Tuesday, 21 February 2023

Notable Australian Graphic Novels of 2022 - The Long List

 


2022 was another great year for Australian comics and we're very happy to share the Notable Australian Graphic Novels from 2022 long list. 

The list recognises the best graphic novels by Australian creators selected by the ALIA Graphic Novels and Comics team. To be eligible, all these titles were published in 2022 and are widely available in stores and library suppliers. 

We note that Allen & Unwin continues to publish a big number of titles and we welcome new publishers to our list. 

It's clear that Junior titles are the biggest selling titles but we'd like to highlight the increasing output for the YA and adult markets. If there was an award for hardest working, most prolific creator, it'd be a very tough competition between Tom Taylor, Remy Lai and Stephen Kok. 

Most of the creators are known names with previous titles but welcome new creators. We recommend all these titles for libraries and wish them all the best for the short list, which will be published in March.

Junior

  • The Bad Guys: Episode 15: Open Wide and Say Arrrgh! By Aaron Blabey (Scholastic)
  • The Bad Guys: Episode 16: The Others?! By Aaron Blabey (Scholastic)
  • Bunnygirl: Treehouse Friends by Holly Jayne (Berbay Books)
  • My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee(Penguin Random House)
  • Ollie and Bea Book 3: Wise Quackers by Renee Treml (Allen & Unwin)
  • Ollie and Bea Book 4: Bats What Friends Are For by Renee Treml (Allen & Unwin)
  • Pip and Pete’s Antarctic Adventures by Damian Castellini, Martine Allars (Australian Geographic)
  • Surviving the Wild Book 1: Rainbow the Koala by Remy Lai (Allen & Unwin) 
  • Surviving the Wild Book 2: Star the Elephant by Remy Lai (Allen & Unwin)
  • Surviving the Wild Book 3: Sunny the Shark by Remy Lai (Allen & Unwin)

Young Adult

  • Fence Volume 5: Rise by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad (Boom! Studios)
  • The Greatest Thing by Sarah Winifred Searle (Allen & Unwin)
  • Infernal Regions by Rebecca Stewart (Rebecca Stewart)
  • Mamo by Sad Milledge (Boom! Box)
  • Neverlanders by Tom Taylor, Jon Sommariva (Penguin Australia)
  • Nightwing: Fear State by Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo (DC Comics)
  • Seven Secrets Volume 2 by Tom Taylor, Daniele Di Nicuolo (BOOM! Studios)
  • Superman: Son of Kal El Volume 1 and 2 by Tom Taylor, John Timms (DC Comics)
  • Terralympus Vol. 3 by Stephen Kok, Von Randal (TL Creative)
  • Witchy Vol 2 by Ariel Slamet Ries (Oni Press)
  • Wolf Cubs Vol 1: The Lich by Stephen Kok, Chris Pitcairn (TL Creative)

Adult

  • Fractured Shards Vol 1 and Vol 2 by Dan Feuerriegel, Shaun Keenan, Stephen Kok, Ricador Faccini (Comics2Movies) 
  • Men I Trust by Tommi Parrish (Scribe)
  • Our Members Be Unlimited by Sam Wallman (Scribe)
  • Speed Republic Vol 1 by Ryan K. Lindsay, Emanuele Parascandolo (Mad Cave Studios)
  • Talgard Tome 2 by Gary Proudley and various artists (Gestalt Comics)
  • White Faced Lies by Eric Flanagan, Sam Voutas, Timothy McEvenue (Writing Rooster Media)