Comic Book Recommendations

So we know that I am known for reading, analyzing, and writing about superhero comics. That is definitely the genre where my expertise lies. That said, there are some excellent non-superhero comics that I would love to recommend. These are from a few different genres. We’ve got some cozy ones, some action, magic and mystery but all non-superhero comics so that there is something for everyone.

We are going to start with some lighter, cozier comics. These all have some fantastic artwork and engaging stories but they are also very light.

Let’s start with Pilu of The Woods by Mai K. Nguyen. Okay I know we said that we were starting with some lighter stories but this one actually starts out pretty emotional. If you like journeys of self discovery, and self-acceptance then this is a great story for you. Sometimes all you need is one person to not just accept who you are but actually like who you are and want to know more. Yes this is a story that has been told 1000 different times, but the framework for this story is so beautifully written and the artwork makes it feel so warm and cuddly.

Next is the Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Niell. This one is a little obvious, it's an Eisner award winner and it is very popular but I can’t have a comics to read list without including it. I love this story because I love any story about preserving any kind of knowledge, or lost arts. I also love dragons and sweet cozy stories and this comic manages to combine all of those things in the same story.

Another story that I really love is Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama. This is the first full Japanese book I’ve read so I guess it's considered Manga but the medium is very similar so I am including it on this list. The art is very classic storybook and I think it is absolutely beautiful. Again I have a fascination with magic so any story about self-fulfillment and magic and you’ve got me.

A lot of the stories that I have on here are very much about self-expression and discovery and that’s really because those stories just never get tired. People always need those stories, teenagers, people in their 20s, people approaching middle-aged these stories will always be important and they will always be for everyone.

Now if you aren’t a fan of college humor or dropout TV then you should be but one of the main cast members is Brennan Lee Mulligan and outside of all of his sketch comedy work he wrote a comic book titled Strong Female Protagonist and it is just as amazing as you would expect it to be. There is a lot more dialogue than you normally get from a comic and that is a good thing, because it is of course awesome. And it's done so well that it still feels like you are reading a comic book instead of just a block of text and some pictures.

Last but not least I want to talk about Delicates by Brenna Thummer. First of all the color and tone of this story is so beautifully done, pair that with a story that fills me with so much comfort and hope and you get a truly amazing comic book.

Honorable mentions that are slightly less cozy are American Vampire and Red Rising Sons of Ares. These are definitely more action based stories, and they are both very well done but as the rest of the list is cozier recommendations if that is what you are looking for then these last two are not for you.