Stamps celebrate leading Canadian graphic novelists

A new set of Canadian stamps is shining the spotlight on six of the country’s most celebrated graphic novelists, each represented with original artwork created exclusively for this release.

The issue — the second in a two-part series — honours Kate Beaton, Jimmy Beaulieu, Guy Delisle, Julie Doucet, Bryan Lee O’Malley and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, artists whose work has helped define Canada’s presence on the global graphic-novel stage.

Graphic novels, ranging from memoir and reportage to experimental narratives, continue to grow in popularity, and the six creators featured in this set represent some of the most influential voices in the medium. Their stories, styles and characters have earned international recognition and reflect the depth and diversity of Canadian visual storytelling.

Beaton is celebrated for her autobiographical Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands, which won the 2023 edition of CBC’s Canada Reads and became the first graphic novel to capture the competition. Beaulieu, a central figure in Quebec’s bande dessinée community, is known for reflective works such as Non-aventures.

Delisle’s travel-based storytelling, including the award-winning Chroniques de Jérusalem, blends minimalistic artwork with candid observation. Doucet — a member of the Canadian Comic Book Hall of Fame and recipient of the Grand Prix at the Angoulême International Comics Festival — is widely respected for her groundbreaking autobiographical comics, including Journal (365 Days).

O’Malley’s globally successful Scott Pilgrim series continues to influence comics, film, animation and gaming. Yahgulanaas, the creator of “Haida manga,” merges North Pacific Indigenous formline design with Asian brush techniques, most famously in Red: A Haida Manga.

Each stamp depicts a key character from one of the artists’ signature works, shown reading the graphic novel in which they appear. The images were produced in collaboration with Subplot Design Inc., with printing by Lowe-Martin. The issue includes a booklet of 12 Permanent domestic-rate stamps — two per artist — along with six Official First Day Covers.

The stamps and related collectibles are available through canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada.

MORE IMAGES: