While I do love mainstream comics, if you want the good stuff, the highly experimental and deeply personal stuff, indie comics are where it’s at. Here are some of my favorites I’ve read over the years.
- Maus- The first graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize. Artist Art Spiegelman tells the story of his father who survived the Holocaust. The work is profound and unique and as important a piece of literature as you’ll find on any library shelf.
- My Favorite Thing is Monsters- A young girl investigates her neighbor’s death in 1960’s Chicago. And there are werewolves. And Nazis. But this is not some campy over-the-top horrorfest. It’s intimate and personal and will make you feel feelings, whether you want to or not. One of the best graphic novels of the 21st century.
- Love and Rockets- This comic is a little hard to describe in a brief blurb, but I guess I would call it an anthology series with recurring characters and locations and a touch of magical realism? I don’t know. It’s good. You should read it.
- Usagi Yojimbo– He’s a Samurai. And he’s a bunny rabbit. No, but for real, it’s a comic book with a ton of sword fighting, how could I not be a fan. And trust me, you will be too.
- Cerebus– This series begins as a parody and over three hundred issues became so much more. Its transformation from a funny little comic to a dramatic epic is so profound that it has its own name: Cerebus Syndrome. When Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman say something is essential reading, you should listen to them.
- Persepolis- An autobiographical series depicting the author’s young life in Iran both pre- and post-revolution. A really remarkable bit of storytelling that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it.
- Blankets- Another coming-of-age autobiography, this one about the author’s childhood in a devout Christian family and the events leading up to his decision to eventually leave the faith.
- Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Boy on Earth– A story about fathers and sons. This may sound like a light, fun read. It is not. It is emotionally exhausting and will make you feel terribly sad. Read it anyway. Just be sure you’re in a good headspace when you do.
- Lumberjanes– A female-centric coming-of-age comic that takes place at Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. That name should give you a taste of this comic’s quirky vibe.
- Locke & Key- Don’t let the teenage angst of the Netflix adaptation fool you, this series is as dark as it is bloody. The art is gothic horror at its finest and the world-building is impressive.