The 12 Best Graphic Novels For Beginners

Skip navigation!

Begin Slideshow

Think graphic novels are just a place for female superheroes to wear extremely questionable outfits while they save the world? (Seriously, who fights baddies in high heels?!). Thankfully, not anymore.

In news that will please everyone, the graphic novel universe is finally being taken seriously. Heartwarming stories from diverse authors are bountiful, proving that the genre truly is one of the most impactful out there. Move over Marvel and DC — the graphic novel universe is so, so, so much larger than just you.

From powerful stories about the Holocaust via the groundbreaking and award-winning Maus to heartwarming queer stories that are bound to make your stomach flutter (cheers, Heartstopper), these graphic novels are the perfect place to start if you're a beginner, a seasoned veteran, or hell, even a comic book sceptic (we've all been there). Happy reading.

Want more? Get Refinery29 Australia’s best stories delivered to your inbox each week. Sign up here!

More from Books & Art

These Photos Show The Love & Longing Of Teenage Life With Down Sy...

Snezhana von Buedingen met Sofie, the subject of her new photo project Meeting Sofie, in autumn. Prior to this, she had been making portraits of children w

by Joanna Cresswell

Exclusive: 20 Advance Copies Of Daydream By Hannah Grace A...

Attention fellow bookworms! Get ready, because Refinery29 Australia has 20 limited edition advanced reader copies of Hannah Grace’s brand new book &#

by Refinery29 Austra...

The 30 Best Audiobooks To Listen To If You CBA To Read

by Jazmin Kopotsha

The 35 Best Books We’ve Devoured In 2024 (So Far…)

by Alexandra Koster

Loreal Palmer (Keke’s Sister!) Is In Her Main Character Era...

Content warning: This article contains details of depression, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, and the Black Maternal Health crisis. Loreal Chanel “LC

by Stephanie Long

Horny Cowboy Westerns & Emily Henry’s Latest: The Best New Books ...

by Alexandra Koster

These Photos Celebrate The Sacred Ritual Of Getting Ready To Go Out

It’s amazing how much the little spaces we carve out for ourselves can reveal about our personalities, isn’t it? How we style our bedrooms, the picture

by Joanna Cresswell

Why Are Books Featuring Old Protagonists Trendy Right Now?

Books with old main characters aren’t new; the likes of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot have been entertaining readers for decades

Is My Reading Challenge For Me, Or Is It Just For Social Validation?

This year, I’ve set myself a goal of reading 50 books. By my logic, that would mean that I read about one book a week, with two allocated ‘dead

by Alexandra Koster

Listen To Celebs Tell Their Story With The Best Celebrity Memoir ...

The celebrity memoir is an ever-expanding genre, with the ability to reach both avid readers and those who haven’t picked up a book in years. And now, wi

by Eilish Gilligan

In Defence Of ‘Chick Lit’

Reading has always been a joyful experience for me. Since the moment I was old enough to sit still and read a book, I have spent many of my waking hours do

Christmas Gift Guide

The Perfect Book For Every Person On Your Christmas List

by Elena Nicolaou