We’re ready for another amazing year at the TLA annual conference in beautiful Austin, Texas! With our new middle-grade imprint, Papercutz in tow, we’re excited for a weekend full of great reads!

2023 TLA Maverick Reading List Starred Title, World Class by Jay Sandlin…

WORLD CLASS (OGN)
Writer: Jay Sandlin – Illustrator: Patrick Mulholland
Colorist: Rebecca Nalty – Letterer: Justin Birch
Synopsis: Football is a religion where Adrian “The Colombian Cannon” Molina comes from and with his wicked right leg, he has a clear shot to the promised land of the European Junior Leagues.
But when a football scout offers him a full scholarship to an elite prep school in London, the news seems too good to be true. His enrollment hits a snag upon meeting the team’s star striker, Titan Evans. Titan is everything Adrian is not; rich, powerful, connected, and with a hunger to dominate the school as well as the pitch. The constant fighting, teasing, and bullying, brings about crippling anxiety of losing his spot on the team. That’s until Luciano DeSilva takes him under his wing, and gives Adrian the confidence to be himself and value his position on the team.
From visionary writer and podcaster Jay Sandlin (Over the Ropes), illustrator Patrick Mulholland (Power Rangers), and superstar colorist Rebecca Nalty (GLOW) comes a foot- ball story, that blends the energy and heart of Shonen manga with a story about finding the right people in your life to not only make you a better player, but a better person.
and 2022 TLA Maverick Reading List Starred Title, Needle & Thread by David Pinckney!

NEEDLE & THREAD (OGN)
Writer: David Pinckney – Illustrator: Ennun Ana Iurov – Letterer: Micah Myers
Synopsis: Choosing between living the life you want and living the life you’re “supposed to have” is not always an easy choice.
Noah, embracing his true-self, wants to pursue a career in costume design, something his loving, public service parents would never approve of. Azarie, the perfect, model daughter of a very stern, traditional family, dreams of embracing the hobbies she secretly loves, hobbies her social circle would never abide by. The two live different lives and their social statuses keep them from ever crossing paths until they have a chance encounter that exposes some common ground: the desire to be who they truly are. Together, the two set out to put it all on the line and show everyone what they’re made of and what they want to achieve in the form of cosplay. Their growing friendship will be tested and their faith in themselves, as well as each other, will be tried.
Up-and-coming writer David Pinckney (Fight Like a Girl) and first-time graphic novel artist Ennun Ana Iurov introduce a coming-of-age yarn about self-discovery, resilience, and the enduring power of having a person believe in you!
Here’s to another year of excellent reads from TLA! We can’t wait to see you there! For a full list of 2023 TLA Starred Titles, check the link below!

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