I’ve been reading graphic novels for the past twenty years. The combination of text and illustration always fascinated me. It seemed that I didn’t only have to imagine the plot through words, but I could actually see it. That said, it was just a matter of time to dive into travel graphic novels. And when I did, I discovered a new world. For me, it was, without exaggeration, a similar discovery with the cinema d’auteur.
Each one of the travel graphic novels I read fueled my wanderlust. Apart from following the plot, I could also see the places in front of me. As years went by, I started using these books as graphic travel guides. Written and illustrated by travelers for travelers, these books offered me a different approach to future journeys. Was I about to travel to a place I haven’t been to? Then, I’d search for a graphic novel where the action was set in the destination. Did I have itchy feet all of a sudden? A graphic novel about traveling would comfort me.
The definition of a graphic novel is not so clear, and it’s pretty similar to a comic. What separates the two genres is most likely the length and the fact that graphic novels are published as complete works. But even this can be disputable, though. Therefore, use these two facts to better understand the genre and not as a concrete definition.
But what do we mean when we talk about travel graphic novels? The term is rather vague as well. In my opinion, this term should fulfill at least one of the following: a) to have the main character(s) traveling to a place where the plot will unfold or b) to depict a place in such a strong manner that this place becomes a character itself. In addition, travel graphic novels should offer info about the places, and the illustrations should accurately present the destinations.
So, in this post, I will share with you 10 travel graphic novels to feed your wanderlust. Of course, some people might argue that one or two are not exactly graphic novels, and they might fall under the comic category. However, I thought of sharing them here anyway because I find them among the best examples of travel literature in general.
I must also say that the presentation order is random. I didn’t want to make a list where the top one is worse than the one at the bottom. Not at all. I enjoyed all these books, and I just wanted to make a shortlist with graphic novels for travelers. So, pick your favorite one(s) and discover a destination through the eyes of a fellow traveler.
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The best travel graphic novels
Beneath the cover of every graphic novel, you will also find short summaries. I added these paragraphs to give you an idea about the topics of the books. On the other hand, I preferred not to include comments on the illustration style of each creator. While I enjoyed every book on the list and highly recommend them, the drawing styles differ significantly. That said, it’s better to navigate through the links and see for yourself which illustration styles you like the most.
So, let’s start with my favorite graphic novels about travel.
Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea, by Guy Delisle
I was fascinated when I discovered the graphic travelogues of Guy Delisle. It’s tough to pick just one of his graphic novels, and I chose this one mainly because it deals with a country we don’t know that much. Pyongyang: a Journey in North Korea is a stunning graphic adventure. Delisle spent two months in North Korea, and in this book, he illustrated all his observations. So grab a copy and embark on a journey to one of the most enigmatic countries in the world.
You can buy a copy of Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea here.
You can never find a rickshaw when it monsoons, by Mo Willems
After finishing college, Mo Willems embarked on a year-long journey around the world. The book’s subtitle is “The world on one cartoon a day” and accurately describes what you will see in its pages. The sketches of Mo Willems depict everyday snapshots and stories from the places he visited. In this long journey around the world, Willems drew a cartoon at the end of every day. An excellent read that often feels more like a graphic diary and less like a travelogue.
You can buy Mo Willems’s book here.
The Golden House of Samarkand, by Hugo Pratt
Now, I know that this choice might come as a surprise. Lots of people might argue that Hugo Pratt’s books are probably comics and not graphic novels. As I wrote earlier, one can argue for hours about the definitions. However, I’m ready to accept some controversy here because I love the adventures of Corto Maltese. Every time Hugo Pratt’s main character, the famous Corto Maltese, embarked on a journey, I was ready to follow. For me, the adventures of Corto Maltese are among the best travel graphic novels. I chose The Golden House of Samarkand because from the moment I read it, I always wanted to visit Samarkand.
You can buy The Golden House of Samarkand here.
Carnet de Voyage, by Craig Thomson
One more great graphic travelogue, illustrated this time by Craig Thomson. The author spent three months traveling through Barcelona, France, and Morocco. In these spontaneous sketches, Thompson illustrates daily moments and small adventures from his wonderful journey. The 224 pages of this book are full of observations and moments that every traveler wishes to have.
You can buy the Carnet de Voyage here.
The Venice Chronicles, by Enrico Casarosa
Pixar artist Enrico Casarosa takes a stroll in one of the most beautiful cities in the world: Venice. A graphic travelogue in pencil and watercolor, The Venice Chronicles is one of the most beautiful graphic novels on travel. The canals of Venice are omnipresent, and the city’s soul is everywhere. One of the must-read graphic novels for travelers.
Get your copy of The Venice Chronicles here.
Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
Persepolis narrates the story of Marjane Satrapi’s childhood in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. While it’s not the most typical example of travel graphic novels, Satrapi’s book offers a rare glimpse into a fascinating country. The contradictions, the coming of age, and the political turmoil depict an accurate image of Iran. Plus, the world seen through a kid’s eyes is always a sweet experience for the reader. At times, you’ll feel that this comic book and its Middle East stories feel like a time travel book.
You can get Persepolis here.
City of Glass, by Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchelli
So, here’s the second book on this list that might bring some controversy. This one is indeed a graphic novel -and an excellent one- but many people might argue about the travel side of it. The City of Glass is one of the iconic novels of American literature. Written by Paul Auster in the 80s, the novel starts with a telephone call. Adapted by Paul Karasik and illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, the legendary book turns into a graphic novel. I add it to the list because New York City, the City of Glass, is actually the character of this book. When I first read it, it seemed that the city had a voice itself. Thus, this can very well be a dark travel guide to New York.
Check the City of Glass here.
Tokyo on Foot, by Florent Chavouet
This graphic novel is an illustrated tour around Tokyo. In this visually rich graphic memoir, Florent Chavouet visits one Tokyo neighborhood per day and draws sketches with his colored pencils. Chavouet spent six months exploring Tokyo, and he offers the readers a graphic travel guide to one of the most colorful capitals in the world. Scenes and daily life events make this book an excellent guide, where the vibrant neighborhoods of Tokyo come into life through Chavouet’s observations.
Get your copy of Tokyo on Foot here.
Palestine, by Joe Sacco
Joe Sacco’s book is graphic journalism at its best. Based on several months of research and an extended visit to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the early 1990s, Palestine is not just a travel graphic novel. Instead, it is mainly a work of political and historical nonfiction, where journalism and through observations coexist. Joe Sacco conducted over 100 interviews with Palestinians and Jews and offered a rare glimpse of Palestine. Brilliant.
Get a copy of Palestine here.
You & a Bike & a Road, by Eleanor Davis
Last but definitely not least, here’s one more excellent example of travel graphic novels. In 2016, Eleanor Davis documented her bike tour through the United States as it happened. This is an incredible chronicle of “human experience on the most efficient and humane form of human transportation.” As a biker myself, I couldn’t leave this wonderful graphic novel out of this list.
You can buy You & a Bike & a Road here.
The best travel graphic novels: An Epilogue
It’s always hard to make lists, and I find it even harder when it comes to books. As you can see from the graphic novels above, though, I tried to include various titles. Of course, there are plenty of great graphic travelogues and memoirs out there -and if you have a favorite one, please leave a comment.
What I find fascinating is that these graphic novels are not one-dimensional. While they all have in common the illustrated narrative approach, each of them deals with different topics. In some, you can read about history or world war, while others feel more personal. People like Guy Delisle and Joe Sacco have dedicated their lives to creating illustrated versions of the world.
For example, graphic novels like the Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle or Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995 by Joe Sacco go beyond the comic approach. You will read about real people, and you’ll read stories about politics and their impact on people’s lives.
Why am I writing all these? It’s simply because I want to point out that travel graphic novels are not just a fan subgenre of literature or comics. On the contrary: they can be accurate, descriptive, and often indicative of what’s really going in a place. If you haven’t discovered them already, pick one and start your journey.
More stuff for travelers: 15 Masterpieces of travel literature, 20 unique gift ideas for travelers.
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Last Updated on September 1, 2021 by George Pavlopoulos
This list has some great graphic novels on it that I’ve read, like Carnet de Voyage, and ones that I haven’t read that look interesting (Tokyo On Foot). Thanks for compiling the list.
FYI – I’ve been working in the comics business in various different jobs for about 35 years, as a writer, editor, and comics teacher, including a bunch of years as an editor at DC Comics. There isn’t really any great debate about the meaning of the terms “graphic novels” and “comics.” A graphic novel is, as you mentioned, a standalone book. Comics is the umbrella term for comic strips, graphic novels, comic books, etc.
I think it’s a bit confusing to add books of fiction to this list. For people who don’t live in the Middle East or Africa, the Corto Maltese books certainly give you a view of what was like in those parts of the world around 100 years ago (a view from Hugo Pratt’s POV in the 70s and 80s) . But they’re not travelogues. As brilliant as City of Glass is, it’s an existential mystery story that happens to take place in New York City. Maybe you should do a separate list of fictional graphic novels that really convey a lot about the cities or locations where they take place.
Sorry if I’m nitpicking, but I just thought I’d share some of my thoughts.
Hello dear Jim,
First things first: it’s an honor and a pleasure to have your comment on my blog post. A creator’s opinion is always a great addition. Therefore, thank you so much for offering your input and your explanation. They mean a lot to me -and I think they’ll mean a lot to the readers of this blog.
Now, to your comment. Indeed, it might sound a bit confusing. At the beginning of my article, I acknowledged that some of the choices might bring some controversy. The two ones you pointed out -Corto Maltese and City of Glass- are the most controversial. I wasn’t totally sure if I should include them or not. I decided to have them here for (more or less) sentimental reasons: I loved reading as a teenager the adventures of Corto Maltese. As for the City of Glass, I guess I like Paul Auster too much. Reading his novels before the graphic adaptation made me think that New York was the main character. In a way, it was a character by itself. All that said, I included them mainly because both these books made me dive into travel graphic novels.
Thank you so much for clearing things between “graphic novels” and “comics” -and, above all, for sharing your thoughts. I might make fictional graphic novels list in the future, that’s a good idea.
All the best,
George
Just found your blog. especially loved your comment “And when I did, I discovered a new world. For me, it was, without exaggeration, a similar discovery with the cinema d’auteur.”
I recently started a graphic novel travel guide for kids. (still not published) – But reading your comment gives me confidence that many people share my passion for graphic novels and travel.
Please do check out my page on facebook. The first graphic novel is about a brother and sister who come upon a book of clues that take them to japan. I post a page each day – right now they are on their way to tokyo.
Would love to get some feedback from you.
https://www.facebook.com/worldtravelcomix/
Hey Amit,
Thanks for your kind comment. I just visited your FB page, and your work looks wonderful! Keep up the excellent work, and I hope that your graphic novel will be a success! Seeing Tokyo is always great, by the way 🙂
Best regards,
George