Graphic novels suitable for a preteen with badass female characters

[DotCommunist]

Are there any? Eldest turns 11 in a week or so, she's always been a big reader and is starting to get into nerdy teen fantasy stuff, I'd like to get her something like this to steer her away from the godawful nice-guys-finish-last videos/books where the female character only exists for the geeky male antihero and the dickhead jock to compete over that her father keeps feeding her as she is otherwise pretty fierce and knows her own mind about sexism etc. She likes Adventure Time and has a few of those books and was deeply into the Elfquest series a year or two ago. She is generally turning into a bit of an Emo kid re music/clothing/computing choices etc. Anyone got any recommendations?

This is on my to read pile and has had rave reviews

Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass is a young adult fantasy novel series by American author Sarah J. Maas, beginning with the inaugural entry of the same name. Partly inspired by Cinderella, the story follows the journey of Celaena, a teenage assassin in a corrupted kingdom. As the tale progresses, Celaena forms unexpected bonds, and uncovers a conspiracy amidst her adventures. The series has received critical acclaim and appeared on the New York Times Best Seller

not graphic novel but does have a badass female lead by the look of it.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

The Ballad of Halo Jones was a great story in 2000AD years back. Great, strong female lead & is available in graphic novel format.

Good call.
I would recommend all of Moore's work in that respect. None of the girls are any weaker than the men and there is a pretty good mix. Some of it may be a bit adult for an 11 year old though.
Tom Strong might be good. Tom might be the 'main character' but there are loads of bad arse women, and a great jaunt.
Apart from that, marceline and the scream queens might be a bit babyish for 11 (though it's what I read last night).

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Also the 'Hilda' series by Luke Pearson, published by Nobrow press (hilda and the midnight giant, hilda and the bird parade, hildafolk)

I got (a signed copy of) the black dog one for my daughters birthday. It does look rather excellent.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Alan Moore's Promethea is great , but wait a few years!

That would bore an 11 year old shitless (sadly).
Top 10 is cool, apart from the mild sexy bits.

 

[killer b]

Also the 'Hilda' series by Luke Pearson, published by Nobrow press (hilda and the midnight giant, hilda and the bird parade, hildafolk)

I have the midnight giant one, and it's wonderful.

 

[Orang Utan]

That would bore an 11 year old shitless (sadly).
Top 10 is cool, apart from the mild sexy bits.

Did you not read the sentence you quoted?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Did you not read the sentence you quoted?

I was just reiterating the point.

 

[krtek a houby]

Love and Rockets is great, I'm sure I read that in my early teens. Nao of Brown is amazing as well

It's fantastic but is it suitable for pre teens?

 

[weltweit]

Not sure what a graphic novel is, but I recently read this:

The Girl who fell from the Sky, Simon Mawer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Who-Fell-Sky/dp/0349000069

The hero is female, I found it "un-put-downable", but I am not completely sure it is suitable for an 11 year old.

ETA Actually it probably isn't suitable for an 11 year old!

 

[purenarcotic]

Has she read the other Pullman series (not graphic novels I apologise) - the Sally Lockheart series? I remember them being quite good when I was her age.

 

[geminisnake]

Not sure what a graphic novel is, but I recently read this:

The Girl who fell from the Sky, Simon Mawer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Who-Fell-Sky/dp/0349000069

The hero is female, I found it "un-put-downable", but I am not completely sure it is suitable for an 11 year old.

ETA Actually it probably isn't suitable for an 11 year old!

Imo too heavy for an 11 yr old. I read it a while ago, passing it on to my mum when I remember!

Has she read the Garth Nix books? And Charlie Bone series. Both me and son liked them and although Charlie is the main character the girls are strong too.

Point books used to be the preteen buy in this house but I don't think they're in print anymore.

 

[Orang Utan]

The OP is asking about graphic novels

 

[weltweit]

The OP is asking about graphic novels

Trouble is I am not sure what a graphic novel is!

 

[SpookyFrank]

Not sure what a graphic novel is

Have a guess.

 

[weepiper]

Trouble is I am not sure what a graphic novel is!

Grownups comics.

 

[Orang Utan]

Trouble is I am not sure what a graphic novel is!

I'm sure you can find out. You're a grown up.

 

[Orang Utan]

Grownups comics.

More like a long form comic. Could be for any age.
It's a publisher's term to give the comics more gravitas. Most writers prefer to stick to calling them comics I think.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

It's fantastic but is it suitable for pre teens?

It's no less suitable than Eastenders or Corrie, so pre-watershed IMO

 

[weepiper]

It's no less suitable than Eastenders or Corrie, so pre-watershed IMO

I don't let her watch Eastenders tbh

 

[SpookyFrank]

More like a long form comic. Could be for any age.
It's a publisher's term to give the comics more gravitas. Most writers prefer to stick to calling them comics I think.

Often they're printed up as 'graphic novels' after being originally published as a run of individual comics.

I saw today that the local waterstones now has a 'graphic novels' section with collected issues of Batman, X-men, Strontium Dog and the like; and then a 'graphic literature' section full of more grown-up comics like The Sandman as well as stuff that was written specifically for a graphic novel format.

I don't like the distinction personally. If nothing else it means I have to try and guess whether the book I'm looking for is considered 'literature' or not by some twats in a bookshop. I need to find a specialist comics shop.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

A collection of individually-released comics in a particular series is technically a "trade paperback" - a graphic novel is written and released as one piece.

 

[Orang Utan]

A collection of individually-released comics in a particular series is technically a "trade paperback" - a graphic novel is written and released as one piece.

manga are collected comics released in one volume too, arent they?

 

[FridgeMagnet]

manga are collected comics released in one volume too, arent they?

"Manga" is just the term for the whole genre, it doesn't mean a particular format.

 

[Orang Utan]

"Manga" is just the term for the whole genre, it doesn't mean a particular format.

I'm not sure that's true originally.

 

[DotCommunist]

on the book thing again, this is probably my favourite YA novel of the last couple of years

'The City's Son' Tom Pollock
http://thebooksmugglers.com/2012/09/book-review-the-citys-son-by-tom-pollock.html



its good. Very good. And age appropriate.

despite the title, it's not about the titular prince of a fantasy other London. It focuses on beth, largely ignored by her father who never recovered from the death of her mother and sits reading his dead wifes favourite novel over and over. She's a feisty, streetwise Londoner with a penchant for graffiti and a deep sense of loss and amorphous lonliness (despite having a few friends).

She stumbles quite by accident on this other London, a lace where wrailwraiths ride the tracks, where the Skyscrape throne is empty...etc

its proper good gritty urban fantasy done for a younger audience. Highly recc'd

I'll stop with the books now cos this is a comic thread. But do get it. I of course have an epub if the child in question has means to read ecopy.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I'm not sure that's true originally.

Well, it referred to a different sort of thing before the late 19th century.

 

[Orang Utan]

Often they're printed up as 'graphic novels' after being originally published as a run of individual comics.

I saw today that the local waterstones now has a 'graphic novels' section with collected issues of Batman, X-men, Strontium Dog and the like; and then a 'graphic literature' section full of more grown-up comics like The Sandman as well as stuff that was written specifically for a graphic novel format.

I don't like the distinction personally. If nothing else it means I have to try and guess whether the book I'm looking for is considered 'literature' or not by some twats in a bookshop. I need to find a specialist comics shop.

http://www.goshlondon.com
http://www.okcomics.co.uk
http://downthetubes.net/?page_id=9384

 

[maomao]

I'm not sure that's true originally.

Manga is just Japanese for comic. So in English it means Japanese comics or comics in the style of Japanese comics.

 

[Orang Utan]

Well, it referred to a different sort of thing before the late 19th century.

Yeah, I got confused - the collections of series are called tankobon

 

[weepiper]

The Hilda books look lovely but might be a little bit young. I've ordered the first one for a look - it might end up going to her little brother instead though. Amazon recommended this based on it which also looks good so I've ordered that too