Stories So Nice They Told Them Twice: 8 Comics Based on Classic Books

Orwell’s allegorical fable, in which oppressed farm animals rebel with disastrous consequences, is a good fit for a comic. Graphic novels are—often unfairly—equated with children’s stories. Odyr’s art takes full advantage of this, creating a picture-book-like atmosphere for a serious story that everyone should learn from.

Comics have had a grand old time reinventing Montgomery’s classic novel with titles like Anne of West Philly and Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables. But this one is a more faithful version of the classic novel, where spirited orphan Anne Shirley finally finds the family and friends she has always wanted.

Murakami is one of the most celebrated writers alive today. Now you can experience four of his best-loved short stories in manga form, with offbeat art to match the equally bizarre subject matter. Long-time fans are sure to appreciate this new approach to Murakami’s work, while newcomers will find it an evocative introduction.

Ferrante’s beloved novel has already been adapted to just about every other medium you can think of, so it’s not surprising that it has now gotten the graphic novel treatment. Follow the complex friendship between two girls, Lila and Lenù, as they try to dream beyond the confines of their small community.

Inspired by Dazai’s life, No Longer Human follows Yozo, a privileged young man who deals with his social awkwardness and abuse-related trauma through clownish behavior and sex. After an unsuccessful suicide attempt, he eventually manages to find a little happiness…until an act of violence sends him tumbling further and faster into self-destruction than ever before.

This story takes place in the far-away year of *checks notes* 2024, so now is the perfect time to pick up the award-winning graphic adaptation. With the world beyond her city’s protective walls in ruins, Lauren has never had the chance to do anything on her own. But one night, a catastrophe shows her the path to a new life that she never could have predicted.

In 1887, investigative reporter Nellie Bly got herself committed (intentionally) to a mental hospital and exposed the horrific conditions that patients had to endure there. The resulting book caused an uproar that led to increased funding for mental healthcare in New York. It obviously did not solve all of the deficiencies of American mental healthcare, but it was a critical wake-up call.

With all the fantastical and unique imagery to be found in L’Engle’s original novel, it’s a perfect candidate for a graphic adaptation. Meg, her precocious brother Charles Wallace, and her friend Calvin venture into a strange world to save the Murry siblings’ father, a scientist who went missing while trying to solve the secrets of nature itself.