Graphic

How to describe Talk to My Back, a classic collection of graphic stories by alt-manga’s feminist star, Yamada Murasaki? These tales of thwarted-ness and domestic ennui were written in the 80s, but Japan being what it is – only last month it was reported that when abortion pills are finally made available to women in the country, partner consent will still be required – their atmosphere often feels much closer to that of the 50s or early 60s. At moments, it’s almost as if Murasaki has set out to fictionalise Betty…

Calling all aspiring cartoonists and graphic novelists: entries are once again open for our graphic short story prize which, in its 15th year, has a brilliant new partner in the form of the publisher Faber, and particularly stellar guest judges in the form of the acclaimed actor and comics fan Michael Sheen (The Queen, Good Omens, Staged), and Adrian Tomine, the cartoonist famed for his New Yorker covers and the author of, among other books, Killing and Dying and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Cartoonist. The winner,…

Danica Novgorodoff’s “innovative” graphic novel adaptation of Jason Reynolds’ novel Long Way Down has won the Yoto Kate Greenaway medal, making it the first graphic novel to win the illustration prize since Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas in 1973.Meanwhile, Katya Balen has won the Yoto Carnegie medal, which celebrates outstanding achievement in children’s writing. The “expertly written” October, October was inspired by Balen’s father-in-law, who lives off-grid.Novgorodoff, a writer, graphic designer and horse wrangler…

| Dog & Hat and the Lunar Eclipse Picnic is a new early reader graphic novel from writer-artist Darin Shuler. Dog & Hat and the Lunar Eclipse Picnic follows best friends Dog (a dog) and Hat (who lives on his head and provides all kinds of advice) accompanying their pal Ant to meet her long-lost cousins on the moon. Darin Shuler received a bachelor's degree with a focus in illustration from The Evergreen State College in 2005. He has self-published several comics, including the Xeric Award-winning series Castle…

| Dave Roman of Astronaut Academy is creating a new middle grade graphic novel series called Unicorn Boy coloured by Heather Mann. The series features Brian, a very ordinary boy, who to his dismay sprouts an extraordinary unicorn horn overnight. With the help of best friend Avery, he discovers that being Unicorn Boy comes with magical power that can help those in need. The first three books of Unicorn Boy have been picked up by Calista Brill at First Second to begin publication in the autumn of 2032, with Steve Foxe as…

At the time, the Great Depression-era film "Road To Perdition" felt like a departure from Hanks' usual roles of relatable good guys. Before the film, we'd become used to seeing the actor portray lovable everymen such as Chuck Noland in "Cast Away." Instead, in "Road To Perdition," Hanks portrayed feared Irish mob enforcer Michael Sullivan, who travels on a path of revenge with his son after a horrible betrayal by his employers. The grizzled character is a more complex shade of murky gray. He's also…

Earlier this year Z2 Comics released Superstate, a graphic novel anthology written by Blur guitarist Graham Coxon, Alex Paknadel, and Hellen Mullane, featuring 15 stories illustrated by artists including Dave Chisholm, Soo Lee, Ryan Kelly, and others, all accompanied by a new original soundtrack by Coxon. Today The Beat is excited to present a full story from the graphic novel, “It’s All in your Mind,” featuring artwork by Paula Andrade and Omar Estévez. Here’s how Z2 describes Superstate: The Superstate is everywhere,…

| No Holds Bard, the funny, irreverent six-issue series that Gail Simone declared as "…brilliantly written, gorgeously illustrated. This is why I am in love with comics" is being collected into trade paperback.  published by Behemoth Comics by Eric Gladstone, artist Gabrielle M. Kari, colorist Ines Bravo, and letterer Aditya Bidikar, is a binge-worthy Shakespearean superhero story, written partially in iambic pentameter, reminiscent of Adam West's Batman TV Show, and packed full of jokes that will make one chuckle for…

Image: Paris Alleyne/DC ComicsStatic Shock was one of the more comparatively underrated superhero shows of the early 2000s, and the character’s return to the popular culture has been slow going. He and other Milestone characters are now enjoying a return in the comics space, and he’s due to theoretically receive a movie sometime in the near future. To expand his profile even further, DC bringing him over to the YA audience.DC has just announced Static: Up All Night, a graphic novel by writer Lamar Giles and artist Paris…

“Weird Al” Yankovic is one of the most beloved entertainers of the past forty years, with multiple Grammy Awards to his name and a vast library of well-known parody and original songs. Now, as Al returns to touring with The Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, the musician is also embarking into a new frontier: comics. Z2 Comics has announced The Illustrated Al: The Songs of “Weird Al” Yankovic, a new graphic novel adapting some of Yankovic’s most iconic songs. Here’s how Z2…