Robots, lasers, superheroes, aliens, monsters, and more…the science fiction genre is a whole vibe! Great “sci-fi” explores an unlimited range of galaxies featuring humans, aliens, and technologies in situations meant to test and shape them.
From stories that woosh, zip, bang, and smash, my Pick Six represents a range of characters, environments, and creatures that showcase the depth and breadth of what the genre can offer. Whether an adaptation, one-off tale, or part of a series, there’s something exciting, engaging, and accessible for readers of every age.
Once you’ve read my curated showcase, check out Comics Plus’ featured list, Galaxies Near and Far, Far Away, for more unlimited intergalactic reading exploration!
Middle Grade
Disney Manga: Pixar’s Wall-E by Shiro Shirai (Tokyopop)
Wall-E is a humble trash compactor robot with the solitary task of cleaning up Earth’s trash long after the last of his kind has broken down. One day, his lonely routine is interrupted by both the discovery of a seedling and the arrival of EVE, a modern robot who streaks into his life, filled with beauty and power. Despite her initial rejection, Wall-E faithfully follows her aboard her mothership, Axiom, where he witnesses what is left of humanity: lazy people who rely on robots to maintain them.
When the seedling proves to be a positive sign that Earth can be recolonized, they must overcome the ship’s robo-pilot to fight their way back to their planet. Can Wall-E and his friends succeed in overcoming their directives and human nature for the greater good?
Writer-illustrator Shiro Shirai’s condensed manga adaptation of the popular film is successful in humanizing the robots while not being overly heavy-handed in exploring deeper themes. After all, Wall-E is a mere observer, unable to pass judgement, which is one of the traits that makes him special. His first encounter with EVE is a standout moment, as he is immediately “smitten.”
This is a great starter manga with lots of built-in support for readers to comprehend the story, characters, and right-to-left layout. The first chapter details the cast of characters, including their names, roles, and special features. Backmatter includes a mapping of character relationships, a reading quiz, and a story timeline for more context, all of which strengthens the reading experience.
Zig and Wikki in Something Ate My Homework by Nadja Spiegelman and Trade Loeffler (TOON Books/Astra Publishing)
Even young space aliens have homework! Zig and Wikki are zooming to Zig’s grandma’s place when their teacher calls to remind Zig that he is late in turning in his pet for the class zoo. Unfortunately, they have landed on Earth instead of grandma’s home planet, but maybe there are some cool pets here? The two friends will have to explore and survive the many obstacles Earth throws at them to find out.
This installment of TOON Books’ Zig and Wikki series feels like a S.T.E.A.M.-fueled version of Honey I Shrunk the Kids as Spiegelman has the tiny alien duo exploring Earth’s “enormous” environment (aka, a small park) and engaging with its inhabitants in search of a suitable pet. Loeffler’s illustrations are colorful and engaging, striking a balance between modern appeal and more nostalgic comic strip styles.
This is a great middle grade example of an engaging story, likable alien characters, and approachable mini-science lessons as the two friends study facts about the bugs and small animals they encounter. Backmatter rounds up these curious creatures with some of “Wikki’s Fun Facts” for further engagement.
Teens
Stranger Things Library Edition Volume 1 by Jody Houser, Stefano Martino, Edgar Salazar, Lauren Affe, and Marissa Louise (Dark Horse)
This collection of four tales from Dark Horse’s Stranger Things adaptation provides deeper exploration into the characters during and shortly after the events of the streaming show’s first season.
In The Other Side, Will Byers is playing Dungeons & Dragons with his friends when, without any warning, he’s entrapped in a parallel universe with a very real monster. In this terrifying place he quickly learns that what works in his beloved games can get him killed. Science Camp follows Dustin to his month-long summer stint at Camp Know Where. He has been challenged to serve as dungeon master for a D&D adventure, and while he prepares and stresses, other kids at his camp begin mysteriously disappearing. The Game Master is a short entry where Nancy and Steve attempt to bring Mike out of his guilt and fear-laden funk stemming from Will’s disappearance by suggesting he run a new D&D campaign for his friends. The collection concludes with Erica’s Quest, chronicling her misguided attempt to raise money to re-purchase her D&D book collection following her mother’s punishment of confiscating the beloved books.
This is a winner for those who haven’t watched any of Stranger Things, offering a good introduction to the story and major characters, while fans of the show will enjoy these side quests that deepen the emotional impact of the show’s first season. The damage and fear from their experiences are irreparable but also forever bind the characters to each other. It’s also quite the love letter to Dungeons & Dragons itself, something that either evokes exuberance in nerds like me, or rolled eyes, depending on one’s experience with the popular role-playing game.
Like the show itself, the obviously creepy stories and some strong language make this more appropriate for teens, and it’s a great companion to revisit (or familiarize yourself) with Stranger Things as the show’s long-awaited final season unfolds.
Young Adult
Ignited Kwanza Osajyefo, Mark Waid, Mike McKone, and Phil Briones (Humanoids Studios SA)
In the not-too-distant future, Earth’s ecology is shifting and transforming in unpredictable ways. Ordinary humans are also suddenly gaining an array of newfound superpowers during moments of high stress. This sudden appearance of unpredictable abilities happens to several students when a mass shooting occurs at their school, and Ignited begins at the start of the new school year as Phoenix High School comes back into session after losing 14 students in the massacre.
The students endure a tense first day back amidst rampant media speculation and a principal who wants teachers to start carrying guns. His messaging is interrupted by @wave and @viral, two mysterious teens who were ignited during the shooting and are now protesting the principal’s plans. While their antics are first dismissed as a joke, their threats quickly come to fruition and students and faculty realize that there’s a new crop of superhuman students standing together to keep their high school safe.
This first issue comes from a series that makes up an entire Ignited universe, featuring unwitting superheroes from diverse backgrounds. Also under the Ignited umbrella are Strangelands, a series which explores the fates of two former strangers who become inexplicably tied once their powers suddenly emerge; and Omni, which follows a former military doctor on her quest to help ignited people navigate the trouble their powers bring, thus creating a unique superhero group.
The first issue of Ignited begins with a welcome essay from writer Mark Waid about gun violence in the United States, and subsequent issues include creative input from real survivors of school shootings. This work of science fiction is made particularly interesting, and eye-opening, by this infusion of reality, and it is a solid choice for older teens who enjoy superhero franchises — with the added bonus of building social awareness.
Godzilla’s 70th Anniversary Deluxe Edition by James Stokoe, Matt Frank, Adam Gorham, Danny Lore, Joelle Jones, E.J. Su, and Liana Kangas (IDW)
While the concept of Godzilla was born from the social and political climate of 1950s Japan, the fictional monster has had many iterations since his debut. This anthology celebrates Godzilla’s “career” by showcasing the range of stories that can take place about and around the radioactive kaiju.
Notable standouts include “In the Darkness”, where Godzilla exists as a toy villain in the imagination of a little boy who dreams up a superhero to save him. “The Big One” is a tale of human resilience as people rebuild post-Godzilla and a super-gross mutant slug attack. There’s a fun feminist Western, “Ain’t No Place for an Angel”, where women and monsters defend their meager resources against the world of men, while “In Summation” follows a man born on the day of Godzilla’s first appearance and whose father died as a result, who then devotes his life trying to understand the monster. “Aftermath” tackles social issues, portraying a rich man who is only forced to care about the Godzilla-led devastation when those affected bring destruction to his door. And the utterly imaginative “Godzilla: Legends” chronicles an adventurer as he spends 15 hours climbing to the top of the monster.
I’ve been a fan of Godzilla since I was young, mostly because big monsters are fun, but also because he forces humility on the humans he encounters. We cannot control him, yet the fate of all we hold dear can rest on the next flick of his wickedly spiked tail. Godzilla really is the best of sci-fi in that way, both fantastical and completely out of our control. His brand of chaos also forces humans into situations where we can observe what they are truly made of.
This anthology represents a broad range of Godzilla stories, both original and reissued, and also showcases some of the best working talent in comics today. Older teens will find a few misses here and there, depending on their taste, but I defy any reader to not be amazed by at least some of the writing and artwork featured throughout. Lengthy backmatter includes incredible variant covers along with behind-the-scenes sketchwork and design for some of the stories.
Adult
Mars Attacks Vol. #1 by Kyle Starks and Chris Schweizer (Dynamite)
Aliens have arrived to destroy life on earth — and they’re ugly!
Spencer is visiting his dad, Major Carbutt, in the nursing home. Initially intent on asking for money after Spencer’s most recent job meltdown, their visit is interrupted by murderous alien invaders. Father and son continue to bicker as they scramble to keep from being burnt to a crisp by space lasers, and are eventually forced to reconcile in order to survive. Can they turn the tables on the invaders before it’s too late for the human race?
There’s no need to already be a fan of the Mars Attacks movie to appreciate this standalone story. A lot of its humor is derived from the absurdity of the characters and their situations, while the rest is satirical in nature, stemming from societal issues that an event like the end of the world would naturally bring to the surface.
Mature readers and previous fans of Kyle Starks (Rick and Morty, Barfly) will recognize his mix of action and chaotic levity. Extremely detailed, acid-washed visual nightmares supplied by illustrator Chris Schweizer bring to life the calamity on every page, while backmatter includes the project’s origin and the illustrator’s process, plus a gallery of variant covers.
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Moni Barrette, MLIS is the Director, Collection Development for LibraryPass, as well as former President of American Library Association’s Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table, and co-founder of the nonprofit Creators, Assemble! Inc. As a former public library manager, Moni won the California Library Association PRExcellence Award (2018 & 2019) for library events aimed at underserved adult library users and has proven success using comics to increase library circulation. In 2025, she was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker. Moni is a frequent panelist at San Diego and New York Comic Con, San Diego Comic Fest and Wonder-Con, hosting industry networking events and providing instruction to educators and librarians..
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