Find the best comic books and graphic novels to read next

Start with a self-contained story instead of issue #1 of a series that has run for decades. Good examples are Batman: Year One, Maus, Persepolis or the first Ultimate Spider-Man collection. Each tells a complete story in one book. Our Comic Finder can narrow the list by age, style and genre.

Popular choices include Dog Man, Cat Kid Comic Club, the Wings of Fire graphic novels, Amulet, Bone and Raina Telgemeier’s Smile. Publishers list a suggested age range on the book page, so check it and flip through a copy first. Our Kids hub and Comic Finder sort books by age band.

Pick a series that is finished or well along, and begin with volume 1. One Piece, Spy x Family, My Hero Academia and Fullmetal Alchemist are common starting points. Manga is read right to left, so the cover you think of as the back is the front. Check the age rating on the book.

For a standalone graphic novel, no. For a numbered series, yes: read the volumes in number order, because the story carries over. Superhero characters are looser: many collected stories are written to be read first. Our reading-order pages show which book to open before which.

They use the same storytelling format, a mix of pictures and words in panels. “Comic book” usually means a thin, stapled monthly issue. “Graphic novel” usually means a longer, bound book, either an original story or a collection of issues. The names overlap, and bookstores often shelve them together.

Often, yes. Many public libraries lend comics and graphic novels in print and through apps such as Libby, and some also offer services like hoopla. What is available depends on your library, so check its digital collection or ask the children’s or teen librarian for the graphic novel shelf.