El Goonish Shive by Dan Shive

El Goonish Shive

As the author describes it, this is a "strange comic about a group of teenagers and the bizarre, often supernatural, situations that they face". Tedd and Elliot are typical high schoolers-- except that Tedd's dad works at a secret government agency devoted to covering up the existence of magic and aliens and brings home alien technology for Tedd to modify. By contrast, Elliot can only summon a number of martial arts-based fighting spells--until he accidentally gets turned into a girl and accidentally clones himself trying to turn back. 

Soon after that, Elliot, Ellen (the clone), and Tedd befriend Grace, an alien-squirrel-human hybrid lab escapee; Nanase, Eliot's former girlfriend and martial arts partner; Justin, another martial artist with a crush on Elliot; Susan, an aloof classmate who can summon magic hammers; and Sarah. Sarah is normal. This comic ranges from funny to dramatic as the characters handle high school, changing relationships, evil teachers, evil laboratory experiments, and evil magic-users. Readers who enjoy Percy Jackson and the Olympians will enjoy the magic, drama, and action of El Goonish Shive.

It is available at EGScomics.com. Read it from the beginning here.

Appeal: Fantasy, magic realism, science fiction, action, drama, high schoolers, queer representation

Art: Develops over time from 

Other: El Goonish Shive began in 2002 and is ongoing as of May 2014. Its name comes from Dan Shive's inability to summarize the comic in a short title. The "goon" comes from a high school nickname, the "Shive" is the author's last name, and the rest is gibberish conceived of in Spanish class.

Shive, Dan. "El Goonish Shive." egscomics.com. Web. 4 May 2014.

W Juliet by Emura

W Juliet

Ito Miura wants to be an actor. She's in her high school's drama club, and puts her family training as a martial artist to good use on stage. Makoto Amano wants to be an actor too, but as the only son in his family, he is obligated to run the family dojo. Makoto's father will only allow Makoto to become an actor if he can use his acting skills to successfully impersonate a girl for the two years remaining until high school graduation. 

Naturally, Ito finds out Makoto's secret on the first day of school. Now Ito and Makoto have to hide all sorts of secrets from friends and family, especially after they start dating! Together they must work hard to become better actors and to avoid the obstacles that block their path. This is a touching, realistic, and humorous look at family relationships, working toward a dream, and dealing with uncertainties and insecurities about the future.

Appeal: Action, intrigue, family relationships, theater, drama, high school girls, first relationships, romance, humor

Art: Clean lines, grayscale, character-focused, emotional

Text: Conversational, intimate

Other: W Juliet was originally published in Japan from 1999 to 2003. It has also been adapted into a series of drama CDs.

Emura, William Flanagan, and Mark McMurray. W Juliet. San Francisco : Viz, 2004. Print.

Prince of Cats by Ron Wimberly

Prince of Cats

Romeo and Juliet is re-imagined in a futuristic, Afro Samurai-like Brooklyn, where the fashions are radical and the gang wars are fought with swords. Tybalt is the main character in this adaptation and the plot follows his role in the larger story, his part in the conflict between Montague and Capulet. The cast is largely black and the dialogue is occasionally, wittily, adapted to the setting.

Appeal: Classics, Shakespeare, action, black representation

Art: Chaotic, colorful, graffiti-like, with manga influences

Text: A stylized synthesis of the original Shakespeare and urban slang.

Other: Ronald Wimberly has also adapted Something Wicked This Way Comes into a graphic novel. He lives in Brooklyn.

Wimberly, Ronald and Ray Bradbury. Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Authorized Adaptation. New York : Hill And Wang, 2011. Print.

Ultra: Seven Days by Joshua Luna and Jonathan Luna

Ultra: Seven Days

In Ultra's world, superheroes are celebrities straddling the line between big business and law enforcement. One night Ultra (Pearl Penalosa) and her friends decide to have their fortunes told, and Pearl is told that she will find true love within a week. During her search for the right guy she encounters scandals, award ceremonies, exes, fights with friends, fights with supervillains, and fights with the Latino community. Pearl can only do her best to navigate a tricky world without going under. Articles from newspapers, magazines, and tabloids round out this fictional world.

Appeal: Good female characters, action, drama, friendship, superheroes, Latino representation

Text: Conversational, vernacular

Other: Created by sibling team Joshua and Jonathan Luna, who also wrote the horror comic Girls.

Luna, Joshua and Jonathan Luna. Ultra: Seven Days. Berkeley, CA : Image Comics, 2008. Print.

The Invincible Iron Man: Extremis by Warren Ellis

The Invincible Iron Man: Extremis

Tony Stark faces a threat he might not be able to overcome: an American rebel augmented with a powerful new technology. Tony gets help from an old friend and a fellow scientist to defeat this enemy, as well as another enemy hiding behind the scenes.

Appeal: Action, science fiction, superheroes.

Art: Colors could have more depth, and faces could be more expressive, but overall a good match to the storyline.

Text: Scientific, philosophical

Other: Anecdotally considered one of the best Iron Man storylines, this arc was partially adapted into the movie Iron Man 3 and the television show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Ellis, Warren, et. al. The Invincible Iron Man: Extremis. New York : Marvel, 2010. Print.

The Invincible Iron Man (1963)

Iron Man

Tony Stark, millionaire industrialist, was kidnapped and injured while demonstrating weapons in Vietnam. He built a suit of mechanized armor to escape, and now he fights crime as Iron Man while running his company under the guise of a carefree playboy. He battles avatars of communism such as the Crimson Dynamo and Black Widow, as well as independent villains like the Mandarin. 

Appeal: Science fiction, adventure, action, drama, superheroes

Art: Clean detail, sometimes static in non-action scenes, dramatic.

Text: Scientific, dramatic

Other: Iron Man originally appeared in Tales of Suspense in 1963. It has been adapted into animated televison shows, live-action movies, and novels.

Lee, Stan. Heck, Don. Colan, Gene. Field, Tom. Iron Man. New York : Marvel Comics : 2004. Print. Volumes 3 and 4.