This batch of fantasy titles features one of the last works of Hubert Boulard, a collection of stories rooted in well-known Japanese folk tales, a mythological romance, the love child of Zelda and Conan, and a new title by the creator of the hit series Once Our Land.
A MAN'S SKIN GN
(W) Hubert (A/CA) Zanzim
Award winning fairy tale about love!
Once upon a time in Renaissance Italy, Bianca, a young lady from a good family, is of marriage age. Her parents find her a fiancé to their liking: Giovanni, a rich merchant, young and pleasant. The wedding looks set to go smoothly even though Bianca can't hide her disappointment at having to marry a man she knows nothing about.
But before the marriage, she learns the secret held and bequeathed by the women of her family for generations: a "man's skin"! By donning it, Bianca becomes "Lorenzo" and enjoys all the attributes of a young man of stunning beauty. She can now visit the world of men incognito and get to know her fiancé in his natural environment. In her male skin, Bianca frees herself from the limits imposed on women.
The morals of the Renaissance then act as a mirror to our present time and poses several questions: why should women be treated differently from men? Why should their freedom be the object of contempt and coercion?
Tackling universal themes through a captivating and subtle fairy tale, Hubert and Zanzim brilliantly question our relationship to gender and sexuality...but not only that. By mixing morality and humor, A Man's Skin invites us to the mad and noble quest for love.
This international bestselling title has already been highly awarded, including all the following: PRIX Ti ZEF DE LA BD 2020 (Festival Brest en Bulle), Grand Prix RTL de la Bande Dessinée 2020, Prix Landerneau BD 2020, Prix Wolinski de la BD du " Point " 2020, Grand Prix de la critique ACBD (Association des Critiques et journalistes de Bande Dessinée) 2021, Prix des Libraires Canal BD 2021, Fauve de Lycéens (Angoulême 2021.
JUN211127
Why this caught my eye:
I utterly love Hubert's Ogre Gods series, so I'm down to check out whatever works make their way over to us these days as he unfortunately passed away in 2020.
NEVER OPEN IT THE TABOO TRILOGY GN
(W) Ken Niimura (A) Ken Niimura
Never Open It: The Taboo Trilogy is a collection of three stories from Ken Niimura that are rooted in well-known Japanese folk tales, such as Urashima Taro and The Crane Wife. Each story delves into the concept of the taboo, asking questions such as "Why are these rules meant to be followed?" and "Who and why sets these rules?" Taking inspiration from the Japanese folk tales told to Ken Niimura as a child and combining them with his unique and captivating art style, Never Open It: The Taboo Trilogy is a must read graphic novel for fans of beautiful literary comics.
AUG212255
Why this caught my eye:
The preview pages look fantastic and I love stories that explore folk tales.
PERSEPHONE HADES TORMENT GN
(W) Allison Shaw (A) Allison Shaw
In this sexy, full-color graphic novel romance first released as a webcomic, desire blooms in the goddess of the harvest when she meets the ruler of the underworld. According to the ancient legend, the Lord of the Dead kidnapped the innocent daughter of Demeter-or did he? The truth is, Persephone is no damsel in distress, but a spirited young lady with an overbearing mother. A failed scheme by Apollo leads Persephone to a chance encounter with the mysterious and handsome Hades, who is struck by love's arrow. Now Hades must wrestle with his aching heart before he loses total control of his feelings, but desire is raging inside Persephone herself.
SEP212114
Why this caught my eye:
I generally don't care for Greek mythology, but I love Shaw's art and I think her approach makes the subject matter much more engaging for me.
KNIGHT JANEK #1
(W) Robert Sienicki, Jan Mazur (A) Spell (A/CA) Igor Wolski
What if Zelda and Conan had a child? The answer is Knight Janek. Things are not going well in the realm of Fancylake. The royal couple falls a victim of a fatal accident, and the fresh new Duke shows a disturbing passion for the occult. As if that were not enough, a strange wanderer arrives in the capital...
OCT211329
Why this caught my eye:
The preview pages look like a lot of fun, and I've just been more in the mood for comedy/fantasy/adventure mash-ups.
A KINGS VENGEANCE #1
(W) Peter Ricq, Davilla LeBlanc (A/CA) Peter Ricq
A vexed warrior who was once a loving father and husband is brought back to life 25 years later and proceeds to avenge himself on the demons responsible. From the creator of the hit Scout series Once Our Land, get this awesome new first issue! OCT211710
Why this caught my eye:
I've been dragging my feet on checking out Ricq's Once Our Land, but checking out his art and the pitch for this story makes me want to catch up.
That's it for this batch, we'll hit non-fiction on the next round!