Which Non Superhero Graphic Novels Are Great For Literary Book Clubs?

For a true-crime story that focuses on the investigation rather than the spectacle, 'My Friend Dahmer' by Derf Backderf is uniquely disturbing. The author actually went to high school with Jeffrey Dahmer. It’s a portrait of the teenage Dahmer as a profoundly troubled, ignored outcast. The discussion inevitably turns to societal responsibility, the signs we miss, and the ethics of portraying a monster as a human. It’s chilling and morally complex.

You might enjoy 'Boundless' by Jillian Tamaki. It’s a collection of short stories that are weird, poignant, and explore modern anxieties through a slightly surreal lens. The art and ideas stick with you.

‘The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye’ by Sonny Liew is a quiet drama about art, history, and compromise. It presents itself as a biography of a fictional forgotten Singaporean cartoonist, tracing his career alongside the tumultuous history of Singapore. The ‘drama’ is in seeing how political changes and censorship affect an artist’s work and spirit over a lifetime. Liew mimics dozens of different comic styles throughout, making it a visual feast. It’s a brilliant, meta, and deeply poignant story about remembering the artists history leaves behind.

Thinking about more recent works that feel like they'll be landmarks, 'Bitter Root' by David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene is a fantastic horror-fantasy set during the Harlem Renaissance, where a family of monster hunters battles supernatural forces born from racial hatred. It's both a thrilling action comic and a sharp social commentary. 'The Immortal Hulk' by Al Ewing and Joe Bennett, while a superhero title, is a profound body-horror, theological horror series that redefined the character in a deeply adult way. For pure, beautiful fantasy, 'The Tea Dragon Society' by Katie O'Neill isn't 'adult' in a mature themes sense, but its gentle, inclusive world-building and lovely art have made it a landmark in all-ages comics that adults adore for its peacefulness.

Honestly, half the suggestions feel like homework assigned by an overly earnest English professor. 'Here, read this about the Holocaust or this depressing memoir.' They're important, but graphic novels can be literary in other ways, too! The Sandman' series by Neil Gaiman gets recommended a ton, and it earns that spot. It's a sprawling mythological epic that plays with storytelling itself, packed with literary and historical references. It proves long-form serialized comics can have the thematic heft and character depth of a great novel series. Don't let the fact it's published by DC Comics put you off; it's a world away from Batman.

‘The Encyclopedia of Early Earth’ by Isabel Greenberg is a fictional, mythic history of a world, told as a series of interconnected folktales narrated by a storyteller. It’s a love story, a creation myth, and a philosophical quest all rolled into one. The literary link is to foundational myth cycles and oral storytelling traditions. Greenberg’s art is bold, graphic, and inspired by woodcuts and ancient art, perfectly matching the epic, timeless tone. The book plays with narrative itself, commenting on how stories are created, borrowed, and changed. It’s witty, wise, and beautifully constructed, feeling both ancient and fresh. It’s not a fast-paced adventure; it’s a book to savor, full of little asides and myths within myths. It has the weight and wonder of a classic piece of world literature.

Don't underestimate short story collections! They're great for clubs with busy schedules. 'Interpreter of Maladies' by Jhumpa Lahiri offers nine stunning stories about displacement and connection. You can discuss one or two per meeting, and the elegant, empathetic writing provides so much to analyze about character moments and cultural nuances.

Consider a book that plays with format. 'Here' by Richard McGuire shows a single corner of a room across millions of years, from prehistoric times to the distant future, in non-chronological order. It’s a mind-bending, poetic exploration of time and place. There’s no traditional narrative, just glimpses. It’s more of an art piece, but it will fundamentally change how you think about what a comic can do. It’s not a story in any conventional sense. It’s the kind of book you dip in and out of, marveling at the connections across time. A total brain-tickler.

I'm a huge fan of 'Grass' by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim. It's a powerful non-fiction graphic novel about a Korean girl forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII. The black-and-white brushwork is raw and expressive, conveying immense suffering and resilience. It handles its horrific subject matter with unflinching honesty and deep compassion, focusing on the survivor's lifelong trauma and struggle for dignity. It's a difficult but essential read about a dark chapter of history.