Reality 101

Blankets  by Craig Thompson
Thompson explores the sibling rivalry of two brothers growing up in rural Wisconsin. He recreates the emotional pain of a rigidly fundamentalist Christian upbringing, along with the trepidation of impending adulthood.

Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore
David loves Katchoo, but Katchoo loves Francine, who loves Katchoo back... but not in that way, because Francine loves Freddie – who doesn't love anybody but himself! 

Contract with God by Will Eisner
Drawing on his memories of growing up in New York in the 1930s, Will Eisner has depicted the lives and dreams of the residents of a Bronx tenement.

Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
Enid and Rebecca, teenage friends, face the unwelcome prospect of adulthood and the uncertain future of their complicated relationship

Edge City: a comic strip collection by Terry and Patty Laban  741.5 Laban
This is a smart, insightful cartoon chronicling the mile-a-minute lives of the Ardin family. With two kids, two careers, two cats and several computers, the Ardin family epitomizes our decentralized, high-tech world, where everything is literally a click away – everything but the time to enjoy a peaceful moment.

Paul Has a Summer Job by Michel Rabagliati
Paul doesn't know what to do with his life. Then he gets a job as a counselor at a summer camp run by a freewheeling Catholic priest. Paul finds himself guiding a motley group of troublemakers, misfits and loners through the rough terrain of growing up.

Doonesbury by G.B. Trudeau  741.5 Trude
This cartoon chronicles the lives of a large variety of characters, ranging in scope from the President of the United States to the title character, Michael Doonesbury, a middle-aged, twice-married father. This cartoon is frequently political in nature, with a decidedly liberal editorial slant. The name “Doonesbury” is a portmanteau of the word "doone," 1960s prep school slang for “someone unafraid to appear foolish,” and the surname of the roommate who was given that nickname, Charles Pillsbury.

Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth by Chris Ware
Four generations of men grow increasingly dysfunctional as the years of emotional damage accumulate through acts of carelessness and brutality. These acts of petty cruelty culminate in the traumatized mouse that is Jimmy Corrigan.