Blankets
This 2003 autobiographical graphic novel by Craig Thompson was ranked 8th in Time magazine’s Best Comics of the Decade and after reading it you’ll be wondering why not higher. The coming-of-age story depicts the adolescence and young adulthood of Thompson through flashbacks, with one of the central themes being the conflict between Thompson’s first love and his Christian upbringing. Ranging from strained sibling relationships to bullying, Blankets is a touching graphic novel which is relatable to all, oozing with heart and nostalgia. The characters are well developed, making the heartbreak and confusion Thompson feels throughout his youth all the more moving. If you’re looking for an alternative to the classic action packed graphic novel then look no further, Blankets is the one for you.
Y: The Last Man
Written by Brian K Vaughan and Pia Guerra, Y: The Last Man is a now completed dystopian sci-fi comic book series set following the aftermath of the simultaneous death of every male mammal on Earth other than our protagonist, Yorick Brown and his Capuchin monkey Ampersand. The intrigue of how the “plague” came about is enough to make this a great graphic novel but team this with the total collapse of infrastructure and widespread fear that humanity is doomed to extinction and you’ve got a formula for a comic you can’t put down. Laced with both humour and danger, Y: The Last Man fits all the criteria, and if you’re not much of a reader? A film adaptation is rumoured to go into production in 2014 helmed by director Dan Trachtenberg and producer David Goyer.
Fables
With new issues coming out monthly, Fables is an ongoing comic book series dealing with the lives of various fairy tale and folklore characters who, since being forced out of their Homelands by the ominous ‘Adversary’ have travelled to New York City and formed an underground community known as Fabletown. Spawning various spin-off series, this contemporary fantasy has developed a strong following and several adaptations have been discussed for both film and TV. Fables is an enjoyable, fast-paced and witty graphic novel series split into various story arcs meaning to some extent you can pick and choose where you want to drop in, and with more of our favourite characters appearing with each publication, most recently the Knights of Camelot, this is a series you will never get bored of.
100 Bullets
The final graphic novel on this list exemplifies all that is great in the pulp and noir genres of modern fiction. Critically acclaimed for both it’s artwork and writing, 100 Bullets’ fundamental concept is a question – If you had the chance for revenge without the crime being traced back to you, would you take it? With each candidate being given a handgun, 100 bullets and all the appropriate documentation on their target by the illusive Agent Graves, each publication promises a fast-paced, action-packed, violent ride with both moral and physical conflict. Beginning as a series of episodic stories, 100 Bullets quickly develops into a much broader crime series with a level of suspense and mystery unrivalled as these previous murders are revealed to be nothing more than a minor part of Agent Grave’s greater scheme.
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