A Little of Everything: 8 Comic Book Anthologies

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the world really sucks right now. So stop doomscrolling and indulge in a little optimism with this anthology! You’ll read stories of bright and hopeful futures in which humans learn to harness technology for peaceful ends, reconnect with nature, and appreciate their vast and wonderful differences. Also check out the sequel, Maybe Someday: Stories of Promise, Visions of Hope, for more uplifting comics.

Speaking of the world sucking…It’s completely understandable if you’re sick of hearing about COVID-19. But if you’re still working through your feelings, this collection covers all the angles, from the overwhelming sense of loss to the funny little discoveries made during lockdown. We’re going to be spending the rest of our lives unpacking the pandemic, and reading about it in something as accessible as short graphic tales is a good way to help that process along.

For the past few years, DC has made a habit of doing annual anthologies centered around various “months.” This one was for Pride Month, but they have done similar anthologies for Black History Month, Native American Heritage Month, and more. It’s a great way to get (re)introduced to some fantastic characters, as told by OwnVoices creators!

Similar to the DC anthologies, Marvel has also taken to celebrating marginalized characters and the creators who love them in their “Voices” series. Comunidades was released in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month and features popular Latine characters like America Chavez and Spider-Man 2099. You can also enjoy Legacy for stories about Black characters, Identity for stories about Asian characters, and so on.

If you’re a fan of the 2019 anime Sarazanmai, you’re in luck: this anthology includes new stories and new illustrations featuring the whole gang. The original series tells the story of three middle schoolers who run afoul of a local god and are transformed into supernatural creatures called kappas. Now they have to help protect both the normal world and the Kappa Kingdom from the Otter Empire!

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about autism in the media. This can be frustrating for autistic people looking for good representation, and it can perpetuate harmful stereotypes among neurotypical people who don’t know better. This comic features work by autistic creators about their own experiences with the condition, as well as how their autism interacts with other aspects of their identity, such as race and gender.

This multi-part anthology collection features stories about women in love. Some of the stories are sweet and gentle, while others feature less-than-healthy relationships. All contribute to an absorbing exploration of the many ways that women can connect romantically, sexually, and emotionally.

In this Spanish (that’s Spanish-from-Spain, not Spanish-language — it’s been translated!) anthology, female creators share their thoughts on such diverse topics as the workplace, parenthood, harmful beauty standards, and being themselves in a world that wants to put them in a very tight box called “femininity.”