Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2018

10 The City on the Other Side by Maighread Scott

Much like last year's 10th-placer, I was most excited for this book's publication based on the art I saw in advance. When the book finally arrived, I was pleased with the art, but slightly disappointed by the story. I found the plot forgettable, but the mushroom character, Button, adorable.

9 Aquicorn Cove by Katie O'Neill

Katie O'Neill's artwork certainly has remained just as beautiful since she published the Tea Dragon Society last year. Aquicorn Cove was just as whimsical as its predecessor, and offered a similarly inclusive, positive plot. Like The City on the Other Side, it won't really stick with me as much as some of the other stories I've read this year, but I would still recommend it; it's a lot of cute in a quick, easy-to-read little package.

8 Archival Quality by Ivy Noelle Weir

There is no such thing as too many books about libraries! This emerging-adult tale/mystery/adventure is a fun (though at times stressful) read that will make you want to take a trip to the Mütter Museum. Steenz' art is the perfect accompaniment to the story. I'd recommend this book to museum/library nerds, or anyone who's lacking direction in life.

7 Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuk

This is the first middle-grade realistic fiction graphic novel (I guess that's a little bit of a niche category) that I found to be laugh-out-loud funny. I love Gudsnuk's characters and art, and the story was very relatable for anyone who's gone through middle school.

6 Peter and Ernesto by Graham Annable

Peter and Ernesto seem to me to be this generation's Frog and Toad. The characters manage a friendship despite their incredibly different personalities, and their resulting adventures are not to be missed.

5 The Dam Keeper: World Without Darkness by Tonko House

While I didn't adore the start to the Dam Keeper graphic novel series as much as I did the original short film, the second book picks up the pace wonderfully. The only downside I can think to mention is also an upside; there's more story to come.

4 Lost Soul Be at Peace by Maggie Thrash

This memoir by Thrash is quiet but powerful, as she tells her story picking up where Honor Girl left off through the lens of her missing cat. Her art has improved and her storytelling remains lovely. Worth a read.

3 Sheets by Brenna Thummler

Thummler's art is just as beautiful as it was in her adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, and in Sheets she brings a story that's just as sweet, but now entirely her own.

2 The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

A really charming story with a beautiful showing of artistry/storytelling from artist Jen Wang. What could be better than a story that teaches us all to be true to ourselves, and shows that things can best fall into place around us when we do?

1 Woman World by Aminder Dhaliwal

A comic that got it's footing through Instagram, Woman World adapted into the graphic novel format marvellously. While slightly less linear than a traditional book, Dhaliwal's characters are wonderful, heartwarming, and hilarious. This is the only graphic novel for mature audiences that I have included on this list, but its ingenuity and wholesome approach to a rather grim storyline make me unable to exclude it.

Google Sites

Report abuse