“A captivating visual narrative, steeped in magical realism, leaves readers wanting more.” — School Library Journal

“A superb and deeply moving tale of supernatural coming-of-age.” — Adam Fisher, Kirkus Reviews

★ A brand-new work by Matthew Dow Smith, the artist behind Marvel, DC, IDW, and BBC comics—and the creator of such acclaimed titles as “Hellboy,” “Starman,” “Magic: The Gathering,” “The X-Files: Origins,” “Doctor Who,” and “Nightcrawler”!
★ 2025 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award-Graphic Novels & Comics Finalist！
★ This is a quiet yet wondrous coming‑of‑age story and emotional graphic novel, deftly blending elements of teenage growth, fantasy, and suspense. It follows a young girl as she gradually uncovers a past she never knew existed—perfect for young adult readers, especially fans of “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” and “Nimona.”
★ The book paints a vivid, kaleidoscopic portrait of the uncertain yet vibrant world of 18-year-olds, teeming with fairies, ogres, all manner of magic, and the entire nocturnal realm.
The series currently comprises two volumes: “The October Girl Book One” and “The October Girl Book Two.”

Autumn Ackerman’s life is turned upside down when her childhood imaginary friend, Barnaby, returns. Ackerman discovers that she is, in fact, a Night‑kin—a wondrous race that has inspired all of humanity’s myths and fairy tales.
For any teenager, graduating high school and working part‑time at the local café would be busy enough, but now Ackerman must not only navigate this new world teeming with trolls and fairies, confront threats like the enigmatic Mr. Balloon, and come to understand her estranged grandfather—the Night‑kin’s leader, the October King—she also finds herself unprepared for yet another upheaval: her ordinary human father, whom she hasn’t seen in five years, suddenly reappears—and reveals terrifying new powers… powers that threaten everything Ackerman holds dear!

Matthew Dow Smith
Matthew Dow Smith is a writer, comic artist, and screenwriter. He has collaborated with nearly every major American comics publisher, with his work appearing in such titles as Mike Mignola’s “Hellboy,” DC’s “Starman” and “The Sandman Mystery Theatre,” Marvel’s “Nightcrawler,” and numerous Doctor Who comics from IDW, among many others. He is also the writer and artist behind DC Comics’ “Magic Bizarre,” and he created the “X‑Files: Origins” comic series for BBC and BBC America, as well as serving as both writer and artist on the digital comic series “Johnny Chaos,” “Arch Enemy,” and “Emilia Shadows.” He previously wrote the third volume of Archaia’s “The Dark Crystal: The Origin Myth.” He lives on the U.S. East Coast. X-Files: Season 10comic series, which he co-created the was nominated for the 2013 Diamond Gem Awards in the categories of Best New Comic Book Series and Licensed Comic of the Year.

“This is a very special project for me. I’ve been conceiving this story for over thirty years, and now, thanks to my publisher, I can finally tell it,” said Dow Smith. “For the past three decades, I’ve been drawing comics about people in spandex duking it out—fun as that is, my mind has been teeming with figures in long coats, skeletal trees, and all sorts of odd little creatures. The kind of story I’ve always wanted to tell just couldn’t find the right outlet. But now, as more and more people are turning their attention to comics beyond spandex and capes, I can finally let all these ideas pour out.”