List
2019 Staff Picks: Graphic Novels
Our expert staff members look back at the year and share their favorite titles.
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Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons
2019 by Rothfuss, PatrickGet this itemYou don’t have to be fan of R&M or D&D (I’m not) to enjoy this hilarious and surprisingly poignant graphic novel. This is the best mash-up since peanut butter met chocolate. Recommended by Steven.
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Middlewest
2019 by Young, SkottieGet this itemFarmington is full of hidden magics, and the young protagonist, Abel, is faced with a storm that calls his name. It is a fantastical tale that breaks your heart for Abel and keeps you hanging on to hope. I'm ready for number 2! Recommended by Lydia.
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The Twilight Man: Rod Serling and the Birth of Television
2019 by Shadmi, KorenGet this itemWhat a biography! This graphic novel tells the story of Rob Serling as if it were an episode of his beloved Twilight Zone. Shocking, riveting, and hard to put down! Recommended by Lydia.
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A Fire Story
2019 by Fies, BrianGet this itemFies' graphic memoir tells the story of when he and his wife lost their house to the northern California wildfires in 2017. It's a harrowing tale that helps the reader feel and understand what a shock and trauma these fires are for the people of California (and it's a story I fear will remain timely from now on). Great illustrations and a quiet mood throughout make for a moving, haunting read. Recommended by Jarrett.
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Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos
2019 by Knisley, LucyGet this itemThis graphic novel memoir touched me on many levels. Lucy's pregnancy story can be scary and infuriating, but also hilarious and familiar. It can make parents feel less alone: it demystifies miscarriages, indicts the lack of accurate information about pregnancy and how it negatively affects women, and presents a realistic story about how hard pregnancy can be with humor and love. Ultimately, it's a bright and funny book, and it made me cry happy tears. Recommended by Jarrett.
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Waves
2019 by Chabbert, IngridGet this itemBased on Ingrid Chabbert's own experiences, Waves tackles the soul-crushing topic of miscarriage and the toll it takes on a woman and couple. This graphic novel is not for the faint of heart--get ready for a good cry. Recommended by Lydia.
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Commute: An Illustrated Memoir of Female Shame
2019 by Williams, ErinGet this itemI had to take a break and go for a walk less than 20 pages into this graphic memoir because it evoked so many personal feelings about what it's like to inhabit a female body. It's brutal and bold and the author confronts her alcoholism as much as the aesthetics of her gender and their roles in shaping her life (both in and out of her control). Both female-identifying and male-identifying readers will learn something about themselves by seeing through this author's eyes for a day. Recommended by Jane.
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Die
2019 by Gillen, KieronGet this itemThree of my favorite things are roleplaying games, '90s nostalgia, and Kieron Gillen, so this series is a perfect trifecta. I saw another reviewer dub this a "goth Jumanji" and I'm not sure what else I can add, other than a warning that Gillen's up to his usual tricks--waiting at the end of a long, slow road to devastate you with an unexpected emotional trauma when you're not at all prepared for it. Recommended by Jane.
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