It’s nearly the end of the year, and what a year it’s been! Let’s take a look back at the 24 books D+Q published in 2023, including Roaming by award-winning duo Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki, the debut graphic novel Blackward by Lawrence Lindell, and reprints of beloved classics like Blankets by Craig Thompson and The Death-Ray by Daniel Clowes. We published graphic novels across a vast array of genres—not just literary fiction but sci-fi, historical fiction and non-fiction, humour, and more! Our books also received acclaim in NPR, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Post, amongst others.
YA legends Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki returned to the comics scene with their lush, pastel portrait of New York City in their first adult work: Roaming. Exploring the transition from adolescence to adulthood, the book touches on the volatility of friendships, the romantic whirlwind of first queer relationships, and the wonder of travelling when you’re young. Jillian and Mariko were profiled in The New York Times and appeared on NPR, while the book received praise in The Guardian, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and The Walrus.
Barbara Brandon-Croft, the first Black and female cartoonist to have a nationally-syndicated comic strip, was profiled in The New York Times and The Washington Post in tandem with the release of her collection: Where I’m Coming From. She also appeared on ABC News to discuss her cartooning journey and breaking barriers for other Black, female cartoonists. Where I’m Coming From is a remarkable career retrospective of strips that look at Black life—all its ups, downs, and in-betweens.
D+Q founder Chris Oliveros published his second graphic novel, Are You Willing to Die for the Cause?, an electrifying look at the most contentious point in Quebec history—the rise of a militant separatist group whose effects still reverberate today. The book was excerpted on The Globe & Mail’s editorial page, while Chris himself appeared on a thrilling and wildly educational episode of Canadaland with Jesse Brown.
If you’re looking for a good laugh to end your year off right, we’ve got you covered. Girl Juice by Benji Nate is a truly hilarious, much-needed look at twentysomething life in the twenty-first century, drawn in vibrant colours and complete with its own vocabulary—DMILFS, anyone? Nick Maandag’s Harvey Knight’s Odyssey slips from surreal comedy to all-too-real comedy with ease, all the while exploring the ridiculousness of human vanity and beliefs. Work-Life Balance by Aisha Franz (translated by Nicholas Houde) is a contemporary and satirical exploration of the pursuit of work-life balance and the absurdities of wellness culture.
Our manga and manhwa collections gained new members this year, with the releases of Nejishiki by Yoshiharu Tsuge and My Picture Diary by Fujiwara Maki, both translated by Ryan Holmberg. Also gracing our shelves: The Naked Tree by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim (translated by Janet Hong), a graphic adaptation of the same-name classic Korean novel. Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki (translated by Jocelyne Allen) came back in print with a lush new cover, and Offshore Lightning by Saito Nazuna (translated by Alexa Frank) struck us with its deeply human portraits of postwar Japan.
Joining our roster of uber-talented cartoonists was Paul B. Rainey, with his book Why Don’t You Love Me?, a darkly-funny look at a marriage in serious decline and all of its collateral damage. But don’t let us tell you about it, just listen to Neil Gaiman, who calls it a “masterwork.” Lawrence Lindell also set the bar high with Blackward, a heartwarming tale about building a place to belong and the power of community. Blackward’s characters are Black, weird, awkward and proud of it. Camille Jourdy’s Juliette (translated by Aleshia Jensen) treated us to a watercolour tableau of small-town life in the French countryside, through the eyes of a woman returning home from Paris.
Three English-language debuts also took center stage: Léa Murawiec’s thrilling sci-fi adventure The Great Beyond (translated by Aleshia Jensen), Woshibai’s poetic puns in 20 km/h (translated by Francine Yulo & Megan Tan), and the muted, overwhelming world of suburban youth in The Cliff by Manon Debaye (translated by Montana Kane).
On the opposite end, 2023 saw the return of many seasoned cartoonists: Brooklyn’s Last Secret by Leslie Stein is a must-read look at a band on tour across the US, and Stein’s first foray into full-length fiction work. The Man in the McIntosh Suit by Rina Ayuyang is a Californian neo-noir that explores the depths of the Filipino-American experience, while Palookaville 24 by Seth marked the return of the beloved series and Canadian legend.
Last but not least, we did a lot of reminiscing this year… feast your eyes on our reprints of bestselling classics. Blankets by Craig Thompson was given a makeover and some extra content for its 20th birthday, all packaged into Blankets: 20th Anniversary Edition. Daniel Clowes’ The Death-Ray, Miriam Katin’s We Are on Our Own, and John Stanley’s Melvin Monster were all reprinted in paperback editions with all-new cover designs.
Thank you to all our wonderful cartoonists and readers, as always. Please enjoy our 2023 catalogue!
Why Don’t You Love Me? by Paul B. Rainey — January 24th, 2023
Where I’m Coming From by Barbara Brandon-Croft — February 7th, 2023
Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki, translated by Jocelyne Allen — February 21st, 2023
Brooklyn’s Last Secret by Leslie Stein — March 7th, 2023
Harvey Knight’s Odyssey by Nick Maandag — March 21st, 2023
We Are on Our Own (Paperback) by Miriam Katin — April 18th, 2023
Work-Life Balance by Aisha Franz, translated by Nicholas Houde — April 18th, 2023
The Man in the McIntosh Suit by Rina Ayuyang — May 2nd, 2023
20 km/h by Woshibai, translated by Megan Tan & Francine Yulo — May 16th, 2023
Girl Juice by Benji Nate — May 23rd, 2023
Offshore Lightning by Saito Nazuna, translated by Alexa Frank — July 11th, 2023
Juliette by Camille Jourdy, translated by Aleshia Jensen — July 18th, 2023
Palookaville 24 by Seth — July 25th, 2023
The Naked Tree by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, translated by Janet Hong — August 22nd, 2023
Blankets: 20th Anniversary Edition by Craig Thompson — August 29th, 2023
Roaming by Jillian Tamaki & Mariko Tamaki — September 12th, 2023
My Picture Diary by Fujiwara Maki, translated by Ryan Holmberg — September 19th, 2023
Blackward by Lawrence Lindell — September 26th, 2023
Nejishiki by Yoshiharu Tsuge, translated by Ryan Holmberg — October 3rd, 2023
Are You Willing to Die for the Cause? by Chris Oliveros — October 10th, 2023
The Great Beyond by Léa Murawiec, translated by Aleshia Jensen — October 10th, 2023
The Death-Ray (Paperback) by Daniel Clowes — October 17th, 2023
Melvin Monster (Omnibus Paperback) by John Stanley — October 24th, 2023
The Cliff by Manon Debaye, translated by Montana Kane — November 7th, 2023