Top 5 Graphic Novels That I've Read

This year I have really got in to reading graphic novels. I have enjoyed the quick reads and loved some of the different artistic styles that go into these works depicting characters, landscapes and more. I thought I would share with you my top five graphic novels that I have read so far. These are not in any particular order...



The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl by Ryan North and Erica Henderson

Squirrel Girl was one of the first graphic novels series that I truly got into. I remember hearing about it on social media, I believe when Anna Kendrick said she'd love to play the character. I did some research and thought that this sounded like a hilarious series, and I wasn't wrong. Squirrel Girl stars Doreen Green, an undergrad wanting to major in computer science, who has to hide her secret identity. She's part squirrel and her best friend, and sidekick, is  squirrel, Tippy-Toe. The series follows Doreen as she defeats big named villains in the Marvel Universe in interesting ways all the while maintaining her everyday life and hiding her secret from her roommate.

This is a really funny read, witty in some areas and in others you wonder how she defeated the bad guys so easily. It is a very easy read and would recommend to young girls looking to find a superhero comic to get into; I'd also recommend it to anyone who just wants an good laugh and an interesting delve into the Marvel Universe that we haven't necessarily seen on screens yet.


Paper Girls - Brian K. Vaughan


Paper Girls was the next series I got into. Published in 2015 the story follows four young girls doing their paper route in the 1980's when all of a sudden they are transported to a future world that will affect their lives forever.

What I love about this mystery, science fiction series is the story is slightly reminiscent of two great 80's themed stories: Back To The Future, and Stranger Things, but at the same time being wholly different. The novel features a really cool concept in the way that when we're kids we dream of what we will be like as adults, and these girls get to meet their future selves in this distorted reality and see what how life has changed them and what they have become. I'm excited to read the new volume which was released a couple of days ago.

One thing I have to mention is the artwork and the colour palette for this series. It is absolutely amazing. I mean just look at those front covers! Illustrated by Cliff Chiang and coloured by Matt Wilson these vivid images really transport you to their world and you get entranced in to the story straight away. I could just stare at the colours all day.


Captain Marvel - Kelly Sue DeConnick

With the release of the Captain Marvel in cinemas earlier this year it only made sense that people would begin to read more about this kick-ass superhero. I had originally picked up Marvel's Captain Marvel Prelude by Will Corona Pilgrim et al, a collection of different universes that were combined to create the cinematic version played by Brie Larson. This collection featured a segment from DeConnick's Captain Marvel which was a segway into me reading the series. So far I have read the first three volumes: Higher, Further, Faster, More (vol.1), Stay Fly (vol. 2), Alis Volat Propriis (vol. 3).

I read this series on e-book format, borrowed from my local library and really loved this world. I'll admit it didn't quite grab me the way Paper Girls or Squirrel Girl did but it was a different kind of hook which drew me in. I like DeConnick's characterisation of Captain Marvel as we see her very similar to the film's depiction but also in a different light; we read more on what she gets up to in other galaxies as well as brief encounters with the Avengers here on Earth. The series is equal parts serious and funny and also has great artwork and bright colours to compliment her outfit and her powers. I also love the different variations of covers of each single comics features within the volumes.



The Complete Maus - Art Spiegelman

MAUS might be the first graphic novel that I picked up and I was really blown away by the story and the artwork. This story will move you. I picked this up back when I was at university as it was part of my reading material and fell in love with its harrowing story. The biographical story features Spiegelman interviewing his father about life during World War Two where he was imprisoned and a Holocaust survivor.

Told from the perspective where the Jewish are mice, the Nazi's are cats and other nations are depicted by other animals, this harrowing tale is one I would recommend to anyone interested in historical events or interesting in human events and people telling their very real stories. The illustrations are simple and monochromatic, making the contrasts in light and dark even more present, and much like other depictions of war the use monochrome gives a sombre feel to the past.



The Complete Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi

Following on from MAUS, Persepolis is also an autobiographical tale of the author during times of hardship. Starting from the young age of ten Marjane depicts her life growing up in Iran and learning about the Islamic Revolution. This bildungsroman shows Marji (as she is nicknamed in the novel) grow to become her own person through life experiences; brought up in Iran but educated in Europe she understands the troubles between conflicting political and racial issues and ultimately learns that these will be ever-present in society.

Likewise to MAUS, Persepolis is a monochromatic adventure through Satrapi's life and the use of no colour adds to the tonal feeling of her retelling her life story, again looking back on the past. It's not a pleasant story but it is one that needs to be told. It opens up the readers mind to how parts of the world live.



I'm always on the lookout for recommendations, so leave a comment down below of any graphic novels you have loved reading.

Enjoy x