It’s another week without anything too wild happening, so when in doubt, lean into the thing you like the most, right? So, let’s do just that, as I highlight ten things I liked or didn’t like from the week of comics, led by a big swing by a great creator.

Robert Wilson IV, Realizing Dreams

Full disclosure: Cartoonist Robert Wilson IV is a pal. He’s a breakfast buddy at cons, and a staple of my convention experiences for years now.

That’s not why I’m highlighting him and his soon to be Kickstarted graphic novella Dreamhouse first this week, though. It’s because I’ve seen a whole lot from this project already and it very much is Wilson looking within himself to put together the kind of comic that could only come from him, and in the very best of ways. Dreamhouse is “a suspenseful graphic novella about identity, relationships, and how they affect each other,” and Wilson emphasizes that it “explores the way we think about ourselves and each other in a personal and increasingly tense narrative akin to A24 films and the works of David Lynch.” Those are high goals, especially in a work that finds Wilson working solo instead with a writer, as we’ve seen in the past. He’s even coloring it himself! Any of those are high enough bars that they could be difficult to leap over, even in isolation. Together? That’s even higher.

Wilson’s got it, though. Having seen a lot of pages from the project and hearing his perspective about what he’s going for, this is the type of thing his entire career as an artist and comic creator has led up to. It’s smart, because he’s starting small with an 80-page graphic novella rather than a 300 page monster. But having seen the work, I suspect he’s going to have little problem living up to his own goals. I love seeing a creator take a big swing, and bet on themselves and their own ability to deliver on a project they’ve been dreaming about. If you’re looking for a potentially great work and an exciting creator to get behind — as well as something you know is going to happen, because this puppy has a ton of work completed already — then check out the “Launching soon” page for Dreamhouse’s Kickstarter. This will be a good one, and I’m excited to see Wilson get his big story out there on his own terms.

Fantagraphics, Creating an Imprint

This feels more like putting a ring on it rather than the establishment of a new relationship, but it’s a big deal nonetheless. Fantagraphics revealed a new imprint this week. It’s called Takumigraphics, and it’s a wing for the long-running publisher that will house its already robust line of East Asian comics and graphic novels. This isn’t going to be a casual effort, either. Per the announcement at Publishers Weekly, we’re talking about 16 releases a year starting in the spring, including books from notable creators and further collaborations with Mangasplaining, the podcast-turned-publisher (but also still a podcast) that has paired with Fanta to release some amazing works.

Crucially, it will also expand beyond Japan, thus the “East Asian” of it all. The plan begins with Japanese creators, but the road map will include works from creators located in Korea, China, Singapore, and other Asian countries. While this is more of a formalization of something that has already existed, it’s a big deal, as one of the esteemed veterans of the graphic novel space has committed even further in a direction it has seen a lot of success in. I’m into it.