• Home »
  • Lists »
  • 2018 Staff Picks: Graphic Novels

List

2018 Staff Picks: Graphic Novels

By Skokie Staff Advisory Services

Our expert staff take a look back at the year and share their favorite titles.

  • The Prince and the Dressmaker

    2018 by Wang, Jen

    A marvelous coming of age story that explores the roles we play and how we shape our own destiny. I love how realistic the characters are, especially in the ways they interact with each other and how they are three-dimensional beings that experience a full range of emotion. I am also a very big fan of Jen Wang's drawing style and her use of color can be absolutely breathtaking. Recommended by Meghan and Katy.

    Get this item

  • Speak: The Graphic Novel

    2018 by Anderson, Laurie Halse

    Laurie Halse Anderson's novel about one girl's descent into silence and crushing depression following a sexual assault preceding her freshman year is a classic of YA literature. This adaptation, written by Anderson and illustrated by the immensely talented (and underrated) Emily Carroll, captures the heart, emotion, and pain of the original, but with haunting, creeping illustrations that wend their way into your soul. Recommended by Jarrett and Katy.

    Get this item

  • Lumberjanes

    2015 by Stevenson, Noelle

    Volume 9. Anyone who has read Nimona or previous Lumberjanes volumes knows that the world created by Shannon Watters and Noelle Stephenson is witty, imaginative, goofy, and fun. This ninth volume of Lumberjanes takes Friendship To The Max when the Janes must win a roller derby contest against Sasquatches in order to win back a tree house previously inhabited by a trio of uselessly lazy Yetis. Hilarious and surprisingly informative about how roller derby is played. Recommended by Jarrett.

    Get this item

  • A Study in Emerald

    2018 by Gaiman, Neil

    Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller and this spin on Sherlock Holmes is truly fantastic. I love how this adaptation blends science fiction and mystery together and is a great visual companion to the original short story. I really enjoyed Albuquerque's illustrations and the coloring by Scavone truly captures London's somber, foggy atmosphere. Recommended by Meghan.

    Get this item

  • Super Sons

    2018 by Tomasi, Peter

    This series about preteen second generation superheroes succeeds so well thanks to the yin/yang dynamic between the sweetly adorable Jonathan Kent (Superboy) and the comically irascible Damian Wayne (Robin). Their adventures are solidly written, but I read this book for the rapport between the main characters. Best of all, Krypto the Superdog and Streaky the Supercat make an appearance! Recommended by Steven.

    Get this item

  • Spirits of Vengeance: War at the Gates of Hell

    2018 by Gischler, Victor

    I’m always glad to discover a talented new writer such as Victor Gischler. Here he gives some of Marvel’s B- and C-list supernatural characters (Blade, Ghost Rider, Satana, and Daimon Hellstrom) a chance to shine as they face down a plot to re-ignite the war between Heaven and Hell. His efficiently told story adds an abundance of pure fun to a truly epic plot. Recommended by Steven.

    Get this item

  • Spider-Man/Deadpool / Writers, Joe Kelly [and Six Others] ; Artists, Pete Woods [and Twelve Others] ; Colorists, Chris Sotomayor [and Six Others] ; Letterers, Richard Starkings [and Four Others]

    2016

    Written by a half dozen different authors, this series is wildly inconsistent, but when it works, it works very well, especially when the smart, funny Joshua Corbin takes the writing reins. It’s always a pleasure to see the wisecracking Spider-Man take on the role of adult in the room when he’s paired with the wildly off-the-rails Deadpool. Recommended by Steven.

    Get this item

  • Freedom Hospital : a Syrian story

    2018 by Hamid Sulaiman

    Hamid Sulaiman joins the ranks of graphic novelists Joe Sacco (Safe Area Gorazde) and Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis) with this intimate story, part-true, part-fiction, about a secret hospital for wounded rebels set in northern Syria circa 2013. Illustrated in stark black and white ink, rife with silhouettes and shadows, readers will gain a clearer understanding of the violence that has torn the country asunder, the fraught allegiances and betrayals driving it, and connect with memorable characters who try to heal others and stay alive. Recommended by Jarrett.

    Get this item