(W) Yu Hashimoto WHY CAN'T WE GET IT RIGHT?The manga club joins the duo behind Heavenly Queen of Cosplay Awayuki Erika on a training camp. The location is incredible, but for some reason, Okumura and Lilysa just aren't satisfied with their photos! What advice does Erika have for these two troubled Liliel fans? The otaku obsessions continue in volume 18 of this exciting cosplay comedy!

(W) Steve Niles; Kelly Sue DeConnick; Ben Templesmith (A) Justin Randall; Bill Sienkiewicz Revisit the vampire tale that kick-started a modern horror comics revival in this third collected deluxe edition.A town plunged into darkness, a group of vampires hungry for blood, and only a husband-and-wife sheriff’s team to stop them. This premise set the stage for an iconic horror franchise that went on to become a feature-length film from Sony Pictures in 2007. Book Three collects Eben and Stella, Red Snow, and Beyond Barrow.In the waning moments of 30 Days of Night: Dark Days, Stella managed to bring her vampire husband Eben back from beyond…only he came back hungry. Now, for the first time, see what happened next in Eben and Stella, which fills in the black gaps between that tale and Return to Barrow. Written by co-creator Steve Niles and Kelly Sue DeConnick with art by Justin Randall.Then, in Red Snow from co-creator Ben Templesmith, it’s 1941. Hitler’s Operation: Silver Fox has failed, but the war on the Eastern Front drags on as the Russian winter starts to b

(W) Ema Tohyama In a feline-free world of swordplay and magic, a hero adopts a cat! Pounce into this deluxe release featuring full-color art, adorable edge printing, and a double-sided cover!Tragedy strikes a kitty in our world, and she gets a second chance at life in a fantasy world. A hero, heading home dejectedly after receiving orders to fight the demon king, crosses paths with a mysterious creature. What is this fluffy new friend, and should she pet the belly?An array of fantasyland adventurers learn about snack time, toe beans, and that (eye)balls can be toys. When the knight captain's folded-eared cat meets the hero's cat, paw-to-paw combat breaks out between the fuzz balls! Then, the hero winds up working part-time at a cat café with...the demon king?! Cuddle up with a four-legged companion and enjoy this once-in-a-reincarnated-lifetime furry fantasy!

No two boys could be closer than Ibuki and Kippei. As next-door neighbors and childhood friends, they go to the same school, chat about their favorite music, and watch the summer fireworks together every year. But when Ibuki kisses Kippei one day, the definition of their relationship begins to change?

(W) Taro Koumi (A) Hayashi A man who yearned for a life of freedom reincarnates into another world and becomes a carrier-a non-combative class considered useless. Can he make use of his skills to live his dream life or could he be meant for something more?Sei has always yearned for a life of freedom and when he's reborn into another world, it seems like he would finally have his dream life. Except he was born as a Carrier, a non-combative class that mostly uses their abilities to transport goods. But Sei has found a way to use his powers both in and out of fights, surviving on his own despite his low class. And while he travels the land seeing sights and picking up women, he'll prove that a lowly carrier is capable of conquering the world!

(W) Touya (A) Chibi HEAD SAINT...FIA?!During a standoff between King Cerulean and his mother, the queen dowager and head saint, Cerulean makes a shocking announcement: he's recommending Fia as a candidate for the next head saint! Now, all eyes are on Fia as preparations for the head saint selection event get underway…yet she boldly starts using her powers all over the place! But Fia can just blame the holy stones for any magical feats, right? With such an air-tight plan, what could possibly go wrong?

(W) Hijiki SHE VOWS TO MAKE HER FEELINGS CLEAR!Tsukushi only became aware of how she felt about her best friend Hinoka after having a dream where Hinoka rejected her, while Hinoka has had hidden feelings for Tsukushi all along. But neither knows how the other feels! With the help of her classmates, including the assertive Sara and the handsome glasses girl Yuu, Tsukushi makes a vow: She will confess to Hinoka at the seaside... The continuation of the two-sided one-sided romance! A yuri manga blend of dreams and reality starring an allegedly cheery girl and a supposedly cool beauty picks up the pace in volume 2!

(W) Geoff Johns (A) Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke (CA) Ivan Reis, Oclair Albert THE HAUNTING EPIC THAT PLUNGED THE DC UNIVERSE INTO DARKNESS IN ABSOLUTE FORMAT! Across thousands of worlds, the dead have risen. These Black Lanterns, heroes and villains recruited from beyond the grave, have one purpose: to extinguish all light--and life--in the universe. Hal Jordan has overcome death once before. As the greatest Green Lantern to ever wield the emerald ring, it is Hal?s unquestioned duty to lead the living against this overwhelming army of the dead. While Blackest Night consumes Earth?s heroes, the seven Corps, empowered by the emotional spectrum, must end their war against each other--or bear witness to the end of all creation. As Earth becomes the ultimate battleground between the living and the dead, there is only one certainty: no one escapes death. Superstar writer Geoff Johns (Green Lantern, Justice League, Batman: Earth One) and artists Ivan Reis (Aquaman) and Doug Mahnke (Green Lantern) exhume the DC Universe?s greatest secrets in this emotional epic that grabs its heroes by their hea

(W) Ai Takahashi; Sai Sumimori This fast and funny action isekai manga about a newborn whose power is literally unfathomable is perfect for fans of My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1, The Abandoned Reincarnation Sage, and The Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest. Already a digital hit, the fan favorite comes to print!To be reincarnated into another world with the promise of a cheat power is one thing. But to be reborn as a baby, and then left for dead after your royal parents think you're powerless? That's another thing entirely! Now the newly-born Reinhart-Hart to his new friends-must find his way through a dangerous world...but luckily he's got magic that's quite literally off the charts!

An all-new adventure featuring Edward Kenway, following the events of Assassin?s Creed IV: Black Flag! Edward Kenway, the infamous pirate and Assassin, must complete one last swashbuckling mission! Shifting allegiances, new allies, deadly battles with the scheming Templars, and all-new enemies are going to put all of Kenway?s skills to the test in Assassin?s Creed: Forgotten Temple! Conflict is a constant in Kenway?s life, but he?s never navigated one like this before! Madam Lee has proved a formidable ally, but nothing can last forever in a world as fraught with deception and violence as this one. Plus, Noa Kim?s search bleeds into his real life, and he discovers some interesting changes in himself!

(W) Brian K. Vaughan (A) Marcos Martin, Muntsa Vicente (CA) Marcos Martin From the Eisner Award-winning team behind The Private Eye, BARRIER is a shockingly prescient drama about violence, language, and illegal immigration?with a spectacular sci-fi twist. When Texas rancher Liddy and Honduran immigrant ?scar collide on the U.S.-Mexico border, neither can understand the other?s words?but both are forced to rely on trust when they?re thrust into an unimaginable encounter. Told in English and Spanish without translation, Barrier is a visually stunning, genre-bending story that explores the walls we build between nations, cultures, and each other. Collected for the first time in its original widescreen format?and perfectly complementing Image's new softcover edition of THE PRIVATE EYE?this gorgeous new edition contains the entire Harvey Award-winning miniseries.

High school students battle each other to the death in the original survival game! Decades ago, the fascist government of the Republic of Greater East Asia seized control of Japan. In order to terrorize its citizens and crush any possibility of rebellion, the government established Program 68?a savage military program where teenage students were sent to a remote island and forced to kill each other?also known as the Battle Royale. As day breaks over Academy Island, the squads are out scouting for information. Sakamoto?s search for Kunimitsu leads him into a confrontation with Squad 1, who want his help figuring out the chips everyone has been implanted with. Meanwhile, the dark secrets of the students in the other squads begin to come to light, starting with Sudo and Hamada. Hosoya, the psychotic leader of Squad 2, learns that he?s not the only one on the island who?s been trained as an assassin?

High school students battle each other to the death in the original survival game! Decades ago, the fascist government of the Republic of Greater East Asia seized control of Japan. In order to terrorize its citizens and crush any possibility of rebellion, the government established Program 68?a savage military program where teenage students were sent to a remote island and forced to kill each other?also known as the Battle Royale. As day breaks over Academy Island, the squads are out scouting for information. Sakamoto?s search for Kunimitsu leads him into a confrontation with Squad 1, who want his help figuring out the chips everyone has been implanted with. Meanwhile, the dark secrets of the students in the other squads begin to come to light, starting with Sudo and Hamada. Hosoya, the psychotic leader of Squad 2, learns that he?s not the only one on the island who?s been trained as an assassin?

(W) Muneyuki Kaneshiro (A) Yusuke Nomura A mad young coach gathers soccer players from across the country to compete in a series of bizarre challenges in a high-tech colosseum he calls Blue Lock. It's a no-balls-barred battle to become Japan's next top striker, in this Squid GamemeetsWorld Cup manga, now available in print! Anime airing now!CAN YOU GO BACK TO ZERO?In the first half of the PXG versus Bastard München match, Isagi combined his left- and right-leg skills into a devastating new weapon, the two-gun direct volley. With Isagi now knocking on the top spot in the rankings, Kaiser sees his chance for revenge and redemption slipping away. But sometimes winning means tossing aside everything you care about-glory, status, pride-until the only thing left...is the zero at the root of it all.

(W/A/CA) Joe Jusko The Book of Jusko showcases the very best of Joe Jusko?s decades spanning career and painted legacy. In 1992, Joe Jusko?s Marvel Masterpieces trading card set exploded into pop culture?redefining how the world saw superheroes with raw power, larger-than-life drama, and breathtaking realism in every brushstroke. It became a cultural landmark, inspiring generations of fans, artists, and collectors. Now?due to overwhelming demand?we?re opening the vaults to celebrate the full scope of Jusko?s legendary career. Inside you?ll discover iconic illustrations, rare and unpublished works, private commissions, trading cards, and personal archive pieces?some revealed here for the very first time. This is the definitive collection of Joe Jusko?s art?a must-have for anyone who treasures painted comics, fantasy illustration, or fine art.

(W/A/CA) Candice Purwin ?Not all stories are spells, but all spells are stories.? Thus begins the wisdom of the Book of Murmurs, a storybook Little Moon?s mother reads to her at bedtime. When one day her parents are slain by the frightful Shenk and the book is stolen by the mischievous Catwitch, these words will guide the girl on her quest to piece her world back together. Enter a fantastical world encompassing the lush Glassmoor forest, the shivering magic of The Fault, the ethereal grandeur of The Wandering Haar, the secret Mushroom Library. Along the way, the girl encounters curious friends and foes ? the Goblin, the stranger, the assassin, the librarians, gigantic spiders, a family of giants, and many others. In this place, names carry power, and the nameless are lost, adding an interior and metaphorical dimension to the girl?s journey. Looming over all is the Shenk ? who threatens to steal names and consume the realm with fear. In confronting this monster, the girl will face her trauma, learn of her maternal history of witchcraft, and discover her role. In The Book of Murmurs,

(W/A/CA) Christopher Fink Chris Fink has just awoken in the desert. Soaked, disoriented, the first person he sees is his own fictional character. What is reality? What does an eco-feminist movement from the future ? and a long-abandoned but never-forgotten indie comic, Leopold & Brink ? have to do with his predicament? From this SF framework emerges a metafictional memoir, as epic and intimate as life itself.?Embarking in earnest with the onset of the 2020 lockdowns, Fink?s years-long journey of graphic healing hit an unexpected detour when he received a brain cancer diagnosis midway through constructing this book. Not to be deterred, the tragedy and comedy of life become tools to break new liberative ground, a lifetime of drawing conjures fresh and playful visual expressions to compliment his stream of consciousness style. Vonnegut-esque slipstreams of memory weave together tumultuous youth, romantic misadventures, and the looping pathways of a working artist, in a tapestry of loss and longing. Buoyed by the ephemera of yesteryear, this is an ode to the comics, film, and TV that ra

Zenos and Lily succeed in founding St. Carmilla Academy, the first-ever school in the slums, with help from noble children. There, the shadow healer meets Roa, a young girl with big dreams of adventure and bold claims of being the daughter of the former Sword Saint. When Roa runs into trouble, she finds herself face-to-face with the current Sword Saint and vows to become her apprentice. Between this fateful meeting and a certain meddling wraith pulling strings, Zenos is drawn back into the adventuring life he thought he?d left behind.

A selfless sacrifice to an ancient god gives a bitter slave a reason to live and a baby to raise.

(W) Keiko Iwashita STAKING A CLAIMThe arts festival may be winding down but emotions across campus are still high! While running a t-shirt booth with her best friend Airi, Hibari gets a much-needed confidence boost from her first sale. But when some social media buzz about Gaku reaches her phone, she can't help worrying that her new boyfriend is going viral again for all the wrong reasons.Later, when Rihito shows up to attend Pantera Negra's end-of-festival concert, things are thrown into chaos yet again by a sudden on-stage shoutout and some impromptu PDA!

Dark humor and quirky horror unite in this tale of clashing heroes and monsters from the creator of Tokyo Ghoul and Tokyo Ghoul re!

(W) Mark Sable (A) Giorgio Pontrelli (CA) Paul Azaceta Rome. 64 AD. The most daring heist in history is being planned by an unlikely crew - a former slave, a Vestal Virgin, a charioteer, and a disgraced architect ? each with their own personal motives. While Rome is distracted by the chariot racing and gladiatorial games of the Circus Maximus, the crew plans to rob the Imperial treasury under the Temple of Saturn. But when Emperor Nero sets fire to the city, they?ll be lucky to escape his wrath with their lives, let alone the loot. From Mark Sable (Graveyard of Empires, Miskatonic) and Giorgio Pontrelli (Miskatonic), Circus Maximus is Gladiator meets Heat - a blood-soaked historical thriller.

Kyra Annandale can Slip through time, traveling to the past for short periods. If only she could slip away from her ambitious, overprotective father. Thanks to him, she has steam-powered server bots instead of friends, knife lessons instead of floral arrangement lessons, and a fianc? who will further Pap?s political career instead of one who loves her. Except everything changes the night of her engagement party when she Slips into the recent past and witnesses a stranger?s murder. Going against her father?s reminders to never trust law enforcement, Kyra secretly reports what she saw to the Iron Watch. There she meets the alluring detective Hiram Atwood. As the clock ticks on, Kyra struggles to hide her involvement with the case?and her growing feelings for Hiram?from her father and fianc?. She and Hiram uncover a string of murders as Kyra Slips through time to uncover the serial killer?s plans. Can Kyra escape her destiny as a pawn, discover the secrets of the killer and her own family, and grab on to happiness before it?s pulled away forever?

Colette, an overworked apothecary, finds romance and a new lease on life?in the underworld!! When exhausted workaholic apothecary Colette jumps into a well, instead of dying she finds herself caring for a new patient: Hades, Lord of the Dead. As Colette goes back and forth between her world and the underworld, new patients of every kind arrive daily! After some tough-love training by the entire Underworld, the otter apprentice Kotsume faces his final test! Can he recover his position as a servant of Poseidon? Later, a near kiss from Lord Hades leaves Colette in confusion!

Colette, an overworked apothecary, finds romance and a new lease on life?in the underworld!! When exhausted workaholic apothecary Colette jumps into a well, instead of dying she finds herself caring for a new patient: Hades, Lord of the Dead. As Colette goes back and forth between her world and the underworld, new patients of every kind arrive daily! Colette?s blossoming love affair with Hades continues as the two go on a date to the frozen wastes. What will happen after Hades says something to Colette that makes her too happy to hold back?

(W) Jim Zub (A) Fernando Dagnino, Alex Horley (CA) Alex Horley A KING BY HIS OWN HAND ? TWO TALES OF GLORY READY TO BE UNLEASHED! Volume seven of the epic series continues with two masterfully crafted epics from critically acclaimed writer Jim Zub, alongside the inimitable Alex Horley and the unstoppable Fernando Dagnino. Featuring the fully painted, special extended issue THE NOMAD, and the sweeping tale of Conan?s bloody ascension to kingship in THE CONQUERING CROWN! THE NOMAD: Conan the King welcomes a strange visitor with an even stranger mission. Can the Ruler of Aquilonia prove his mettle or will the mysterious wanderer?s incredible power change the course of history? THE CONQUERING CROWN: The King of Aquilonia has gone mad, or so the rumors say. A tyrant sits upon the throne and all will suffer until he is deposed or dead. Conan the Mercenary cares nothing for these royal rumors and petty politics, but the Cimmerian's skill in battle is about to put him in the path of a mad monarch, and his life will be forever changed. Collects Conan the Barbarian #25-28

(W/A/CA) Michel Fiffe The revenge-fueled cult favorite dives deeper into the private lives of COPRA's expanding roster in this oversized, deluxe edition featuring rarely seen bonus art, character profiles, and behind-the-scenes process content. Michel Fiffe hones his signature style, blending explosive colorful action with raw emotional storytelling that defies categorization. Is it an avant-garde superhero story or a hyperviolent art comic? It's all of it. It's COPRA. Collects issues #13-25 and Copra Versus issues #1-2.

(W) Ryan Ferrier (A) Valentin Ramon The perfect blend of workplace comedy, domestic drama, and sci-fi action! Collected in one pocket-sized edition for the first time, read all three volumes of the comic series!The robots conquered earth, wiping out all life in the galaxy, but nothing changed. Prime-time TV, mortgages, traffic jams—it’s all the same. Meet D4VE, the greatest robot war hero, now a regular old desk jockey. Can something, somewhere, snap him out of this slump? Will a new presence on 34RTH ignite his long-lost spark for battle? Then, can an inconceivable blast from the past threaten not only D4VE's dwindling relationship with his son 5COTTY, but all of robot-kind itself? And D4VE for president?! This irreverent look at “life” through the eyes of a robot and the world around him, by writer Ryan Ferrier and artist Valentin Ramon, takes the dystopian sci-fi trope and turns it on its humorous head.Collects D4VE, D4VE2, and D4VEocracy into one convenient-to-read edition.

Konoha Satou can now admit that writing a self-indulgent fantasy romance fic that featured her ideal self as a teenager was not her brightest idea. After all, she?s become the villainess of her own story?the one and only Iana Magnolia! And even though she took it upon herself to work behind the scenes and keep the heroine Konoha on track, her identity is revealed, and she now faces execution?! Stuck between a rock and a hard place, with only Yatori and the Cheneau standee for company, Satou must engineer a jailbreak or it?s game over for her?!

Now aware of their feelings, Yuuta and Saki are still unsure whether the affection they have for each other is familial or romantic. To find out, they decide to try deepening the bond between them, unbeknownst to their family and friends. As Halloween approaches, will those secret, uncertain emotions develop into something more??

(W) Robert Kanigher, Bob Haney (A) Joe Kubert, Ross Andru, Various (CA) Joe Kubert DC Finest: Sgt. Rock: The Rock of Easy Co. celebrates the legacy of this classic hero and his creators Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert with this volume collecting Sgt. Rock's first appearance in G.I. Combat #68 and his subsequent lead stories in Our Army at War #81-122.

(W) Mitsuhiro Mizuno A story of determination and grit: a young basketball player willing to do whatever it takes to get back on track.Demian Kawai has been devoting himself to basketball in Japan with the goal of becoming the top scorer in the world's top professional league, the NBO. However, this promising young player was struck by the tragedy of the yips, a condition that causes his arms to stiffen up whenever he approaches the goal. Can he persevere and realize his dream?

(W) Miko Senri DIE, MY DARLING!Seina's love life has taken a real turn on what was supposed to be a routine class trip. After sharing a kiss (or five) with Damon, she realizes how deep her feelings for him run. And he's been returning those feelings tenfold! It's almost too much for a girl to take.Then, on a nighttime stroll with her longtime friend Shion, the truth comes out-he's part of her shared history with Damon. Not only that, he wants to kill her and make sure she never comes back! The only way to break the cycle lies in Damon's hands, but will he be able to make that sacrifice?The final volume!

Travel back in time to the early days of Magic: The Gathering! It?s the nineties at Tokiwagi Middle School. And for gamers like Hajime Kano, after the release of Magic: The Gathering, nothing will ever be the same again! Following the conclusion of the Grand Prix Kyoto, the spirit of romance is in the air! Hajime searches for a White Day gift for Emi! Will he find the perfect present?

(W) Fei Tian Ye Xiang (A) Qian Er Bai (CT) LV FEI THE WALKING DEADWinter descends upon the Central Plains, and blood stains the snow. Princess Qinghe is slain by the Great Chanyu, igniting the Murong clan's thirst for vengeance. Amidst the chaos, Xiang Shu and Chen Xing make a desperate escape with the help of Tuoba Yan, while Fu Jian demands justice-accusing Feng Qianjun of the princess's murder.But just as the blade is about to fall, Feng Qianyi appears-with the stolen Yin Yang Mirror in hand-and unleashes a nightmare upon the capital. The dead rise by the thousands, the living turn against each other, drowning the city in horror.Now, Chen Xing, Xiang Shu, Feng Qianjun, and Tuoba Yan must unite against an army of the undead and the dark sorcery that controls them. Bound by fate and battling for humanity's last light, they awaken a mysterious power within Xiang Shu-one that could tip the balance between salvation and oblivion.

Our happy family plan. Yours and mine!Thanks to Elentzia?s betrayal, Hadis has been captured, and Jill is burnt to a crisp?or at least that?s what would have happened, had she not been whisked to safety at the last moment by a black dragon! Jill will need to persuade it to lend her its power to save Hadis, but such a ferocious beast won?t be convinced easily. Meanwhile, Hadis and Risteard desperately want to know why Elentzia has sided with Prince George...and the answer just might upend not only the royal family, but the entire empire!

(W) Stan Lee; Archie Goodwin (A) Jack Kirby; John Buscema (CA) Jack Kirby Continuing a chronological collection of consummate villainy!On the orders of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Fantastic Four invade Latveria, home of their greatest enemy - but Doctor Doom is ready for them! But what dire circumstances could lead the FF to accept Doom as their new leader?! Marvel's First Family aren't the only ones to face Victor Von Doom's wrath! Namor will too - and the two monarchs are locked in a tussle for the Cosmic Cube along with M.O.D.O.K.! Victor's desire to heal his scarred face brings him to Dr. Donald Blake, mortal counterpart of the Mighty Thor! Titans clash when Doom meets the Hulk! But does the tyrant have a job for Luke Cage, Hero for Hire? Plus: astonishing solo adventures of Doctor Doom, pitting him up against the Red Skull and the Black Panther!COLLECTING: Fantastic Four (1961) #84-87, 116, 142-144; Sub-Mariner (1968) #20, 47-49; Thor (1966) #182-183; Incredible Hulk (1968) #143-144; Hero for Hire (1972) #8-9; material from Astonishing Tales (1970) #1-8Written

(W) Eiichi Shimizu (A) Tomohiro Shimoguchi DEATH TO ALL DRAGONS! The sudden appearance of massive monsters known as Dragons throws the world into chaos. The New United Nations, created as a response to the threat, puts together a team known as the Dragonslayers, including (among others) a vampire, an android, a witch, the animated remains of the legendary ogre Shuten Doji, and....a little girl?! Ace pilot Momo may still be in grade school, but she just might have the skills to save humankind.Taut action, propulsive storytelling, and sly humor take this seinen action series to new heights and unexpected places!A dragon-the first of many-appears in the skies over Tokyo, and in an instant the world is changed forever...not least of all for Dr. Abe, who loses the woman he loves to the beast's fearsome onslaught. Decades later, a mysterious figure joins the desperate fight, coming to humanity's aid on a battlefield in the United States: model DS-08, code name Shikigami. He wears Abe's face, and his rallying cry is Death to all dragons-!

(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Mike Mignola Written by Neal Barrett Jr., Jon Bogdanove, Kurt Busiek and Others Art by Dusty Abell, Eduardo Barreto, Frank Gomez and Others See the Man of Tomorrow in a whole new light in this omnibus series collecting classic Elseworlds tales from Superman: Speeding Bullets #1, Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #3 and #5, Superman Annual #6 and #8, Steel Annual #1, Adventures of Superman Annual #6 and #8, Superboy Annual #1 and #3, Action Comics Annual #6 and #8, Superman: Kal #1, Superman: At Earth?s End #1, Supergirl Annual #1, Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy #1-4, Superman?s Metropolis #1, Superman: Distant Fires #1, and Superman: The Dark Side #1-3.

(W) Riad Sattouf, Sam Taylor (A/CA) Riad Sattouf Riad is a teenager growing up in the French region of Brittany, where he lives with his mother and brother and attends high school in Rennes. But his adolescence is anything but typical. Born to a Syrian father and a French mother, Riad spent much of his early childhood in Libya, rural Syria, and France?moving through contrasting worlds, political ideologies, and daily absurdities. Years earlier, his father?charismatic, authoritarian, and obsessed with dictators and with building a utopian Arab society?abducted Riad?s second younger brother, Fadi, and returned to Syria, leaving behind a fractured family. At 14, Riad navigates puberty, isolation, and the pressures of French society, while haunted by the absence of his father and brother, and the sadness of his mother. He turns to books, heavy metal, and drawing as refuge. The tone is darkly comic and sharply observant, capturing both the universal pains of adolescence and the surreal contradictions of the 1990s. Blending personal story and social commentary, this standalone volume offe