by Yardena Carmi
Comics. They’re pretty great. Whether you’re an old fan looking for the next thing to read or someone just trying them out, this list of suggestions from a school-wide survey (and me) has got your back!
Fantasy/Sci-Fi:
This light-hearted space adventure follows a young girl named Zita who disappears through a portal into a world of con-men, aliens and robots, doomed planets, and ancient prophecies. There, she finds her place as a hero.
In this awesome and hilarious book, immortality, having a lizard head, being the chosen one, and falling in love with your best friend are just some of the problems that plague high-schoolers at the SuperMutant Magic Academy.
Bone is a classic fantasy adventure. Three shapeless blobs enter a beautiful valley plagued by a mysterious evil, go on a journey of self-discovery…you know the drill.
A princess tired of waiting around to be rescued goes out on her own adventures in this highly acclaimed comic.
Comedy:
Webcomics turned out to be surprisingly popular in the Upper School
Sarah’s Scribbles (webcomic)
Sarah’s Scribbles is a series of semi-autobiographical comic strips about random things.
The Oatmeal (webcomic)
The Oatmeal covers a wide range of topics from cars to cats and everything in between. Heads up for some…risqué language.
xkcd (webcomic)
Self-described as “a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language”, xkcd is a pretty cheerful collection of strips about a slew of subjects, punctuated with stick figures.
The classic comic about a little kid and his imaginary friend, and all of their hijinks together.
Realistic Fiction:
This comic is adorable, even if it’s technically a fantasy. Hildafolk is about growing up, dealing with change, and making friends, plus the illustrations are just so, so pretty.
This coming of age story about a young Chinese-American boy, an ancient monkey god, and the all-American popular kid is just the bomb! THE BOMB. The writing is great.
An accident sets the main character on a long journey of orthodontia, along which she also has to deal with friends and boy trouble.
Tintin is a classic and very popular series about a young journalist who solves mysteries. They’re funny and Sherlock Holmes-ey, but also contain pretty dated and occasionally offensive ideas and images, so…warning.
Special mention: Persepolis
This was the second most popular comic on the survey, but almost everyone has or is going to read it, so yeah.
Manga:
The most recommended comic in the survey, Fullmetal Alchemist is about two brothers who dabble in dark magic only to pay a terribly high price. Now, they travel in order to find the treasure that will set things right.
Though not technically a manga, this comic is about a grieving brother and sister who get sucked into a strange fantasy land in pursuit of their kidnapped mother.
“One Punch Man is a parody of the superhero and shonen genre, featuring a character that is so strong everything is boring.” – Alison Xin
Superhero:
In this recent Thor storyline, the God of Thunder loses his hammer and his powers, only for them to be picked up by a mysterious woman…which doesn’t make him too happy. Note to anyone who is confused: the comics don’t always correspond with the movies.
One of the most acclaimed Marvel comics of the past few years, Hawkeye is funny, well-drawn, and full of action! It also serves as a gentle introduction to the Marvel Universe.
The latest incarnation of Ms. Marvel, Kamala Kahn is a girl from New Jersey who suddenly gains extraordinary powers. She is also a Muslim superhero, which is pretty darn neat!
This incredibly prolific comic follows a group of superheroes into their decline.
Favorite Author:
HB’s official favorite author, Derf is a local comic artist. Check out his books Trashed, or My Friend Dahmer!
All images from Goodreads or the comic’s website
HB IN RETROSPECT 