It took three decades for one of the darkest, most challenging French comic books ever to be translated into English, but the wait was worth it. Snowpiercer — or Le Transperceneige as it was originally known — is a post-apocalyptic tale about class warfare. But unlike many similar stories, Snowpiercer doesn't take place in a wasteland created by nuclear fallout or global warming. Instead, the story is set entirely on a train, one that holds the last of humanity, keeping them safe from the unlivable ice age outside. Its cars also create an easy form of class division — the rear of the train holds the dregs of society, while those up front live in luxury. It's a ridiculous concept made believable thanks to some fantastic writing and gritty art, and though it debuted in 1982, it still feels fresh some 30 years later.

"The big force of this story, I think, is that it is not just a sci-fi graphic novel, but rather a timeless philosophical fable," says artist Jean-Marc Rochette.