I have recently gotten into graphic novels. It’s kind of an intimidating hobby to get into; there are just so many to pick from that it’s hard to know where to begin. I won’t pretend to be an expert on the subject but if it’s an expert you want, come to Lemuria and talk to Hunter; he’s our resident comic book guru. However, I can recommend a few graphic novels to get your feet wet.
My first graphic novel was the Lumberjanes, written by Noelle Stevenson and Shannon Watters. This is a fun series centered around a camp for girls, specifically the girls of the Roanoke Cabin. Throughout the series, the girls are trying to earn badges for various camp activities, including the “Robyn Hood” badge or the “Friendship to the Craft” badge. Supernatural things keep getting in the way of earning these badges, though. Like when the goddess Artemis decides to moonlight as a camper named Diane and causes all sorts of trouble. Or when a freak snow storm happens, and the Roanoke’s cabin leader is kidnapped by a monster-hunting former Lumberjane. Expletives come in the form of famous feminists (“Holy Anne Bancroft!”). All of the main characters are extremely likable and it’s like being a ride-along with every new adventure they encounter. This is a series that has several issues out, so there’s plenty of material to delve into.
In a similar vein to the Lumberjanes is Misfit City by Kiwi Smith. This two volume series explores the idea of what it would be like to grow up in a city where a Goonies-type movie was filmed. Hooligans are always driving through town blasting the soundtrack, and trashing the local museum dedicated to the movie. A group of teenage girls are so over everything that has to do with “The Gloomies“, which is a movie featuring kids that search for lost treasure. That is, until the girls find a real treasure map and go on their own Gloomies treasure hunt. I was super bummed when I finished the second volume and found out that that was the end of it. I love The Goonies and I was immediately drawn into this story. The characters are diverse, each girl a different shape and skin color. If you want a good adventure, this is a great one for you!
Glister by Andi Wtson is an adorable graphic novel that’s probably meant for a younger age than me, but I so enjoyed it that I have to recommend it. Glister is a young girl described as a “magnet for the unusual” that lives with her father in a house that is seemingly alive. Rooms are prone to changing and at one point, the house just up and leaves. This graphic novel is five different stories in one volume and each story has its own color ink. In the first story, a teapot is haunted by the ghost of a verbose writer whose book never seems to be finished. In another, Glister is so desperate for a family, that she unintentionally grows her ancestors from a tree. The artwork in this comic is sweet and I would recommend it for anyone between the ages of 10 and 100!
Don’t let the 12 year old main characters in Paper Girls (by Brian K. Vaughan of Saga fame) fool you; this one is definitely for a more mature audience. It’s the 1980s, and paper girls are a new concept. Four 12 year old girls are out on their daily route the morning after Halloween and they are sticking together to protect themselves from teenage boys still out on the prowl. Their morning is disrupted when they are attacked by costumed people that take one of their walkie talkies. In trying to find the perpetrators, they discover a strange machine they accidentally activate. Subsequently, people start disappearing, and they struggle to navigate the aftermath. If you’re a fan of Stranger Things, then Paper Girls will appeal to you. The girls have foul mouths and they stick together fiercely. I’ve only read the first volume, but I can’t wait to get my hands on more of this series.
Can you see a theme in the graphic novels I like? I love a good story that empowers women, and all four of these fit the bill. I’ve barely made a scratch into the comic book world, so if you have any recommendations for me, feel free to stop by the store and tell me!
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