Graphic Novels
Graphic novels are, simply defined, book-length comics. Sometimes they tell a single, continous narrative from first page to last; sometimes they are collections of shorter stories or individual comic strips. Comics are sequential visual art, emphasizing everything from drama, adventure, character development, striking visuals, politics, or romance over laugh-out-loud comedy.
Links
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Columbia University Libraries - Graphic Novel Page
A university website with a compilation of weblinks, including awards, publishers, conventions, and blogs. -
Comic Book Resources
Comic book news updated daily. -
Comics Timeline
The history of comics in America. -
Dark Horse Books
Home of Buffy, Conan, Hellboy, Frank Miller, Star Wars, and more. -
DC Comics
Home to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, The Flash, Green Lantern, The Watchmen and many other classic comic book superheroes. -
Drawn and Quarterly
Candian publisher of independent and alternative graphic novels from artists like Lisa Hanawalt, Joe Sacco, Lynda Barry, Kate Beaton, and Tove Jansson. -
Fantagraphics
Publisher of alternative comix, classic comics, and graphic novels from creators like Peter Bagge, Charles Burns, Daniel Clowes, Ellen Forney, and Chris Ware to name just a few. -
Free Comic Book Day
The official website of Free Comic Book Day, the first Saturday in May when comic book stores give away free comics to their customers. -
Google Play
Enjoy millions of the latest Android apps, games, music, movies, TV, books, magazines, and more. -
IDW
Home of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Locke and Key, Star Trek, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and My Little Pony. -
Image
Image is a comics and graphic novels publisher formed in 1992 by seven of Marvel Comics’ best-selling artists. Since that time, Image has gone on to become the third largest comics publisher in the United States. -
iTunes App Store
Browse and download apps to your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch from the App Store, including the Overdrive Media Console app. -
Kindle App Store
Instant access to thousands of the most popular free and best-selling apps and games, including the Overdrive Media Console app. -
Marvel Comics
Home of Spider-Man, X-Men, The Avengers, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, and many other legendary comic book characters. Excelsior! -
Newsarama
Source for comic book news, reviews and all-things genre entertainment since 1998. -
NOOK Store
Your one-stop-shop for all things NOOK. -
Panels
A celebration of comics, the people who make them, and the people who love them. -
Rumic World
Rumiko Takahashi has been called "The Princess of Manga," and this site celebrates her life and works in both manga and anime. Includes news, history, series overviews, and character profiles from such popular works as Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, and InuYasha, among others. -
The Beat
News Blog of Comics Culture: Comic blog from Publisher Weekly, with extensive links. -
The Internet Public Library's Guide to Graphic Novels
Including the history of graphic novels, anime and manga, web comics, and more. -
The Mary Sue
Comic book and pop culture news site highlighting women in the geek world and providing a prominent place for their voices. -
The Otaku
Updated daily with news, fandom features, and a blog; free manga, art and wallpaper, an interactive art gallery for registered users, and loads of fun quizzes from favorite anime like, "What character are you?" -
Tokyopop
Lots of goodies from the leading manga magnet. -
Top Shelf
Publishes comics and graphic novels by authors and artists such as Alan Moore, Craig Thompson, Nate Powell, Alex Robinson, Jeff Lemire, and Matt Kindt. -
Vertigo
DC Comics imprint that publishes content for mature readers with horror and supernatural themes with titles like The Sandman, Hellblazer, Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta, and Preacher. -
VIZ Media
A treasure trove for manga fans.
Ghastly Graphic Novels by FreeLibrary
Illustrated horror full of eerie images and scary stories.
Anime and Manga - Manga for You and Me by explore
Learn the techniques behind the creation of anime.
Anime and Manga - Hot Manga (14 items)
Get your hands on the newest manga we have.
Graphic Novels - Teen Manga (16 items)
Classic teen manga favorites.
Graphic Novels - Superheroes (83 items)
Biff! Bam! Pow!
Graphic Novels - Realistic stories for Teens (15 items)
Graphic novels that reflect real life.
Graphic Novels - Non-violent Stories for Tweens (6 items)
Suitable for middle schoolers.
Graphic Novels - for Tweens (14 items)
For the younger set.
Graphic Novels - Beginning Readers (8 items)
A first experience with comic books.
Graphic Novels - Girl Power (10 items)
Graphic novels that appeal to girls and women.
Graphic Novels - Books to Screen (13 items)
From graphic novels into movies.
Graphic Novels - Bestsellers (10 items)
Not sure where to start? How about with the most popular graphic novels?
Graphic Novels - Award Winners (6 items)
Find out more about the popular world of graphic novels.
Award Winning Graphic Novels (23 items)
Graphic novels which have won notable awards.
Electronic Resources
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ComicsPlus All Access
ComicsPlus All Access offers thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga for kids, teens, and adults. A Free Library of Philadelphia card and PIN is required for for onsite and offsite use.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
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ComicsPlus Children
ComicPlus Kids has Adventure Time, Bone series, Minecraft, and the Big Nate series and more. Simultaneous use will allow teachers to use this for whole-class read-alongs. A Free Library card and PIN is required for for onsite and offsite use.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
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ComicsPlus Teens
ComicsPlus Teen offers thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga especially for teens. A Free Library of Philadelphia card and PIN is required for onsite and offsite use.
Available To: All Free Library locations and online with your library card.
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Upcoming Events
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Comix Club
The very first meet-up of Comix Club will be held in the Art Department , on Parkway Central Library's 2nd… more details
Wed, March 29, 2023 3:30 PM
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
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“Mapping Imagination” Curator-Led Exhibition Tour
The Free Library’s newest exhibition, Mapping Imagination: The Art of World-Building explores the creative and… more details
Thu, March 30, 2023 3:00 PM
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
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“Mapping Imagination” Curator-Led Exhibition Tour
The Free Library’s newest exhibition, Mapping Imagination: The Art of World-Building explores the creative and… more details
Thu, April 6, 2023 3:00 PM
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
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“Mapping Imagination” Curator-Led Exhibition Tour
The Free Library’s newest exhibition, Mapping Imagination: The Art of World-Building explores the creative and… more details
Thu, April 20, 2023 3:00 PM
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
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Blog Posts
The Philadelphia Comics Collection Debuts in the Art Department
Are you an avid reader of comics, and of the age 18+? The Art Department is stoked to announce an exciting new collection for you to explore: The Philadelphia Comics Collection (PCC) is a living, growing, cutting-edge catalog made up of…
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ComicsPlus is Here!
Like comics? You're going to love this! Our newest electronic resources from ComicsPlus bring thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga from a variety of library-friendly publishers for kids,…
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Explore Creative Careers with Field Teen Center!
Throughout the month of July, Field Teen Center recorded interviews with a voice actor, four game designers, and a comic book writer. If you’re interested in creative jobs or if you just want to learn more about how your favorite…
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Early Black Comic Book Writers, Illustrators, and Newspaper Cartoonists
Are you a fan of comic book characters such as Marvel Comics' Black Panther or DC Comics' Black Lighting ? These Black superhero comics gained renewed popularity in recent years as a result of blockbuster movies and TV series.…
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21 Great Graphic Novels and Comics from 2021
Another year, another stack of superhero stories, fascinating biographies, funny books, and extraordinary illustrated tales that defy classification! While not necessarily a "Top 10" (especially since I selected 21!), and…
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LGBTQ History Told Through Comics and Graphic Novels
A panel from Hazel Newlevant's exposé of queer uprisings found within Be Gay, Do Comics!. All October we'll be talking about LGBTQ History on the Free Library's blog! Last week we discussed LGBTQ Historical Young…
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Comic Book Frights for October
The Halloween season is here once again! Time for creepy decorations and spooky fun! While the way we celebrate Halloween Night might be different this year, the thrills of creepy comics will never change! Here are some suggestions from…
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The Return of Free Comic Book Day!
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Free Comic Book Day ! The all-ages event was founded in 2001 to encourage both curious, first-time comic book readers and seasoned comic book fans alike, offering a huge selection of free titles…
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The Suicide Squad are Dying to Save the World
What do you get when a secret government agency assembles an equally secret team of supervillains and anti-heroes to fight against a worldwide threat? Sounds like a mission for The Suicide Squad ! Consisting of an assassin with a grudge…
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Christina “Steenz” Stewart Draws the Heart of the City
The comic strip Heart of the City , set in Philadelphia, dates back to when everyone read the daily funnies on newsprint. A year ago, then 29-year-old Christina “Steenz” Stewart assumed Heart's…
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Black History Month | Spotlight on Graphic Novels
I’ve written about some of my favorite graphic novels featuring Black History before in a previous post , and those titles like March by Congressman John Lewis are still fantastic. However, it's always a good time to…
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20 Great Graphic Novels and Comics from 2020
If ever there was a time to lose oneself in the extraordinary stories and colorful illustrations of comic books—2020 was that year! While not necessarily a "Top 10" (especially since I selected twenty!), and definitely…
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Capes Out, Cowls On for Batman Day!
On the third Saturday in September, comic book, superhero, and pop culture fans alike celebrate all things Batman ! And sure, it's a made-up "holiday" , but if Batman Day is at the very least just an excuse to read, watch,…
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Graphic Novels All Summer
Some memoirs, some made up, some a mixture of both, but all delightful summer reading—these graphic novels are bold, fearless, and bound to reach readers. This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews Each year, during the Autumn Equinox…
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Comic-Con 2020: At-Home and Online!
For the past 50 years(!), fans, writers, illustrators, creators, and sellers of anything and everything comic book-related have convened in sunny San Diego, CA for the foremost pop culture event of the year— Comic-Con ! This July…
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New Book to Screen Adaptations from Netflix This July!
Readers are no strangers to having their favorite books and characters adapted for the screen, and Netflix, in particular, is one of the biggest purveyors of bringing those pages to life via digital and streaming media. The following…
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Queer Comics About Sports!
I never would have pegged myself as someone who wanted to read about "the sports", but there are some sweet and dramatic comics and graphic novels that have changed my mind about that in the past few years. If you too are…
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Digital Comics and Graphic Novel Series for Tweens on Hoopla
If you’re like me, you already love Hoopla for streaming movies, music, and audiobooks. But did you know that Hoopla also has a great selection of comics and graphic novels? I particularly love the range of graphic novels…
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19 Great Graphic Novels from 2019!
Whether they were new stand-alone stories, biographical novels, retro reissue collections, original children's series, or new adventures with familiar faces, there was no shortage of comic-related reading material in 2019, let alone…
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Dena's Favorite Books of 2019
It's that time of the year again! Working in the Fiction Department of the Parkway Central Library means that I am always surrounded by excellent books to read. I read over 330 this year, and in narrowing it down to my top 30…
