Adult Graphic Novels Without Superheroes

* This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means that The Busy Papa gains a small commission on any sales obtained through the post. As always, all opinions are my own.

Once relegated to the pages of comic books, Saturday morning cartoons and ill-budgeted TV shows; now you can’t go anywhere without hearing about the next big superhero property. For some, it’s a dream come true but arguably many feel inundated with this overload of capes and costumes in their media. I get that. Not all things are for everyone and not everyone wants to have the current thing pushed on them. What is awesome for me, might well be awful for you and that’s ok. Good even. Diversity is not a bad thing! Grown ups need a chance to relax too and this could be a good opportunity to explore new media though and one format I’d recommend is graphic novels. Although graphic novels are a collection of comics, there are many wonderful adult stories without superheroes.

Fables

Set in a secret community in New York, this is a series about fairy tale creatures and people being forced to flee into our world and live among us. It chronicles the struggles in keeping order, in them finding happiness and the threats that brought them to New York. When getting into something new and time intensive, I prefer to know it has an end. Fables ran for thirteen years with both critical and commercial success. The idea has even proven to be inspiration (when the rights couldn’t be secured) for a TV show or two.

From Hell

Set during the Whitechapel murders, From Hell explores the possible motivations and intentions of Jack the Ripper. However, it is more interesting than that! What makes this series stand out it that it explores the idea of a London that was and how this horrific time was a prologue of sorts to some incredibly grim times for the city. This is a dark story about dark times.

Sex Criminals

OK, this is a family friendly blog (a couple of posts aside). However, I never thought I would be writing some of the words on it that I am about to; but here we are. I can’t sum up this series without giving this context. Sex Criminals is about a pair meeting at a party, hooking up and realising that when they orgasm… time stops. This leads to a series of escapades and them working how far they can take it and what they might be able to achieve. If this sounds trashy, you’d be wrong. It is a really progressive look at sexuality and its empowerment, The series is still ongoing.

Saga

You might have heard of Saga, this award-winning series has been referenced in popular media on occasion. The Big Bang theory mentioned it in one episode actually in reference to the front cover of the first volume (and the rarity of comics showing breastfeeding) in such a way. Saga is a sci-fi space opera that has been described by some as Star Wars meets Game of Thrones. Make of that what you will.

Locke and Key

My personal favourite horror graphic novel; Locke and Key tells the story of a family returning to their ancestral home following the father’s horrific murder (is there any other kind). It plays with the idea of a place filled with magic keys and doors leading to places of immense wonder and dread and a sinister evil that will go to dark lengths to harness this power for itself. This is a dark and twisted story that makes you care for the family and fear for their fate (not without good reason).