As the season warms up, so does the comics scene. Bursting with festivals, fresh releases, and major announcements. Australia’s Paper Cuts Festival returns to Adelaide with a vibrant program of free events celebrating every facet of comic creation, while fans in Brisbane and Sydney got to gear up for the always-anticipated Oz Comic-Con. Online, creators are encouraged to submit programming for the inclusive, creator-focused Nib & Ink Fest.
In publishing news, Fantagraphics is bringing back Hugo Pratt’s iconic Corto Maltese in deluxe editions ahead of its upcoming Netflix adaptation. Meanwhile, DC Comics’ Absolute series is turning heads with its bold, stylistic reinterpretations of iconic heroes. Over at The Comics Journal, Takekuma Kentaro offers a compelling essay on how drawing tools shape manga expression, while Shaenon Garrity explores the genre-defying beauty of Witch Hat Atelier.
From archival treasures like Michigan State University’s massive comics collection to ongoing debates around AI-generated art (as seen with Dragon Con’s recent vendor ban). Add to that a new SKTCHD ranking of comic formats and fresh data showing younger readers increasingly embracing comics as serious literature, and it’s evident: comics are thriving in more ways than one.
We also dive deeper into the role of comics in education and healthcare in Episode 119 of our podcast, featuring Jane Burns, as she discusses comics librarianship in academia and graphic medicine highlighting how comics are increasingly being used for research, learning, and care.
Whether you’re diving into a panel discussion, a longbox at a con, or a podcast episode on comics in the classroom. There’s never been a better time to be part of this vibrant and evolving comics culture.
NEWS
- As reported by Dean Simons on Publishers Weekly, Hugo Pratt’s legendary Corto Maltese will be republished by Fantagraphics in six de-luxe hardback coloured volumes with lots of extras in the lead up to a live action TV series coming up on Netflix next year.
- Susana Polo reports on DC Comics’ Absolute series, which has been received with acclaim and success. For those seeking brand new, totally different and gritty versions of DC’s main three heroes, the Absolute series delivers in spades, with manga and European comic influences in the mix.
- The Comics Journal has published an extensive and fascinating essay by Takekuma Kentaro exploring different drawing tools and their effect on expression and line in manga. A fascinating deep dive with examples.
- The world’s largest collection of comics is in Michigan, at the Michigan State University, and anyone can visit. The collection was started in 1970 by MSU Professor Russel B. Nye, a pioneer of pop culture studies who saw merit in comics when the zeitgeist viewed them as low art contributing to juvenile delinquency.
- Dragon Con removed a vendor for violating its AI art ban, reaffirming the convention’s support for human-made work
- Shaenon Garrity’s essay ‘Witch Hat Atelier: The Work of Art’ reflects on how the series transcends traditional genre boundaries with its artful storytelling and visual elegance.
- Comics advocates are invited to submit programming to Nib & Ink Fest—a free, online May festival celebrating community, accessibility, and independent creators.
- A recent SKTCHD article ranks comic book formats from worst to best, exploring how readability, cost, and design shape the growing “format boom” in comics
- Things are changing. Younger people are definitely more of the view that reading comics is for both adults and children, but there’s still work to do according to data gathered in the UK. Dean Simons has the rundown for The Beat here and the full report is available here.
- The Comics Journal article dives into how Akira Toriyama’s masterful visual storytelling turns manga into a universal language—captivating readers worldwide without needing a single word.
- Warner Bros. Discovery sued AI company Midjourney for copyright infringement, alleging its platform generates images of comic book characters without permission.
COLLECTIONS
- Acid Box, Cannon, and This Slavery are among Broken Frontier’s September 2025 Staff Picks—thoughtful new releases worth checking out.
- BookRiot’s September 2025 roundup highlights a diverse mix of new graphic novels, featuring magical adventures, school drama, and spooky stories perfect for fall reading
- Paul Gravett’s September 2025 picks showcase bold stories and stunning art, highlighting the vibrant creativity in comics today.
- Sarah Hunter has published a list of the top 10 graphic biographies and memoirs of 2025 thus far. You can find it here.
- Anime 101, a guide for librarians and educators from the School Library Journal.
PODCASTS
- A look at comics in academia and graphic medicine with Jane Burns, highlighting their educational value and libraries’ evolving role.
- An insightful chat with Ngozi Ukazu on Off Panel, exploring her creative process, storytelling quirks, and what makes her characters resonate.
- A podcast episode where Mike, Nick, and Zach discuss recent comics and highlight the vital role of libraries
NEW GRAPHIC NOVELS
Junior
- Aquamanatee by Ben Clanton, Cassandra Federman (DC Comics) [9781799504023]
- Archives of the Unexplained: Area 51 by Steve Foxe, Fran Bueno (First Second) [9781250850270]
- Archives of the Unexplained: Unwanted Guests by Steve Foxe, Fran Bueno (First Second) [9781250850256]
- Friendship Upgrade (Pet Simulator) By Steve Foxe, Mike Laughead (9781546169338) [Scholastic Inc]
- Max A Little Axolotl By Joey Spiotto (Scholastic Inc) [9781546169451]
- Woe A Housecat’s Story of Despair By Lucy Knisley [Scholastic Inc] (9781761720499)
- Monster Blood (Goosebumps: The Graphic Novel) by R.L. Stine, Maddi Gonzalez
- (Scholastic Inc) [9781761724701]
- Molly and the Bear An Unlikely Pair by Vicki Scott, Bob Scott (Scholastic Inc) [9781761725081]
- Gracie’s Ghosts by Dawn Brown (Image Comics) [9781534331334]
- Kid Kong Goes Bananas! by Alec Worley, Karl Dixon (2000 AD) [9781837865215]
- Punycorn and The Princess of Thieves by Andi Watson (HarperCollins) [9780358572008]
- The Space Cat by Nnedi Okorafor, Tana Ford (First Second) [9781250817488]
YA
- My Dad Fights Demons by Bobby Joseph, Abbigayle (SelfMadeHero) [9781914224348]
- Nubia: Too Real by L.L. McKinney, Robyn Smith (DC Comics) [9781799500179]
- This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki, Nicole Goux (Abrams Fanfare) [9781419768453]
- Tripping Over You Vol 1 (of 3) by Suzana Harcum & Owena White (First Second) [9781250330727]
- Death of a Pop Star by Violet Karim (9781998341467) [WEBTOON Unscrolled]
- Monster High New Scaremester by Jacque Aye, Hannah Templer, Megan Brown,Caroline Shuda & Siobhan Keenan (9781546148470 ) [Scholastic Inc]
- Spider-Man Shadow Warrior by Shogo Aoki (9781546148470 ) [Scholastic Inc]
- Five Nights at Freddy’s: Tales from the Pizzaplex Graphic Novel Collection Vol. 2
- By Scott Cawthon, Andrea Waggener,Coryn Macpherson & Mike Anderson (Scholastic Inc) [9781546128465 ]
Adult
- Adabana by Non (Dark Horse) [9781506749297]
- Do Admit: The Mitford Sisters and Me by Mimi Pond (Drawn & Quarterly) [9781770468047]
- The Ephemerata by Carol Tyler (Fantagraphics) [9798875001437]
- The Knives: A Criminal Book by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips (Image Comics) [9781534355590]
- Love Everlasting Vol 3 by Tom King, Elsa Charretier (Image Comics) [9781534330702]
- Ripperland by Steve Orlando, John Harris Dunning, Alessandro Oliveri (Dark Horse) [9781506745725]
- Spectators by Brian K. Vaughan, Niko Henrichon (Image Comics) [9781534331211]
- Assorted Crisis Events by Deniz Camp, Eric Zawadzki (Image Comics) [9781534333963]
- Exquisite Corpses by James Tynion IV, Valentine De Landro, Marianna Ignazzi, Pornsak Pichetshote, Michael Walsh (Image Comics) [9781534331044]
- Rare Flavours Deluxe Edition by By: Ram V, Filipe Andrade (Random House) [9798892156400 ]
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