Dark Horse will expand its international line with two very different graphic novels from Italy to be published later this year.

Papaya Salad, by Elisa Macellari, is the story of Sompong, a student from Thailand who moves to Italy to study there shortly before World War II. Based on the experiences of Macellari’s great-uncle, the book looks at the experiences of a foreigner in a country at war. Sompong finds humor and happiness in wartime Italy, and in addition to his love of literature, he falls in love with the woman who will become his wife. Scheduled for August 2020, Papaya Salad will be published as a 232-page hardcover with an MSRP of $24.99.

Gert and the Sacred Stones, by Marco Rocchi and Francesca Carità, is a middle-grade graphic novel about an orphaned girl who becomes a warrior to save her village from the dangerous beasts who surround it. Since women are not allowed to be warriors, Gert is breaking her society’s rules from the outset, and as she battles the forces of nature, she learns about war and violence. The book, which is rated for readers 7-14, will be published in September as a 160-page paperback with an MSRP of $14.99.