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5 Fantastic Coming-of-Age Graphic Novels
Whether you’re battling boredom in the suburbs or attending a magical school for mutants, growing up is hard to do. Trekking to adulthood is a universal journey, and teenage angst is a language we all speak. The settings of the following graphic novels may be worlds apart, but each focuses on a coming-of-age, delayed or otherwise.
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Ghost World, by Daniel Clowes
An oldie but a goodie, Ghost World continues to feel of the moment, despite its lack of tech references. Enid and Rebecca—recent high school graduates and giggly misanthropes—do not text. Instead, they inflict their mopey brand of mean IRL. Everyone is a target: their small town, its inhabitants, and sometimes, each other. As they shuffle towards adulthood, will these two cynics stick together or part ways?
American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang
A National Book Award finalist, Yang’s graphic novel follows Jin Wang, a student who longs to fit in with his peers. But, as the only Chinese-American in his class, Jin has no such luck. His misadventures, one of which includes an ill-advised perm, are mirrored by two other interweaving tales. Yang’s work speaks to anyone who has been on the outside.
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SuperMutant Magic Academy, by Jillian Tamaki
Despite obvious parallels, Tamaki’s academy is no Hogwarts. Her characters are as likely to conjure absurd acts of performance art as they are spells and potions. Episodic in nature and mischievous in tone, this book about magically inclined teens is a quick and delightful read.
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Anya’s Ghost, by Vera Brosgol
Anya just wants someone to talk to. She’s worried about her weight, the cute boy at school, and steering clear of Dima, a fellow Russian student who reminds her of everything she’s trying not to be. Feeling disconnected and friendless, Ana meets a young girl who seems like the answer to all of her issues. The only problem? She’s 100% dead. Vera Brosgol’s brilliant graphic novel is part murder mystery, part ode to awkward adolescence.
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Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life, by Bryan Lee O’Malley
The first of a six-volume series, O’Malley’s work chronicles the life and times of a Canadian 23-year-old man-child. In a band, sharing a studio, happily jobless, and dating a high schooler, Scott is pushing against adulthood with all his might. But that’s until Ramona Flowers, an uber cool American, invades his dreams. She’s got seven evil ex-boyfriends, and if Scott wants a chance, he’s gonna need to conquer them all.
Did we miss any of your favorite coming-of-age graphic novels?