The New York Public Library has released its list of the best new comics for adults for 2026. The list is organized by a slew of different categories that include everything from Activism & Social Justice to Biography & Memoir, Manga, Fantasy, and beyond. It’s such a great, varied list to go through and to pick from to add to your to-be-read list when you have a chance.
Speaking of that list, at least one of the 50 comics in the list is out this month. It’s a darkly funny look at real life in New Zealand with a stunning color palette. In addition to that, this month’s best new comics include a cozy Ghibli-esque story, an iconic Swamp Thing mashup, sassy cats, Bollywood body horror, and more.
Swamp Thing Is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV, illustrated by Werther Dell’Edera
This one-shot comic merges two icons. The bestselling Something is Killing the Children series and DC’s Swamp Thing. Things start to go downhill once a pair of comic book fan siblings start reading horror comics. When the comics’ terrifying scenes start coming to life, and monster hunter Erica Slaughter is on the path to hunting the Swampt Thing.
Sassy Cats by Yamada Murasaki, translated by Ryan Holmberg
This is such a unique combination of (obvious) cat literature and feminist perspectives, which is unsurprising, considering Murasaki’s influential feminist comic of the ’80s, Talk to My Back. Sassy cats was also originally serialized in Garo from 1979-1980, but recently published in English. In it, we’re treated to the simole but profound musings of house cats, as well as Murasaki’s own personal reflections.
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