5 Comics To Diversify Your Collection
- Zebediah Oke
- Nov 8, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 21, 2021
Comics have always been political. As the call for diversity in comics rings louder, we can’t overlook or forget that there are always instances of political, cultural and social success that already exist. And with that, here are some great comic book runs and graphic novels that will help you see the world from a radically different perspective and diversify your comic book collection.
As one of the more light-hearted characters in the Marvel Universe, the hero Squirrel Girl, alias of Doreen Green, was largely seen as a joke until Ryan North and Erica Henderson penned The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. In its pages, they made Squirrel girl into a character who was to be laughed with, and not at. She easily beat Thanos as Uatu, the Watcher, witnessed the ordeal stunned. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl takes Doreen’s real power, her personability, and chocks the comic full of humorous story arcs that are relatable, down to earth scenarios and playfully charming encounters (with the occasional little bit of absurdity mixed in for good measure).
Illustrated by the award-winning graphic artist Nate Powell, March is a trilogy of graphic memoirs that document the life of the late activist and US representative John Lewis. The series was penned by the late John Lewis himself, along with his staffer Andrew Aydin. As a prominent figure in the civil rights movement of the 60s, March shows “John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis’ personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement.”
Matt Fraction, David Aja, and Javier Pulido collaborate on one of Hawkeye’s most celebrated comic book appearances: My Life as a Weapon. We get to see a grounded version of the Archered Avenger. He’s recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D and takes on a protege in Kate Bishop. He also loses his hearing and learns ASL and to lip read.
Created by David F. Walker & Chuck Brown, Sanford Greene, Bitter Root is set in 1920’s Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance, reimagining the period with a twang of demonic horror. Known as some of the greatest monster hunters of all time, Bitter Root follows the Sangerye family, who specialise in curing the souls of those infected by hate. However, as time passes, a tragedy claims most of the family. This leaves the surviving cousins divided between their ancestral tradition to cure monsters or the enactment of vengeance to kill them. As a new kind of monster is unleashed in Harlem, the Sangerye family must put aside their differences to unite, lest they watch the world succumb to a great evil.
Kamala Khan is a sixteen-year-old girl from Jersey City. After sneaking out to a party, an event with the Inhumans causes Kamala's polymorphic powers to awaken. She is unable to control her abilities initially and unconsciously, she shapeshifts into the blonde-haired Carol Danvers in order to fit others' expectations of a superhero. It is a sweet, compelling tale which drills to the heart of what superheroes encourage and try to practice–being yourself in a world that makes doing so difficult. And it’s a great introduction to Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel won the Hugo Award for best graphic story in 2015.
What are your favourite, diverse comic books? Have you read any on this list? Comment below!
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