Graphic Novels

Creepy meets cute in this queer YA graphic novel about a young gardener who can see ghosts. Young love is complicated enough, but when Blue finds himself falling for Hamal who resides in the world of the living, things get complicated! I found myself rooting (please excuse the pun!) for these two characters navigating the intricacies of relationships amid the magic and mysticism of the afterlife.  —Eli

Ever wonder what could go wrong if you took some coins from a wishing well? In this story, Lizzy must go on a quest to fulfill the wishes she stole in order to avoid her own death. With the beautiful and captivating illustrations by Choo, Jake Wyatt’s graphic novel is one of my new favorites and I will be recommending it to everyone. Fans of adventure, modern fables, and queer characters, this one is for you!  —Andrea

It’s 1999, the brink of the new millennium, and young Jet is worried about something other than the Y2K bug. While attending boarding school, Jet starts to feel new things and one of those is that they’re actually a boy. Trans creator Joris Bas Backer’s coming-of-gender memoir shows us with intimacy and humor what it was like during a time where information was not just a click away.  —Andrea

The story of a mixed-race adolescent (Black father, white mother) growing up in desolate Apple Valley, California, in the early 1990s, this graphic memoir blends the nightmare of being one of the few people of color in a mostly white small town with the joys of friendship and self-discovery. Spooner’s memory for the specific social markers and hierarchies of high school is astonishing, and his evocations of the racism he experienced, some of it subtle, a lot of it overt and violent, are honest and heartbreaking. Having also grown up in a small desert town in SoCal (in my case, Indio) and being a fan of ’80s and ’90s punk rock, this was a bittersweet trip back in time that I won’t soon forget.  —Rico

In this novel by Japanese storyteller Gengoroh Tagame, Sora is in love with his best friend but is terrified to tell him. When Sora stumbles into a run-down coffee shop, his world changes forever. The shop is owned by Mr. Amamiya, an older, and proudly out, gay man. It warmed my heart to see Sora affirmed by the previous generation, the one that lost so many to AIDS. A vital story that Tagame tells beautifully in his signature, expressive art style.  —Ivy

Drawing on a broad array of interviews from people of all genders and sexualities, Fine asks the reader to consider the myriad ways our gender is separate and intertwined with our being. It doesn’t pretend to have answers to these queries but does offer relatable experiences and a depth of self-reflection. A wonderful addition to the bookshelf of any intersectional feminist or anyone curious to have more understanding of their gender–expansive community.  —Celeste

This graphic memoir gets to the heart of Gao’s experience immigrating from China to Texas at the age of 4. Following her to modern day, with the impactful backdrop of being Wuhanese during our current pandemic, Gao shares her experiences and struggles with identity, racism, sinophobia, friendship, family, and the concept of home—all the things that make us human. This is one of my favorite graphic novels! —MJ
 

Aiza dreams of a better life, but as one of the Ornu people, she’s not even allowed citizenship. However, if she can make it through squire training, she will be granted full rights. Failure means being sent to the front lines and almost certain death, but the stakes are actually much higher than she knows. Both comic book veterans, the author and artist have created something truly breathtaking in both style and storytelling. —Ivy

My Wandering Warrior Existence is the latest graphic memoir from the acclaimed mangaka behind My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness, and is sure to be as groundbreaking as the rest of her work. Nagata Kabi’s mangas explore themes of mental health, lesbianism, and intimacy, with her latest piece focusing on her search for love and her longing to get married, which has yet to be legalized for same-sex couples in Japan. A highly anticipated new release for fans of LGBTQ manga. —Molly

The legendary creator of Inuyasha and Ranma ½ brings a new series with mystery and a gothic sensibility that surprises and intrigues. Nanoka is an average teen with a tragic past who stumbles through a mysterious arch that leads to 1920’s Japan, where demons roam and where one day Nanoka meets a salty young man named Mao, who complicates everything she knows to be true. Takahashi mixes her elements effortlessly in this fun and funny, creepy and fascinating comic you won’t want to miss. —Jax