School is out and Summer has officially begun! We here at Graham Cracker Comics Murrieta wanted to share some All-Ages recommendations for you and your family to enjoy while you beat the heat! Without further ado, here are some recommendations from three of the staff at our location:
Gibran’s Top 3:
Confetti Realms
One of my favorite titles to release at the end of last year was Confetti Realms. A small group of teenage friends are up to some mischief on Halloween night in a graveyard when they encounter a skeleton puppet. When they’re transported to the Confetti Realms, they have to work together to find their way back home all the while facing issues within themselves, about their friendships, and the possibility of not wanting to return to their more mundane lives.
Codex Black
Follow a 15-year-old Zapotec girl named Donají as she searches for her missing father in Mesoamerica with the help of a god living in her poncho. Along the way she’ll meet a 17-year-old winged Mexica warrior named Itzcacalotl as they journey deeper into danger and mystery in their search. An unlikely partnership grows into a fantastic friendship as they face hardships, creatures, and become renowned heroes.
Teen Titans Raven – Book One of the Teen Titans Graphic Novel Series
Having forgotten her life before a tragic accident that took her mom’s life, Raven Roth is trying to rediscover who she is while attempting to make a new life for herself. As she starts to question whether or not she wants to discover who she was, things begin to take a turn as strange things begin happening to her. Raven has to struggle with the decision to learn about herself, even at the potential cost of her new found friendships.
Orion’s Top 3:
Minecraft Omnibus Volume One
First off right out of the gate we have the first Minecraft omnibus which the story focuses around Tyler, whose family just moved and is only able to see his friends on a Minecraft server. He and his pals are trying to be the first players on the server to defeat the ender dragon while also trying to balance high school, life, and long-distance friendships! Zombies and creepers are not the only enemies. Time zones, miscommunications, and homework can really make you feel like you’re on hardcore difficulty.
Specter Inspectors
Next up is the spooky story of Specter Inspectors! What happens if a team of college students who hunt ghost for YouTube in their spare time have one of their members actually get possessed?
They have to separate the ghost from their friend while also discovering the town’s dark history and not get used in an eldritch ritual of course! Can they save their friend? Will they escape? Can they make it home to sign up for next semester classes before they fill up?
Wynd Volume One
Finally, we have the Wynd series where magical heritage is punishable by death. Follow Wynd, a young boy with magical blood as he has to hide his identity in the busy Pipe Town. When his secret is threatened; Wynd, Oakley his engineer friend, his crush a meathead royal guard, and the actual prince have to flee the town to survive. With royal conspiracies, magic, and bounty hunters this high fantasy story can keep you drawn it with every page turn.
Bryan’s Top 3
Bad Dreams A Dreamer Story
First, I really enjoyed the recent release Bad Dreams: A Dreamer Story, written by Nicole Maines, the CW Supergirl’s own Dreamer, and artwork by Rye Hickman. It follows the beginnings of Nia Nal, a girl who is half human half naltorian, as she learns that she has inherited her mother’s seers’ power and tries to accept her fate while going through a journey of self-acceptance and finding her community.
Ranger Academy Volume One
Next is Ranger Academy written by Maria Ingrande Mora with artist Jo Mi-Gyeong. It follows a 13-year-old girl named Sage who leaves the only home she has known to join the Power Ranger Academy. Once there her and her friends discover why a ranger color has been shunned from the Academy and uncover much more while investigating.
DC Webtoon Volumes
Lastly, we have all the DC Webtoon Books! These include Batman: Wayne Family Adventures, Zatanna And The Ripper, Red Hood: Outlaws and Vixen: NYC.
Batman: Wayne Family Adventures follows Bruce and his family from a day-to-day perspective with lighthearted short stories. Zatanna & the Ripper follows Zatanna trying to uncover what happened to her father while also trying to solve a murder mystery in the 1880s. Red Hood: Outlaws is about Jason Todd, Bizarro and Artemis Grace doing odd jobs for hire that place them in hot water with the Justice League, only to be contracted by them. Vixen: NYC explores Mari Jiwe going off to NYC for college after being gifted an ancestral necklace, we see her learn to control her powers and become a vigilante all while juggling a social life and school. All of these are solid reads and definitely recommend grabbing them if you haven’t!
There are a ton of All Ages graphic novels to enjoy at all year round, so be sure to check with your local Graham Crackers staff member to see what’s new and exciting. We hope you, your family, and any of our younger readers all have a great summer and that you keep up your love for reading both graphic and non-graphic novels.