Publisher Drawn & Quarterly have announced they will be publishing a new graphic novel by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki (“Skim,” “This One Summer”) in Spring 2023. The as-yet-untitled book will take place during the spring break of 2009, and will follow freshmen college students (and childhood friends) Zoe and Dani, as they visit New York City for the first time with their classmate Fiona.
“Together,” says the synopsis, “the three attempt to cram in as much of the city as possible, gleefully falling into tourist traps, pondering so-called great works of art, sidestepping creeps, and eating lots and lots of pizza (folded in half, of course). ‘Untitled’ is a New York story about the highs and lows of international travel and starting your twenties.”
D+Q publisher Peggy Burns said in a statement, “In 2010, Jillian and Mariko exploded the YA graphic novel market with a nuanced queer goth coming-of-age story filled with subtext. ‘Skim’ raised the bar on what we consider young adult both in subject matter and art style. With this new book, they’re now shifting their focus to early adulthood, capturing female friendship and the perils of growing up via an eye-opening trip to NYC. Their magic of being able to completely intertwine their individual art forms into a cohesive, spectacular whole is on display yet again.”
Jillian and Mariko, who are cousins, won an Ignatz Award, a Joe Shuster Award, and a Doug Wright Award for “Skim” in 2009, and a Canadian Governor General’s Award, a Caldecott Honor, the Lynd Ward Prize, and an Eisner for 2014’s “This One Summer.” Jillian most recently created the picture book Our Little Kitchen for Abrams and Groundwood Books, while Mariko curates Abrams’ LGBTQ imprint, Surely Books, and recently became the first woman to write DC’s “Detective Comics” — her run begins with “Detective Comics” #1034 on March 24.
