A return in 2026 for BF’s Staff Picks feature where members of the team give a monthly overview of recommended new releases, designed to spotlight just a few key releases that appeal to us. This is not, then, intended as a comprehensive, exhaustive or extensive round-up but rather to point you in the direction of some top projects that caught the eyes of BF contributors. Please also remember these aren’t intended as reviews and full coverage of the comics/books below may follow in due course!
Comic of the Month
First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth (Oni Press)
We first previewed this graphic biography last Summer here at Broken Frontier. It’s a book that looks to chart “the incredible journey and relentless courage of activist Opal Lee—known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth—to bring recognition of American Emancipation from local advocacy to state capitols all the way to the White House.”
Written by Angélique Roché and illustrated by a trio of artists that includes 2025 Broken Frontier Award-winning Bex Glendining, Alvin Epps and Millicent Monroe this is the kind of comics work that could not be more vitally important in 2026. Look for an upcoming review at BF very soon.
– Andy Oliver
Love and Rockets #1 (1982) Facsimile Edition (Fantagraphics Books)
In celebration of their 50th anniversary Fantagraphics Books is issuing reprints of some of their key titles over the decades. Love and Rockets #1 is an upscaled repackaging of Gilbert, Jaime, and Mario Hernandez’ self-published comic of the same name. Jaime’s ‘Mechanics’ and ‘Locas’ features debut, not quite fully formed artistically, but shining brightly, nonetheless. Gilbert’s long-form science fiction epic ‘BEM’, stars a beta-version of his famous Luba character. See the not so humble beginnings of one of the most venerable titles in independent comics history.
– Gary Usher
All the Living (Fantagraphics Underground)
The premise of All the Living by Roman Muradov certainly grabbed this reviewer’s attention. Set in Purgatory, a woman awakens, and is compelled to take part in a lottery, which she wins. The prize? To return to the world of the living! There’s just one problem – she’s very done with life. Tempted by the caveat of being able to communicate with ghosts, our protagonist claims her prize. Living with a ghost certainly has its advantages, life being less dull for one – but you really shouldn’t mix the spectral and pleasure…
The pencil illustrations in this one look set to build on the feelings of isolation and darkness, though moments of humour and even sensuality are promised throughout! Consider me intrigued…
– Lydia Turner
Emmie Arbel: The Colour of Memory (SelfMadeHero)
Barbara Yelin is no stranger to the reviews section at Broken Frontier with Tom Murphy reviewing her Irmina here at BF a decade ago and Rebecca Burke covering The Summer of Her Life in 2020. Not too long ago publisher SelfMadeHero brought us Adieu to Birkenau, a graphic biography based on first-hand witness to the atrocities of the Holocaust and, similarly, Yelin has worked closely with her subject to create another hugely important testimony in comics form. Having lived through the ordeal of the concentration camps Emmie Arbel is described as having “transformed her childhood survival into a lifelong mission to stand against any such other horrors.” This book will no doubt bring her story to a whole new audience of readers.
– Andy Oliver
The Woodchipper (Drawn & Quarterly)
For those familiar with [Joe Ollmann’s] work, this is an unmissable addition. The five stories do what the best short fiction aspires to in prose, something Ollmann effortlessly pulls off through his panels. For those considering reading him for the first time, this is as great a place to dip your toes into as any.
One can read The Woodchipper, put it aside, then read it again to discover something new. It is undeniably interesting, very readable, and highly recommended. (Read Lindsay Pereira’s full review here at BF.)
– Lindsay Pereira
Romo the Wolfboy (SelfMadeHero)
ILYA’s Romo the Wolfboy has an instantly appealing premise: “Romo, rumoured to be a wolf boy taken from the wild, and a young stagehand named Francis are the two newest members of Blimey O’Riley’s Travelling Circus. Together they will become Criminologists Extraordinaire, Specialists in the Paranormal – but this is only their first adventure…”
The preview art for this looks gorgeous with a muted colour palette that roots it in a sepia-tinted past. ILYA’s back catalogue of work has spanned multiple publishers and genres over the decades so you just know this will be worth checking out this month.
– Andy Oliver
Tortured Hearts #1 (Oni Press)
That’s certainly an eye-catching cover from Dustin Weaver on the latest project from Oni Press’s EC Comics revival! This one-shot ties into Valentine’s Day with a number of new dark romance comics short stories and one remastered reprint from the classic EC era.
These books provide that all too rare thing in serial comics publishing – fully accessible, self-contained issues. Whatever your feelings about the EC brand being applied to contemporary comics output, this line has been highly entertaining to date. This special is a great jumping-on point for those yet to sample the books.
– Andy Oliver
