Excellent Standalone Fantasy Comics
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As Book Riot does every year, we have launched the annual Read Harder challenge to help you expand your reading horizons. We are also launching some posts, including this one, to give you ideas about how to rise to that challenge! What’s great is whether or not you’re taking the formal challenge, you’ll be able to discover some great new reads.
The nice thing about comics is that they usually don’t take as long to read as a prose book but still 100% count as reading. So whether you’re falling behind on your Read Harder goals, don’t have as much reading time these days, or just really like graphic novels, the books on this list will give you a boost.
While there are comic-specific Read Harder goals, graphic novels can apply to many, if not all, of the challenges on this year’s list. To prove it, let’s look at a few titles that will help you check “read a standalone fantasy book” off your list. Most will even knock out multiple challenges at once — I’ve noted those in the blurbs.
Stories of the Islands by Clar Angkasa
This year’s challenge allows you to complete a challenge from the 2015 list, one of which is to read a retelling of a classic story. This comic puts a feminist spin on three beloved Indonesian fairy tales, which are fascinating on their own and also very useful for this year’s Read Harder readers.
Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru
This title also fits the “read a book about immigration or refugees” challenge! One of my personal favorites, this colorful, moving comic follows two Chinese American kids as they struggle to find a place in their new home in Metropolis. They get assistance from the Man of Steel, another immigrant who is grappling with his own sense of alienation.
Call Me Iggy by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado
If you’re not big on superheroes but still want to read an immigration story, this one will help you out. Iggy is ambivalent about his Colombian heritage until an accident with his grandfather’s ashes summons the old man’s ghost. In between teaching him salsa dancing and swear words, Abuelito helps him connect with the culture and family history that Iggy’s immigrant parents tried to leave behind.
The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught
If you prefer fantasy of the cozy variety, here’s one that will also fulfill the queer mystery challenge! Best friends Juniper and Hadley set out on a quest to find a special ingredient for Juniper’s baking. They end up working to save the local farmers and fey from a mysterious threat — and reassessing their feelings for each other, too.
The Flower of the Witch by Enrico Orlandi
Do you still need to read a comic in translation? Check this one out! In Tami’s culture, young boys are forced to leave home and perform great deeds until they prove they are manly enough to return. But what makes a deed “great,” and what makes a boy a man? Tami will have to find those answers with the help of new friends while also fixing his mistakes in this Italian comic.
Salt Magic by Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock
Vonceil hoped that when her brother returned home from the Great War, her friendly relationship with him would resume. Instead, he is too busy with adult responsibilities…and with evading a dangerous woman who curses the town well to only produce salt water. Vonceil sets out on her own to undo the curse, but how much will she have to give up to save her family?
