When some people think of comic books, they think of a medium that’s targeted at kids. However, there are plenty of comic books, webcomics and graphic novels that tackle mature, true-to-life topics that are relatable to adult audiences. While I’ve related to comics characters of all ages, finding young adult characters that make me feel seen has been important since I was in my twenties. Now that I’m in my early thirties, I’ve mostly outgrown looking at life through teenage characters.
One of the reasons this matters to me is because finding characters my age going through situations similar to my own gives me comfort and sometimes a bit of escapism. Just because I have to do taxes and worry about a career doesn’t mean I don’t need fantastical adventures or poignant stories. For those who feel similarly, check out some of my favorite adult fictional characters from comics.
Chimaka Shi from Mahou Josei Chimaka
This satirical magical girl graphic novel by KAIJU was originally a webcomic published by the late great online Sparkler Monthly magazine and has since become exclusively available on the Comixology app. It told the story of a queer adult magical girl named Chimaka Shi, who became a cynical mess stuck at a job she hates after losing to her greatest enemy 15 years ago. However, when that enemy makes an unexpected return, she must rediscover what magic truly means with the help of her co-worker and best friend Pippa.
Chimaka Shi is me as an adult because even though I know I’m a magical person, it can be hard to remember sometimes when I make mistakes. It can also be hard to remember that magic can be found in unexpected places when life comes too monotonous. Sometimes when I need a boost, I’ll reread this graphic novel to remind myself of the magic that I have and the magic of everyday life.
Georgia from Fine Sometimes Rain
A webcomic by Amy Stoddard, Fine Sometimes Rain is about dealing with the ups and downs of depression with the help of friends and other loved ones. Georgia’s battle with depression is displayed not only through her internal dialogue and the conversations she has with other characters but through Stoddard’s use of stunning black-and-white imagery. One of my favorite pages is when Georgia thinks about how she feels behind in life compared to her friends and a bunch of shadowy hands try to hold her back.
Cindy Moon from Marvel’s Silk
Speaking of comics characters dealing with mental health issues, Cindy Moon from Marvel’s Silk has ended up being an unexpected delight. She is a Korean-American Spider-hero dealing with anxiety while trying to balance being a superhero and news reporter. She is also funny and a bit of a dork and a hundred times more fun than a certain Spider-Man whose name I won’t mention.
Of all her comics, her first two solo series are highlights for me because they show her coming to terms with having anxiety and then gradually working through it while getting caught up in superhero misadventures and trying to find her missing parents. Seriously, how do I sign up to be her best friend?
Rosie Ming from Window Horses
Written by Ann Marie Fleming and featuring a host of artists, this visually stunning graphic novel is about poetry, family and identity. When Chinese-Persian poet Rosie Ming receives an invitation to a poetry festival in Iran, it becomes a chance to discover more about her estranged father and a brand new culture. In the process, Rosie begins to see herself in a whole new light.
As a Black-Asian poet, I empathize with Rosie’s journey to understand a part of her heritage and culture she was unfamiliar with. I especially enjoyed seeing her poetry evolve throughout the story the more she spent time in Iran and learned about her father.
Oriana from Love Love Fighting!
This shoujo manga style comic by Sharean Morishita has been published as a graphic novel and is also available to read for free online via Tapas. Oriana is a fat Black Korean woman who feels disconnected from her family and just got fired from her job. As a result, her cousin tricks her into taking an impromptu trip to Korea to visit her mother’s family. While there, she meets K-pop star Jae-wa and unexpected sparks fly. From there, Oriana embarks on a journey of deeper self-love and romance.
It’s not often I hear about other Black Asian people, so to have a comic with a Blasian lead was huge for me when I found this comic a few years back. It was good to see someone with biracial struggles similar to mine, as Oriana deals with both anti-Blackness and fatphobia in Korea while struggling to bond with her Korean family. It was also good to see a fat character who wasn’t hating themselves or wanting to lose weight. Instead, Oriana’s struggle comes from learning to appreciate her Korean heritage and learning she deserves to be happy after dealing with a family loss on her own.
Latonya Pennington
Latonya Pennington is a freelance contributor whose comics criticism can be found at Women Write About Comics, Comic Book Herald, Newsarama and Shelfdust, among others.
