Marvel’s First Family & More: Teen Books on Family

It's (almost) clobberin' time! The highly anticipated release of Marvel's Fantastic Four movie is right around the corner. Consisting of a husband, wife, brother, and friend who are loyal enough to die for each other, this team is often called Marvel's First Family. While their adventures are usually exciting, what brings many people back to this crew time and again is their love and dedication to one another. If you're looking for more fantastic family content, check out our list of graphic novels below.  

Obviously, our first choice is going to be the Fantastic Four themselves in their most recent adventure, Fantastic Four by Ryan North. In the first volume, we get to check in on these heroes after a brief separation. In the first couple of issues, we get to see Reed, Sue, Ben, Alicia, and Johnny in more mundane situations as they try to be less super. Of course, as powerful heroes, their respite doesn’t last for long, but their reunion makes the trouble worth it.  

DC Comics is no stranger to this subject, as one of its most famous groups is a family of sorts. Batman by CRC Payne is a domesticated look at Batman and his continuously growing group of children and friends. While most superhero comics focus on the crime-fighting the heroes do, this slice-of-life graphic novel focuses more on the bonds of this found family. From dinner prep to school crushes, this book is full of sweet BatFam moments that will melt your heart.  

Family life isn't always tooth-achingly sweet; sometimes, it's a struggle. The family in the comic Family Tree by Jeff Lemire is forced to come to terms with that after the 8-year-old daughter starts transforming into a tree. While her single mother, brother, and long-absent grandfather try to keep her from losing her humanity, she slowly begins to unravel her dead father's story and the gift of his bloodline. Can this family overcome their challenges enough to save their little girl? 

Even when your family has powers, you can still get stuck making sacrifices. In Coven by Jennifer Dugan, Emsy is forced to leave her life in California to return with her parents to their coven of witches after an attack. Though upset at first, Emsy starts to see the benefits of having a coven for a family and learns to embrace her power. Unfortunately, when there are more people to love and protect, there's also a lot more to lose. Can she learn how to use her family's power fast enough to save what she loves? 

Which fantastic family would you want to be a part of? Comment your favorite below.