Somehow we overlooked this one when it was a comic — but now it’s been collected together as a single graphic novel! It’s Star Trek: Deep Space Nine — The Dog of War, written by Mike Chen and illustrated by Angel Hernandez. “An extremely rare purebred corgi from Earth makes its way aboard Deep Space 9 when Quark cuts a deal to procure it for a high buyer. After all, a Ferengi without profit is no Ferengi at all! But Latinum the corgi comes with unexpected cargo that shakes Captain Benjamin Sisko to the core: A Borg component discovered by a crew sent to uncover Cardassian technology after the station’s reoccupation.” Check it out over at Penguin Random House.
Trade Paperback
Bound for School — But Not for Long
Another graphic novel for young readers that we stumbled across: Clementine Fox and the Great Island Adventure, written and illustrated by Leigh Luna. “Clementine is supposed to be on her way to school… but why not go out for a day of adventure and exploration instead? She recruits her friends Nubbins Squirrel and Penelope Rabbit and heads to the beach, where Jesse Otter is preparing to take his giant Turtle, Annabella, to a mysterious local island. Clementine’s great-aunt Marnie lives there — far away from math tests and tutors — so Clementine and her friends hitch a ride to the island as stowaways. What could go wrong?” Check out the preview pages over at Books of Wonder.
The Drummer and the Dogs
This one has been sitting on our to-write-about list for a while — ’bout time we got around to it! The Dog Knight is a graphic novel written by Jeremy Whitley (well-known for their involvement with various My Little Pony comics) and illustrated by Bre Indigo. “Frankie knows who they are. They’re a drummer, they’re nonbinary, and they’re… the Dog Knight? One day Frankie is a relatively normal middle schooler, with relatively normal challenges, like finding the perfect outfit to wear during their drum solo during the upcoming band concert. The next, they save a friendly golden retriever from bullies and suddenly find themselves in a giant magical doghouse, with a funny looking helmet, talking to a group of dog superheroes called the Pawtheon about a job offer. If Frankie can prove that they possess the six dog virtues of loyalty, kindness, honesty, justice, stubbornness, and smell, they will be named the Dog Knight and be given the power to fight alongside the Pawtheon and save the world from the forces of chaos. Maybe there is more to Frankie than they thought?” Look for it now from the Feiwel & Friends imprint at MacMillan Publishers.
Centaur of Attention
Centaurs is a manga series from Ablaze that we recently stumbled across, written and illustrated by Ryo Sumiyoshi. “An epic fantasy adventure set in an alternate medieval Japan, where humans co-exist with the mythic half man/half horse beasts known as centaurs, or “jinba”. The centaur race were long revered as deities in ancient times; however, with the advent of the sengoku (warring states) period, humans started to enslave and use them for military purposes due to their speed, stamina, and ability to communicate in human language. Centaurs living in the plains were rapidly subjugated; in contrast, large numbers of centaurs living deep in the mountains were still free due to their relative isolation.” See what happens when one of them is captured — and now he’s determined to escape back to his mountain home.
Eve of Resurrection?
We missed this science fiction graphic novel series, and now they’re already up to volume two! But let’s talk about Eve, written by Victor LaValle and illustrated by Jo Mi-Gyeong (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance). “When the ice caps melted, most of humanity was lost to the hidden disease that was released. Now, a mysterious girl named Eve has awoken in secret and must deal with a world that’s nothing like the virtual reality she was raised in. In order to save her father and accompanied only by Wexler, her robotic caretaker and protector sheathed in her favorite teddy bear, Eve must embark on a deadly quest across the country. Along the way, she will have to contend not only with the threats of a very real world that await her, but the lies we tell our children in the name of protecting them.” That’s a lot for one teddy bear to handle! Check out this and more volumes over at Simon & Schuster.
I’m Not Crying…
Here’s a graphic novel to tug at your heart: Missing You, written by Phellip Willian and illustrated by Melissa Garabeli. “Following the loss of their mother, Thomas and Lara find an injured deer on the side of the road. Deciding to bring it home with them, they name the deer Lion and quickly become best friends. The new woodland creature soon fills their hearts with warmth and fun, easing their mourning. But when Lion grows more and more curious about the forest beyond their house, Thomas and Lara start to wonder if the forest is where Lion truly belongs. Will they be able to say goodbye to their new friend?” You can find out now — in this trade paperback edition from Oni Press.
Meow and Now
And speaking of web-based comics coming to book form… Cat & Cat Adventures is a series written and illustrated by Susie Yi from Orange County, California. (Hi neighbor!) “Cat & Cat comics is a cozy, funny, and relatable comic series about more than just cats. Set in a world where pets and humans co-exist in a symbiotic relationship (much like the world we live in today!), Suzy is a human that can understand the mysterious language of cat-speak! Cat & Cat comics dives into the every day interactions between Suzy and her cats, but also the mysterious and magical scenarios that the cats encounter as well. From pancakes growing fluffier upon command to dogs being summoned out of a magical book, these comics are sure to surprise and pull you in for a sweet treat!” Find it on line, and look for the graphic novel series as well.
This Is One Ruff City
M. A. Kastle is a self-published author specializing in urban fantasy and horror — specifically, stories dealing with werewolves and other shapeshifters in the big city. Her series include the Cascade Wolves, the Cascade Saga, and Moonlight Territory. It’s a complex world where not only do the authorities know about the shapeshifters, but some of them actually work for the government — while others, the government is desperately trying to hunt down. Trust is hard to find on all sides, and death is seemingly waiting just around every corner. Visit the author’s web site to find out about her books, her characters, and what’s next.
They Serve and Protect
We caught up with author Janet Racciato at WonderCon, and she told us about her latest self-published fantasy series called Old Souls. The idea goes like this: “Have you ever met an animal who seemed different, who knew how to do thing that it shouldn’t? What about the news reports about wild animals saving people or entering buildings for no apparent reason? What if you learned that these animals, these Old Souls, were waging battles against the powers of darkness? This war has been raging since the beginning of time. The demons sent by Ahriman have been called abonsam, goblins… and gremlins. But while their names may have changed over time, their purpose has not. The only things stopping the creatures from causing chaos and suffering in the world are the Old Souls sent by Ahura Mazda. Now the creatures are after a little girl destined to be an instrument of the light, and a special Old Soul named Zada has been appointed to keep her safe.” Zada’s Story is available now in paperback.