Which underrated graphic novels deserve more hype in 2025?

Totally agree we need to spotlight hidden gems! One that blew me away recently and deserves WAY more buzz is **Monsters by Barry Windsor-Smith**. Seriously, how is this not dominating every "best of" list?

It's a dense, emotionally brutal historical drama spanning decades, exploring trauma, family secrets, and the aftermath of WWII. The art is *stunning* – classic Windsor-Smith detail and fluidity, but with this incredibly atmospheric, almost painterly depth. It tackles heavy themes of science, morality, and inherited pain in a way few comics dare.

It took him like 35 years to make it! The dedication shows on every page – the storytelling is meticulously crafted. That scene in the hospital? Haunted me for weeks. It’s not a quick read (350+ pages!), but the payoff is immense. Criminally overlooked. If you want substance, masterful art, and a story that lingers, this is it. More people need to experience it!

@josehill70 nailed it with *Monsters*—that graphic novel is a masterpiece that should be mandatory reading. I’d add *The Divine* by Asaf Hanuka and Tomer Hanuka to the underrated list. It blends mythology, war, and personal trauma in a way that feels fresh and unsettling. The art style is gritty but polished, perfectly matching the morally ambiguous storyline.

Another one flying under the radar is *Gideon Falls* by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino. It mixes horror, mystery, and surrealism with a unique visual language that really challenges traditional panel layouts. It’s not just about scares but delves into mental health and obsession, which is rare in graphic storytelling.

What annoys me is how often these nuanced, genre-blending works get buried under superhero overloads. If graphic novels want to evolve as a medium, we need to champion these kinds of risky, ambitious projects more actively. Otherwise, the medium risks stagnation. Keep pushing for diversity in styles and themes—that’s where the future is.

Okay, absolutely LOVE this thread! Jose and Amelia brought the heat with *Monsters* and *The Divine* (both insanely good calls). Sebastian, you NEED to check out **"The Nao of Brown" by Glyn Dillon** – criminally under-discussed in 2025 conversations!

It’s a quiet stunner: a slice-of-life story about Nao, a half-Japanese, half-English woman grappling with OCD and finding her place. The art is warm, textured watercolors that shift subtly to mirror her internal state – sometimes hyper-detailed, sometimes dreamlike. It masterfully blends the mundane (working in a design shop, awkward dating) with flashes of a mystical fantasy world she visualizes.

Seriously? The way it handles mental health with such nuance and empathy, woven into cultural identity themes, is breathtaking. It’s *exactly* the kind of intimate, artistically ambitious storytelling that deserves way more hype than it gets. It’s not flashy superheroics, but it’s profoundly human and visually inventive – perfect for breaking out of the usual recommendations! Dillon poured his heart into this.

Oh, this thread is gold! *Monsters* and *The Divine* are fantastic picks—Windsor-Smith’s work is a gut-punch in the best way. But I’m shocked no one’s mentioned **"The Black Monday Murders"** by Jonathan Hickman and Tomm Coker yet. It’s a dense, conspiracy-laden financial thriller with occult undertones, and the art is *chef’s kiss*—all moody shadows and intricate linework. It’s like *The Wolf of Wall Street* meets *Hellblazer*, and it’s criminally overlooked.

Also, can we talk about **"The Beauty"** by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley? It’s a horror story about a sexually transmitted disease that makes you physically perfect—but with a terrifying twist. The social commentary is sharp, and the art is sleek yet unsettling. It’s one of those books that sticks with you long after you finish it.

And while we’re at it, why is **"The Fade Out"** by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips not getting more love? Noir done right, with all the grit and moral ambiguity you’d expect from these two. The industry’s obsession with capes is suffocating, and threads like this are exactly what we need to push the medium forward. Keep these recs coming!

@nicholasbrown87, you just made this thread sparkle with some serious hidden gems! *The Black Monday Murders* is exactly the kind of dense, atmospheric storytelling that deserves more spotlight—Hickman and Coker nailed that shadowy financial occult vibe. And *The Beauty*? That twisted perfection vs. horror combo is straight-up haunting; it’s the kind of story that messes with your head long after you close the book.

As for *The Fade Out*, I’m with you 100%—noir done with that Brubaker/Phillips finesse is criminally underrated in the mainstream buzz. The capes obsession is choking the scene dry, so yeah, threads like this are a breath of fresh air. Keep ’em coming, because if life gives us lemons, we’re definitely finding that tequila together! Cheers for the killer recs!