The Top 10 Best Graphic Novels of All Time

The popularity of graphic novels has exploded with new titles and new additions being released all the time so, we have decided to hit the drawing board and come up with a list of our top 10 favourites. Your choices may differ from ours slightly, but we have tried to include a bit of everything for all tastes.

So, what follows are our handpicked, personal favourites to aid your search.

1. Saga

This fan favourite is an enduring story about Marko and Alana, husband and wife, as they struggle to survive the onslaught of an ongoing galactic war and to keep safe the life of their newborn daughter, Hazel. This series immediately endears you to the surprisingly relatable troubles and trials faced by the fugitive couple and their newborn.

2. Nimona

This satirical modern-medieval mashup graphic novel follows the story of Nimona, a shapeshifter capable of turning into any creature attempting to aid self-made villain Ballister Blackheart as his sidekick as they battle against the evil institution. A clever concoction of modern and medieval technologies all rolled up into a collection of comedic quests.

3. V for Vendetta

Set in a fictional future England. In an eerily believable totalitarian state, firmly in the clutches of fascism. The spotlight character and key protagonist ‘V’ enacts his plan to rebel and bring about the ruin of those that wronged him in an old life and spark the downfall of fascism in favour of anarchy. This is a thoroughly thought-provoking series that keeps you enthralled from start to finish.

4. Maus

Written by Art Spiegelman, Maus is an interpretation of an interview he conducted with his father about his life as a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. The novel depicted all the characters as animals and expertly illustrated the trials and horrors of surviving the Nazi rule. An unquestionably important work that offers an insight into the lives of the survivors and their effect on their future generations.

5. Watchmen

Set in the United States during 1985, in an alternative timeline, in which America won the war in Vietnam, and the ‘Watergate Scandal’ was never exposed. The novel tells the story of a group of (not so typical) superheroes and their investigation into the murder of one of their own. A pioneer in the world of both graphic novels and superheroes, this graphic novel is a must-read.

6. Monstress

This exquisitely illustrated novel follows Maika Halfwolf, a war-torn teenager with a peculiar psychic link to a powerful monster. Inspiration for this series was taken from the often-unheard stories of brutality and pain suffered by the people of Japanese-occupied China during the Second World War. As a result, Monstress incorporates captivating, grizzly, hard-hitting plotlines into its uniquely designed steampunk world.

7. 300

This exhilarating graphic novel by Frank Miller brings to life the story of the valiant Spartan King Leonidas and his 300 warriors, as they defy all odds and stand their ground against the endless hordes of the Persian army amassing on the borders of Greece.

8. High Crimes

Murder mystery, extreme sports and blistering heights all wrapped up into one thrilling story. High Crimes tells the story of Zan Jensen, an Olympic snowboarder, as she finds herself pursuing a slightly different line of work which leads to treasure-laden corpses, attempted assassinations and much more.

9. They Called Us Enemy

A visual representation of the author, George Takei’s childhood growing up in American concentration camps during WW11. After orders from the president to round up all Americans with Japanese heritage from the West Coast and relocate them to various holding camps, George Takei and his family find themselves having to adapt to a new world of racism on an international scale.

10. The Umbrella Academy

Originating with a spontaneous event in which 47 children were born to women who had shown no single sign of pregnancy. These extraordinary children were not like any other newborns; this caught the attention of millionaire inventor Reginald Hargreaves who managed to collect 7 of these children to create a dysfunctional, mismatched family of superheroes. Years after parting ways, the mysterious death of their adopted father brings the family back together.

So, that’s it; we hope we have provided you with a new step-off point to delve into your next graphic novel experience.

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