Episode
Graphic Novels for Beginners (Start Here) with Sophia Glock
- Published
- Mar 31, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1029
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- http://www.whattoreadnextblog.com
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Summary
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Graphic novels aren’t just for kids—and this episode completely changed how I think about them. In this conversation, I sit down with cartoonist Sophia Glock to talk about her haunting and emotional graphic novel Before We Wake . We dive into how comics can explore big themes like grief in a way that feels accessible, immersive, and deeply personal—and why adults should absolutely be reading graphic novels. We also talk about nostalgia (hello early 2000s 👀), the creative process behind blending art and storytelling, and where to start if you’ve never picked up a graphic novel before. 📚 Books Mentioned Before We Wake by Sophia Glock — Buy on Amazon | YA Graphic Novel | Grief, paranormal, friendship Maus by Art Spiegelman — Buy on Amazon | Historical Graphic Novel | Holocaust, memoir Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi — Buy on Amazon | Graphic Memoir | Iran, coming-of-age Fun Home by Alison Bechdel — Buy on Amazon | Literary Graphic Memoir | Family, identity This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki — Buy on Amazon | YA/Adult Graphic Novel | Coming-of-age Spinning by Tillie Walden — Buy on Amazon | Graphic Memoir | Identity, adolescence Charity and Sylvia by Tillie Walden — Buy on Amazon | Graphic Novel | Historical ⏱️ Timestamps [00:00] Intro + meeting Sophia Glock [01:00] Why graphic novels are underrated for adults [02:00] Writing about grief in Before We Wake [04:00] Sophia’s creative process (writing vs drawing) [05:30] Plot overview + lucid dreaming concept [07:00] Setting the book in early 2000s nostalgia [09:30] Nostalgia, pop culture, and generational memory [12:30] Where to start with graphic novels [15:00] YA vs adult tone in storytelling [16:00] Where…