JDCĬaptivating and inventive despite its retro orientalism, Habibi is structured around relentlessly beautiful drawing and Islam-inspired calligraphy.

McNeil is one of the most imaginative and skilled artists working in comics today, and her author's notes are always enlightening. This science fiction series uses another culture to focus, in this story, on questions of gender identity and belonging, as an androgynous young woman with parents from different tribes fights for recognition from her clan. This year’s voters consisted of Chris Barsanti, Steve Bunche, Johanna Draper Carlson, Danica Davidson, Glen Downey, Bill Kartalopoulos, Dan Kois, Heidi MacDonald, Calvin Reid and Janet Weber.įinder: Voice, Carla Speed McNeil (Dark Horse)

With more than 50 picks from our critics, there’s something to explore for everyone who likes comics on the below list. Publishers Weeklys’ own critics were equally charmed by Beaton’s book-equally informed by classic New Yorker cartooning and modern superheroes-as Johanna Draper Carlson wrote “Beaton's unique work is one of the best examples of good humor being universal.”īeyond Beaton’s win-with five votes from the critics panel-the selections showed the usual exhilarating range of styles and topics, from Carla Speed McNeil’s deep-rooted fantasy Finder: Voice to Joe Ollmann’s novel of 40-something crisis, Mid Life, with stops for almost abstract meditations on life from Olivier Schrauwen and Yuichi Yokahama.

Garden by yuichi yokoyama