The world of sci-fi is perfectly suited to the graphic novel medium, with its vast and wild concepts, neon-soaked streets, and futuristic environments. Here are some of the best sci-fi graphic novels you can find to add to your collection.
There are thousands of graphic novels to choose from, ranging from the space-faring to the gritty streets of cyberpunk. I will try to include something for everyone, but each will undoubtedly be worth a read.
Several of these authors have multiple works that could be considered for this list. Jodorowsky, K. Vaughn, Moore, and others have amazing works to check out in the same genre. So, if you like the ones on this list, make sure to dig into their other beautiful and thought-provoking science fiction graphic novels.
At The Mountains of Madness – H.P. Lovecraft, Ian N. J. Culbard
Who says science fiction has to be about space rockets or futuristic streets? H.P. Lovecraft, the king of spooky literature, wrote At The Mountains of Madness way before our understanding of space and technology came close to what we have now. This resulted in a book filled with untold horrors from beyond space and time. Intrepid explorers dig deep into the past, finding unimaginable civilizations buried beneath the ice caps.
However, thanks to Culbard, the story has been retold with some truly incredible illustrations. This collection of graphic novels brings to new light the terrifying tale of the unknown, previously only told by Lovecraft himself. If you’re a fan of the original, I cannot recommend giving this one a try. The savage black-and-white illustrations perfectly match the original source material. You can feel the cold and desperation of the expedition on every page.
Transmetropolitan – Warren Ellis, Darick Robertson
If you like your gritty, neo-noir crime fiction style of sci-fi, then Transmetropolitan is the graphic novel for you. The mean streets of a city full of corrupt cops and rife with crime set the scene for our unwilling protagonist. He has been called back into civilization from a hermit-like lifestyle by his publisher to report on the foul state of the world.
The unwilling Spider Jerusalem reenters this world, reporting on crime, corruption, and the horrors of it all. He is the quintessential gonzo journalist, and people love him. This is exactly why Spider retreated into the mountains in the first place, to avoid the people he was eventually surrounded and worshipped by. This sci-fi graphic novel is a bleak and wonderfully written vision of a dystopian future city.
The Incal – Alejandro Jodorowsky, Mœbius
The art style of The Incal alone is enough to make it worthy of having on anyone’s bookshelf. The phrase, every frame a painting, is very relevant in the case of this wonderful collection of sci-fi graphic novels. The stunning illustrations wrap up complex and vast stories that have only been told in science fiction space operas.
The collection of three graphic novels revolves around Difool, a character who gets entwined with many incredible adventures. The stories themselves tackle the ideas of gods, spirituality, apocalypse, and time. It is often up to Difool to save the universe, working his way through various situations in the human-run galactic empire.
Judge Dredd – John Wagner
Although originally released as comics, these seminal pieces of science fiction literature and art have since been compiled into graphic novels. The long, winding stories of the Judge and the world of Mega City 1 come together perfectly in these combined collections. The grim and violent tales told in Judge Dredd often spanned tens of comic editions, making for perfectly formed graphic novels now.
The art style of Judge Dredd perfectly encapsulates the rotten and ugly world the novels exist in. Poverty and crime are rife, and the corruption and excess of the super-rich only aid in lowering the collective morality. It is up to Judge Dredd to try to keep the streets at least slightly clean as he dispatches justice one bullet at a time. He has the power of judge, jury, and executioner, and he uses that power to the best of his ability. This series of comics is among the ones I feel would make amazing video games.
Saga – Brian K. Vaughn & Fiona Staples
These graphic novels are certainly more modern than many of the others on this list, but that by no means takes away from how good they are. It is good to see many of the tropes so often seen in sci-fi graphic novels refreshed for a much more millennial audience. The Saga series is certainly a breath of fresh air in the world of science fiction, and they are some of the best in the modern genre.
The Saga series currently has eleven volumes, and the story is vast and wonderfully engaging. The tale revolves around a mother and father running from a galactic war of rival races. They attempt to raise their daughter as best they can, given the circumstances. The narrative takes them across the galaxy, meeting many wonderful characters and plenty of incredible situations.
V for Vendetta – Alan Moore, David Lloyd
It is likely that at some point, you have seen someone donning the mask from this sci-fi graphic novel. The V for Vendetta mask has become somewhat of an icon for anti-government protestors around the world. This is in part due to the hit film that came out in 2005, but it all stems from this fantastic illustrated story by the legendary Alan Moore. He wonderfully captures the minds of his readers in this science fiction dystopia that sits unnervingly close to our own reality today.
As with every entry on this list, the art style, wonderfully penned by David Llyod, makes some inspired use of negative space in these sci-fi graphic novels. His stunningly lit illustrations pull the eye into unexpected corners of the image, forcing the reader to really think about what it is they’re looking at. The dark themes of the people’s uprising against an oppressive government, staged from the tunnels beneath London, are captured in all its shadowy mystery in the pages of V for Vendetta.
Planetary – Warren Ellis, John Cassaday
One of the biggest benefits of writing for sci-fi is the ability to truly dig deep into concepts that would otherwise seem bizarre. Planetary does exactly that, and maybe does it better than anyone else. The story, following three fascinating characters, comfortably expands on a huge array of subjects ranging from Dracula to the logistics of Thor’s hammer and death rays. Nothing is outside of the scope of the sci-fi graphic novel, and none of the ideas ever seem too outlandish or out of place.
Through this collection, many well-loved ideas and themes are broached. It is all wonderfully illustrated in a way that does more than just embellish the story; it turns it into a masterpiece. The impeccable framing, deep attention to detail, and ever-changing pacing only serve to push the writing to all new levels of beauty. A deep understanding of layout and style leaves much more than initially meets the eye to enjoy the art style. Subtle use of paneling, lighting, and color make a second, third, and even fourth read-through of Planetary just as rewarding as the last.
Mutant World – Jan Strnad, Richard Corben
If you’re looking for something a bit lighter but still a fantastic sci-fi graphic novel, then pick up Mutant World. The story takes the idea of a post-nuclear apocalypse world filled with monsters, mutants, and evil and puts us in the shoes of one hapless man. He is perhaps one of the most ‘human’ of the remains of humanity in that he is naturally kind. The various narratives introduce us to many of the environments left in the wake of the destruction. He is often taken advantage of, but through perseverance and luck, he usually comes out on top.
Although often humorous and silly, Mutant World is still not a particularly lighthearted tale. Richard Corben’s world is devoid of hope, food, and relief, with the characters constantly fighting for survival. The story is violent and always well over the top. Although our main character is a fool, he is still a survivor and will use any means to see another day.
East of West – Jonathan Hickman, Nick Dragotta
If you’re undecided about what genre of graphic novel you want to read, pick up the East of West saga. It combines Western with science fiction, fantasy, anime, and everything in between. This might sound like an unmanageable mish-mash of genres, but it just works seamlessly. The story draws just enough on each of the elements to create its own space in the graphic novel sphere.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse have come to earth. The setting is an America that has divided itself up into different countries, and they’re not necessarily allied. However, Death, one of the horsemen, isn’t interested in bringing about the end of the world and instead has fallen in love and had a child. This child is stolen by The Chosen, a group of people dedicated to ensuring the end of the world comes around. They have it imprisoned, feeding it evil images to assist in the prophesied end of days. The story is full of political intrigue, romance, war, and some crazy science fiction concepts.
Descender – Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen
The concept of Descender is not a new one by any means. The rise and fall of a slave class of robots has been seen in many sci-fi novels, such as the Robots series by Isaac Asimov. However, these beautifully illustrated sci-fi graphic novels tell the tale with such care, compassion, and intrigue that it is definitely worth picking up. The story takes us on an adventure with a robot designed to be a companion to a couple who wanted a child to be a companion for their son.
The universe is widely populated, and robots are essentially the slave class. However, in a turn of events, humanity begins wiping out any kind of machine with a semblance of intelligence. This leaves TIM-21 and his various robot friends to fight for survival. The stories are desperate, heartwarming, and filled with beauty. This is mirrored in the stunning artwork of the book, which is in contrast to a lot of the other titles on the list. Soft watercolors and gentle lines capture the innocence of the children and the world they’re fighting to survive in with perfect sensitivity.
Published: Jul 13, 2024 11:22 am