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New Additions to Comics Plus: May 2025 | Rob’s Advisory

by | Jun 4, 2025 | Comic Spotlight, Comics Plus, Resources, Robs Advisory

Rob's Advisory picks for May 2025

As is typically the case, I was faced with the terrible challenge of winnowing another month’s worth of new additions to Comics Plus down to just a handful to talk about here. Like every month, there’s also a number of worthwhile books “relegated” to the Honorable Mentions below, which are definitely worth your consideration, too.

Additionally, since it’s Pride Month in the US, I also wanted to look back through recent Honorable Mentions and highlight titles that may be of particular interest for our LGBTQIA readers. With that much to cover, I’m sorry for every great book I’ve undoubtedly overlooked over the past months (and years), but I hope you’d agree that the books I’ve chosen are worth a look-see.

That’s enough preamble — let’s get to it!

Middle Grade

Small Town Spirits by Zack Keller and Gabriele Bagnoli (Dark Horse)It’s always great to have books for younger readers that I wind up liking myself, and my first pick was an easy one. Small Town Spirits by Zack Keller and Gabriele Bagnoli (Dark Horse) is the same creative team that brought us Hotel REM (Dark Horse), which I’d first talked about in my first Advisory in 2023, and I think I might like this new book even better. Set in a very inclusive modern Irish town that still observes some very old traditions. As a result, they are paid a yearly visit by a host of ancient Irish deities who proceed to preside over the annual festival and its various “friendly” competitions. A precocious youth from one particularly down-on-their-luck family attempts some magical trickery to finally get his clan the edge they need in this year’s competitions, and the resulting supernatural disruptions to said festivities only go from bad to worse.

Exploring themes of rivalry, regret, and some very strange (yet poignant) lessons in responsibility, this charming book is also a total love letter to old Irish mythology, without getting too dense with details of the pantheon.

Nunuche - Volume 1 - Sweet like Cotton Candy by Bianco Guillaume and Kerascoët Marie (Europe Comics)My top pick here was sort of a no-brainer, though, as Nunuche – Volume 1 – Sweet like Cotton Candy by Bianco Guillaume and Kerascoët Marie (Europe Comics) is destined to be another Comics Plus darling. A wonderful example of a more minimalist bande dessinée art style, blended with an almost Peanuts-level humor and charm, including the fact that all the adult characters also always remain off-panel. If you are an animal lover (particularly a dog lover), this book is sure to get you right in the feels over and over again. If you’re not actually an animal lover, just know this is the sort of book that threatens to maybe turn you into one. It’s pure adorable puppy bliss.

And if you’d like to scratch that old skool comic-strip itch, don’t forget the most recent Peanuts collection from Andrews McMeel, Snoopy: Doghouse Tales (by the legendary Charles M.Shultz) also arrived on Comics Plus last month.

Teen & Young Adult

Archibald Vol 1: Monster Slayer by Kim Hyun-Min (Ablaze)Speaking of blending styles, it turns out Archibald Vol 1: Monster Slayer by Kim Hyun-Min (Ablaze) is the man-hwa creator’s first foray into the European comics scene, and they have adapted an oddball, very European look for the art of this quirky graphic novel. It’s also a fun blend of weird humor, supernatural mystery, and pulpy noirish thrills. It’s a great day in the world of comics to see how so many different artistic influences are constantly reflecting off one another.

I guess I should stop being so surprised — it’s the Internet Age after all — but for someone who remembers how rare a treat it was to be influenced by a “foreign” piece of comics art “back in the day,” it’s a very encouraging thing to see happening so regularly these days.

There’s always tons of new manga (and manga-inspired comics) arriving on Comics Plus every week, but there were two in particular that stood out for me last month. Both sport some really terrific artwork, and both explore some very interesting and deep running dystopian themes. While Luciole Has a Dream, Vol. 1 by Yuu Morikawa (Yen Press) is beautiful in a quiet, somber, melancholic sort of way, The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse, Vol. 1 by Haruo Iwamune (Yen Press) is equally bleak with its various horrific vistas of pure unadulterated, apocalyptic glory. Both are most definitely worth checking out.

Yucatan 1512 by Alex Vede (Dark Horse)I was also quite impressed with the visual creativity of Yucatan 1512 by Alex Vede (Dark Horse), a gritty blood-soaked but somehow still not-quite-over-the-top expression of anti-colonialism. When a conquistador turns on his fellow occupiers in defense of a young Mayan girl, they flee together deep into the jungles where her people’s ancient gods await in a hidden golden city, to be roused in the land’s defense once more. Yes, it’s just as epic as it sounds. I also really appreciated many of Mr. Vede’s unique color choices throughout the book, and was particularly taken with the clever use of Mayan glyphs as a lettering technique, but really it’s the crazy monstrous character designs that I (and probably you) are likely going to remember most.

Imagine if Ashely Wood were tasked with dreaming up a bunch of Mesoamerican kaiju creatures and you’ll maybe have some idea of what to expect… but even then I kinda doubt it. Anyway, it’s super-cool, so don’t pass it by.

Subgenre by Matt Kindt and Wilfredo Torres (Dark Horse)I also promised to point out some good recent Pride picks, so you should definitely consider checking out the multi-faceted slice-of-life drama, How Could You by Ren Strapp (Oni Press); the awards-heavy Chef’s Kiss: Deluxe Edition by Jarrett Melendez, Danica Brine, and Hank Jones (Oni Press); the angsty anthropomorphic tragi-comedy, The Lonesome Era by Jon Allen (Iron Circus), which feels like a cross of Jason and James Kochalka. There’s also the totally off-the-wall supernatural urban fantasy romance, Hex Americana by Bree Wolf (Iron Circus). These are all perfect picks to round out that ever-growing shelf of great queer literature!

My top pick for the older teens has to go to the mind (and genre) bending sci-fantasy epic Subgenre by Matt Kindt and Wilfredo Torres (Dark Horse), the latest of Mr. Kindt’s high-concept Flux House titles to arrive on Comics Plus. It’s no secret I’m a sucker for some clever meta-storytelling, but there’s some real next-level stuff going on in this one. Multi-dimensional doesn’t even really cut it, this is one of those books that may have you questioning your very role in existence by the time you’re done with it.

Another great example of smart, cerebral sci-fi, and while it’d probably make for a terrific movie, it’s another story that you can probably really only pull off with sequential art.

Adult

I want to pivot back to some more Pride picks first, as there were some great recent additions for our mature readers, with three very different takes on queer adult relationships. There’s the funny, awkward, and all-too-true to life I Hated You in High School by Kathleen Gros (Andrews McMeel), featuring the roller-coaster relationship of two women with a rather rocky past. The slow, subtle, and often sketchy manga-tinged art of The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal by E.K. Weaver (Iron Circus) is the ultimate life-turned-upside-down-overnight story — what better way to try and invent yourself than with a crazy cross-country road trip with the complete stranger you picked up at the bar the night before, right? And BL fans are sure to love the sweetly romantic, “if I could do things over” story of I’m Here, Beside You, Vol. 1 by TEA natsuno (Yen Press).

You can find more Pride Picks for mature readers in our curated list.

Neo Faust by Osamu Tezuka (Ablaze)Back to more recent additions, it wouldn’t be right to discuss manga without also highlighting the latest collection of works from the Godfather of Manga himself, Osamu Tezuka. Neo Faust (Ablaze) joins the ranks of the master’s other classic adaptations (including Shakespeare Manga Theater and One Hundred Tales) with this modern (for the 1970s) and occasionally tastefully erotic retelling of the Dr. Faustus myth, this time through the eyes of an aged Japanese physicist who engages a devil for a new lease on life so he can discover the secrets of the universe. It’s the perfect synthesis of East meets West that the master is so beloved for

And Tezuka-sama really did demonstrate one of the first important cross-cultural influences, for his Disney inspirations are clearly felt all over this book as well. And yes, while the story technically remains unfinished, there’s still 400-some pages to devour, plus the importance of finally having these collected pieces of true comics posterity available on Comics Plus can’t be overstated.

Gantz Omnibus Volume 1 by Hiroya Oku (Dark Horse)If the Godfather’s work is considered the genesis of modern manga, it’s also worth looking at more contemporary incarnations to see how far the artform has really come. While Neo Faust is definitely for mature readers only, Gantz Omnibus Volume 1 by Hiroya Oku (Dark Horse) is a different kind of Seinen title; dark on a completely different level. It’s erotica mixed with sci-fi body horror, which also encapsulates the very height of the sort of bleak nihilism we’ve come to expect from similar properties like Battle Royale or Squid Games.

Fair warning, though; it also features some of the most unabashed fan-service I’ve ever seen in a manga title (that wasn’t outright pornography).

Speaking of bleak nihilism, we may finally have the full set of crown jewels for you. I know he’s not everyone’s favorite (I’ve admittedly even changed my tune on him somewhat as I’ve gotten older), but it’s hard to deny the impact Mark Millar has made on comics over the past few decades, especially for the dark and gritty superhero subgenre. At this point we arguably have “all of his best stuff” for your reading pleasure/disturbance, but if you’re even remotely a fan of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s The Boys (Dynamite), then you’re absolutely about to lose at least a few evenings to the following reading challenge.

Wanted & Big Game Library Edition by Mark Millar, JG Jones, and Pepe Laraz (Dark Horse)Brought together under a new publisher, you can start your experience with Wanted & Big Game Library Edition by Mark Millar, JG Jones, and Pepe Laraz (Dark Horse), but pause after the classic Wanted chapters and give Nemesis: Reloaded by Mark Millar and Jorge Jiménez (Dark Horse) a read before finishing that double feature with the Big Game section. That book’s second part does indeed tie the wider Millarworld together, including the notable characters of Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. (Image Comics), Hit Girl by Mark Millar and Ricardo Lopez Ortiz (Image Comics), and even Huck by Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque (Image Comics) — which, if you haven’t read yet, you may want to also consider before swinging back around to finish Big Game.

And if all that is still not enough there’s also Nemesis: Rogues’ Gallery by Mark Millar and Valerio Giangiordano (Dark Horse) that takes place after the Big Game story, and boasts yet another classic Millar style gut-punch of an ending that’s almost as memorable as Wanted or American Jesus. I felt so totally bleaked-out after wading through all that darkness that it almost made me want to take a shower afterwards.

That was a lot of comics to cover, and yet still so many I didn’t get to. Remember, there’s always more to read every month on Comics Plus! With literally thousands of titles to choose from across a wide range of genres, I could keep writing forever! Be sure to check in every month for more highlights, and browse our expanding list of past Rob’s Advisory selections.

Rob Randle: Until next month, here are some more honorable mentions that, mostly for space reasons, didn’t quite make my list, but you (and/or your readers) may also enjoy checking out:

Rob Randle is the Director of Content Management for LibraryPass, and has worked in and around the comic book industry in various capacities, including as a book reviewer for the NY Journal of Books, and a judge for various comic book industry awards—the 2006 Eisner Awards, among others. Before joining LibraryPass, he had been the Director of Publishing for iVerse Media LLC since 2010, and prior to that was a purchasing manager for Diamond Comic Distributors where he helped to manage the monthly Previews catalog for close to a decade starting in 2002. Additionally, Rob occasionally does freelance work as a comics creator, and is the author of the critically acclaimed graphic novel Serial Artist. Rob holds a B.A. of Illustration from the Maryland Institute, College of Art (MICA).

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