Comics By Mood: Comics to read when you’re…angry

Abby is the oldest, with four younger siblings, and is already so done with them before the chickenpox descends on the household. Now she's trapped in quarantine, itchy, miserable, and on top of that, things have been weird with her friends. Abby's also grappling with the complicated feelings around being 12, both feeling too old for some of her siblings' shenanigans but also still wanting to play, uncomfortable with her body, but excited to try new things. Then add the pressure of her parents' expectations as the eldest? It's a real pressure cooker of tempers in this house.

Readers who enjoy stories based on real-life experiences, like Mixed-Up, New Girl, or Sea Legs, or who have lived through their own chickenpox-based miseries will likely enjoy Chickenpox. It covers some of the frustrations of parents' expectations without getting very heavy and the high drama of conflict among friends, among other things, with pretty happy resolutions.

Shannan Prukop

Nothing is more frustrating than when your rival, the one person in the whole world you want to see brought low... is hot. Nicholas Cox is the illegitimate son of top fencer Robert Coste and is a naturally talented fencer but untrained. So when he enters his first tournament and loses, badly, to fencing elite Seiji Katayama, he wants nothing more than to redeem himself as a fencer. He gets into Kings Row High School on a fencing scholarship but has to earn his spot on the team to keep it, leading to a rematch with Seiji. Will these young men prove themselves to be better partners than rivals? And in case you were wondering, yes, they are roommates.

Sport manga/comics fans and rivals-to-lovers girlies will find something to love in Fence.

Absent/estranged parent, classism, mild bullying.

Tayla Cardillo

Life on the Sphere is miserable for Rudo in some ways, but he has his father and a friend, so it's not all bad. Then he's framed for murder and thrown off the edge of the Sphere. Alone on the surface, Rudo slowly learns to trust Enjin, the man who saved him, and the organization Enjin works for, while he fights to find a way back on the Sphere to get his revenge. He also wants answers about who he is, what it means to have friends, and what is actually going on in the world around him.

Gachiakuta is a great choice for readers who like a story of an underdog, as Rudo is certainly that. He also really grapples with his anger and the trauma of events in his childhood, interspersed with ridiculous humor, so I could see readers who enjoy a serious action with a side of comedy series like Soul Eater or Kaiju No. 8. This is also the first manga I've ever seen with a designated, credited graffiti artist, which is just plain cool.

Suggestions of child abuse in later volumes, some physical violence, blood

Shannan Prukop

Aydis has been told the story of the Valkyrie Brynhild and how she was cursed to marry a mortal for defying the god-king Odin, for as long as she remembers. So when she is cast out of her village for kissing another girl, she decides that she is going to free Brynhild from this fate. Passing Brynhild's trial of fire is the easy part; going up against the god-king who doesn't let anyone escape punishment will be the challenge. With the help of a talking horse, pirates, and some Valkyries, Aydis will try to change fate for Brynhild, and maybe for herself as well.

If a girl Viking kicking butt and taking names sounds like your speed, this series is for you.

Violence, homophobia

Tayla Cardillo

Alix loves hockey more than anything, but her mean team captain is making her life miserable. After she explodes after a winning game, Alix’s hockey opportunities are in jeopardy, and she’s terrified of her anger. Enter Ezra, a theater kid who handles bullies with an unflappable attitude. Alix asks him to help her, and soon they’re both getting more out of the relationship than expected.

With a sweet romance at its core, Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy is also about managing anger and other negative emotions in a healthy way. Give this to readers who want a tender, true-to-life story.

Homophobia; bullying; discussion and brief portrayal of abuse and the resulting trauma

Megan Rupe

Chihiro's life was very quiet and isolated, as he lived and trained with his father in a peaceful post-Seitei War world. When the worst happens, Chihiro learns more about who his father was and the kinds of people who used the swords his father made, and what consequences those actions had. Chihiro also learns that a burning desire for revenge isn't enough to follow the clues he has about an organization he knows nothing about.

It's hard to beat a classic revenge story, which has pretty wide appeal for readers, especially if they're willing to have some fantasy in their sword fights. There is some cross-appeal with Gachiakuta or even Gokurakugai, though tonally Kagurabachi is a bit darker. Also, as a note: VIZ has this series rated T+ or 16+, and it's published in Shonen Jump, but so far, at most libraries I've seen, it's shelved in the adult section.

Frequent and sometimes significant depictions of blood, some gore

Shannan Prukop

Sarah Myer grapples with her past and identity as a South Korean child adopted into a white rural American family in her comic memoir Monstrous. Both young Sarah and the reader will feel fury as Sarah navigates the racist and regressive mindsets of those around her during her childhood. Sarah relies on art and imagination to cope with bullying, but her anger and frustrations burst through again and again over the years. Though the subject matter is at times difficult, Myers demonstrates her artistic talents with expert use of styles and both paneled and unpaneled moments. The bright, lush drawings of her joy in fantasy and love of anime contrast brilliantly with the raw, aggressive style used for the monstrous feelings she struggles with throughout the story. Many will find something to relate to or learn from in this complex book about not fitting in and the journey to be uniquely yourself.

Although the story begins when Sarah is young, the struggles portrayed in the book are best understood by teens and adults. Millennials in particular may find lots of nuggets to enjoy with the 90s and early 2000s fashion and pop culture references.

Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, mental health struggles

Teresa Slobuski

Noblewoman Amelie dreams of achieving flight, but she is snared in a loveless marriage, where she can’t seem to please her ambitious, cruel merchant husband Hans nor pursue her interests unless he's away. To add insult to injury, Hans brings a slave mistress, “Sahara”, into their home. Despite their differences and forced rivalry, the two women forge an unusual relationship.

With evocative imagery, this is an engrossing story about female power and dynamics that delivers a potent dose of poetic justice. Readers looking for a good stoking story with a strong payoff will want to pick up Raging Clouds.

nudity; sex scenes; abuse; violence

Megan Rupe

Mage is a magic user in training, and with her shark companion Squalo, they set out on an adventure to find the sea serpent Bakunawa and stop her from eating the seven moons of their world, which will throw the world into darkness and chaos. This book shows that oftentimes anger comes from a place of sorrow and hurt. With nods to the author's Filipino culture and classic fantasy RGPs, this story has equal heart and adventure.

Fans of video games and fantasy RPGs will appreciate this quest to heal a broken heart.

Minor fantasy typical violence

Tayla Cardillo

Barbara Gordon has a lot to be angry about. She went from being a promising white-hat hacker to the girl in a wheelchair when a gunshot wound left her paralyzed from the waist down. She has to relearn how to do everything, which means a stay at the rehabbing Arkham Center for Independence. And her best friend in the world won't even text her back. And something doesn't feel right about Arkham Center for Independence. Patients are going missing, and the people who work there don't even seem to care. Will getting to the bottom of his mystery be what helps Barbara feel like a hero again?

Anyone who feels like they had to deal with a major life shake-up alone will feel seen in this story.

Gun violence (mostly offscreen)

Tayla Cardillo

Vinland Saga starts in a fast fury. Our protagonist, Thorfinn, is part of a group of Viking mercenaries, and he serves as an envoy to insert them into an ongoing conflict. Soon, all of the strength, speed, and brutality of Viking life is on display in incredible detail across fast-moving panels. We soon learn that Thorfinn is not motivated by glory and riches like his companions, but by revenge and his quest for vengeance against the leader of this Viking band. While Thorfinn is narrowly focused on gaining the chance for another duel with his father’s killer, adventure and intrigue keep unfolding within the lush historical backdrop of this epic tale that is not to be missed.

Filled with violence, Vinland Saga is best for adults who enjoy battle scenes and the sea-immersed Viking lifestyle.

warfare, dismemberment, and other violence

Teresa Slobuski