We definitely hit the ground running in 2026 with a plethora of new, incredible titles landing on Comics Plus again. So many in fact that, as always, I was hard-pressed to choose between the lot of them which to actually write about. It’s a good problem to have, and one I hope continues to be just as “problematic” as the year rolls on.
With such an awesome assortment of library-friendly publishers keeping us flush with new titles each month, I don’t ever expect to find myself short on something new and interesting to read and recommend.
I guess that’s also my way of warning you this month’s article is going to feature more than the typical average for my monthly advisories, so I’ll try to keep things as brief and to-the-point as possible, so you can start diving into some of the these latest additions to your own to-read pile!
Young Readers
While my first selection of picture books was definitely written for the little ones, this is one of those terrific, accessible series that can be informative for readers of any age. Heather Bruegl’s Indigenous Peoples of North America (Cherry Lake) series offers up a wealth of historical, geographic, and cultural background concerning various different native nations, including the Haudenosaunee (sadly more often known by the misnomer Iroquois) and the Anishinaabe (aka the Chippewa).
From the shared languages that unite their various peoples, to their more ubiquitous shared history of displacement and resettlement, there’s more relevant Native American history in just a handful of these pages than, sadly, I was ever exposed to in my own childhood education. It’s a topic I’m certain most of us could afford to learn and understand a lot more about, and I’m excited by the prospect that there’s many more we’re hoping to add in the future.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Elementary, Children’s Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Middle Grade
We know kids are the most voracious readers on Comics Plus, so they’ve probably already found these, but I’d be remiss to not point out that we had a bunch of new Unofficial Guides by Jaime Quinn (Cherry Lake) that focus on the popular Minecraft game. As one of those “old guy” gamers who never really understood Minecraft’s appeal, these unofficial guides actually make me feel like I could jump into the game fresh and have a leg up on things.
From Mining and Farming to Combat, there’s a lot to absorb to even cover the basics, but for those (like me) who found themselves vexed by that one particular “ageist” S17 episode of South Park, I can promise you that the answer to “how do you tame a horse in Minecraft?” is actually contained in the pages of Taming and Raising Animals!
Phew… I feel slightly less uncool now.
My top pick for kids stood out for a number of reasons. 
FolkLore – The Fox’s Tale by Loïc Clément and Lionel Richerand (Europe Comics) features charming anthropomorphic characters, and a complex art style that packs a surprising amount of detail into every panel.
It’s the kind of book that encourages you to slow down and explore all its subtle intricacies throughout, and feels like a budding version of similar artists like James Stokoe (Sullivan’s Sluggers), Tom Parkinson-Morgan (Kill Six Billion Demons) or even the great Geof Darrow (Shaolin Cowboy)… stay tuned for more of that later.
Anyway, this style allows for a very fun sense of immersion as the reader is taken on a curious journey through this imaginative (and quite clever) exploration of strained family dynamics in a fun, fantastical coming of age story. Good stuff!
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Elementary, Middle School, Children’s Public Library, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Teens
We had a number of great new titles for teens to choose from this month, so my selections are the ones I imagine have the widest readership appeal.
First up is the super-slick Eclepsis V1 by Aloïs (Europe Comics), with a clean, solid art style and sense for pacing that keeps you turning pages from beginning to end. It’s a tale of role reversal in a grounded fantasy world where one’s gender has both socio-political and magical ramifications — even including spells that may allow you to transition genders supernaturally.
It’s sort of like Fullmetal Alchemist (Yen Press) crossed with Shepherdess Warriors (Ablaze) meets Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain (Andrews McMeel). Sounds interesting, right? Now, full marks if you’ve actually read all those titles before now, but if not, well — I’ll just keep piling on top of that to-read pile for you!
My top pick for teens hit close to home, if for no other reason than (intentionally or not) Polygon by Antoine Pédron (Europe Comics) is one of the best new examples of the solarpunk genre I’ve come across in recent memory.
I’ve always believed that “Life imitates Art, Art imitates Life,” so there’s something to be said for the idea that growing up with depictions of a dystopian future has perhaps contributed to our dystopian present. That is largely why solarpunk has become my favorite new genre; it rejects the dystopian narrative in exchange for a “we can fix it” perspective on the characters’ challenging (and potentially even bleak) environment — and I was impressed by all the ways this book is such a fine example of these themes.
Caught in the sweltering grips of a warming Earth — which has also just recently put down a mass robot rebellion — a technologically talented but socially estranged nuclear family lives a simple life in a forest home, far from the civilization they fled, but for which they all still pine for in one way or another. When one of the kids discovers the body of a giant disabled robot in the nearby woods, his obsession with repairing it (as well as the friendly relationship he forms with its crippled AI) sets the stage for exploring all the great questions this type of sci-fi asks. Green tech and AI responsibility, self-reliance and sustainability, urbanization and utopias, upcycling and DIY, community consciousness and constructive rebellion… this book touches on all these concepts and then some!
I guess I could have just said, “It’s the solarpunk version of Iron Giant”. That would have been enough to hook me anyway…
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Middle School, High School, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Young Adults
When it comes to YA, it’s harder to narrow down my list because there were so many good books I just couldn’t overlook.
First, Red and the Wolves by Cherry Zong (Andrews McMeel) is a sweet, charming, and totally unexpected reimagining of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale as a “will they, won’t they?” LGBTQ teen romance with a manga twist. If it weren’t for the somewhat liberal amount of swearing, this probably would be appropriate for younger teens, too, but if you have the sort of reader who’s devoured everything by K O’Neil (like Tea Dragon Society or Princess Princess Ever After) and is hungry for more, this title will serve as the perfect readalike.
I want to take a moment to recognize the meticulously researched and respectfully presented historical drama, Captive: Three Years at Belle-Île by Julien Hillion and Renan Coquin (Europe Comics). An exploration of the heartbreaking physical and mental abuse countless young men suffered while interned in juvenile prisons in nineteenth century France (such as the titular island prison of Belle-Île), as told through the eyes of two boys whose real lives (and deaths) the creators were able to recreate in harrowing detail. An instant classic!
Also, I just couldn’t let the month go by without pointing out the latest addition to the manga adaptations of tales from the Cthulhu mythos, H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Out of Time by Gou Tanabe (Dark Horse). Anyone who regularly reads my monthly advisories won’t be surprised that I’m a huge fan of Tanabe-san’s work, and once again I feel like the mangaka has managed to bring the eeriness of this weird source material to a whole new level.
Those well versed in Lovecraft’s works will know Shadow Out of Time as one of his more bizarre stories in an already bizarre retinue, but the artwork is just so “compellingly grounded” it keeps the reader rooted firmly in the horrific nature of what’s essentially the ultimate body snatching/body horror story. Plus, this manga may depict the coolest interpretation of the Necronomicon cover I’ve ever seen. Do not miss it!
My top pick for YA readers, though, is one of those diamonds in the rough that winds up being too easy to overlook. With clean, concise linework along with a carefully subdued color scheme that reminded me of Sheets, the slice-of-life drama Swimming at Midnight by Valentina Grande and Francesco Dibattista (Europe Comics) demonstrates a profound exploration of age, identity, and social expectation, particularly as it concerns older black women.
Bravely confronting society’s notion that “a woman who wants to control her life is always asking too much,” the result is a courageous exploration of camaraderie, motherhood, and social justice — but ultimately, it’s about the powerful transformation of finding meaning in your fears. This is a perfect example of how graphic novels are every bit true literature, occupying that classy space somewhere between prose and film you didn’t even realize was there!
- Comics Plus Collection(s): High School, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Adults
To kick things off for mature readers, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the newly remastered edition of what is arguably the granddaddy of all seinen, Battle Royale Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1 by Koushun Takami and Masayuki Taguchi (Yen Press). If anything, it’s even more uncomfortably brutal than I remember it being when I was first exposed to it some two decades ago, and it’s become such a foundational piece of work since its release that really it’s become the quintessential nihilist manga all others that have come since are measured by.
From Gantz (Dark Horse) to Danganronpa (Dark Horse) to the much more recent Immortality and Punishment (Yen Press), there is hardly a book in this category since that doesn’t owe some debt to Takami-san and Taguchi-san’s bloody, erotic classic.
While we’re on the topic of decades-old classics, the young comics nerd in me couldn’t help but get excited for The Shaolin Cowboy: Beginning of the End Results–21 Years of Blood, Sweat, and Chainsaws by Geof Darrow and Dave Stewart (Dark Horse). If you’re not already familiar with Mr. Darrow’s obscenely over-the-top artwork from Hard Boiled (Dark Horse) or Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (Dark Horse), among others, just know this is one of the guys who had a hand in first dreaming up a lot of the visual look of the Matrix movies. And this is exactly the kind of book you get when you let a mad genius like him have total creative control!
Every piece of art explodes like a child kicking a stack of blocks; each panel filled edge to edge with fantastic and subtle details without peer. His artwork is almost the “Where’s Waldo” of comics, as every single scene offers a new puzzle of subtextual clues and/or deadpan ridiculousness so complex, it promises you’ll always notice something completely different each and every time you revisit them. If a picture is normally worth a thousand words, I wager each of Mr. Darrow’s is worth at least a million.
Funny as it is grim, beautiful as it is unsettling… slick, violent, with a thousand WTF moments, and oh so punny, this is a legendary piece of comics history I’m psyched we finally have all in one place.
My top pick for adult readers was tough, as I had a number of somewhat similar titles that I felt were all more than worthy of the spotlight. Although I ultimately chose the one I think will have the widest readership appeal, I wouldn’t be surprised if any of them wound up being your personal favorite… especially if you happen to identify with one of them a bit more strongly for whatever reason.
First, the absolutely gutwrenching Mothballs by Sole Otero (Fantagraphics) is one of the most bitingly poignant explorations of female generational trauma I can remember reading. Its characters come alive so truthfully, you can’t help but share their hurt. Next, the cautionary (anthropomorphic) relationship story Big Bad Love by Anne Schmauch and Bénédicte Moret (Europe Comics) is one of the most accessible explorations of a toxic relationship I’ve ever read — one that showcases how not all kinds of abuse in toxic relationships are the physical kind. Plus the idea that a panda and a fox would have a baby red panda is just too cute for words!
But my top pick is a book I expect to make some waves, which is probably not a big leap when you consider I Am Their Silence by Jordi Lafebre (Dark Horse) is by the same guy who gave us the critically acclaimed Always Never (Dark Horse). That’s right, the very same awesome title you’ve been planning to use as your next book club pick!
Much like the fan-favorite Always Never, Lafebre’s latest book features even more compelling personalities, clever dialogue, and narrative finesse (to say nothing of his various memorable character designs). With an awesomely complex (and infectiously likable) lead, and a number of modern twists on some classic noir tropes, the story ultimately becomes as much a circuitous (yet tender) unpacking of a struggle with mental illness as it is a seemingly classic murder mystery story.
It’s another can’t miss title you can feel confident recommending to nearly any mature reader you know, and yet another treasured feather in the cap of the ever-growing Comics Plus catalog!
- Comics Plus Collection: Full Collection
Honorable Mentions
That was a lot of books to cover in one advisory, and yet there are still so many more 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.
Until then, 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:
- After the Storm by Jean Cremers (Europe Comics)
- Arcbound Volume 1 by Frank Tieri, Scott Snyder, Tom Hardy, and Ryan Smallman (Dark Horse)
- Blessed Be by Rick Altergott (Fantagraphics)
- Buff Soul by Moa Romanova (Fantagraphics)
- Catana Comics: Still Smitten by Catana Chetwynd (Andrews McMeel)
- Coral and the Devil by Homs (Europe Comics)
- Demon Lord 2099: The Complete Omnibus by Daigo Murasaki, Kureta, and Yutaka Sakurai (Yen Press)
- Divine Incursions, Vol. 1 by Kouya Ashitaka and Oumi Kifuru (Yen Press)
- Even a Replica Can Fall in Love, Vol. 1 by Harunadon Momose Hanada and raemz (Yen Press)
- King Kong: The Great War by Alex Cox and Tommaso Bianchi (Dynamite)
- Los Monstruos by James Robinson and Jesus Merino (Dark Horse)
- Pearls Gets Put in the Pokey: A Pearls Before Swine Treasury by Stephan Pastis (Andrews McMeel)
- Petar & Liza by Miroslav Sekulic-Struja (Fantagraphics)
- Prodigy Library Edition by Mark Millar, Matteo Buffagni, Rafael Albuquerque, and Stefano Landini (Dark Horse)
- Scarecrow by Philippe Pelaez and Stéphane Sénégas (Europe Comics)
- Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Shiver of Christmas Town #1 by Torunn Grønbekk and Edu Menna (Dynamite)
- Tramps of the Apocalypse by Alice Darrow, Frank Cvetkovic, and Hugo Blanc (Dark Horse)
- Victoria of Many Faces, Vol. 1 by Komo Ushino Syuu and Nanna Fujimi (Yen Press)
- YON Vol. 1 by Camille Broutin (Europe Comics)
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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