Complete your favourite series, find a boxset or limited edition. Graphic novels, Manga & Anime from around the globe
Graphic Novels & Manga Books
Capstone Global Library Ltd TrickShot Triumph
Book SynopsisWhen Mariana and her new friend, Selena, try to play some basketball at a local court, they're challenged to a game by two older girls. If Mariana and Selena win, they get to use the court. But if the older girls win, they get Selena's special autographed shirt. Unfortunately, things go badly and the younger girls lose the betand the shirt. However, they soon come up with a plan. Although some of Mariana's skills are lacking, she's great at shooting hoops. Will the friends succeed in their hoops hustle to get back Selena's special shirt?
£8.54
Capstone Global Library Ltd Video Game Victors
Book SynopsisValentina loves playing video games, and she's really good at them. When a local esports team asks her to join them for an upcoming tournament, she's thrilled. There's just one problemValentina has great skills in first-person action games, but winning Kings and Castles relies on teamwork and strategy. During her practice matches, Valentina keeps trying to win the game on her own. But she's quickly overwhelmed and defeated each time. If she wants to win, she can't try to be the hero and take out all of the enemies herself. Will Valentina learn to hold back and work together with her teammates to achieve ultimate victory?
£8.54
Little, Brown & Company Touring After the Apocalypse, Vol. 4
Book SynopsisContinuing their leisurely journey through the post-apocalyptic wastes, Youko and Airi stay the night in Oarai before racing up the Irohazaka slopes of Nikko and visiting the best hidden spots Saitama has to offer. And as they leave the Kanto region, the two climb the Japanese alps to the Nagano Venus Line—one of the best driving roads in Japan!
£10.44
Little, Brown & Company I Don't Know Which Is Love, Vol. 2
Book SynopsisMei entered college determined to get a girlfriend, but she never expected so many girls to be coming after her instead! Still unsure which of her potential suitors is a keeper, Mei is suddenly hit with a straight-up confession from her serial-kissing senpai, Karin. Does that mean she’s completed her objective already…?!
£10.44
Penguin Random House Group The Darwin Incident 5
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£11.69
Tuttle Publishing Japans Longest Day A Graphic Novel About the End
Book SynopsisThe true story of Japan's surrender in World War II and how it nearly didn't happen!In the final days of World War II, Japan lay in ruins and the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had been obliterated. A tense drama unfolds in Tokyo as Japan teeters on the edge of Armageddon. Japan's Longest Day tells the true story of the day immediately before the surrender, as a group of fanatical army officers attempt to prevent the Emperor from surrenderingan act of high treason which will inevitably result in Japan's total annihilation. This dramatic story recounts events that most people outside Japan are completely unaware of:The fierce disagreement between the army and the Japanese government as Emperor Hirohito prepares to announce the nation's unconditional surrender to the AlliesAttempts by War Minister Korechika Anami to change the Emperor's mindTreasonous actions by a fanatical group of officers who vow to fight on, even if it means the death of every single Japanese citizenThe shocking
£15.29
Humanoids, Inc Hanami
Book SynopsisIs there a better place than Japan for a comic artist and a video game composer? Join Julia and Marc as their year in Japan unfolds in a series of short adventures, both heartfelt and hilarious.Julia and Marc are your average creative millennial couple, full of the anxieties and optimism of their generation. When the economy takes a downturn and Marc loses his engineering job, the pair realize that their relative lack of ties means they can pool their savings and his severance to embark on a new adventure: Moving to Japan! (Until the money runs out, anyway…) The pair move into a tiny apartment and enroll in a local Japanese school as they begin to acclimate to the local culture. Whether learning about the local fire patrol or the beautiful terror of Japanese toilets, the pair embrace their new surroundings with equal parts fear and wonder. Their journey is documented lovingly by Julia herself. Fans of anime and manga will notice the cheeky influe
£16.99
Panini Publishing Ltd Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures (phase
Book Synopsis
£11.69
DC Comics Green Lantern: the Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1: New
Book SynopsisA dying alien. A fearless test pilot. A ring of nearly limitless power. And a solemn vow to battle evil wherever it may be found. So begins one of comics' greatest sagas, and one of the medium's most enduring heroes the story of Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern of Sector 2814! In these stories from SHOWCASE #22-24 and GREEN LANTERN #1-35, Green Lantern first meets the Guardians of the Universe and faces foes including Sinestro, the Weaponers of Qward, Sonar, Star Sapphire and many more!
£85.50
Seven Seas Entertainment, LLC Ayakashi Triangle Vol. 2
Book SynopsisWhen Suzu shows up in Matsuri’s room without warning, he knows something is wrong… and then she kisses him, before vanishing the next instant! It turns out it’s not Suzu, but an omokage - a doppelganger ayakashi that’s usually harmless. But what happens when the powers of an ayakashi medium are in the mix?
£11.69
Square Enix Otherside Picnic (manga) 04
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£11.69
Seven Stories Press,U.S. Prince In A Pastry Shop
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£16.19
DC Comics Batman - One Bad Day: The Riddler
Book SynopsisThe Most Dangerous Game of Wits Batman and Riddler have ever played... 2023 Eisner Winner - Best Single Issue/One-Shot. 2023 Eisner Nominee - Best Limited Series. 2023 Eisner Nominee - Best Writer, Tom King. The Riddler is one of Batman's most intellectual villains and the one who lays out his clues the most deliberately. The Riddler is always playing a game, there are always rules. But what happens when The Riddler kills someone in broad daylight for seemingly no reason? No game to play. No cypher to breakdown. Batman will reach his wit's end trying to figure out the Riddler's true motivation in this incredible thriller!
£15.29
Marvel Comics XMen By Gerry Duggan Vol. 3
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£17.09
Humanoids, Inc Sapiens Imperium
Book SynopsisImprisoned by the thousands in the bowels of an uninhabited moon, they have been erased from official history. Xinthia has sworn that, one day, she will lead her people to the sun. After losing the imperial throne to the Kerkans, all members of the Khelek Dynasty and their allies were banished to the barren caves of Tazma. Sixty-five standard years later, their descendants are still held captive there. Xinthia has had enough. "In 1972, the Moroccan king Hassan II escaped an attack organised by General Oufkir, a close relative. Oufkir was executed, but his wife and six children, the youngest of whom was only three, were thrown into a dungeon from which they would not emerge for nineteen years. it is from this event of unspeakable cruelty that I imagined the fate of the 'damned of Tazma.' " —Sam Timel
£16.99
Denpa Books Eiji and Shiro: From Zeroes to Heroes
Book SynopsisMobuyama “Eiji” A-Ji and Mobuyama “Shiro” C-ro have lived their entire lives as nothing more than “extras” to other people’s stories. It can’t end like this, right? There must be a way out! Both sharing a common goal will try anything that allows them to change their destiny, ANYTHING.
£10.44
Little, Brown & Company Lord Hades's Ruthless Marriage, Vol. 1
Book SynopsisHades—the powerful and terrifying King of the Underworld...and a bachelor! Despite his retainers’ wishes, Hades refuses to give up his life as a single god, unconvinced that love and marriage are worth the hassle. But when Eros suddenly shoots him with an arrow of love, will he be able to successfully avoid falling head over heels with the next person he sees?
£12.34
Boom! Studios Know Your Station
Book SynopsisDeath Is the Great Leveller, Even for the top 1%! The wealthiest people in the solar system abandoned the Earth for a sanctuary in space, leaving the poor to die from climate change. But the 1% won’t be safe for long… because a murderer is on the loose, with the rich as their target! Soon Elise, an employee on the billionaires’ space station, is wrapped up in a deadly investigation, dragged deeper into the conspiracy as the last body she wants to go missing does. Even worse, her withdrawals from a highly addictive substance are getting worse and causing terrible hallucinations. But those drug-induced delusions are nothing compared to the gut-wrenchingly grisly discoveries at the heart of this deadly whodunnit… Bestselling novelist Sarah Gailey (Eat the Rich, Just Like Home) and rising artistic star Liana Kangas (TRVE KVLT) take a stab at the ultra-wealthy, their dreams of escaping the planet they’ve put in peril, and the consequences of that economic terror in the near future… Collects Know Your Station #1-5.
£13.49
Kodansha America, Inc The Summer With You: The Sequel (My Summer of You
Book SynopsisChiharu and Wataru captivated readers' hearts in Nagisa Furuya's English-language BL debut, My Summer of You. Now, the two boys return in this cinematic sequel to the beloved summer romance boys' love series! Wataru and Chiharu are in their second year of college, and the two boys can't wait to spend another summer together. Now back from his study abroad program, Chiharu is ecstatic to see Wataru for the first time in two months, and Wataru's thankful that they'll have more time to spend with each other, without also having to balance work and school. One of their plans have the two return to the cinema for a movie date to celebrate Wataru's 20th birthday, but what other memories will the summer have in store for them?
£13.49
Cinebook Ltd Xiii Vol. 25: Reloaded Memory
Book SynopsisJason McLane - XIII - has just taken a shot at the pope during an official visit to Washington DC. If he hadn't, two innocent hostages would have paid the price. Granted, General Wolf's orders were always to maintain his cover at all costs, but the plans of the Mayflower conspirators - the same people that XIII was supposed to infiltrate but now control him through blackmail - are appallingly more complex and dangerous than just this assassination attempt. American democracy itself is in danger...
£7.59
Marvel Comics New Mutants Lethal Legion
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£13.49
Kodansha America, Inc Rent-A-Girlfriend 22
Book SynopsisCatch up on the manga before the anime returns! You can rent a girlfriend, but can you buy love? Reeling from a bad breakup, Kazuya rents the beautiful, polite Chizuru for a date. But rock bottom might be so much lower than he thought! Chizuru is much more than the pretty face and sweet demeanor he thought he'd bargained for... In today's Japan, "rental" services can deliver an afternoon with a "friend," a "parent," even a fake girlfriend! After a staggering betrayal by his girlfriend, hapless freshman Kazuya gets just desperate enough to give it a try. But he quickly discovers how complicated it can be to "rent" an emotional connection, and his new "girlfriend," who's trying to keep her side hustle secret, will panic when she finds out her real life and Kazuya's are intertwined in surprising ways! Family, school, and life all start to go wrong, too... It's sweet but naïve boy meets cute but ruthless girl in this 21st-century manga rom-com!
£11.69
Marvel Comics Fantastic Four by Dan Slott Vol. 4
Book Synopsis
£32.79
Little, Brown & Company Phantom Tales of the Night, Vol. 10
Book Synopsis“I hope a secret like this will be useful to you.” Murakumo Inn. Always welcoming the troubled masses, human or otherwise. But onlyone form of payment is accepted—your most fickle secrets. As the evening unfolds, thethrilling tale of Okumura’s curse and the events that transpired will take centerstage...
£12.34
Ventil Verlag Thank You For A Lovely Day: 11 The Go-Betweens
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£21.25
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc Crazy Food Truck, Vol. 3
Book SynopsisZero customers, a naked young lady, and an armed militia—it’s just another postapocalyptic day for this food truck owner!The owner of a food truck in a postapocalyptic world nearly runs over a naked girl sleeping in the middle of the desert. When he gives her a lift, he inadvertently takes on her baggage too—an armed militia hot on her trail…and her even more problematic appetite. If one doesn’t take him out, the other surely will!Arisa’s been kidnapped, and it’s up to her sister Myna, Gordon, and his one-time subordinates Kyle and Dylan to rescue her. But when certain physical changes begin to take place within Arisa, the journey takes a sudden turn. It’s the final volume in this crazy food truck road trip full of postapocalyptic cooking, violent mayhem, and the search for freedom!
£9.49
Titan Books Ltd The Night Eaters: Her Little Reapers
Book SynopsisThe second volume in the graphic novel horror trilogy from award winning duo of Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda - the creative team behind the New York Times bestselling series Monstress! Four months after their nightmare encounter in the abandoned house, Milly and Billy have started to explore their family's supernatural heritage - and they're starting to discover it's a vast and shadowy one, full of powerful creatures and supernatural elites. Eisner Award-winning and bestselling author Marjorie Liu and illustrator Sana Takeda continue the story of Night Eaters in Her Little Reapers, spinning an epic tale of gods and monsters!
£16.99
Word for Word Bible Comics The Book of Judges: Word for Word Bible Comic:
Book SynopsisBloody battles, love, betrayal and the miraculous. This graphic novel presents every word, chapter and verse, within its historical, cultural and geographical context. Bloodshed and adult themes give an advisory rating of 15+.
£14.24
Little, Brown & Company A Terrified Teacher at Ghoul School!, Vol. 13
Book SynopsisNyuudou safely returns to school, and the second-years go for a four-day, three-night stay in Kyoto! Class 2-3 takes in the sights and enjoys the fall colors, but when Haruaki visits a spot with connections to his ancestor, Abe no Seimei, something strange begins to happen to him...
£10.44
Humanoids, Inc Carthago: Kane
Book SynopsisFrom the world of Carthago comes the story of Kane, a merman from a storied subterranian society as he escapes his capture by a billionaire researcher who specialises in the study of mythological creatures...including the fabled Megalodon. China, 1977. Kane, a young man-triton hybrid, escapes from his captivity in a secret research facility owned by a corrupt billionaire intent on proving the existence not only the tritons but the megalodons. As Kane flees his captor's henchmen and trackers, he finds himself in a breathless chase with a megalodon of legend! But is the megalodon really his enemy? Humanity’s continued feverish quest for natural resources threatens to unleash ancient monsters of the deep and beyond in the highly anticipated instalment of the critically-acclaimed series Carthago, a Deep Blue Sea meets Succession tale of drama, mystery, and the monsters that lurk in the deepest ocean… and the human heart.Praise for Carthago: "If you like multi-layered mystery stories that are dripping with the fear of the unknown–think Hellboy, Lovecraft, King–this is your jam." - AIPT Comics "...it is the slow burn comics like Carthago that stick with readers long after recycled, monthly superhero antics have dissipated away." - ICv2 "This comic is the Halloween issue of National Geographic." - DoomrocketTrade ReviewPraise for Carthago: "This comic is the Halloween issue of National Geographic." * Doomrocket *
£15.29
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc Betwixt: A Horror Manga Anthology
Book SynopsisAll-new horror anthology featuring cover art by international bestseller, Junji Ito! Manga creators from Japan and the US present an international showcase of horror. Collected for the first time in Betwixt: A Horror Manga Anthology, six short stories reveal the universal fear of the space between the known and unknown. Will anyone cross that border? Featuring stories from a range of award-winning and popular creators, as well as a foreword and exclusive cover art by global phenomon, Junji Ito. Ryo Hanada (creator of Devil’s Line), Aki Shimizu (creator of the Suikoden III manga), and Shima Shinya (creator of Lost Lad London and co-writer of Star Wars: The High Republic, The Edge of Balance) each tell uniquely Japanese tales of ghosts and creatures who exist alongside us. American creative duo, Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad (co-writers of Wonder Woman and Batgirls) along with duo Leslie Hung (co-creator of Snotgirl) and Sloane Leong (creator of A Map to the Sun) and up and coming creator Hua Hua Zhu round out the anthology with tales that would make anyone paranoid about who they may encounter.Trade Review"...the stuff horror fans’ dreams are made of." - Comics Beat -- Ricardo Serrano Denis * Comics Beat *
£18.00
Titan Books Ltd A Call To Cthulhu
Book SynopsisPart comic book, part artbook, part children's storybook, A Call To Cthulhu is a fun, irreverent trip through the classic stories of HP Lovecraft, the influential horror writer, and a perfect introduction to his work for your little terrors! His stories and Cthulhu Mythos would inspire later writers such as Stephen King and Alan Moore, and today form the backbone of many movies, TV series, books, comics, and games.Trade Review"In a sea of stories inspired by the works of Lovecraft, A CALL TO CTHULHU is a breath of fresh air, with a concept so clever and artwork so hypnotic that you'll swear it came from the cosmic gods themselves!" Daily Dead
£9.49
Vertical Inc. Welcome To Demon School! Iruma-kun 5
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£12.34
Chronicle Books This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural
Book SynopsisA gorgeously illustrated debut graphic memoir about belonging, identity, and making a home in the remote American West, by New Yorker cartoonist Navied Madhavian. Before Navied Mahdavian moved from San Francisco in November 2016 to an off-grid cabin rural Idaho, one of the most remote and wild areas of the American West, he had never fished, gardened, hiked, hunted, or lived in a snowy place. But there, he could own land and start a family - the millennial dream. Over the course of the next three years, he leaned into the wonders of the natural landscape and found himself adjusting to and enjoying a slower pace of living. But beyond the boundaries of his six acres, he was confronted with the realities of America's political shifts and forced to confront the question: Do I belong here? Funny, deeply perceptive, and attentive to the dynamics of culture, environment, and identity in America, Mahdavian's gorgeously self-illustrated and often hilariously written graphic memoir charts his growth and struggles as an artist, citizen, and new father. It celebrates his love of place and honors the relationships he makes in rural America, even as it articulates the difficult moments of racism and brutality he found there as a Middle Eastern American. With wit and compassion, Mahdavian's insider perspective offers a unique portrait of a place many people hear or know nothing about.
£16.99
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, Vol. 4
Book SynopsisThe beloved fantasy adventure Inuyasha continues with the next generation of demon hunters!Can the three teenage daughters of demon dog half-brothers Inuyasha and Sesshomaru save their parents, themselves, and both realms from the menace of the seven mystical Rainbow Pearls?While the trio continues marching westward, they run into a slimy beast that kidnaps princesses! Coming to their aid is Tokichiro Kinoshita, a cunning peasant who will one day become a historical legend, and he devises a clever—and embarrassing—plan to lure the monster out of hiding. Then, the girls battle the demon and witness the sorts of tricks that Inuyasha himself would pull off!
£7.59
Marvel Comics Immortal XMen By Kieron Gillen Vol. 2
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£14.39
Little, Brown & Company Puella Magi Suzune Magica: The Complete Omnibus
Book SynopsisRead this defiant story set in the world of Madoka Magica in one complete omnibus! Suzune Amano lives an extraordinarily normal life as a middle school student by day and...magical-girl assassin by night?! When a group of four magical girls begins investigating the serial murders in their city, they soon find themselves Suzune's next targets! But what motivates Suzune to hunt both witches and magical girls alike?
£18.04
Seven Seas Entertainment, LLC Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut (Light Novel) Vol. 7
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Image Comics King Spawn, Volume 2
Book SynopsisSpawn returns to where his journey began: New York City. This is where the God Throne, the Dead Zones, and the prophecy of King Spawn all collide. Will Spawn take the crown or doom the world instead? Collects King Spawn Issues #7-12
£13.49
Kodansha America, Inc Vampire Dormitory 11
Book SynopsisI''ll do it! I''ll become your thrall! A crossdressing girl and an otaku vampire find themselves entangled in a dangerous relationship. Don''t miss this heart-pounding romance from the award-winning Ema Toyama, perfect for fans of Crimson Spell, Black Bird, and He''s My Only Vampire
£10.44
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 39
Book SynopsisA red-haired princess loses her family and her kingdom… Now she must rise and fight for her throne!Princess Yona lives an ideal life as the only princess of her kingdom. Doted on by her father, the king, and protected by her faithful guard Hak, she cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, Su-won. But everything changes on her 16th birthday when tragedy strikes her family!The battle between Kohka and South Kai intensifies, and Hak has no choice but to disguise himself as a South Kai soldier! To make matters worse, he runs into General Rahn, with whom he has crossed swords before. Now Hak’s identity as a citizen of Kohka is exposed, and he’s still in enemy territory with no backup!
£7.59
Marvel Comics Sabretooth The Exiles
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£999.99
Panini Publishing Ltd Marvel Select Savage Spider-man
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£9.49
Panini Publishing Ltd Star Wars The High Republic Adventures: The
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£13.49
Dark Horse Comics,U.S. The Witcher Volume 7: The Ballad Of Two Wolves
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£16.19
Panini Publishing Ltd Spider-man 2099: Dark Genesis
Book Synopsis
£12.59
Little, Brown & Company Tales of Wedding Rings, Vol. 12
Book SynopsisSatou and his party finally face off against the Abyss King, and Hime and the Ring Princesses put up quite a fight. But when Satou is consumed in the Abyss King's darkness, is all hope lost?
£12.34
Enchanted Lion Books The Magicians
Book Synopsis"An exploration of the magic and difficulty of childhood, the wonders of the imagination, and the unique properties of books themselves, The Magicians is another utterly surprising gift from the singular mind of Blexbolex. You’ll want to read it again and again.” —Brian Selznick, author & illustrator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Big TreeIt’s a graphic novel! It’s an art book! It’s an action-packed fantasy adventure from French visionary Blexbolex, for readers young and old.A Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book of 2023 • A Kirkus Best Book of 2023 • A Booklist Editors' Choice • Selected for the Wall Street Journal Holiday Books Gift Guide, Publishers Weekly’s Holiday Gift Guide, and A Room of One’s Own's Holiday Catalog • A Moonbow Best Children’s Book of 2023 • A 100 Scope Notes Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children’s Book of 2023 • A Publishers Weekly Big Indie Book of the FallIn the corner of a quiet, long-abandoned house, something is bubbling up and protesting. Suddenly, out from their hiding spots burst three young shapeshifting magicians—an elephant, a blackbird, and a human girl—each of whom embarks on their own journey. But a fierce young Huntress and a mechanical lion-dragon named Clinker are hot on their trails... and won't rest until every last magician is vanquished.Fans of Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki's work or The Wizard of Oz will feel right at home in the pages of The Magicians, with its fabulously eclectic characters and entertaining, suspenseful, dreamlike story inspired by video games, science fiction, fantasy, and fairy tales. Magic is the beating heart of this multi-world universe—the magic of nature, the magic of childhood, the magic of creativity and imagination. Here, Blexbolex celebrates the mysterious, beautiful mess of life.Every gorgeous page features a silkscreen-style illustration that brilliantly layers three Pantone spot colors, in a festive palette that suggests “vintage circus.” From the heavy cardstock binding with French flaps, to the bronze metallic endpapers, to the book's paper evoking that of classic comic books, Blexbolex carefully selected the materials that would best realize his vision. The result? A visually stunning work of art.Blexbolex is an award-winning French graphic artist living in Berlin. Enchanted Lion Books has previously published English translations of four of his picture books, including People, Vacation, and two New York Times Best Illustrated selections: Seasons and Ballad.NOTE: Folding pages are part of the design.Trade Review A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2023 Selected for the Wall Street Journal Holiday Gift Books Guide A Kirkus Best Middle Grade Book of 2023 A Booklist Editors' Choice: Graphic Novels, 2023 A Moonbow Best Children’s Book of 2023 A 100 Scope Notes Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children’s Book of 2023 Selected for Publishers Weekly's Big Indie Books of Fall feature AND PW’s Holiday Gift Guide! Selected for A Room of One’s Own’s 2023 Holiday Catalog A Daily Bulldog Holiday Book Pick for 2023 Shelf Editions Bookshop Book of the Month, January 2024 Featured in We Are Teachers’s “Best New Books Coming November 2023 for Kids and Teachers” STARRED reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and Publishers Weekly “Blexbolex is a singular talent, someone whose work, while often referencing the past, is entirely his own. In The Magicians, his beautiful and strange illustrations—built up digitally through his signature spot-color layers, inspired by traditional screen printing—are combined with a Japanese binding technique that is rarely ever seen in published books. The seemingly simple layout of almost the entire book (one drawing and a few lines of text per page, two per spread) belies a delightfully complicated story about three magicians being pursued by a huntress and her mechanical dragon. But who are the good guys here? Who are the villains? An exploration of the magic and difficulty of childhood, the wonders of the imagination, and the unique properties of books themselves, The Magicians is another utterly surprising gift from Blexbolex. You’ll want to read it again and again.” —Brian Selznick, author & illustrator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Big Tree“With an almost monastic commitment to creating images that feel both universal and deeply personal, Blexbolex has swerved in the course of his career from wild, aggressive mark-making to a pure distillation of forms. He has relentlessly followed a muse that has surely been an exhausting alchemical pursuit. The result is this generous story that trusts the reader’s youthful intuition that the solidity we perceive in the modern world is only one layer, and it’s tissue paper thin, like the brilliant, kinetic illustrations themselves. As with all great kids' stories, The Magicians is really about remembering the things we were born knowing and taught to forget. Blexbolex strives to remember the essence of everything.” —Jacob Covey, Fantagraphics creative directorTRADE REVIEWSA Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2023! “This cinematic story by the artist Blexbolex, presented in dynamic silkscreen-like images with text translated from the French by Karin Snelson, is like nothing children ages 9 and older will have seen before... The supple feel of the book in your hands, the curious whispering of its paper—The Magicians is sui generis.” —Wall Street JournalA Booklist Editors’ Choice: Youth Graphic Novels, 2023! “Three magicians escape confinement and are pursued by determined magic-hunters in this enigmatic book about imagination, magic, and who gets to wield it, stunningly illustrated in a brightly colored vintage style.” —Booklist★ “Its pages silky to the touch, its colors reminiscent of an ancient book from a forgotten library shelf, French cartoonist Blexbolex’s book ushers readers into a fully realized yet exhilaratingly enigmatic world… Familiar, mythical story elements play out in new, expectation-confounding ways, like the hunters, one who would be at home in a Chinese New Year’s parade, the other in a reader’s favorite manga series. This carries over to the format, conforming to the standards of neither graphic novel nor picture book, its single-page ‘panels’ contain the visual panache of a comic, with character design like that old half-recalled picture book from your childhood, and each is accompanied by one artfully worded paragraph… There is much here that will tug on a nostalgic heartstring and also thrill and mystify. A remarkable creation, particularly so in design and tone, readers young and old will find little else like this lyrical, thrilling, and mysterious tale.” —Booklist, STARRED REVIEWA Kirkus Best Graphic Middle-Grade Book of 2023! ★ “In this translated French import, three magicians materialize from prolonged dormancy, but hot on their heels are a huntress and a mechanical lion/dragon. Eleven chapter headings organize intriguing third-person episodes… The opening suggests that this fantasy occurs ‘now,’ while the conclusion says it ‘will be again.’ Nearly square, silkscreenlike images in a controlled palette are framed by the borders of abundant, soft, creamy pages. Several sentences per page—all in blue caps—reveal an elegant translation: The elephant slams the door ‘with the surly incivility of a traveler in a hurry.’ Climactic moments fill double spreads. When the main characters combat their pursuers and acquaintances, tilted angles and sharp-edged shadows dominate; when the protagonists escape ‘outside’ through a tear in the page, the compositions are less saturated, with childlike scribbles producing a more innocent vibe… Recurring threads emerge: the quest for home, the tension between orderliness and chaos, the desirability of magic in the world, and the wisdom of reconsidering first impressions. As these motifs wend through transformations and cameos containing familiar folkloric elements, readers experience the sense of a gifted storyteller improvising as ideas flow. Protecting magic, extending grace, leaping into the future with hope—this tour de force will nourish souls.” —Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW★“In a fast-paced, action-packed chase that traverses time and space, the huntress and the magicians take turns gaining the upper hand, until an even more treacherous party enters the fold. Via expressive text, artist Blexbolex (Vacation) presents a dreamlike fantasy graphic novel adventure that celebrates creativity, imagination, and magic. The silkscreen-style illustrations are awash in a vivid palette of mostly primary colors, giving this visually stunning work a vintage vibe.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW★ “Both children and adults will be dazzled… Blexbolex’s careful compositions evoke sweeping action and emotion, and one will want to constantly leave The Magicians open for display. With its jaunty blue text and cream-colored, double-layered pages, the physical printing of this volume is impeccable—among the best of the year—and accentuates the reading experience… Elevated word choice and spirited phrasing give a timeless quality to this fantastic graphic novel, which muses upon mercy, change and possibility. Just as any gift should, The Magicians certainly lends itself to endless revisiting with its thematic and emotional depth.“ —BookPage, STARRED REVIEWSelected for the WSJ Holiday Gift Children’s Books Guide! “The Magicians by the French graphic artist Blexbolex is such an unusual book, so striking and tactile and enthralling, that it is hard to say who will get the most out of it. Younger children will be able to lose themselves in the mesmerizing colors and shapes of the dynamic, retro-feeling illustrations… Readers older than 9 will be able to follow the action-filled, multi-dimensional melodrama with the help of text that runs like extended subtitles beneath the pictures… Physically the book itself is like a magical object. Despite being thick and oversize, it has a supple feel... Each page is made up of a single sheet of lightweight paper folded over, … and as the pages turn they seem almost to whisper. If all this makes The Magicians sound exceptional, well, good—because it is.” —Wall Street JournalA Moonbow Best Children’s Book of 2023! “People by Blexbolex fundamentally changed the way I think about children’s books, and his latest, The Magicians, is another example of the possibilities of the form. Somehow, it manages to be a comic book, graphic novel, picture book, and art book all in one, with suspenseful, magical, fantastical adventures throughout. Everything from the metallic endpapers to the poster-style page layouts to the propelling video-game-like structure adds to its dramatic effect. This is a very special book.” —Taylor Sterling, MoonbowA 100 Scope Notes Most Astonishingly Unconventional Children’s Book of 2023! “This book isn’t even the same species as traditional children’s books. The dreamlike multiverse story, the silkscreen illustrations, the binding, the PAPER – good god, it’s like nothing you’re going to see this or any year.“ —Travis Jonker, 100 Scope Notes (A School Library Journal Blog)“Imaginative and fantastical… Beginning with the phrase ‘once upon a time that is now’ and ending with ‘once upon a time that will begin again,’ the creator Blexbolex uses artistic license to create something wholly different. The text is translated from French while the style and color of the illustrations take up most of the page… Capable of being read in a single sitting, the story offers creativity and adventure as its backbone, offering escapism and a unique setting similar Jon Klassen’s The Skull. VERDICT: A gem of a story, it can easily be seen as an all-ages title in a world of imagination which defies true categorization.” —School Library Journal“Very much in his tradition of the book as an object… Blexbolex’s silkscreen-style of overprinting three spot colors in layers on these folded and gathered pages gives The Magicians that extra luxuriously antique artbook flavor… The reasons for the chase, the identities of the magicians and their pursuers are the mysteries driving the beautifully designed and executed narrative, so you will want to discover those things for yourself. Suffice to say, if you or your children like the fairytale structures of previous books by Blexbolex, this one has all the same ingredients that make those pleasurable reading. Four stars.” —Woodrow Phoenix, for the Slings and Arrows Graphic Novel Guide“What I like about the book is the utter unpredictability of the magical adventures and the fact that it really is hard to figure out who is good and who is evil... The scenes of movement and transformation happen quickly, within a page or two, so by the time 182 pages have elapsed, the reader must decide if it's time to reread the book to take stock of whose side they will root for. The physical book feels like a tour de force of cool bookmaking... The author has created the vintage feel of a 1920s silkscreen or woodblock printed picture book from eastern Europe... Recommended for lovers of unique visual storytelling and older readers who like fantastical illustrated books.” —Stephanie Tournas (Robbins Library, Arlington, MA) for Youth Book Services ReviewBOOKSELLER REVIEWSSelected for A Room of One’s Own’s 2023 Holiday Catalog! “French cartoonist & artist Blexbolex is well known for his stunning and strange risographs, and this book is among his best! A wonderful journey for anyone who lives at the intersection of imagination and wonder.” —Gretchen, A Room of One’s Own Bookstore (Madison, WI)“The Magicians is a fantastical tale of magic and adventure, chaos and control. What would a world look like if there was no magic? An oversized graphic novel that reads like a fable and is packaged in the most dazzling way I’ve ever seen. French illustrator Blexbolex's latest is an impressive work of art that will make for a wonderful gift to be treasured.” —Jen, Boswell Book Company (Milwaukee, WI)“A fairy tale in the gaps, … uniquely child friendly. Blexbolex as imagination stimulation… Reads like a feast with each course in a different household, and, ultimately satisfying!” —Griffin, bookseller at Book People (Austin, TX)“An untraditional, mystical story about the last of the tricksy magicians, and the huntress who wishes to defeat them. Each page is a work of art.” —Anthony Gaetjen, bookseller at Book People (Austin, TX)“The Magicians is a deliriously gorgeous epic adventure about three magicians released from spells of imprisonment and then pursued across time and space… A brilliant gift for an inquisitive kid or grown-up.” —Tom Nissley, owner & bookseller at Phinney Books (Seattle, WA)A Daily Bulldog Holiday Book Pick for 2023! “The Magicians is a unique illustrated tale. Even its design and paper are unexampled! Translated from the French, this story of magic and adventure offers a depth and scope of beguiling strangeness, rewarding vistas and narrative landscapes. Stop by the store and explore this one for yourself!” —Kenny Brechner, reviewer for the Daily Bulldog and bookseller at Devaney, Doak & Garrett Booksellers (Farmington, ME)
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