18 Canadian comics and graphic novels to check out in spring 2024
Portrait of a Body by Julie Delporte, translated by Helge Dascher and Karen Houle
In Portrait of a Body, Julie Delporte examines her life experiences and trauma in an attempt to answer the haunting questions she has about her gender and sexuality. The book focuses on the journey inward to heal oneself and live more authentically.
Portrait of a Body is out now.
Julie Delporte is a comic creator and poet based in Montreal. Her other books include This Woman's Work, Everywhere Antennas and Journal.
Helge Dascher is a frequent translator of comic books. She's also translated many of Guy Delisle's titles, Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clément Oubrerie, White Rapids by Pascal Blanchet and Paul Goes Fishing by Michel Rabagliati.
Karen Houle used to be a Professor of Philosophy but now she is a full-time Earth worker-activist and a sometimes translator.
Avengers: Twilight #1 by Chip Zdarsky
Avengers: Twilight takes place in the far-flung future where the Avengers are no more and SHIELD is an authoritarian military group that restricts the rights and personal liberties of citizens. Steve Rogers, now an elderly man without the super-soldier serum in his veins, jumps back into action and puts a new team together to set things right.
Avengers: Twilight is out now.
Chip Zdarsky is an Eisner Award-winning comic book creator from Toronto. He's contributed to series like Howard the Duck, Jughead and Spider-Man, and co-created comics like Kaptara, Sex Criminals, Afterlift, Jughead, Howard the Duck, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man and Daredevil.
I'm So Glad We Got this Time Together by Maurice Vellekoop
I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together depicts his intense childhood and difficult young adulthood as a gay person in a strict Christian household. Set in Toronto in the 1970s, Vellekoop begins to see his relationships with his mother and father fracture. As he ventures out on his own, he explores his passion for art. He's set on finding romance and is met with violent attacks and the anxiety surrounding the AIDS era. I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together shows an artist's personal journey to self-love and acceptance.
I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together is out now.
Vellekoop is a Toronto-born writer and artist. He has been an illustrator for the past three decades, for companies including Air Canada and Bush Irish Whiskey. He is also the author of A Nut at the Opera.
Degrees of Separation by Alison McCreesh
Degrees of Separation blends stories, drawings and sketches that chronicle Alison McCreesh's decade spent living in the North. From being stranded in the High Arctic to raising a baby in a small shack with no running water, the book is a coming-of-age story that recounts the challenges and joys of life living and working north of the 60th parallel.
Degrees of Separation is out now.
McCreesh is an artist who currently lives in Yellowknife. She has travelled around the Arctic and sub-Arctic and the theme of contemporary day-to-day life in the North carries through her creative work.
Gleem by Freddy Carrasco
Gleem is a collection of three interconnected Afrofuturist stories that channel a rebellious cyberpunk attitude. Freddy Carrasco uses the stories and artwork to reflect a near future that examines modern social realities.
When you can read it: Apr. 9, 2024
Freddy Carrasco is a Dominican-born multi-disciplinary artist from Toronto.
Botanica Drama by Thom
What happens when the sun has had enough? That's the premise of Thom's latest book Botanica Drama. After taking a beating the night before, the Sun is fed up and decides not to rise. As the earth is plunged into darkness, Philomène, Death and their friends face a harsh winter and horrifying creatures from the shadows as they wonder if the sun will ever rise again.
When you can read it: Apr. 9, 2024
Thom is an illustrator and comic creator from Montreal. His other books are Casa Rodeo and VII.
Food School by Jade Armstrong
In an attempt to recover from an eating disorder, college dropout Olive is placed in an outpatient program they call "Food School." Intensely focused on getting better, Olive confronts their self-destructive behaviour and struggles with the intricacies of modern mental health care.
When you can read it: Apr. 15, 2024
Jade Armstrong is a non-binary cartoonist from Almonte, Ont. Their debut graphic novel was Scout Is Not a Band Kid was a finalist for the Egghead Award for the best kids' book at Doug Wright Awards in 2023.
Vera Bushwack by Sig Burwash
Vera Bushwack is Drew's unflinching alter-ego — and when Vera takes charge things get done. When Drew needs to clear the land for their cabin in the woods, Vera rides in on horseback with a chainsaw in hand ready to get down to business. This comedic story uses watercolours and pencil drawings to explore themes of joy, grief and self-acceptance.
When you can read it: Apr. 16, 2024
Sig Burwash is a visual artist and comic creator originally from Rossland, B.C.
Shout Kill Revel by Jarret Hartnell
In this fantasy Western, a ruthless cult called the Undrowned Order rules the land as they enact their evil plans. They believe that Helmina is their messiah who will unleash unspeakable horror upon the earth. After a lifetime of wrestling with her cosmic affliction, Helmina decides to take her destiny into her own hands.
When you can read it: April 17, 2024
Jarret Hartnell is a comic writer and artist based in Calgary. Shout Kill Revel is his debut graphic novel.
So Long Sad Love by Mirion Malle, translated by Aleshia Jensen
In So Long Sad Love Cleo is hurt to find out her boyfriend may not be the man she thought he was and she doesn't know if she can trust him moving forward. As the life they built together comes apart at the seams, Cleo rediscovers her identity as an artist and explores romantic relationships with other women.
When you can read it: Apr. 30, 2023
Mirion Malle is a French cartoonist and illustrator who lives in Montreal. She has published three books. The League of Super Feminists is her first book translated into English and was nominated for the 2020 Prix Jeunesse at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. Her book This is How I Disappear was a finalist for the 2022 Governor General's Literary Award for French-to-English translation.
Aleshia Jensen is a French-to-English literary translator and former bookseller. Her translations include Explosions, written by Mathieu Poulin, which was a finalist for the 2018 Governor General's Literary Award for translation. Jensen lives in Montreal.
Hero-Man by Zach Schuster and Lyndon Radchenka
When Citiesville's local costumed crime fighter Hero-Man uncovers a plot by the Mayor, he'll need to enlist the help of Kid-Lad, Hero-Lass and the residents of Citiesville to overcome his toughest challenge — himself.
When you can read it: May 1, 2024
Lyndon Radchenka is a writer and award-winning letterer from Winnipeg.
Zach Schuster is a Calgary-based comic creator and board game artist.
Cheryl by Jillian Fleck
Cheryl is about to embark on a journey of self-discovery after recently coming out as a lesbian. As she struggles to shake the internalized homophobia and recover from childhood trauma, Cheryl falls deeper and deeper down a toxic New Age wellness rabbit hole. Now she has to look inward for the answers about what's really going on with her and how to fix it.
When you can read it: May 7, 2024
Jillian Fleck is a multidisciplinary artist and comic creator from Calgary. Their work has been featured in various anthologies and publications. Their previous graphic novel is Lake Jehovah.
The Jellyfish by Boum, translated by Robin Lang and Helge Dascher
The Jellyfish follows a twenty-something named Odette living a normal life until one day they begin being haunted by a jellyfish floating in their eye. It's just a minor annoyance until the jellyfish starts to multiply. Boum uses stunning and inventive artwork in a powerful story about facing the thing we fear most.
When you can read it: May 8, 2024
Samantha Leriche-Gionet, also known as Boum, is an illustrator, animator and comic creator from Montreal.
Helge Dascher is a frequent translator of comic books. She's also translated many of Guy Delisle's titles, Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clément Oubrerie, White Rapids by Pascal Blanchet and Paul Goes Fishing by Michel Rabagliati.
Robin Lang has been co-translating graphic novels for Pow Pow Press with Helge Dascher since 2017. They have worked together on several titles, including Lonely Boys by Sophie Bédard, which won the 2021 Doug Wright Award for best book. Robin runs a cut-flower farm in the Eastern Townships during the growing season and translates from French to English in the winter.
Quid Pro Crow by Bill Slavin
A century into the future in a climate-ravaged world, Mordecai Crow is searching for his long lost family in Quid Pro Crow. Crow and his friend Podd end up in enemy territory where they are in constant fear of an attack. The duo try to unlock the mysteries of newly discovered old tech and find Crow's family once and for all.
When you can read it: May 17, 2024
Bill Slavin is an illustrator originally from Belleville, Ont. His graphic novels include the Elephants Never Forget trilogy and the Mordecai Crow trilogy. His illustration work also includes Tim Beiser's children's book There, There and Paulette Bourgeois's book Too Many Chickens! as well as a number of other children's books.
Just Happy to See You by Shea Proulx
Just Happy to See You combines autobiographical sequential art and bizarre comedy into a psychedelic visual narrative.
When you can read it: May 24, 2024
Shea Proulx is a comic creator and painter from Calgary. She is the author of Alice at Naptime and ABC Monstrosity.
Indiginerds by Alina Pete
This graphic novel anthology celebrates modern Indigenous storytelling. Featuring an all-Indigenous creative team, Indiginerds is a collection of stories about Indigenous people balancing traditional ways of knowing with modern pop culture. It includes writing from Alina Pete, PJ Underwood, Kameron White, Rhael McGregor and more.
When you can read it: May 24, 2024
Alina Pete is a nehiyaw artist and writer from Little Pine First Nation in western Saskatchewan.
A Witch's Guide to Burning by Aminder Dhaliwal
Life as a witch can be tough. With the town relying on her magic for success, the demands keep coming in. But when a witch outlives her usefulness she is burned at the stake, taking her memories and her magic. When she is left half-burned because of a rainstorm, it's up to a witch doctor and her toad friend to help her get her magic back before it's lost forever. Viral comic creator Aminder Dhaliwal uses prose, illustrations and comics to craft a humourous allegory for burnout in A Witch's Guide to Burning.
When you can read it: May 28, 2024
Dhaliwal is a comic writer and television animator originally from Brampton, Ont. Now based in Los Angeles, Dhaliwal is a director at Disney TV Animation. Her comic series Woman World, originally published on Instagram to hundreds of thousands of followers, was released as a graphic novel in 2018. CBC Books named Dhaliwal a writer to watch in 2019.
Special Topics In Being a Parent by S. Bear Bergman
Special Topics in Being a Parent is the follow-up to Special Topics in Being Human. It is a queer guide to things the author has learned the hard way about parenting. The book offers parenting advice and wisdom, all filtered through a queer lens, to help readers navigate some of the complexities of raising children.
When you can read it: July 30, 2024
S. Bear Bergman is an author, educator and public speaker. He has documented his experience as a trans parent and writes the advice column "Asking Bear." He is also the founder and publisher of the book press Flamingo Rampant. Bergman is one of the readers for the 2024 CBC Nonfiction Prize.
Corrections
- This post has been updated to reflect the correct release date for Shout Kill Revel by Jarret Hartnell.Apr 05, 2024 3:53 PM ET
