It’s December and the year is closing out with lots of comics and graphic novels from indy, small press, and manga publishers! See You In is a retelling of The Little Mermaid from Iron Circus. Cartoonist Rob Kirby returns with Marry Me A Little, a graphic novel about, well, marriage. It’s from Graphic Mundi. Luciano Vecchio’s Sereno continues from CEX. Lots of BL & GL manga and a second volume of non binary mangaka Asuka Miyazaki’s autobiographical X Gender from Seven Seas! And more! More! MORE!
Looking for comics from DC, Marvel, Image, Dark Horse, and IDW? You’ll find them over here in part two when it’s published.
Credit where credit is due – Andy Mangels because this was his idea and wrote many such lists and to Mike McDermott for his suggestions and input about several series that have been added to the list! Notice something missing that should be on the list? Please send a message!
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ABLAZE
TRAVELING TO MARS #4 $3.99 Page 262
Mark Russell and Roberto Meli
Roy gets an unexpected chance at salvation when his estranged wife agrees to talk to him before his spaceship cuts off communications with the Earth. DEC220991
ABSTRACT STUDIOS
PARKER GIRLS #5 $3.99 Page 278
Terry Moore
Tambi convinces Katchoo to return to her Parker Girl role in order to catch a billionaire selling tech secrets to a hostile nation. But things get off to a rocky start when the target recognizes Katchoo from her party days and wants to resume where they left off! Don’t miss a single issue of this action packed series from the creator of Strangers In Paradise, Rachel Rising, and Serial! DEC221026
AFTERSHOCK / SEISMIC
BULLS OF BEACON HILL #2 $4.99 Page 230
Steve Orlando and Andy MacDonald
Boston Surgeon Christopher Boldt is getting more famous by the day – but that’s the problem. Chris’ secret doesn’t just threaten himself, it threatens the person he’s ashamed to say he’s related to: his mobster father, Orin Paige. After all, in the hyper aggressive world of Boston crime, Orin having a gay son makes him look weak. So, he does the unthinkable, and puts a hit on his own son. But he never expects the hit to fail. DEC220937
FCBD 2023 SEISMIC STORIES $0.30 Page 32
Alex Segura & Various, and Joe Eisma
In the small town of Arcadia Heights sits an abandoned house with an open door, daring anyone to enter it. Soon a ragtag band of teenage misfits will do just that and return with a darkness the likes of which this world has never seen. Featuring an original prologue to The Darkness We Brought Back, a YA OGN from the minds of Alex Segura, Rex Ogle and Joe Eisma, plus an all-new story from the critically acclaimed and much loved world of Animosity, written by series creator, Marguerite Bennett! A perfect blend of fun, suspense, adventure and intrigue, Seismic Stories breaks new ground in the AfterShock FCBD tradition. Exclusive Original Material. DEC220001 [Note: This comic may be available at your local comic shop on Free Comic Book Day. This is a chance to pre-order a copy for thirty cents.]
MARY SHELLEY MONSTER HUNTER TP VOL 1 $14.99 Page 228
Adam Glass, Olivia Cuartero-Briggs, and Hayden Sherman
For nearly two centuries, scholars have wondered how on earth Mary Shelley, a nineteen-year-old girl, was able to conjure one of the most frightening and enduring horror stories of all-time: Frankenstein. But with the recent discovery of Mary Shelley’s secret memoir, the truth is finally revealed: Mary Shelley didn’t just write Frankenstein, she lived it. Traveling back to that historic Geneva winter of 1816, Mary, her fiance Percy, sisters Claire and Fanny, and the celebrated poet Lord Byron, find themselves guests of the eerie Frankenstein Estate. The macabre and frightening events that follow lead Mary to both a gruesome and shocking discovery. Their mysterious host is not at all what they expected, and their intentions will change the course of Mary’s life forever. Brought to life by Adam Glass and Olivia Cuartero-Briggs with art by Hayden Sherman, Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter is historical fiction at its most (After)shocking! Volume One contains issues 1-5! DEC220936 (OFFERED AGAIN)
MY BAD VOL 2 #4 $4.99
Mark Russell, Bryce Ingman, and Peter Krause
Emperor King returns from prison to a house full of uninvited villains! At a gathering of heroes, the Chandelier has a confession to make–one that threatens to ungather the gathered heroes! Plus: Rush Hour experiences a weird bathroom! It’s all happening in The Important New Superhero Universe! Get in on the ground floor now, or repent at your leisure! DEC221033
AHOY COMICS
BILLIONAIRE ISLAND CULT OF DOGS #4 $4.99 Page 279
Mark Russell and Steve Pugh
The hunt for Business Dog, the world’s richest mammal, continues in this “satirical and razor-sharp book about untouchable billionaires” (Comicbook.com). Meanwhile, in the former United States of America, our intrepid reporter Shelly Bly is finding out how people have adapted and survived. Could Business Dog be the answer to everyone’s problems?
DEC221032
HIGHBALL TP $17.99 Page 279
Stuart Moore and Fred Harper
Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Hitchhiker’s Guide for “a world of laughs and no-holds-barred satire” (ScreenRant). Meet Highball, the best shot in the galaxy, with one big problem: he can only hit the target when he’s dead drunk! In his quest to save the galaxy-or maybe just do his job-Highball faces off against a fierce but alluring bird-warrior, a disturbingly racist A.I., a crypto-obsessed fellow pilot, and, of course, his own shameful inadequacies. Collects all 5 issues. DEC221034
MY BAD VOL 2 #4 $4.99 Page 279
Mark Russell, Bryce Ingman, and Peter Krause
Emperor King returns from prison to a house full of uninvited villains! At a gathering of heroes, the Chandelier has a confession to make–one that threatens to ungather the gathered heroes! Plus: Rush Hour experiences a weird bathroom! It’s all happening in The Important New Superhero Universe! Get in on the ground floor now, or repent at your leisure! DEC221033
ARCHIE COMICS
BIG ETHEL ENERGY TP VOL 2 $17.99 Page 290
Kheryl Brown-Ahmed and Siobhan Keenan
The second volume of the hit WEBTOON series Big Ethel Energy is here! When we last left off, Ethel’s return to Riverdale has been confusing and everyone seems to be dealing with something-Archie’s going through it, Betty’s obsessing over her boss Seth, Jughead is cold and distant, and Veronica is… well, Veronica. And as for Ethel-it seems like feelings were starting to brew between her and a most unlikely counterpart: Moose! But Ethel’s never had much luck with love-so why would this be any different? Plus, what secrets about Riverdale will she discover while she’s hard at work on a story about its history? DEC221133
BIG ETHEL ENERGY TP VOL 1 $17.99 Page 290
Kheryl Brown-Ahmed and Siobhan Keenan
She used to be the laughingstock of Riverdale. Now she’s a successful New York journalist with a DGAF attitude. After graduating from Riverdale High, Ethel Muggs couldn’t get away from her hometown-and onto her chosen career path-fast enough. When the Mayor of Riverdale pays her handsomely to write a history of the city, she can’t wait to return to take down Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and all the other Riverdale natives who made her life hell all those years ago. The only thing she forgets to consider is… maybe they’ve all changed, too. Archie Comics is proud to present this first volume of the hit WEBTOON series Big Ethel Energy, collecting season 1, episodes 1-13. DEC221139 (OFFERED AGAIN)
CHILLING ADV BETTY THE FINAL GIRL ONESHOT $3.99 Page 289
Micol Ostow, Sam Maggs, Casey Gilly, Laura Braga, Natalie Nardozza, and Carola Borelli
Veronica has invited Betty to her luxurious mountaintop chalet for a cozy weekend of skiing. But their girls weekend is interrupted when Archie shows up and whisks Veronica off on their own snowy romantic adventure. What could go wrong at a fancy remote cabin in the mountains all by herself? Betty’s mind races and she can’t tell fact from fiction as she suddenly realizes she might not be so alone. Is Betty believing too much in the horror movies she’s watched, or is someone (or something) really out to get her? Find out in this BRAND NEW horror anthology one-shot that’s equal parts Scream and When a Stranger Calls.
7×10, 32pgs, FC SRP: $3.99, DEC221131
AWA STUDIOS
BLACK TAPE #1 $3.99 Page 302
Dan Panosian and Dalibor Talajic
Jack King was a rock’n’roll god who projected a stage persona on par with the devil. After Jack dies on stage, his widow, Cindy, grapples with grief and struggles to protect his legacy, unaware that she is being surrounded by dark forces that covet the master tapes to Jack’s final, unreleased album – a heavy metal masterpiece that just might open a doorway to hell. DEC22116
BEACON PRESS
UNDER THE BANNER OF KING DEATH GN $17.95 Page 307
Marcus Rediker and David Lester
Set at the pinnacle of the “Golden Age” of Atlantic piracy, this novel follows three unlikely companions, who are sold into servitude on a merchant ship and unwittingly thrust into a voyage of rebellion. They are John Gwin, an African American fugitive from bondage in South Carolina; Ruben Dekker, a common seaman from Amsterdam; and Mark/Mary Reed, an American woman who defies stereotypes by dressing as a man. Mutiny ensues against the tyrannical Captain Skinner, who is thrown overboard to make way for democracy aboard The Night Rambler. The crew’s new order provides radical social benefits, all based on real, documented practices of contemporary pirate ships: democratic decision-making, a social security net, health and disability insurance, and equal distribution of spoils taken from prize ships. Adapted from the scholarship and research of historian Marcus Rediker, Under the Banner of King Death will inspire readers with its tale of those on the bottom fighting back and achieving, against all odds, a democratic and egalitarian social order, if only for a short time. DEC221178
BLACK MASK
GANGSTER ASS BARISTA TP $17.99 Page 311
Pat Shand and Renzo Rodriguez
A coffee fueld crimew comedy from Pat Shand! Trinity used to live a life of crime, but now she has left behind her old life and works at a coffee shop. Unfortunately, making ends meet isn’t easy to do with a minimum wage job. Not to mention the fact that customers are beginning to get on Trinity’s nerves, and it’s getting harder and harder to not let her old tendencies take control. When Trinity’s past comes calling, it’s like the famous quote: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!”
Includes three bonus comics and cover by rising star Conor Hughes (WHITE ASH)! Collects issues 1-3. DEC221197
SNAP FLASH HUSTLE VOL 1 $14.99 Page 311
Pat Shand and Emily Pearson
In this stylish crime thriller, Haley Mori, a downtrodden alternative-model, happens upon a secret society of elite models in NYC that are using their platforms to sell narcotics. Seeing a possible escape from a lifetime of crushing debt, Haley becomes involved and works her way up the rank, making new alliances and enemies alike while getting a taste of a power she never knew she craved. Collects issues #1-4. DEC221198
BOOM
BEHOLD BEHEMOTH #4 $4.99 Page 119
Tate Brombal and Nick Robles
Grey and Wren return to where it all began-the birthplace of the Behemoths. But a figure from the past still pursues them, deadlier than ever before, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. DEC220352
GRIM #8 $3.99 Page 116
Stephanie Phillips and Flaviano
What happens when people are on the brink of dying-need to die-but can’t? Jess feels at fault due to the sequence of events surrounding her, but far from it; she’s the only one that can help. But she’s not the only contender for the Throne of Death! DEC220338
HOUSE OF SLAUGHTER #12 $3.99 Page 113
James Tynion IV, Tate Brombal, Werther Dell’Edera, and Antonio Fuso
Alone after barely surviving a monster’s massacre, Sunny is elusive to Jace-but not the White Masks! Caught up in the business of the White and Black Masks, will Sunny join Jace’s former house, or be left in the woods to face the same horrors again? DEC220326
KNOW YOUR STATION #3 $3.99 Page 118
Sarah Gailey and Liana Kangas
Due to her addiction and hallucinations, Elise grapples with the worst possibility-is she the killer? Her bouts of super-strength aren’t providing any comfort from these suspicions, especially as the horror of the next victim greets her! Things are more tense and deadlier than ever as each remaining billionaire receives an anonymous threatening message. DEC220348
SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #29 $3.99 Page 112
James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera
It’s the final hour for Erica as she has no choice left but to face the Duplicitype and save Tribulation from its reckoning.
But Cutter’s looming arrival isn’t the only thing competing for the rogue Black Mask’s attention.
Gabi has her own plans-ones that put her in grave danger. DEC220321
SPECS #4 $3.99 Page 121
David M. Booher and Chris Shehan
In the midst of Ted still being a suspect for murder with the town against him, a sequence of events following Skunk’s disappearance could change things forever. But what consequences will one final wish have for Ted and Kenny’s present? DEC220361
VAMPIRE SLAYER (BUFFY) #11 $4.99 Page 134
Sarah Gailey and Irene Flores
Will Buffy and Giles finally put to rest what’s unfinished between them?
Buffy is still without her powers, and it will take help from Faith and a stubbornly insistent Xander and Spike to win this fight.
But facing Willow is something she must do alone. DEC220405
VAMPIRE SLAYER (BUFFY VOL 2 $16.99 Page 135
Sarah Gailey, Sonia Liao, and Claudia Balboni
Willowverse continues as Buffy still struggles with her powerless predicament, feeling envy and frustration as her sense of purpose is lost with the existence of the new Slayer. But there are more pressing problems.Both separately and together, the gang will face strange and monstrous enemies, including a restaurant-owning demon with hunger for human bodies, and an even more menacing demon with a speciality in feasting on Slayers! Will Buffy be able to escape from her web without help? Collects The Vampire Slayer #5-8. DEC220409
WE ONLY FIND THEM WHEN THEYRE DEAD VOL 3 $14.99 Page 125
Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo
It began with questioning the Gods. It ends here… once again… at the edge of the universe. Thierry-9, an A.I. cultured from the corpse of God Malik, awakens face-to-face with Jason Hauer, now a shell of a man at the end of his life. Their conversations lead Thierry-9 on a journey through space, time, and Malik’s memories, retracing the fateful flight of the Vihaan II on a quest to discover–once and for all–the origins of the Gods. The lines between humanity and the divine blur even further as we hurtle towards the conclusion of this Eisner-nominated interstellar series from acclaimed writer Al Ewing and artist Simone Di Meo. Collects We Only Find Them When They’re Dead #11-15. DEC220376
CEX
SERENO #2 $5.99 Page 317
Luciano Vecchio
There’s a new guardian in town! NuMen is inspired by Sereno, but uses deeply unstable technology in his quest for spiritual illumination. Meanwhile, Sereno’s chaotic shadow self is coming to life all on its own! Sereno will soon find things are not as black and white as he thought, in this epic showdown of Darkness and Light! DEC221221
DIGITAL MANGA
MR MINI MART GN $14.95 Page 448
Junko
Meet “Mr. Mini-Mart,” Endou Nakaba – middle-school drop out, shut-in, and NEET – as he begins his very first job at a convenience store. Unfortunately, his temperamental co-worker, Yamai Kouhei, doesn’t make things easy on him. When Endou accidentally witnesses an unexpectedly sweeter side to Yamai, he discovers that his rude and loud-mouthed co-worker might not be such a bad guy after all. Drawn to this new side of his co-worker, Endou looks past Yamai’s often-unpleasant attitude and tries to get to know him better. Will working together be only the start to a more involved relationship? DEC221809 (NEW PRINTING)
ONLY THE FLOWER KNOWS VOL 3 $14.95 Page 448
Rihito Takarai
“I wonder what it feels like to be in an actual relationship with someone.” Misaki and Arikawa’s feelings have finally made it through to one another. However, as Misaki has never had a boyfriend before, the whole situation has left him a bit perplexed. Regardless, the love they feel for one another is strong enough to bring them to tears. This is their love story! DEC221806
ONLY THE FLOWER KNOWS VOL 2 $14.95 Page 448
Rihito Takarai
Why can’t I stop thinking about him? Misaki and Arikawa are two men, who are undeniably attracted to each other. And, when Misaki finds himself unable to control his pent-up feelings any longer, he abruptly heads over to Arikawa’s apartment; where he’s faced with an equally restless Arikawa. Just what will become of these two’s wavering feelings…?
DEC221808 (OFFERED AGAIN)
ONLY THE FLOWER KNOWS VOL 1 $14.95 Page 448
Rihito Takarai
One sunny afternoon, on the campus of their university. One rainy night, at the train station Arikawa and Misaki’s paths crossed. Neither one knowing the other’s name, or anything about him… That was how everything began. Though, little by little, that distance seems to be closing. DEC221807 (OFFERED AGAIN)
DYNAMITE
DARKWING DUCK #2 $3.99 Page 191
Amanda Deibert and Carlo Lauro
Quackerjack! Nefarious ne’er-do-well, and bane of Darkwing Duck’s existence! With his cadre of silly-yet-dangerous (but mostly silly) toy weapons, Q-Jack (as the kids call him) aims to reign terror upon the citizens of St. Canard! Normally, D-Wing (as no one calls him) is great at focusing on fending off the criminal element…but at the moment, he’s particularly overprotective of his daughter Gosalyn. SO overprotective, in fact, that he’s considering…retiring from being a superhero?! DEC220598
GARGOYLES #2 $3.99 Page 195
Greg Weisman and George Kambadais
Tensions are rising within the Manhattan Clan! Some Gargoyles believe that Xanatos is responsible for the recent kidnappings, while others consider him an ally. But all that will have to wait, because someone has initiated the Great Minds Protocol! Written by Gargoyles mastermind Greg Weisman with spectacular art by George Kambadais! DEC220619
FAIRSQUARE COMICS LLC
DEAR BODY TP $24.99 Page 335
Lea Bordier, Carole Maurel & Various
12 women and non binary people describe their relationship with their bodies in their own words. Illustrated by 12 brilliant artists. A stunning and creative graphic novel about body positivity. Our Bodies. Our Rules. Our Stories. For years, Lea Bordier has interviewed over 70 women and non-binary people from all walks of life about themselves and their bodies on her YouTube channel. With the help of 12 female and non-binary cartoonists, Lea has adapted hundreds of hours of interviews into a graphic novel packed with 12 powerful and emotional stories. This is a journey into the lives of twelve women and non-binary people and their relationship with their bodies, in their own words. Dear Body is an important and visually stunning graphic novel about body positivity. DEC221323
FANTAGRAPHICS
Love and Rockets Magazine $4.99 Page 336
Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez
Maggie plays nursemaid to her adopted “children” and there’s a new queen in Lumina’s village. Then, in flashbacks, we follow Fritz’s sister Petra from her youth to her days as a bodybuilder. 40 years in, Love and Rockets has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity with a wave of national publicity in 2022 for the Hernandez brothers, culminating in the acclaimed new PBS documentary, Love and Rockets: The Great American Comic Book, now streaming! DEC221331
FLATIRON BOOKS
SECRET IDENTITY SC NOVEL $18.99 Page 340
Alex Segura
It’s 1975 and the comic book industry is struggling, but Carmen Valdez doesn’t care. She’s an assistant at Triumph Comics, which doesn’t have the creative zeal of Marvel nor the buttoned-up efficiency of DC, but it doesn’t matter. Carmen is tantalizingly close to fulfilling her dream of writing a superhero book. That dream is nearly a reality when one of the Triumph writers enlists her help to create a new character, which they call “The Lethal Lynx,” Triumph’s first female hero. But her colleague is acting strangely and asking to keep her involvement a secret. And then he’s found dead, with all of their scripts turned into the publisher without her name. Carmen is desperate to piece together what happened to him, to hang on to her piece of the Lynx, which turns out to be a runaway hit. But that’s complicated by a surprise visitor from her home in Miami, a tenacious cop who is piecing everything together too quickly for Carmen, and the tangled web of secrets and resentments among the passionate eccentrics who write comics for a living.
[Note: this is a novel.] DEC221362
GRAPHIC MUNDI – PSU PRESS
MARRY ME A LITTLE GN $21.95 Page 344
Robert Kirby
Marriage doesn’t define a relationship. Unless you want it to. In Marry Me a Little, Rob Kirby recounts his experience of marrying his longtime partner, John, just after gay marriage was legalized in Minnesota in 2013, and two years before the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges made gay marriage the law of the land. This is a personal story–about Rob’s ambivalence (if not antipathy) toward the institution of marriage, his loving relationship with John, and the life that they share together–set against the historical and political backdrop of shifting attitudes toward gay rights and the institution of marriage. With humor and candor, Rob relates how he and John navigated this changing landscape, how they planned and celebrated their wedding, and how they and others in the gay community are now facing the very real possibility of setbacks to marriage equality. DEC221370
IRON CIRCUS
SEA IN YOU GN $15.00 Page 362
A whimsical dark fantasy retelling of “The Little Mermaid,” The Sea In You upends everything you thought you knew about magical creaturesof the deep, on a whirlwind journey to a whole new world you’ve only dreamed of before! 15-year-old Corinth was just trying to clean up the beach; she never expected to meet a mermaid, let alone be nearly drowned by one. It was the start of a very strange friendship! After Skylla, the deadly fanged mermaid, mysteriously lets Corinth live, they grow closer through a cautious exchange of stories, gifts, jokes, and sign language. Mermaids, it turns out, eat people, but however terrifying Skylla may look, she’s a little younger, a little smaller, and perhaps a little too soft for all that. Bewitched by Corinth and their growing bond, she learns about all the best things in life on land: books, burgers, donuts, and this strange chattering human sound called laughter. But a storm is brewing–both at sea and in Corinth’s increasingly dangerous relationship with her obsessively jealous boyfriend–and a magical bargain may be the only thing that can save her, at a tremendous cost. DEC221467
KODANSHA
I CROSSED DRESSED FOR IRL MEETUP VOL 2 $16.99 Page 474
Uncredited
“Cocoa” has made three best friends in her monthly meetup group, and girls get together every month to quell their sweet tooths by meeting up at the cutest and trendiest new dessert cafes. Cocoa is in it for the sweets–really!–but she’s also harboring a few secrets: Not only does Cocoa have a crush on another one of the girls in the group, Opera, but she’s actually a guy named Satoshi who’s been cross-dressing in order to attend the all-girl group! During one meetup, things come to a head when Opera discovers that Cocoa is cross-dressing–and to Cocoa’s surprise, Opera confesses that he is too! But Cocoa realizes that his attraction to Opera is more than clothing-deep, and as the two grow closer, they’ll learn more about each other–and their own selves–than they could have ever imagined. DEC221924
YAKUZA’S BIAS VOL 1 $12.99 Page 476
Teki Yatsuda
A yakuza enforcer becomes the gang world’s biggest K-pop stan in this cult comedy manga that went from webcomic to sleeper hit in Japan! Takeru is one of the top lieutenants in the feared yakuza outfit the Oshio-gumi. He lives his life by the code of the Japanese underworld, where nothing is more important than loyalty, and ties between soldiers and their aniki are sacred bonds. Takeru’s never had time for hobbies… until the boss’s only daughter Megumi drags him to a K-pop concert, and he sees the glittering, charismatic Jun for the first time. Smitten like a new recruit on his first job, Takeru plunges into fandom with the solemnity and passion only a true man who walks the way of the yakuza could muster. DEC221942
MAD CAVE STUDIOS
DAHLIA IN THE DARK #3 $3.99 Page 368
Joe Corallo and Andrea Milana
A hostage situation gets out of hand, leading to Donny going off on his own during the ensuing chaos. The outlaw king of the fairies, dissatisfied with the progress made in retrieving the package, sends a powerful wizard to earth to end this chase and take back what is rightfully his. DEC221501
TALES FROM NOTTINGHAM #1 $3.99 Page 369
David Hazan and Shane Connery Volk
Tales from Nottingham explores untold stories from the twisted universe of Nottingham, including the secret origins of Robin Hood and the Merry Men, Marian’s violent past, Aya of the Hashashin’s first kill, and an ordeal that will shake Friar Tuck to his core. Never-before-seen mysteries confront Everard Blackthorne, the Sheriff of Nottingham, culminating in an investigation that will lead directly into the climactic events of Nottingham Volume 3. This anthology reunites Nottingham series creators David Hazan and Shane Connery Volk, while also bringing diverse new talent into the world of Nottingham, including Eisner and GLAAD nominated writer Magdalene Visaggio.
NORTHWEST PRESS
A HOME WITHOUT GN $25.00 Page 375
Don Gaddis
Growing up in the Bible Belt of the 1980s as a creative, colorful, and sensitive young boy is hard enough, but it’s especially hard for River. His hot-tempered father, Mitch Garrison, fights constantly with his wife Rosemary and resents his son’s softer side. As River and his sisters come of age, they’ll have no choice but to help their mother (and each other) survive a chaotic household. Searing autobiographical fiction drawn heavily from the childhood of Southern artist and writer Don Gaddis. DEC22153
RED 5 COMICS
MYSTERY BROTHERS TP VOL 1 $14.95 Page 391
Quentin Lee and Elis Zill
When teenage Jin Huang goes to spend the summer with his estranged scientist father, Huang Ming Guang, he gets an unexpected surprise. Jin meets Adam, another teen who is introduced as his stepbrother. As Jin explores the research facility on the private island, he soon realizes his strange new brother holds a mysterious secret. DEC221615
SEVEN SEAS ENTERTAINMENT
ANTI ROMANCE SPECIAL EDITION VOL 2 $14.99 Page 477
Shoko Hidaka
Suou and Ryou have been friends since childhood. The hairstylist and writer have lived together for six years now and, though they definitely aren’t dating, their close relationship is hard to define. Will they ever move beyond the nebulous territory of “more than friends” or will they keep living in a stalemate forever? DEC221949
HEAVEN OFFICIALS BLESSING TIAN GUAN CI FU NOVEL VOL 7 $19.99 Page 483
Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
The blockbuster danmei/Boys’ Love novels from China that inspired the animated series! Born the crown prince of a prosperous kingdom, Xie Lian was renowned for his beauty, strength, and purity. His years of dedication and noble deeds allowed him to ascend to godhood. But those who rise, can also fall… and fall he does, cast from the Heavens again and again and banished to the mortal realm. Eight hundred years after his mortal life, Xie Lian has ascended to godhood for the third time. Now only a lowly scrap collector, he is dispatched to wander the earthly realm to take on tasks appointed by the heavens to pay back debts and maintain his divinity. Aided by old friends and foes alike, and graced with the company of a mysterious young man with whom he feels an instant connection, Xie Lian must confront the horrors of his past in order to dispel the curse of his present. DEC221990
HUSKY AND HIS WHITE CAT SHIZUN NOVEL VOL 4 19.99 Page 483
Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou and St
A historical fantasy epic about a tyrant’s second chance at life and the powerful cultivation teacher he can’t get out of his mind. Massacring his way to the top to become emperor of the cultivation world, Mo Ran’s cruel reign left him with little satisfaction. Now, upon suffering his greatest loss, he takes his own life… To his surprise, Mo Ran awakens in his own body at age sixteen, years before he ever began his bloody conquests. Now, as a novice disciple at the cultivation sect known as Sisheng Peak, Mo Ran has a second chance at life. This time, he vows that he will attain the gratification that eluded him in his last life: the overly righteous shall fall, and none will dare treat him like a dog ever again! His furious passion burns most fiercely for his shizun, Chu Wanning, the beautiful yet cold cultivation teacher who maintains a cat-like aloofness in his presence. Yet despite Mo Ran’s shameless pursuit of his own goals, he begins to question his previously held beliefs, and wonders if there could be more to his teacher–and his own feelings–than he ever realized. Novel DEC221991
LOVE IS AN ILLUSION VOL 4 $24.99 Page 479
Fargo
The hit Boys’ Love omegaverse webtoon from Lezhin is now in print! Hye-sung spent his entire life believing he was an Alpha, the jackpot of the genetic lottery. But his world is flipped upside down when he finds out he isn’t a dominating Alpha, but a submissive Omega. His frustration is pushed to its limits when he constantly crosses paths with the handsome Dojin, a true Alpha. Dojin supposedly can’t stand Omegas, but his head-butting with Hye-sung results in explosive arguments and unexpected sex. Is this sizzling chemistry truly just their bodies reacting? DEC221966
MY CUTE LITTLE KITTEN VOL 2 $13.99 Page 480
Milk Morinaga
Rena and Yuna have been roommates since school, and decided to rent a place together after graduation. They’ve lived together as friends for five years, but things suddenly change the day Yuna adopts a kitten, even though their apartment doesn’t allow pets. When Yuna says she wants to move somewhere that will allow them to keep the kitten, Rena admits her true feelings: she wants to be more than friends. Yuna isn’t sure how to reciprocate, but she’s game to try! DEC221967
PULSE VOL 4 $19.99 Page 480
Ratana Satis
Mel, a renowned heart surgeon, is well-known for being a stoic loner. She views her erotic flings with other women as a tool for pleasure rather than a show of affection. Then she meets Lynn, a beautiful and spirited cardiac patient who needs a new heart, but refuses a transplant. The two women meet with minimal expectations but soon become enthralled in a relationship that changes everything for them both. DEC221974
SUMMER YOU WERE THERE VOL 3 $13.99 Page 481
Yuama
Shizuku is a shy girl who hardly talks to other people. Instead, she loses herself in creative writing, crafting a novel that she never plans to show anyone. But when Kaori–Shizuku’s cute, popular classmate–gets her hands on Shizuku’s manuscript, everything changes. Kaori is a huge fan, and suggests that Shizuku can get inspiration for her writing if the two of them start dating! Can these very different young ladies create their own love story together? DEC221979
STARS OF CHAOS SHA PO LANG NOVEL VOL 1 $19.99 Page 483
Priest
The steampunk danmei/Boys’ Love novels from China that inspired multimedia adaptations, written by Priest, the author behind live-action hits Guardian and Word of Honor! The discovery of violet gold, a vital fuel for steam-powered machines, propelled Great Liang into an age of prosperity. But for Chang Geng, a young man raised on the impoverished northern frontier, the concerns of the empire are as distant as the stars above. When raiders from the north attack Chang Geng’s small village, he discovers that the life he knows is a lie. His mother, his teacher… even his beloved godfather, the man he trusted most in the world, are not who they seem. As enemies of the empire circle ever closer, Chang Geng must travel to the heart of the capital–with his godfather at his side–to meet his destiny. This English-language edition includes exclusive, all-new covers and new interior illustrations. DEC221992
THOUSAND AUTUMNS QIAN QIU NOVEL VOL 1 $19.99 Page 483
Teki Yatsuda
The beloved danmei/Boys’ Love wuxia novel series from China that inspired the donghua (animated series) streaming in English! In this historical tale, a Daoist martial artist must begin a journey of healing and self-reflection as he resists the temptations of the powerful leader of a demonic sect. Shen Qiao is a devout Daoist priest who has spent his life honing his skills and spirit, leading his sect with martial talent, beauty beyond measure, and an earnest heart. His polar opposite, Yan Wushi, leads one of the most powerful demonic sects and is said to be unrivaled in his strength and cunning. Yan Wushi believes in the inherently selfish nature of all people–himself included–and that nobody is above committing dark deeds for their own benefit. When a fight leaves Shen Qiao injured, blind, and with hazy memories, Yan Wushi takes in the defeated sect leader with a dark plan: test the limits of the man’s patience and faith in others to lure him onto the demonic path. Little does he know that he is about to meet the first immovable force of his life, and that two hearts can connect in unexpected ways. With the passing of a thousand autumns, who can stay eternal? Novel DEC221993
THERE’S NO FREAKING WAY BE YOUR LOVER VOL 2 $13.99 Page 481
Teren Mikami and Musshu
Renako Amaori is leaving her awkward and lonely junior high school life behind, determined to become a normal girl with normal friends in high school. Glamorous, confident Mai Ouzuka is Renako’s total opposite: wealthy, outgoing, and a literal fashion model. Against the odds, the two girls form an immediate connection. Renako thinks she may have found the best friend of her dreams… until Mai’s romantic confession sends her into a tailspin. Renako wants to prove to Mai that being BFFs is better than being girlfriends, but Mai is dead set on convincing Renako that they’re destined to be lovers. Let the love games begin! DEC221980
X GENDER VOL 2 $14.99 Page 482
Asuka Miyazaki
Asuka is neither a woman nor a man–they’re X-gender (a non-binary identity)–and they’ve realized they like women! Okay, now what? Adult films are fun to watch, but real sex is less appealing. Would having a penis make that better or worse? Periods already suck, and sex means more fluids from more people! This autobiographical manga follows Asuka’s feelings about their body, their relationships, and the fun (and sometimes terrible) experience of having an awakening in their thirties. DEC221989
SILVER SPROCKET
GOLDEN RECORD ONESHOT $19.99 Page 395
Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
A bilingual English/Spanish poetry magazine and autofiction chapbook lusciously written and illustrated by award-winning graphic novelist Rosemary Valero-O’Connell. An amalgamation of words and images brought together to become more than the sum of their parts, exploring the body as the site and host of all pleasure and pain. DEC221647
RITUALS ONESHOT $12.99 Page 395
Nicole Goux
In lush illustrations, artist Nicole Goux captures the sacred rites of getting ready to go out: the quiet before the party, the anticipation before the date, and the spiritual creation of self in the safe space of your inner sanctuary. DEC221648
SQUARE ENIX
CHERRY MAGIC VOL 7 $14.99 Page 485
Yuu Toyota
It’s complicated: A thirty-year-old virgin gets more than he bargained for when his newfound magical power reveals he’s the object of his male coworker’s affections! Adachi’s job transfer to Nagasaki hangs over his relationship with Kurosawa like a harbinger of doom! But true to form, the pair reaffirm their feelings for each other and come to the decision that they can make it through anything, long distance included! Will absence make Kurosawa’s and Adachi’s hearts grow still fonder? Is that even possible? DEC222007
SUBLIME
CANDY COLOR PARADOX VOL 6 $12.99 Page 451
Isaku Natsume
Reporter Onoe and photographer Kaburagi constantly bicker and argue on their stakeouts, but will their antagonistic behavior paradoxically evolve into something sweeter?
Satoshi Onoe, a reporter for a weekly magazine, has a new stakeout partner, and he’s anything but thrilled about it. Photographer Motoharu Kaburagi’s unconventional reporting methods and overall bad attitude are enough to drive Onoe insane. But the more the two work together, the closer they get. Ready to take their relationship to a whole new level, Kaburagi and Onoe make the next big leap on their path to love–finding an apartment together. But end-of-the-year holiday cheer turns into holiday dread, with endless work keeping the two from having time to see each other! Onoe starts worrying that Kaburagi is overworking himself, but his concern comes off as criticism, sparking the couple’s first big argument and driving Onoe to say that maybe they shouldn’t live together after all. And even after they make up, Kaburagi starts getting cold feet about the big move. DEC221815
MEGUMI & TSUGUMI VOL 1 $12.99 Page 451
Mitsuru Si
A tough-guy omega who believes he can control his heats through sheer willpower meets his match when he faces off with an alpha unlike any he’s ever encountered before!
Tsugumi is an omega whose sole goal in life is to beat up any alpha who crosses his path. But when he faces off with Megumi, he’s finally met his match–just not in the way he thinks! Tsugumi is a delinquent who hates all alphas for how they treat omegas like him, so when some alphas from an elite school attack another omega, Tsugumi beats ’em to a pulp! Megumi, the son of the elite school’s chairman, takes it upon himself to avenge his pummeled friends, but when the time comes, all he finds is a fired-up Tsugumi reeking of pheromones and insisting he can control his heat through sheer willpower! Faced with a different kind of battle, Megumi goes from attacker to savior, whisking Tsugumi to safety and leaving the cranky omega reconsidering everything he’s ever thought about alphas. DEC221814
TITAN
SEA OF THIEVES ORIGINS CHAMPION OF SOULS GN $17.99 Page 246
Jeremy Whitley and Rhoald Marcellius
Dive into the lore of the Sea of Thieves! Follow the rise of Sir Arthur Pendragon as he forges his name as the Champion of Souls, striking fear into the bones of every skeleton who dares to roam the waves- but when Arthur finally meets the fearsome captain Graymarrow, will he be able to save his crew, or will he be lost at sea? Collects #1-2 of the digital comic series Sea of Thieves: Champion of Souls and Sea of Thieves: The Servant’s Tale. DEC220964
TOKYO POP
CUT OVER CRITERIA GN $13.99 Page 486
Koala Omugi
A fresh new boys’ love office romance in which opposites attract! Recent graduate Jin has been assigned to help out his upperclassman Seto, a highly competent but somewhat standoffish systems engineer. Though Jin is good at his job, he does seem to have his head in the clouds more often than not and Seto’s eyes always seem to linger on him more than they should! DEC222018
SNOW FAIRY GN $13.99 Page 490
Tomo Serizawa
When Hokkaido-born Haruki meets animal photographer Akihito and finds out his accommodations have fallen through, he offers his home as a shelter for the winter. A city slicker, Akihito is smart, charming, and a smooth conversationalist; the polar opposite of country boy Haruki. Despite their differences, Akihito wants to close the gap between the two of them, before the snow thaws in the spring. DEC222022
VAULT
BARBARIC HELL TO PAY #2 $4.99 Page 419
Michael Moreci and Nathan Gooden
Owen is in hell. Soren is…also kind of in hell. She’s made a dangerous pact with Ka, the deadly assassin looking to exact revenge on a nearly impossible target. Meanwhile, Owen and Deadheart reunite for one hell (wink wink) of an adventure! DEC221725
GODFELL #1 $4.99 Page 418
Christopher Sebela and Ben Hennessy
One sunny day in the land of Kerethim, God falls dead from the sky. The impact sends out shockwaves that draw in royal families at war, shadowy creatures of the dark, and armies of the dispossessed, all coming to lay claim to parts of God’s body. Into this power struggle wanders Zanzi Vuiline, a soldier and berserker trying to get home from a years-long war. Forced to fight her way through the strange landscapes in and on God’s corpse, from the soles of its feet through the top of its head, Zanzi will acquire a mysterious traveling companion on her own pilgrimage. DEC221719
NIGHTFALL DOUBLE FEATURE #3 $7.99 Page 420
Tim Daniel & Various, Chris Shehan, and Maan House
Cemeterians: As the world’s cemeteries erupt in bizarre earthquakes, Ivy and Alan flee the riot-torn city to ask a long-dead Civil War lieutenant what has happened to the afterlife. Soon, they see for themselves, as something monstrous emerges from the soil. Denizen: Helene’s already fragmented mind continues to splinter when she is haunted by terrible visions of her past. The dagger’s deadly power reveals itself to Maya. Lily discovers the key to saving her mother, but a throng of desert specters stand in her way. With Richard powerless to stop them, Helene and Maya enter the camper, perhaps to fall under the power of the dark denizen that lurks inside forever. DEC221727
VERTICAL COMICS
TWILIGHT OUT OF FOCUS GN $12.95 Page 491
Nisioisin and Oh Great
Second-years Mao Tsuchiya and Hisashi Otomo make three promises: 1) That Mao will never tell anyone that Hisashi is gay and has a boyfriend, 2) That Hisashi will never think of Mao “in that way,” and 3) That they’ll always knock before entering, in case someone is having some “private time.” The two’s ground rules should ensure a peaceful life together in their dorm, but life is never as simple as it should be, and some things are not so easily promised. DEC222034
WHAT DID YOU EAT YESTERDAY VOL 20 $12.95 Page 491
Fumi Yoshinaga
From the James Tripee Award-winning author, Fumi Yoshinaga, comes a casual romance between two 40-year-old men and the many meals they share together. A hard-working middle-aged gay couple in Tokyo come to enjoy the finer moments of life through food. After long days at work, either in the law firm or the hair salon, Shiro and Kenji will always have down time together by the dinner table, where they can discuss their troubles, hash out their feelings and enjoy delicately prepared home cooked meals! DEC222035
VIZ
GIRL THAT CAN’T GET A GIRLFRIEND GN $16.99 Page 457
Mieri Hiranishi
Mieri is an awkward, nerdy college student with no dating experience, and her previous crushes on fellow butch women have all ended in disaster. That all changes when she meets Ash and has her feelings returned for the first time-but when first love turns to first heartbreak, Mieri will do everything possible to win Ash back. Based on true events, this is a hilarious and heart-wrenching story about love, loneliness, and the true meaning of finding one’s own happy ending. DEC221828
MY HERO ACADEMIA VOL 33 $9.99 Page 458
Kouhei Horikoshi
Knowing that All For One has put a target on his back, Midoriya has left U.A., hoping to draw the villains away from everyone he cares about. But his friends know the newest bearer of One For All shouldn’t handle this burden alone, so they set out to bring him back into the fold. The forces of good need every hero they can find as the unfolding crisis in Japan now has global ramifications, with even foreign heroes itching to join the fight. DEC2218
YEN PRESS / YEN ON
HIRANO & KAGIURA VOL 2 $13.00 Page 465
Shou Harusono
Okay, so his first attempt didn’t work. Hirano somehow managed to turn Kagi’s attempt at a confession into nothing. If it was intentional, then does that mean he…doesn’t like Kagi back? Indulging him at every turn, treating him differently than anyone else–it’s not possible that Hirano sees him as just a friend. Is it? DEC221859