Staff Picks
#BroaderBookshelf 2022 - Graphic Novels with Character Names (Fiction)
- Mahogany S.
- Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Collection
Check out one of these graphic novels and fulfill the #BroaderBookshelf 2022 Reading Challenge prompt "read a book with a characters name in the title".
This list is part of the #BroaderBookshelf 2022 Reading Challenge. Find more lists here.
Darth Vader and Friends
Published in 2015
Eisner Award winning author Jeffrey Brown offers an intimate look at the friendships between best pals in the Star Wars universe, from Darth Vader and the Emperor to Leia and her Ewok pals, Han and Chewie, C-3PO and R2-D2, the bounty hunters, and other favorite characters. Jealousy, birthday parties, lightsaber battles, sharing, intergalactic rebellion and more all come into play as Brown's charming illustrations and humor irresistibly combine the adventures of our friends in a galaxy far, far away with everyday events closer to home.
Amazona
Published in 2022
"Andrea, a young Indigenous Colombian woman, has returned to the land she calls home. She comes to mourn her child-and to capture evidence of the illegal mining that displaced her family"--Provided by publisher.
Emily the Strange
Published in 2001
Meet Emily, the peculiar soul with a wit of fire and a posse of slightly sinister black cats. She may be odd, but she always gets even! Capturing the quintessential heroine, "Emily the Strange" features her most-beloved quips and a host of new ones. Anarchist and survivor, this little girl with a big personality appeals to the odd child in us all.
Celeste
Published in 2014
In Los Angeles, Ray is sitting in gridlock when he receives a call from an LAPD officer with news about his wife. Fearing the worst, he listens intently -- but suddenly, the caller and everyone else around him disappears. In London, the moment two commuters catch sight of each other on a packed Monday morning tube train, everyone around them vanishes. In Japan, comic artist Yoshi has come to the Aokigahara Forest to hang himself. But when the attempt fails and he slides free, the forest comes alive with mythological creatures. Taking us through the empty freeways of Los Angeles, the deserted streets of London, and the dream world of the Aokigahara Forest, Celeste is an ambitious and profound graphic novel that explores what it means to be alive.
Lulu Anew
Published in 2015
At the end of yet another unproductive job interview, Lulu, on a whim, takes off for the shore just to get away from it all. She's got a husband and kids left bewildered but it's nothing against them. This is just her time, getting away from the grind and with no other plan than savoring it. Surprised at her own temerity, she meets other people on the edge of the world. It wasn't meant to be for long. It wasn't meant to be anything but in the end thrilling, fun, and possibly dangerous, this improvised experience will make of Lulu a different woman.
Judge Dredd. False Witness
Published in 2021
Justice Academy drop-out Mathias Lincoln always survived by sub-legal means, but after uncovering a vast conspiracy, he finds himself pursued by legendary lawman Judge Dredd!
T!m G!nger
Published in 2015
"Once a government test pilot, now a widower, Tim enjoys a quiet retirement in New Mexico...until a conspiracy theorist starts asking uncomfortable questions, and the haunting reappearance of an old friend provokes some hard choices about when to let go and when to hold on." -- Provided by publisher.
Eustace
Published in 2013
"Poor Eustace is not very well. Convalescing in bed, his world is confined to the four walls of his grand and gloomy room. His days are spent in wild imaginings, punctuated by the occasional visit from his mother and a legion of Aunties, who fuss and smother Eustace. But then his wicked uncle arrives in a cloud of pipe smoke, accompanied by a swelling cast of prostitutes, hoodlums, drunkards and assorted hangers-on. Suddenly Eustace finds himself transformed from invalid to the star of a glittering and decadent social scene, serving drinks and holding court from his enormous bed. That is, until his Uncle's past begins to catch up with him" -- provided by publisher.
Locke & Key. Vol. 01, Welcome to Lovecraft
Published in 2008
Graphic Novel. Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them ... and home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will not rest until it forces open the most terrible door of them all ...! Acclaimed suspense novelist and New York Times best-selling author Joe Hill (Heart-Shaped Box) creates an all-new story of dark fantasy and wonder, with astounding artwork from Gabriel Rodriguez.
Beowulf
Published in 2007
This exhilarating graphic-novel edition of an ancient classic honors the spirit of the original as it attracts modern readers. The epic tale of the great warrior Beowulf has thrilled readers through the ages -- and now it is reinvented for a new generation with Gareth Hinds's masterful illustrations. Grendel's black blood runs thick as Beowulf defeats the monster and his hideous mother, while somber hues overcast the hero's final, fatal battle against a raging dragon. Speeches filled with courage and sadness, lightning-paced contests of muscle and will, and funeral boats burning on the fjords are all rendered in glorious and gruesome detail. Told for more than a thousand years, Beowulf's heroic saga finds a true home in this graphic-novel edition.
Adrian and the Tree of Secrets
Published in 2014
Adrian isn't very happy. He lives in a small town, goes to a Catholic high school, wears glasses, and wishes he were more muscular. He's dogged by a strict mother and bullied by the kids at school. But he's also friends with a cool kid who takes him on scooter rides and whisks him up to a secret treehouse where they steal kisses. Adrian finds himself falling in love until his friend's girlfriend rats them out and sends both boys into a tailspin of embarrassment and concern.
Good As Lily
Published in 2007
Following a strange mishap on her 18th birthday, Grace Kwon is confronted with herself at three different periods in her life. The timing couldn't be worse as Grace and her friends desperately try to save a crumbling school play. Will her other selves wreak havoc on her present life or illuminate her uncertain future?
Luna
Published in 2021
"Meet Teresa, a young woman who's plagued by prophetic dreams that lead to a fateful meeting with the Family of the Sun, a burgeoning cult whose leader claims to have met the divine. Secret blood rituals, powerful drugs, and sexual awakening will bring Teresa face-to-face with the truth about the Family and the dark secret behind her dreams. Immortality, magic and alchemy, and the true power of enduring love collide in this new thriller from acclaimed writer and artist Maria Llovet." -- Back cover.
I Am Alfonso Jones
Published in 2017
The ghost of fifteen-year-old Alfonso Jones travels in a New York subway car full of the living and the dead, watching his family and friends fight for justice after he is killed by an off-duty police officer while buying a suit in a Midtown department store.
Martian Manhunter
Identity
Published in 2020
"The acclaimed team of writer Steve Orlando and artist Riley Rossmo reteam for a reinvention of the Manhunter from Mars in this twisted, unexpected series. Back on Mars, J'onn J'onzz was about as corrupt as a law officer can be, and when a reckoning comes for his entire society, he'll get a second chance he doesn't want or deserve! One shocking murder, and an unexpected fragment of the Mars he lost, will change his life--and the course of the Earth--forever!"-- Provided by publisher.
Archie Meets Kiss
Published in 2012
When Sabrina the Teenage Witch casts a spell to protect Riverdale on Halloween and Veronica accidentally reverses it, four monsters come to town and proceed to turn everyone into zombies. The members of Kiss show up to combat the monsters with rock 'n' roll music and Archie and the gang do what they can to help.
Penny
A Graphic Memoir
Published in 2021
Penny, an unusually introspective housecat with a vivid imagination, muses about her life and dreams--from the streets to the Boston apartment she shares with her human.
Nimona
Published in 2015
"Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are. But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit"-- provided by publisher.
Wynd. Book One, The Flight of the Prince
Published in 2021
"Wynd lives a quiet life in Pipetown -- working at the local tavern, out of sight in the secret rooms beneath the floorboards, often stealing away to catch glimpses of the son of the castle's groundskeeper as he works. But Wynd also has a secret... magical blood betrayed by his pointed ears, forbidden within the city limits. His shaggy hair has obscured them for most of his life, but now that Wynd is a teenager they are growing too unwieldy to hide. Joined by his best friend Oakley and Thorn, the groundskeeper's son, Wynd's strange dreams and an encounter with the city guard send him on the most dangerous adventure he could imagine, where Wynd will discover the magic in the world around him and, most importantly, the magic within himself."--Provided by publisher.
House of Odd
Published in 2012
"Transforming a ramshackle mansion into a dream house has become a nightmare for onetime Hollywood producer Nedra Nolan, whose newly purchased fixer-upper in Pico Mundo has sent a string of spooked contractors scurrying off the job, claiming the place is haunted. Who's she gonna call? Her friend recommends Odd Thomas, the mild-mannered young man with a gift for communing with ghosts who won't rest in peace. With his soul mate and sidekick, Stormy Llewellyn, in tow, Odd agrees to investigate the eerie incidents."--p. [4] of cover.
The Battles of Bridget Lee
Invasion of Farfall
Published in 2016
"In the future, the Earth-and humanity-has survived an alien invasion, but there are rumors of another attack. Bridget Lee, an ex-combat medic, must overcome her fears to become the savior of her people"--Provided by publisher.