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Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton A domesticated, foul-mouthed crow teams up with a sensitive, big hearted bloodhound to go out into the world beyond their backyard to find out what’s happening to all the humans. They have noticed that their owner Big Jim is behaving strangely. And then, well, his eyeball falls right out of his head. Soon they discover that something is clearly amiss with all the rest of humankind as well....

The good news is, the comic itself provides an excellent alternative title: The Great Machine. Which happens to be Mitch Hundred’s (Isaac) alter ego. Hundred acquired his powers as the result of an extradimensional explosion which branded him with circuit board–like markings and gave him the ability to control machines. After heroic actions on 9/11, Hundreds is elected mayor of New York. The comic follows both the story of Hundred’s term of office and an investigation of his powers and their origins....

They found that male characters are four times as likely to be found in literature than female characters, though this difference shrinks when looking at only books by women authors. Mayank Kejriwal, the research lead on this project, noted that “Gender bias is very real, and when we see females four times less in literature, it has a subliminal impact on people consuming the culture.” They also noted that female characters were associated with adjectives like “‘weak,’ ‘amiable,’ ‘pretty’,” while male characters were described with words like “‘leadership,’ ‘power,’ ‘strength’ and ‘politics....

I won’t spend endless paragraphs here recounting all the things that make Saga so special. But on my ongoing search for comics like Saga, I’ve been able to pinpoint a few of the central elements that sets it apart from other comics. And while I still haven’t found a comic that does it for me the way Saga does, the comics on this list all have these elements in abundance....

To Drink and to Eat Vol. 1: Tastes and Tales from a French Kitchen by Guillaume Long Interested in learning how to cook French food? Or what you’ll need to stock your kitchen? Check out Long’s cookbook/comic book to answer all of your French cuisine questions. Meal by Blue Delliquanti with Soleil Ho This 2018 title is simply delightful. It’s about a young chef named Yarrow who is passionate about insect based culinary creations....

So if you’re into comics and you made the decision to diversify your reading preference in 2020, here’s a list for you to consider. Just a quick note on coverage and diversity. Firstly, this is not a conclusive list on the best of Philippine comics and graphic novels. There are a lot of great works in the Filipino language out there—works from Mars Ravelo, Francisco Coching, and Carlo J. Caparas are among them....

Sweet Home Café Cookbook: A Celebration of African American Cooking by NMAAHC, National Museum of African American History and Culture Based on recipes served at the Sweet Home Cafe, which is part of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, this isn’t just a cookbook but a discussion of the history of African American cooking. Along with context and discussion of classic recipes like hush puppies and banana pudding from culinary historian Jessica B....

Thankfully, stories exist that put these issues into words and pictures that do work with kids’ experiences. That doesn’t mean trusted adults are off the hook: this process works best as a partnership in which kids and adults read together and adults are available to answer questions. Here (in no particular order) are five graphic novels that do a fantastic job tackling tough issues. Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn and Nicole Goux (DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults, 2/4/20) In fairness, there aren’t many children born to assassins who program them to be killers from the age of 8....

If knowledge is power, these heroes have wells of the stuff: equations, formulas, and proofs at the ready. The conflict between mathematical abilities and mind control allows for an attack on pure reason and takes advantage of flaws present in characters with superior logical analysis. In short, mathematical science fiction books are a downright fun solution to conquering your demons. Cas Russell is known for accomplishing the impossible for her wealthy clientele....

Recently, the Ann Arbor–based bookstore Common Language took to social media to lament their lack of customers. Even with an online store available, the bookstore was staring down the threat of closure, if something didn’t change quickly. But then a patron shared their message via tumblr, and Common Language’s online sales ballooned. A similar story can be told about the Philadelphia “gaybourhood” institution, Giovanni’s Room. The store closed in 2014, after 41 years of service....

Here are six great books by members of the last group. For a larger selection of war books, check out Rah Froemming-Carter’s Remembrance Day article from last year. On the Front Line: The Collected Journalism of Marie Colvin This hefty volume collects nearly 100 dispatches by Marie Colvin, an American journalist who covered foreign affairs for the British newspaper The Sunday Times for 27 years. Name an armed Middle Eastern conflict since 1985, and there’s a good chance Colvin was on the ground to report it....

It can be so hard to find something new to love when you reach the end, or at least catch up, on something you adore. Time travel, royal court politics, magical schools, and overpowered protagonists abound in these six manhwa and manga like The Beginning After the End. They’re sure to keep you entertained.

At this point, I think it’s safe to credit Gillian Flynn and Gone Girl with ushering in the golden age of female-driven psychological suspense, and Paula Hawkins has only continued that trend with her runaway Hitchcock-esque bestseller The Girl on the Train. But as much as I worship both of these authors, there’s a huge and surprisingly uncharted world of deliciously disturbing fiction from some delightfully twisted women. Let’s explore, shall we?...

A wonderfully bittersweet graphic novel, My Brother’s Husband takes place in Japan. Yachi has just found out that his estranged twin brother has passed away, and that his Canadian husband is on his way to meet him. The graphic novel disentangles homophobia as well as complicated familial relationships and how they relate to Japanese culture. Manga sometimes has a reputation for less-than-tasteful representation regarding queer men, but Tagame’s book explores grief, family, and homophobia gracefully....

Come for the thrills of magical artifacts, heists, and monsters walking among us; stay for the depth in the characters. The two powerful enemies are forced to work together for a shared goal of taking down a kingdom in a very twisty and high-action sequence being compared to Killing Eve. Yes yes yes. This Jamaican-inspired fantasy promises to be a compelling debut. A sisterhood fights to protect its magical bloodline; meanwhile, heroine Elfreda will do anything to avoid pregnancy....

New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight. In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans is a safe haven after she’s forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent in the middle of the carnival season, Celine is quickly enraptured by the vibrant city, from its music to its fancy soirées and even its danger....

Tired of all this non-NYC-ness? Want gritty books about the city? We love those too! Go see our list of seedy Big Apple stories.

In English, it’s known as The Day of the Dead. Día de muertos is a Mexican tradition to remember friends and family (even pets!) who have passed away. Typically, you put up a type of altar called an ofrenda, and you fill it with food, flowers, photographs, sugar skulls, Catrinas, and other knickknacks that belonged to — or remind you of — the deceased. There’s also pan de muerto — a delicious bread that’s usually coated with sugar....

Nothing could tear Detective Michael Bennett away from his new bride—except the murder of his best friend. NYPD master homicide investigator Michael Bennett and FBI abduction specialist Emily Parker have a history. When she fails to show at FBI headquarters in Washington, DC, Bennett ventures outside his jurisdiction. The investigation he undertakes is the most brilliant detective work of his career…and the most intensely personal. A portrait begins to emerge of a woman as adept at keeping secrets as forging powerful connections....