Fourth Dimensional

I have been meaning to pick up a couple of books from Cosmic Lion Productions, and with some extra money in my pocket from holiday gifts I got what was available from the series Fourth Dimensional, a graphic novel and two giant-size comic books (the first two installments of the three-part Seal Your Heart). The main story focuses on two characters, Ava a 19-year-old woman who should be thinking of applying to college after high school but is yearning for something else, and Mon, a super-powered fugitive from another dimension. 

Mon's presence cast an entirely different light onto Ava's life, and together the duo get swept up in the tide created by other Light Dwellers from the fourth dimension that disrupt human life on Earth. Plus, there are also a couple of beings who are hunting Mon and want to bring him back home.

The artwork and character designs in these books are outstanding, and they are what drew me in from the onset. What I also liked about this work was that it jumped into the narrative with both feet, not taking much time on exposition or world-building that detracted from the plot. Because of that, there were a couple of places where I got a little lost by what was going on because of vague background or unclear pacing (especially in the early pages of the first book, Summer of Fun), but these moments were few. Additionally, Summer of Fun is more episodic and choppy whereas Seal Your Heart is more of an extended, cohesive story. It is fun and refreshing to see the comics work develop and grow over the course of these books, and the second story arc is really picking up steam. I feel like I am getting in on the ground floor of something really special. 

These books' creator is Seraji, a recent graduate of the IDEA School of Design at Capilano University. In addition to this independent series, he has also worked for DC Comics, notably on the Ringo Award-winning series, Nothing Butt Nightwing and Jon Kent: This Internship Is My Kryptonite. He speaks about his work on Fourth Dimensional in this interview.

I was not able to find many reviews of these books, only two of the first one, but they were positive. I agree with Sean Kleefeld who wrote, "I think it's a worth a look if you want a fun, light sci-fi romp." Sewer Mutant opined, "I love the art in this and enjoyed the breath of fresh air this provided."

Fourth Dimensional was published by Cosmic Lion Productions, and they offer previews and more information about the series here. 

 

Let's Make Ramen! A Comic Book Cookbook

I got Let's Make Ramen! for Christmas, and this beautifully drawn book is gorgeous and chock full of umami goodness. The first quarter is a historical introduction to this delicious combination of broth, noodles, and various ingredients. It goes over how ramen originated and how it grew in popularity post-World War II as the focus of top chefs and a restaurant boom. Not to mention also becoming an inexpensive grocery item and dorm room staple. 

The rest of the book is a buffet of many things: insights from accomplished chefs, descriptions of the different sorts of noodles, and a cavalcade of recipes. Reading this book teaches about how to make various broths, noodles, meats, accompaniments, sauces, and vegetables, and also about multiple ways these things can be combined to make specific dishes. I learned so much from reading this book, and I can't wait to try out some of the things I've learned in my kitchen.

Sometimes the images are more whimsical, which livens things up.

Let's Make Ramen! is a collaboration between writer Hugh Amano and artist Sarah Becan. Amano is also a chef and he has written or co-written a number of cookbooks, including Let's Make Dumplings!, which was also drawn by Becan. She has also drawn Let's Make Bread! and soon will publish Let's Make Cocktails!, which she also wrote. Amano and Becan both speak about food and their work on this book in this interview.

I have not been able to locate many reviews online, but the ones I read have been positive. A Library Girl wrote, "The food illustrations and graphic novel portions are gorgeous, with rich colors and thick linework. The various bowls of ramen and other recipe illustrations made my mouth water the same way some delicious-looking Studio Ghibli meal might." In a starred review Publishers Weekly concluded, "This delectable fusion of two increasingly popular genres—ramen and comics—will thrill ramen aficionados."

Let's Make Ramen! was published by Ten Speed Graphic, and they offer a preview and more information about it here. 

My Favorite Graphic Novels of 2025

Every year I read a bunch of graphic novels, and these are the ones that I liked best that were published in 2025 (with one exception). I hope that you can check them out!

Favorite Overall Book

Santos Sisters, Volume 1

 Add Archie Comics-style visuals and format, superhero tropes, and a social media sensibility, and you get this book. Immensely entertaining, funny, and surprising!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Fictional Biography

Grommets

Although I was not a West-coaster or a skater, this book set in the mid-1980s was totally in my wheelhouse in terms of my childhood and pop culture references. What sets it apart is its universal coming-of-age story that shows a couple of teens mess up and succeed at life. A riveting read.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Satire of Contemporary Culture

The Toxic Avenger

This book may have been tailor-made for my love of Troma movies, but it extends and expands the original movie and characters in a way that fits our current moment to a T. Gross and engrossing!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Literary Adaptation

Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre

Not so much a strict adaptation, but more like the most unexpected and awesome What If? story, where Jay Gatsby decides to impress Daisy by battling Godzilla. It features a cavalcade of other literary and movie character, too. Undeniably incredible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Literary Biography

The Novel Life of Jane Austen

I am not the world's biggest Austen fan, but this book is a great riff on her life and works. Educational and entertaining in the best way.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nathan Hale Award for Nonfiction

Bones and Berserkers

It seems weird to give an award a book to the guy it's named after, but in hindsight I did not read a lot of nonfiction graphic novels this year. This one is not all nonfiction, but it has many creepy, gruesome, and gobsmacking true tales that have haunted me since I read it.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Superhero Book for Younger Readers

Jimmy Olsen's Supercyclopedia

I love Silver Age DC Comics madness, and I can think of no better introduction to that weird, wonderful multiverse than this book. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Superhero Book for Older Readers

Absolute Wonder Woman

Believe the hype! This book reinvents the Amazing Amazon in ways that only augment her character while she faces epic and gargantuan menaces.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Ghost Story

Spectators

This book is part epic adventure/part social commentary, about how we are desensitized by social media, what the afterlife might be like, and the apocalypse. The art is amazing, and the plot is entrancing.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Noir Book

Out of Alcatraz

This riff from a true-life tale features beautiful, evocative water colors and taut plotting. It's a unexpectedly moving page-turner.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Book I Read in 2025 that was not published in 2025

Big Jim and the White Boy

This re-imagined version of Huck Finn was published last year, and it is utterly fantastic. It is told across three distinct historical periods, commenting on US history, culture, and literature in moving and insightful ways. I think about this book all the time.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Thank you for reading! Happy New Year! 

2025 By the Numbers

Back by popular demand!

I read and reviewed 56 graphic novels this past year, and here is the breakdown by publisher:

First Second 8

Image 7

Scholastic 4

DC Comics 3

Fantagraphics 3

Ahoy Comics 2

BOOM! Studios 12

Dark Horse 2

Dial Books 2

IDW 2

Oni Press 2

Silver Sprocket 2

Ten Speed Graphic 2

Abrams Fanfare 1

AWA 1

Beacon Press 1

Birdcage Bottom Books 1

Black Panel Press 1

Black Dog & Leventhal 1

Clarkson Potter 1

Drawn & Quarterly 1

Fieldmouse Press 1

HighWater Press 1

Keith Knight Press 1

Pantheon Graphic Library 1

Second House 1

Vault Comics 1

VIZ Media 1

 

The Novel Life of Jane Austen: A Graphic Biography

The Novel Life of Jane Austen is a fascinating and informative look at the life of one of British literature's most enduring authors. Most of her works were published during her short lifetime, though none of them under her name, and she never got the chance to enjoy their eventual popularity. This book makes clear where many of her inspirations came from, with a look at three distinct periods of her life: first when she was aspiring to become an author, second when her family moved to Bath and suffered some financial austerity, and third when they moved to Chawton and had some measure of security. That was when Jane published most of her works, before illness claimed her at age 41.

What I liked most of this book is how well it captures the time period in terms of scenery, dress, and social structures. It also features lively dialogue that draws on Austen's works and displays its own sense of witty wordplay. The artwork is expressive and two-tone (blue and yellow), appropriate for depicting the mannered life of Austen's times. There are a few colorful moments, full of vibrant reds, when Austen's imagination and characters spring from her mind. There is much here for fans of Austen, but it is also very approachable for those unfamiliar with her books. And I appreciated the endnotes that illuminate some of the details of this biography. The Novel Life of Jane Austen is engaging and effervescent.

This book was a collaboration between two experts: writer Janine Barchas and artist Isabel Greenberg. Barchas is Chancellor's Council Centennial Professor in the Book Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, and she has written three scholarly books about Austen. Greenberg is an accomplished graphic novelist who is known for The One Hundred Nights of Hero, The Encyclopedia of Early Earth, and Glass Town. Together, they tell a detailed tale full of allusions to Austen's books and letters and with deft visual pacing and characterization.

All of the reviews I have read praise this book. Wendy Marshall wrote, "This graphic biography is a smart, stylish, and affectionate tribute to one of literature’s giants." Kirkus Reviews noted, "There’s nothing terribly new in this low-key portrait, but the focus on selected episodes gives a nice sense of the texture of Austen’s daily life." Kerrie Davies called it "a delightful reading experience."

The Novel Life of Jane Austen was published by Black Dog & Leventhal and they offer a preview and more information about it here.

Spectators

Spectators uses afterlife and science fiction future tropes to examine our contemporary lives and relationships with sex and violence. It is a wild book to read, one that will stick in my mind for a while to come. The story begins in 2022, when a woman named Val is stood up for a date at a movie theater, watches porn on her phone to pass some time, then gets gunned down by a maniac who is obsessed with a competition called #leaderboard. Her story does not end there however, as she becomes a spirit who haunts the Earth. She is unable to interact or affect any living beings, but there are plenty of other dead folk she can talk to. In an interesting stylistic choice, the living world is depicted in black and white while the ghosts are in full color.

Val spends the next few hundred years roaming around New York City, spying on people having sex (or using their personal masturbatory devices) and going to particularly violent happenings, some pretty popular pursuits among the other ghosts. Eventually, she runs into another ghost named Sam, and the two loners find an affinity with one another and begin to travel together. First they go looking for people engaged in a threesome but later getting drawn up in the increasing escalation of #leaderboard killers that kick off a series of international attacks that may just be the end of times for humanity. Clearly, this tale is an epic one with a grand scope, but it is also a commentary on people's obsessions with sex and violence, particularly in these times when both are digitally accessible within seconds. 

This book is about the end of humanity in the sense of extinction but also in terms of the desensitization that comes with our access to all sorts of experiences with the touch of a button. Sam's history especially brings this notion into focus, as he is old enough to have lived through Teddy Roosevelt's presidency and the early days of motion pictures. These ghosts are the ultimate lurkers, getting to experience people's most intimate and terrible moments, much like many of us can also via the internet and social media. 

None of this grand enterprise/social critique would work if not for the synergy of two superb comics creators, the writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Niko Henrichon. The plotting and characterization are as detailed and vivid as the artwork, which is well suited to grand vistas, dynamic action sequences, and private emotional moments. Both collaborated in the past of the graphic novel Pride of Baghdad, and they originally published Spectators over a two year period as part of their Substack newsletter.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Zack Quaintance wrote about the original newsletter publication (and I feel it still applies to this book version), "With Spectators, Vaughan and Henrichon really thought through what sort of story would be perfect for this format, and delivered a memorable story along with a rewarding reading experience." Rory Wilding wrote that it is "a multi-faceted epic that ranges from sci-fi to the afterlife and an examination of humanity at its most self-destructive and raunchiest." Justin Soderberg called it "a truly spectacular graphic novel."

Spectators was published in collected form by Image Comics, and they offer more information about it here. This book features sex and violence on an intense scale and is intended for mature readers.

Absolute Wonder Woman, Volume 1: The Last Amazon

DC Comics made a big splash last year with the launch of their Absolute series, which feature re-imaginings of some of their most prominent characters. I recently read this first volume of Absolute Wonder Woman, published this year and collecting the first seven issues, and it is fantastic. Here, the Amazon princess's origin is transformed so that she is the last Amazon, brought as a child to Hell by Apollo and left in the care of the witch Circe. From this unlikely start, Diana grows up to become strong and well-versed in magical arts and eventually goes to the surface world. Arriving in Gateway City, she takes on the vanguard of a series of monsters determined to destroy humanity. Armed with her magic lasso and a giant sword, riding a resurrected, skeletal Pegasus, she cuts an impressive figure.

This book depicts her heroism in many different ways, and I love how it comes from a very different place than the original character but still captures the spirit of her strength, valor, and compassion in a fresh and powerful way. The intricate storytelling is perfectly matched by incredible artwork, which depicts the infernal realms, gruesome monsters, and emotional moments with equal finesse and impact. The action and the stakes here are epic, and the artwork amplifies this aspect of the story with its pacing and grad storytelling. Also, I very much enjoyed these versions of WW's supporting cast, such as Etta Candy, Steve Trevor, and Barbara Minerva. I am very excited to see where this series goes from here.

The main creators in this volume are writer Kelly Thompson, artist Hayden Sherman, and colorist Jordie Bellaire, with the last two chapters drawn by guest artist Mattia De Iulis. Thompson has become a comics veteran with impressive runs on Jem, Marvel Comics' Captain Marvel and Hawkeye, and DC Comics' Birds of Prey. Sherman has drawn a wide range of titles from a variety of publishers. Bellaire has won Eisner and Ringo Awards for her coloring work on a number of books. De Iulis has drawn a few books for Marvel Comics and also collaborated with Thompson on the series The Cull from Image Comics. Thompson and Sherman speak about their work on Absolute Wonder Woman in this interview.

All of the reviews I have read of this book have been positive. Tegan O'Neil called it "a miracle of a book." The reviewer at Short Boxes and Slabs wrote, "What works, I believe, is this: the creative team didn’t just pick up the familiar character and tweak a detail — they re-imagined the foundation, then built a story on that new foundation." You can also read a range of reviews of this book at the League of Comic Geeks.

Absolute Wonder Woman, Volume 1 was published by DC Comics, and they offer more information about it here.