Books
Because you can't keep a voracious reader from anything with words printed on it, graphic novels and comic volumes have become more and more popular in recent years. Once kept only in comic book stores, these illustrated stories have reached further than ever before, now stocked readily at book stores and read by a wider audience than ever, from young children to adults. Whether you're rediscovering graphic novels and comics or have been reading them non-stop since you were a kid, there is something wonderfully nostalgic about cracking open a comic page on a Saturday morning, diving into the panels filled with bright colors and hilarious dialogue. So, why not go the seriously nostalgia-inducing extra step and pick up a graphic novel or comic reimagines or continues a story you loved as an actual kid or teenager?
The 11 picks below, ranging from graphic novels to comic volumes, middle grade to adult, all take a beloved story and modernize it for old and new fans alike. Whether you've been dying to know what Charmed's Halliwell sister have been up to since that Season 8 finale, or want to revisit Kristy, Mary-Anne, Claudia, Stacy and Dawn on their beloved Baby-Sitter's Club adventures, there is something to appeal here that will appeal to the nostalgic part of you. Seriously, you might want to pour a bowl of cereal and head to the couch before you pick these up.
1
'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' by Kyle Higgins
The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers you watched after school in the '90s wasn't exactly known for it's in-depth plots and intense character studies. But the new comics explores the story of our favorite original rangers: Jason, Tommy, Kimberly, Trini, Billy and Zack in a new way, fleshing our their characters more than ever and bringing their superhero plots into the modern day.
2
' Jem and the Holograms' by Kelly Thompson and Sophie Campbell
If you remember rocking out to Jem and the Holograms on Cartoon Network, you're going to love these updated comics. Struggling musicians Jem and the Holograms put their futures on the line by entering a battle of the bands contest. With the help of a sentient holographic artificial intelligence, they overcome their lead singer’s stage fright and capture the public consciousness. Along the way they face danger, romance, and food fights...in other words, tons of nostalgic fun.
3
'Charmed' by Paul Ruditis and Constance M. Burge
This series continues the story from Charmed's Season 8 finale. Beginning eighteen months after the events of that televised finale, with the source of all evil defeated, The Charmed Ones have embraced a new life. One of new family, friends, and a future without the constant battle between good and evil...or so they think. Your teenage self will thank you for continuing to endulge in the badass witchery and fierce sisterhood between Piper, Phoebe and Paige.
4
'Archie' by Mark Waid and Fiona Staples
Archie is one of the most enduring franchises in the history of comics. If you come from a comic loving family, chances are your grandparents and parents read them before you. But these updated stories have more modern artwork and lots of modern drama (relationship drama, car accidents and unexpected deaths) while still retaining the elements of Archie you've loved since you were a kid.
5
'Josie And The Pussycats' by Marguerite Bennett, Cameron Deordig and Audrey Mok
The backstory of another classic animated band is reimagined in this series. Josie's getting the band together to help achieve her dreams of musical stardom. But for the group to last, it needs a strong foundation of friendship and trust. Can the girls get going, or will Alexandra Cabot's plotting put a stop to the whole thing? If reading this doesn't evoke the feeling of Saturday morning with a bowl of sugary cereal, nothing will.
6
'The Baby-sitters Club' based on the novel by Ann M. Martin
One of the ultimate middle grade series, Ann M. Martin's beloved Baby-Sitter's Club has been repackaged in graphic novel form for a new generation...but that doesn't mean you have to be a kid to read them. In the first familiar tale, Kristy thinks up the idea for the Baby-Sitter's Club, starting the after-school business that would come to define adolescence for an entire generation.
7
'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' by Joss Whedon, Brian K. Vaughan And Georges Jeanty
Series creator Joss Whedon brought the supernatural drama of your teen years back to life with this comics-only follow-up to Season 7 of the television show. After the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers - newly legion - have gotten organized, but it's not long before new and old enemies begin popping up. Buffy, Xander, Willow, and a very different Dawn are introduced to the season's big bad, Twilight, and are only beginning to understand the incredible reach of this mysterious threat. Meanwhile, rebel Slayer Faith teams up with Giles to handle a menace on the other side of the Atlantic.
8
'Betty & Veronica' by Adam Hughes
Everyone's favorite frenemies are back in this modern take on Betty and Veronica. Betty and Veronica are America's sweethearts... until they turn on each other. Pops' Chocklit Shoppe is being taken over by a huge coffee company. When Betty and Veronica go head-to-head over the issue, all bets are off.
9
'A Wrinkle In Time' adapted by Hope Larson
The world already knows Meg and Charles Wallace Murry, Calvin O'Keefe, and the three Mrs — Who, Whatsit, and Which — the memorable and wonderful characters who fight off a dark force and save our universe in A Wrinkle in Time. Now, Hope Larson takes the classic story to a new level with her vividly imagined interpretations of tessering and favorite characters like the Happy Medium and Aunt Beast.
10
'Artemis Fowl' by Eoin Colfer
In 2001, audiences first met and fell in love with a criminal mastermind named Artemis Fowl. Now, Eoin Colfer has teamed up with established comic writer Andrew Donkin to adapt the text and for the first time, rabid fans will be able to see what Foaly's tin hat looks like; discover just how "Beet" Root got his name; and of course, follow their favorite criminal mastermind as he plots and connives in action-packed, full-color panels.
11
'The Illustrated Harry Potter' by J.K. Rowling and
You love Harry Potter, and you need to see the story come to life through Jim Kay's gorgeous illustrations. These full-text, full-color illustrated versions are a must-read and own for every Harry Potter fanatic. It's like watching your childhood recreated right before your eyes. Seriously, beware of unexpected emotion upon reading this one.
