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Ah, January, a time of fresh starts for everyone. That includes a new calendar, new resolutions to keep (or try to keep…or immediately forget about), and new graphic novels to snuggle up with on those cold winter nights.
No matter what else a new year brings, you can always look forward to great new comics. This month’s selection includes stories about cursed princesses, super-powered corgis, and half-dragon high school students. For a walk on the darker side of comics, you can indulge in anthologies from accomplished comics creators and a new manga about the dangers of technology that advances too fast for humanity to control.
It’s easy to feel a little down as the holiday season draws to a close and real life rears its often-ugly head once again. But every time of year has its own unique events and aspects to look forward to. If you can’t see them right away, then you might have to make some yourself. Even something simple like a mug of your favorite drink, playtime with the dog, or a new book can make all the difference!
Treat yourself to a little mid-winter fun with one of the fascinating titles listed below.
RuriDragon Volume One by Masaoki Shindo (Jan 7)
Being half-dragon and half-human isn’t as cool as it sounds! Ruri already has all the normal high school worries to deal with when she suddenly grows dragon horns and learns that she inherited them from her father…along with some other things that threaten to wreck Ruri’s entire year!
Firefly Wedding Volume One by Oreco Tachibana (Jan 14)
In this historical drama, terminally ill Sakoto is determined to marry well so her family will continue to flourish when she dies. But when an assassin tries to kill her, Sakoto is only able to save her own life by asking that assassin to marry her. Can she still find a way to do right by her family?
Hazel Has Her Hands Full by Nathan Fairbairn and Michele Assarasakorn (Jan 14)
The fourth entry in the PAWS series follows Hazel as she tries to accept a new client — with not one, but two cats! — without the help of her petsitting friends, who are all swamped for the summer. But when the going gets tough, Hazel will have to accept her limits and learn that asking for help isn’t always a bad thing.
Bowling with Corpses & Other Strange Tales from Lands Unknown by Mike Mignola and Dave Stewart (Jan 21)
Comics legend Mike Mignola of Hellboy fame now brings us this anthology featuring a series of eight eerie tales, each with an unsettling supernatural aspect to it. Fans of the grim and macabre (and Hellboy, obviously) will eat this collection right up.
Mr. Muffins: Defender of the Stars by Ben Kahn and Georgeo Brooks (Jan 21)
When a day out with his dog turns into an alien invasion, Reuben discovers that there is only one being in the entire cosmos that can save Earth. No, it’s not Reuben. It’s his corgi, Mr. Muffins! Can our furry hero learn how to use his superpowers in time to save us all?
Recycled Brain Part One by Takahiro Yonemura (Jan 25)
Fans of Jurassic Park will appreciate this new series, in which science has advanced enough to create mythical creatures that now populate a special zoo for humanity’s enjoyment. Naturally, there is a price to be paid, as Hayate, a park guide, and his dragon friend Vine quickly discover.
Cursed Princess Club Volume Four by LambCat (Jan 28)
Rejoin this popular webtoon as Gwen and the other unconventional princesses learn to appreciate themselves for who they are, host a fancy dinner party, and try to ignore what one of the club members, who is supposedly clairvoyant, said about one of them dying in the near future.
World Within the World by Julia Gfrörer (Jan 28)
For adults who enjoy the edgier side of comics, this collection reprints Gfrörer’s work for the first time. Her fantastical stories are frank and explicit in every sense of those words, allowing deep exploration of ordinary human feelings and faults that more traditional storytelling cannot capture.
If this isn’t enough new books for you, the New Release Index has plenty more!