AMAZONA: The Process Behind the Graphic Novel

In Amazona, a graphic novel by author-artist Canizales, Andrea, a young Indigenous Colombian woman, returns to the land she calls home. She hopes to capture evidence of the illegal mining that displaced her family—and one of the area’s guards may be a help or a final obstacle. This story has a social conscience, but it will also strike readers with its stark visual style. Its pages feature textured grays and blacks with occasional bold flares of color, projecting a unique sensibility. Talking to the Lerner Blog, Canizales explained his process for creating such distinctive images and shared some behind-the-scenes art:

A House Divided, a series of fantasy graphic novels full of humor and intrigue, is the result of a longstanding collaboration between writer Haiko Hörnig and artist Marius Pawlitza. The project has spanned years of active creation and has origins years before that work started, in the duo’s longtime friendship. To celebrate the release of the climactic, heartfelt final volume, The Lost Daughter, the Lerner Blog spoke with Hörnig and Pawlitza about how far they have come with the series and surprises along the way.

Longtime fans of Artur Laperla’s Super Potato series know that these graphic novels have no shortage of memorable creatures. Book two, Super Potato’s Galactic Breakout, introduced readers to the Rogg, the Pollo, the Morgundian Air Worm, and a spaceship’s worth of other aliens . . .

Brontë, Manuela Santoni’s graphic telling of the lives of Emily, Charlotte, and Anne Brontë, arrived in the United States earlier this month. This sweeping work of graphic biography, originally published in Italy and translated by Matteo Benassi, explores the sisters’ tumultuous family and literary awakenings. To celebrate the occasion of its stateside release, the Lerner Blog asked Santoni about bringing the Brontës to life.

With each volume of A House Divided, a captivating and creative fantasy graphic novel series, Haiko Hörnig and Marius Pawlitza have invited readers to make some creations of their own.

The books follow Henrietta Achilles, a big-hearted orphan who inherits the sizable and magical estate of her uncle, a notorious wizard. While Henrietta finds all sorts of motley creatures camped out inside the house, some of Henrietta’s most memorable encounters involve food and drink, from an early squabble over a hot quiche onward. Fittingly, each volume of the series includes a recipe as well, giving readers the steps to fictional culinary concoctions such as Swain’s Quiche, Moira’s Magical Dragon Blood Punch, and Henrietta’s Farewell Cake. When you collect the entire series you can make a complete meal using these recipes.

Readers have responded, sharing their results with the creators, and Hörnig was gracious enough to share some highlights with the Lerner Blog: