Fresh Comics

Rare and delicious fungi spell trouble for an ambitious restaurateur in this sumptuously painted graphic novel from one of Scotland's most imaginative young cartoonists. This thrilling page-turner, a fascinating glimpse into the high-pressure world of big-city restaurants, is a must-read for foodies, Anglophiles, Food Network fans, and those with a taste for beautiful, terrible people. Tulip and his brother Rowan have left the simple comforts of their remote Scottish island with a plan: to grow succulent, organic vegetables in an idyllic market garden, and to open a restaurant serving these wholesome culinary delights to the busy sprawl of London. The world of fine dining seems impossibly competitive... until they discover a deliriously scrumptious new species of mushroom. The dish brings diners in droves, catapulting their small restaurant to success beyond their wildest dreams. Now, pressured by the demands of a hungry city, Tulip is desperate to crack the secret of their new ingredient's growth. But just how much will he sacrifice to feed his own insatiable ambition? James Albon is a British writer and illustrator. He studied illustration at Edinburgh College of Art, and went on to a postgraduate scholarship at the Royal Drawing School in London. His short comic Madame & Me was a finalist in the Guardian/Comica/Cape Award in 2017, he was awarded the Gwen May Award from the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers in 2012, and has been a Laureate of the Rene Carcan Biennale in 2014 and 2020. His previous books are Her Bark & Her Bite (2016) and A Shining Beacon (2019).

Praise for James Albon:

"A brilliantly drawn, heart-rending drama of modern life in troubled times, so contemporary that it could be off the streets of any city today." - Paul Buhle, author of Marxism in the United States and Lecturer Emeritus of American Studies, Brown University

"Like a New Yorker cover spun out to a fullstory... Albon uses loose and energetic colored pencil, in a palette heavy in yellows and blues, to capture the social and emotional whirl of this airy tale." - Publishers Weekly

"James Albon's delicate and utterly unique artwork is so alive on the page, you can't help but be charmed and completely swept up." - Jeff Lemire, author of Essex County and The Underwater Welder

"Lines and shade flow through the panels, bringing the story to life as if it were caught in a breeze... extraordinary." - Grovel

"A fantastic book, extrapolating British current affairs into a dystopian nightmare. It's on point, superbly written, joyously illustrated and a pleasure to read." - Grovel