On sale date: August 25, 2026
Nestled in a gorgeous slipcase, the first three volumes of the beloved Argentine cartoonist Liniers’ modern classic are the ideal introduction to a comics giant and the perfect gift for those with a pixilated sense of the absurd.
Behold! Macanudo’s revolving cast of witches, cats, imaginative children and their imaginary monsters — all gathered under one roof (or in one box)! Following in the distinguished footsteps of greats like Peanuts and Argentine forebears like Mafalda, Macanudo is a brilliant synthesis of Krazy Kat’s sophisticated and irreverent inventiveness, and Calvin and Hobbes’ expansive humanity and artistry.
Freewheeling and bustling with manic charm and sweetness, each strip builds anticipation for the next unexpected creative revelation or revivifying variation on a theme. With a masterful sense of flow, combined with show-stopping images of breathtaking beauty, the heel-clicking, childlike glee contained in these pages is matched only by the joy of splashing about an undiscovered creek or the vivid crunch of autumn’s first leaves. It’s no wonder Liniers has his praises sung by the likes of Matt Groening, David Byrne, and Jeff Smith.
Collecting the first three Fantagraphics Macanudo volumes, Welcome to Elsewhere, The Way of the Penguin, and Optimism is For the Brave, this fetching box set is a must-have for lovers of comic-strip-as-art, and an essential for everyone seeking the hidden wonder in life.
Macanudo: What's in the Box?! is part of the Macanudo series.
Praise
"Fans of Bill Watterson and Charles Schulz will immediately recognize a similar spirit of mischief, whimsy and philosophical inquiry in this internationally acclaimed comic strip that the Argentine cartoonist Liniers has been drawing since 2002. But unlike Calvin and Hobbes or Peanuts, Macanudo features a revolving cast of characters who inhabit their own distinct worlds. ... Daydreaming kids with an appreciation for quirk will find plenty to delight them and to ponder." — The New York Times
"Liniers' comics are funny and fanciful and whimsical and philosophical in the best sense. You immediately want to jump into the Liniers universe, with your happy eyeballs going along for the ride." — Matt Groening
"Macanudo is a joy! Liniers' whimsical and wry observations about cats, relationships, elves, and gravity make me happy, but most importantly, he draws funny!" — Jeff Smith
"The work of Liniers, with apparent simplicity and incomparable intelligence, provides all the strength that a daily strip can have. Macanudo is an offering to the language, Bill Watterson's perfect marriage to Quino." — Gabriel Bá
Specs
- Pages
- 528
- Format
- Hardback
- Color
- Full color.
- Dimensions
- 9.3" × 7.4"
- ISBN-13
- 9798875002267