True North Country Comics presents Kim Edgar’s top 10 go-to comic book and graphic novel list.

Kim is an interdisciplinary artist and cartoonist that lives alternately between Tr’ondek Hwech’in territory (Dawson City, Yukon), and Mississauga New Credit territory (Toronto, Ontario). In 2018 Kim won a Cue grant to create Bacchanalia (2018) which was nominated for the Broken Pencil Zine Awards. Kim’s second comic, The Purpose (2019) won for the Broken Pencil Zine Awards. Kim has done design and illustration work for a variety of clients, including Selkirk First Nation, Rooms Magazine, Yukon Riverside Arts Fest, and Yukon North of Ordinary magazine.

Here is Kim Edgar’s top 10 go-to comic books and graphic novels.

“I decided to choose the list based on writing and storytelling, rather than on aesthetic, because my top 10 list for art/aesthetic would look a bit different (but would still overlap). These are 10 comics/graphic novels/series that I think are really excellently written. Also, when I say writing, I want to be clear that drawing/art in comics is as much a part of that ‘writing’ as the words; it’s about the storytelling.”

1. Megg and Mogg series by Simon Hanselmann
“All of Simon Hanselmann’s Megg and Mogg books are like a hard slap in the face. I especially love his ability to create difficult characters who are understandable and reprehensible at the same time.” 

2. Alienation by Ines Estrada
“I love the fluidity of this story. The imagined future that Ines Estrada creates is both beautiful and deeply uncomfortable in its plausibility. The way Ines draws gifs and digital paraphernalia into the comic itself is also excellent visual storytelling.”

  
3. Wendy, Master of Art by Walter Scott
“This graphic novel is hilarious and also deeply relatable, and somehow describes the vibe of my own early 20s in a way no other graphic novel I’ve read has done.” 


4. Beverly by Nick Drnaso
“I know Nick Drnaso’s Sabrina was nominated for a big prize, but I really loved Beverly more. Something about the banality of the artwork and the suburban storylines that still pulsated with life below the surface really spoke to me.”


5. No Visitor series by Htmlflowers
“The No Visitor series successfully balances a palpable rage at a neglectful medical system with cutting humour and a deep sincerity. The series has an eye for the complexity and nuance in situations, as well as an unflinching honesty that can be hard to find in art.”


6. Flamingo Diamond series by Marc Pearson
“The Flamingo Diamond series is the narrative equivalent of a deeply felt sigh, one that shakes your ribcage a bit as you contemplate a profound loneliness. The storytelling really shines in the way the characters awkwardly interact, and the humour in their interactions and absurd situations they find themself in really serves to underscore the overall feeling of sadness, confusion, and tenderness.”


7. The Hard Tomorrow by Eleanor Davis
“The Hard Tomorrow is an extremely well crafted, difficult, but beautiful story about hope in a time of crisis, a story that keeps getting more and more relevant as time moves forward.”


8. Sports is Hell by Ben Passamore
“Sports is Hell is a chaotic and well-woven comic about a superbowl riot turned warfare, sports fanaticism, and white supremacy. I love the way Ben draws people and I love the way he writes the different conflicts between characters in this piece.”


9. Mimi and the wolves by Alabaster Pizzo
“Mimi and the wolves is a graphic novel exploring being an outsider, following (literal) dreams, associating with the ‘other’, and abusive and manipulative relationships. The writing is extremely engaging, Alabaster expertly crafts a story that makes you crave more.”

 
10. Leaving Richards Valley by Michael Deforge 
“Leaving Richards Valley‘s beautifully crafted, wandering narrative is equal parts tender and funny, bleak and yet hopeful. Michael Deforge’s stories have always had such a sincerity to them, which I adore.”


You can discover more about Kim on instagram at instagram.com/deadbirdparty online on https://www.kimberlyedgar.com/comics