Reddit reviews Lulu Anew

Lulu Anew. A really excellent, very realistic graphic novel about a French woman experiencing mid-life doubts. Beautiful drawings, too.

I'm sort of amazed no one's mentioned Jaime Hernandez. His comics very occasionally have elements of fantasy and sci-fi, but they're basically realistic present-day fiction, and I think he's the best cartoonist working today. The Death of Speedy is a good place to start, showing Jaime at his full powers (and at his most realistic), and (at least in the US) is available cheaply used. If you'd prefer to start at the beginning, check out Maggie the Mechanic.

[This One Summer] (http://www.amazon.com/This-One-Summer-Mariko-Tamaki/dp/159643774X/) was marketed as a young adult novel, but is an amazing read for adults as well. A very realistic coming-of-age story about two young girls on summer vacation.

Maus by Art Spiegleman, of course.

To The Heart of the Storm, by Will Eisner. IMO this is the best of Eisner's novels, showing a young man's trip to army training during WW2, as he reflects on his life and his parents' lives.

Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse. This semi-autobiographical graphic novel, about a closeted young gay man in the civil rights era south, is simply incredible- it's a crime that it got so little attention. At least in the US, available very cheaply used.

It's a Good Life If You Don't Weaken, by Seth.

Footnotes in Gaza, by Joe Sacco. (This one is non-fiction.)

Human Diastrophism, by Gilbert Hernandez.

Song of Roland, by Michel Rabagliati. If you like this one, there are a bunch of other Rabagliati graphic novels available in English.

Tamara Drewe, by Posy Simmonds.

Notes for a War Story, by Gipi. Very smart, very realistic graphic novel about young men in a Balkins nation that has collapsed.
Another one that is available very cheaply used. Also look for Gipi's graphic novel "Garage Band," which is about exactly what the title says, and also available very cheaply.