There was a time when comic books (and, by proxy, comic book enthusiasts) were considered somewhat of a joke. For whatever reason, the greater literary community did not seem to view it as a legitimate form of storytelling, even though so many of the classic literary themes – like humanity, heroism, and overcoming insurmountable odds – overlapped. Time would come to show, however, that this autocratic point of view was both shortsighted and asinine.
Now, comic books – or the long-form, graphic novels – are as ubiquitous in pop culture as any other "legitimate" variety of literature... Whatever the reasoning, it's clear that graphic novels are here to stay. But, like all things, there are some that are far more deserving of your time and effort than others. With that in mind, we've compiled this list of the best graphic novels out there right now. Excelsior!
