Katia Vecchio, the artist behind the acclaimed collection Silver Vessels, Painted, is stepping into the graphic novel world with something ambitious. Her debut from Image Comics, Memories of Giselle, hits shelves next summer, and it’s a story that doesn’t look away from the hard stuff—the kind of painful, personal experiences that most people spend their whole lives trying not to think about.
The book follows a brother and sister as they navigate a childhood that was never supposed to be spoken about. For Giselle, the past keeps circling back, taking the form of memories of her grandmother and a recurring image that haunts her—an empty boat. It’s the kind of specific, strange detail that stays with you because it’s carrying so much weight. The novel traces how, as she grows up and starts experiencing the confusion and vulnerability of adolescence, those buried pieces of her past start to find their way to the surface. It’s about what happens when you can’t keep hiding anymore.
Vecchio describes the project as something deeply personal. In her own words, she created this story to give shape to experiences that tend to stay silent. What she’s made is what the publishers are calling a haunting and compassionate exploration of memory, trauma, and the kind of quiet bravery it takes to actually look at your own pain and start healing from it.
The work feels like it’ll resonate with the same readers who connected with graphic novels like It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth, Ducks, and other recent comics that take on real human struggles with honesty and nuance. Those are the books that stick with you because they feel true in a way that matters.
The novel won’t hit shelves until July 2026, which gives you some time, but it’s definitely one to have on your radar if you’re looking for something that goes deeper than the surface. It’s the kind of graphic novel that understands that sometimes the most important stories are the ones we’re afraid to tell.
Beam Me Up Scotty
Miami-born. Lifelong pro wrestling fanatic. Entrenched in the 'zine scene since '84, covering Hardcore, Punk, and Metal. D&D player since '83, VS. System player since '05, 27 years in the comic book and gaming biz, and still obsessed with pop culture, Mego, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, and Die-Cast Metal Super Robots. I can talk comics, bad movies, and anime all day.
