Welcome to The A.V. Club’s monthly comics preview, where we recommend new books to check out over the next few weeks. This month, we’ve got five noteworthy picks, including a memoir about pregnancy and parenthood, a steampunk sci-fi tale set in World War II China, and a psychedelic odyssey by an alt-comics legend.
The Oddball’s Odyssey #1by Tony Millionaire and Jim Campbell (April 8)
Tony Millionaire has charmed readers for decades with the adventures of Uncle Gabby (a sock monkey) and Drinky Crow (a drunk crow) in his Maakies comic-strip, and after years of self-publishing on his Patreon, Millionaire is back in print with The Oddball’s Odyssey #1 (Bad Idea). The one-shot follows a new monkey protagonist, Bobby Dougherty, and his skunk companion as they search for the swan that Bobby loves, leading readers through dreamy landscapes that are exquisitely drawn by Millionaire with lush colors by Jim Campbell. Millionaire’s relationship with alcohol has historically been a big part of his work, and The Oddball’s Odyssey is informed by his experience with sobriety. Bobby achieves a euphoric state of clarity when he quits drinking, opening his eyes to the wonder of the world and the enchanting beauty of his swan crush. His obsession with her replaces his addiction to alcohol, but this new all-consuming feeling lifts him up rather than pulling him down, inspiring him to do whatever it takes and go wherever he needs to go to find the object of his affection.
The Oddball’s Odyssey #1 (Bad Idea)
Twin Lotuses by Zhang Xiaoyu and Montana Kane (April 14)
In a world of AI avatars for the deceased and dancing robots, Zhang Xiaoyu’s World War II-set graphic novel, Twin Lotuses (Magnetic Press), is eerily relevant to our current times. Translated by Montana Kane, Twin Lotuses revolves around an engineer that creates a clockwork automaton of his late wife, who died performing on a ship destroyed by a Japanese bomber. This robot provides entertainment for the locals, including soldiers, gang members, and warlords who have all been impacted by the war in different ways. This is the first time North American audiences can read a work written and drawn by Xiaoyun — he’s previously drawn some European comics translated into English by Humanoids — and the scale of Twin Lotuses is huge. Xiaoyu delves into big philosophical ideas around war, art, and grief while delivering absolutely stunning artwork, capturing the grit of war-torn city streets, the graceful spectacle of stage performance, and the brutality of the violence that shapes so much of these characters’ lives.
Twin Lotuses (Magnetic Press)
Bury Me Already (It’s Nice Down Here) by Julia Wertz (April 16)
Becoming a parent is difficult even when it’s planned, so cartoonist Julia Wertz had a lot to learn when she became unexpectedly pregnant and had her first child just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. Bury Me Already (It’s Nice Down Here) (Black Dog & Leventhal) collects the comic vignettes, essays, and diary doodles that Wertz created during this chaotic time, offering a hilarious and deeply honest look at the physical and emotional toll of her pregnancy and post-partum experience. Wertz’s Tenements, Towers & Trashwas a showcase for her ability to depict different environments in specific detail, and those skills make the domestic settings of Bury Me Already (It’s Nice Down Here) especially immersive. You will feel the discomfort of Wertz using a child’s training toilet in the garage, doing her business among the washer, dryer, furnace, and cleaning supplies, but also the cozy warmth of Wertz cuddling with her child in his bedroom, cherishing the need for her presence that will diminish as he grows older.
Bury Me Already (It’s Nice Down Here) (Black Dog & Leventhal)
Oracles by Olivia Sullivan (April 16)
Olivia Sullivan’s new graphic novel, Oracles (Avery Hill Publishing) is a fantasy, but not in the typical genre ways. No dragons or kingdoms, just the idea of snapping your phone in half and leaving your home and job to retreat into the wilderness. Sullivan takes a poetic approach to this therapeutic journey, blending natural illustrations with abstract imagery and short, evocative lines of text. There’s a compelling contrast between the majestic and the mundane, and you never know if the turn of the page will reveal a sweeping vista, a close-up of flora/fauna, or a random geometric pattern. It’s a story that inspires self-reflection in the reader, with an unnamed main character confronting stresses and regrets that will be familiar to many. The gentleness of Sullivan’s execution makes Oracles a calming, meditative read that compels you to get out of the house and appreciate springtime coming into full bloom.
Oracles (Avery Hill Publishing)
In Your Skin by Aditya Bidikar, Som, and Francesco Segala (April 22)
With big personalities and epic productions, the world of Bollywood is a great setting for genre fiction with spectacular flair. In Your Skin (Image Comics) is a four-issue erotic horror miniseries that puts a grotesque spin on fan obsession and the pressures put on aging actresses, bringing a retiring Bollywood star together with the fan that refuses to accept her fave leaving the industry. Writer Aditya Bidikar is primarily known for his lettering work, but he’s developed a juicy concept for artist Som and colorist Francesco Segala to bring to the page, tapping into the glamorous body horror zeitgeist defined by works like The Substance and The Beauty (also based on an Image Comics series). Som did striking work combining hard-boiled crime imagery with gnarly creature horror on Boom! Studios’ Crocodile Black, and In Your Skin gives Som the opportunity to highlight his hometown of Mumbai and the culture that has formed around its film industry. The preview pages show how the creative team incorporates horror elements into Bollywood dance, accentuating the intimacy of a parasocial relationship that provides the catalyst for a physical transformation.
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