New & Noteworthy Graphic Novels for Grownups

Summer rolls around, and it's time for our semi-annual new & noteworthy graphic novel roundup! Here at abcreads we love to read graphic novels and comics, from Asterix & Tintin to graphic biographies to X-Men, and everything in-between. This year we're featuring a couple graphic memoirs (including one with recipes!), the latest entries in some series, the newest by Love & Rockets co-collaborator Gilbert Hernandez, even a graphic retelling of the U.S. constitution and a comic parody of Downton Abbey.

Our question this year for fans of this format: do you prefer to call them graphic novels or comics? The website wiseGEEK differentiates between comic books and graphic novels, primarily due to "completeness" and "length".  Author Chris Ware has also weighed in on the topic for Wisconsin Public Radio. What's your take?

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

Calling Dr. Laura: A Graphic Memoir by Nicole J. Georges

Julio's Day by Gilbert Hernandez

Red Handed: The Fine Art of Strange Crimes written & illustrated by Matt Kindt

Heck by Zander Cannon

Genius by Steven Seagle

The Unwritten: Vol. 7, The Wound by Mike Carey, Peter Gross

An Enchantment: The Louvre Collection by Christian Durieux

The United States Constitution written by Thomas Jefferson ... [et al.] ; adapted by Nadja Baer

Everything Together: Collected Stories by Sammy Harkham

Heads or Tails by Lilli Carré

Hitman: For Tomorrow by Garth Ennis, et al.

A Bride's Story 4 by Kaoru Mori

Invincible: Vol. 17, What's Happening by Robert Kirkman, et al.

Mumbai New York Scranton by Tamara Shopsin

A Chinese Life by Philippe Ôtié and Li Kunwu

Agent Gates and the Secret Adventures of Devonton Abbey: (A Parody) by Camaren Subhiyah

The Massive: Volume 1, Black Pacific by Brian Wood, et al.