Recommended Reads for Equity: Graphic Novels

"Thi Bui painstakingly interviewed members of her family, and researched their past, so that she could tell their stories spanning three generations (or more) in Vietnam, their experience as refugees, and citizens in America."

---

"Bingo Love is a romance comic about two black girls who fall in love in the 60s, are separated, and reunite half a century later. As elderly black women, the protagonists represent populations that are largely missing from LGBTQ romance. The story also takes great advantage of its visual medium by depicting body diversity and a range of skintones among its black characters."

---

"This intersectional feminist sci-fi satire depicts a near future dystopia in which women are incarcerated for "non-compliance," i.e., being too big, too old, too brown, too queer, too loud, and so on. It shines a light on aggressions experienced by specific populations of women, such as Black women and Asian-American women, as well as by women as a whole in a patriarchal society."

---

"A graphic novel that uncovers the hidden, surprising lives of Iranian women. This is a more adult continuation of Satrapi's Persepolis (also worth reading!)"

---

"This Manga explores the issues deaf & hearing impaired people face in Japan. The story is told through an individual perspective - one of the main characters is hearing impaired, and a big-picture perspective - his boyfriend (spoilers!) begins working for a company that provides support services to deaf people, but not to hearing impaired people. He tries to change this!"

---

"Kim is a cheerful, chaotic, impulsive, tough, trans, and imaginative bounty hunter. Her partner Kim, a queer, POC, who's a little more level headed & practical (but just barely), and does some necromancy on the side. They're lives are a bit of a mess - but not because of their identities. Being a bounty hunter is hard!"

---

 

"Fresh perspective on pre-war african american slave history, uses science fiction to insert a contemporary into the midst of a history-drenched era. The contrast of a modern individual having to suffer history that seems ancient and closed helps cast a deeply personal, relatable light to a story that is many times told in a divisive manner."

---

"This is a memoir of the author's, Ellen Forney, experience of bipolar disorder. It gives the reader some insight to what a person with bipolar experiences during episodes of mania and depression. Along with that, the author also includes aspects such as finding the right combination of medications and therapy, the effect on her personal and work life, and the financial burden associated with taking care of herself. Forney's book not only brings awareness but also acts as a health literacy tool in her education of bipolar disorder to the general reader as well as to the health professional.

Forney is a local artist who also served as guest curator for the National Library of Medicine traveling exhibit, "Graphic Medicine: Ill Conceived, Well-Drawn" which the Health Sciences Library will be hosting starting November 5. Marbles has also been chosen as the Health Sciences Common Book for 2018-2019."

---

"It's a graphic novel set in late 19th century Paris, about a cross-dressing prince & a career-focused woman. Even though both main characters face obstacles, and that time period would have been friendly to neither of them, they are both able to create the life they want for themselves. It's a positive & hopefully message to anyone who identifies with either character."

---

"This story puts Sherlock Holmes & John Watson in Harlem in the 21st century, as black men. Almost all of the characters are black, except inspector Lestrade who is portrayed as a woman. It seems to end just as it's getting started, which is unfortunate, but it nonetheless creates a new & newly compelling version of this story."

---

"This book takes a broad look at many physical, social, and psychological issues women are judged for - and then gives them words of support. Uplifting, inclusive, accessible and positive. I often buy extras of this book, and give them to women in my life."

---

"Eye-catching title, interesting artwork, emotionally resonant. An artist's call to build a better world."

---