Staff Picks: Great Graphic Novels
by emjane
We’re finally at the point where we can move beyond convincing adult readers that graphic novels are a valid format, right? (But just in case you need the pep talk – “Comics aren’t just for kids! Adding visuals to storytelling makes for a full reading experience and engaging and varied reading pace!”) Sometimes it’s wonderful to dive into a long, multi-volume Graphic Experience (and if that’s what you’re looking for, might I recommend Chew, Fables, or Scott Pilgrim, three of my favorites I find myself returning to) – but there’s something wonderful about a stand-alone graphic novel. Here are four of my favorites!
Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley | Request Now
We’ve all made decisions that, in hindsight, we’d make differently if given a second chance. Well, Chef Katie has stumbled across a way to do just that. Simply write down the thing you’d like to redo, eat one of the mushrooms the mysterious girl who appeared in your bedroom gave you, and go to sleep. When you wake up, you get your second chance. Nothing sketchy about that, right? But of course, like any media where you’re messing with the past, nothing is simple and consequences grow. O’Malley’s characters – both Katie and the folks who staff her restaurant – are likable, funny, and deeply relatable. It’s hard to avoid reading this book all in one sitting, but at the same time, I wish it had lasted longer. It’s a story fully told in one volume, but selfishly, I’d love to get more of Katie’s world.
Ducks : Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton| Request Now
Known for her delightful comic Hark! A Vagrant, Beaton steps away from comedic subject matter with this graphic memoir. The result is a deeply personal, thoughtfully told story of the challenges of navigating post-college young adulthood. Unable to make a living with her art degree, Beaton opts to relocate to Alberta to live and work in the Oil Sands – a lucrative, but physically and emotionally draining way to quickly pay off student loans. As one of only a handful of female workers, Beaton finds it impossible to exist below the radar yet manages to carry on through the tough working and living conditions. Ducks is the best book I’ve read yet this year!
Bubble by Jordan Morris | Request Now
Based on the podcast of the same name, this graphic adaptation of the story might be a more natural fit than audio-only media (listening to the effort noises of a fight just don’t paint the picture a, well, picture does!). Bubble is set in Fairhaven, a community that exists below a dome to protect its citizenry from the monsters that live in the wilds of “The Brush,” the area outside its protection. However, protections aren’t as airtight as they could be, and monsters sometimes breach the city walls. This makes way for a new branch of the gig-economy: Huntr. Following the trials of a few of the folks making their living on Huntr, Bubble is more laughs than chills, but a fully enjoyable sci-fi adventure.
The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel | Request Now
Graphic memoirist Bechdel (best known for Fun Home) has returned with another great graphic memoir – this time focusing on her relationship with her body and exercise over the course of her life. I love Bechdel’s combination of detailed drawings alongside ample written dialogue and narration, offering a fully told story to both those who interact best with images and those who prefer words. I was worried that the focused subject matter would grow tedious over the course of a full book, but that worry was needless; though the book is seen through the lens of exercise it is more accurately a book about gaining your sense of self and accepting who you are.
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