quest for the treasure known as One Piece, it’s not too late to jump in, but expect to stay a while: as of this writing, there are over one hundred volumes to immerse yourself in!

Pirates Past Noon graphic novel cover

Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osborne, Jenny Laird, and Kelly & Nichole Matthews

If you want a slightly shorter piratical adventure, try this adaptation of the children’s book of the same name. Junior time travelers Jack and Annie find themselves captured by a pirate captain who is convinced that they know where his treasure is — and won’t let them go until he gets it!

Stay the course, nerd friends! In just two more days, you’ll have another edition of the Stack to read and enjoy!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Happy Grandparents’ Day!

Grandparents’ Day falls on different days around the world, but in the U.S., it’s the first Sunday after Labor Day — in other words, this coming Sunday! Check out the Riot Recommendations for thematically appropriate comics!

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

Four shelves filled with manga, anime, and memorabilia

Manga Bookshelf Riser/Organizer by RASPBERRY3D

Need extra space for all that manga you’ve been reading? These customizable shelves might be the key! $10

New Releases

Hooky Vol 3 cover

Hooky Volume Three by Míriam Bonastre Tur

This magical series concludes with twins Dani and Dorian in serious trouble: Dani is under a curse, and Dorian has gone missing altogether. Can their friends save the twins from certain doom and help them overthrow a wicked king who hates magic?

Blade of the Moon Princess Vol 1 cover

Blade of the Moon Princess Volume One by Tatsuya Endo

Kaguya is, well, not your ideal princess. Loudmouthed and independent-minded, she is nonetheless her kingdom’s only hope after her mother falls ill, usurpers take over the Silver Court, and Kaguya herself is exiled from the moon. Now she has to fight her way back and reclaim the throne!

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: grandparents! They can have a big impact on their grandchildren’s lives, as these graphic novels so capably explore.

Mexikid cover

Mexikid by Pedro Martín

Pedro is less than thrilled when he finds out his abuelito is going to come up from Mexico to live with his family — not because he doesn’t love his grandfather, but because he already has to share a house with eight siblings! But the more time Pedro spends with his abuelito, the happier he is that he got the chance to bond with him.

Mamo cover

Mamo by Sas Milledge

Orla’s grandmother, Mamo, was a powerful hedge witch, but Orla has no interest in following in her magical footsteps. After Mamo’s death, however, things start going wrong, and Orla is the only one who can fix them. Can she handle it? And will she have to give up her own ambitions to take her grandmother’s place in Haresden?

If you have living grandparents, make sure to drop them a line this weekend. And if, like me, you do not, have a great weekend anyway!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Nerds and Jocks, Unite!

Brains and brawn are supposed to be natural enemies, but I think that’s a lot of hooey. There’s always common ground — or at the very least, mutual respect — to meet on. Maybe you’ll find something in this newsletter that can appeal to both the jocks and the nerds in your life!

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

A black comic book stand featuring Nightcrawler of the X-Men

Nightcrawler Comic Book Stand by StandItUp

This store has plenty of awesome comic book stands, no matter what character you like, or whether you want the stand on the wall or on your desk! $20

New Releases

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass cover

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina and Mel Valentine Vargas

“Piddy” Sanchez has barely started at her new high school when she finds out that a girl she doesn’t even know has it out for her. Why? Has Piddy done something to offend her, or does Yaqui Delgado just hate Piddy for who she is? More importantly, how can Piddy deal with the constant bullying? Based on the prose novel, this is a YA comic that readers of all ages can enjoy and identify with.

Janus Silang and the Creature of Tabon Vol 1 cover

Janus Silang and the Creature of Tabon: Volume One by Edgar Calabia Samar, Carljoe Javier, Mervin Malonzo, and Natasha Ringo

Also based on a novel, this story follows Janus, a teenager who enters a video game tournament only for all of the other contestants to drop dead around him. The culprit: nightmares that have escaped into the real world. It’s up to Janus and a mysterious ally to protect reality from these mythological monsters!

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: football! American football season starts on Thursday! Are you ready?! Here are some comics to get you in the right frame of mind!

Colin Kaepernick Change the Game cover

Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game by Colin Kaepernick, Eve L. Ewing, and Orlando Caicedo

Kaepernick rose to fame (or infamy) on the football field by kneeling in protest against police brutality. But before all that, he was a high school athlete learning how to make the right decisions for him, no matter what anyone else thinks.

Play Like a Girl cover

Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson and David Wilson

As a stubborn seventh-grader, Misty decides to join the school football team and prove she’s just as good a player as any of the boys. But the boys don’t want her there, the girls don’t understand why she would want to play football, and training is seriously tough. Can Misty stick it out and prove herself to everyone, including herself?

I apologize for the lack of One Piece in this newsletter: I didn’t realize the release date was quite so soon! I promise that next Tuesday’s newsletter will have plenty of piratey (not pirated) content for all.

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Never Could Get the Hang of Thursdays

Change is on the horizon! September sweeps in tomorrow, spring is about to start in the Southern Hemisphere, and the U.S. can look forward to Labor Day on Monday. But don’t worry: the Stack is still the same!

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

A silver chain necklace with a pendant of Spider-Man hanging upside-down

Hanging Spiderman Pendant Necklace by OdaMerch

Pick the perfect chain length for your little spider pal to hang from and he can accompany you throughout your day! $40

New Releases

Punch Up Vol 1 cover

Punch Up! Volume One by Zachary Sterling

The Wide Plains Fighting Tournament is where all the best fighters gather to compete — and Pitch longs to be one of them! But to survive, let alone win, this contest, Pitch will have to deal with surly fellow competitors, including veteran Sonny Chan, as well as an emperor who may or may not have sinister plans for our young hero…

the hills of estrella roja book cover

The Hills of Estrella Roja by Ashley Robin Franklin

When Kat rolls into a small Texas town in search of material for her paranormal podcast, she doesn’t expect to get help from Mari, a cute girl who has just returned to the same town for her abuela’s funeral. And neither of them expects to uncover such dark and dangerous secrets about the town’s past!

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: fish out of water stories! It’s time to send the kids back to school, and while some kids are glad to go see their friends again, you may have to pry others out of the house with a crowbar. These comics are all about young folks struggling to fit into a new environment.

No Ivy League cover

No Ivy League by Hazel Newlevant

To earn money for a concert she wants to see, privileged Hazel takes a job clearing ivy from a local forest, not realizing that most of the kids she’ll be working with are far poorer and have had much fewer opportunities than she has. Hazel’s ordinary summer job soon turns into a profound lesson about class, race, and lingering inequality in a seemingly liberal community.

New Kid cover

New Kid by Jerry Craft

The first in a series, this widely acclaimed graphic novel follows Jordan, an artistic seventh grader who finds himself way out of his depth at an exclusive school filled mainly with white kids. Feeling adrift at both home and school, Jordan will have to find a way to make space for himself as he is, without sacrificing the things he loves.

A white-and-brown Havanese perches her head on a long round pillow. In front of the pillow is propped a copy of Classics Illustrated's Great Expectations

To boost your spirits before school starts, here is a photo of my dog Poppy with the comic book version of Great Expectations. Apparently, Dickens was very fond of Havanese like my Poppy!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

How to Make a Great Comic

There’s no set-in-stone formula, but you definitely need an expressive art style, solid writing, and a receptive audience to share your work with. Do these comics count as great? Only you can decide!

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

A black license plate frame with the words "see you soon!" on top and an anime girl's eyes on the bottom

Anime License Plate Frame by WonderPlateFrames

The easiest way to let your fellow road users know how much you love manga and anime! $15

New Releases

The Infinity Particle cover

The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

In this timely story, Clementine moves to Mars to work on artificial intelligence. The last thing she expected was to fall in love with Kye, her boss’s AI assistant. She definitely didn’t expect to be confronted with such dangerous questions about who deserves to be seen as human and what we owe to our fellow sentient beings.

Hex Americana cover

Hex Americana by Bree Wolf

Ken is an aspiring racecar driver. Dante is the ghost of a driver who died in a spectacular crash decades ago and who can’t pass into the afterlife until someone uses his old car to win a race. Is Ken that someone? What are these weird feelings Ken and Dante are feeling for each other? If they do win the race, can they handle the prospect of separating forever?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: recipes! It’s time to mash up genres in the tastiest way possible by combining comics with cookbooks!

Let's Make Dumplings cover

Let’s Make Dumplings! by Hugh Amano and Sarah Becan

Is there any dish as versatile — and as delicious — as dumplings? Amano, a professional chef, walks you through all the different kinds of dumplings out there and teaches you how to make your very own. Also check out Let’s Make Ramen!

cover image of Relish by Lucy Knisley

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

Food has always played a prominent role in Knisley’s life, and so it only makes sense for food to play a starring part in her memoir as well. This comic reviews her life through the foods and recipes that made it so memorable — and it includes those recipes for your personal enjoyment as well.

Bon appetit, nerd friends! I’ll see you with more tasty comics on Thursday (but please do not eat your comics)!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Hot Comic Summer

I know it’s been a rough summer for a lot of us as we deal with historic wildfires, floods, storms, and other effects of climate change. I hope that you’re all doing as well as you can and that you get the chance to escape the real world for at least a few minutes with the stories of your choice <3

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

Charms with images of Garfield representing each of the zodiac signs

Garfield Zodiac Acrylic Charms by Tavarita

This is the cutest and funniest possible way to show off your zodiac sign! Lasagna not included. $14

New Releases

Way of the Househusband Vol 10 cover

The Way of the Househusband, Volume 10 by Kousuke Oono

The popular series continues with Tatsu finding a new side hustle: in addition to being a devoted househusband, he is now working at the local supermarket, teaching shoplifters a lesson they won’t forget! Let’s just hope he doesn’t prove to be a little too good at this job.

Paper Planes cover

Paper Planes by Jennie Wood, Dozerdraws, and Micah Myers

Leighton and Dylan used to be best friends. Now, they’re stuck attending the same summer camp for at-risk youth, and if they don’t do well, they won’t get to go to high school with the rest of their friends. How did this happen, and why did their friendship shatter? They’d better sort all that out if they want to fix what they broke…

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: erotica! Oh la la! These adults-only comics will certainly make you feel a bit hot under the collar, even if your home is air-conditioned.

Letters for Lucardo cover

Letters for Lucardo Volume One by Otava Heikkilä

Ed is a scribe to the aristocratic Lucardo. He is also mortal and well past middle-aged, while Lucardo is eternally young. Despite their many differences, when Lucardo confesses his love for the older man, sparks fly very quickly.

On or Off Vol 1 cover

On or Off Volume One by A1

Developing a crush on someone higher up the corporate food chain is, well, not ideal, but Yiyoung can’t seem to help himself. When he and the handsome Director Kang take that next step, things inevitably get even more complicated for the both of them.

TW for dubious consent

And on that note, I leave you for another week. That should give you all the chance to collect yourselves for some more (though probably less explicit) graphic novel goodness!

~Eileen