February Roundup

February is rarely a quiet month in the world of panels and ink, but this year feels particularly weighted with both reflection and celebration. From the hallowed halls of RMIT to the quiet corners of our local libraries, the “diverse world of comics” is proving to be a spectrum of wonders. Whether we are looking back at the giants who built this industry or forward to the next generation of creators, one thing is clear the story is only getting started.

We also have two new graphic novels by Australian creators. Campbell Whyte returning with the highly anticipated Luna Express and Georgina Chadderton making her debut with Oh Brother. Finally, the first twelve issues of C.S. Pacat’s Fence have been collected into a new paperback.

NEWS

• RMIT launches Folio, an online resource showcasing Australia’s contemporary comics through stories, oral histories and rare ephemera from creators and communities.
• The 2025 Aurealis Awards finalists are announced, featuring 14 categories and record horror entries. Winners revealed in Brisbane as a part of GenreCon.
• Sal Buscema, prolific Marvel artist and Bronze Age mainstay, shaped decades of superhero comics through clear storytelling, professionalism, and landmark runs on Hulk and Spider-Man.
• Amazon’s recent 16,000‑job layoffs reportedly included most remaining Comixology staff, raising questions about the future of the digital comics platform under Amazon.
• Minneapolis comics creators confront ICE enforcement, using community and art to endure fear and disruption.
• Cartoonist D. McFadzean’s discusses imagination, burnout, and finding joy through playful, surreal comics.
• Tessa Hulls discusses her Pulitzer‑winning graphic memoir Feeding Ghosts, its intergenerational trauma, creative journey, personal growth, and why she won’t make another book.
• Image Comics’ Head Lopper returns this April with a new extra‑length #1 to celebrate the series’ 10‑year anniversary, continuing Norgal’s sword‑and‑sorcery adventures with Agatha’s irreverent commentary.
• Invader Comics is an indie publisher focused on creator-driven, boundary-pushing comics like Artillery and The Digger, prioritizing vision and quality over trends.
• Oni Press partners with Penguin Random House for global distribution starting August 2026, covering all titles, including Fort Psycho and a new Archie series
• Asher Perlman discusses his prolific cartooning process, 150 unpublished New Yorker comics, creative routine, influences, and balancing art with his secretive main job.
• Avery Hill Publishing’s decade-long work celebrated in an exhibition highlighting comics’ creative processes, original art, and varied storytelling approaches.
• Jean-Christophe Menu revives Futuropolis’s oversized 30/40 comics series, celebrating French comic history and his own work in a landmark anthology.
• DSTLRY announced a short publishing pause to stabilize distribution and marketing following their move to Penguin Random House.
• French publisher Morgen, backed by industry veterans and Kering, enters the global market with high-profile deals including writer Ram V.
• The American Library Association (ALA) has officially launched its Outstanding Comics Awards, marking a significant milestone in library-backed literary recognition.

COLLECTIONS

• No Flying No Tights curators shared “Love Yourself” staff picks, featuring graphic novels on self-discovery, identity, and personal growth.
• Edutopia highlights 12 middle-grade graphic novels that use visual storytelling to destigmatize mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
• Image Comics kicked off 2026 with a diverse top 10, led by major milestones, expanding shared universes, and dark genre-bending hits.
• SKTCHD’s latest analysis highlights major collaborations and strategic shifts in the industry, led by a powerhouse creative pairing.
• Broken Frontier’s 2026 “Six to Watch” spotlights rising UK small press talents, including Daisy Crouch, Jua OK!, and Yu-Ching Chiu.
• Comics Bulletin highlights ten essential standalone Batman storylines, showcasing the Dark Knight’s iconic adventures, character depth, and compelling Gotham narratives.

MEDIA

• ​​In this episode of the ALIA Graphic Podcast, researchers Elizabeth MacFarlane and Gabriel Clark discuss the launch of Folio: Stories of Australian Comics, a major new digital archive.
• Celebrating the launch of Folio: Stories of Australian Comics, creators discuss the online anthology’s creation, community impact, and Australia-focused comic storytelling.
• Thomas Pitilli discusses The Man Who Shot Lucky Luke, highlighting Matthieu Bonhomme’s sharp storytelling and cinematic Western artwork.
• Writer‑artist Tony Fleecs discusses his career, influences from ’90s comics, Stray Dogs, Feral, and his upcoming Deathstroke: The Terminator project.
• This video by Kitsune Anime explores the life and career of Hiromu Arakawa, the legendary creator of Fullmetal Alchemist.
• In this video, artist and writer Jim Rugg visits Third Eye Comics to share his favorite graphic novels and essential reads.
• In this episode of The Readings Podcast, cartoonist Georgina Chadderton discusses her debut full-length graphic novel, Oh Brother.
• In Publishers Weekly’s More to Come episode 707, hosts discuss the spring graphic novel preview and major industry shifts.
• On Off Panel, writer James Tynion IV discusses managing his prolific workload, “Exquisite Corpses,” avoiding burnout, and the current market.

NEW GRAPHIC NOVELS

Junior

• Alan, King of the Universe: Today, I Will Rule All! Book 2 by: Tom McLaughlin (Hachette) [9781444976878]
• Coolest Club Ever! (Pizza And Taco #9) by Stephen Shaskan (Scholastic) [9781761810022]
• The Far-Out Five Snot Jelly Island by Olaf Falafel (Penguin) [9780241732618]
• The Keeper of the Lost Cities Volume 2 by Shannon Messenger, Celina Frenn , Gabriella Chianello (Simon & Schuster ) [9781398531819]
• Investigators Agents of S.U.I.T. Sew Much Trouble by John Patrick Green, Christopher Hastings, Pat Lewis () [9781250359469]
• Huck ‘N’ Hairball and the Litterbox Time Machineby Rich Moyer (Hachette) [9781454957690]
• The Keeper of the Lost Cities Volume 2 by Shannon Messenger, Celina Frenn , Gabriella Chianello (Simon & Schuster ) [9781398531819]
• Minecraft Heart of Cobblestone Volume 2 by Andrew Clemson (Random House) [9781506743189]
• Oh Brother A Graphic Memoir by Georgina Chadderton [Penguin] (9781761046346) [Australian Creator]
• School Rivals (Ella Forever #1)by Serena Geddes (Scholastic) [9781760261344]

YA

• The College Try by Roberta Ingranata, Warnia Sahadewa, Jodie Troutman (Maverick) [9781545820810]
• Batgirl Vol. 2 Bloodlines by Tate Brombal [DC Comic] (9781799506089)  
• Batman and Robin Year One by Chris Samnee, Mark Waid (DC Comics) [9781799505945]
• Beast King Vol 1 Master Of Medicines by Tatsukazu Konda, Asahi Sakano (Random House) [9798895618363]
• Damsel in D.I.S.T.R.E.S.S. by Andrew Clemson, Mau Mora, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Maverick) [9781545823385]
• Doom Academy by MacKenzie Cadenhead, Pasqual Ferry, Joao Lemos (Marvel Comics) [9781302961688]
• Blue Lock 27 by: Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Yusuke Nomura [Kodansha] (9798888772829)
• Fence: Book 1 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad (Boom! Studios) [9798892159005] [Australian creator]
• Frieren Beyond Journey’s End, Vol. 14 by Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe (VIZ media) [9781974761586]
• Fustuk by Robert Mgrdich Apelian (Penguin Workshop) [9780593658901]
• Galaxias by Ao Hatesaka (Kodansha) [9798888777114]
• Just Between Us by Adeline Kon (Penguin Putnam) [9780593696965]
• Krypto The Last Dog of Krypton by Ryan North (DC Comics) [9781799505907]
• Lovely Recipe by Myra Rose Nino (Random House) [9780593180587]
• Luna Express by Campbell Whyte (Top Shelf Productions) [Australian Creator] [Australian creator]
• Star Wars Hidden Empire Omnibus by Charles Soule, Steven Cummings, Ethan Sacks [Marvel Comic] (9781302961886)
• Tower Dungeon 4 by Tsutomu Nihei (Kodansha) [9781647295998]
• Wake Now in the Fire by Jarrett Dapier, AJ Dungo (Ten Speed Press – Random House) [9780593838037]
• You and I Are Polar Opposites, Vol. 8 by Kocha Agasawa (VIZ Media) [9781974762064]

Adult

• Absolute Batman Vol. 2 Abomination by Scott Snyder (DC Comics) [9781799507512]
• Absolute Green Lantern Vol. 1: Without Fearby Al Ewing, Jahnoy Lindsay (DC Comics) [9781799505556]
• The Author Immortal Death of the Authorby Frank J. Barbiere, Morgan Beem (Image Comic) [9781534334786]
• A Brief History of a Long War: Ukraine’s Fight Against Russian Domination by Mariam Naiem, Yulia Vus, Ivan Kypibida (Random House) [9780593840153]
• The Cold Witch A Tale Of The Shrouded College by Charles Soule, Will Sliney (Image Comics) [9781534332454]
• The Crystal Vase by Astrid Goldsmith (Jonathan Cape) [9781787334311]
• Daemons of the Shadow Realm Vol 9 by Hiromu Arakawa (Random House) [9781646094288]
• The Demon of Beausoliel by Mari Costa (Oni Press)
• Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated by Katsura Ise, Takuma Yokota (VIZ Media) [9781974761852]
• Feral Volume 4 by Tony Fleecs, Trish Forstner Beem (Image Comic) [9781534332911]
• Fruit Salad by Cathon, Robin Lang (Translator), Helge Dascher (Translator) (Pow Pow Press) [9782925114536]
• Groupies by Helen Mullane, Tula Lotay, Dee Cunniffe, Richard Starkings (Mad Cave Studios) [9781545821268]
• Leo Rising by Archie Bongiovanni (Abrams) [9781419770876]
• Love at First Memory Vol 1 by Narumi Hasegaki (Kodansha) [9798888777145]
• Minor Threats Library Edition Vol 1 by Patton Oswalt (Random House) [9781506750538]
• MFKZ Vol. 5 V by Guillaume Renard (Magnetic Press) [9781962413343]
• Pig Wife by Abbey Luck, Ruka Bravo (Top Shelf) [9781603095723]
• Skullkickers Compact Attack Edition Vol. 1 by Jim Zub, Edwin Huang (Oni Press) [9798894880082]
• Tin Can Society by Peter Warren, Francesco Mobili (Image Comic) [9781534331471]
• Tying the Knot With an Amagami Sister by Marcey Naito (Random House) [9798888774632]
• Veil Volume 3 Graceful White by Kotteri (UDON Entertainment) [9781772943863]