The focus on this instalment will be on upcoming All-Ages and YA comics!
You'll see that I'll try to include a little order code with most items (ex:JUL200019). Show some love to your retailer and use those codes when you can, it saves a lot of time on the data entry end of things.
CRABAPPLE TROUBLE YR GN
(W/A) Kaeti Vandorn
Callaway, with her apple head and huge heart, likes to help others, grow special crabapples, and spend time with her friends - but things suddenly go sideways when the town decides to hold a festival and all her friends want to enter the harvest contest! Afraid that nothing she has will be good enough, Callaway nearly loses her head and ends up finding a fairy named Thistle. Join Callaway and Thistle as they prepare for the festival and help their friends - and each other - along the way. JUL201373
Why this caught my eye:
I started looking up Vandorn's social media and her work just looks adorable and perfect for young readers. You can check out some preview pages here. This is also another new release from RANDOM HOUSE GRAPHIC and since they are on a roll with quality releases I want to aim as much support their way as I can.
ICHIRO GN
(W) Ryan Inzana (A/CA) Ryan Inzana
Raised by his Japanese mother, Ichiro idolizes his dead American father, and struggles to fit in. When his mother decides to visit Japan, Ichiro is left with his grandfather, in a country he doesn't know. Grandfather becomes Ichi's guide, sharing Japan with him. But one night, a monster drags Ichi away into the domain of the gods! Now, he must face his fears and learn about the nature of man, of gods, and of war. He also learns there are no easy answers - for gods or men. JUL201176
Why this caught my eye:
Sounds like an interesting mix of mythology and self-discovery, plus Inzana's art looks really engaging.
MAP TO THE SUN HC GN
(W) Sloane Leong (A) Sloane Leong
A gripping YA graphic novel about five principle players in a struggling girls' basketball team.
One summer day, Ren meets Luna at a beachside basketball court and a friendship is born. But when Luna moves to back to Oahu, Ren's messages to her friend go unanswered.
Years go by. Then Luna returns, hoping to rekindle their friendship. Ren is hesitant. She's dealing with a lot, including family troubles, dropping grades, and the newly formed women's basketball team at their highschool. With Ren's new friends and Luna all on the basketball team, the lines between their lives on and off the court begin to blur. During their first season, this diverse and endearing group of teens are challenged in ways that make them reevaluate just who and how they trust.
Sloane Leong's evocative storytelling about the lives of these young women is an ode to the dynamic nature of friendship. JUL201192
Why this caught my eye:
I liked Leong's work on Prism Stalker, and this sounds like a great slice of life piece about the dynamics of friendship.
NUTCRACKER & MOUSE KING HC GN
(W) E.T.A. Hoffman (A) Natalie Andrewson
Natalie Andrewson brings the tale that inspired the Nutcracker ballet to life with a spellbinding adaptation of E.T.A. Hoffman's original story. Of all the gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve, only one captures Marie Stahlbaum's heart: a humble nutcracker. He's a curious little man with kind eyes, sweet red cheeks, and a friendly appearance. And as midnight nears, he comes to life, revealing a fairy-tale world of magic and wonder, wicked princesses and fierce battles... and an ancient curse that can only be broken with the help of a true friend. With the evil Mouse King looming and her dream world threatened, Marie will have to find the strength to stand up for her nutcracker - no matter what it takes.
JUL201194
Why this caught my eye:
I can't recall ever seeing a graphic novel adaptation of this story, so this would be a great addition to any school library. I'm loving the look of Andrewson's art, and judging from some of the pages I've seen online it looks like a perfect fit.
SPACE BATTLE LUNCHTIME TP VOL 03 A DISH BEST SERVED COLD
(W) Natalie Riess (A/CA) Natalie Riess
"Peony may have come in second place on the mega popular cooking show Space Battle Lunchtime, but with a girlfriend and a royal catering gig for a space empress, she's on top of the world! Until she finds out her old rival, Melonhead, is catering the same event. But that's a picnic-she's dealt with Melonhead before. What she hasn't dealt with is her girlfriend Neptunia's mysterious past, which comes to a head when Nep's sister turns out to be the empress's bodyguard. And what Peony absolutely can't deal with is an attempt on the empress's life-especially when she's the prime suspect!
All this cutthroat culinary sabotage was supposed to be over when Space Battle Lunchtime ended... but in the competitive world of catering, there's always someone ready to stab you in the back."
JUL201307
Why this caught my eye:
This is a favorite series of mine, not just because it's a cooking themed comic but because Natalie Riess is an amazing storyteller. If you want to feel joy, buy this series.
That raps up this chunk! Next up I'll focus on art books!
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