As part of a project to expand CLP’s graphic novel collections, some other librarians and I were asked to compose lists of the 100 graphic novels we recommend as essential to adult collections. Turns out, it also makes a great reading list.
The list includes titles that range from biography to horror; quintissential comics creators like Alan Moore, Lynda Barry to prose crossover writers like Stephen King, Howard Zinn and Michael Chabon. Titles range in style from superhero Jack Kirby creations to indie 
masterpieces by Paul Hornschemeier to classsic alternative creators like Kim Deitch. I could go on…
The selections aren’t just my own two cents, either. I referred to several books, a blog, Time Magazine‘s list, other articles I found through a magazine database search, the infinite wisdom of my knowledegable colleagues, and the experience I’ve gained from what patrons like about the existing Graphic Novel collection (a sample) here at Main. Why am I rolling the credits for you? Because these are all also great resources to go to when you’re looking for a good book to read.
There’s another reason, too. I’ve published the list as a Google Document, which means that anyone can edit it. (At the moment, you may actually need a Google account to do so, but I’m working on it.) This way, the list can exist as an evolving resource accessible to anyone and built from collective knowledge of those enthusiastic enough to participate. Free to the people, indeed. Check out the 100 Best Graphic Novels for Adults in the chart below or right………………..here! Happy reading and happy sharing!
-Renée
| author |
title |
publisher |
| Abel, Jessica |
La Perdida |
Pantheon |
| Azzarello, Brian |
100 bullets |
DC Comics |
| B., David |
Epileptic |
Pantheon |
| Baker, Kyle |
Nat Turner |
Abrams |
| Barry, Lynda |
One Hundred Demons |
Sasquatch Books |
| Barry, Lynda |
What It Is |
Drawn & Quarterly |
| Barry, Lynda, ed. |
The Best American Comics 2008 |
Houghton Mifflin Company |
| Bechdel, Alison |
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic |
Houghton Mifflin Company |
| Bendis, Brian Michael |
Powers |
Image Comics |
| Brown, Chester |
Louis Riel: A Comic-strip Biography |
Drawn and Quarterly |
| Brown, Jeffrey |
Clumsy |
Top Shelf Productions |
| Burns, Charles |
Black Hole |
Pantheon |
| Carey, Mike |
Lucifer |
DC/Vertigo |
| Chabon, Michael
and Will Eisner |
The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist |
Dark Horse Books |
| Chaykin, Howard V |
American Flagg! |
Dynamite Entertainment |
| Claremont, Chris |
X-Men. Dark Phoenix Saga |
Marvel |
| Clowes, Daniel |
David Boring |
Pantheon |
| Cooke, Darwyn |
DC : the new frontier. |
DC Comics |
| Crumb, Robert |
The Complete Crumb |
Fantagraphics |
| Deitch, Kim |
The Boulevard of Broken Dreams |
Pantheon |
| Delano, Jamie; Ennis, Garth; Carey, Mike; Ellis, Warren; Azzarello, Brian; and others |
John Constantine, Hellblazer |
DC/Vertigo |
| Eisner, Will |
Contract with God Trilogy |
W.W. Norton and Company |
| Eisner, Will |
Spirit |
DC Comics |
| Ellis, Warren |
Transmetropolitan |
DC/Vertigo |
| Ennis, Garth |
Preacher |
DC Comics |
| Gaiman, Neil |
Sandman |
DC/Vertigo |
| Hernandez, Gilbert and Jamie Hernandez |
Love and Rockets |
Fantagraphics |
| Hornschemeier, Paul |
Mother, Come Home |
Dark Horse Books |
| Hornschemeier, Paul |
Three Paradoxes |
Fantagraphics |
| Jacobson, Sidney. |
The 9/11 report : a graphic adaptation |
Hill and Wang |
| Jason |
multiple titles. “Hey wait” for ex. |
Fantagraphics |
| Johns, Geoff and Judd Winick |
Green Lantern |
DC Comics |
| Johns, Geoff and others |
JSA: Justice Society of America |
DC Comics |
| Kane, Bob |
Greatest Batman stories ever told |
Warner |
| King, Stephen |
The Dark Tower |
Marvel |
| Kirby, Jack |
Fourth World Omnibus |
DC Comics |
| Kirkman, Robert |
Walking Dead |
Image Comics |
| Kouno, Fumiyo |
Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms |
Last Gasp |
| Kubert, Joe |
SGT. Rock |
DC Comics |
| Laird, Roland Owen |
Still I rise : a cartoon history of African Americans |
W.W. Norton |
| Lee, Stan |
Amazing Spiderman |
Marvel |
| Lee, Stan and Jack Kirby |
Essential Avengers |
Marvel |
| Lee, Stan and Jack Kirby |
Essential Fantastic Four |
Marvel |
| Lee, Stan and Jack Kirby |
Essential Hulk |
Marvel |
| Lee, Stan and Steve Ditko |
Essential Spider Man |
Marvel |
| Lethem, Jonathan |
Omega: The Unknown |
Marvel |
| Lutes, Jason |
Berlin. City of stones |
Drawn and Quarterly |
| Lutes, Jason |
Jar of Fools |
Black Eye Productions |
| Martin, Alan |
Tank Girl |
Titan Books |
| McCloud, Scott |
Understanding Comics |
Harper Perennial |
| Michelinie, David and Bob Layton |
Iron Man. Demon in a Bottle |
Marvel |
| Mignola, Mike |
Hellboy |
Dark Horse Books |
| Mignola, Mike |
B.P.R.D. |
Dark Horse Books |
| Millar, Mark |
Wanted |
Top Cow Productions |
| Miller, Frank |
Daredevil |
Marvel |
| Miller, Frank |
The Dark Knight Returns |
DC Comics |
| Miller, Frank |
Sin City |
Dark Horse Books |
| Miyazaki, Hayao |
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind |
VIZ |
| Modan, Rutu |
Exit Wounds |
Drawn and Quarterly |
| Moore, Alan |
Watchmen |
DC Comics |
| Moore, Alan |
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen |
America’s Best Comics |
| Moore, Alan |
Promethea |
America’s Best Comics |
| Moore, Alan |
Batman. The Killing Joke |
DC Comics |
| Moore, Terry |
Strangers in Paradise |
Abstract Studio |
| Morrison, Grant |
Invisibles |
DC Comics |
| Morrison, Grant |
JLA: Justice League of America |
DC Comics |
| Morrison, Grant |
Animal Man |
DC/Vertigo |
| Morrison, Grant |
Batman: Arkham Asylum |
DC Comics |
| Niles, Steve |
30 Days of Night |
IDW Publishing |
| Niles, Steve |
Richard Matheson’s I am legend |
IDW Publishing |
| Nilsen, Anders |
Dogs and water |
Drawn and Quarterly |
| Pekar, Harvey |
American Splendor |
various |
| Pekar, Harvey, ed. |
The Best American Comics 2006 |
Houghton Mifflin Co |
| Pini, Wendy |
Masque of the Red Death |
Go Comi |
| Rabagliati, Michel |
Paul Has a Summer Job |
Drawn and Quarterly |
| Sacco, Joe |
Palestine |
Fantagraphics |
| Satrapi, Marjane |
Persepolis |
Pantheon |
| Seth |
It’s a good life, if you don’t weaken |
Drawn and Quarterly |
| Simmonds, Posy |
Gemma Bovery |
Pantheon |
| Spiegelman, Art |
Maus: A Survivor’s Tale |
Pantheon |
| Takaki, Saiko |
Hideyuki Kikuchi’s Vampire Hunter D |
Digital Manga Pub |
| Taniguchi, Jirō |
The Walking Man |
FanFare |
| Tezuka, Osamu |
Buddha |
Vertical |
| Thompson, Craig |
Blankets: An Illustrated Novel |
Top Shelf Productions |
| Tomine, Adrian |
Sleepwalk: And Other Stories |
Drawn and Quarterly |
| various |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer |
Dark Horse Books |
| various |
Swamp Thing |
DC Comics |
| various |
X-Men. Age of Apocalypse, the Complete Epic |
Marvel |
| various |
The Chronicles of Conan |
Dark Horse Books |
| various |
Showcase Presents: Justice League of America |
DC Comics |
| various |
Showcase Presents: Batman |
DC Comics
|
| various |
Showcase Presents: Superman |
DC Comics
|
| various |
Showcase Presents: The Flash |
DC Comics
|
| Vaughan, Brian K. |
Ex Machina |
Wildstorm Productions
|
| Vaughan, Brian K. |
Y: The Last Man |
DC/Vertigo
|
| Ware, Chris |
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth |
Pantheon
|
| Ware, Chris, ed. |
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth |
Houghton Mifflin Co
|
| Willingham, Bill |
Fables |
DC/Vertigo |
| Willingham, Bill |
Jack of Fables |
DC/Vertigo
|
| Winick, Judd and others |
Green Arrow |
DC Comics
|
| Wolfman, Marv |
Crisis on Infinite Earths |
DC Comics |
| Zinn, Howard |
A People’s History of American Empire: A Graphic Adaptation |
Metropolitan Books |
Eleventh Stack 