Sci-fi graphic novels that will keep you up late and make you miss your train stop

When was the last time you stayed up all night reading a comic book?

By PopSci Commerce Team

Posted on Jan 12, 2021 5:32 PM EST

Share

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›

graphic novel in hands
A great bedtime or train read. Miika Laaksonen via Unsplash

In the hands of a science fiction writer, each discovery of a physical phenomenon, planetary body, or biological quirk offers inspiration for imaginary worlds of strange beauty. These four exceptional graphic novels show us alternate realities and give us new ways to envision our present. And who knows—some of those realities might become our future.

One-of-three: X’ed Out

Masterful Storytelling

X'ed Out by Charles Burns
Book one of a surreal trilogy.

If the cat you were told had been run over years ago suddenly appeared in your bedroom, would you follow it into a mysterious hole in your wall? You’ll find out what’s on the other side if you turn the pages of this richly colored and unsettling tale—perfect for people who ponder the connections between reality and dreams.

Tale of space: On a Sunbeam

Tale of space

Over 500 Pages

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
2019 Hugo Award Nominee.

This 2018 Eisner Award winner (like the Oscars of the comic book world) brings us a critically acclaimed love story between two young women across space and time. Readers will enjoy a split timeline delineated by different colors and more than 500 pages of illustrations.

Must-read: Octavia Butler’s Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation

Must-read

Science-Fiction Masterpiece

Octavia Butler’s Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
Illustrated Afrofuturism.

If you’ve never read Octavia Butler before, this adaptation of her 1979 classic created by John Jennings (illustrator) and Damian Duffy (script) is a powerful place to start—then go read the original. This monumental work is an examination of American slavery through the eyes of Dana, a young black woman who travels between the pre-Civil War South and her present life as a writer in California in the 1970s.

Epic journey: A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel

Epic journey

New Take On A Classic

A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel
Believing takes practice.

Adults may remember the captivating Meg Murry from their own childhoods, and note her influence on modern-day heroines like Hermione Granger and Katniss Everdeen. Younger readers may have seen the 2018 film directed by Ava DuVernay, or read the book for a class assignment. This 2012 adaptation by Hope Larson brings Meg, Charles, and Calvin’s epic journey across worlds into a new medium for all to enjoy.

Why Trust Popular Science

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

Find out more about our product evaluation process.