12 Graphic Novels with Iconic Artwork
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There’s a reason the word “graphic novels” are called “novels”—these works are just as complex, deeply-imagined, and surprising as any work of prose literature. What graphic novels bring to the table, above and beyond their literary value, is the artwork, the visual expression of thoughts and ideas. The 10 books listed here are iconic examples of the magic that happens when you combine a novelistic approach to storytelling with some of the most instantly recognizable art ever produced.
{{ product: 9781770461376 }}Ant Colony, by Michael DeForge
One glance at Ant Colony and you know you’re about to experience a singular artistic vision. The story of a black ant colony under attack by red ants is stark, bold, and quirky, with the ants depicted with their internal organs showing and the landscape a phantasmagoria of dog-headed spiders and pastel-colored wastelands. You’ll be able to recognize DeForge’s work for the rest of your life—and be unable to ignore it.
The Book of Genesis, by R. Crumb
R. Crumb’s work is perhaps some of the most iconic in the modern day, so unique in its comical grotesqueness, even people who have never picked up a comic or graphic novel recognize it. The Book of Genesis is near-ideal pairing of Crumb’s aesthetic and subject matter—in this case a faithful, literal depiction of the Book of Genesis—perhaps the most subversive approach he could have taken. The art is some of the best Crumb has ever produced, hands down.
Ghost World, by Daniel Clowes
Clowes’ style has become instantly recognizable. The clean, balanced compositions of his panels are almost a series of collected still life drawings, and his soft, subtle style has sometimes been described as “no style,” which is probably one of the highest compliments you can get as an artist. There areo many iconic panels and classic works to choose from, but Ghost World is probably Clowes’ most successful marriage of art and story.
The Initiates, by Étienne Davodeau
The muted color art in this wonderful graphic novel, in which writer and artist Davodeau and winemaker Richard Leroy attempt to live and learn each other’s vocations, is photographic and unshowy. Depicting small moments without fuss or drama, they inspire a sense of calm as they tell the surprisingly dense and deeply-considered story of two people exchanging points of view in a substantial way.
Sin City, by Frank Miller
Frank Miller is one of the most famous comic book artists of all time, codifying a noir-inspired black-and-white palette (with some powerful exceptions) that packs more punch than most full-color work. The high-contrast style favors bold images over subtleties and details, yet encompasses a complete fictional universe, and remains a singular achievement in graphic novels.
Watchmen, by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins
Moore’s infamous deconstruction of superhero stories, drawn by Dave Gibbons and colored by John Higgins, is easily recognizable due to its carefully planned artwork. While the style of the figures and backgrounds may not seem particularly notable to the untrained eye, the care surrounding layouts, color choices, and recurring imagery combine to give Watchmen a precise structure that is slowly revealed through repeated readings.
Scott Pilgrim’s Precious little Life, by Bryan Lee O’Malley
Inspired by Japanese shōnen Manga, O’Malley brought a distinctively American spin on the style, resulting in a style and look that is specific to him. Whether or not the high-energy, action-packed story of confusing love, super-powered ex-boyfriends, and terrible rock bands is your cup of tea, the art is visually arresting and distinctive from the cover onward.
Wytches, by Scott Snyder and Jock (Mark Simpson)
Jock’s watercolor-inspired artwork in Snyder’s influential horror book is muted and cool in the literal sense, all blues and grays and blue-greens. It’s also made to look distressed and distorted, as if water damaged, very old, or both. When color does invade the page, it’s shocking, and the combination of all these techniques makes it one of the most distinctive recent graphic novels to his shelves.
Tank Girl, by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett
Frenetic, punk, and immediate, the original Tank Girl looks, at first glance, almost unfinished. The details sneak up on you, and the subtle way every image seems to be in motion, perhaps when you glance away for a second, slowly combines to create a unique visual experience. Mimicking the anarchic energy of the story and characters, Hewlett’s style has proved infinitely influential.
To the Heart of the Storm, by Will Eisner
Eisner’s one of the most influential comic artists of all time, and his compact, clean style—developed over years spent under strict budget constraints that forced him to be very economic in his storytelling—is on ideal display in his 1991 masterpiece, an autobiographical work exploring the immigrant experience in America in the early 20th century.
Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel
The artwork that accompanies Bechdel’s heartbreaking story about her childhood, in which her growing awareness of her sexuality is twinned by her growing awareness of her father’s sexuality and the harm his denial of it causes, is intricate yet cartoonish. At first glance it seems immature, dashed-off, harmless. Only by paying attention do you see small details that paint a deeper story of anger and pain subverting the loose style of the art.
Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
Satrapi’s tale of growing up in Iran is a must-read for anyone curious about the world outside their own experience, and it is illustrated in a bold, simple style that seems easy and no-frills at first. The simplicity of the art makes it easier for the reader to engage in the complexities of the story, with a resulting style that is instantly recognizable.