Collecting Comics: Comics take on addiction, STEM, space and more in October, by Ally Watkins

Here are some great October comics your teens and tweens will be clamoring for!

Secret Coders: Monsters and Modules by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Holmes (First Second, October 2). In this sixth and final volume of the wildly popular Secret Coders series, the coders must travel to another dimension to save humanity! They must write their most complicated code yet to save the day.

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden (First Second, October 2). Tillie Walden’s latest graphic novel is about a girl on a crew in the deepest reaches of space, working to rebuild the broken down past. The newest member of the crew, Mia, might just have an ulterior motive for being there. Told in alternating timelines and flashing back to Mia’s years in boarding school where she fell in love with another student, this epic love story will enthrall your readers.

Graphic Memoirist Grapples With Family Addiction In ‘Hey, Kiddo’ : NPR

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Graphix, October 9). This powerful graphic memoir from popular cartoonist and children’s author Krosoczka has already been longlisted for the National Book Award. It tells the story of young Jarrett, who dealt with a drug addicted mother and was raised by grandparents with larger than life personalities. As he grows up, he finds solace in his art.

Lost Soul, Be at Peace by Maggie Thrash (Candlewick, October 9). In this follow-up to Thrash’s acclaimed graphic novel Honor Girl, she returns to her teenage life a year and a half after the summer that changed her life. Young Maggie is grappling with depression and parents that don’t understand, and she only cares about her cat, who then disappears somewhere in the walls of her house. This story writes about depression and families with brutal honesty.

Lafayette! (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales #8) by Nathan Hale (Amulet, October 16). The latest Hazardous Tale from Nathan Hale takes on the story of the Maquis de Lafayette, the young Frenchman who became an American Revolutionary War hero, fighting alongside Alexander Hamilton and George Washington.

Science Comics: The Brain: The Ultimate Thinking Machine by Tony Woollcott, illustrated by Alex Graudins (First Second, October 16). The newest work of nonfiction in the Science Comics series takes on the human brain. In it, young Fahama must learn about the brain as quickly as possible in order to escape from the clutches of a mad scientist and his zombie assistant! Your young readers will learn about the brain along with Fahama!

Aquicorn Cove by Katie O’Neill (Oni Press, October 16). O’Neill’s two previous graphic novels, Princess Princess Ever After and The Tea Dragon Society have been award-winning and very popular. In her next book, she dives into a story about the responsibility of being a guardian to who and what you love. When Lana and her father return to their hometown to help with cleanup after a big storm, Lana grows closer to her aunt and finds something magical: a colony of Aquicorns, magical seahorse-like creatures that live on the reef. Lana and her aunt slowly begins to realize that for the humans and the sea life to coexist together, something must change.

Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass by Lilah Sturgess, illustrated by Polterink (BOOM! Box, October 23). This is the first original graphic novel set in the world of the Lumberjanes made wildly popular by the comic book series. In this story, the girls of Roanoke cabin get separated during orienteering thanks to a mysterious compass, and Molly is becoming more and more insecure about her relationship with Mal and the other girls.

Runaways Volume 2: Best Friends Forever by Rainbow Rowell, illustrated by Kris Anka (Marvel, October 30). Your fans of Rainbow Rowell will be thrilled to read the next collected trade editions of Runaways. In this arc, the team welcomes a new friend, Gert tinkers with technology that may be over her head, Karolina’s celebrity past catches up with her, and everyone tries to be a family again! (Collects issues #7-#12 of the comic book series).

Crush by Svetlana Chmakova (JY, October 30). This book, the follow-up to the popular Awkward and Brave, Jorge has it all together…until he encounters his crush. He’s great when he’s with his group of friends…until those dynamics start to shift. Will he be able to balance expectations versus what he really wants?

The Hidden Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag (Graphix, October 30). This follow-up to the popular The Witch Boy, shows Aster and his family adjusting to his new life working in witchcraft, unlike the other shapeshifter males in his family. Meanwhile, Aster’s nonmagical friend, Charlie, is having trouble–a curse has tried to attach itself to her. Now they must find the source of the curse before magical and nonmagical people start to get hurt!

BONUS NONCOMIC: Lumberjanes: The Good Egg by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Brooklyn Allen (Amulet, October 30). This third in the series of Lumberjanes novelizations follows fan favorite Ripley, who finds an abandoned egg. She’s determined to take care of it until the parents return, but will she be foiled by poachers, who want the egg for themselves?