Blankets and Onward Toward Our Noble Deaths listed on CBR’s best graphic novels without superheroes

Blankets is an autobiographical account of Craig Thompson’s life. The coming-of-age story is widely renowned, receiving Harvey, Eisner, and Ignatz Awards for its relatable story and stunning artwork. Named Time Magazine’s No. 1 Best Comic of 2003 and No. 8 Best Comic of the Decade, Blankets is a must-read for graphic novel lovers. Blankets is an all too familiar story of childhood. Exploring the pains of adolescence, readers see Craig attempt to navigate relationships with his family as he experiences his first love, heartbreak, and doubts in his faith in Christianity. As Craig struggles through early adulthood he comes to terms with his spirituality and uses Blankets as a way to explain his beliefs to his parents.

Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths was the first work of Shigeru Mizuki to be translated and published in English. A famous manga artist, Mizuki was renowned in Japan for his work. However, Mizuki’s reputation grew with Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, gaining him international attention with its numerous awards, including the Heritage Essential Award at the Angoulême International Comics Festival. Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths is a semiautobiographical account of Mizuki’s experience in the Japanese infantry at the end of World War II. Mizuki depicts the final days of the New Guinea campaign, where the soldiers were told to die for the honor of their country, mixing real photos with his illustrations and leaving readers with a meditation on the consequences of war.