Best Non-Superhero Graphic Novels

Best Non-Superhero Graphic Novels

When most people think of comics, they assume that it has to contain men flying around in brightly colored costumes. However, graphic novels encompass a large range of topics from the everyday monotony of the 9-5 to meta-physical explorations of the future.

So here are my top 5 (with a few honorable mentions) Non-superhero Graphic Novels.

 

MAUS by Art Spiegelman

When I was in 8th grade, my history teacher offered extra credit for outside reading of history-based literature. Students were bringing in books from the American Girl series and athlete biographies to get approved. I brought in MAUS. She took one look at it and said, "That's a comic book, that doesn't count." My timid Jr. High self sheepishly put the novel back in my backpack and didn't say a word. What this uneducated dullard didn't know or consider is that MAUS won the friggin Pulitzer Prize. MAUS is hardly a comic book, but an epic, 300-page, biographical memoir of the author's father recounting his time during the holocaust. It's graphic tale of survival. It's gripping, unrelenting and morally ambiguous at times. It's a friggin masterpiece and should be required reading for every 8th grader. That teacher can bite me.

Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra

Imagine the walking dead, but better and weirder. Y: The Last Man follows Yorick and his helper monkey, who by some twist of fate, appear to be the only two males left on this planet after an epidemic suddenly wipes out every living creature with a Y chromosome. The story takes our characters on a globe-trotting adventure than involves pirates, religious zealots, and clones. What really makes this work stand out is Vaughn's clever dialogue and multi-dimensional characters. Be ready for lots of twists and turns as you make your way through the series.

 

Blankets by Craig Thompson

A coming of age story with elaborate black and white illustrations. If you were raised in a religious household or struggled with defining yourself in your teenage years, Blankets is for you. An autobiographical coming of age story that has a certain rawness to it. This is great for teenagers or anyone who remembers what it was like to be a teenager.

The Scott Pilgrim Series by Brian Lee O'Malley

Scott Pilgrim is your everyman. He's kind of funny, but also kind of a loser. But he's a likable loser. He and his band are unsuccessfully trying to break into the Canadian garage band scene when he meets Ramona, the girl of his dreams with some baggage. Through the series, Scott has to defeat evil ex-boyfriends, untangle himself from a love triangle, and learn to grow up. With a diverse cast of hilarious characters and intriguing fantasy elements, Scott Pilgrim is a good time that everyone can love.

I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly and J. M. Ken Niimura

A coming of age story with a precocious protagonist that is both humorous and heart-breaking. The story definitely takes a turn from light-hearted imaginary adventures to something deeper and darker. With engaging characters and an unreliable narrator, I Kill Giants is an emotional roller coaster.

Honorable Mentions:

 

A. D. (After Death) by Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire

After Death is a metaphysical exploration of the future told in a non-linear format. AD contains immersive and stunning watercolor splash pages that will blow you away.

Robocop vs. Terminator by Frank Miller and Walter Simonson

It sounds silly, but this sci-fi comic is awesome! This story combines the best elements from the two franchises: time travel, the melding of man and machine, a kick-ass female protagonist, the threat of an oncoming apocalypse, etc. It's got everything!

Saga by Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples

If you're not reading Saga, you're doing something wrong. An epic space opera, Saga is the NSFW twisted version of Star Wars you didn't know you needed. With 9 volumes available, and apparently 9 more coming sometime in the future, get reading!