Non Album Collections 361

Sharaz-De - Tales from the Arabian Nights (2013)

A set of tales inspired by the Arabian Nights by European comics master Sergio Toppi, exploring a barbaric society where the supernatural is the only remedy to injustice, as Sharaz-de, captive to a cruel and despotic king, must each night spin tales to entertain her master and save her head from the executioner. Featuring tales filled with evil spirits, treasures, risk, and danger, but ever at their center the passions of gods and men. Collecting Sharaz-de nos. 01 - 06; translated from the original 2005 French publication. (Archaia: 192 pages).

Is That All There Is (2011)

A career-spanning collection from the heir to Hergé. By appropriating and subverting Tintin creator Hergé’s classic “clear line” style, Joost Swarte revitalized European alternative comics in the 1970s with a series of satirical, musically elegant, supremely beautifully drawn short stories — often featuring his innocent, magnificently-quiffed Jopo de Pojo, or his orotund scientist character, Anton Makassar. Under Swarte’s own exacting supervision, Is That All There Is? will collect virtually all of his alternative comics work from 1972 to date, including the RAW magazine stories that brought him fame among American comics aficionados in the 1980s. Especially great pains will be taken to match Swarte’s superb coloring, which includes stories executed in watercolor, comics printed in retro duotones, fiendishly clever use of Zip-a-Tone screens, and much more; there’s even a story about how to color comics art using those screens, with Makassar as the teacher (Fantagraphics: 142 pages).

Pinocchio (2012)

This award-winning graphic novel re-imagines the story of Pinocchio as a noir fairy tale both comic and tragic. In this dark rendition, a greedy Geppetto builds Pinocchio as a metallic weapon of war, while Jiminy Cockroach is a homeless squatter living the good life in Pinocchio's skull. Critically acclaimed, Pinocchio won the Grand Prize at France's Angoulême comics festival in 2009. Exquisite drawings by celebrated cartoonist Winshluss bring to life a rich tale of greedy fools, lust, sadness, redemption, and hope. Teamed with brilliant colorist Cizo, Winshluss creates an epic adventure through a lush world. As we follow Pinocchio along the way, the stories and vinettes intertwine, offering subtle political critiques and send ups of popular culture. We meet seven sleazy dwarves, follow Jiminy's struggles as a novelist, watch a blind tramp find God, and see the innocent, yet powerful Pinocchio encircled by those who would use him for their own ends.

Love Love Love

If robots can fall in love, it's because they have a soul. However, in this futuristic world, there is no question of recognizing a humanity in them. Exploited, they are maintained by humans under the yoke of programmed obsolescence which destines them for destruction, preventing all updates. In this deleterious climate, war seems inevitable. But love does not prevent and between Elle, the human, and Karel, the Cherish Bot, it's love at first sight. How will they succeed in loving each other? by Kid Toussaint  (Author), Garrido Andrés (Illustrator). 

Non Album Collections 360

Black Paths (2011)

1919 - the defeated Austro-Hungarian Empire is losing control of the city port of Fiume to pirates. A self-styled Pirate King, Gabriele d'Annunzio (poet, Italian war hero and Dadaist) storms the city with 3000 loyal Italian footsoldiers. He declares Fiume a free Republic: a utopian city-state, with himself as Commander. The city soon descends into looting and surreal decadence, reminiscent of the last days of Rome. Amid this chaos, the beautiful Mina, a black-haired young singer, is lost in this city gone mad, consumed by a love affair with a young soldier. Haunted by the horror of the trenches, a soldier, Lauriano, hunts Fiume's alleys in vain for the ghost that haunts his dreams" (Self Made Hero: 136 pages).  

The Fortune of the Winczlavs Vol. 1 - Vanko, 1848 (2022)

1848. In Ottoman-occupied Montenegro, young doctor Vanko Winczlav is one of the leaders of a popular uprising. Betrayed, wanted by the authorities, he flees the Balkans for the United States in the company of a Bulgarian refugee, Veska, whom he marries to allow her to enter New York legally. So begins the history of a family closely entwined with that of a still new country going through many transformations (Cinebook: 58 pages). 

My Little Pony – Friendship is Magic #55 (2017)

“Wings Over Yakyakistan” part 1 of 2. While on a diplomatic mission to Yakyakistan, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are surprised to uncover an imminent attack on the kingdom by dragons! Will Dash be able to rouse the Wonderbolts to aid the Yaks in time to thwart the invasion?

Non Album Collections 359

Oksi (2021)

Poorling is a little bear. She's a bit different from her brothers. Mother keeps their family safe. For the Forest is full of dangers. It is there that Mana lives, with her Shadow children. And above them all, Emuu, the great Grandma in the Sky. From the heart of Finnish folklore comes a breathtaking tale of mothers, daughters, stars and legends, and the old gods and the new. This graphic novel adaptation of a translated Finnish folktale is a breathtaking exploration of generational connection and trauma, following the story of a mother bear, her cubs, and a magical girl with no clear family (Chronicle Books/Levine Querido: 400 pages).  Mari Akohoivu.

Life Zero 001 (2022)

Where were you when the cloud arrived? When has the world changed forever? Where were you when people started falling, screaming, holding on only to their survival instincts? Panini Comics is proud to present Life Zero, the new original creation by Stefano Vietti (Hammer, Dragonero) and Marco Checchetto (Avengers World, Star Wars: Shattered Empire), with the colors of Andres Mossa (Avengers World, Secret Wars 2099). On the border between science fiction, action and horror, a new, unmissable, atmospheric masterpiece by Panini Comics!

Rosa Parks (NBM 2022)

Montgomery, Alabama, December 1, 1955: at the end of the working day, 42-year-old Rosa Parks, a black leather dressmaker, takes bus 2857, heading home. She sits in a center row, but when a white passenger gets on after a few stops, the driver asks her to get up to give him her seat, as required by the rules. Rosa knows them well: the blacks sit in the back, the whites in front, while the center seats are mixed and can only be used if all the others are occupied, but the whites retain priority. "No," Rosa replies, she doesn't intend to get up. That simple refusal turns her into a heroine of black rights, engaged in the fight against segregation that oppresses Alabama and other southern states, becoming the propellant of the historic bus boycott in Montgomery led by Martin Luther King. This is her story shown in a context of why it is still so resonant today (NBM: 128 pages).  Mariapaola Pesce, Matteo Mancini.

Non Album Collections 358

Go West, Young Man (2021)

Sixteen authors of western comics, among the greatest, gathered around a common story."Go West Young Man"... This phrase, which appeared at the end of the American Civil War, will accompany millions of migrants dreaming of a better life. In 1763, a British officer's watch will experience an extraordinary fate, and, passing from hand to hand, will go through a century and a half of the tumultuous birth of a nation. Trappers and pioneers, Indian tribes, desperadoes and prostitutes will fight and survive in the great plains, boomtowns and endless wars. In fourteen stories, Go West Young Man retraces the conquest of the American West, from 1763 to 1916. A tribute to the western, but a lucid tribute. A bittersweet American dream.

Goblin Girl (2020)

Things seem to be looking up when Moa Romanova ― broke, depressed, and living in a squat above an old store ― matches with a very famous celebrity on a popular hook-up site. Not only does the 53-year-old man like Moa ― he also immediately validates and motivates her in a way that not even her therapist does, even offering to help financially support her artistic ambitions. However, Moa soon discovers that there are strings attached. Drawn in a style that's de Chirico by way of the '80s, Romanova's relatable graphic memoir is a thought-provoking debut. Full-color illustrations throughout.

Nitro (2022)

While travelling to Mars, the cargo ship Kobe Tai is attacked by space pirates, who just happen to be former employees of Midas, the company that owns Kobe Tai. These pilots were fired several years ago after an unsuccessful worker strike. Turns out the ship’s cargo is something the parent company will do anything to get back. And 'anything' comes in the form of one Richard Hackenbruder, a former vicious murderer, who also happens to be enemies with the spice pirates’ leader, Delgado. During the strike, Delgado was a strike leader, and Hackenbruder was a strike breaker. A scab! Now they have a chance to settle old scores. En route to their sure-to-be-violent encounter, one of Hackenbruder's crew is brutally murdered, which causes the already unstable Hackenbruder to unravel. It all culminates in a brutal, bloody finale. by Jiri Grus (Author), Stepan Kopriva (Author).

Segments

28th century of the galactic era. Humans are grouped by personality types on monocolored planets dedicated to unique functions: spirituality, exchange, enjoyment, war, work, order and creativity. This social organization based on the ancient theories of the psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung has allowed the eradication of human conflicts by bringing together people who share the same values.  by Juan Gimenez (Drawings), Richard Malka (Contributor).

Non Album Collections 357

The Butchery (2021)

A young man and woman fall for each other and all is sweetness and light. But when their relationship crumbles, they each must endure the ensuing emotional fallout. Starting from this ostensibly simple premise, Bastien Vives crafts an affecting narrative about the mercurial and tempestuous nature of romance and why we pursue it anyway. by Bastien Vivès  (Author).

The Thud (2021)

In this YA graphic novel, a boy with developmental disabilities finds his world turned upside down after his mother has a stroke and he realizes for the first time he's on his own. When Noel’s mother has a stroke, his world is turned upside down. Especially when a man comes, who tells Noel that he can’t stay in the only home he’s ever known. He has to move from his apartment and his city to some kind of care facility, in a town he’s never heard of. For the first time, Noel is on his own. Who can he trust? Who can he love? by Mikael Ross (Author).

The Penguin Café at the Edge of the World (2021)

In the icy reaches of the South Pole live three penguin brothers: Amos, Max, and Hans. They love cooking so much that one day they band together to start a cozy café. There, they will serve a delicious, cinnamony concoction of their own creation ― Peng-Winter Stew! The only snag? Since they are located at the edge of the world, people don’t visit them very often. As the penguin brothers wait for the next boat to arrive, they hope that their customers will enjoy their splendid stew as much as they do. by Nurit Zarchi  (Author), Anat Warshavsky (Illustrator).

Knight Janek

What if ZELDA and CONAN had a child? The answer is Knight Janek. Things are not going well in the realm of Fancylake. The royal couple falls a victim of a fatal accident, and the fresh new Duke shows a disturbing passion for the occult. As if that were not enough, a strange wanderer arrives in the capital... Written by: Jan Mazur, Robert Sienicki. Art by: Igor Wolski.

Non Album Collections 356

Memorabilia (2018)

This book collects five individual stories illuminating the art and lives of the all-time great comic book artists Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Wallace Wood, Will Eisner, and Richard Corben. Ponchione blends biographical details about each artist with the characters and worlds they created, mixing fact with fiction as a testament to the remarkable imaginations of these masterful comics-makers. Black & white illustrations throughout. by Sergio Ponchione (Author).

Vanishing Act (2018)

Written and drawn in thirteen tones, from comedy and confession to interpretative dance, Vanishing Act is synchronized in time and space on one melancholy evening. A paranoid man rehearses for an upcoming party. A disheveled actor expounds on the conceptual potential of sitcoms. A beloved dog accesses the internet and starts a cult. A couple argues in reverse. A bored seagull excretes the entire known universe. Full-color illustrations throughout. by Roman Muradov (Author).

Wake Up, Sleepyhead! (2021)

As all kids know, waking up in the morning is hard to do! So finally here are three lighthearted stories that speak to the plight of the night owl. In the first story, Jake is snoozing so soundly that the whole neighborhood must band together to wake him up. In the second, “Sleepyhead” wakes up late and her whole family races to get her ready for school. In the third, three lazy brothers strive to be the laziest one of all. In Wake Up, Sleepyhead!, Levin Kipnis’ amusing rhymes are perfectly paired with Noam Weiner’s hilariously expressive illustrations. These comically anarchic tales are a delightful read for sleepy kids and the parents who rouse them from their slumber.

Demon Princes

Hold on to your exoskeleton and get ready for space adventures: Heavy Metal Magazine is bringing gorgeous sci-fi wonder to its storied pages in the English translation of the French sensation Jack Vance’s Avenging Demon Princes. Originally published earlier this year by Glénat, Heavy Metal is debuting this landmark adaptation of psychedelic fantasia by French writer Jean-David Morvan, translated by Carol Burell in this week’s Heavy Metal Magazine #312, but you can catch the exclusive here, featuring lush art by Paolo Traisci and vivid coloring by Fabio Marinacci.

 

Non Album Collections 355

Aquatlantic (2020)

In this graphic novel, Aqualantics maintain a fragile peace with their "surface brothers"―as long as their world remains a myth. But when an actor who plays the character of the "indefensible Earthman," all cynicism and vulgarity, is gradually possessed by his role, a chain reaction jeopardizes the entire kingdom and the uneasy peace between the two species. Giorgio Carpinteri’s sheer graphic brilliance ― fusing aspects of Futurism, Cubism, Russian Constructivism, and German Expressionism with echoes of Bauhaus and distinct whims of Art Deco ― would be enough to carry this brilliant fantasy, but Aqualantic is also a lyrical, allegorical masterpiece exploring the relationship between the conscious and unconscious, the known and the unknown. Full-color illustrations throughout.

The Grande Odalisque (2021)

Alex and Carole, friends since childhood, are now (literal) partners in crime. But the heist - to steal the Ingres painting The Grande Odalisque from the Louvre in Paris - is too much for the duo to handle, so they bring in Clarence, a bureaucrat''s son with a price on his head by a Mexican drug cartel and, more importantly, an arms dealer. Next is Sam, a stunt motorcyclist and boxer by trade, who proves trigger happy with tranquilizer darts. Using soda can smoke bombs, rocket launchers, and hang gliders, Alex, Carole, and Sam set off a set of circumstances that results in a battle with the French Special Forces - and their partnership, which was on the rocks, will never be the same again. Ruppert and Mulot, two of the most innovative comic creators in the world, team up with multiple Angouleme prize winner Bastien Vives to bring you this impossibly funny, violent, and sexy action-packed thriller.

Colere Noir (Humanoids-2003)

Written by Thierry Smolderen. Art and cover by Philippe Marcele. This European Thelma & Louise begins with a supermarket robbery in which Marielle's son and Stella's husband are killed. Afterwards, Marielle isn't recovering the way she's supposed to because she hasn't followed the path laid out by her psychologist and her ex-husband. She has to find her own way to live with the results of the trauma, both physical and psychological. When she sees the gunman again and no one, not even the police, believes her, she and Stella, who's been hiding a violent secret of her own, decide to handle their own surveillance and revenge. Along the way, they become lovers as well as compatriots.

 

Elecboy

In a devastated cityscape, a lone man fights off creatures of fearsome power: white, winged, serenely impassive, and capable of terrifying transformations… Decades later, in a desolate American southwest, a meager colony of human survivors ekes out a precarious existence between dwindling water supplies and magnetic shields that screen them from roving bands of aerial attackers. An ancestral upper class presides, while in the lower city, laborers do the hazardous work of keeping everyone alive. But all that may be about to change when the mysterious Joshua comes of age… Script and Art by Jaouen Salaün. 

Non Album Collections 354

Angela Della Morte - The Prequel (one-shot) (2021)

Discover the true history Angela, how she learned to switch bodies and came to work for Dr. Sibelius. Created by Salvador Sanz.

In Shadows Book 01 (2022)

Once upon a time there was a fallen knight and a pretty princess to be freed... Despised by his former comrades in arms for a crime that forever tarnishes his reputation, Arzhur wanders from taverns to battlefields in search of the next contract that will fulfill his purse. One night, three mysterious old women offer him the pact that all mercenaries dream of: regaining honor and fortune by freeing a king's daughter, held captive in the ruins of an abandoned castle. Despite his squire's mistrust, Arzhur accepts the deal and fights a ruthless fight against the monsters guarding the princess. But Islen is not the frail young girl in distress he imagined saving... Where do his dark powers come from, which the whole kingdom seems to fear? What links the unite with the three old women who paid Arzhur to free her? Victims of a plot to which they do not have all the keys, the young people join forces to take their destiny into their own hands. by Hubert, Mallié Vincent.

Wrinkles (2016) (digital)

Retired bank manager Emilio, suffering from Alzheimer’s, is taken to an assisted living home by his son. Confused and disoriented by his new surroundings, he finds unexpected support in his roommate Miguel, a brash rogue and overconfident ladies’ man. Together, they employ clever tricks to keep the doctors from noticing Emilio’s ongoing deterioration — and keep him from being transferred to the dreaded confinement of the top floor of the facility. (“Better to die than to end up there.”) Their determination to stay active as individuals and maintain their dignity culminates in a nighttime escape and joyride and adds a dash of adventure to their otherwise tedious day-to-day routine. While for some residents, the home is a place to wind down their lives, for Emilio and Miguel it becomes, in a quirky way, a new beginning. Created by Paco Roca.

The Black Moon Chronicles

The Black Moon Chronicles  or Chronicles of the Dark Moon(French: Chroniques de la Lune Noire) is an epic dark fantasy French comic series. Written by François Marcela-Froideval, the Black Moon Chronicles is an epic story offset by liberal doses of irreverent humour and the use of colloquial modern French over the archaic language usually found in such stories.

The series first episode was published in the late 80s. Following its long-lasting success in France, spin-off series were created to give more details on the background of some key characters. Episode 5 was the last volume drawn by Olivier Ledroit, who was replaced by Cyril Pontet for the rest of the series. Ledroit was still kept on drawing the remaining album covers. The 14th and final album of the series was released on 21 November 2008.