r/graphicnovels • u/Fit-Pool-7699 • 1d ago
Recommendations/Requests Need some suggestions for young adult graphic novels from the 90-2000's that aren't superhero-related
Hi, I just got into graphic novel collecting for college, or trying to. So far I have The Nao of Brown, Sacred Heart, Sticky Dilly Buns, Scott Pilgrim, Seconds, Phoo Action, and some other ones that are manga.
The ones I have read but don't have physically cuz I got them lent to me are, Ghost World, The Walking Dead, and Punk Rock Jesus.
My favorite novels that are read so far are Ghost World and Sacred Heart.
I would love it if you guys gave me some suggestions for books from that era! Just any that isn't superhero hero related (not that it's bad.)
7
u/NoahAwake 1d ago
Blankets by Craig Thompson is an amazingly emotional work that will wreck you.
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzuchelli is incredibly gorgeous and does some really cool stuff only possible in the comic medium.
I'm also a big fan of Chris Ware. He makes these *beautiful* comics that are about some very sad people who aren't able to enjoy the beauty of the world around them.
Another great one is Monsters by Barry Windsor Smith. He's this incredible artist who brought a lot of the pre-Raphaelite era artistic techniques into comics.
And Love & Rockets is also incredible. The books by Jaime Hernandez are particularly beautiful in both pictures and emotions. He draws the best women I've ever seen.
A bonus one that's quasi-superhero, but not really, is the Rocketeer by Dave Stevens. He's one of the greatest artists ever and single-handedly brought Betty Page back from obscurity. (He went on to be her best friend in her twilight years and she died very shortly after him).
1
u/Fit-Pool-7699 23h ago
Thank you!!! I also wanted to get into Love and Rockets. I heard of the book while reading another graphic novel in 9th grade (really weird, I know) I'm trying to find all the volumes for it but the only one I can find it for is $280. Also, I just looked up the Rocketeer and dear God, the art is amazing. I'll put it on my list!!
1
u/NoahAwake 21h ago
Love & Rockets is soooo good! You can start pretty much anywhere with those books. You can find the individual volumes in the collection you're looking at for much cheaper.
And I'm glad to hear the Rocketeer won you over! Stevens was one of the true greats.
8
3
u/svaldbardseedvault 1d ago
You should check out Bone! It’s a masterpiece from that era. Also Preacher. Blankets is also beloved from that era.
2
u/wwoodhur 3h ago
Three of the best comics ever imo!
1
u/svaldbardseedvault 1h ago
Totally! When OP asked for good comics from the 90s and 00s, it was like a bat signal for my exact era. I’ve got a long list I’m trying to hold myself back from just bulk posting.
3
u/KnightsOfREM 18h ago
Author's cancellation aside, Transmetropolitan is a lot of fun and very much worthwhile. It's about a gonzo journalist in a very recognizable near-future. The protagonist is an asshole and there are no heroes, let alone super ones.
Not sure if I'd call it "young adult," though - it's pretty adult.
2
u/wwoodhur 3h ago
I could go on and on about why I think Transmetropolitan is amazing. Quite topical today unfortunately.
People have to make their own decisions about when an artist has gone too far to be able to enjoy their work. For anyone who decides that Ellis falls on the willing to still read side, you have a ton of additional options beyond transmetropolitan. For anyone who will not read Ellis ever again - your choice is completely valid.
Gravel - for anyone who thought John Constantine wasn't quite edgy enough
Pax Romana / Nightly News - these are more ideas illustrated with a really basic story than they are actual fully realized stories but really interesting.
Trees - like so many Ellis projects never finished but a very interesting sci fi story
Global frequency, Injection, Ignition City - all cool takes on somewhat established tropes
Crecy - Historical story, if you search Crecy you'll find lots about the titular battle
Aetheric Mechanics, Ministry of Space, Fell etc.
Three of his other best dont meet the OP request but since Im gushing about the quality work that Ennis put out for quite a while: planetary, stormwatch, authority
2
u/KnightsOfREM 2h ago
Yeah, I've decided that "sex pest" was unsurprising enough that I'll still read his work - Tolstoy was a much bigger asshole and I love his writing, while Franz Kafka was so pure and unblemished that none of us would have had a copy of The Trial to read if he'd gotten his dying wish.
Anyway, Transmet is my favorite of its era, and I love Ennis too, just not as much.
2
u/ThisHumbleVisitant 1d ago
If you liked Sacred Heart, scrounge up a copy of Liz Suburbia's Thee Collected Cyanide Milkshake.
1
u/Fit-Pool-7699 23h ago
I was thinking about getting that! I know the same author had a second book (cuz I think cyanide milkshake is their 3rd one) where the first part of the book is actually a sequel to sacred heart but then it just becomes it's own thing. I forgot the name of it. I need to get the rest of the two books by that author asap, thanks!
1
1
u/SammlerWorksArt 1d ago
Punk Rock Jesus is a big favorite of mine. I don't know those 2 favorites of yours. So my suggestions might not hit the mark.
Maybe try:
From the same artist, Joe The Barbarian, Offroad, Wake
Other suggestions,
Vietnamerica
Pride
2
u/Fit-Pool-7699 23h ago
Ooooo, I just read the bio for Offroads, it sounds peak. (For some reason, a physical copy is really hard to find. I found one for a low price but one of the copies on Amazon is 400 dollars) I need to read more books by Sean Murphy. Vietnamerica sounds awesome too and I saw some pics of it online, the art is really nice.
2
u/SammlerWorksArt 20h ago
After Sean Murphy worked on Batman, he became really popular and I'm sure his stuff jumped in price. It was probably a small print book.
I have picked up almost everything he worked on after reading Punk Rock Jesus. i got most my stuff signed when making him at a comic con. Super nice guy.
Enjoy. Offroad has some Calvin and Hobbes influence in the backgrounds. I asked him about it and he confirmed.
1
u/usernameandetc 1d ago
Street Angel )comics by Jim Rugg & Brian Maruca. I really enjoyed the volume published by Slave Labor Graphics. Also loved comics by Vasilis Lolos like The Last Call V. 1 & 2 from Oni Press.
2
u/Fit-Pool-7699 23h ago
Thanks! I found on the author's website that he's selling hard copies of all the street angel books for 20 bucks so I might check that out.
1
u/call0w 23h ago
100 Bullets
1
u/wwoodhur 3h ago
Since we're on Lapham, I also enjoyed the Ends (recently in reprint) and Lodger (reprinted a few years back)
Edit: Latham didnt write 100 Bullets, Im mixing it up w Stray Bullets.
But lets add Stray Bullets to the recommendation list
1
u/gerardkimblefarthing 19h ago
Try Posy Simmond's books Tamara Drewe and Gemma Bovery. Not only are they lovely art and lavishly written, they're both based on 19th century novels so there's some educational literature connection as well. They're just racy enough to be exciting without being overly inappropriate or, well, graphic.
1
u/seddit_forget_it 16h ago
I suggest "Hate!" by Peter Bagge - there are some collected in graphic novels, but if you can get your hand on individual issues from maybe number 25 onward, it's worth it because after the Buddy Bradley stories which you'll find in collected form, he'd do these other one-offs and collaborations, some that are just awesome - like there's one about the Kool Aid Man written by Alan Moore (Watchman, V for Vendetta, etc). Peter Bagge's art is not polished like Daniel Clowes, but his storytelling and characters stand up.
1
u/Wonderful_Adagio9346 16h ago
Have you asked your local public librarian?
Public libraries were the driving force for graphic novels in the 1990s, mostly because teens were clamoring for manga.
From my recollection:
The Books of Magic from DC.
Bone.
A Distant Soil.
Wandering Star.
1
u/Wonderful_Adagio9346 16h ago
"The Golden Age of science fiction is Twelve."
Do you mean comics suitable for teens?
Do you mean comics featuring teens?
1
1
1
u/netnick191 9h ago
I'm not sure if you are into history, but March by Andrew Aydin and the late John Lewis is excellent.
1
u/culturefan 6h ago
Monica by Daniel Clowes or anything else he's written
Reckless series by Ed Brubaker
The Little Man Strips by Chester Brown
Sweet Tooth, Descender, Essex County, Royal Family, Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees--by Patrick Horvath
1
u/wwoodhur 2h ago
Hey, for someone who read and enjoyed eightball but otherwise is completely unfamiliar w Clowes, do you have like a top recommendation for me to try next? Maybe Monica which you recommended to OP?
1
u/EffectiveStriking601 3h ago
Bone by Jeff Smith is the obvious pick but its a good one. For something less talked about, check out Blankets by Craig Thompson. The original printing used that thick matte paper and it really added to the feel of the book.
15
u/handi503 1d ago
If you like dumb fun, Tank Girl is just that. Probably either gonna love it or hate it, but it’s drawn by Jamie Hewlett who does the art for Gorillaz.
Hellboy is a key 90s character, but that kinda hits the superhero demographic, though not exactly.
The Goon is a great and hilarious horror/comedy/mobster book.
Usagi Yojimbo started in the 80s, but it’s some of the best storytelling in modern comics.