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MCPL Best of 2023: Graphic Novels

Here are some of MCPL staff member's favorite graphic novels of 2023.

Mid-Continent Public Library

22 items

  • Written by the same author of Chainsaw Man, Fujimoto explores a story that has infinite interpretations and how one constructs that narrative to make any sense of the complex emotions everyone faces daily. And yes, sometimes explosions are just that…
    Graphic Novel, 2023San Francisco, CA : VIZ Media, LLC, [2023] — YF FUJIMOTO
  • A Business Proposal is the published WebToon version, which also has a K-drama adaptation of the same name. The artwork is clean and expressive, while the humor and tropes follow key elements of K-dramas while still being fresh. If you're a fan of…
    Graphic Novel, 2023New York, NY : Ize Press, 2023. — YF HAEHWA V. 1
  • Originally published on WebToon, Cursed Princess Club follows Gwendolyn, who is a bit different from her three siblings, and the twisted world of the Cursed Princess Club. The combination of art style and humor makes this comic endearing and unique…
    Graphic Novel, 2023Toronto, ON : Webtoon Unscrolled, a division of Wattpad Corp., 2023. — YF LAMBCAT V. 1
  • Down to the Bone is a graphic memoir that follows Catherine Pioli and her journey with leukemia. It explores everything from her initial diagnosis all the way through her treatment in a way that's educational, easy to understand, and also shares…
    Graphic Novel, 2022University Park, PA : Graphic Mundi, [2022] — 616.994 P658
  • Josh says, " A wild ride that sees a father and daughter professional wrestling duo thrust into a deadly wrestling competition to save the person they love the most from the underworld." Recommended by Josh from the Withers Branch.
    Graphic Novel, 2023Portland, OR : Image Comics, Inc., [2023] — F JOHNSON
  • Girl Juice centers on a group of housemates and their hilarious hijinks, capturing wannabe influencers, dating life, and more. Recommended by Josh from the Withers Branch.
    Graphic Novel, 2023[Montreal, Quebec] : Drawn & Quarterly, 2023. — F NATE
  • Meaghan says, "Filled to the brim with cheese-puns, The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a classic story of mistaken identity, humor, romance, miscommunication, and beautiful artwork." Recommended by Meaghan from the Buckner Branch and…
    Graphic Novel, 2023New York : Little, Brown and Company, 2023. — YF MUNIZ
  • After a tragedy, Valerie Chu ends up reexamining her relationship with her mother, with food, and her body. Recommended by Josh from the Withers Branch.
    Graphic Novel, 2023New York : First Second, 2023. — YF YING
  • Recently turned into an anime, Rei Ohashi finds herself transported to the world of her dating sim game; however, instead of the princes, she has her eyes set on the Villainess, Claire Fraṅois. This series keeps things lighthearted while also…
    Graphic Novel, 2021Los Angeles : Seven Seas Entertainment, 2021. — YF INORI
  • My Special One follows Sahoko, who has sworn off dating due to rejection, and Kouta (a Jpop idol) who thinks she's a fan but gets rejected by her and now has a goal of making Sahoko become his fan. The major appeal of My Special One is the shojo art…
    Graphic Novel, 2023San Francisco, CA : VIZ Media, LLC, 2023. — YF KODA V. 1
  • It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth is a graphic memoir that depicts heavy themes, such as depression and self harm, through a vast variety of mixed mediums/art styles while still finding a way to convey difficult feelings that many people can…
    Graphic Novel, 2022Portland, OR : Image Comics, [2022] — 616.8527 T397
  • Nervosa is Hayley Gold's graphic memoir about her disordered eating and mental health. The artwork is simple, but the story is extremely impactful combined with her constant hope for some kind of recovery throughout. Recommended by Meaghan from the…
    Graphic Novel, 2023Brooklyn, New York : Street Noise Books, [2023] — 616.8526 G563
  • Dark Gathering has an art style that is both beautiful and ultimately horrifying. It follows Keitaro Gentoga, a kid who has a curse after a dangerous encounter with a malevolent spirit, and wants to be rid of it. Enter Yayoi Hozuki, a student he's…
    Graphic Novel, 2023San Francisco, CA : VIZ Media, LLC, [2023] — F KONDO V. 1
  • If you loved Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, you'll want to pick up this chilling graphic novel with echoes to that classic, with Carroll's distinctive and imaginative spin. Recommended by Josh from the Withers Branch.
    Graphic Novel, 2023New York : First Second, 2023. — F CARROLL
  • Bell recounts "the talk" his mother gave him about race at age 6 and the various ways her cautionary words have played out in his life, all leading up to his own experiences as a parent and whether or how to have "the talk" with his own son. Moving…
    Graphic Novel, 2023New York, NY : Henry Holt and Company, [2023] — B B4137
  • Alix loves hockey, but when she can't keep her cool, her future on the team is in jeopardy. She enlists the help of Ezra for lessons in calm and confidence, which leads to a possible romance. Hicks' illustrations, with their fantastically detailed…
    Graphic Novel, 2023New York : First Second, 2023. — YF HICKS
  • This dreamily illustrated graphic novel tells a love story in reverse, between two old loves who "always never" end up together, to various other points in their relationship. Recommended by Angie from Reader Services.
    Graphic Novel, 2022Milwaukie, OR : Dark Horse Books, 2022. — F LAFEBRE
  • Going Remote

    a Teacher's Journey

    Bessie, Adam,
    Bessie enters the community college classroom in 2020 after nearly a year's absence after cancer treatment, only to have COVID force him out a few months later. He uses his experience of teaching remotely to highlight and expand upon some of the…
    Graphic Novel, 2023New York : Seven Stories Press, 2023. — 371.1 B464
  • The wealthiest people on the planet have escaped to a space sanctuary, leaving the ravaged remains of Earth behind for the less fortunate. But maybe their new home is not quite so safe for them after all. A very unqualified security agent is the…
    Graphic Novel, 2023Los Angeles, CA : BOOM! Studios 2023. — F GAILEY
  • Welcome to the Gourmand Academy of Culinary Combat! Where the curriculum includes how to battle against monsters AND how to cook them. Recommended by Angie from Reader Services.
    Graphic Novel, 2023San Diego, CA : IDW Publishing, a division of Idea and Design Works, LLC, [2023] — YF ALSAQA V. 1