There are so many excellent independent comics that it's easy to miss them. They often fly slightly beneath the radar, making it even easier to neglect a title that would otherwise be perfect for a fall day and a mug of apple cider.
1. 'Snow White' by Matt Phelan
September 13th
This graphic novel presents a stylized noir version of Snow White against the backdrop of Depression-era Manhattan. It follows Samantha White, daughter of the King of Wall Street, and seven street urchins. The story of Snow White has been told so many times in so many ways, but this is still a take on the usual cast of characters that I want to see, especially set alongside beautiful black and white illustrations.
[amazon 978-0763672331]
2. 'Giant Days Vol. 3' by John Allison and Max Sarin
October 11th
This whimsical series follows college roommates Susan, Esther, and Daisy as they navigate university, dating, and the adult world. Fans of Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl will find something to love here. With its gentle humor and realistic protagonists, Giant Days is the perfect fall semester read.
[amazon 978-1608868513]
3. 'Oh Joy Sex Toy Vol. 3' by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan
November 22nd
"Erika & Matthew think the world of sex is pretty rad," reads the description of Oh Joy Sex Toy. The duo review sex toys, share sex education information, interview sex workers, and crack horrible puns in the name of promoting sex positivity and making comics. Volume three includes a visit to a swingers’ house party and a queer porn set. HPV, foreskins, and UTIs, as well as the oddest sex toys.
[amazon 978-1620103616]
4. 'Light' by Rob Cham
October 4th
Light is a silent graphic novel that follows a pair of adventurers on a quest to collect five magic gems from deep inside the earth and bring them to the surface. Their quest pertains to returning color to the world, which Cham's illustrations reflect by gradually changing from black and white subterranean worlds to bright colorscapes.
[amazon 978-1942367277]
5. 'Mooncop' by Tom Gauld
September 20th
Gauld is a London-based illustrator with a weekly comic strip in The Guardian. The description reads: "In Mooncop, the lunar colony is slowly winding down, like a small town circumvented by a new super highway. As our hero, the Mooncop, makes his daily rounds, his beat grows ever smaller... A young girl runs away, a dog breaks off his leash, an automaton wanders off from the Museum of the Moon." Mooncop tells the story of a forgotten world of the future through images.
[amazon 978-1770462540]
6. 'Head Lopper' by Andrew MacLean
October 11th
Head Lopper is a four-part series that has been released in pieces over the past year or so and this volume collects those four issues. It really has everything you could ask for; epic monster battles, a sassy talking witch head, a stoic, badass hero and lots of strange lands and characters. Think the stylized art of Hell Boy meets elements of Samurai Jack.
[amazon 978-1632158864]
Are there any upcoming titles or continuing series that have you pumped up for autumn? Let us know in the comments.
Image by Kamil Porembiński
About the author
Leah Dearborn is a Boston-based writer with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in international relations from UMass Boston. She started writing for LitReactor in 2013 while paying her way through journalism school and hopping between bookstore jobs (R.I.P. Borders). In the years since, she’s written articles about everything from colonial poisoning plots to city council plans for using owls as pest control. If it’s a little strange, she’s probably interested.
