ApocalyptiGirl: An Aria for the End Times

With a style that combines the idiosyncrasies of cartoonists Noelle Stevenson and Paul Pope into a fresh new look, MacLean (Head Lopper, Daruma) bursts from the underground scene with a short but memorable major-imprint debut. Aria, a lone operative seeking something of incredible value lost under the rubble of postapocalyptic Earth, must brave hostile tribes and her own isolation in order to complete her mission. With a song in her heart and quiet companionship from her cat, Jelly Beans, Aria carves a path of destruction through everything that stands between her and victory. Scenes range from the horrifically brutal to the soft and compassionate, with no hint of sensationalism or melodrama, but rather raw, authentic emotion in both the script and visuals. MacLean shows a talent for silent storytelling, and his incredibly kinetic, flowing art and use of nontraditional page structures indicate an intimate knowledge of storytelling on its most primal level—as unique as Aria herself. (June)