Staff Picks: Give the Gift of Comics

In a collection of beautifully illustrated vignettes, Maria Sweeney explores her life with Bruck syndrome, a rare, progressive condition that, among other symptoms, makes her bones brittle.

With its range of experiences—including joyous, peaceful moments and the challenges of living and receiving care as a disabled person in America — Brittle Joints will likely be a validating read for chronically and seriously ill folks. Readers interested in graphic medicine or medical memoirs will also find a powerful read in Brittle Joints.

Medical trauma; scenes with needles that might make some readers squeamish

Megan Rupe

Toshiro is a resident of Tokyo in the far future, a place struggling, like the rest of the world, due to the sun being hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, hindering plant growth and oxygen production. He's in a tough spot, trying to help afford his mother's medication, and decides to undergo transfloration - the process by which a special seed is implanted in him, and over the next several years, he will become more plant than human. In the meantime, he seems to now be able to understand the other human plants and finds himself tangled in more plots and mysteries than he ever wanted.

The contemplative mood and cinematic paneling are a perfect fit for giftees who love moody sci-fi films, even if they aren't already manga readers. Fool Night is also an excellent pick for those who love dystopian or eco-horror settings, as seen in series like Fire Punch or Wild Strawberry.

Discussions of death, depictions of bodies in states of plant-based decay

Shannan Prukop

Do you have a person in your life for whom the midterm elections are their March Madness? Or maybe you have a new adult in your life who wishes they knew a little more about how the government works, amid headlines about the latest SCOTUS ruling. The Free Speech Handbook is an approachable and digestible guide to the significant cases that shaped how we view the First Amendment today.

A must-read for anyone who wants to exercise their First Amendment right (so everyone)!

Tayla Cardillo

Told not from the perspective of the titular Helen but instead one of the adults in her life, hired after the death of her father to bring her back to the family home. This home turns out to be a lonely castle, staffed by only a few and inhabited only by Helen's taciturn and capricious grandfather. The story takes a turn toward the fantastic while still exploring grief, the complications of family relationships, and legacy.

Helen of Wyndhorn is an excellent gift for fans of classic fantasy and pulp art and stories, because it's very much working within those realms. The art is, in general, just really lovely, so for giftees who enjoy high detail, delicate art, this is a great pick. And because it mixes time and space, fiction and reality, this could be a good gift for readers who enjoyed series like Once & Future.

Depictions of drinking alcohol and alcoholism, discussions and depictions of suicide/suicidal thoughts

Shannan Prukop

Tara is faced with a gift she considers a curse: she's been added to a special program for exceptional young people to push them up a grade, so instead of starting 8th grade, she is starting high school. She spends all summer dreading this and making it worse with her imagination, not helped by her older sister's casual attitude and horror stories. When school actually starts, it seems like all her nightmares were true. That is, until she meets Libby.

How It All Ends is at times hilarious, sweet, and painful to read for those of us who have already been through this time in life. This makes it an excellent gift for people in the age range who might be comforted by this tale, and those past the range who enjoy looking back on that time of life. Make it a gift for a family with tweens and young teens, for everyone to read together.

Shannan Prukop

Shopping for a superhero fan looking for stories about new characters that haven't been touched on in movies or shows? Nubia: Real One is a great one-and-done superhero graphic novel that requires little prior knowledge of deep DC lore to understand.
Nubia has the power of an Amazon, but America is not ready for someone like her to have that much power. Nubia spent her life living under the radar with her moms, but as she sees more and more injustice in the world, she's finding it harder to hold back from using her powers to protect people and right wrongs.

Superhero lovers and social justice fighters alike will find something to love in Nubia.

Racism, Police Violence

Tayla Cardillo

Debbie prefers reading and creating art to attending parties and gets overwhelmed by group projects, but feels pressured to fit in. Told in short, contained comics, Debbie explores her journey toward accepting her identity in a society where extroverted traits are often preferred.

Quiet Girl in a Noisy World is perfect for readers looking for a gentle, occasionally humorous read about an introvert's life. Tung’s lovely black-and-white artwork contributes to the gentle tone throughout the book, and the short, contained pieces make this a book readers can easily pick up and set down (useful during busy times!).

Megan Rupe

Ever since Mariana and her dad moved to Ohio to be closer to family, she's struggled to find her place. A chance encounter with hair dye and a haircut introduces her to Zoe and Everly. Soon, Mariana and her new friends are starting a hair salon to help their community show their "true colors". When a clash threatens their salon, can Mariana overcome her uncertainty and save the place where she's thriving?

Readers who enjoy the creative adventures and friendships in stories like Kayla Miller's Click will likely appreciate the Do-Over.

Discussion of parental death

Megan Rupe

Aya is a bright, friendly teen who keeps up with fashion and gets along with her classmates, except for her interest in American music. She comes across a cool music shop that sells the bands she likes and, importantly, has a cute guy working there. The only problem is that the guy in question is actually her quiet and unassuming classmate, Mitsuki. Cue a love story wrapped in music and supportive friends with clueless main characters!

This series is a fun choice as a gift both for people new to yuri/GL and veterans of the genre, because it's incredibly sweet and entertaining in a way that teen-focused yuri often is not, and while it engages with some tropes, it is, in general, very heartwarming rather than tortured. The unusual choice of a vibrant green to accent the black-and-white art is striking as well; it's easy to theme this gift for a fun visual effect.

Shannan Prukop

Twelve-year-old Lia is dealing with a lot of change. Her family moved from Romania to Canada, where she now has to learn a new language and make new friends. She also just got her period! Can Lia settle in and build her new life?

With its charming art, vibrant cast, and moving story about growing up and adjusting to life in a new country, The New Girl is perfect for tween and young teen readers looking for stories about growing up and finding your people. Immigrant readers looking for more stories like Parachute Kids will find a kindred soul in Lia. Adults will also get a kick out of the humor and expressive art that is Calin’s trademark online, making The New Girl a read that adults (especially Calin fans!) can enjoy alongside their kids (or alone!).

Megan Rupe

Do you have someone in your life who always shares Sarah Scribbles or other webcomics with you from their social media? Woman World is an excellent gift for them. Starting as a webcomic, Woman World is filled with vignettes of a post-apocalyptic world with no men as a way to look at how silly and absurd the patriarchy is. From an unused pile of disposable ladies' razors to children whose only frame of reference for a man is Paul Blart: Mall Cop, the apocalypse has never been so funny!

Fans of a snappy humor comic will love this title.

Brief description of population decline and natural disasters.

Tayla Cardillo

Looking for a classic recommendation for the comic curious in your life? Look no further than Y: The Last Man. In this dark and gritty graphic novel series, the world is turned upside down by a plague that kills everyone with a y chromosome, expect one man, Yorick Brown. Yorick teams up with a secret agent and a scientist to try to save humanity, but not everyone wants the world to be saved.

Fans of The Last of Us will enjoy this unique take on the end of the world.

Strong Language, Violence, Sexual context, Sexism, Racism, Transphobia, Character death

Tayla Cardillo