Strictly speaking, a graphic novel is a form of literature which combines words and images to tell a story. A surprisingly contentious classification, many enthusiasts continue to argue over what exactly separates a comic from a graphic novel.
The word ‘comic’ derives from the ‘funny pages’ which were common in late 19th century and early 20th century Western newspapers. These serialised strips were eventually compiled into complete, volumised collections, which later became what we now consider to be a modern comic book.
Meanwhile, its Japanese counterpart known as ‘manga’ – which was largely inspired by comic books left by American GIs following the end of occupation – offers so much more than serialised comedy.
With an overwhelming number of genres spanning from dystopian romance to cyberpunks in outer space, many modern graphic novel enthusiasts credit the unprecedented popularity of manga with setting the creative standard for 20th and 21st century graphic novels.
But what exactly is it about graphic novels that appeals to our imaginations? Well, for one, imagination is a spectrum. From aphantasia, the inability to render images in your mind’s eye, to hyperphantasia, which is the ability to imagine incredibly detailed images within your conscious mind, and everything in between – it certainly makes sense for those on the former end of the spectrum to enjoy detailed images being imagined for them.
There’s a reason that Dickens’ serialised novels were accompanied by wonderful illustrations – just two of Dickens' major works, Hard Times and Great Expectations, were originally issued without illustration.
That’s not to say that only aphantasiacs can enjoy graphic novels – far from it. A medium which celebrates unique artistic style, individuality and all-round weirdness, the graphic novel is an utter joy to get lost in.
From the first and only graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize to heartbreaking stories of mystery and adventure, we’ve curated a selection of the best graphic novels on the market.
Keep scrolling to discover a universe worth of visual and literary prowess.
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Whether you first came across Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis as a graphic novel or motion picture, chances are you were wildly emotionally affected by the author and illustrator’s illustrated biography. The story follows the coming of age of a young Marjane, who is the child of radical Marxists and the grandchild of Iran’s last emperor. From her childhood in Iran during the Iranian Revolution and her eventual escape to France, Satrapi crafts a poignant, deeply moving and – at times – utterly hilarious work of art.
Buy now £7.69, Amazon
Maus by Art Spiegelman
Spiegelman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus is about a Holocaust survivor’s son. The unconscionable world of Nazi Germany is presented through the seemingly strange analogy of cat and mouse, with Nazis taking on the body of the former, and Jewish people the latter. A story of survival and a biographic account of the author’s own complicated relationship with his father, Spiegelman’s treasured novel should be on the bookshelf of every home. This combined, definitive edition includes Maus I: A Survivors Tale and Maus II.
Buy now £13.99, Amazon
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
Critically acclaimed and beloved by all ages, Clowes’ seminal Ghost World depicts the coming-of-age of two teenage girls named Enid and Rebecca. An arguably postmodern piece of graphic literature, the story is set in the 1990s, within an unnamed suburban town in America filled to the brim with shopping malls, fast food and general urban decay. Mocked and reviled by our two pseudo-intellectual protagonists, the town itself is a character in this darkly comic work, which covers themes including memory, purpose, sexuality and identity.
Buy now £14.95, Amazon
Monica by Daniel Clowes
If you’ve already devoured Clowes’ beloved Ghost World and are looking for another one of his masterpieces to sink your teeth into, look no further than Monica.
An almost palimpsestic story which follows one extraordinary woman through history, space, time and narrative genre as she attempts to uncover the truth about her mother’s disappearance, it takes the form of a collection of nine short stories narrated by various, eccentric characters within the book. Monica also happens to be a favourite of Guillermo Del Toro, so expect all things weird and wonderful.
Buy now £20.00, Waterstones
Akira Volume 1 by Katshuiro Otomo
One of the most popular mangas of all time, Akira is a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi graphic novel set in Neo-Tokyo following World War III. It follows the lives of two friends called Kaneda and Tetsuo who become mortal enemies after an accident imbues Tetsuo with unexpected psychokinetic powers. Fast-paced, action-packed and utterly mind-boggling, Otomo’s beloved graphic novel is filled to the brim with hyper-detailed, extraordinary artwork and brilliant plotlines to boot.
Buy now £19.89, Amazon
One Piece, Volumes 1,2 and 3 by Eiichiro Oda
Another popular graphic novel which has recently been adapted by Netflix, One Piece is one of the best-selling mangas of all time. It’s a fun-filled, bizarre tale of a young boy named Monkey D. Luffy who dreams of becoming a pirate. When Luffy hears of the ominous treasure of all treasures known as the One Piece – he sets sail with his crew in search of its mystical fruits. Filled with oodles of mayhem and general shenanigans, each volume is a wild ride from start to finish.
Buy now £11.69, Amazon
Fangs by Sarah Anderson
A supernatural romance featuring Elsie, the 300-year-old vampire who is yet to find her match, Fangs was originally created as a webcomic series. Through an array of beautiful, contemporary gothic illustrations, we watch as Elsie falls in love with a charming werewolf named Jimmy – who likes all the same things.
Buy now £10.15, Amazon
Maggie the Mechanic: The First Volume of 'Locas' Stories from Love and Rockets by Los Bros Hernandez
Los Bros Hernandez (Gilbert, Jamie and Mario) created the cult-favourite Love and Rockets series in 1982. The series follows two parallel storylines, each written by one of the respective brothers. The first, spearheaded by Gilbert, is set in the fictional Latin American town of Palomar. Jamie’s narrative follows friends and occasional lovers Maggie and Hopey and the Latinx punk scene in an imagined Californian town called Hoppers. For this round-up, we’ve included a collected version of all the most popular Maggie stories, but you can also start with Heartbreak Soup Book 1 – set in Palomar.
Buy now £18.19, Amazon
Locke and Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
A classic Lovecraftian horror with a distinctly Goosebumps feel, you might recognise Locke and Key thanks to its recent Netflix adaptation. Hill and Rodriguez’ supernatural tale takes place in a haunted New England mansion called Keyhouse.
During the American Revolution, rebels hiding beneath what would become the Keyhouse discovered an ancient portal to an otherworldly dimension filled with monstrous demons. When these creatures pass over into Earth, they transform into “whispering” iron, which a locksmith turns into a series of keys. These locks and keys seal unspeakable demons within their respective dimensions, but walking through any door will certainly transform a human being beyond recognition.
Buy now £11.65, Amazon
Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware
Created by Chris Ware at the beginning of the new millennium, Jimmy Corrigan is a tragicomic, semi-autobiographical graphic novel which follows a lonely 36-year-old man who meets his father for the first time. Filled with retroactive narratives, flashbacks and parallel storylines, it’s a mesmerising and heartbreaking tale of a heavily burdened and desperately unhappy individual, and the lasting influence of toxic family ties.
Buy now £20.00, Amazon
Transmetropolitan Book One by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson
Another cult-classic to add to the mix, Transmetropolitan is about the battles of Spider Jerusalem, a vigilante journalist from the 23rd century who is dedicated to fighting corruption and the abuse of power over two successive presidencies.
Buy now £20.23, Amazon
Y: The Last Man Book One by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra and Jose Marzan Jr.
When Stephen King declares that Y: The Last Man is the “best graphic novel [he’s] ever read”, it’s fair to say that it’s worth diving into. Winner of three Eisner Awards, the story follows the only human survivor of a planet-wide plague named Yorick Brown. The deadly disease instantly kills every mammal with a Y chromosome – but Brown is somehow exempt. Alongside a government agent, a young geneticist and his pet monkey named Ampersand, he scours the planet for answers, and for his lost love.
Buy now £12.85, Amazon
Strangers In Paradise Volume One by Terry Moore
Written, drawn and owned by Terry Moore, the first volume of Strangers in Paradise debuted in 1993 – which imbues this graphic novel with a wonderful sense of 90s nostalgia. It’s the story of a love triangle between two teenage girls and one boy which evolves into a veritable dramedy with every turn. The genre-hopping, addictive graphic novel also makes sure to incorporate elements of crime and thriller narratives.
Buy now £18.99, Amazon
Welcome to the New World by Jake Halpern and Michael Sloan
What began as a seminal comic strip in the New York Times back in 2017, which subsequently won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning, Welcome to the New World was made into a graphic novel in 2020. It follows the Aldabaan family’s experience as new immigrants in the USA, and their arrival on the eve of a fateful election that saw Donald Trump take office.
Buy now £13.44, Amazon
