Please welcome J. Torres with his eight favorite diversity graphic novels. He is best known for DC Comics’ Teen Titans Go series. Other noteworthy titles include the Eisner Award-nominated Alison Dare, the Shuster Award-nominated Bigfoot Boy, and the Parents’ Choice Award-winner Brobots. Today he shares eight of his favorite graphic novels that have fantasy, mythology, and diversity.
Fantasy, Mythology, and Diversity in Graphic Novels
1. Usagi Yojimbo: The Ronin by Stan Sakai
Written and drawn by the award-winning cartoonist Stan Sakai, this long-running series of graphic novels tells the story of a samurai rabbit on a warrior’s pilgrimage in a world populated by anthropomorphic characters. Influenced by Japanese history, folklore, and cinema, Usagi’s story is a sweeping epic with both episodic tales and multi-volume arcs, and the first volume “The Ronin” is the best place to start. [graphic novel, ages 10 and up]
2. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise by
Based on the popular animated series which drew from Chinese, Indian, and numerous Far East as well as tribal cultures for its settings, costuming, martial arts, and other world-building, this series of graphic novels features the further adventures of Aang and his friends. “The Promise” builds wonderfully on the family and friendship, coming-of-age, and balance of power themes of the cartoon with the same drama, action, and humour thanks to writer Gene Luen Yang and artists Gurihiru. [graphic novel, ages 8 and up]
