Broken Frontier

Blank Slate Books have announced a double helping of German creator Mawil's work on their schedule this month:

"Here at Blank Slate, we're so in love with Mawil's work that this month, we've decided to release not one, but two newly-translated graphic novels from the muti-award-winning German creator: The Band and Home and Away. With his English-speaking fans rapidly growing in number, this special double-header of Germany's favourite indie cartoonist provides the perfect jumping-on point for readers yet to encounter his funny and awkwardly-identifiable portrayals of growing up in pre and post-reunification Germany. And, well, a real treat for those of us already under his spell, too.

The Band

Think that obscure Norwegian noise-rock band you discovered the other day are the height of cool? Think again. Introduce yourself to 'Tine Melk', Berlin's hottest high-school act, featuring none other than Mawil's teenage self on the bass guitar.

For anyone who ever formed a band as a teenager (no matter how short lived) comes this memoir of dreams of rock stardom, enduring friendships, girls, and the elusive search for the perfect sound that can slay any audience—well, at least a school gym or church meeting hall.

A special 8-page preview of The Band is available here. **ISBN 978-1-906653-15-6 | 80 pages | Softcover with flaps, B&W | £8.99 / $12.99**

Home and Away

In this collection of short stories, Mawil takes us through his early years growing up in East Berlin and some of the changes that have occurred since the Wall came down. See him fight video-game addiction, strive to improve his first car (a much loved but clunky Skoda), and discovering the life of a graffiti artist one step behind the law. Arriving just in time for summer, the collection's centrepiece, 'Welcome Home', sees Mawil and new found friends head out on a summer holiday featuring hitch-hiking strangers, naked-yoga loving hippie chicks, and an out-of-body encounter with Mawil's inner guru.

A special 7-page preview of Home and Away is available here. **ISBN 978-1-906653-22-4 | 96 Pages | Softcover with flaps, colour & B&W | £11.99 / $15.99**

"Beautiful cartooning that captures the energy, awkwardness and freedom of youth" - Joe Matt, author of  Peepshow and Spent 

"I love Mawil's warm, lively cartooning. Utterly real, funny and adorable. I want to steal his secrets! - Scott McCloud, author of Understanding Comics

"If only Mawil was as good with the girls as he is a cartoonist then we wouldn't have these fun stories about how he isn't any good with the girls. Which is good for us readers, I guess, and if Mawil's adolescent love life had to suffer for the greater good, I'm okay with that. Thank you, Mawil!" - Jeffrey Brown, author of Clumsy and Little Things

One of Germany’s best-loved comics artists, Mawil is a four-time winner of the prestigious ICOM award for best independent comic book. Part of the influential Berlin collective Monogatari, he has carved out a reputation as one of the continent's most natural and lively cartoonists, and he can be regularly found appearing and teaching at comics festivals. His books have been translated into French, Spanish, Polish, Czech, and English. His official website can be found at www.mawil.net