Random One-Shot Comics and Graphic Novels to Give to Friends Who Don't Read Comics (15 items)

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  (#8) Lumberjanes

  Description: Lumberjanes is a comic with one of the most positive central messages out there. Featuring a group of girls adventuring in the woods with no regard for traditional gender roles, this book promotes individuality, tolerance, and most importantly, good, old-fashioned fun.

  Perfect For: This comic is aimed squarely at a younger crowd, and is sure to be a hit among adolescent girls. However, that doesn’t mean that adults can’t enjoy it, too, especially those who tend to view themselves as more progressive.
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  (#13) The Sheriff of Babylon

  Description: Tom King, the undisputed rising star of comics in 2016, has an interesting personal background, having spent time working for the CIA. He draws on this heavily for The Sheriff of Babylon, published by DC’s Vertigo imprint. Set in modern-day Baghdad, this series doesn’t need any supernatural elements to craft a mysterious and enthralling tale of corruption and deception.

  Perfect For: Any fan of war, the military, or world events will want a piece of The Sheriff. King uses his real-world experience to create a story that, although fictional, ends up hitting pretty close to home.
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  (#1) Dark Night: A True Batman Story

  Description: Contrary to the appearance of Batman and the Joker on the cover, this is mostly a work of non-fiction. Paul Dini is a legendary Batman creator, but this book tells the tale of his nearly fatal mugging and the impact it had on his life. He intersperses his own experience with the expectations created by his fictional work.

  Perfect For: Dark Night works on a lot of levels, so it’s a multi-faceted gift. It features true crime, poetic introspection, and hardcore literary analysis. Anyone who likes reading in general will probably find something of value here.
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  (#14) Patience

  Description: Daniel Clowes is known for his quirky works, and Patience definitely fits the bill. Self-described as a “psychedelic science-fiction love story,” Patience features time travel in a way that will leave your head, and your heart, spinning.

  Perfect For: With its somewhat unique blend of hardcore science-fiction and heartfelt romance, Patience covers a lot of bases. If you’ve got a couple on your list where only one of the two is nerdy, this could be the gift to bring them together!
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  (#9) Monstress

  Description: Marjorie Liu’s brand new fantasy epic, Monstress, definitely hit the comic scene with a splash in 2016. The series has drawn praise both for its world-building and its breathtaking art, provided by Sana Takeda.

  Perfect For: Monstress features strong themes of female empowerment, making this a great gift for anyone looking for that, and who isn’t these days? The artwork on display in Monstress is so powerful, however, that any fan of visual effects will surely take notice.
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  (#3) Saga

  Description: Saga has become an instant classic in the comic book world, but it is published so slowly, with so many breaks, that anyone could catch up reasonably quickly. Billed as “Star Wars for adults,” Saga is the sort of thing that simply can’t be described, and has to be experienced personally.

  Perfect For: Any science-fiction fan of any kind, provided they’re old enough, will quickly get wrapped up in the world of Saga. Its deep and layered story has a habit of pulling people in, and the dynamic characterization of literally every character in the comic will make it appealing to just about anyone.

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