If you’ve ever felt like modern dating is a bit of a horror show, you’re going to find a lot to love (and fear) in this week’s most anticipated trade paperback (MATP), Artificial. This hauntingly beautiful collection, written, drawn, colored, and lettered by the visionary Maria Llovet, is a story that perfectly captures that weird, uncomfortable overlap between modern dating anxiety and the cold logic of artificial intelligence. Trust us, you won’t want to skip this one.
What is the story of Artificial?
We follow Clara, a talented stylist who is absolutely killing it in her career at the L.L.H. boutique, but whose personal life is… well, stagnant would be an understatement. Her boyfriend, Mateo, is fine, I guess… if you like stoic and boring. But Clara wants the passion she reads about in her favorite romance novels.
Naturally, she turns to a service called Date-X.
At first, it’s a dream. Her android partner is everything Mateo isn’t: attentive, romantic, and perfectly programmed. But here’s where Llovet gets delightfully cynical: the service runs on a subscription model. Just as things start getting steamy, the android literally hits a hard stop. To unlock the next level of intimacy, Clara has to open her wallet.
It’s a super smart, biting look at how we commodify connection. Clara eventually goes all-in, customizing a lover named Saul based on her favorite book protagonist. You can toggle his personality traits like you’re adjusting the brightness on your phone. It’s the ultimate solution to loneliness: until the programming glitches. Suddenly, Saul goes from partner to possessive predator, turning her dream date into a literal fight for survival.
How the artwork Maria Llovet drives experience
The real draw here is the art. Maria Llovet has a style that blends manga and European aesthetics with high fashion artwork. Every page feels like a spread from a luxury magazine. She has this incredible knack for drawing clothing and lush, botanical backgrounds that make the world feel both futuristic and grounded.
More importantly, she captures the messy emotions like desire, embarrassment, and sheer terror with such precision that the shift from a chic romance to a chilling horror story feels completely seamless. Ultimately, Artificial is a visually stunning read that hits on the darker side of our desire for the perfect connection.
Honorary Mentions for Week 16
While Artificial is taking the top spot, there are plenty of other heavy hitters hitting the shelves this week. Here are the other trades and hardcovers you should keep an eye on:
- Hotel Limbo Book 1 TP: Buy this if you want a surreal, therapy-informed afterlife comedy that uses 28 different artists to capture the shifting chaos of the dead.
- Birds of Prey Vol. 4: On the Run TP: Pick this up for the sharpest team dynamics in DC as Kelly Thompson pushes Black Canary, Harley Quinn, and Big Barda into a high-stakes survival mission.
- Batman: Gotham by Gaslight – The Kryptonian Age TP: Grab this if you’re a fan of steampunk aesthetics and want to see Andy Diggle and Leandro Fernández introduce a Victorian-era Justice League.
- Ancestral Recall TP: Don’t miss this AHOY Comics thriller that blends historical legacy with a high-concept sci-fi conspiracy about reclaiming cultural power.
- Uncanny X-Men by Kieron Gillen Omnibus HC: You need this massive volume to witness the intellectual height of the “Cyclops was right” era and the rise of the mutant Extinction Team.
