Top Graphic Novels by Women

The world of comic books and graphic novels is increasingly breaking down gender boundaries. Publishing itself is historically a male-dominated industry, and graphic novels specifically has always had a much higher percentage of male authors than woman authors. However, that isn't to say there aren't many fantastic graphic novels created by women. Female graphic novel authors are taking the industry by storm and making sure their voices get heard. Here are some of the best graphic novels by women available today.

Honestly, there’s a lot that can be said about Emily Carroll’s Through the Woods, but it’s really a graphic novel that has to be read to be fully explained. The experience of getting through this dark and unsettling page-turner is one you’ll never forget, and it’s likely to be something you put on your shelf and return to at various points throughout the rest of your life.

Containing five short stories and different art styles, this is a collection to unnerve even the most seasoned horror fans. If you’re looking for a female-written graphic novel that has everything it needs to ensure you don’t have a peaceful night’s sleep, then go ahead and take on Through the Woods—just make sure you emotionally prepare yourself before doing so.

Alison Bechdel had already had one heck of a career before the release of Are You My Mother?, with her former graphic novel Fun Home named as Time magazine’s No. 1 Book of the Year upon its release, gaining fans all across the globe.

Here, though, is some of her best work and arguably an even better read, as she tells the story of her mother—a passionate amateur actor unhappily married to a closeted gay man who stopped kissing her daughter good night when she turned seven years old. It’s a brutally relatable piece which will have readers questioning their own family relationships and psychoanalyzing their own lives. A daunting prospect, but an utterly worthwhile one.

If you’re looking for one of the best graphic novels by women, look no further than the incredible French Milk. Author Lucy Knisley explores the streets of Paris with her mother, while also dealing with the mechanics and ever-whirring cogs of their shifting relationship. As her mother faces turning fifty, Lucy is grappling with her own issues that come with adulthood and independent life, quickly realizing that life doesn’t get any easier as time goes by.

Again, this is a graphic novel that will have readers questioning their own real-life relationships and analyzing everything they’ve done with their loved ones in their life to-date.

When it comes to actual superheroes, girls don’t have many big names to look up to despite all of the barriers that have been broken down in the modern day. That’s why cartoonist Faith Erin Hicks has brought The Adventures of Superhero Girl to audiences across the world, showing that females can be just as super as their male counterparts.

Brilliant character design means that young Superhero Girl doesn’t have to face supernatural monsters alone, but with thousands of readers who can empathize with how an off comment from Skeptical Guy can ruin an entire evening. With a fiendish and comedic commentary on the world we all live in, The Adventures of Superhero Girl provides one of the funniest reads of our times.

Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half is a book you’ll visit over and over again after your first read, collecting stories about what happened to the author, Allie, throughout her life, and told in a witty, unpredictable way.

Born from an award-winning blog, this book touches on some incredibly important topics that quite a large portion of society could do with learning a little more about. Connecting brilliantly with readers, Allie has a beautiful and charming writing style which will have you laughing out loud from just a few moments in. You may even be reduced to (happy) tears.

This French graphic novel has been turned into a movie of the same name since initial publication, winning hearts and fans all across the globe while telling the coming out story of lead character Clementine.

As a junior in high school, it’s hard to be honest with yourself and those around you when you don’t fit into the "normal" societal boundaries set out by your peers and elders. It’s something that youngsters everywhere are facing, told here in a realistic environment. This story has and will continue to help these youngsters realize they’re not alone in their journey. One of the best graphic novels by women I’ve ever read.

There are many Adventure Time-based graphic novels out there, but you won’t find one much better than Marceline and the Scream Queens. Fan favorite characters Marceline and Princess Bubblegum are followed throughout this story, as Marceline faces up to her insecurities and manager Princess Bubblegum is forced to deal with her diva-ish behavior.

Not only do we get a brilliantly funny story here, but incredible artwork and mesmerizing color that will really draw you in. If you’re a fan of the television series, you should also rest assured that the dialogue written here is right on track with what you see on the small screen. Overall a hugely enjoyable read.

Yasmine is a talented artist who began sketching her "clever and sarcastic" cartoons as a way to relax, and soon what had started out as a hobby in her spare time turned into something mega. Putting her artwork onto a special blog, she began to amass as many as 12,000 hits per day with a number of posts going viral. Now she’s released her book Cat vs. Human to show off 100 never-before-published sketches that lifetime fans and newbies will all find absolutely hilarious. If you’re a big animal lover and more specifically, a cat owner, you’ll find these sketches relatable and very smart. Certainly one to pick up and share with your friends.

When I spoke to my comic book-loving friends about the best graphic novels by women, they immediately mentioned Kelly Sue DeConnick’s take on Captain Marvel. There are various volumes of this story to get your mitts on, as ace pilot and legendary avenger Carol Danvers takes on the villains of the Marvel universe under the mantle of Captain Marvel.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional when it comes to the world of comic books, or fairly new to the scene, Captain Marvel provides the perfect platform for you to get involved and isn’t short on the action. See Carol take on the Prowlers in Volume 1 "In Pursuit of Flight," where she realizes she may have seen the enemies she’s up against somewhere before…

Philippa Rice delivers a collection of gorgeous comics and illustrations based on her real-life relationship with her boyfriend in Soppy: A Love Story. For those who are reading and in a relationship, it’s a relatable and heartwarming read, but for those who may feel they’re eternally single, this could be a bit of a difficult read!

If you’ve got it in you to be happy for others when they’re happy, however, this is a graphic novel you just have to pick up. This is a story about two people who are exploring their journey of falling in love and finding the most wonderful things in one another to enjoy. It’s a gorgeous read with lots of subtle little moments that will have you grinning from ear to ear.

There are of course many more graphic novels by women out there that are fantastic reads, and now is the perfect time for everybody to dive right into the world of getting involved, as comic publishers do their best to publish pieces from authors of all sexes, sexualities, races, and so on.