We’re getting a bit more serious than usual today, but that’s okay. Comics, despite their reputation as children’s entertainment, are uniquely qualified to deal with dark and light topics alike.
2024 is the tenth year of the Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons and diversify our TBRs. To get book recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. We’ll also keep you informed about other cool reading challenges, readathons, and more across the bookish internet. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with a community of passionate, like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. Sign up today!
Bookish Goods
Black Widow Bear by OnBearFeet
The way I smiled when I saw this…WHY would you get your beloved a regular teddy for Valentine’s Day when you could get them THIS bear? $50
New Releases
Bocchi the Rock! Volume Two by Aki Hamazi
Bocchi is a shy girl who was pushed into playing guitar for a real band instead of just entertaining herself in her room — and, against all odds and her own anxiety, she seems to be thriving. Can she keep up the momentum and help her band make good at the school festival?
Left Turns by Joshua Ross
David thought everything was going great until, as so often happens, life threw him a curveball: his girlfriend dumped him. Part of the problem is David’s dream of becoming a comic book artist, which eats up so much of his time and energy. Now, he has to decide if achieving his goals is worth the price.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!
Riot Recommendations
Today’s Riot Rec theme is: cancer. The most appropriate possible topic for Cancer Prevention Month.
In-Between Days by Teva Harrison
Harrison was only 37 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She experienced the expected emotions — grief, devastation, hopelessness — but was still able to find moments of happiness, solidarity, and love as she walked a path that no one wants to have to take.
I’m a Terminal Cancer Patient but I’m Fine by Hilnama
Hilnama was a busy Boys Love manga creator when she discovered that the strange noises her stomach kept making were really a symptom of colon cancer. Despite — or because of — the severity of the situation, she relates her experiences and provides advice to readers in a fun, lighthearted, optimistic way.
While it’s not always possible to prevent cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some good advice for reducing your risk. And if you or a loved one already have cancer, I hope at least one of the comics here can bring you a much-needed moment of solace.
~Eileen