I've been reading graphic novels for years and I'm always surprised by how many amazing works fly completely under the radar. Everyone talks about Watchmen, Maus, and Persepolis, but there are so many incredible graphic novels that deserve way more attention than they get.
I'm talking about those hidden treasures that you stumble upon in a small comic shop or find recommended in some obscure blog. The ones that make you think "how is this not a bestseller?"
For example, I recently read "The Nao of Brown" by Glyn Dillon and was blown away by the storytelling and art style. It's about a woman with OCD trying to navigate relationships and life, and the way it handles mental health is just incredible. Yet I never see anyone mention it.
What are some of the best graphic novels nobody talks about that you've discovered? I'm looking for those underrated comics and graphic novels that are criminally underrated and should be getting way more hype.
Great topic! I completely agree about The Nao of Brown" - that's exactly the kind of graphic novel that's flying under the radar. Another one that comes to mind for me is "The Summer of Blake Sinclair" by Sarah Burgess. It's this quiet, beautiful story about a trans woman returning to her hometown and reconnecting with her past. The watercolor art is stunning and the storytelling is so gentle and nuanced.
I feel like there are so many graphic novels about LGBTQ+ experiences that are criminally underrated. "Fun Home" got attention, but what about all the others? "My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness" is another one that's surprisingly good but doesn't get talked about enough in mainstream circles.
These are the kinds of graphic novels that deserve a bigger audience. They're doing important work but somehow remain underrated graphic novel hidden treasures.
Oh man, I have so many to add to this list. One that immediately comes to mind is Building Stories" by Chris Ware. Now, I know Ware is famous, but this particular work is so innovative and yet I feel like it's still underrated in terms of how revolutionary it is. It comes in a box with 14 different printed works - books, pamphlets, a newspaper, a board - that you can read in any order. It's about the residents of a Chicago apartment building, and the way it plays with narrative structure and time is just incredible.
Another one is "The Hospital Suite" by John Porcellino. It's an autobiographical graphic novel about the author's struggles with chronic illness and mental health. The art is minimalist but so expressive, and the storytelling is raw and honest. It's one of those graphic novels that are criminally underrated because it's not flashy, but it's so emotionally powerful.
These are the kinds of works that make me wonder why they're not considered essential reading. They're definitely underrated graphic novel must-reads in my book.
I love this discussion! Another graphic novel that nobody talks about but absolutely should is The Waiting" by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim. It's about families separated by the Korean War, waiting to be reunited. The art is beautiful woodcut style, and the story is so heartbreaking and human.
What's interesting is how many incredible graphic novels from outside the US and Europe are flying under the radar. "The Photographer" by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemercier is another one - it's about a photographer's journey with Doctors Without Borders in Afghanistan in the 1980s. It combines photography and illustration in a way I've never seen before, and it's such an important document.
These are graphic novels that deserve a bigger audience. They're not just good stories - they're important cultural documents that help us understand different experiences and histories. They're truly underrated graphic novel classics that more people should be reading.
Great thread! I'd add The Love Bunglers" by Jaime Hernandez to this list. It's part of the larger Love and Rockets universe, but this particular story arc is just masterful storytelling about middle age, regret, and second chances. The way Hernandez uses decades of character development to create this incredibly emotional payoff is something special.
Another one that's surprisingly good but underrated is "Paying for It" by Chester Brown. It's a graphic novel memoir about the author's experiences with sex workers after deciding to give up on romantic relationships. It's controversial, sure, but it's also incredibly thoughtful and well-researched, with Brown including appendices with his research and arguments. It's one of those graphic novels that makes you think about relationships and sexuality in completely new ways.
These are the kinds of works that should be bestsellers based on their artistic merit alone. They're challenging, innovative, and emotionally resonant - exactly what graphic novels at their best can be.
I have to mention Aama" by Frederik Peeters. It's a science fiction graphic novel from Europe that's just mind-blowing. The story follows a man who's lost his memory and is sent to a distant planet to retrieve a mysterious experiment called Aama. The art is gorgeous, the world-building is incredible, and it deals with really deep philosophical questions about consciousness, memory, and what it means to be human.
What's crazy is that this is a four-volume series that's won awards in Europe, but in the English-speaking world, it's still one of those graphic novels flying under the radar. The English translation is excellent, but I rarely see it mentioned in discussions about great sci-fi graphic novels.
This is exactly the kind of work that's criminally underrated. It has everything: great art, compelling story, intellectual depth. It should be as famous as "Saga" or "Paper Girls," but somehow it's not. These are the underrated graphic novel hidden treasures that make hunting through comic shops so rewarding.
Wow, these are all amazing suggestions! I'm adding so many titles to my reading list. Another one I just thought of is The Black Monday Murders" by Jonathan Hickman and Tomm Coker. It's this dark, complex story about finance, magic, and conspiracy that somehow makes stock market manipulation feel like eldritch horror. The art is moody and atmospheric, and the world-building is incredibly detailed.
What's interesting is how it blends genres in a way that feels completely fresh, yet it's another one of those graphic novels that are criminally underrated. It got some attention when it was coming out, but I feel like it should have been a much bigger deal. The way it uses graphic design elements as part of the storytelling is really innovative.
This thread is proving exactly what I suspected: there are so many incredible graphic novels out there that are flying under the radar. These underrated comics and graphic novels deserve way more attention than they're getting.