Graphic novels aren’t just the province of superheroes and neurotic shut-ins. Forth is proud to feature an example of the new direction of this form, via an excerpt from Jimenez Lai’s Bureau Spectacular.

Katabatic wind: Rapid downward motion of air. Concerning the Henbane Bird. Colored Pencil

SYNOPSIS
Journalist, James Stanley, is faced with the imminent birth of his child. Having decided to forego the test that would determine whether his child is carrying the all-important “Super-S” gene, which differentiates the genetic makeup of a superhero from that of a normal person, James sets out on a quest to interview forty-five super-powered individuals in the hope that their experiences may better prepare him for the birth of a child that is potentially gifted with extraordinary abilities. On his journey, he encounters characters from all walks of life; from single mothers struggling to raise gifted children, to rebellious super-teenagers, all the way through to those reaching the end of their lives. But what starts as a voyage of personal discovery becomes something far more ominous when he crosses paths with an organization known as XoDOS.

Mixed Media by David Brady

“Obama Roach” by Adam Tan