Graphic Novels: Where to Start

Which graphic novels I’ve read:

The Boy Who Cried Vampire by Benjamin Harper

A fable tale, with a twist on the boy who cried wolf teaching the reader a 

lesson about life. A very accessible read, for children as well as adults.

The Beano annual 1988 by D.C. Thomson

I got this book from a coffee morning book stall very cheaply. Includes all the usual 

favourites - Minnie the Minx, Roger the Dodger, The Bash Street Kids etc.

The Beano annual 2000 by D.C. Thomson

I’ve learned I prefer the older editions. 

This was my least favourite of the two Beano’s I’ve read.

The Paper Girls series 1-6 by Brian K. Vaughan

We follow a group of time-traveling paper girls in a wonderfully, weird dystopian world. 

The illustrations and colour choices are beautifully done throughout.

The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō

Marie Kondo presents the fictional story of Chiaki, a young woman in Tokyo who 

struggles with a cluttered apartment. Great if you enjoyed her first non-fiction book.

Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell

Deja and Josiah work together at their local pumpkin patch, and are seasonal best friends. 

Finally, seniors, this will be their last autumn together, so they want to make the most of it. 

Beautiful illustrations and heartfelt story.

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill

A gentle fantasy story of a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she 

becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons. Really lovely.

Bob’s Burgers by Dynamite Comics

Join the Belcher family from the hit American TV show featuring all your favourite 

characters; Bob, Linda, Tina, Gene & Louise. I thoroughly enjoyed the humour in this.

Circuit Breaker by Kevin McCarthy

A futuristic, high fantasy comic, set in a Japan. 

This was a really different read for me that I would recommend to others.

Titles I hope to read in the future:

More vintage cartoon comics such as The Beano

The Tea Dragon Festival (The Tea Dragon Society #2)

Circuit Breaker #2 by Kevin McCarthy

The Simpsons comics

Recommendations:

For your first graphic novel: The Beano

Perfect for gifting: Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell

On a budget: Free Comic Book Day comics are £1-3 on eBay.

For humour: Bob’s Burgers by Dynamite Comics

Tips:

TIP ONE // Try specialist comic/graphic novel shops on eBay, particularly 

comics made for free comic book day.

TIP TWO // Use your local library and get to know what comics they offer.

TIP THREE // Read comic/graphic novels reviews of people you have things 

in common with. Goodreads, Amazon reviews, YouTube etc. is a good starting point.

TIP FOUR // Try main-stream comics to begin with if you are unsure of the specialist variety.

TIP FIVE // The first few comics I read were children’s such as The Beano. 

Retro comics have a simple story therefore making a great place to start.

Places to shop:

piranha_comics_co eBay seller

Blackwelloxford eBay seller

Your local library

Charity shops

Have you read a comic or graphic novel before?

Which of these ones looks most interesting to you? :-) Xx