It’s not news that comics aren’t just for kids: graphic novels have long pushed the boundaries of fiction, using art, design and formatting to take stories beyond their words. That truth is particularly evident this fall, as a wealth of graphic novels hit shelves that tell stories of war, history and the dilemma that is daily life. Here are TIME’s picks for autumn’s seven must-read graphic novels.
(MORE: TIME’s Top 10 Graphic Memoirs)