Comics Outside the Canon: Recommendations for Educators and Adolescents

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(A slightly different version was originally published on my other blog, comicsandyalit.blogspot.com, which includes reviews from my Goodreads selection).
     Since my colleagues know that I am interested in comics and graphic novels, I frequently get asked to recommend graphica/comic books for classroom use and for adolescents to read for interest. Recently, I have been thinking in particular about comic volumes and graphic novels that have not yet been canonized the way such books as Art Spiegelman’s The Complete Maus and Marjane Satrapi’s The Complete Persepolis have. These important graphic novels paved the way for the exploration of comics and graphic novels in classroom settings. However, I am learning about so many other options out there! At various conferences I have attended, as well as courses I have taught. I have been reminded of how important it is for educators to learn about high interest readings for adolescents. By doing so, we can form a literary connection with our students. 
    With these goals in mind, below are a few recommendations of the comics/graphica form, which have empowered and diverse female protagonists:


      The Midas Flesh Volumes One and Two, by Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb: This two-volume comic is a fascinating mix of science fiction and mythology. In an imagined universe, King Midas turned the planet Earth entirely into gold, and beings from other planets are dealing with the aftermath. This book is a gripping adventure stories with strong female characters who defy gender norms and who want to fight for the greater good, even if they do not always agree on the courses of action. I loved the different representations of race and creed of the characters, and it does not tell a single narrative. The pacing is perfect, and the conclusion at the end raises important questions about materialism versus knowledge. Adolescent and college students alike will love these books. 



        Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus Volume One: This book will particularly resonate with fans of the film and the television show, but even those who do not have a past background in Buffy’s story will enjoy this and other volumes of this series. Volume 1 tells more of Buffy’s back-story, and we learn more about her life between the film and the start of the television show. In addition, readers learn more about the history of key characters Spike and Drusilla. Since Buffy helped pave the way for other female superheroes, this book would be interesting to study for cultural implications, in addition to being enjoyable to read. 



      Saga Volume One by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples: I am super excited about this series and plan to continue reading it! I think it makes for a great class discussion about sociocultural issues and racial relations. It’s about two soldiers who are on opposite sides of an intergalactic war and who fall in love and, against all odds, bring a new baby into a warring world. I think it’ll be fun to compare it to Joss Whedon’s Serenity comics. It’s a cool blend between science fiction and fantasy, although I now tend to use the term speculative fiction because I think the lines between sci-fi and fantasy often blur. My undergraduate students who have read this book love it. It is labeled "M" for mature and is probably more appropriate for older high school students than young teenagers due to some of the language and content.  



References: 
North, R., Paroline, S., & Lamb, B. (2014). The midas flesh volume one. Los Angeles,
CA: Boom! Studios. 
North, R., Paroline, S., & Lamb, B. (2014). The midas flesh volume two. Los Angeles,
CA: Boom! Studios. 
Satrapi, M. (2007).  The complete persepolis.  New York: Pantheon Books
Spiegelman, A. (1996). The complete maus. New York: Pantheon.   
Vaughan, B. & Staples, F. Saga volume one. Berkeley, CA: Image Comics. 
Whedon, J., Bennett, J., Brereton, D., Golden, C., Gomez, H. Lee, P., …Richards, C. 
(2007). Buffy the vampire slayer omnibus volume 1. Milwaukie, OR: Dark 
Horse Books.

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