It’s been a slow month of comic reading. While I had some fantastic reads in early January (see the mind bending Tongues and the emotive Shadow Life), an awful lot felt fine, but not meaningful enough for me to keep investing in comics as aggressively as I did at the end of 2025. I’ve got a bunch waiting on my bookshelf, and I can see exploring them more deeply once r/fantasy’s bingo challenge resets in April.
A Song for You & I, by Kay O’Neill
Read if you like: Studio Ghibli Vibes, low stakes self-discovery, flying horsies, trans-masc leads, relaxing art
A Ranger-in training and his Pegasus ends up being assigned to help a lazy shepherd who enjoys playing violin more than keeping watch on his flock. This book is cozy and low stakes, with both characters discovering pieces of themselves and figuring out how much or little they feel comfortable sharing. This book is filled with landscapes and nature panels. Even when people are featured, you’re more likely to find a panel without dialogue than with. It’s a relaxing story, written and illustrated to feel like a warm and cozy blanket, even when characters are feeling sad or regretful. For fans of O’Neill’s comics, these elements will feel very familiar. I loved every second of it.
Arcana: The Lost Heirs, by Sam Prentice-Jones
Read if you Like: queer ensemble casts, meet-cutes, light mystery elements, monochromatic color palettes
The Arcana monitors magic use, preventing the supernatural from becoming modern knowledge. When strange lights appear at a nearby farmhouse, one of the Minor Arcana is sent to investigate. They discover both a lingering malevolent presence as well as an independent witch. They bring him into their fold, but the Major Arcana are keeping secrets. There was some light thematic work around how power moves, a variety of queer identities (gay, trans, and nonbinary), and a good sense of pacing to the mystery. There’s not much (any) action scenes, instead focusing on exploring various characters’ perspectives as they collect different pieces of the puzzle. It wasn’t mind blowing, but executed very well. I especially enjoyed when Prentice-Jones shifted from the standard flat visuals of the story with saturated texture around some of the less wholesome supernatural elements. A fun graphic novel to read in a single sitting, and I’m excited to pick up the sequel when it comes out in paperback!
Descender, by Jeff Lemire
Read if you Like: underdog protagonists, classic science fiction hijinks, himbo robots
Descender follows the universe after brutal attacks by planet-sized robots, followed by the systemic purging of robots from society. We follow one robot who wakes up a decade after the purges, designed to be a friend and companion to children. He and his mechanical dog find themselves at the center of a manhunt that will decide the fate of the universe. The story was fine, but never particularly gripped me. I found myself not caring for the characters as much as I think I was supposed to, and had to force myself to read it. The art was very emotive, but often lacked clarity. It relied on a sketchbook style that kept pulling me out of the story as I tried to decipher what exactly was happening. It’s got a sterling reputation, but probably isn’t a series I’ll push to continue.
Garlic & The Vampire, by Bree Paulsen
Read if You Like: earth tones, sweet and mellow character designs, low-stakes stories, the power of friendship
Garlic lives in a garden with many other vegetables. Animated by Witch Agnes, she helps grow garlic plants for the community, and spends lots of time with Carrot. When the abandoned castle shows signs of life, everyone worries The Vampire has moved back. Garlic is voluntold to go, and so she heads out to confront this new threat. This was a simple and cozy story without much depth. The mellow art style and smart characterization kept the story interesting, but I’m glad it’s short, as I don’t know if it would hold up to a longer format. A good story for when you don’t want to think too hard or worry about big surprises and twists.
Marked for Plot 