Dune Graphic Novels Box Set Preview

 

 

I came late to the Dune party. I didn't read Dune until 1983, and didn't see the 1984 until 1987. But in the next few years, I read all six of Frank Herbert's novels, the latter two as they came out. I reread all six, along with Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings every year for a few years in the late '80s and early '90s. It would be much later that I read Brian Herbert's biography Dreamer Of Dune, and learned more what prompted his father to write those novels. 

If you're a diehard Dune fan, I'd also recommend The Road to Dune, which includes Brian and Kevin J Anderson's telling of Frank Herbert's original conception for the novel from the author's original notes. The book also contains scenes that Frank Herbert didn't include in the first three novels.

If you love graphic novels, check out this beautiful retelling of the classic novel. Here's all the info from Abrams ComicArts:

 

Just in Time for The Holiday Season:

Abrams ComicArts Collects The Acclaimed Dune Graphic Novels In A Stunning New Box Set

Three Spectacular Hardcover Graphic Novel Adaptations of Dune, 

The Groundbreaking Science-Fiction Classic by Frank Herbert

A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism, and politics, Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune is a literary masterpiece beloved by readers around the world. The seminal science fiction story, set in the far future, chronicles the adventures of Paul Atreides, as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis. The story – both on the page and in the acclaimed film adaptations – 

explores the complex, multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion as the forces of the empire confront each other for control of Arrakis.

And now, just in time for the holiday season, Abrams ComicArts is releasing Dune: The Graphic Novel: The Complete 3-Book Boxed Set, featuring all three nationally bestselling Dune graphic novel adaptations written by Brian Herbert (Frank's son) and acclaimed novelist Kevin J. Anderson, featuring lush color art by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín. The jaw dropping art by Allén and Martín transports readers to the Dune universe, blending classic science fiction storytelling with a bold contemporary comics aesthetic.

These national bestselling graphic novel adaptations have been embraced by Dune fans old and new. Here’s what people are saying about the Dune Graphic Novel Adaptations:

“Boasting eye-popping art from Raúl Allén and Patricia Martin… Dune: The Graphic Novel is a scene-by-scene adaptation of the beloved novel from two writers who are already very familiar with the worlds of Arrakis and beyond.”―The Hollywood Reporter

“The palette practically makes Arrakis‘ blazing heat and desolation jump off the page… Gorgeous.”―Nerdist

"An adaptation worthy of continuing the franchise's legacy for a new generation.”―CBR

“Breathtaking.”―SPACE.com

“Compelling.”―Boing Boing

“A resoundingly successful adaptation.”

―Foreword STARRED Review

“Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín take a dense story and apply all that nuance and subtext to their visual language in adapting Dune. Panels establish scope and geography, and showcase the character who has the power in a scene, all the while guiding you as if you were on a theme park ride through the wild sci-fi action of warring families and giant sand worms. These two have pulled off a rare feat and made a political tale visually compelling."
―Eric Heisserer, Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Arrival

Abrams will release the 552-page, three-volume Dune: The Graphic Novel: The Complete 3-Book Boxed Set on November 18, 2025. 

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

About the Box Set

Dune: The Graphic Novel: The Complete 3-Book Boxed Set

By Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Art by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín

Abrams ComicArts | November 2025

U.S. $78 | 

Hardcover | 552 Pages

7.87 x 5.91 inches Inches | Full-color illustrations throughout

Hardcover ISBN: 9781419787171 

 

Thanks to Abrams ComicArts and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us. 

The Avengers in the Veracity Trap Review

 

Story: Chip Kidd

Script: Chip Kidd with Michael Cho

Artist & Colorist: Michael Cho

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Publisher: Abrams ComicArts

Price: $25.99

Release Date: August 5, 2025

 

When the Avengers pursue Loki, their journey takes them to Asgard. Loki commands a legion of monsters. But why has he drawn them from the far reaches of the galaxy? The Hulk advises less contemplation and more smashing. Iron Man agrees and uses his transistor power to attack the monsters. Can Captain America, Iron Man, Giant-Man, the Wasp, and the Hulk breach his defenses? And where did Thor disappear to? Let’s leap into The Avengers in the Veracity Trap and see!

 

Story

After discovering a powerful new realm, Loki establishes a base in an ancient temple on Asgard. There, he builds a transportation device to this other dimension. After Thor breaches the temple, he tries to destroy the portal. But when Mjolnir vanishes, Thor must enter the glowing ball of energy to retrieve it. In Chip Kidd and Michael Cho’s story, Thor returns defeated. Although he carries his beloved hammer, he lacks the will to wield it. Instead of discovering Thanos and a Chitauri battle fleet in this other realm, Thor learned that everything he believed was a lie.

 

Like Kwaku Anansi, others regard Loki as a trickster god. What Loki calls stories, others regard as lies. So Loki builds his Veracity Vortex to trap his brother with a different kind of truth. Thor cannot perceive this truth with his senses or measure it with Shellhead’s scientific equipment. Instead, Thor grapples with the power of belief. In The Avengers in the Veracity Trap, Thor encounters a realm where people believe his world is irrelevant. The people there regard their world as the sole reality. And when they think of Thor and his friends, they view them as cultural artifacts like Santa Claus, best abandoned to meet the demands of adulthood.

 

The Avengers in the Veracity Trap is a fast-paced story that celebrates how comic books contribute to our culture. The book compares the process of creating and producing comics with their impact on us. While reminding us of the importance of ideas, Chip Kidd and Michael Cho’s story also reminds us that stories define us. We can allow others’ stories to limit us. Or we can harness our imaginations to live stories that no one else could ever have imagined.

 

Art

Michael Cho evokes the look of early Marvel comics with Jack Kirby-style monsters. The Avengers and Loki also adopt a historic appearance. While setting the story in the present day, we see Michael Cho drawing at a drafting table. Chip dresses in a timeless style as he studies Michael's latest page of Bristol paper. While the settings on Asgard remain rooted in the 1960s, the design and furnishings in Michael’s studio seem suited to any era. Yet when the creators separate, they communicate via cellphones in The Avengers in the Veracity Trap.

 

Michael Cho also evokes the four-color era as he presents his characters in double-page spreads, splash pages, and multi-panel pages. While generally following a linear flow, he occasionally arranges the story across pages. A rainbow flashes across characters as they lose or regain color as they travel between the Marvel Universe and our own. Yet the circles of color that surround the characters in the vortex remind us of the infinite worlds of the multiverse.

 

Joe Caramagna conjures uppercase black letters into white and ivory dialogue balloons. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Every Marvel hero and villain receives a pinup-style splash page with a stylish, colorful introduction. (Except Ulik. Alas, poor Ulik!) Sound effects enhance battles, interdimensional travel, and a giant whose footsteps herald a metal-faced doctor (and a Thurian Age sorcerer). Thanks to Abrams ComicArts and Superfan Promotions for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

People often see the world from their perspective and regard anything that disagrees with their views as a threat. When the Avengers encounter our universe, they discover a realm where they are fictional heroes, controlled by writers and artists. Each protagonist shines when they combine their abilities to escape The Avengers in the Veracity Trap.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my preview of The Avengers in the Veracity Trap. 

The Avengers in the Veracity Trap! Preview

 

Abrams ComicArts featured this during their panel at San Diego Comic-Con. The writer and artist were both there, and they made the story sound super-fun! Thankfully, they sent me a copy so I could tell you about it! Here's all the info from Abrams ComicArts:

 

The Avengers in the Veracity Trap!
By Chip Kidd

Art by Michael Cho

Abrams ComicArts | August 5, 2025

U.S. $25.99 | CAN $32.99 | U.K. £18.99
Hardcover | 64 Pages

8.5 x 11 Inches | Full-color illustrations throughout

Hardcover ISBN: 9781419770678 

Abrams ComicArts and MarvelArts to Publish The Avengers in The Veracity Trap

Loki Goes Toe to Toe with Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Original Graphic Novel from Chip Kidd and Michael Cho

Following Alex Ross’s Award-winning, bestseller Fantastic Four: Full Circle, Abrams ComicArts is continuing its MarvelArts line with The Avengers in The Veracity Trap, an original graphic novel from Eisner Award winner Chip Kidd and acclaimed artist Michael Cho. The mind-bending, visually sumptuous saga will take the Avengers and the reader on an adventure that questions the very nature of heroism, villainy, and existence. 

The Avengers in The Veracity Trap begins with an epic battle in Asgard, as Loki, the god of mischief, comes into possession of a weapon of unimaginable power and assembles an army of otherworldly monsters in an effort to carry out his evil plans. Cue the Avengers—Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Giant-Man, and the Wasp—who meet this horrifying throng of beasts head-on as a thrilling, knock-down drag-out fight ensues.

But when the smoke clears, what appears to be a typically raucous comic book take-down is revealed to be something very, very different—and very, very terrifying. This discovery threatens to destroy the Avengers in a way that Loki or any other foe never has before. Because this time the enemy is . . . the Truth.

"Writing this book was really just an excuse to see Michael Cho depict glorious, epic, jaw-dropping sequential storytelling with these iconic characters that we love so much. He more than delivered." says writer Chip Kidd. "Oh, and it was also my ultimate comics ego trip, which Abrams and Marvel actually allowed me to take. I still don’t know why, but I am beyond grateful."

"I’ve always held a special spot in my super-hero loving heart for the Avengers, especially the early Marvel age comics they appeared in. is a tribute to the wonder, the delight, and the zany 'anything could happen!' spirit of those stories," explains Michael Cho. "Chip wrote a fantastic and heartfelt story and, in drawing this book, I tried my best to channel some of the energy and, especially, the joy that crackled from the pages of those classic comics."

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

Thanks to Abrams ComicArts and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us.

 

Chip Kidd is an award–winning graphic designer, writer, and editor at large at Pantheon. A three–time Eisner Award winner, he has written and designed more than a dozen books on comics, including Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts, Shazam! The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal, Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross, and Marvelocity: The Marvel Comics Art of Alex Ross. He lives in New York City

Michael Cho is a cartoonist and illustrator based in Toronto, Canada. These days you can see his art on comic book covers for Marvel, DC Comics, and other companies. He’s also drawn for Star Wars, Star Trek, Fortnite, Disney, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and even the Joe Biden presidential campaign. Along the way, Cho has won a few awards for his work and published an art book of his drawings, Back Alleys and Urban Landscapes, with Drawn & Quarterly in 2012. His first graphic novel, Shoplifter, was published in 2014 by Pantheon and was a New York Times bestseller.

Founded in 1949, ABRAMS was the first company in the United States to specialize in publishing art and illustrated books. The company continues to publish critically acclaimed and bestselling works in the areas of art, photography, cooking, craft, comics, interior and garden design, entertainment, fashion, and popular culture as well as narrative non-fiction and new works of fiction for adults; children’s books ranging from middle grade to young adult fiction to picture books to board books. ABRAMS creates and distributes brilliantly designed books with the highest production values under the following imprints: Abrams; Abrams ComicArts; Megascope; Surely Books; Abrams Image; Abrams Press; The Overlook Press; Cernunnos; Cameron + Company; Abrams Books for Young Readers; Amulet Books; Abrams Appleseed; and Magic Cat. ABRAMS also distributes books for Booth-Clibborn Editions, Alain Ducasse Édition, Èditions de La Martiniére, Editions BPI, Global Golf Group, Lucky Spool, Milky Way Picture Books, The Museum of Modern Art, SelfMadeHero, Tate Publishing, V&A Publishing, and The Vendome Press.

For another great book from Abrams ComicArts see my preview of The Red Badge Of Courage Graphic Novel.

The Red Badge of Courage GN Review

 

Writers: Steve Cuzor & Stephen Crane

Artist: Steve Cuzor

Letterer: Vitro Hache

Translator: Montana Kane

Publisher: Abrams ComicArts

Price: $19.99

Release Date: May 14, 2025

 

Eighteen-year-old Henry Fleming works on his mother's farm. His mother relies on him to help her plow the fields and tend the animals. With the southern states abandoning the United States, tending a patch of land seems a paltry endeavor compared with reuniting his country. But his mother needs him. What can he accomplish as a raw recruit, anyway? Is Henry important to his country? Or is he just a naïve idealist searching for meaning in his life? Let's grab our rifles, leap into The Red Badge Of Courage GN, and find out!

 

Story

After joining up, Henry sits in camp and goes out on maneuvers. He peels potatoes like he did on his mother's front porch. Finally, his friend announces that they're going into battle. His fellow soldiers wonder if Jim Conklin's scuttlebutt is true. But this is the chance Henry was waiting for. Now, if he sees the battle through, he can live a life of significance.

 

Yet there’s more to winning than enthusiasm and idealism in Steve Cuzor’s retelling of Stephen Crane's novel. As they prepare for battle, a fellow soldier presses letters for home into Henry's hands. Wilson believes he will die today in The Red Badge of Courage GN.

 

When battle commences, Henry's superiors bark conflicting orders before bullets and cannonballs take them down. Smoke fills the air, obscuring his fellow soldiers and the enemy. Henry follows his comrades' retreat, only to end up alone in the woods. Now he feels like a deserter, not the soldier heaped in honors he hoped to become.

 

The Red Badge of Courage GN portrays the Battle of Chancellorsville through Henry’s eyes. Confusion reigns as his poorly trained company charges into battle. Their general observes the battle from far away, moving his companies like a gambler playing craps. Even nature mocks Henry as Union cavalry threatens to mow down the stumbling wounded.

 

More than once, his mother's insistence that the South is more than a match for the North comes back to him. Henry realizes that he has little choice but to see the slaughter through in The Red Badge of Courage GN. Yet on the eve of this battle, one of the "enemy" offered him advice on how to survive the war.

 

Art

Steve Cuzor’s detailed art conveys the realism of Stephen Crane’s novel. Despite the valiant spirit of Henry and his comrades, Cuzor presents an unglamorous depiction of battle. Every fold in the men's uniforms and tents contrasts with the rugged, untamed land surrounding them. Shadows and darkness remind us that night offered few light sources except campfires. Panels focus on the people fighting on both sides of this conflict, while specks of dust swarm through the air amid battles. Bullets tear through people, producing a tiny plume of speckled ink, while explosions tear apart silhouettes.

 

While people remember the political causes of this war, The Red Badge Of Courage GN focuses on the soldiers charging through panels with their rifles and bayonets. Although other colors occasionally intrude, shades of green dominate the monocolored panels that pack the pages. No Black soldiers serve alongside those fighting and dying for their contrasting ideals. Yet before the Northerners head into battle, a black minstrel perches atop a barrel of gunpowder playing his fiddle for smiling white soldiers.

 

Vitro Hache populates white dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with black, uppercase letters. Henry’s thoughts appear in Manga-style diagonal-shaped balloons. Words grow bold for emphasis, enlarge for volume, and shrink for distance as Henry overhears a general’s disparaging thoughts on the battle and the men he serves alongside. Thanks to Abrams ComicArts for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Generals and political leaders may record history. Yet the compelling stories of war concern those serving in the ranks. Like young Henry Fleming, these brave souls crouch behind the bulwarks or risk flying bullets and explosions. Instead of showing armies achieving decisive battles, The Red Badge of Courage GN focuses on a young man’s desire to become the person he envisions, regardless of whether anyone else values his contributions.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of The Red Badge of Courage. 

Buy The Red Badge of Courage from Abrams Books.

The Red Badge Of Courage: Graphic Novel Preview

 

The Civil War left an indelible imprint on the American consciousness. While Image Comics and Ghost Machine took a science-fictional approach to the conflict in last month's Redcoat #11, Abrams ComicArts delivers a stunningly realistic portrait of the war that split our nation. Here's all the info: 

 

Steve Cuzor’s Graphic Novel Adaptation of Stephen Crane’s Genre-Defining Novel

THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE

Is a Lush Yet Unflinching Depiction of War

Published by Abrams ComicArts

 

Written by Stephen Crane when he was just 24, The Red Badge of Courage is a Civil War story that captured the imaginations of readers worldwide and made its author an overnight literary icon. Now artist Steve Cuzor and Abrams ComicArts are publishing a powerful graphic novel adaptation of the classic and genre-defining war novel. Cuzor’s stark yet detailed artwork in The Red Badge of Courage perfectly captures the realistic prose of the original novel, presenting a lushly illustrated, unflinching depiction of war through the eyes of a young, inexperienced soldier.

A groundbreaking and realistic examination of the psychological effects of war, The Red Badge of Courage draws from firsthand accounts and research and has been continuously in print since its publication in 1894. Crane’s depiction of his main character, Henry Fleming, and his internal monologue, ring so true that many readers mistook Crane for a veteran himself. The realistic prose and visceral descriptions of battle that Crane used marked the first shift away from uncritical patriotism in war literature. It would take until at least the 1920s and the wake of the horror of the First World War for the rest of the genre to catch up. In the years following its publication, The Red Badge of Courage was hailed by Crane scholar Henry Wertheim as “unquestionably the most realistic novel about the American Civil War,” while Ernest Hemingway called the novel an “American classic.”

“By illustrating Crane’s classic story, Cuzor pulls readers into the midst of the action, making Henry Fleming’s experience feel all the more visceral,” said Abrams Comic Arts Publisher Joseph Montagne. “Literary aficionados and students alike will find another layer of this classic story to appreciate in this new adaptation of Crane’s magnum opus.”

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

The Red Badge of Courage graphic novel adaptation by Steve Cuzor will be available in bookstores on Tuesday, May 13th and in comic shops on Wednesday, May 14th, 2025.

About the creators

Steve Cuzor is the creator of Black Jack (published by Casterman) and has also collaborated on Quintett with writer Frank Giroud. He lives in France.

Stephen Crane was one of America's foremost realistic writers, and his works have been credited with marking the beginning of modern American Naturalism. His Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage (1895) is a classic of American literature that realistically depicts the psychological complexities of fear and courage on the battlefield.

About ABRAMS

Founded in 1949, ABRAMS was the first company in the United States to specialize in publishing art and illustrated books. The company continues to publish critically acclaimed and bestselling works in the areas of art, photography, cooking, craft, comics, interior and garden design, entertainment, fashion, and popular culture as well as narrative nonfiction and new works of fiction for adults; children’s books ranging from middle grade to young adult fiction to picture books to board books. ABRAMS creates and distributes brilliantly designed books with the highest production values under the following imprints: Abrams; Abrams ComicArts; Megascope; Surely Books; Abrams Image; Abrams Press; The Overlook Press; Cernunnos; Cameron + Company; Abrams Books for Young Readers; Amulet Books; Abrams Appleseed; and Magic Cat. ABRAMS also distributes books for Booth-Clibborn Editions, Bungie, Alain Ducasse Édition, Èditions de La Martiniére, Editions BPI, Global Golf Group, Lucky Spool, Milky Way Picture Books, The Museum of Modern Art, SelfMadeHero, Tate Publishing, V&A Publishing, and The Vendome Press.

 

Thanks to Abrams ComicArts and Superfan Promotions for sharing this preview with us.

Francis Ford Coppola's New Graphic Novel

 

 

First, Ridley Scott stepped into the comics ring with Mechanical Cake. Now, the director of Apocalypse Now and The Godfather is blessing comic shops with his cinematic visions. I love the smell of Graphic Novels in the morning!

Here's all the news on Francis Ford Coppola's new project:

 

Abrams ComicArts to Publish Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis as an Original Graphic Novel

Abrams ComicArts is thrilled to announce the debut graphic novel from legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, Megalopolis: An Original Graphic Novel, hitting shelves this fall. This stunning 160-page graphic novel offers readers an immersive new version of Coppola’s iconic cinematic story, adapted by writer Chris Ryall and Eisner-winning artist Jacob Phillips.

Set in the futuristic city of New Rome, Megalopolis originally captivated audiences with its masterful filmmaking, becoming one of Francis Ford Coppola's most widely discussed films. Now, in graphic novel form, it explores the gripping narrative of idealism versus corruption. Architect and dreamer Cesar Catilina seeks a utopian future, while Mayor Franklyn Cicero fights to preserve the status quo—rife with greed and political warfare. Caught between these powerful forces is Julia Cicero, the mayor’s daughter, whose romance with Cesar tests her loyalty and compels her to redefine her beliefs about what humanity truly deserves. The film, which features an all-star cast including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, and Aubrey Plaza, made its world premiere last year to a 10-minute standing ovation at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and was released theatrically and in IMAX globally on September 27, 2024.

“I was pleased to put the idea of a graphic novel in the competent hands of Chris Ryall with the idea that, although it was inspired by my film Megalopolis, it didn’t necessarily have to be limited by it,” said Francis Ford Coppola. “I hoped the graphic novel would take its own flight, with its own artists and writer so that it would be a sibling of the film, rather than just an echo. That’s what I feel Chris, Jacob Phillips and the team at Abrams ComicArts have accomplished. It confirms my feeling that art can never be constrained, but rather always a parallel expression, and part of the bounty we can make available to our patrons, audiences and readers.”

Chris Ryall, known for adapting groundbreaking graphic novels from legends such as Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Harlan Ellison, brings expert craftsmanship to this ambitious project. Jacob Phillips, acclaimed artist behind hits like That Texas Blood and Newburn, infuses the story with visually stunning illustrations that heighten the novel's emotional and cinematic intensity.

“Adapting Francis Ford Coppola's visionary Megalopolis has been an incredible creative thrill,” says writer Chris Ryall. “Coppola's storytelling challenged and inspired me at every turn, and collaborating with Jacob Phillips brought new depth to the narrative. With Abrams ComicArts, we've created something that both honors and expands the world of the original film.”

“Megalopolis is a giant, awe-inspiring tale which insisted I pushed my artwork to new levels to meet the challenge,” explains artist Jacob Phillips. “A Roman epic in modern day America.”

Joseph Montagne, Publisher of Abrams ComicArts, expressed his excitement: "Bringing Francis Ford Coppola’s extraordinary vision to the graphic novel format is an immense honor for Abrams ComicArts. Coppola’s storytelling genius, paired with Ryall’s writing and Phillips’ dynamic artistry, makes Megalopolis a true landmark in the graphic novel literary canon."

Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis: An Original Graphic Novel promises readers a thrilling journey, proving once again that Coppola remains one of the most innovative storytellers of our time.

Available October 2025 from Abrams ComicArts.

About the Book

Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis: An Original Graphic Novel
By Francis Ford Coppola, Adapted by Chris Ryall

Art by Jacob Phillips

Abrams ComicArts | October 2025

U.S. $25.99 | CAN $32.99 | U.K. £18.99
Hardcover | 160 Pages

6.625 x 10.18 Inches | Full-color illustrations throughout

Hardcover ISBN: 9781419787126 | eBook ISBN: 9798896840091

Founded in 1949, ABRAMS was the first company in the United States to specialize in publishing art and illustrated books. The company continues to publish critically acclaimed and bestselling works in the areas of art, photography, cooking, craft, comics, interior and garden design, entertainment, fashion, and popular culture as well as narrative non-fiction and new works of fiction for adults; children’s books ranging from middle grade to young adult fiction to picture books to board books. ABRAMS creates and distributes brilliantly designed books with the highest production values under the following imprints: Abrams; Abrams ComicArts; Megascope; Surely Books; Abrams Image; Abrams Press; The Overlook Press; Cernunnos; Cameron + Company; Abrams Books for Young Readers; Amulet Books; Abrams Appleseed; and Magic Cat. ABRAMS also distributes books for Booth-Clibborn Editions, Alain Ducasse Édition, Èditions de La Martiniére, Editions BPI, Global Golf Group, Lucky Spool, Milky Way Picture Books, The Museum of Modern Art, SelfMadeHero, Tate Publishing, V&A Publishing, and The Vendome Press.

Preview the Graphic Novel of Parable Of The Talents by Octavia Butler

 

From Marvel to Star Wars to a multi-volume graphic novel adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune, Abrams delivers the high quality books that fans crave. Check out this upcoming adaptation of another science fiction literary classic!

 

Legendary Novelist Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Talents to Be Adapted by

Eisner Award-Winners John Jennings and Damian Duffy 

Pioneering author Octavia Butler’s literary science fiction masterpieces helped define American speculative fiction and afrofuturism. Thanks to her prescient critiques of society, thrilling adventures, and charming characters, Butler’s bestselling novels are as beloved and relevant today as when they were first published. Now artists John Jenings and David Brame and writer Damian Duffy, who won the Eisner Award for Best Adaptation from Another Medium for their graphic novel adaptation of Butler’s beloved novel Kindred and the Hugo Award for their breathtaking take on Parable of the Sower, are reuniting with Abrams ComicArts to introduce a new generation of readers to Butler’s Parable of the Talents.

Being chosen to adapt the Parable duology by Octavia E. Butler into a graphic novel is both an honor and a very serious responsibility,” says artist John Jenings. “Those two books were so prescient and incredibly accurate with their forecasting that we are still amazed by the insightful creative acumen of Butler. It's our hope that we did the story justice and that the underlying messages resonate through every word and every panel.”

Octavia Butler’s 1993 dystopian novel Parable of the Sower painted an alarmingly poignant picture of the year 2024, introducing readers to a world shaped by environmental disasters, economic instability and social unrest. Following Lauren Olamina, a preacher’s daughter who develops a new religion while travelling the dangerous and dystopian country. Jennings and Duffy brought the sci-fi classic to life with a beautifully drawn graphic novel adaptation. Now they are taking on the sequel to Butler’s stunning novel, The Parable of the Talents, which follows Lauren’s daughter, Asha Vere. 

The Parable of the Talents continues Butler’s masterful story set against a background of a war-torn continent under the control of a Christian fundamentalist fascist state. Asha searches for answers about her own past while struggling to reconcile with her mother’s legacy—caught between her duty to her chosen family and her calling to lead humankind into a better future among the stars. 

“Octavia E. Butler wrote Parable of the Talents as a warning for the future,” says Damian Duffy. “Adapting Parable of the Talents from within the future she warned of has been a surreal and humbling journey. Fortunately, David Brame and John Jennings brought their significant artistic talents to bear, drawing images to help us move past dystopia, and down the path to hard won hope.”

Praise for Parable of the Sower

“Alarmingly prescient and relevant…This accessible adaptation is poised to introduce Butler’s dystopian tale to a new generation of readers.”―Publishers Weekly

“Fresh.”―USA Today

“Jennings’ work in the book is beyond stunning…”― Comics Beat

“As faithful an adaptation as you can get. Not only does it hit all the plot points, it perfectly portrays Butler’s balancing act in regard to how far society has fallen apart.”―Kirkus Reviews

“Duffy and Jennings have done justice to Butler’s work, losing none of the story’s richness and adding an exciting visual element that makes the reading experience even more visceral and engrossing.”―Foreword Reviews, STARRED review

“John Jennings’s work succeeds as sequential storytelling and approaches the level of iconography regularly.”―The Believer

“Jennings and Duffy are some of the most skilled and hardest working comics creators doing the work to radically transform and diversify the comics scene.”―Comicosity

“Jennings has captured [Butler’s] words with visual imagery in such an afrofuturistic, horror-esque way that the images jump off the page with every turn.”―Flickering Myth

Parable of the Talents: A Graphic Novel Adaptation will be available on April 22, 2025 from Abrams ComicArts. For updates, follow Abrams ComicArts on X, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.

Now, let's take a look inside:

About the Book

Parable of the Talents

By Octavia Butler, Adapted by Damian Duffy

Art by John Jennings

Abrams ComicArts | April 22, 2025

U.S. $25.99 | CAN $32.99 | U.K. £18.99

Hardcover | 304 Pages

6 ½  x 9 ½ Inches | Full-color illustrations throughout

ISBN: 978-1419749483

Octavia E. Butler (1947–2006) was a renowned African American author who was awarded a MacArthur “Genius” Grant and PEN West Lifetime Achievement Award for her body of work. Since her death, sales of her books, including Wildseed, Imago, and Kindred have increased enormously as the issues she addressed in her Afro-futuristic feminist novels and short fiction have only become more relevant.

Damian Duffy, author of Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation and Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, is a cartoonist, scholar, writer, and teacher. He holds a MS and PhD in library and information sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he is on faculty.

John Jennings is the curator of the Megascope list and illustrator of the graphic novel adaptations of Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred and Parable of the Sower. He is a professor of media and cultural studies at the University of California, Riverside.

Founded in 1949, ABRAMS was the first company in the United States to specialize in publishing art and illustrated books. The company continues to publish critically acclaimed and bestselling works in the areas of art, photography, cooking, craft, comics, interior and garden design, entertainment, fashion, and popular culture as well as narrative non-fiction and new works of fiction for adults; children’s books ranging from middle grade to young adult fiction to picture books to board books. ABRAMS creates and distributes brilliantly designed books with the highest production values under the following imprints: Abrams; Abrams ComicArts; Megascope; Surely Books; Abrams Image; Abrams Press; The Overlook Press; Cernunnos; Cameron + Company; Abrams Books for Young Readers; Amulet Books; Abrams Appleseed; and Magic Cat. ABRAMS also distributes books for Booth-Clibborn Editions, Alain Ducasse Édition, Èditions de La Martiniére, Editions BPI, Global Golf Group, Lucky Spool, Milky Way Picture Books, The Museum of Modern Art, SelfMadeHero, Tate Publishing, V&A Publishing, and The Vendome Press.

Thanks to Abrams for sharing this preview with us.