Task 17: Read a Non-Superhero Comic That Debuted in the Last Three Years

[Niffer]

Kiwi wrote: "Not a fan of comics so I really need some help with this task.

A book that's been highly praised is [book:Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other..."

I LOVED this, took it into work and even bought a copy for my Mum, for someone (like me) who has depression and anxiety disorders it was also possibly the best kind of therapy I ever received! :p

[Overbooked ✎]

Niffer, sounds like it a great read, thank you! :D

[Leslie]

This link might be helpful.
13 amazing comics that have nothing to do with superheroes.
http://www.dailydot.com/geek/best-non...

[Sara]

Ok- so my question is, if the graphic novel is part of a series, does the series have to start in the last 3 years or just the specific graphic novel?

Also, Lumberjanes is FANTASTIC! This is especially true if you ever were a Girl Scout and went to a summer camp.

[Courtney]

I just read Memetic # 1 by James Tynion IV & Eryk Donovan - a horror comic about a sloth meme that sets off a zombie apocalypse. Disturbing - and excellent! http://www.boom-studios.com/memetic-0...

[Marie]

Possibilities: Lumberjanes #1, Rat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery

[Nicole]

I'm going with The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua
The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer

[Steve]

I just finished Hyperbole and a Half as my book for task 17. I struggled terribly with the graphic novel task in the 2015 Read Harder Challenge and decided to get the graphic novel completed ASAP this year. Clearly graphic novels are not my thing as I thought Hyperbole was a waste of valuable reading time. I know the reviews are glowing but I completely disagree. The book is one or two marginally amusing blog posts in a bloated format. I would never recommend this book to anyone

[Claire]

I've just read the first volume of 'The Wicked and the Divine' for this challenge, it was a great way to expand my comic reading beyond Saga

[Sarah]

Oooh yes, I can use Trees Vol 1 for this, which I bought last week as I was on a massive Warren Ellis kick!

Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage is a brilliant book, I'd recommend that.

Rat Queens is just wonderful and funny and surprising

Monstrous by Marjorie Liu is excellent and very new

Clean Room by Gail Simone is darkly brilliant

Lovecraft fans should take a look a Providence by Alan Moore.

Hope this helps. I have a comic habit...

[Maartje]

I read Girl in Dior by Annie Goetzinger for this one. I liked it a lot :)

[Cheri]

I'm confused by this task. If the comic debuted in the last 3 years, does that mean that we need to read one issue/volume of an ongoing series (meaning, a comic book series)? Or is any comic book OR graphic novel (without a superhero) published in the last 3 years okay? Thanks for any help!

[Jo]

I read Descender vol.1: Tin Stars for this, and it's very good - also if you're doing the Panels Read Harder challenge, it's done in watercolours, so could count for that task.

[andrea]

add me to the Lumberjanes club!!

[sarah]

Since everyone has been recommending it me all 2015 - Lumberjanes #1

[Bea]

Cheri wrote: "I'm confused by this task. If the comic debuted in the last 3 years, does that mean that we need to read one issue/volume of an ongoing series (meaning, a comic book series)? Or is any comic book O..."

Cheri, it could be an ongoing series, since the task states "a comic that debuted in the last three years". To me that means it first appeared in the last three years but might be continuing.

[Cheri]

Bea wrote:

Thanks, Bea. It sounds like that to me, too. It just seemed rather oddly worded -- I want to read one that is not part of a series, and am hoping that's okay!

[Book Riot]

Some answers to questions popping up -- you can definitely count graphic novels as comics (we're using "comics" as a catch-all term here) and Hyperbole and a Half would absolutely count!

[Carmen]

Thanks, Book Riot!

[Sarah]

Sarah wrote: "Oooh yes, I can use Trees Vol 1 for this, which I bought last week as I was on a massive Warren Ellis kick!
..."

Read Trees today O_o. Loved it loved it loved it. Absolutely recommend. Me, I'm cross that volume 2 isn't out yet.

[Bea]

I was second guessing my choice of Roller Girl, since I was the only one to mention it. However, I read it because my niece has recently taken up roller derby as a sport. It was great! I had tears by the end. Definitely a coming of age type of story...about a teen confronting a mix of growing up issues around friendships. I gave it 4*.

[Tricia]

Nicole wrote: "I'm going with The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua
The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer"

I just started this - love it!

Would it also count as a non-fiction book about science?

[Jennifer]

Bea wrote: "I was second guessing my choice of Roller Girl, since I was the only one to mention it. However, I read it because my niece has recently taken up roller derby as a sport. It was gre..."

I read Roller Girl last year and absolutely loved it. It is very popular with my sixth graders.

[Alice]

I'm so excited. I'll either be using Hyperbole and a Half or The Wicked and The Divine!

[Annette]

Astrid wrote: "Since I just finished Saga Vol. 1, I was thinking of choosing Saga, Volume 2 (published 2013) or Sex Criminals, Vol. 1: One Weird Trick (published 2014)"
Since Saga debuted in 2012 I don't think it meets the 3 year part of the challenge, otherwise I would have chosen it because I love it, and have read right up to volume 5 . In the end I went with Lazarus, Vol. 1: Family which first appeared in 2013

[Annette]

Sara wrote: "Ok- so my question is, if the graphic novel is part of a series, does the series have to start in the last 3 years or just the specific graphic novel?

Also, Lumberjanes is FANTASTIC! This is espec..."

I would say yes, since it the challenge specifies a debut in the last 3 years

[Carol]

I read by Lee Nordling and really liked it!

[Julia]

This is tricky for me since I read predominantly super heroes aside from manga. I've only started branching out fairly recently. I'm thinking continuing on with Rucka and Lark's Lazarus since I've read vol 1 or Brubaker & Epting's Velvet.

[Jo]

Gaurav wrote: "Two quick questions...

1. Do comics like The Complete Calvin and Hobbes qualify for this?

2. Or Japanese Mangas like Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom, [book:Attack on Titan..."

Pretty sure Calvin and Hobbes has been around longer than three years :D

Had to check but it looks as though Death Note and Attack on Titan are also too old (though only slightly!).

[Jo]

What sort of thing are you interested in? Do you want something similar to the ones you've mentioned? I'm sure people can recommend :)

[Renee]

Can we count Nimona for this category? I bought it and finished it last night, not knowing it was sort of about a superhero. I have a few others in mind if this doesn't fit: Fangirl, Lumberjanes #1, Wytches, Vol. 1, Baba Yaga's Assistant, or Bitch Planet, Vol 1: Extraordinary Machine.

[Jo]

Renee wrote: "Can we count Nimona for this category? I bought it and finished it last night, not knowing it was sort of about a superhero. I have a few others in mind if this doesn't fit: [book:F..."

I WANT Nimona to count because it's adorable - she is sort of a superhero though? She has powers and uses them to help people... If you're doing the Panels challenge, Nimona could count as the collected webcomic, though. I think Lumberjanes counts (although they have the power of friendship) and it's also by Noelle Stevenson. Can vote for Bitch Planet, too.

Fangirl isn't a comic however, it's a novel :)

[Jo]

Gaurav wrote: "Jo wrote: "What sort of thing are you interested in? Do you want something similar to the ones you've mentioned? I'm sure people can recommend :)"

Yes Jo. I'm looking for something like those titl..."

I used to read a lot of manga but I haven't picked up any new stuff for years - hopefully someone will pipe up soon though, or if you read back through this thread there are loads of suggestions :)

[Renee]

Thanks Jo! Not sure why I thought Fangirl was a comic?!

[Robin P]

Funny , I grew up with comics but have lost all touch with them now. However I found March: Book One by John Lewis about his own experiences in the Civil Rights movement.

[Tjoel2]

Does a graphic novel series count as a 'comic'?

[Bea]

Tjoel2 wrote: "Does a graphic novel series count as a 'comic'?"

Bood Riot wrote in post 69 that Graphic Novels were counting as a comic.

[Dhruv]

Those who haven't read Sunstone Vol.1 yet and haven't been part of the shiniez madness (see http://shiniez.deviantart.com/), do give it a shot.

For me, I'm going to join the Lumberjanes #1 bandwagon.

[Elle]

Oh, I'm definitely on the Lumberjanes bandwagon! I just finished Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy and had so much fun reading it. Actually moving right on to Vol. 2 next. Seriously though, I think I want to adopt Ripley. : )

[Julia]

I am thinking of reading Krampus: Shadow of Saint Nicholas. By son received this for Christmas this year.

[Niffer]

Steve wrote: "I just finished Hyperbole and a Half as my book for task 17. I struggled terribly with the graphic novel task in the 2015 Read Harder Challenge and decided to get the graphic novel completed ASAP t..."

that's really interesting, have you ever suffered from severe anxiety or depression? As I think people who have seem to be the ones to 'respond' or relate to it more.

Also I persoanlly LOVED the naive style art, the faces are always spot on despite having so little detail :)

Just goes to show we're all very different. :)

[Steve]

Julia wrote: "I am thinking of reading Krampus: Shadow of Saint Nicholas. By son received this for Christmas this year."

I am lucky enough to have never suffered severe anxiety or depression so I can understand why this book lacks appeal to me. Yes we are very different and we all celebrate the differences as well as the commonalities

[Eva]

I chose Soppy: A Love Story

[Jodi]

For those who haven't yet selected their book for this task, may I humbly suggest Rosalie Lightning: A Graphic Memoir. I just started it, and it is heartbreakingly lovely. (Don't know how to include a link when posting from my phone!)

[Trina]

I'm thinking Low Vol 1 since my daughter has it. I don't think it has super heroes, does anyone know?

[Belinda]

Does Nimona count?

[Barbara]

I'm not sure if gods qualify as superheroes. I'm in the middle of ODY-C Vol 1, and I may count that. If the 3rd volume of LumberJanes comes out this year, I'll definitely read that and count it. I read both Vols 1&2 before the new year, though.

[Lisa M]

I've just read LumberJanes vol 1. It was really fun and will read more. Best thing was that I used Overdrive for the first time using my public library membership and from home 'borrowed' and read the comic on my laptop.

[Elle]

Lisa M wrote: "I've just read LumberJanes vol 1. It was really fun and will read more. Best thing was that I used Overdrive for the first time using my public library membership and from home 'borrowed' and read ..."

Isn't Overdrive a wonderful thing?! My library uses it for their digital offerings (ebook/audio) and I access them often. Download books/audio to my phone for portability. Also read Lumberjanes Vol. 1 for this task then jumped right into Vol. 2 (both hard copy because my library does not offer them in digital form). A really fun series.

[Miz]

Going with The Private Eye, Volume One and The Private Eye, Volume Two.