SelfMadeHero Announce A Quartet Of New Graphic Novels For Autumn 2025
by Richard Bruton
One of Britain’s finest publishers of graphic novels, SelfMadeHero‘s catalogue is full of excellent works, and their new quartet of books for Autumn is no exception…
The quartet from Brit creators includes exciting new works from both established and new writers and artists. You’ve got the UK’s Comics Laureate Bobby Joseph collaborating with artist Abbigayle Bircham on My Dad Fights Demons, the incredible Rickard sisters adapt radical feminist poet and author Ethel Carnie Holdsworth‘s This Slavery, and Frida Kahlo artist Francisco de la Mora teams up with Kiss FM DJ Bill Tucky for The Most Amazing Saturday Morning Rubbish Club. The final book in the quartet of new releases is by Alex Taylor, winner of the First Graphic Novel Award, who makes his debut with Bone Broth, a coming of age queer thriller.
Again, let me remind you that the SelfMadeHero name has long been a mark of quality. Alongside Avery Hill, SelfMadeHero is one of those publishers whose books are ones that I know I’ll be wanting to take a look at. And so should you.
So, here’s what to expect from the publisher this autumn…
THIS SLAVERY – by Scarlett and Sophie Rickard, adapting the work of Ethel Carnie Holdsworth
Published on 11th September (UK) and 9th September 2025 (US)
“When the Lancashire cotton-mill that employs them burns to the ground, sisters Rachel and Hester Martin are each forced to find their own way to survive in the harsh realities of pre-war industrial Britain. The contrasting paths they take in their quest for domestic autonomy form a subtly strident allegory of the all but insurmountable barriers of class and gender that then enslaved half the population. Part compelling narrative epic, part fiery Marxist-feminist polemic, this faithful, sumptuous, and revelatory adaptation of the radical feminist poet and author Ethel Carnie Holdsworth’s novel by the award-winning Rickard Sisters reclaims a lost classic by holding it up as a mirror to our own hard times, and as a gloriously flaming beacon to future communities to offer strength, hope, and dignity. Scarlett (the artist) and Sophie (the writer) produced graphic novels of Robert Tressell’s The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (2020) and Constance Maud’s No Surrender (2022). They enjoy a close and cheerful collaborative relationship from 200 miles apart. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists was Eisner nominated for Best Adaptation.”
MY DAD FIGHTS DEMONS! – by Bobby Joseph and Abbigayle Bircham
Published on 25th September (UK) and 30th September (US)
“Welcome to Rye’s world: their stepdad hates them, their mother ignores them, and they’re stuck in a dead-end relationship. To make matters worse, their world is turned upside down one day with the return of their father, the Magical Mr Mantrikz, self-styled “greatest sorcerer in the world”, and Rye now has to spend their weekends with this rude, pushy, and frankly ridiculous wizard. And that was never going to work – especially when magic is involved…
Written by UK Comics Laureate Bobby Joseph, this is his first graphic novel since Scotland Yardie (Knockabout, 2017). Illustrated by Abbigayle Bircham, a graduate of the LICAF (Lakes International Comic Art Festival) Breakthrough Initiative programme, who has published work with Soaring Penguin Press and the Rat Pack Collective. Based in Norwich, she has a penchant for the weird and wonderful, and this is her first full-length graphic novel.”
BONE BROTH – by Alex Taylor
Published on 23rd October (UK) & 28th October (US)
“First Graphic Novel Award winner, Alex Taylor, writes a Gen Z Hannibal tale. In this coming-of-age queer thriller, the young transmasculine Ash begins his transition into adult life by landing his first job at a ramen-noodle shop in London, prepping the bone broth. But as the financial landscape shifts under Ash’s feet, and after months of bonding with a series of challenging co-workers, everything suddenly stops dead. Literally. At a drunken staff party, Ash’s bullying boss turns up dead, and everyone’s been taking selfies with the corpse. Good thing Ash has already spent a year on the job. Alex Taylor is a queer visual artist based in London. He was the winner of the First Graphic Novel Award in 2023. Bone Broth is his debut graphic novel.”
THE MOST AMAZING SATURDAY MORNING RUBBISH CLUB – by Bill Tuckey and Francisco de la Mora
Published on 20th November (UK) and 25th November 2025 (US)
“The Most Amazing Saturday Morning Rubbish Club is a creative collaboration between a writer and illustrator, both of whom have first-hand experience of parenting children with Special Needs, and therefore puts the lived experience of SEND children at centre-stage. Three very different kids, each with their different needs and subject to the same low expectations, come to share their own unique skills to achieve their goals. These spirited characters meet in the park and unite to establish a litter-picking scheme. Touching, funny, and beautiful, this unique collaboration between writer Bill Tuckey is best known as reggae DJ and journalist with The Voice, Time Out, and the Independent. whilst Francisco de la Mora is the acclaimed illustrator of graphic biographies of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, both published by SelfMadeHero.”
