Graphic Novels—from paragraphs to panels

—By Kristi Spuhler for LitLovers—
The graphic novel has been fighting a tough battle. Many of us have been too quick to pass off panel comics in favor of traditional books, but in truth we may not know what we’re missing.

Breaking away from spandex-clad superheroes, graphic novels have taken on more serious subject matter—often diving into the realms of historical fiction and autobiographies.

Rich with complicated plot lines and well-developed characters, graphic novels take the art of storytelling in a completely new direction. By incorporating poignant images with well-crafted prose, graphic novels break down slow-moving descriptions into swift actions.

Caught your attention yet? Just in case, take a look at the list we’ve compiled—some of the best stories to ease you into the world of speech bubbles!

Graphic Novels

Watchmen - Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
The only graphic novel that has been included on the NY Times 100 Best Novels List, Watchmen follows a group of retired superheroes through 1985 America as they try to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes

Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi
This autobiographical graphic novel follows the author through her childhood and early adult years in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution. In 2010, Newsweek ranked Persepolis #5 on its list of the top 10 books of the decade.

Maus - Art Spiegleman
This graphic novel, penned by the popular contributing illustrator of the New Yorker, depicts the author interviewing his father, a Polish Jew, about his experiences during the Holocaust.

The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes - Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, Mike Dringenberg
This dark fantasy follows Dream (aka Morpheus) on his quest to find his three magical objects of power after a wrongful 70 year imprisonment at the hands of an evil magician.

Scott Pilgrim - Bryan Lee O’Malley
The title character of this spunky graphic novel is in love—but there are complications. The story follows Scott through a video game-inspired landscape as he battles to defeat his girlfriend’s seven evil exes.

The Walking Dead - Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn, Tony Moore
After being shot in the line of duty, Rick Grimes wakes from a coma to discover that his town has been overrun with walking corpses. The story follows Rick and a group of fellow survivors as they struggle against the odds in a post-apocalyptic world.

V For Vendetta - Alan Moore, David Lloyd
Simply put, the titular character, V, seeks vengeance for those in a corrupt government who have wronged him.

Here's the challenge—pick one of these graphic novels (or any other). Give it a try, and let us know what you think. Tell us which novel...and your thoughts. We'd love to hear back.

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	Watchmen - Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons The only graphic novel that has been included on the NY Times 100 Best Novels List, Watchmen follows a group of retired superheroes through 1985 America as they try to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes
	Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi This autobiographical graphic novel follows the author through her childhood and early adult years in Iran during and after the Islamic Revolution. In 2010, Newsweek ranked Persepolis #5 on its list of the top 10 books of the decade.
	Maus - Art Spiegleman This graphic novel, penned by the popular contributing illustrator of the New Yorker, depicts the author interviewing his father, a Polish Jew, about his experiences during the Holocaust.
	The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes - Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, Mike Dringenberg This dark fantasy follows Dream (aka Morpheus) on his quest to find his three magical objects of power after a wrongful 70 year imprisonment at the hands of an evil magician.
	Scott Pilgrim - Bryan Lee O’Malley The title character of this spunky graphic novel is in love—but there are complications. The story follows Scott through a video game-inspired landscape as he battles to defeat his girlfriend’s seven evil exes.
	The Walking Dead - Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn, Tony Moore After being shot in the line of duty, Rick Grimes wakes from a coma to discover that his town has been overrun with walking corpses. The story follows Rick and a group of fellow survivors as they struggle against the odds in a post-apocalyptic world.
	V For Vendetta - Alan Moore, David Lloyd Simply put, the titular character, V, seeks vengeance for those in a corrupt government who have wronged him.