Some Graphic Novel Appreciation

It’s an odd feeling, not knowing where to start. So, you just start, I suppose, and hope you find your way to the conclusion. At 24 years old, I decided to leave my family, my home, and my full-time job, to move to Chicago. That was about two weeks ago. So here I am, still 24 years old, in a new place with a few friends but mostly on my own. I walk to the grocery store, to the coffee shops near my studio apartment, and to the library. I’m realizing slowly and painfully that when you exist so far outside your comfort zone, you have no choice but to expand said zone. If you want to feel secure, confident, and comfortable, your bubble must expand to meet you where you are. And I happen to be in Chicago for the foreseeable future. My bubble has not quite caught up to me yet, but it inevitably will. I will write and make art and sleep in and read and walk (a lot), and hopefully something worthwhile comes out. So, until then, I will walk to the library, check out more books than I can possibly read, read them anyway, and the cycle continues.

Speaking of which, before I left PA, I made it a goal to read as many of the graphic novels at the library I could. I would scour the shelves and grab anything that vaguely piqued my interest. This meant I was carrying around anywhere between ten and fifteen graphic novels at any given time. Not only that but I was blowing through five or six a day. Does this mean that my “books read” stats are completely inflated? Yes. It also means that when you put in the time to actually comb through an entire section in the library, you inevitably find some gems. These are some of the ones I found.

Putty Pygmalion by Lonnie Garcia

This fast-paced, dark story is about Peter, a creature made of putty, brought to life by Derryl, a lonely and unstable radish. The artwork is unique, with a multimedia style and bold colors. It’s a quick read, so if you’re looking for something you can blow through in a single sitting that will leave you feeling a little off kilter, this is it.

She Eats The Night by Marjorie M. Liu

I have been a fan of Marjorie M. Liu for years, ever since I first read the Monstress graphic novels. With illustrator Sana Takeda, they create an atmospheric story about family, demons, and a mysterious murder. The layers of this story keep peeling back, leading to a more grisly, violent layer beneath. The art style is immaculate; it lends to the ambiance of the narrative seamlessly. 

The Giantess by J.C Deveney

This story was far more involved that I initially expected when I found it. As you may expect, it follows the life of a giantess, from babyhood where she is found and adopted by a local family, through her adult life. We travel with her through her discovery of the world and the world’s discovery of her. It is “A wonderous, fantastical tale of feminism, difference, love, freedom, and the quest for oneself”. The art is simplistic and precise, creating a striking image of the large pages. It is an inspiring, mysterious story that felt good to read.

Helen of Wyndhorn by Tom King and Bliquis Evely

Okay, strap in, because I LOVED this book. It starts with a young woman, Helen soon after the death of her father. He was an esteemed pulp writer of a famous warrior character named Othan. She is called to her grandfather’s estate, the Wyndhorn. As she discovers more and more within the manor, the mysteries compound, until she is taken under her grandfather’s wing. The story takes on a legendary adventuring narrative that dives deeper and deeper into the lives of her family. Aside from the engaging narrative, the artwork is what really pinned me in place. The colors are deeply saturated, with a distinct art nouveau inspiration. And if you haven’t noticed from my entire blog’s design, I am partial to an art nouveau aesthetic. Multiple times I stopped and just stared at a page, my eyes tracing the swirling linework and the color gradients. It’s simply stunning work, and I rated it five stars. The characters are engaging and complex, maybe not lovable but you end up loving them deeply anyway.

A Boy Named Rose by Gaëlle Geniller

This story is set in 1920’s Paris. Rose is a boy who has grown up around the women of “Le Jardin”, a Cabaret club managed by his mother. He discovers his desire to dance among the flowers of “Le Jardin”, to live his life authentically and blossom into himself. He finds love and attempts to navigate through a world that’s not ready to accept love between two men. The unflinching support from the flowers of “Le Jardin”, and his mother, is wholesome and heartwarming. This read was warm and lighthearted. It is a positive, supportive LGBTQ story set in a cabaret club in the 1920’s. What more could you want, really?

Girl Juice by Benji Nate

This book was an odd experience for me, despite its simplicity and lightheartedness. I loved it and it also inspired a touch of grief. This is a lighthearted story around the “Girl Juice House”, home to the “hottest gang in town”. It’s a friend group of twenty somethings, navigating young life together with self-indulgent hijinks. They’re messy and creative and odd, they are selfish and hilarious. They’re in their twenties and belong to loose-fitting sisterhood. So, everything I’ve ever wanted. It’s fun and colorful with Nate’s simplistic comic style. It is a collection of snippets from their lives, and a few slightly longer saga-like stories (one of which involves demon possession and hitting on a priest). There is a distinct sense of belonging among them, of social and emotional connection. As a twenty-something who had a primarily remote college experience, my opportunity to form connections like that was not an option. This funny, lighthearted comic is everything I wanted, and what I seek even now. Even the demon possession, who knows, maybe it’s fun.

Little Bird: The Fight for Elder’s Hope by Darcy Van Poelgeest and Ian Bertram

This story centers on a young resistance fighter who battles against the oppressive American Empire. She searches for her own identity while navigating a world on fire. Not very hard to see why one may connect with a story such as this one in the year 2026. The art style is gorgeous and a little odd in the best way. I love the proportions and texture in the design; it’s gritty and visceral. It’s a dark read, but a very good one.

The Witch’s Egg by Donya Todd

Can we please take a moment to appreciate the cover art? This book combines such a distinct art style with a meandering folktale- like story. This is a multigenerational story of Urfi, a catwitch, who flees from an angel with her embryonic egg of their unborn children. This is a dark fairytale about motherhood, magic, and romance that brings about the apocalypse. I deeply appreciated how much, as a reader, I just had to go with the flow. I enjoy stories that I don’t fully understand and I just have to trust the author to lead me somewhere satisfying, which Todd absolutely does. If you want to read this story, which I highly recommend you do, approach it with trust and knowing you may not completely understand everything. And it’s wonderful that way. There’s a freedom in giving up control and understanding when you plunge into a story. Lean into it.

Honorable Mentions:

You’ve Been Cancelled by Jason Wordie and Curt Piers-adventurous, dark, funny

The Hunger and the Dusk Vol. 1 by G Willow Wilson- fantasy, adventurous, tense

Saint Catherine by Anna Meyer- reflective, dark, emotional

Whisper of The Woods by Ennun Ana Lurov- dark, mysterious, fast-paced

The Forgotten Blade by Tze Chun- sci-fi, medium-paced, tense

Witchcraft by Sole Otero- dark, mysterious, fast-paced

The Sacrificers Vol 1 by Rick Remender- Fantasy, fast-paced, mysterious

Thirsty Mermaids by Kat Leyh- lighthearted, fast paced, funny

Smoke Gets in your eyes by Anaïs Flogny- dark, emotional, LGBTQ, tense

Adherent by Chris W Kim- mysterious, reflective, slow-paced

Baby Blue by Bim Eriksson- dark, emotional, reflective

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Thank you for reading, I know it’s been a while since I posted. Now that things have settled a little for me, I plan on staying on a more consistent schedule for my posts. If you’d like to stay connected and up to date on other platforms, here are my Instagram and Substack accounts.

Thanks again, and see you next time 🙂