Tag Archives: manhua

Magnetic Press Unveils Twin Lotuses – The First-Ever English-Language Graphic Novel Created and Illustrated by Chinese Cartoonist Zhang Xiaoyu

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Oni Press and Magnetic Press have announced the first-ever English-language publication of Twin Lotuses, a manhua masterpiece which marks internationally acclaimed Chinese artist Zhang Xiaoyu’s debut as a writer/artist in North America. Stylish, ambitious, and genre-defying, Twin Lotuses is a book to be reckoned with, and its release in the spring of 2026 will be a major publishing event. 

Twin Lotuses follows a Chinese orphan known as Stink Head, whose life changes forever when he befriends Fan, a Chinese engineer who built an extraordinary clockwork automaton that performs at a local theater. Meanwhile, war rages throughout the city, and orphaned children run wild under the direction of local potentates in an attempt to thrive and survive. When those potentates take notice of the mysterious beauty at the theater, suspicions and desires start to grow, and Fan’s history with his invention comes into heartbreaking focus. Mix in an American airman, and the tensions of war, and things build to an explosive finale.  

Originally published in China as Bìngdìlián and in France as Lotus Jumeaux, Twin Lotuses is a brilliant showcase of Zhang Xiaoyu’s incredible talent. Throughout his three-decade career, Xiaoyu’s work has been published around the world by prestigious publishers including Belgium’s Casterman and France’s Glenat, and earned First Prize and Best Graphic Novel in the prestigious China Animation and Comic Competition as well as France’s prestigious Golden Elephant Award. Xiaoyu has collaborated with everyone from Animeland Award Winner Guillaume Dorison, aka Izu (Crusades), to two-time Hugo Award-winning author Cixin Liu (Three Body Problem), on the short story “The Village Teacher.” 

Twin Lotuses is a gorgeous, 324-page hardcover graphic novel that will give English-speaking audiences their first opportunity to appreciate Xiaoyu’s wonderful writing in addition to his breathtaking art. Twin Lotuses will be published in bookstores on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 and in comic shops on April 15th.

Twin Lotuses

Kingdom Vol. 1 has an interesting story and ok art but overall doesn’t stand out

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The journey of young orphan Xin’s rise to glory as a great general in the Qin Kingdom’s quest to do what has never been done before—unify China.

Xin is a war orphan in a poor village in the kingdom of Qin. He has big dreams of becoming a great general, and when his best friend’s life is cut short by political machinations, Xin sets off to find a deposed ruler and help restore his place on the throne, while working his way up through the ranks of the Qin kingdom’s army to do what no one has ever done before—unify China.

Xin’s journey begins when his friend Piao, another war orphan who imparts to Xin the same dream of becoming the Greatest Generals Under the Heavens, is offered a position in court in the capital. He leaves Xin behind to train on his own, and to meet him there one day. One fateful night, Piao returns bloodied and on the brink of death, with his dying words being for Xin to go meet a boy who turns out to look exactly like Piao. But this is no ordinary boy—it’s the king of Qin, Ying Zheng! And assassins are hot on his tail!

Story: Yashuhisa Hara
Art: Yashuhisa Hara
Translation: Nathan A. Collins
Retouch and Lettering: Rina Mara
Design: Adam Grano
Editor: Rae First

Get your copy in comic shops! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Amazon

VIZ Media provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
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Wah Kee’s My Soul Mate comes to shelves January 2026 from Nakama Press

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Nakama Press has revealed a first look at My Soul Mate—a semi-autobiographical manhua from celebrated Hong Kong writer and artist Wah Kee. 

The winner of the Hong Kong Arts Centre Award for Best Comic Story and selected for the prestigious Angoulême International Comics Festival, My Soul Mate blends ghostly possession and creative ambition to bring a supernatural twist to the creative spirit of the comics industry.

Chung Chuen Ming is an experienced art assistant in the comics industry who spends his days working on perfecting the work of others. Inside his heart, he longs for artistic fulfilment and wants to create his own manhua. Determined to make his dreams a reality, he quits his day job to focus on his personal project. Through a strange turn of events, he meets fellow novice artist Cheung Shan, someone who could really help him achieve his dreams! There’s just one small issue: Chung Chuen Ming just died and has been possessing Cheung Shan! Can a creative collaboration bloom between these two artists, even against the boundaries of life and death? Follow these two fearless artists as they follow their creative dreams in My Soul Mate.

My Soul Mate will appeal to fans of supernatural Chinese dramas (Oh My Ghost, The Ghost Detective), introspective nonfiction graphic novels like Eleanor Davis’ Why Art, and behind-the-scenes industry stories told through a fictional lens. It comes to comic shops on January 20, 2026.

My Soul Mate

FairSquare Comics Celebrates Fifth Anniversary with Rebranding

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FairSquare Graphics

FairSquare Comics has announced their transition into FairSquare Graphics. The rebranding will continue the publisher’s mission of celebrating immigrant and minority voices as they celebrate their fifth anniversary today, June 20, 2024. The anniversary also celebrates the announcement of an all-new imprint and more, with five additional exciting announcements to come. While FairSquare Graphics will retain the use of the name FairSquare Comics for conventions and crowdfunding, future titles will be under the FairSquare Graphics name. 

Horny Dolphin

Joining the current catalog lineup, starting this summer, FairSquare Graphics will debut several ManFra titles (French manga) and Manhua titles. And in addition to a new name, this year will bring considerable changes to FairSquare Graphics with the inclusion of Horny Dolphin, a new imprint dedicated to NSFW with original and licensed titles. As with the primary FairSquare Graphics line, Horny Dolphin will focus primarily on immigrant and minority voices with the release of a flagship title in Fall 2024. 

FairSquare Graphics, formerly FairSquare Comics, is the brainchild of Fabrice Sapolsky, Kristal Adams, and Ethan Sapolsky and came onto the scene June 20, 2019  and launched their debut graphic novel, Noir is the New Black, which sold over 7000 copies in July 2020. Since then, Noir is the New Black has had three editions printed.

The flagship single issue series for FairSquare Comics, Mutiny: Black Girl Magik #1 was revitalized via Kickstarter in April. The “mascot” of the company, Mutiny is the culmination of pure Black femme effort with the writing, illustration, and editorial work of Black femme creatives. Issue two will debut on Kickstarter late summer 2024. 

Currently, FairSquare Graphics has shared that Lady-Bird, written by Fabrice Sapolsky and Dawn J. Starr with art by Daniele Sapuppo, is being adapted as a television series in Europe. Additionally, A Boy Named Rose by Gaelle Geniller is currently nominated for an Eisner Award in the Best U.S. Edition of International Material category. During their time on the scene as a small, independent publisher, FairSquare Graphics has released more than 40 titles since the start via Diamond Distributors and has attended more than 100 conventions, bringing their graphic novels direct to the readers and fans.

Representing FairSquare Graphics, Fabrice Sapolsky and Kristal Adams will be attending this year’s American Library Association conference from June 28th through July 1st in San Diego, California. They will be located at booth #119 in Artist’s Alley near the Pop Top Stage B off of the Exhibit Hall F entrance. 

Tokyopop Announces its Assassin’s Creed Manhua Details

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After the reveal of Free Comic Book Day 2021’s gold title lineup, Tokyopop has announced initial release information regarding their Assassin’s Creed Dynasty and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Blood Brothers titles, selected as a combination title for the annual event. Combining two original stories set in the world of Assassin’s Creed, the free comic release will include a sampling of each title.

Assassin’s Creed is an action role-playing video game series developed and published by Ubisoft® that follows the ongoing conflict between the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Templar Order throughout various moments in history around the world. Established as one of the best-selling video game series of all time, every Assassin’s Creed game is set in a new era, with a fictional exploration of important historical touchstones across various cultures.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Blood Brothers is a manhua by Feng Zi Su set in the same world as the most recent game release, following new characters in the Viking invasion of England in the 9th century.

Not long before the exploits of Eivor Wolf-Kissed, Jarl Stensson and his sons, Ulf and Björn, make their way to England at the behest of Halfdan Ragnarsson and Ivarr the Boneless. Filled with excitement, confidence and bloodlust, the three vikings are eager to go to war against Aelfred the Great and his Anglo Saxon army. But they would do well not to underestimate what awaits them on those green shores…

Told in one complete volume, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Blood Brothers can be read chapter by chapter exclusively on the INKR digital platform from April 2021, with the full digital volume available in June 2021, and the print edition scheduled for August 2022.

Assassin’s Creed Dynasty is an original story set in ancient China, created by Xu Xian Zhe. 

In the 14th year of the Tianbao Era (CE 755) An Lushan, a military governor with ties to the Knights Templar, leads his elite corps to rebel against the Tang Dynasty, and the ill-prepared Tang empire falters under the threat. The two capitals Luoyang and Chang’an fall and China falls under the oppression of the cruel An Lushan.

As the Tang dynasty starts to crumble, Li E, a shady Assassin trained by the Hidden Ones in the far West, teams up with Tang loyalists to turn the tide and save both the dynasty and the country from this crisis.

Released as five volumes through 2021 and into 2022, Assassin’s Creed Dynasty can be read chapter by chapter exclusively on the INKR digital platform from May 2021, with the first full volume to be released digitally from September 2021, and the print edition scheduled for January 2022. An initial release calendar for the first two volumes can be found below.