The Core List: The Essential Graphic Novels and Manga for Booksellers
More and more booksellers want to expand their graphic-novel sections. At the same time, readers who are just discovering the format are wondering what to read, while fans want to expand their graphic-novel reading. But questions await anyone beginning this endeavor: Which graphic novels to offer? What to read? Which are essential and which are not? Part and parcel of this query is the amount of room available, the ultimate driving factor in how much shelf space will be allotted to graphic works. Realizing how important this is, we here at GNR have come up with a guide to serve as a solution.
We've come up with a list that includes more than 800 graphic novels and manga titles...all conveniently grouped and organized to make them more accessible for your use.
The most important thing to note: This is not a best-of list or a list denoting the most worthy accomplishments in graphic novels (although everything on each list is an accomplishment in some way, shape, or form). Instead, it's a list to help retailers and all those who are seeking to start a graphic collection to get a sense of the essential books to acquire. This is where to begin for those who want to make a small step (a core list of 10 books), a medium step (an additional 25 books), or a larger one (100 more).
Moreover, we've divided the list into age-appropriate categories: adult-focused graphic novels, including reference books about the format; teens; and kids (including tweens).
You'll notice the list is short on superhero titles (although several of them are in there). That's because this isn't a traditional comics list but rather one for the general marketplace. As with any list, there will be disagreements, but first and foremost, this is a compilation to help those new to the format get started in this wonderful adventure known as graphic novels.
We welcome your feedback!
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GRAPHIC NOVELS
The Adult List (including Reference) | The Teen List | The Children's List
MANGA
The Adult List | The Teen List | The Children's List
DOWNLOADABLE PDFs
The Adult Graphic Novel List | Reference | The Teen Graphic Novel List | The Children's Graphic Novel List
The Adult Manga List | The Teen Manga List | The Children's Manga List
Hmmm . . . where's Jim Woodring's The Frank Book? Bryan Tabolt's Alice in Sunderland? Lynda Barry's One! Hundred! Demons!? Or anything by Osamu Tezuka, the Godfather of Manga?
Great list! I'll pick up on the stuff that I don't have, but all in all I'd say you guys did a good job of putting this thing together.
I think the listing here is good, I own quite a few of these books myself. Many of the titles listed here are classics. Interesting to see the last part of the Color Trilogy didn't make the cut.