As the year unfolds, the push for new ideas collides with careful attention to market reality. Even in a digital economy that strives for balance, the January rebound follows the Christmas surge with tangible momentum for retailers and readers alike.
Readings for winter days.
News from the world of comics shows a steady stream of new releases arriving at bookstores. To highlight a few noteworthy picks, a concise set of recommendations is shared here.
Absolutely surprising reads appear alongside familiar favorites. Sebastien Lumineau, a French writer known for fanzines and scattered comics, follows a private, talkative dog who acts as a candid witness to daily life. The canine narrator confronts childhood hooliganism, the shifting tensions of maturity, voyeurism, and suspense in a film noir mood. Lumineau blends ingenuity with irony and a hint of hard-edged humor, inviting readers to chart the open paths on their own. The tone may feel slightly transgressive, but it is always engaging.
Readings for winter days.
In another voice, If I were a woman, I would marry myself from editorial Confluencias continues in a substantial edition of Joann Sfar’s Notebooks. Sfar’s notebooks reveal a mind that thinks through sketches and drawings, offering more than mere preparatory notes. They present a chronological diary of thoughts, inspirations, and creations, yet also reveal fears, joys, loves, and doubts. Reading Sfar’s notebooks can resemble a quiet conversation with a friend at a café, a dialogue that lingers in the imagination as life is savored in small sips.
Readings for winter days.
The crime genre, long associated with dramatic storytelling, has found fresh territory in comics that favor noir-driven suspense with literary depth. Shattered by Isabel Ferrando and Jorge Castro from Cartem Ediciones opens a fearless investigation into a famous, tragic murder in tourist Dénia, located in Alicante’s Marina Alta. The case defies cliché with stark black-and-white art that guides readers through the investigation and invites reflections in the background. It is a compelling, atmospheric work.
A digital pre-release of a new installment in the Blackhand & Ironhead series by David López—created in collaboration with Marcos Martin and Brian K. Vaughan and published on paper by Astiberri—brings a fresh epic to life. The story centers on the superhero and supervillain sisters Alexia and Amy, delivering adventures that stay true to the canon while charging forward with a modern, kinetic energy. The ride is brisk, vivid, and highly engaging, aiming to pull readers into a rapid, exhilarating journey.
To close the list, a classic offering from Dolmen Publishing, Buzz Sawyer by Roy Crane (translated by Rafa Marín), reintroduces a forgotten gem. The collection gathers strips from the 1943 to 1945 period, illustrating a powerful blend of action, narrative clarity, and artistry. This volume stands as a touchstone for artists who would later shape the field, influencing countless creators with its synthesis of line and storytelling. It marks a significant moment in comics history and adds a resonant note to the Sin Fronteras line.