5-17-26 — Christina Critiques - Graphic Novels

HOTEL LIMBO

By: Ben Harel

Illustrated by: Various

Release: 4/14/26

Page count: 272

KU: No        Hoopla: Yes

Synopsis: A young man dies and goes to Hotel Limbo. But in order to help the guests with their baggage as the hotel’s new Bellboy, he will first have to figure out how to bellboy.

First line: “Is it time already.”

Favorite line: “You power is opening up doors to completely ordinary rooms? What’s my power? Do I turn into a chair?”

Thoughts: I thought, “Oh, a cute graphic novel about purgatory - FUN!” Explain to me why I was 1) crying on my couch, 2) cackling though the crying and 3) gasping harder than I have gasped before. It’s pure emotional damage and I absolutely loved it. Brilliant characters and great world building.

Rating: 4.5/5

Find it here: https://a.co/d/0hatpgoA

NEWS FROM THE FALLOUT

By: Chris Condor

Illustrated by: Jeffrey Alan Love

Release: 3/31/26

Page count: 200

KU: No         Hoopla: Yes

Synopsis: Private Fallows senses there may be a problem with the new atomic testing perimeter - he may be right but will anyone listen in time?

First line: “Undisclosed location. Locally known as ‘Atomic Valley’, Southern Nevada, 1962.”

Favorite line: “Men! General McCoy has ordered an atomic test. And US to be his guinea pigs.”

Thoughts: Whew! What an inventive and honestly, discombobulated graphic novel. But it’s meant to be and adds so much to the experience. The drawings make you squint - not because they are terrible but because you have to make sure your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Creepy AF and downright unnerving. Panel for panel, one of the better graphic novels of the year.

Rating: 5/5

Other recommendations: THAT TEXAS BLOOD

Find it here: https://a.co/d/00KcGMCA

EVERYTHING DEAD AND DYING

By: Tate Brombal

Illustrated by: Jacob Phillips

Release: 5/5/26

Page count: 176

KU: No        Hoopla: Yes

Synopsis: What happens when your perfect life gets turned upside down but everyone is experiencing muscle memory?

First line: “It always starts the same.”

Favorite line: “… But I don’t see the point. ‘Cause when the dead won’t even die… how’re we supposed to live?”

Thoughts: Collette - that ol’ bitch. Surprisingly, this had a bunch of social commentary packed into such a small graphic novel. LGBT+, racism, homophobia, overconsumption of resources, leaders/followers, plagues and so much more made it feel a bit too close to home. If you liked (or loved) THE WALKING DEAD and/or THE LAST OF US, you will love this.

Rating: 4.5/5

Other recommendations: BATGIRL

Find it here: https://a.co/d/0b8py4M5

EARLY REVIEW

EVENT HORIZON: DARK DESCENT

By: Christian Ward

Illustrated by: Tristan Jones

Release: 7/28/26

Page count: 128

Synopsis: Captain Kilpatrick and his crew of the Event Horizon hope to accomplish a Top Secret endeavor but while running from life on Earth, they run into a much bigger problem.

First line: “I’ve never spent much time thinking about heaven.”

Favorite line: “I just want to be somewhere the view is worthy of a thousand lifetimes… somewhere closer to heaven.”

Thoughts: The first three issues were amazing - threw the reader off-kilter like the crew but… at some point it needed to even out  and it didn’t. The art was bru-tal! Some of the panels made my stomach churn. Besides the art and the little tidbits of backstory the reader gets on the characters, this was a disappointing graphic novel.

Rating: 3/5

Find it here: https://a.co/d/09G24JXj