Graphic Novel Review: Firebugs by Nino Bulling

Posted on June 13, 2024 at 6:39 am by Gene Ambaum

Firebugs by Nino Bulling. Drawn & Quarterly, 2024. 9781770467057. 164pp.

This German graphic novel is a beautiful book full of art that’s mostly black and white with red accents. Red is also used for the panel borders and dialogue. The club scenes have so much energy they make the book beguiling on their own; it was impossible to turn away once I started reading it.

Ingken is in Paris, and as the world burns it becomes more and more clear she’s ready for a change. Though whether that change means getting rid of her girlfriend, transitioning, or finding a new way to deal with climate change and her family, it’s hard to say. It may mean all of that. There are lots of conversations in this book, plus cacti, ladybugs, and some content that will put it firmly in your library’s adult section.