Keep Cool with July’s Hottest New Comics and Graphic Novels
Whether you’re in the Northern or Southern hemisphere, you’re smack dab in the middle of some of the most extreme weather of the year. Hopefully, you have found ways to stay safe and deal with the heat or the cold for the next couple of months. One useful way is to stay indoors in a controlled-temperature environment — and bring along some comics and graphic novels, of course!
As always, I’ve tried to include a healthy mix of different genres and stories for your entertainment. In this month’s list, you’ll find old classics reimagined in graphic novel form, as well as books aimed at young readers about kids learning to love their favorite games in healthy ways — a lesson that readers of all ages can surely benefit from. And, if you enjoy stories with a bit of mystery, suspense, or excitement thrown in, you’ll be well pleased with these offerings as well!
Publication dates can change at any time, so make sure you double-check the ones listed below before running off to your favorite bookstore to stock up on all the newest releases. And hey, if they have been delayed, pre-ordering is another great way to support the businesses and creators you love!
Burst Angel Volume One by Minoru Murao (July 2)
Jo and Meg go on adventures for a living — in other words, their life is way more exciting than Takeru’s, who is just a culinary student. If Takeru wants to live a more meaningful life, the kind of life that Meg and Jo are living, he’ll have to dig deep and do the right thing, no matter how much it scares him.
First Test: Protector of the Small by Tamora Pierce, Adapted by Devin Grayson and Becca Farrow (July 2)
Pierce’s beloved novel is now available in graphic novel form! From the moment the land of Tortall decreed that girls, as well as boys, could become knights, Kel knew she wanted to join that illustrious band and fight for justice no matter what. But with a misogynistic training master to contend with, Kel’s journey to knighthood will be much tougher than anyone else’s.
Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Time to Party by Molly Knox Ostertag and Xanthe Bouma (July 9)
Dive back into the adventures of Olivia and her after-school D&D group! Olivia loves the game and the friends she makes while playing it, but no campaign can stay the same indefinitely. Between new club members changing the game’s dynamics and her own sister telling her that the whole thing is just silly, can Olivia find a way to keep the magic alive?
Sainted Love Volume One: A Time to Fight by Steve Orlando and Giopota (July 9)
Mac and John are the ultimate brains-and-brawn odd couple — and they’re also two gay men trying to make a life for themselves in turn-of-the-twentieth-century New York. When Mac invents a time machine that will allow them to relocate to a more accepting era, the duo is hurled on an (adults-only) adventure that will introduce them to all of the other queer people who have found a niche for themselves in all times and places.
Battle Royale: Enforcers Volume One by Koushun Takami and Yukai Asada (July 16)
Hunger Games fans will enjoy this story about the insidious Program 68, a formerly banned and recently revived event where teenagers are handed deadly weapons and made to hunt each other down for sport. Will the latest batch of young warriors survive long enough to figure out why the program was revived, or will they fall prey to the more immediate danger: each other?
Gamerville by Johnnie Christmas (July 16)
Gamerville is THE championship for serious players like Max. Max’s parents, though, are equally serious about sending their son to a summer camp where electronics are forbidden and the only activities campers can participate in take place out of doors. Stuck far away from the game that has become his entire world, Max will have to learn how to be a good friend and citizen before he can go back to being a good gamer.
The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn, Adapted by Scott Peterson, Meredith Laxton, and Sienna Haralson (July 16)
Based on Mary Downing Hahn’s novel, this graphic adaptation follows siblings Diana and George, who enjoy a certain type of freedom as they run around the titular abandoned mansion. But they do not have the freedom to leave. Nor can they befriend Lissa, the new caretaker’s daughter. What is it that makes the old Willis place so special — and so terrifying?
Cat & Cat Adventures: The Staff of Knowledge by Susie Yi (July 23)
This adorable series continues with kitty pals Squash and Ginny trying to help their friend Magnus recover a powerful staff. All goes well at first, but when a magic spell goes awry, it’s up to Squash, Ginny, and their companions to set things right!
Want more of the latest and greatest in books? Check out the New Release Index!
