Edited by the New York Times bestselling comics creator Kazu Kibuishi, this new entry in the Explorer series offers a collection of 11 stories written and illustrated by an award-winning roster of comics artists.
EXPLORER #4: THE MAGIC FRIENDS
edited by Kazu Kubuishi
Abrams Fanfare, September 2026
A boy and his dog cross a mysterious ravine, an evil alien attacks a far-off planet, and a wish comes true . . . with unexpected consequences. Funny, fast-paced, spooky, and spectacular, these 11 bite-size adventures bring together an all-star list of comics creators in this beautifully illustrated anthology.
Edited by New York Times bestselling creator Kazu Kubuishi, who is also a contributor, Explorer: The Magic Friends includes stories from Johant Matte (Explorer: The Mystery Box and Explorer: The Hidden Door), Kean Soo (the Jeallaby series), Phil Craven (the Flight series), Jake Parker (the Missile Mouse series), Steve Hamaker (colorist of Jeff Smith’s Bone series), Ben Hatke (the Zita the Spacegirl series), Rad Sechrist (the Flight series), Bannister (the Elsewhere Chronicles), and Matthew Armstrong (the Flight series).
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Kazu Kibuishi is the author of Amulet, the award-winning New York Times bestselling graphic novel series; the illustrator of the new paperback covers for J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series; and the editor of eight volumes of Flight, the Eisner-nominated anthology series. He lives in Bellevue, Washington.
In 1932, Roy Chapman Andrews, president of the men-only Explorers Club, boldly stated to hundreds of female students at Barnard College that “women are not adapted to exploration,” and that women and exploration do not mix. He obviously didn’t know a thing about either… THE GIRL EXPLORERS is the inspirational and untold story of the founding of the Society of Women Geographers—an organization of adventurous female world explorers—and how key members served as early advocates for human rights and paved the way for today’s women scientists by scaling mountains, exploring the high seas, flying across the Atlantic, and recording the world through film, sculpture, and literature. Follow in the footsteps of these rebellious women as they travel the globe in search of new species, widen the understanding of hidden cultures, and break records in spades. For these women dared to go where no woman—or man—had gone before, achieving the unthinkable and breaking through barriers to allow future generations to carry on their important and inspiring work. THE GIRL EXPLORERS is an inspiring examination of forgotten women from history, perfect for fans of bestselling narrative history books like The Radium Girls, The Woman Who Smashed Codes, and Rise of the Rocket Girls.