Categories
The Stack

Nerds and Jocks, Unite!

Brains and brawn are supposed to be natural enemies, but I think that’s a lot of hooey. There’s always common ground — or at the very least, mutual respect — to meet on. Maybe you’ll find something in this newsletter that can appeal to both the jocks and the nerds in your life!

Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!

Bookish Goods

A black comic book stand featuring Nightcrawler of the X-Men

Nightcrawler Comic Book Stand by StandItUp

This store has plenty of awesome comic book stands, no matter what character you like, or whether you want the stand on the wall or on your desk! $20

New Releases

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass cover

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina and Mel Valentine Vargas

“Piddy” Sanchez has barely started at her new high school when she finds out that a girl she doesn’t even know has it out for her. Why? Has Piddy done something to offend her, or does Yaqui Delgado just hate Piddy for who she is? More importantly, how can Piddy deal with the constant bullying? Based on the prose novel, this is a YA comic that readers of all ages can enjoy and identify with.

Janus Silang and the Creature of Tabon Vol 1 cover

Janus Silang and the Creature of Tabon: Volume One by Edgar Calabia Samar, Carljoe Javier, Mervin Malonzo, and Natasha Ringo

Also based on a novel, this story follows Janus, a teenager who enters a video game tournament only for all of the other contestants to drop dead around him. The culprit: nightmares that have escaped into the real world. It’s up to Janus and a mysterious ally to protect reality from these mythological monsters!

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: football! American football season starts on Thursday! Are you ready?! Here are some comics to get you in the right frame of mind!

Colin Kaepernick Change the Game cover

Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game by Colin Kaepernick, Eve L. Ewing, and Orlando Caicedo

Kaepernick rose to fame (or infamy) on the football field by kneeling in protest against police brutality. But before all that, he was a high school athlete learning how to make the right decisions for him, no matter what anyone else thinks.

Play Like a Girl cover

Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson and David Wilson

As a stubborn seventh-grader, Misty decides to join the school football team and prove she’s just as good a player as any of the boys. But the boys don’t want her there, the girls don’t understand why she would want to play football, and training is seriously tough. Can Misty stick it out and prove herself to everyone, including herself?

I apologize for the lack of One Piece in this newsletter: I didn’t realize the release date was quite so soon! I promise that next Tuesday’s newsletter will have plenty of piratey (not pirated) content for all.

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Never Could Get the Hang of Thursdays

Change is on the horizon! September sweeps in tomorrow, spring is about to start in the Southern Hemisphere, and the U.S. can look forward to Labor Day on Monday. But don’t worry: the Stack is still the same!

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

A silver chain necklace with a pendant of Spider-Man hanging upside-down

Hanging Spiderman Pendant Necklace by OdaMerch

Pick the perfect chain length for your little spider pal to hang from and he can accompany you throughout your day! $40

New Releases

Punch Up Vol 1 cover

Punch Up! Volume One by Zachary Sterling

The Wide Plains Fighting Tournament is where all the best fighters gather to compete — and Pitch longs to be one of them! But to survive, let alone win, this contest, Pitch will have to deal with surly fellow competitors, including veteran Sonny Chan, as well as an emperor who may or may not have sinister plans for our young hero…

the hills of estrella roja book cover

The Hills of Estrella Roja by Ashley Robin Franklin

When Kat rolls into a small Texas town in search of material for her paranormal podcast, she doesn’t expect to get help from Mari, a cute girl who has just returned to the same town for her abuela’s funeral. And neither of them expects to uncover such dark and dangerous secrets about the town’s past!

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: fish out of water stories! It’s time to send the kids back to school, and while some kids are glad to go see their friends again, you may have to pry others out of the house with a crowbar. These comics are all about young folks struggling to fit into a new environment.

No Ivy League cover

No Ivy League by Hazel Newlevant

To earn money for a concert she wants to see, privileged Hazel takes a job clearing ivy from a local forest, not realizing that most of the kids she’ll be working with are far poorer and have had much fewer opportunities than she has. Hazel’s ordinary summer job soon turns into a profound lesson about class, race, and lingering inequality in a seemingly liberal community.

New Kid cover

New Kid by Jerry Craft

The first in a series, this widely acclaimed graphic novel follows Jordan, an artistic seventh grader who finds himself way out of his depth at an exclusive school filled mainly with white kids. Feeling adrift at both home and school, Jordan will have to find a way to make space for himself as he is, without sacrificing the things he loves.

A white-and-brown Havanese perches her head on a long round pillow. In front of the pillow is propped a copy of Classics Illustrated's Great Expectations

To boost your spirits before school starts, here is a photo of my dog Poppy with the comic book version of Great Expectations. Apparently, Dickens was very fond of Havanese like my Poppy!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

How to Make a Great Comic

There’s no set-in-stone formula, but you definitely need an expressive art style, solid writing, and a receptive audience to share your work with. Do these comics count as great? Only you can decide!

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

A black license plate frame with the words "see you soon!" on top and an anime girl's eyes on the bottom

Anime License Plate Frame by WonderPlateFrames

The easiest way to let your fellow road users know how much you love manga and anime! $15

New Releases

The Infinity Particle cover

The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

In this timely story, Clementine moves to Mars to work on artificial intelligence. The last thing she expected was to fall in love with Kye, her boss’s AI assistant. She definitely didn’t expect to be confronted with such dangerous questions about who deserves to be seen as human and what we owe to our fellow sentient beings.

Hex Americana cover

Hex Americana by Bree Wolf

Ken is an aspiring racecar driver. Dante is the ghost of a driver who died in a spectacular crash decades ago and who can’t pass into the afterlife until someone uses his old car to win a race. Is Ken that someone? What are these weird feelings Ken and Dante are feeling for each other? If they do win the race, can they handle the prospect of separating forever?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: recipes! It’s time to mash up genres in the tastiest way possible by combining comics with cookbooks!

Let's Make Dumplings cover

Let’s Make Dumplings! by Hugh Amano and Sarah Becan

Is there any dish as versatile — and as delicious — as dumplings? Amano, a professional chef, walks you through all the different kinds of dumplings out there and teaches you how to make your very own. Also check out Let’s Make Ramen!

cover image of Relish by Lucy Knisley

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

Food has always played a prominent role in Knisley’s life, and so it only makes sense for food to play a starring part in her memoir as well. This comic reviews her life through the foods and recipes that made it so memorable — and it includes those recipes for your personal enjoyment as well.

Bon appetit, nerd friends! I’ll see you with more tasty comics on Thursday (but please do not eat your comics)!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Hot Comic Summer

I know it’s been a rough summer for a lot of us as we deal with historic wildfires, floods, storms, and other effects of climate change. I hope that you’re all doing as well as you can and that you get the chance to escape the real world for at least a few minutes with the stories of your choice <3

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

Charms with images of Garfield representing each of the zodiac signs

Garfield Zodiac Acrylic Charms by Tavarita

This is the cutest and funniest possible way to show off your zodiac sign! Lasagna not included. $14

New Releases

Way of the Househusband Vol 10 cover

The Way of the Househusband, Volume 10 by Kousuke Oono

The popular series continues with Tatsu finding a new side hustle: in addition to being a devoted househusband, he is now working at the local supermarket, teaching shoplifters a lesson they won’t forget! Let’s just hope he doesn’t prove to be a little too good at this job.

Paper Planes cover

Paper Planes by Jennie Wood, Dozerdraws, and Micah Myers

Leighton and Dylan used to be best friends. Now, they’re stuck attending the same summer camp for at-risk youth, and if they don’t do well, they won’t get to go to high school with the rest of their friends. How did this happen, and why did their friendship shatter? They’d better sort all that out if they want to fix what they broke…

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: erotica! Oh la la! These adults-only comics will certainly make you feel a bit hot under the collar, even if your home is air-conditioned.

Letters for Lucardo cover

Letters for Lucardo Volume One by Otava Heikkilä

Ed is a scribe to the aristocratic Lucardo. He is also mortal and well past middle-aged, while Lucardo is eternally young. Despite their many differences, when Lucardo confesses his love for the older man, sparks fly very quickly.

On or Off Vol 1 cover

On or Off Volume One by A1

Developing a crush on someone higher up the corporate food chain is, well, not ideal, but Yiyoung can’t seem to help himself. When he and the handsome Director Kang take that next step, things inevitably get even more complicated for the both of them.

TW for dubious consent

And on that note, I leave you for another week. That should give you all the chance to collect yourselves for some more (though probably less explicit) graphic novel goodness!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

You Are Now Entering Another Dimension (of Comics)

Some days, it seems like running off to another dimension is the best possible solution to life’s problems. Surely, nowhere else could be worse than where we are now? These comics say, “don’t bet on it!”

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

A coin purse with little hearts, moons, and other designs patterned on it

Sailor Moon Zipper Pouch by YourFavorTheme

Need something to carry your coins, pencils, make-up, or other little items? These cute pouches are just the ticket and come in all sorts of patterns! $7+

New Releases

Spider-Gwen Ghost-Spider cover

Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider by Seanan McGuire, Rosi Kämpe, and Takeshi Miyazawa

The evil Inheritors are threatening the world, and where is the heroic Spider-Gwen when we need her? Stuck in another dimension, that’s where. Between that and her various personal problems, Gwen certainly has her work cut out for her!

Cindy and Biscuit We Love Trouble cover

Cindy and Biscuit: We Love Trouble by Dan White

Cindy is a strange little girl living in an even stranger town. With all sorts of supernatural creeps lurking around the corner, only Cindy and her loyal dog Biscuit can save everyone from harm — because no one else seems to believe that the threats Cindy sees are real!

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: alternate dimensions! Any comic can take you to another world, but these ones go the extra mile.

The City on the Other Side cover

The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott and Robin Robinson

Isabel is a privileged girl growing up in turn-of-the-century San Francisco. But her safe and comfortable life comes to an end when Isabel enters another dimension, one where war threatens both that alternate city and her own. Can she and her new friends find a way to stop the fighting in time?

Ultra Maniac Vol 1 cover

Ultra Maniac Volume One by Wataru Yoshizumi

Nina might just be the strangest transfer student in history: not only did she transfer from another dimension, she is also an aspiring witch! Her new friend Ayu would be fine with all that, if only Nina’s half-baked spells didn’t keep embarrassing her in front of everybody, including the boy she has a crush on…

Don’t go running off to any other dimensions between now and Thursday, nerd friends, because you’ll definitely want to be here for the next edition of the Stack!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Comical Fun for the Whole Family

Guess what? Blue Beetle is finally hitting theaters this Friday! Yay! If you want to learn more about Jaime Reyes and friends, Jess Plummer has you covered with some comics recs I wholeheartedly endorse. And speaking of comics, there’s plenty more below!

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

A bright yellow phone case with an image from Dell Comics of a boy and girl dressed as a knight and a princess

1950s Comics iPhone Case by ThreeCornerGraphics

Your phone conversations are sure to be more whimsical with this colorful phone case. The case might spark some conversations, too! $23

New Releases

Immortal Hulk Omnibus cover

Immortal Hulk Omnibus by Various Creators

Clocking in at nearly 1,500 pages, this omnibus of Bruce Banner’s various adventures is perfect for the Hulk super-fan. See our not-so-jolly green giant face off against death, the government, and even himself in this ultimate collection!

Choujin X Vol 3 cover

Choujin X Volume Three by Sui Ishida

Tokio and Azuma’s story continues with the former learning how to use his superhuman abilities to protect others and the latter…stuck in school, as if he wasn’t capable of fighting monsters, too. What is Azuma willing to do to be a big-time hero like his friend Tokio?

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: family adventures! Not every hero flies solo. In honor of this Friday’s release of Blue Beetle, which focuses on the importance of family, we’re looking at two graphic novels about families heading out to save the world together!

Rocket Salvage cover

Rocket Salvage by Yehudi Mercado and Bachan

Primo thought his best days were behind him when he — and his two kids — find themselves on the hunt for a dangerous weapon. Can this most unusual family stand up against everyone else who wants the weapon for their own, less-than-honorable reasons?

A Wrinkle in Time Graphic Novel by Madeleine L'Engle, illustrated by Hope Larson

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle and Hope Larson

In this adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel, Meg, her brother, and her friend go in search of Meg’s father, a scientist who vanished while working on something called a tesseract. With unforgettable characters and a timeless plot, A Wrinkle in Time is worth exploring in both prose and graphic novel form.

If you can go see Blue Beetle this weekend, please consider doing so! With strike negotiations still ongoing, actors and writers can’t promote their own work, so it’s up to us to show support for these kinds of diverse, inclusive stories however we can.

You can also kick a few bucks to the Entertainment Community Fund to support the strikers directly!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Stories So Nice They Told Them Twice

Halfway through August already, huh? Next thing you know, we’ll be raking leaves and putting up the Halloween decorations! Who needs the passage of time, anyway? Let’s take a break for a minute to enjoy this newsletter…

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

Two ships in a bottle, stacked one atop the other, each featuring a pirate ship

One Piece Sunny Ship in a Bottle by TheKeebStore

Okay, I’ve never read or seen One Piece, but also this looks amazing? $34

New Releases

Mr. Villain's Day Off cover

Mr. Villain’s Day Off Volume One by Yuu Morikawa

Most days, you can find the General plotting to take over the world, like a respectable supervillain. But what happens when one of his sworn enemies discovers that he spends his days off at the zoo, enjoying all the cute pandas?

Us cover

Us by Sara Soler

Translated from the Spanish, this touching memoir recounts Soler’s life with Diana, a trans woman, both during and after Diana’s transition. They may face more challenges than your average couple, but as long as they have each other, it’ll all be worth it in the end.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: comics adapted from books! Sometimes, a book is so extraordinary that just one medium cannot capture all its nuances. That’s what these graphic adaptations are for.

Kindred graphic novel cover

Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia E. Butler, Damian Duffy, and John Jennings

Dana’s ordinary existence in the 1970s abruptly ends when she finds herself living out the life her ancestors lived as enslaved people in the antebellum South. Can she find a way home, or has she become too entangled in the past to ever return from it for good?

On Tyranny cover

On Tyranny: Graphic Edition by Timothy Snyder and Nora Krug

We all know that old chestnut about learning from history or being doomed to repeat it. This graphic edition of Snyder’s book gives practical advice on how to learn from some of the worst events in recent history — and how you can do your part to prevent them from recurring.

‘Til Thursday, nerd friends! I hope you enjoy whatever stories you choose to read in the meantime.

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

National Dog Month Continues…

…with more great comics about puppies! But first, we’ll look at some new releases that, while sadly devoid of any four-legged friends, are still great reads to enjoy as the summer winds down (or the winter, for those of you below the equator).

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

A white dog wearing a chibi Avengers-patterned bow tie

Superheros Pet Bow Tie by TheDragonsCauldron

For special occasions or an ordinary walk in the park, this snazzy tie will make your best friend the envy of all other nerdy pet parents! $9+

New Releases

Mother Nature cover

Mother Nature by Jamie Lee Curtis, Karl Stevens, and Russell Goldman

The town of Catch Creek, New Mexico, relies on the Cobalt Corporation for jobs and clean water. But when her father dies while working for the Corporation, Nova Terrell devotes herself to destroying it — and to uncovering the terrifying secrets behind its latest project.

Akane-banashi Vol 1 cover

Akane-banashi Volume One by Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue

Akane’s main goal in life is to become a master at rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese storytelling. She does this to try to avenge her father, who was denied the chance to become a top rakugo master himself. In the process, Akane creates more trouble and controversies than she ever expected.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: puppies II! Because one can never spend too much time talking about doggos in comics.

Lovely Muco! Vol 1 cover

Lovely Muco! Volume One by Takayuki Mizushina

Based on a true story, this manga follows an extremely happy dog named Muco who loves everything about the world. Also, he likes to rip up towels in the same way my own dog does!

Whistle cover

Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero by E. Lockhart and Manuel Preitano

Willow Zimmerman cares deeply about helping her community. When she unexpectedly gains dog-like superpowers and the ability to talk to a stray dog she loves, she of course wants to put her powers to good use. But at the same time, her mother has cancer, and she desperately needs money. Is she desperate enough to take a shady job offered by a former family friend?

A Havanese looks at the camera while lying on a human bed, covered by the blanket

This is my dog Poppy, the towel destroyer. She loves to sit on my bed while I’m trying to make it, lol.

Now go hug your fur friend for me!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

It’s National Dog Month!

Yup! August may be devoid of fancy holidays like Halloween and whatnot, but we do get to celebrate our best fur friends! We’ll be doing that in the Riot Recs theme today, so let’s hurry up and get to it!

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

A drawstring backpack covered in prints of comic book panels

Eastsport Drawstring Backpack, Comic Print by BijouxIntl

Alas, the school year is right around the corner. But at least your kid can go in style with this backpack! $18

New Releases

Summer Ghost Complete cover

Summer Ghost: The Complete Manga Collection by Otsuichi and Yoshi Inomi

If you’ve been waiting to get into this series, now is the best time, as the complete collection comes out today! It follows three teenagers who meet for the express purpose of summoning the ghost that supposedly exists just outside of town. Little do they realize how their interest in death will change their lives.

The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl cover

The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl by Emily Riesbeck and NJ Barna

Who wants lesbian pirates? You do, of course! After a prayer gone wrong, Ferra finds herself transformed into living porcelain. Her only hope is to hire the orc pirate captain Brigantine to take her to Ferra’s ex-girlfriend — for a price, of course. Along the way, these two go from squabbling over everything to maybe finding the love they have been longing for.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: puppies! Both today and Thursday, I will be spotlighting comics that feature adorable dog companions!

Both Can Be True cover

Both Can Be True by Jules Machias

Daniel has long been berated and mocked because he is “oversensitive.” When he rescues a dog from being put down, the only person he can rely on to help him is Ash, a genderfluid teen whom Daniel has always assumed is a girl. As the two care for their new animal friend, they learn how to trust each other with the truth about themselves.

Doomsday with My Dog Vol 1 cover

Doomsday with My Dog Volume One by Yu Ishihara

Well, it’s official: the world has ended, civilization is in tatters, and the only person left alive is a teenage girl. Fortunately, she’s not really alone: her loyal Shiba Inu, Haru, is there to keep the loneliness at bay and protect her from all the dangers they face while navigating a barren world.

An extreme close-up of a Maltese's face, looking up at the camera while sitting in the photographer's lap

In honor of all puppies everywhere, here is my late dog AJ, sitting in my lap while I try to get some work done. That was her favorite thing to do!

~Eileen

Categories
The Stack

Comics Get the Job Done

Hello and welcome to yet another Thursday, nerd friends! Let’s jump right into the good stuff, shall we?

Delighting velocireaders since 2017, Book Riot’s New Release Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try! 

Bookish Goods

An open book where the pages have been cut into a 3D image of Superman's insignia

Superman Folded Book Art by Pagefolding2

I won’t say that this is a “super” way to recycle an old book, but you know I’m thinking it. $45

New Releases

Malcolm Kid and the Perfect Song cover

Malcolm Kid and the Perfect Song by Austin Paramore and Sarah Bollinger

Malcolm has been exceedingly average at everything he ever tried. But if he is to free the jazz musician trapped in the keyboard he has just found, Malcolm will have to play the “perfect song.” But what does that mean, exactly? And does Malcolm have it in him?

Kariba cover

Kariba by Daniel & James Clarke and Daniel Snaddon

After her father disappears, Siku, whose ability to control the water of the Zambezi River is spiraling out of her control, sets off to find him. But she ends up learning a lot more than she bargained for — including the price she must pay to save herself and the people she loves.

For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter!

Riot Recommendations

Today’s Riot Rec theme is: immigrants! Alas, it seems there are always jerks out there who need reminding that immigrants are people, too. If you know someone like that, maybe recommend them one of these comics.

poppies of iraq cover

Poppies of Iraq by Brigitte Findakly and Lewis Trondheim

In this memoir, Findakly (and her artist husband, Trondheim) relate her childhood as an Orthodox Christian in Iraq. Despite their most fervent hopes, conditions in their home nation grow worse until they are forced to move to France, where Findakly must find a new way to fit in and belong.

Intertwined cover

Intertwined by Fabrice Sapolsky and Fred Pham Chuong

This action-packed superhero comic follows Juan Jin, a Kung Fu student who moves from Hong Kong to New York City in the 1970s. While trying to adjust to life in America, he finds out that he must take his deceased uncle’s place as an elemental protector, or else the resulting imbalance will have catastrophic consequences.

See you all again next week! I won’t spoil it, but I’m really looking forward to next week’s Riot Rec themes — they’re adorable!

~Eileen