Graphic Novels For Your 2021 TBR!

It’s a new year, which means new books to look forward to! In 2021, there’s a fantastic line-up of graphic novels. From the range of stories to the phenomenal artwork accompanying them, don’t miss these upcoming reads!

Today on The Booked Shelf I’m recommending titles across fantasy, steampunk, and historical fiction, celebrating these 2021 graphic novels!

Aster And The Mixed-Up Magic by Thom Pico and Karensac (Illustrator)

Summary: Magic turned Aster’s life upside-down — and it’s not over! Get ready for more family, more fun, and even more magic in this graphic novel adventure.

Moving to the middle of nowhere has been less of a disaster than Aster expected. Her mom’s science experiments are actually pretty cool; her dad’s cooking has gotten much better; her new dog is possibly the best canine companion anyone could ask for.

And she’s gotten to save the day — and her family — and the whole valley she lives in — from various magical calamities in what even she has to admit were extremely fun adventures. So now she can have a break, right?

Guess what?

Oh no; things get even more interesting.

The Legend Of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor

Summary: Part historical fiction, part magical realism, and 100 percent adventure. Thirteen-year-old Mei reimagines the myths of Paul Bunyan as starring a Chinese heroine as she works in a Sierra Nevada logging camp in 1885.

Aware of the racial tumult in the years after the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Mei tries to remain blissfully focused on her job, her close friendship with the camp foreman’s daughter, and telling stories about Paul Bunyan–reinvented as Po Pan Yin (Auntie Po), an elderly Chinese matriarch.

Anchoring herself with stories of Auntie Po, Mei navigates the difficulty and politics of lumber camp work and her growing romantic feelings for her friend Bee. The Legend of Auntie Po is about who gets to own a myth and immigrant families and communities holding on to rituals and traditions while staking out their own place in America.

Sprite And The Gardener by Joe Whitt and Rii Abrego (Illustrator)

Summary: Long, long ago, sprites were the caretakers of gardens. Every flower was grown by their hand. But when humans appeared and began growing their own gardens, the sprites’ magical talents soon became a thing of the past.

When Wisteria, an ambitious, kind-hearted sprite, starts to ask questions about the way things used to be, she’ll begin to unearth her long-lost talent of gardening. But her newly honed skills might not be the welcome surprise she intends them to be. 

Bursting with whimsical art and vibrant characters, join our neighborhood of sprites in this beautiful, gentle fantasy where both gardens and friendships begin to blossom.

The Tea Dragon Tapestry by Katie O’Neill

Summary: Over a year since being entrusted with Ginseng’s care, Greta still can’t chase away the cloud of mourning that hangs over the timid Tea Dragon.

As she struggles to create something spectacular enough to impress a master blacksmith in search of an apprentice, she questions the true meaning of crafting, and the true meaning of caring for someone in grief.

Meanwhile, Minette receives a surprise package from the monastery where she was once training to be a prophetess. Thrown into confusion about her path in life, the shy and reserved Minette finds that the more she opens her heart to others, the more clearly she can see what was always inside.

[Full ARC review here]

City Of Illusion by Victoria Ying

Summary: It’s been a peaceful three months since Hannah Morgan and Ever Barnes saved their beloved Oskars, and activated the powers of their city’s Megantic. Ever now lives with the Morgan family and the two children watch over and learn more about Oskar (the Megantic) every day.

But their conflict-free days come to an abrupt end when Mr. Morgan is captured while on a family trip to nearby Alexios, and the kids get into a spat with a group of street magicians who con Hannah out of her pocket money. Chifa and Tanan were never planning to make friends while performing their tricks, but when Hannah and Ever learn of their connection to Vash, they realize there’s much more at stake than a few coins.

If Hannah and Ever want to find out what Vash is hiding and save both Oskars and Alexios before time runs out, they’ll have to learn to trust Chifa and Tanan, and most importantly, find a way to work together.

Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sarah Alfageeh

Summary: Set in a Middle Eastern-inspired fantasy world, 14-year-old-girl Aiza lives in an Empire wracked by famine and escalating border wars. Aiza dreams of becoming a knight, the most prestigious rank in the military, and the only way to elevate her status since her people, the Ornu, are second-class citizens in the Bayt-Saji Empire.

Hiding her cultural background to train as a squire, she navigates the rigorous training that all knights undergo to test their mettle, making both friends and enemies in the process.

However, everything falls apart after her friend gets badly injured during a raid and she uncovers a military conspiracy that threatens to keep the Empire in a state of perpetual war. Aiza will have to decide: turn her back on her morals and heritage, or turn her back on her dream and possibly, her only chance of freedom?

— Squire has officially been moved to a 2022 release!

Tidesong by Wendy Xu

Summary: An ambitious 12-year-old who moves to a seaside town with her aunts for an apprenticeship in magic and realizes that it may be more than she bargained for. In this middle grade fantasy, a young witch in a seaside town learns her family’s magic and how to work with their local water dragons.

(Source for additional summary info ComicsBeat interview from Xu about ‘Mooncakes’ from August 2019).

• Sequels & Finale: Aster & City Of Illusion / Tea Dragon #3

Graphic Novels By Authors Of Color For Your 2020 TBR!

2020 is a phenomenal year for graphic novels! From epic fantasy adventures to contemporary, and even steampunk, there’s so many graphic novels from authors of color that’ve been released and have yet to debut on shelves!

On The Booked Shelf I’m recommending 10 graphic novels (either recently released or upcoming) by authors of color, that you should add to your TBR!

Nori by Rumi Hara
Release Date: May 12, 2020

Summary: Nori (short for Noriko) is a spirited three-year-old girl who lives with her parents and grandmother in the suburbs of Osaka during the 1980s. While both parents work full-time, her grandmother is Nori’s caregiver and companion—forever following after Nori as the three year old dashes off on fantastical adventures.

One day Nori runs off to be met by an army of bats—the symbol of happiness. Soon after, she is at school chasing a missing rabbit while performing as a moon in the school play, touching on the myth of the Moon Rabbit. A ditch by the side of the road opens a world of kids, crawfish, and beetles, not to mention the golden frog and albino salamander. That night, her grandma takes to the Bon Odori festival to dance with her ancestors. When Nori wins a trip to Hawaii, she finds herself swimming with a sea turtle, though she doesn’t know how to swim.

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada, & Ko Hyung-Jo (illustrator)
Release Date: May 19, 2020

Summary: When Kim Hyun Sook started college in 1983 she was ready for her world to open up. After acing her exams and sort-of convincing her traditional mother that it was a good idea for a woman to go to college, she looked forward to soaking up the ideas of Western Literature far from the drudgery she was promised at her family’s restaurant. But literature class would prove to be just the start of a massive turning point, still focused on reading but with life-or-death stakes she never could have imagined.

This was during South Korea’s Fifth Republic, a military regime that entrenched its power through censorship, torture, and the murder of protestors. In this charged political climate, with Molotov cocktails flying and fellow students disappearing for hours and returning with bruises, Hyun Sook sought refuge in the comfort of books. When the handsome young editor of the school newspaper invited her to his reading group, she expected to pop into the cafeteria to talk about Moby Dick, Hamlet, and The Scarlet Letter. Instead she found herself hiding in a basement as the youngest member of an underground banned book club. And as Hyun Sook soon discovered, in a totalitarian regime, the delights of discovering great works of illicit literature are quickly overshadowed by fear and violence as the walls close in.

Suncatcher by José Pimienta
Release Date: May 19, 2020

Summary: If life wasn’t already hard enough for Beatriz — being a teenager, trying to start a band, and going to school — then she discovers that her grandfather’s soul has been trapped in an old guitar, and that the only way to free him is to play the perfect song . . . his perfect song, a song that he never actually wrote down. She’s determined to save her grandfather, but as music slowly takes over her life, she soon finds herself growing obsessed with his song, and making it absolutely flawless, at the expense of her friendships, her band, and her health.

Beatriz won’t let anything stop her, not even her own limitations. Creating a magical song is already a lot of pressure, but Beatriz will have to make some hard choices before it’s too late for her grandfather . . . and for herself.

Sky Island by Amy Chu & Janet K. Lee (Illustrator) (Sea Sirens #2)
Release Date: June 9, 2020

Summary: The stunning sequel to Sea Sirens, the middle-grade graphic novel about a spunky Vietnamese American surfer girl and her cantankerous talking cat. This time Trot and Cap’n Bill have to rescue a Sea Siren friend from the clutches of a ruthless amusement park owner.

School’s out and Trot and Cap’n Bill are looking forward to a carefree summer of surfing. But trouble surfaces when Grandpa hooks a message in a bottle while fishing. Clia, the Sea Siren princess, and Anko, King of the Sea Serpents, need their help: Merla, their Sea Siren friend, has been kidnapped!

Trot, her cat, and her grandfather join the rescue effort which takes them to an old abandoned amusement park island resort, where plans are afoot for a grand re-opening. But who is behind this development? Enter Rosalie, an environmentalist with a personal grudge against the developer. She can tell them a thing or two about the mysterious Mr. Buluru and his secret plans for the park. And Trot has a pretty good idea who the new main attraction of the park will be–but not if she and her crew get to that tank and free Merla first!

City Of Secrets by Victoria Ying
Release Date: July 28, 2020

Summary: Ever Barnes is a shy orphan guarding a secret in an amazing puzzle box of a building.

Most of the young women who work at the building’s Switchboard Operating Facility, which connects the whole city of Oskar, look the other way as Ever roams around in the shadows. But one of them, Lisa, keeps an eye on the boy. So does the head of the Switchboard, Madame Alexander . . . a rather sharp eye.

Enter Hannah, the spunky daughter of the building’s owner. She thinks Ever needs a friend, even if he doesn’t know it yet.

Good thing she does!

Lisa and Madame Alexander are each clearly up to something.

Ever is beset by a menacing band of rogues looking to unlock the secret he holds–at any cost. And whatever is hidden deep in the Switchboard building will determine all of their futures.

On a journey that twists and turns as much as the mechanical building Ever Barnes calls home, he and his new friend Hannah have to – and out what’s really going on in this mysterious city of secrets . . . or else!

A Map To The Sun by Sloane Leong
Release Date: August 4, 2020

Summary: 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.

Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee
Release Date: September 15, 2020

Summary: Lora doesn’t want to grow up! Afraid that she is the magic of her childhood, Lora will do anything to stop it . . . including befriending Alexa, the ghost who haunts her house. A middle-grade graphic novel that focuses growing up and what that means for you and all the relationships you have in your life. This book is perfect for fans of Ghosts and Making Friends.

Growing up sounds terrible.

No one has time to do anything fun, or play outside, or use their imagination. Everything is suddenly so serious. People are more interested in their looks and what others think about them than having fun adventures. Who wants that?

Not Lora.

After watching her circle of friends seemingly fade away, Lora is determined to still have fun on her own. A tea party with a twist lease Lora to discovering Alex, the ghost that haunts her house — and Lora’s old imaginary friend! Lora and Alexa are thrilled to meet kindred spirits and they become best friends . . . but unfortunately, not everything can last forever.

The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
Release Date: October 13, 2020

Summary: Real life isn’t a fairytale.

But Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It’s hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiến, he doesn’t even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he’s going through?

Is there a way to tell them he’s gay?

A beautifully illustrated story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected.

b.b free Vol. 1 by Gabby Rivera & Royal Dunlap (illustrator) (B.B. Free #1)
Release Date: October 27, 2020

Summary: It’s been over twenty years since the Plague That Ate Greed wiped out half the population, and it’s the only world that b.b. has ever known. 

Broadcasting her underground radio show from her remote swamp community, b.b. free has no idea about the world outside her home – or her role in it! But when b.b. discovers a terrible secret about her overbearing father, she realizes that everything she believes in could be a lie! 

Now on the run from her own family, b.b. will learn the truth about the world she lives in, and about the power she never knew she had.

Odessa by Jonathan Hill
Release Date: November 3, 2020

Summary: Eight years ago an earthquake—the Big One—hit along the Cascadia fault line, toppling cities and changing landscapes all up and down the west coast of the United States. Life as we know it changed forever. But for Vietnamese-American Virginia Crane, life changed shortly after the earthquake, when her mother left and never came back.

Ginny has gotten used to a life without her mother, helping her father take care of her two younger brothers, Wes and Harry. But when a mysterious package arrives for her eighteenth birthday, her life is shaken up yet again. For the first time, Ginny wants something more than to survive. And it might be a selfish desire, but she’s determined to find out what happened to her mother—even if it means leaving her family behind.

Virtual Book Festivals To Join In April 2020

With the virus having to postpone or cancel book festivals/events, publishers have put together virtual ones that’ll feature authors, discussions, panels and much more!

On The Booked Shelf, we’ll be highlighting some to look out for this month!

1.First Second: Comic Relief Festival
Date: Saturday / April 18, 2020 (from 11 am- 5pm ET / 8am – 2pm PST)

“Have you always wondered how your favorite comics are made? This free virtual festival will give comics fans an in-depth look at the key moments in comic creation, and you’ll hear from many beloved graphic novel creators.“

Featuring authors: Lisa Brown ● Lucy Knisley ● Kat Leyh ● Ngozi Ukazu Lily Williams & Karen Schneeman ● Gene Luen Yang

*Pre-Registration required

2.WB Reader Fest (Hosted by Wednesday Books)
Date: April 20-25, 2020

No details yet, but it will feature author guests, sweepstakes & more!

3.The Tiny Book Fest (Hosted by Interlude Press/ Duet Books)
Date: Sunday /April 19 & 26, 2020

“To help authors recreate the face-to-face time these festivals normally provide, we will be hosting via Zoom Webinar, with a simulcast to Facebook Live. Full details of login information to be announced soon!“

“Join authors like Julian Winters, C.B. Lee, Claire Rudy Foster and others in conversation with special guests like Dahlia Adler of LGBTQ Reads, Alex Brown of Tor.com, Booktuber Mallory “Mallorayofsunshine” Cohen, and Frolic Media co-founder Sarah Penna. We’ll also be giving away books, gift cards to indie bookstores, swag and more both weekends!”

There’s already a schedule posted on the publisher’s blog.

Visit the links for more information & updates! Will you be attending any of these virtual book fests?

The Tea Dragon Tapestry by Katie O’Neill Is Coming This Fall!

An exclusive announcement from School Library Journal on February 4 revealed that Katie O’Neill’s award-winning webcomic turned graphic novel, The Tea Dragon Society, would be getting a third and final book titled:

The Tea Dragon Tapestry

According to a press release, O’Neill shared that returning to the world of tea dragons that she crafted back in 2017 one last time, would bring “great joy.” It was also mentioned that she “could not have imagined the warmth and enthusiasm that would meet these characters and creatures.”

The exclusive announcement also included a cover reveal, summary, and preview of the art.

Here is the full summary for The Tea Dragon Tapestry:

It’s been over a year since she was entrusted with Ginseng’s care and Greta still can’t chase away the cloud of mourning that hangs over the timid Tea Dragon. As she struggles to create something spectacular enough to impress a master blacksmith in search of an apprentice, she questions the true meaning of crafting, and the true meaning of caring for someone in grief.

Meanwhile, Minette receives a surprise package from the monastery where she was once training to be a prophetess. Thrown into confusion about her path in life, the shy and reserved Minette finds that the more she opens her heart to others, the more clearly she can see what was always inside.

Long-time series editor, Ari Yarwood also shared her thoughts, having worked on the series.

“It’s been an absolute joy working on The Tea Dragon series with Katie O’Neill, and I’m so proud of the kind and beautiful world she’s created. I hope that readers find something they need in these books.”

Ari Yarwood via SLJ

Here at The Booked Shelf, it’s nothing but joy and excitement for this addition to a phenomenal series! I fell in love with this series as a webcomic and I’m thrilled to be returning to the Tea Dragon world, visiting Greta, Minette, and all the other fantastic characters. Looking forward to seeing more of Katie’s beautiful art and being immersed in her delightful storytelling in this final book!

The Tea Dragon Tapestry by Katie O’Neill is set to be released September 1, 2020!

Graphic Novels For Your TBR That Released In 2019!

Though the year is not yet over, its no surprise there have been many fantastic graphic novels released in 2019, both captivating and immersive! From the diversity of stories being told and the fantastic art that accompanies it, graphic novels continue to go above and beyond in the world of publishing!

Today on The Booked Shelf I’m recommending a list of some graphic novels from 2019 that you should add to your TBR!

Aladdin

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner
Release Date: September 3, 2019

Summary: Magic is harder than it looks.

Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all! When Moth’s new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.

Boom Studios

I Moved To Los Angeles To Work In Animation by Natalie Nourigat
Release Date: January 1, 2019

Summary: The story of one woman’s quest to move to Los Angeles and got a job in animation…and how you can too. 

When artist Tally Nourigat left her life in Portland to move to Los Angeles and pursue a job in animation, she realized that despite her research, nothing truly prepared her for the wild world that awaited in the studios of Southern California. From grinding on storyboard test after storyboard test to getting a job at a major studio to searching for an apartment in…the Valley…this autobiographical how-to graphic novel explores the highest highs and lowest lows of pursuing a dream in animation. Brushed with a dose of humor and illustrated advice about salaries, studio culture, and everything in between, I Moved to Los Angeles to Work in Animation is the unique insider experience you won’t find anywhere else.

Hotel Dare by Terry Blas, Claudia Aguirre (artist), & Mike Fiorentino (letterer)
Release Date: June 11, 2019

Summary: It’s not your typical family vacation when Olive, and her adopted siblings Darwin and Charlotte find themselves falling into other worlds as they explore Grandma Lupé’s strange hotel.

OPEN THE DOOR. ADVENTURE AWAITS. 

Olive and her adopted siblings Charlotte and Darwin are spending the summer with their estranged grandma at her creepy hotel and it’s all work and no play. They’re stuck inside doing boring chores but they soon stumble upon an incredible secret… Behind each room door of the hotel lies a portal to a different strange and mysterious place. The simple turn of a knob transports them to a distant magical world filled with space pirates. Behind the next door are bearded wizards. Down the hall is a doorway to a cotton-candied kingdom. But once the doors are opened, worlds start colliding, and only one family can save them before they tear themselves apart. 

The Avant-Guards Vol. 1 by Carly Usdin, Noah Hayes (artist), Rebecca Nalty (colorist), and Ed Dukeshrire (letterer)
Release Date: September 3, 2019

Summary: When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O’Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs…in the school’s (terrible) basketball team.

As a transfer student to the Georgia O’Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, former sports star Charlie is struggling to find her classes, her dorm, and her place amongst a student body full of artists who seem to know exactly where they’re going. When the school’s barely-a-basketball-team unexpectedly attempts to recruit her, Charlie’s adamant that she’s left that life behind…until she’s won over by the charming team captain, Liv, and the ragtag crew she’s managed to assemble. And while Charlie may have left cut-throat competition in in the dust, sinking these hoops may be exactly what she needs to see the person she truly wants to be.

Image Comics

Blackbird by Sam Humphries, Jen Bartel (artist), and Triona Farrell (colorist)
Release Date: May 14, 2019

Summary: Nina Rodriguez knows a hidden magical world run by ruthless cabals is hiding in Los Angeles. When a giant magic beast kidnaps her sister, Nina must confront her past (and her demons) to get her sister back and reclaim her life.

Don’t miss the first collection of the smash-hit neo-noir fantasy series!

Ophiuchus by Alexis Leriger de la Plante and Natasha Tara Petrović (artists and writers)
Release Date: August 27, 2019

Summary: OPHIUCHUS is the story of the lone sentry of an ancient, inactive gate.

One day, a strange being breaks through and infects her with a virus. And shortly after, she is approached by two machines, who implore her to follow them to the center of the universe to put an end to that virus—a malevolent being which rots all worlds.

Lerner Publishing Group (Graphic Universe)

Stage Dreams by Melanie Gillman
Release Date: September 3, 2019

Summary: In this rollicking queer western adventure, acclaimed cartoonist Melanie Gillman (Stonewall Award Honor Book As the Crow Flies) puts readers in the saddle alongside Flor and Grace, a Latinx outlaw and a trans runaway, as they team up to thwart a Confederate plot in the New Mexico Territory. When Flor–also known as the notorious Ghost Hawk–robs the stagecoach that Grace has used to escape her Georgia home, the first thing on her mind is ransom. But when the two get to talking about Flor’s plan to crash a Confederate gala and steal some crucial documents, Grace convinces Flor to let her join the heist.

Lion Forge

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu (artist)
Release Date: October 15, 2019

Summary: A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

Nobrow Press

Skip by Molly Mendoza

Summary: A colorful, unpredictable postapocalyptic world comes alive in Skip, when two unlikely friends, Bloom and Gloopy, find themselves tossed from dimension to dimension.

Gloopy is running toward adventure, and away from their home and friends who don’t understand their creative talent. Bloom is desperately trying to return home to their lake, and avoid the terrible violence of the city. Instead, both Bloom and Gloopy find what they need in each other, and bravely return home to challenge their fears and create beauty in their own worlds.

As Bloom and Gloopy skip through dimensions and encounter weeping giants, alligator islands, and a topsy turvy 2D world, they find comfort in each other and learn that sometimes, your greatest fear reveals where your strengths lie.

Oni Press

Pilu Of The Woods by Mai K. Nguyen
Release Date: April 16, 2019

Summary: Willow loves the woods near her house. They’re calm and quiet, so different from her own turbulent emotions, which she keeps locked away. When her emotions get the better of her one day, she decides to run away into the woods.

There, she meets Pilu, a lost tree spirit who can’t find her way back home—which turns out to be the magnolia grove Willow’s mom used to take her to. Willow offers to help Pilu, and the two quickly become friends.

But the journey is long, and Pilu isn’t sure she’s ready to return home yet—which infuriates Willow, who’s determined to make up for her own mistakes by getting Pilu back safely. As a storm rages and Willow’s emotions bubble to the surface, they suddenly take on a physical form, putting both girls in danger… and forcing Willow to confront her inner feelings once and for all.

The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’ Neill
Release Date: September 17, 2019

Summary: Rinn has grown up with the Tea Dragons that inhabit their village, but stumbling across a real dragon turns out to be a different matter entirely!

Aedhan is a young dragon who was appointed to protect the village but fell asleep in the forest eighty years ago. With the aid of Rinn’s adventuring uncle Erik and his partner Hesekiel, they investigate the mystery of his enchanted sleep, but Rinn’s real challenge is to help Aedhan come to terms with feeling that he cannot get back the time he has lost.

Vault Comics

Submerged Vol. 1 by Vita Ayala, Lisa Sterle (artist), Stelladia (colors), Rachel Deering (letters), and Tim Daniel (design)
Release Date: February 12, 2019

Summary: On the night of the biggest storm in New York City history, Elysia Puente gets a call from her estranged little brother Angel, terrified, begging for help. When the call cuts out suddenly, despite the bad feelings between them, Ellie rushes into the night.

Finding his broken phone in front of a barricaded subway station, Ellie follows echoes of her brother into the sinister darkness of the underground, desperate to find him before it’s too late.

Vagrant Queen Vol. 1 by Magdalene Visaggio, Jason Smith (artist), Harry Saxon (colors), Zaak Saam (letters), and Tim Daniel (design)
Release Date: February 26, 2019

Summary: Former child queen Elida was driven from her throne at age ten and forced to wander the galaxy, evading the revolutionary forces that wanted her dead.

When an old frenemy claims to know the whereabouts of Elida’s long-lost mother, she is forced to return to her former kingdom and stage a rescue. Vagrant Queen has also been adapted as a Syfy series, coming in 2020!

She Said Destroy Vol. 1 by Joe Corallo, Liana Kangas (artist/cover artist), and Harry Saxon (colors)
Release Date: November 26, 2019

Summary: Over millennia, Brigid, Goddess of the Sun, has conquered and converted the entire solar system into worshipping her and her alone, save one space colony.

The witches of Fey are the last believers of The Morrigan, Goddess of Death, Brigid’s sister and the only other God left. As Brigid’s forces prepare for one final battle, The Morrigan prepares to do what she does best: Destroy!

Viking Books For Young Readers

Sea Sirens by Amy Chu and Janet K. Lee (artist/illustrator)
Release Date: June 11, 2019

Summary: Trot, a Vietnamese American surfer girl, and Cap’n Bill, her cranky one-eyed cat, catch too big a wave and wipe out, sucked down into a magical underwater kingdom where an ancient deep-sea battle rages. The beautiful Sea Siren mermaids are under attack from the Serpent King and his slithery minions–and Trot and her feline become dangerously entangled in this war of tails and fins.

Inspired by The Sea Fairies, L. Frank Baum’s “underwater Wizard of Oz” It weaves Vietnamese mythology, fantastical ocean creatures, and a deep-sea setting.

Thank you for checking out this 2019 graphic novels list! Which have been on your to-read list?

I also wanted to share a 2019 manga (not officially part of this list) that I recently discovered and recommend checking out:

Cats Of The Louvre by Taiyo Matsumoto

A surreal tale of the secret world of the cats of the Louvre, told by Eisner Award winner Taiyo Matsumoto.

The world-renowned Louvre museum in Paris contains more than just the most famous works of art in history. At night, within its darkened galleries, an unseen and surreal world comes alive—a world witnessed only by the small family of cats that lives in the attic. Until now…

Published by Viz Media & released September 17, 2019 ┃Book Depository ┃Goodreads