One of the most common ways to provide readers with fast information is by changing the shape of the bubble. A cloud shape denotes internal thoughts rather than dialogue, while spikes show that the words within are especially loud, angry, or surprised. Here’s an example of both from Justice League of America #104:

Speech bubbles may also be shaped differently when a machine or supernatural being is speaking, to further distinguish them from the “normal” characters. Check out this panel from Avengers #5. The bubble’s color and shape are unique to the Vision, a holographic projection of an android.

The amazing thing is that speech bubbles manage to convey so much information without readers even realizing it. Most of us are so familiar with them, whether from comic books, comic strips, or illustrations in children’s books, that we don’t have to consciously think, “Oh, this speech bubble means the character is shouting,” or “This one means they’re annoyed.” It isn’t until the creators start getting a little fancy that readers will really look at them.

For example, in Cahill and Baumann’s The Golden Voice, the color of the bubbles seamlessly indicates the language the characters are speaking (Khmer is white, English is yellow) without interrupting the narrative to point out the shifts.

Here’s another excellent example from a pivotal moment in McClaren and Bell’s Crumble. The main character is feeling small, so her bubble is as well. The tail is long and wobbly, representing how unsteady she feels. This leaves her surrounded by white space and her own grief.

One of my favorite examples of creative speech bubble usage is from Jim Terry’s Come Home, Indio. Over the course of six panels, the bubbles, as well as the text and the background, deteriorate in tandem with the main character’s mental state.

This is just a small sample of the many and varied ways that inventive creators can deliver a great deal of information with just a line and a splash of ink. So the next time you pick up a comic, take a moment to appreciate all that the humble speech bubble–from your standard round one to all its wild variations–has done to improve readability and the reading experience!

Spend even more time with the wonders of comics by checking out why the One Piece flag has been popping up at protests, how superhero comics have depicted Latin America, and considering the ways and hows of shelving comics.

News From DC and Marvel

• Lauded artist Jock is now working on the film Dynamic Duo, which will use “a mix of animation, puppetry, and CGI” to tell the story of Batman’s first two Robins. Well, color me intrigued! Alas, we have to wait until June 2028 to see the fruits of the creative team’s labors.
• An auction of classic TV memorabilia saw Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman costume go for $225,000, but the real stars of the show were the costumes from the ’60s Batman series, which collectively sold for nearly $1 million — a little out of my price range!
• Sports and superheroes: a match made in merchandising heaven? The NBA and NFL seem to think so, as they are releasing Spider-Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles merch, respectively.
• There is currently an effort underway to rename a New York City street after Jack Kirby, who grew up in the city and used his upbringing as inspiration in his comics work (see: the Yancy Street Gang). Let’s hope they can make it across the finish line!
• Fantastic Four: First Steps is now streaming on Disney+.
• Colin Farrell is super excited about the script for The Batman II.
• Former Batman Michael Keaton was one of the first ten people to receive a star on Pittsburgh’s Walk of Fame — and he took the opportunity to speak in support of immigrants in his hometown.
• Among the characters you can see at Disneyland over the holiday season is Deadpool, host of The Story Time With Deadpool Holiday Special — and Wolverine too, if you’re lucky.

News From the Wider Comics World

• Among Barnes & Noble’s Best Books of 2025 are several graphic novels and GN-adjacent titles, including J vs. K by Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft and Scarlet Morning by N.D. Stevenson.
• My Hero Academia creator Kōhei Horikoshi is reportedly heavily involved in the live-action film adaptation of his work. A release date has not been announced yet, but you can enjoy the final season of the anime series on Netflix now.
• Fans of G.I. Joe and Transformers, particularly Robert Kirkman’s version, can look forward to Energon Universe, an upcoming animated series based on the best-selling crossover comic book line of the same name. For adults only!
• Charles Burns’ Black Hole is also set to become a TV show, this one from Netflix and presumably live-action. That said, people have tried and failed to adapt this series before, so perhaps we should wait and see…
• …and speaking of adaptations, Something Is Killing the Children is getting an animated series that (do I even have to say it?) is definitely not kid-friendly.
• The Chainsaw Man animated film was released.
• The results of the 2025 Ringo Awards were announced at Baltimore Comic Con. Congrats to all the winners!
• Want more awards? You can now vote for your favorites in this year’s Tripwire Awards! Voting remains open through November 18.
• Here at Book Riot, Kelly Jensen rounded up some great new YA comics released in October.

It’s not a surprise then that wordless comics are continuing to grow in numbers and grow in critical and audience acclaim. Comics already provide readers a unique storytelling medium that puts to work several types of literacy. Removing the words from those comics and inviting the reader to understand the story through their own lens further taps into critical literacy skills.

Of course, it’s not solely about literacy skills. Wordless picture books tell damn good stories in their own right. They can be entertaining, frightening, or humorous and sometimes, they’re all three simultaneously.

Wordless comics shouldn’t be confused with picture books. There can be some crossover, including in audience, but wordless comics are a different medium and format than picture books written and designed with children in mind. Wordless comics are a bit like animated shows: certainly, they can appeal to young people, but they’re meant to challenge adults in rethinking their perceptions of what art and illustration can do. The recommendations here include books for young readers as well as books intended for adults.

As part of the 2025 Read Harder Challenge, we’ve developed a task that invites book lovers to try their hands at a wordless comic (or to pick up a new-to-them title if this format is one they’re already familiar with). This is the 23rd task of the year and as we round the corner on this year’s tasks meant to expand your reading world, let’s have some fun with excellent and provocative wordless comics.

It’s worth noting that not every single one of these wordless comics will be entirely without text. A couple of them pepper text in a tiny bit, but they still count. This is an emerging category of comics, meaning this list is not expansive. But it grows bit by bit every year. Getting your paws on some now will put you ahead of the curve as we see more and more hit shelves.

Thought-Provoking Wordless Comics

The Arrival by Shaun Tan A man gives his wife and daughter one last kiss before climbing aboard a ship. He’ll travel across the ocean without his family in order to find a new place for his them to move and build a new, better life. Tan’s wordless graphic novel explores the highs, lows, unknowns, fears, and joys entangled in the immigrant experience. Many readers consider this the GOAT of wordless comics.

Crushing by Sophie Burrows Burrows’s book is a beautiful and gentle comic about modern loneliness and what it means to yearn for connection. Burrows uses a limited and soft color palette to show two young people in a bustling city who feel completely alone, despite the noise and crowds around. Ultimately, they have a chance meeting that turns humorous, allowing the two of them to connect in a really wonderful and resonant way. This is a timely book, with a powerful look at what it means to be alone…and what it means to be lonely.

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A young witch must reconcile her freedom and her family duties in Muted: Volume 2, based on the hit Webtoon series! With her magical powers unlocked, Camille struggles between her freedom and her family obligations. Can she work through past demons and face new dangers—and a charming new love—to embrace the beauty of her witchy magic? The follow-up to Muted: Volume 1, based on the hit Webtoon series!

I’ve loved comics ever since I read my first X-Men run as a kid, but even I know just how intimidating it can be to jump into the world of comics and graphic novels. There are so many series that have been going on for so long. That can make it really confusing to figure out where to start or what to even start with. There’s a vast world of excellent standalone graphic novels out there that might pique your interest, but if you want to get started with longer, ongoing comics series, you might need a little more guidance. Or at least some ideas of where to start. I mean, you want to read the best of the best, right?

Whether you’re a burgeoning comics reader or a longtime fan, these ongoing comics series are worth catching up with. Some have been running for years and already have dozens of volumes collecting their many issues, while others are just getting started. Whichever you choose, I promise you can’t go wrong with these incredible ongoing comics series. They’re all just that good.

Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda One of my all-time favorite graphic novel series, Monstress, is an absolute must-read for anyone wanting to get more into the world of comics. Between the detailed worldbuilding from Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda’s lush Art Deco-inspired illustrations, this series sweeps you away from the very first page. It is always one of my most highly anticipated comic book releases every year. I’ve got a whole section of my bookshelves dedicated to Monstress. That’s how good it is.

Cosmoknights by Hannah Templer If starting a long-established comic book series intimidates you, why not try one with only two volumes out so far? Cosmoknights is a delightful medieval-inspired space romp following a group of mech-fighting outlaws trying to unravel the patriarchal princess fights that determine the fates of people and planets across the galaxy. How? They’re winning them and upending the system from the inside out. With the third volume currently in development, it’s the perfect time to jump on board this great indie comic!

The Power Fantasy by Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard The superpowers that be, a collection of incredibly powerful beings from Earth and beyond, have a tentative truce. They know that any conflict between them would end in mutually assured destruction. It’s the only thing keeping them in check—mostly. After all, the majority of Europe is gone now after one superpower went rogue. Some humans fear them. Some want to be them. But even the superpowers know they’re Earth’s only hope—and its worst nightmare. The Power Fantasy is X-Men meets The Wicked and the Divine for anyone tired of the same old superhero stories. Start reading it now, because this series is only going to get bigger and better.

Saga by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples I’m not gonna surprise any comic aficionados with this one, but it’s on all the lists for a reason. That reason, if you’re wondering, is because it’s a fantasy space opera for the ages, reminiscent of greats like Star Wars and Dune, but with its own unique take on the weird world of aliens. Told from the perspective of the girl born (graphically) in its very first pages, Saga recounts the wild adventures of a couple whose very existence threatens the ongoing war between their two planets. It’s a dark, bawdy series very much intended for adult sci-fi-loving audiences, and you’ll have plenty of it to read with 12 volumes collected so far and 72 issues released.

Kaiju No. 8 by Naoya Matsumoto Love kaiju or want to start reading an ongoing manga series, but don’t know where to start? Kaiju No. 8 is just what you need. The comic follows the Japan Defense Force, Japan’s elite kaiju fighting force. When Kafka Hibino, a man who’s long dreamed of joining the force, undergoes a transformation that turns him into a kaiju, how will he be able to fight back against the very sort of monster he’s become? Especially when the Japan Defense Force adds him to their list—but as Kaiju No. 8, targeted for extermination. There are 16 books of Kaiju No. 8 in total with the 15th being released in English from Viz Media next year. So if you want a series that is pretty much complete (just not fully available in English yet), you won’t have to wait very long for this one.

Kamudo by Akira Himekawa Want to get on board with a great new comic still in its early days? This Miyazaki-esque comic series only has one volume out so far with another set to come out next year. In the floating paradise of Hinoaruchi, a pre-human society ruled by demi-beings and watched over by dragons, the first human is born, fulfilling a long-awaited prophecy. Kamuna is a human boy with the hand of a dragon. His existence brings everything into question, with everyone wondering whether his presence will bring about salvation or annihilation.

Another great place to get started with comics? Read the award winners like the 2025 Harvey Award Winners and these 20 award winning graphic novels. Or you might consider some of the best science fiction and fantasy comics of all time.

Some consider Twilight a tragic lost opportunity, an orphaned masterwork that would have altered the course of DC history as we know it.

Is it, though? Let’s take a look.

Content warnings below for incest, outdated terminology, and general unpleasantness.

The Plot

Very basically, the Time Trapper creates a time warp approximately 30 years from the present day, within which multiple possible futures are made. The story focuses on one particular future, where societal collapse has left costumed heroes as the only source of stability, such as it is.

The heroes responded to this by separating into various houses. The most important of those houses are the House of Steel and the House of Thunder. These two are preparing to unite through the marriage of Superboy and Mary Marvel Junior, much to the weaker houses’ dismay.

Amidst all this, John Constantine is running around and playing the various sides off each other. This results in a massive battle in which everyone either dies or is exiled to space.

The Good

Based on that brief synopsis alone, the story really does sound interesting. It’s also somewhat reminiscent of Mark Waid and Alex Ross’s classic Kingdom Come, published some 10 years later. While I’m not generally a fan of very dark stories, this one would not necessarily have come to pass; it’s just one of many possible futures that the present-day heroes could or could not choose to work towards averting.

That’s something else to like about Twilight. According to Moore, the effect on DC’s other books would have depended entirely on each creator’s willingness to participate. “If they choose to involve themselves actively in the crossover, then that’s fine. If they refuse to do so, then the very act of refusing to do anything about the crossover also becomes part of the overall storyline,” Moore explained in his proposal.

Each character would be informed about the possible future. The creators who wanted to participate would have their characters actively try to stop the catastrophe. Those who didn’t want to participate would have their characters dismiss the warning, which in and of itself has implications for whether or not the catastrophe comes to pass. As someone tired of seeing series I like get hijacked by event comics I don’t care about, this sounds like an excellent workaround!

Moore even seems to predict the rise of the billion-dollar superhero blockbuster. When discussing a possible screen adaptation of Twilight (big thinker, our Mr. Moore), he wrote:

[S]hould anyone see any potential in the ultimate superhero movie, bearing in mind that DC currently owns almost all of the really important superhero icons imprinted on the mass consciousness and could thus perhaps come up with something that legitimately laid claim to that title, then it will be simple to detach the central idea from the off-putting clutter…[T]he Twilight story line could be presented as a spectacular and epic finale to the whole essential superhero dream.

Swap out “DC” for “Marvel,” and you’re basically describing films like Avengers: Endgame.

The Bad

The characterization is…questionable.

Obviously, allowances must be made. This is an apocalyptic future, with all of the trauma and upheaval that implies. So while I personally might not want to see my favorite characters develop tyrannical tendencies or “lack […] compassion and understanding” (as Moore describes the future Nightwing), such changes don’t necessarily indicate a problem.

But I REFUSE to believe that Wonder Woman would become so enamored of patriarchy that she would change her name to Superwoman upon marrying Superman. If anything, Superman should be changing his name, since she’s royalty and he’s just some guy.

Moore also succumbs to the urge to take deliberately silly or fun characters and make them as dark and/or grotesque as possible. I’m not going to discuss that further, though, because I’d rather tell you about Blackhawk, erstwhile leader of the Blackhawk squadron of World War II fighter pilots.

After losing his legs and his entire team, Blackhawk spends his days cruising gay bars and picking out young men to populate a new team of “vicious leather-queen Blackhawks,” a phrase so ludicrous that I felt it burn its way into my psyche the minute I read it.

The Ugly

Remember how I mentioned the marriage of Superboy and Mary Marvel Junior? Would you like to know who Mary’s parents are?

Mary Marvel Junior is the daughter of Captain Marvel/Shazam and Mary Marvel.

In case you didn’t know, Cap and Mary are, in their civilian identities, twin siblings.

Aside from being weird and gross, this poses a problem for the story’s big twist. It turns out Captain Marvel died before the story began when, as Billy Batson, he was killed after soliciting a “six-foot-six-tall call girl into heavy bondage,” who turned out to be Martian Manhunter, who then disguised himself as Cap and has been him ever since.

Why is this a problem, beyond all the obvious ways it is a problem? The reason is stupid, so hold on.

According to Moore, Batson’s mind aged normally, while his body remained that of a 10-year-old. The resulting sexual frustration drove him “quietly… well, bats, I suppose” and caused him to start experimenting with sadomasochism, hence the trip to the six-foot-six sex worker who was Martian Manhunter.

If all that’s true, how does Mary Marvel Junior exist? Clearly, he’s functional in some capacity, if only as Captain Marvel. Is the implication that Captain Marvel and Billy Batson are two separate people with no shared memories? While that would make the marriage marginally less icky, that’s not how the Marvels’ powers work. Moore should be aware of this, as he mentions reading an outline of the contemporaneous miniseries Legends, which prominently features Captain Marvel.

Bizarrely, Moore does not refer to the fact that he has put two of DC’s characters in an incestuous relationship, even though it really needs explaining.

The Verdict?

Online sources attribute Twilight‘s cancellation/rejection to the various disagreements Moore and DC had around that time. The End of Eras blames the story’s high body count, which the editor-in-chief apparently found uncomfortable.

Either way, if the proposal had been accepted, it seems likely that Moore and others would have made changes. Maybe some of the more problematic elements would have been smoothed out. Or perhaps they would have remained to mar an otherwise intriguing story. Or maybe DC would have found a way to make it worse. There’s no way to know.

Because there’s no way to know, I find it hard to be enthusiastic about it. So much of Twilight has poorly aged or is just plain bad that one’s ability to see genius in it depends entirely on how much one trusts Alan Moore.

If you want to make up your own mind and have some time to kill, the whole proposal is probably still kicking around the internet, or you can watch this hour-long, semi-animated narration of the plot-related parts that Tom Scioli did in 2022. He cut the phrase “vicious leather-queen Blackhawks,” though. Probably for the best.

If My Little Pony hasn’t been part of your life, then comics will be a perfect introduction to this magical, pony-filled world.

“At its core, My Little Pony has always been about the power of storytelling — stories that inspire friendship, kindness, and confidence across generations,” said Marianne James, Senior Vice President of Global Licensing at Hasbro. “Together with BOOM! Studios, we’re building on that legacy with new tales that celebrate everything fans have loved about the brand and invite new readers everywhere to share in its magic.”

The new My Little Pony comics will begin to release in late 2026. BOOM!’s Direct Reserve will begin to launch fancy repackaging of previous My Little Pony comics on Kickstarter in early 2026, much as they are doing with the sparkly editions of Jem and the Holograms, this year.

My Little Pony was created in 1982 and follows talking horses in the world of Equestria. It ran for two seasons, with a one season revival in 1992 dubbed My Little Pony Tales. In 2010, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic brought the ponies back to television, where it gained a tremendous fan base and ran for nine seasons.

“My Little Pony has been a brand synonymous with friendship and adventure,” said Michael Kelly, Publisher of BOOM! Studios. “Creating new adventures for the Mane 6 within the Friendship is Magic continuity is as exciting for all of us here as it will be for the fans.”

BOOM! Studios has been scooping up the licensing rights to several classic childhood favorites in recent history. A month ago, they shared their acquisition of the previously-mentioned Jem and the Holograms, and that Kickstarter is already at $64,000. BOOM! Studios also has the rights to Power Rangers.

Keep up with the latest on BOOM! Studios’s plans for My Little Pony and more on their website. By following BOOM! Studios on Kickstarter, you can also get in on their campaigns the moment they drop.

Keep up with all the latest book news by signing up for the Book Riot Newsletter.

Well, it’s taken ten months and/or ten decades, but we’ve almost reached the end of another year. As the calendar winds down, take a few minutes to enjoy the latest comic books and graphic novels. This month’s new releases list includes print versions of popular webtoons and webcomics, adaptations and expansions of stories from other media, and a whole lot of sweet romantic adventures to boot.

November is often seen as a time of looking back, assessing the year, and expressing gratitude for the good things that have happened. But don’t lose sight of all the great stuff happening in the future too, whether you are looking forward to the holidays, a fresh start, or just a few hours with a brand new story.

Do Women Need Sex Entertainment? by Yachinatsu and Sono Yoshioka (Nov 11) Trying to juggle a career and romantic prospects is no mean feat in this hectic world of ours. This light-hearted manga follows a working girl who is just trying to have it all. And is that really so much to ask?

All access members continue below for the best new comics, graphic novels, and manga coming out in November

These famous words are far more than just the cornerstone of Spider-Man’s ethos. As with so many other quotes from Marvel Comics, it has become a universal truth that guides people in their own lives. From the moment Stan Lee and Jack Kirby cocreated the Fantastic Four in 1961, Marvel Comics embarked on an incredible journey that led Marvel to become a leading force in pop culture. The unforgettable quotes from Marvel’s sprawling worlds and characters will resonate across generations. Avenger’s Assemble!

I love comics as much as the next nerd, truly. I’ve been reading them since I was 12, and I still pinch myself that I live in a world where Thanos and Deadpool are household names. I don’t only read comics, though. The vast majority of my reading time is spent elbow-deep in prose books. But that doesn’t mean my love of comics is far from my mind. When I hear about a great prose book that also leans into my love of comics? You know I’m there.

I know I’m not alone. Superheroes don’t just belong on the glossy pages of comics, after all. Great comic book stories can be found in any medium, as the huge success of comic book movies have shown us. If you’re wondering what some of the best books are for comics lovers, then I’ve got the list for you.

Some of these are very superhero–or supervillain–centric. Some of these are focused on comic book creators. But one thing that all of these books capture is that particular over-the-top, but still very human element we all love about comic books.

Here are seven of the best books for comics lovers.

All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens What happens when a long-time villain decides he wants to switch sides? Well, besides doing hero stuff, he needs a rebrand. So, Rolland decides to hire Vanessa to give him a heroic makeover. Part of that package? Vanessa pretends to be Rolland’s public love interest. But as another supervillain tries Rolland’s last villainous nerve, Vanessa finds herself both in the crosshairs and actually falling for Rolland.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon This book is so good that it won the Pulitzer Prize. Kavalier and Clay focuses on the titular Joe Kavalier and Sammy Clay. As Hitler begins his invasion of Europe, these Jewish cousins find refuge in America and in creating comic books, all while trying to save enough money to bring their families over from Europe. Despite the success of their comics, though, life is much harder, particularly with their Jewish families brutalized across the ocean.

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer When you have a family to take care of, you gotta do what you gotta do to pay the bills. For Evie, that means working as an assistant after an encounter with a notorious villain. While she’s getting used to severed heads and other villainous horrors, she’s also falling for her evil and hot boss. But something is amiss. Someone in the organization is a betrayer, and Evie is determined to root it out.

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots Anna’s job is pretty boring. All spreadsheets and data, even if it’s as a temp for villains. But after an encounter with a hero leaves her terribly injured, she gets laid off. She also starts to do what she does best with data. She soon discovers that the only real difference between heroes and villains is marketing. So she puts her boring talents to work, soon becoming the most in-demand villainous lieutenant in the business.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi Charlie is a divorced substitute teacher. He lives alone with just a cat. His siblings want to sell the house he lives in. When Charlie’s uncle dies and leaves him the family business, it seems like a boon. Except the family business is supervillainy, complete with a volcano island lair. Oh, and Charlie’s uncle had enemies. Big, bad, super-rich supervillain enemies. Maybe if Charlie wants to survive, he needs to become the ultimate villain himself?

We Could be Heroes by Mike Chen Jamie and Zoe both have gaps in their memories, but they also have powers. Jamie can read and erase memories. Handy for robbing banks to buy cat food. Zoe has super speed and strength, useful skills for delivering food and occasionally beating up bad guys. When they both attend a support group for memory loss, they find common ground despite their rivalry. They also realize that to find the secrets of their pasts, they might actually need each other.

The Young Elites by Marie Lu Not strictly about superheroes, this series starter really captures the feel of so many great superhero team comics. Adelina has been cast out of her family after a blood plague. After all, the powers of those survivors are feared. Adelina finally finds a home with a group of other survivors, dubbed the Young Elites. But they’re more than just a group of survivors, they fight monsters together.

Of course, there are also plenty of novelization of comic book stories and how-to guides about comics. Want some superhero books and novels for comic lovers? We’ve got you. Biographies about comic book creators? We’ve got you there, too.

What is Diamond Comics? Founded in 1982, Diamond is a distributor primarily of comics and graphic novels, but also other geeky pop culture stuff, like toys, games, and clothing. Diamond grew rapidly in the 80’s and 90’s, buying out other distributors to corner an ever-larger slice of the comics pie. In 1996, they acquired their main rival, Capital City Distribution, and by 1997, they had signed exclusive deals with Marvel and DC, as well as other larger indies like Image and Dark Horse.

There is, of course, a word for when there’s only one company providing a service: monopoly. The Department of Justice actually launched an antitrust investigation in 1997, but the investigation was closed three years later, with the DoJ determining that while Diamond had a monopoly on comics distribution, it didn’t have a monopoly on books distribution…which, of course, no one was claiming they did. Alas.

Diamond became very much a bogeyman of the industry. Shrinking sales and the failure to reach new readers, particularly young readers, was blamed partially on the fact that kids simply couldn’t access comics—at least, not the affordable, bite-sized floppy kind—anywhere but comic book stores, which had developed a reputation for being hostile, racist, sexist, and generally gatekeepery. Retailers complained about having to work with Diamond, but had no other option if they wanted to carry…well, anything.

And then the pandemic happened. Like almost everyone else, Diamond shut down their services, shipping no comics between April 1 and May 20, 2020. Less than a month later, DC and Diamond parted ways, with DC announcing that they would now be distributing their comics via UCS Comic Distributors and Lunar Distribution, and their books via Penguin Random House. They cited the need to grow their audience as a reason for the change: “The change of direction is in line with DC’s overall strategic vision intended to improve the health of, and strengthen, the Direct Market [sales to comic book shops] as well as grow the number of fans who read comics worldwide.”

The following year, Marvel followed suit, moving both comics and books distribution to Penguin Random House. Considering that DC and Marvel together comprise about 60% of the industry’s entire market share, this was bad news for Diamond, which continued to bleed clients.

This January, Diamond filed for bankruptcy. This was followed by a bonkers succession of legal twists and turns as various buyers stepped forward—and then stepped back. Meanwhile, Diamond decided to just…liquidate their inventory without paying publishers. Nearly 130 publishers, some of whom they owed over a million dollars to.

The legal details are still being hammered out, but what does this mean for you, the comics reader? Well, DC and Marvel will be just fine, with their new distribution deals and massive parent companies. But the small publishers are struggling. Some are crowdfunding; others are in danger of not being able to pay their employees. They will probably never see what they are owed by Diamond.

Diamond was unquestionably a monopoly, and it needed to go. But its death throes are showcasing one of the reasons why a monopoly is bad that we don’t often hear about: that when one goes down for unpredictable reasons, like a global pandemic, it risks destroying everyone who was forced into depending on it.

If there’s a comic you love that’s being published by a smaller press, I urge you to take a look at that company’s website and see if they need support. Preorder some books, or throw a few bucks at a Kickstarter. Small presses are where innovation happens and careers get started, and if we want a healthy industry, we want these companies to survive.

Paranormal romance manga offers so many exciting things. Not only magic and supernatural creatures, but also a level of danger that ups the stakes higher than ever before. One thing that I think many paranormal fans will agree on is that it’s interesting to see a story take place in a setting not far from ours that takes on myths, legends, magic, and characters who have powers. It really makes you question if the story could happen in real life.

The following paranormal romance manga deliver magnificent stories with heart-warming and thrilling romances that you can picture happening in our world.

My Happy Marriage by Akumi Agitogi This Cinderella story takes us to Meiji-era Japan, where we meet Miyo, the mistreated daughter of the Saimori household. Soon, she is sent off to become the bride of Kyoka Kudo, one of the most powerful men in the land, not only because of his family, but also because of the supernatural powers he holds. If you’ve been wanting to read a sweet and emotional historical paranormal romance manga with elements like magic and supernatural creatures you don’t expect, definitely give this a read!

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