Graphic Novels for Earth Day

Apr 22, 2015

Wednesday, April 22 marks the 45th annual Earth Day, a global civic observance dedicated to educating people about the environment. This year, in addition to many events held around the world, the Earth Day Network is hosting Climate Education Week beginning April 18 and ending with the Reading Room Day Saturday, April 25.

A number of graphic novels have tackled issues involving the environment, both in fictional and non-fiction tales. In honor of Earth Day, PREVIEWSworld takes a look at a selection of titles that directly address the issues facing the environment or use those issues as a springboard for their storylines.

Introducing environmental concerns (and steps readers can take to help them) to young readers is Ellie Patterson and Alexandra Colombo's Michael Recycle series from IDW Publishing. The series of picture books tells the adventures of a young superhero whose power allows him to teach people about recycling. In his adventures, Michael tackles the issues of deforestation, ocean pollution, and litter, in fun and colorful stories that show kids how they can help reduce these problems.

Michael Recycle ($15.99, JAN083764)
Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug ($15.99, JAN094328)
Michael Recycle Saves Christmas ($15.99, SEP100412)
Michael Recycle and the Tree Top Cops ($15.99, JAN120484)
Michael Recycle Meets Bootleg Peg ($17.99, JUN130424)

Matt Dembicki's graphic novel Xoc: The Journey of a Great White ($19.99, MAR121143), released through Oni Press, takes a shark's-eye-view of the world, as it chronicles a great white's travels from the coast of California to Hawaii. Along the way, the reader is given a view into the daily life of the animal, as the shark (the titular Xoc, pronounced "shock") encounters natural prey and predators — from skittish seals to brazen orcas — as well as befriending a sea turtle along the way. The duo also faces danger in the form of man-made impediments, including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Writers Grant Colof and Eric Eisner and artist Jeevan Kang also take a look at a changed climate in H2O ($6.99, NOV108209), published by Dynamite Entertainment. When a 100-year global drought devastates the Earth and a failed rainmaking experiment destroys the atmosphere, humankind teeters on the brink of collapse. As the remaining nations wage war over dwindling water supplies and natural resources, two rival scientists on opposite sides of the world discover a lost glacier high in the Andes - setting off a deadly race to claim and control the planet's last known source of fresh water.

The Massive Volume 1 ($19.99, NOV120024), published by Dark Horse Comics, begins writer Brian Wood and artists Kristian Donaldson and Garry Brown's epic tale that examines the world in the aftermath of extreme climate change. In the wake of the collapse of both the environment and civilization, the crew of the ship Kapital search for their missing sister-ship, The Massive. Their search takes them across flooded out coastal lands, pirates, and other threats in a tale that examines life in a changed climate.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (or a fictional version, at least) plays a central role in Joe Harris and Martin Morazzo's Great Pacific (Volume 1, $9.99, MAR130504), published by Image Comics. Oil heir Chas Worthington takes up residence on the garbage patch and declares it a sovereign nation, alternately drawing the ire and support of a number of nations and players, each angling for their own position of strength in this new scenario.