Universe! by Albert Monteys. Image, 2021. 9781534318076. 196pp of story plus an afterward that includes sketches and other information on Monteys’ process, including one-panel gags. Contains Universe #1 – 5 originally published online at panelsyndicate.com where you can still name […]
Read More
Author: Gene Ambaum
Book Review: The Summer War by Naomi Novik
The Summer War by Naomi Novik. Del Rey, 2025. 9780593984703. 127pp. “Celia was twelve years old when she cursed her brother.” Great opening line! Celia’s brother, Argent, is the greatest knight and their father’s heir. On the day Argent renounces […]
Read More
Graphic Novel Review: Drome by Jesse Lonergan
Drome by Jesse Lonergan. 23rd St., 2025. 978-1250386939. 320pp. Lonergan (Hedra, All-Star, Arca, Man’s Best, Planet Paradise) creates an epic, mythic graphic novel about gods, heroes, elementals, the desire for power, and the dawn of civilization. Blue is strong, tough, […]
Read More
Graphic Novel Review: Cannon by Lee Lai
Cannon by Lee Lai. Drawn & Quarterly, 2025. 9781770468023. 304pp. Cannon is everyone’s rock. She works in a kitchen that’s insane (her boss is truly the worst), and she’s taking care of her ailing Gung Gung, whose caregiver just resigned. […]
Read More
Three Picture Books from Transit
These picture books published by Transit were all translated from Spanish, and each defied my expectations. Ashimpa: The Mysterious Word by Catarina Sobral. Translated by Juliana Barbassa. Transit Children’s Editions, 2025. 9798893380026. I’m sure that any book that opens with […]
Read More
The Statue of Library is WELL READ (new patches!)
s We just added a few new items to the store, a patch I’m calling the Statue of Library plus a redesign of the WELL READ patch. There’s a deal if you want both of these new designs, and an […]
Read More
Graphic Novel Review: Masters of the Nefarious: Mollusk Rampage by Pierre La Police
Masters of the Nefarious: Mollusk Rampage by Pierre La Police. Translated by Luke Burns. New York Review Comics, 2024. 9781681378343. 176pp. An absurd, surreal graphic novel made of one-panel comics, one on each page. It begins with a tidal wave […]
Read More
Graphic Novel Review: Dear Jackie by Jessixa Bagley, illustrated by Aaron Bagley
Dear Jackie by Jessixa Bagley, illustrated by Aaron Bagley. Simon & Schuster Books for Young People, 2025. 978-1534496576. 288pp. Jackie and Milo are nervous about starting middle school, and they’re so close that Jackie’s mother calls Milo Jackie’s “replacement brother.” […]
Read More
Graphic Novel Review: Cat People: A Comic Collection by Hanna Hillam
Cat People: A Comic Collection by Hanna Hillam. Running Press, 2024. 9780762486033. 100pp. A human woman falls through a portal to a world where cats rule and humans are pets. And she arrives on Halloween. My favorite parts: visiting the […]
Read More
Book Review: North Continent Ribbon: Stories by Ursula Whitcher
North Continent Ribbon: Stories by Ursula Whitcher. Neon Hemlock, 2024. 9781952086847. 172pp. This book contains short stories that stand together as a novella. It was shortlisted for the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction, and my friend Gina […]
Read More