Top 101 Comics of 2025

75. One World Under Doom 

Writer: Ryan North

Artist: R. B. Silva

Publisher: Marvel 

Solicitation: Doctor Doom he declares himself Emperor of the World!

Six months ago, Victor Von Doom saved the world from vampires by assuming the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme – then disappeared behind Latveria’s closed borders. But his absence was merely the calm before the storm – a storm that has now arrived. The world wakes up to a new reality: Doom has magically taken over every broadcast medium on Earth and declared himself the ruler of the planet under the flag of a new United Latveria ! And shockingly, impossibly, all global leaders seem to be going along with it. Luckily, whether it’s mind control or Doombots , whatever’s affecting them hasn’t affected Earth’s heroes – so they quickly form a strike team to stop Doom’s machinations. But nothing will go as expected for the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and their allies! What happens when some begin to welcome their new Emperor with open arms, clamoring for ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM?

Why it Made the List: Yes I will have some Marvel books on this list. Do not worry DC fans your time is coming as well. I can completely understand if someone were to dismiss this series considering the amount of different events Marvel has put out over the years. This one actually worked for a number of major reasons starting with the talent involved. 

Ryan North’s run on Fantastic Four has long been one of Marvel’s best books so having that foundation definitely helped. Beyond that, making Doom the central character made it a lot easier to make the event mean something. For one they did not have to overtly manufacture some new threat that comes out of nowhere to become the new most powerful force in all the Marvel Universe. This was just Doom with an upgrade that made sense with his past lineage. The guy knows how to take power from other people. 

Plus it was able to be a story that was heavy on character. This was mostly an exploration into the psyche of the character of Doom. Since he contains multitudes there was plenty of material to explore from his relationship with key characters like Reed Richards to some intriguing questions to ask and answer. Was he actually trying to do good? Do the ends justify the means? What is his final plan? 

Any good event needs a good artist and R. B. Silva very much stepped up with this series. I have enjoyed his work in the past but the opportunity to take on a major storyline like this must have inspired him because it was some of the best looking work of his career. Have to also mention Colorist David Curiel. When I think back to this run the first thing I think of was how he used the color green to make Doom’s presence throughout each issue. 

It’s easy to criticize events when they go wrong, they tend to miss more than hit. One World Under Doom was definitely a hit for me. Even some of the side books were good as well like Red Hulk and the Runaways.  Marvel is defiantly not in its most inspiring place right now. At least this gave us something worth reading. 

74. Powers 25 

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Michael Avon Oeming

Publisher: Dark Horse 

Solicitation: POWERS is BACK! POWERS is one of the longest running independent comics in history and to celebrate the 25th anniversary landmark, the original creators Bendis and Oeming have returned for a brand new monthly series of all-new crime and capes like you have never seen them before.

A fun, dangerous, adult look at a world of heroes through the eyes of special homicide officer Detective Kutter and her brand-new partner, and the first power to ever make powers division, Moebius Moon. Under the watchful eyes of legendary Captains Deena Pilgrim and Enki Sunrise, the new detectives are running through a minefield of all new dangers. A new unsolvable powers murder has Kutter and Moon questioning EVERYTHING about the world and their place in it.

Why it Made the List: Legacy sequels are all the rage in Movies, TV shows, and yes even comics. Most of the time they do more to hurt your view of the original run than help. So despite being a big fan of Powers part of me wondered if this could bring back what was so great about it in the first place. Clearly based on its placement on this list the answer is yes. 

A big reason why it works is that Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming clearly went into this with the mindset that this was the first Powers book ever and not to rely on the goodwill or story of what came before. That accomplished two major goals. First being this is very welcoming to new readers so if you have not read it before you can jump in with no problem. The second being it lives up to the quality of what came before both writing and art wise.  

If you are a previous reader you still get the sense that this is a living world that has changed since the last time we revisited. We get new characters, some returning as well, but also a new status quo to allow for new types of conflict. So sometimes you can go home again and things are just as good as before. 

73. My Perfectly Imperfect Body

Writer/Artist: Debbie Tung

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing 

Solicitation: From celebrated author and illustrator Debbie Tung comes My Perfectly Imperfect Body, a frank, honest, and deeply vulnerable graphic memoir that chronicles the author’s journey of overcoming body-image struggles throughout her youth and young adult years.

Debbie Tung has a simple and gentle message: your body is worthy of being treated with kindness and love at any size.

Illustrated in her unique personal style, Tung shares the experiences of her teenage years and how growing into a mature body combined with teenage angst, vulnerability, and the pressure on girls to be thin and pretty spiraled her into disordered eating. She became obsessed with exercising and dieting, but no matter how much weight she lost, it was never enough. She spent the next few years trying to heal her eating habits, learning about self-love, and finally making peace with her body.

My Perfectly Imperfect Body is her story and one she shares with many survivors of a thin-obsessed media. She hopes her gentle comics provide a safe space to rest on whichever healing journey you find yourself on as you read.

Why it Made the List:  One of the best aspects of comics is how it can be the ultimate tool for people to tell their own story. There is a straight line connection from the creator to the consumer that allows a creator be direct with their words and honest with their visuals. That is the case with Debbie Tung’s graphic novel My Perfectly Imperfect Body that depicts her struggles with her eating disorder. 

This is Debbie telling he story as a teenager and high school student wrestling with her self image and learning how to love herself. It starts in small ways like a side comment from her mother about eating too much and watching her figure. Having someone take notice of a small imperfection that quickly garners all of the attention of your mind. The world can be a cruel place especially when it comes to young girls and Debbie is open and honest with how those struggles impacted her on a deep emotional level. 

Brave gets tossed around a bit too much when it comes to art. It can be subscribed to things that did not need much bravery at all to complete. Considering this consists of a person opening themselves up to reveal their deepest regret and insecurities it feels warranted. Our culture is full of people who seemingly live off of tearing people down in the harshest way possible so to show that level of vulnerability is not easy. 

That is what makes this work though is because it is so open with her story. Showing how from the outside her addiction to exercise and precise eating choices can be seen as a healthy way to live. The slow progression that became something she couldn’t stop as no matter what she did all she could see was what was wrong. Until slowly but surely so learned to love what she was looking at. 

Art can teach us many lessons and My Perfectly Imperfect Body teaches one of the most important on how to learn to love yourself. How perfection is a frivolous pursuit and ultimately we must accept ourselves despite what the world might think. 

72. Lucas Wars

Writer: Laurent Hopman, Jeremy Melloul (Translator)

Artist: Renaud Roche

Publisher: First Second 

Solicitation: Rebellious child who cheated death. Indomitable visionary. And mastermind behind one of the world’s most enduring fandoms: Star Wars.

In a tale befitting the saga he created, Lucas Wars follows George Lucas’s journey from aimless dreamer to filmmaking trailblazer and prodigy of the New Hollywood movement. While his fellow rising stars — directors like Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese — craft The Godfather, Jaws, and Taxi Driver, Lucas follows his childhood dreams and begins work on an epic fantasy… which, he soon discovers, is not without its epic challenges.

Writer Laurent Hopman and artist Renaud Roche dive deep into the creative process behind Star Wars: A New Hope, from the hell of casting to the nightmare of filming. Lucas is forced to juggle actor quarrels, a secret love affair, costume and set mishaps, and constant pushback from film execs. But despite it all, a landmark movie emerges — one that changes the medium of film forever.

Why it Made the List:  Not that long ago in a Galaxy that we are in Star Wars came out and forever change the landscape of movies and entertainment. What might be even more fascinating than Star Wars is the story of its creation. That is chronicled in Lucas Wars by Laurent Hopman and Renaud Roche. 

The first question you may be asking is considering the amount of making of documentaries and coverage surrounding Star Wars is this really going to find new ground or information that has not be covered before.  Perhaps for the most learned Star Wars fan there will be nothing new here but as a moderate one I did learn plenty regarding everything it took to make Star Wars into a reality. Appreciate how it took the time to ensure people like Sound engineers to extras and to Lucas’s friends and family got credit for the key roles they played.  Furthermore, what is most important is what this doesn’t do. 

Comics like this can often come off as Wikipedia articles just gather an assortment of fun facts and throw some illustrations together and call it a day. This is much as a narrative story as it is a docu-comic. Not that it is making up information but rather using reality to tell a tale about the power of determination and what remarkable things can happened with a little luck, ingenuity, and an assortment of some of the most talented filmmakers ever come together. 

We come to learn who George Lucas is beyond his filmmaker status, and what drove him as a person to be so certain Star Wars would work. Seeing his early life where this slacker kid with dreams of being a race car driver used the near death experience of an awful car crash as reason to make something of his life. 

Renaud Roche’s cartooning is exactly what you need for a comic of this ilk. People look as they should be never in a photorealistic since so personality and emotion are removed. Also seemed aware of the fact that this is the type of comic that will attract readers who may not be used to the format so it is super easy to follow using basic grid structure. Even the most novice can easily follow the story with ease. 

Star Wars may be the subject but it is not ultimately the point. If you a fan, a person who enjoys other Star Wars properties, or someone who has little interest in this world altogether you will find a tale about the power of hope in a time when the entire world may see against you. A message as important now as it was then. 

71. I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This

Writer/Artist: Eugene Yelchin

Publisher: Candlewick Press 

Solicitation: In a stunning sequel to The Genius Under the Table, Eugene Yelchin’s graphic memoir depicts his harrowing journey from Leningrad’s underground art scene to a state-run Siberian asylum—and to eventual safety in the US.

No longer the creative little boy under his grandmother’s table, Yevgeny is now a young adult, pursuing his artistic dreams under the constant threat of the KGB’s stranglehold on Russia’s creative scene. When a chance encounter with an American woman opens him up to a world of romance and possibility, Yevgeny believes he has found his path to the future—and freedom overseas. But the threat of being drafted into the military and sent to fight in Afghanistan changes everything in a terrible instant, and he takes drastic measures to decide his fate, leading to unthinkable consequences in a mental hospital. With bold art bringing a vivid reality to life, National Book Award Finalist and Newbery Honoree Eugene Yelchin’s sequel to the acclaimed memoir The Genius Under the Table returns to Yevgeny’s saga, balancing the terror and oppression of Soviet Russia with the author’s signature charm and dark wit. I Wish I Didn’t Have to Tell You This shines a stark spotlight on history while offering a poignant, nuanced, and powerfully resonant look at growing up in—and ultimately leaving—Cold War Russia in the early 1980s.

Why it Made the List: What’s it like to live under an impressive regime? For some reason that question seems to becoming more and more relevant these days. It is important as ever to learn from the past and understand the fragility of freedom. Eugene Yelchin’s latest I Wish I didn’t Have to Tell You This uses influences from his own past to show what life is like when you control so little of it. 

Although based on reality the story is fiction and follows the character of Georgy who has an effectuation with the United States and a tendency to take life as it comes. He is a painter and attends art shows despite the fact that they are not government approved. His thinking being the KGB has bigger fish to fry that a small art show.  Slowly his invincibility shields begin to dissipate as the harsh and dangerous realities hit closer and closer to home. 

Despite having to hide the fact that he is Jewish Gorgy doesn’t seem to mind because its never been really important to him anyway. He lives by that infamous ‘Mantra, it is what it is’ but he finds out you cannot hide who you are because the world will not let you. 

With this being based on Eugene Yelchin’s life it feels as much as of confessional as it does a depiction of events. Georgy laissez faire attitude begins to dissipate as reality catches up to him as he sees people he cares about being hurt simply because of who they.  It makes him realize safety is not guaranteed. There’s an element of regret woven within Eugene Yelchin’s words and art. Could imagine this must have been quite the therapeutic experience and that honesty make it that much more of an effective story. 

70. Silenced Voices: Reclaiming Memories from the Guatemalan Genocide

Writer/Artist: Pablo Leon

Publisher: HarperCollins

Solicitation: In this moving intergenerational tale perfect for fans of Messy Roots and Illegal, Eisner-nominated creator Pablo Leon combines historical research of the Guatemalan Civil War with his own experiences as a Guatemalan immigrant to depict a powerful story of family, sacrifice, survival, and hope.

Langley Park, Maryland, 2013

Brothers Jose and Charlie know very little about their mother’s life in Guatemala, until Jose grows curious about the ongoing genocide trial of Efrain Rios Montt. At first his mother, Clara, shuts his questions down. But as the trial progresses, she begins to open up to her sons about a time in her life that she’s left buried for years.

Peten, Guatemala, 1982

Sisters Clara and Elena hear about the armed conflict every day, but the violence somehow seems far away from their small village. But the day the fight comes to their doorstep, the sisters are separated and are forced to flee through the mountains, leaving them to wonder…Have their paths diverged forever?

Why it Made the List:  YA comics are the biggest market going right now and despite their massive popularity they often get overlooked or typecast into being simple comedic stories about Dogmen, but the truth is there are plenty that touch on difficult subjects even for adults to fully understand. One recent example is from Pablo Leon and his graphic novel Silenced Voices Reclaiming Memories from the Guatemalan Genocide. 

As a parent it is instinctual to want to protect your children from physical and emotional harm. Although sometimes that protection can go too far as you try to have them maintain their innocence as long as possible. Such is the case for Clara within this story. One day her kids come home from school asking about the genocide trials going on in Guatemala. Knowing that is where their mom is from, they realize never hear her talk much about it. At first their curiosity leads her to angrily reject their request. In her mind they need to be focusing on their own lives. Eventually she walks them through her past trauma as they learn about the aunt they never knew.

This is a fictional story based in reality that speaks to the horrors of the past as much as it does the present. Being a work suitable for a younger audience it is a tool as much as it is a work of art. Considering the state of the world we live in and the genocides occurring in the Congo, Sudan, and Gaza it can be utilized to provide insight into what exactly that means, how it happens, and why it is vital to not ignore these events. Certainly all these events are different but what remains universal is the amount of innocence lost. 

It takes a finely tuned hand to be able to approach something so serious in such a delicate way and that is something Pablo Leon has when telling this tale. The framing of it being a mother telling her story to her children helps in designing a story that allows her kids to be educated in knowing the truth but not saturating it with graphic detail to the point where they are simply reliving that trauma themselves. 

Silenced Voices does as the title indicates as it reclaims the past by refusing to ignore it in a way to remember those that were lost and empower those who survived to know their story matters and deserves to be shared. This is a type of comic you hope to see in Middle School and High School libraries to educate kids on the perils of history and what can happen to unchecked power. 

69. The Girl Who Flew Away

Writer/Artist: Lee Dean

Publisher: Iron Circus Comics  

Solicitation: It’s 1976, and Greer Johnson has found herself pregnant, single, and packed off to Florida. Bunking with total strangers to await and hide the birth of her boss’s child, she finds herself unmoored and friendless in the sun-and-fun-obsessed Key West.

While searching for something, anything to give her comfort, Greer does have a few things going for her: she’s surrounded by an unusual parade of singular advisors, neighbors, and allies in a strange new environment, and a wild imagination run amok. But will her flights of fancy be her salvation, or her ultimate undoing?

Why it Made the List:  You don’t see this type of drama much anymore. The Girl Who Flew Away by Lee Dean follows Greer Johnson whose recent pregnancy has caused her to move to Florida with people she doesn’t know all that well. Personality clashes, unacquainted love, and dreams of a better world help make up this simple drama about life. 

Lee Dean indicated they wanted to create a story about characters that are typically side quests in other works of fiction. You can certainly see that as Greer is a young secretary who had an affair with a married man with kids. That is part of the reason she moved in with relative strangers. She needs to hide as if she was alone in those actions. I can certainly see a story being told that focuses on the father of this story as he tries to keep his life together despite his mischievous actions. 

Greer’s story is one of longing and rejection, but also learning how to make the world he own. There’s so much loneliness in these pages as Greer is treated like a pariah rather than a victim. This takes place in the 1970’s and much of the social norms of that time are represented well mostly in the way society judges women far harsher. Greer’s only connection comes in her dreams of a young girl along with the house gardener who seems to be the only person who sees her without judgmental eyes. 

The color palette here captures that 70’s atmosphere to an astounding effect. Pages are covered in yellows, browns, and oranges, so much it feels like you are visiting your great aunt’s house that hasn’t been redecorated since the bicentennial. The choice of designing the book in a landscape aspect ratio gives it the aura of flipping through an old photo album looking back on a world that used to be. Dean’s character design is intriguing as well. Greer’s face is a bit round with a cartoony shape but also full of vivid expression. Like the general drama of this book the art style has its feet in a lot of different worlds. It is not overtly realistic but still true to life. 

The Girl Who Flew Away reminds me a great deal of late sixties and seventies dramas like The Graduate that made it a point to create a world filled with people you see in everyday life. A type of drama that doesn’t try to become too big but at the same time can remain compelling. Some may find the deliberate pace and lack of explanation about some key details difficult to get over. If you are looking for a patient drama about people who tend to be stepping stones in other people’s journeys getting an opportunity to shine in their own tale the vibe here will suit you quite well. 

68. Minor Arcana 

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Jeff Lemire, Letizia Cadonici

Publisher: Boom Studios

Solicitation: Inspired by the iconography of tarot, comics icon Jeff Lemire returns to his critically acclaimed meditation on small town life, family, community, grief, mortality, and the power of human connection.

In the second movement of the story, collected here for the very first time, Theresa is faced with critical decisions that determine her future with the love of her life, while confronting her own past and the mercurial relationships with family.

To find her future, Theresa must let go of her past… but will the past let go of her?

Why it Made the List: Minor Arcana  is Jeff Lemire at his best. A story about a broken family, returning to a broken home, taking place in what is clearly a broken city. I enjoy Jeff Lemire as a writer but do feel his stuff is at his best when he is writing and drawing as well. The lives the characters have lived are written on their faces. The highs, the many lows, as well as the desire to find some assortment of peace. Despite his limited use of lines he evokes so much emotion. 

This year we also got some a few issues drawn by Letizia Cadonici as well. While on the onset I was disappointed I came to appreciate what she brought to the series. Her style is clearly different than Lemire which was the right choice rather than getting someone that feels like a cheap copy. Despite the style differences it evokes many of the same emotions. 

Really enjoyed some of the plot develops as well like Vickie’s budding relationship. The scene with her and Miles on the bench expressing their feelings for one another was one of my favorite moments of the series thus far. A welcome reprieve from some of the darker dramatic elements.  

I do not know how long Lemire plans on keeping this series going. I hope it is awhile because now that we are twelve issues deep these characters and this world feel like they are just taking shape. People that seem rather easy to figure out turned out more complicated.  The more fantastical elements have so much promise. Seems like we have just dipped our toe into what is really happening. Considering how much I have enjoyed this run so far that’s a good thing. 

67. Bitter Root: The Next Movement 

Writer: Chuck Brown, David F. Walker

Artist: Sanford Greene

Publisher:  Image Comics 

Solicitation: A Lie built a House of Oppression. The Bitter Truth will burn it down.

It is 1964, the height of the Civil Rights Movement. A group of activists have gone missing, and a new generation of the Sangerye family must face a menace far worse than anything their ancestors ever encountered. The monstrous jinoo — creatures born out of hate and racism — have evolved into a threat that few people are willing to acknowledge, and even fewer know how to fight.

Why it Made the List: I was living well in 2025 as a comic book fan because so many of my favorite creators came out with new books and a lot of my favorite series also made their return. Loved the first run of Bitter Root and was very happy to see it return once again. 

The story opens in Mississippi in the 1960s as a bus of Freedom riders is attacked but this is not a normal attack. The question is who or WHAT  has done it. Taking place a few decades after the original Bitter Root series, a new generation of the Sangerye family has been tasked to investigate this disturbance to see what type of literal monster is responsible. 

While the time and setting may have changed the core of what made Bitter Root such a strong series has remained. At its heart, it’s a story about the racial and prejudicial systemic issues that can rot away the foundation of society if not addressed. They are simply using a supernatural allegory to approach such issues. What we are seeing with this new volume is an old enemy in a new form. That certainly makes sense considering this is a story that takes place during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.  As so many were trying to push forward others pushed back even harder. 

What is also returning here is the fantastic artwork of Sandford Greene with Colors by Matt Herms. Greene is one of those artists who has every tool a creator needs. His characters are distinct, well-designed, and drawn with vivid emotions. His page designs are creative and lively and he knows how to make any scene dynamic no matter what is happening. I swear no one gets more out of a single page than him because every piece of the page is used for something. Herms colors complement all those skills so well. When you add in letterer Hassan Ostmane-Allahou who is one of the best in the game you have a well crafted issue top to bottom.

You can easily jump into this if you never read Bitter Root before, there are some connections to the past series but this very much stands up on its own. Similar to the original run, the time frame, location, and cultures of the day are massively important to the makeup of this book. That allows for both installments to be of one big piece while still being complete on their own. 

66. System Preference

Writer/Artist: Ugo Bienvenu

Publisher: Titan Comics

Solicitation: Critically-acclaimed writer, artist and director Ugo Bienvenu presents a beautifully illustrated graphic novel which takes a dark introspection on the future of the world of the social media.

Set in a bright dystopian future, fans of the sci-fi fan genre will love exploring the story of a man on the run for protecting cultural treasures in his robot surrogate.

A Black Mirror-esque future-shock satire.

In the near future, society lives in a social media metaverse where data storage is at a premium and historic works of art are simply deleted to make space for holiday photos. Appalled by this way of life, an archivist risks everything by stealing and hiding culturally important artefacts inside the robot acting as the surrogate carrier of his unborn daughter. However, he’s soon discovered, and the family are forced to go on the run, with tragic consequences.

Fans of dystopian sci-fi will love sinking their teeth into this cautionary tale.

Why it Made the List: I really hate the term content when it comes to describing art. Makes it seem like this disposable property that we are just adding to massive piles to be disregarded on a later date. System Preference brings us to a future where that is exactly what is happening. 

Set in the not too distant future where the greatest resource is data storage and there is a very limited supply left. Our main character is an archivist who is responsible for permanently deleting Art deemed no longer necessary to make way for more important material. Who needs to ever see a film called 2001: A Space Odyssey ever again when there’s a picture of people’s meals they didn’t eat to look at. However he is trying to do good by illegally saving material inside his robot surrogate despite the dangers involved. 

Science Fiction is at its best when used as a funhouse mirror on the current state of the world and that is clearly happening here. Despite having a pretty dense narrative in terms of theme it is also a very brisk read covering a lot of ground in only a short bit. Perhaps the creators here realize the value of limited space. 

Could this have been an episode of Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone? Certainly shares similar elements but it does not read like a failed TV script forced to become a comic. It read like a comic through and through. 

65. Absolute Batman

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Nick Dragotta, Gabriel Hernández Walta, Marcos MartínS

Publisher: 

Solicitation: Without the wealth, without the cave, he’s still the Absolute Dark Knight!

Meet Batman as you’ve never seen him before, reimagined with a modern origin story at the hands of superstar creative team Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta!

An astonishing new version of DC’s iconic characters is here! In the Absolute Universe, familiar heroes have been reinvented from the ground up with origin stories that completely reshape both their abilities and their circumstances but maintain the core characteristics that fans have known and loved for decades!

Bruce Wayne comes from nothing. He’s not the scion of a wealthy empire in Gotham City, he’s the son of a public school teacher who he experienced the unimaginable horror of random gun violence as a child, changing the trajectory of his life forever. With no limitless resources, no billions to fund him, no mansion, and no butler to care for him, Bruce has shaped himself into an entirely different breed of Batman, one that is equal parts brain and brawn, who exists exclusively in the grittiest and most underserved parts of Gotham with no high society mask to fall back on.

Why it Made the List: I hope DC fans weren’t getting too nervous that I forgot you because yes DC books have made this list and more are to come. Despite this being a celebration of books I enjoyed last year I feel like I need to talk about what did not work with me with this series because I may have ranked it a lot lower than others. Clearly I enjoyed it. Would not have made this list otherwise but to spoil my list yet again found myself enjoying other Absolute and Batman books a bit more this year. For one I still feel like this Bruce Way is a bit of an unknown considering how many issues we have gotten so far. Yes he’s this big brute and a force of nature. My issue is never connected to him as a character quite yet. Beyond that the Mr. Freeze arc did not work for me, and despite loving Marcos Martín as an artist felt is style did not quite sync up with the overall vibe of this universe.

So now that I got that out of the way let’s get to what I enjoyed which is pretty much everything else. For one I am a big Nick Dragotta fan as East of West is up there as one of my all time favorite books. I love seeing him get a breakout title like this as he’s really been the driving force of this series since the start. He’s been able to take this character that has existed since 1939 and redefine him for a new generation. Not an easy thing to do. 

Scott Snyder being a great Batman fan is not a surprise. I know before this came out some people were bummed Snyder was writing it since he has written so much Batman over the years. I was excited though because felt Snyder was actually doing the best work of his career and wanted to see what lessons he learned from working on his Creator owned books. Clearly those lessons were well learned as this is the biggest thing in comics right now. 

Also where Marcos Martin’s turn in the Absolute world did not work for me Gabriel Hernández Walta’s work very much did and the issue he drew remains my favorite of this run thus far. So while I understand why many will take issue with this ranking know Absolute Batman will be fine, and I am sure still a major hit in 2026 as well. 

64. Dogsred 

Writer/Artist: Satoru Noda

Publisher: VIZ Media

Solicitation: After winning the national championship, 15-year-old figure skater Rou Shirakawa was on his way to the Olympics. But with his mother’s tragic death on his mind, he threw it all away in an outburst of rage. Banned from figure skating, he and his sister move to Hokkaido. When he meets some local kids at the skating pond, they convince him to be a stand-in player for their soon-to-be-disbanded hockey team. The team has never won a game, and they’re up against the local champs—but if they’ve got to go down, they want to score at least one goal before it’s all over. Rou hasn’t got a clue how to play ice hockey, but he sure knows how to skate!

Why it Made the List: It’s like they made an entire manga series based on that one scene from Mighty Ducks Two, and honestly it’s working. Dogsred by Satoru Noda is a sports Manga about Rou Shirakawa who is on his way to the Olympics as a Figure Skater but when he has a complete meltdown at an event he becomes disgraced from the sport.

Now the reason behind his meltdown was most likely the result of the recent and tragic passing of his mother. In order to escape from everything he moves to Hokkaido, but instead he finds himself back on the ice again. After a rough encounter with members of the local school hockey team he reluctantly joins a team despite having no knowledge of the sport. Perhaps it is the ticket to regaining his love of competition again. 

To be honest when I think ice hockey my first thought is not Japan. Canada or Russia maybe, but this shows that it’s a far more worldwide sport than I realized. Now if you’ve never watched or played hockey before there’s great benefit in how it’s presented here since you get to learn alongside Rou Shirakawa on how the game is played. 

Sports stories are filled with cliche’ and it is the one genre where it is wanted the most. You want to see the underdog with an endless amount of emotional baggage take on and defeat the mighty juggernaut of ultimate power. Not to mention the sheer beauty of a sports montage, although we haven’t gotten one in this yet. 

Dogsred certainly has some of that. Rou gets involved with a failing school and a ice hockey team with decades old equipment but even by volume two it becomes more than just a David vs Goliath story. Of course when it comes to sports manga the biggest question is how well the sport is represented with the art. Hockey is a both a beautiful and brutal game and Satoru Noda’s art represents it well. The violence, the grace, and the speed feel true to life with captivating sequences of struggle and triumph. 

I don’t know how big the vein diagram is of Manga and Hockey fans but even if you have never watched a hockey game in your life there is plenty to enjoy with this. Rou being an outsider to the game as well eases in the most novice sports fan, and who knows perhaps after this you’ll find yourself checking out some NHL games just to see how well it brings the sport to life. 

63. Batman: Dark Patterns

Writer: Dan Watters

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Publisher:  DC 

Solicitation: Batman: Dark Patterns is a series of four self-contained, street-level mysteries that delve into the early days of Batman’s role in Gotham City and his healing presence within its streets.

This grounded, mystery-driven narrative evokes the rich tone and style of beloved classics such as Batman: Year One , Batman: The Long Halloween , and Batman: Hush . Penned by the talented Dan Watters and brought to life through the striking artistry of Hayden Sherman, each three-part story stands alone as a gripping detective case, shedding light on the trauma and resilience of Gotham’s citizens and its urban landscape.

The series masterfully underscores Batman’s dual identity as a methodical sleuth and a shadowy beacon of hope, skillfully steering clear of cosmic or supernatural distractions. This intentional focus reassures readers of a steadfast commitment to a more authentic, detective-driven experience, highlighting relatable mysteries that brilliantly showcase the Dark Knight as a healer cloaked in darkness.

Why it Made the List: See that DC fans you did not have to wait long for the next book, and as mentioned more love to Batman. (Not that he really needs it) I am okay with more Batman books though when they are this good. A lot of it is the small things like how this is a twelve issue series with four three issue arcs. I did not know that was even an option. What it allowed is for this series to both cover a lot of ground and have storylines that never overstay their welcome. 

We also get a comic where Batman being a detective is a major part of the story. That even included some great homages to the classic 1960’s Batman series that did not feel out of place in a more modern tale. Once I saw Hayden Sherman draw Batman walking up the side of a building could not help but cheer.

Speaking of Hayden Sherman, they are my comic book artists of 2025 because of this book among another major series. You can probably do the math to determine the title of that book. Sherman creates page layouts that remind you why the medium of comics is so special. How storytelling is not just about what happens in the panels but how those panels are arranged as they can be designed in a way to further the atmosphere of a story or deepen themes. That happened time after time with this run. 

62. Tedward

Writer/Artist: Josh Pettinger

Publisher: Fantagraphics

Solicitation: Meet Tedward — a blockhead with a heart of gold, and a talent for making bad situations worse.

Tedward is, in many ways, the quintessential ‘lovable loser’ — an almost literal blockhead and mangenue in the grand tradition of Pee-Wee Herman, Candide, and Flakey Foont, affording his creator the perfect vehicle to indulge his brilliantly absurdist storytelling instincts. Tedward’s susceptibility to temptation, exploitation (capitalistic or sexual), and misplaced trust continually lands him in ridiculous and hilarious situations, be they scatological, orgiastic, violent, or mundane. His heart of gold never wavers through it all.

Tedward is the debut collection from British-born Philadelphia cartoonist Josh Pettinger. A spiritual cousin to the humor of Simon Hanselmann and Daniel Clowes, Pettinger’s singularity of tone and style in these episodic comedies mark him as a master cartoonist just entering his prime.

Why it Made the List:   Imagine the awkwardness of Tim Robbins but with a British Sensibility. That is the best way I can describe Tedward by Josh Pettinger. This is a collection of short stories that follow Tedward through a number of life encounters of the strange, weird, and indifferent. 

Pettinger’s style lives in the same neighbor of classic underground work you would get in series like 8 Ball or Zap Comics. Books that look to subvert both the norms of society and storytelling with the unexpected actions that will occur moment to moment. They live in a nebulous place and time never anchored to much beyond the desire to keep you guessing and challenge norms. 

Tedward is a sheepish figure who can be his own worst enemy in how he is too nice for his own good sometimes. Like how he gets brought into the world of Powerwashing that ends up being a job of the worst order. Describing why exactly would probably get this article put on some lists. He still finds himself unable to do the logical thing and runaway as fast as possible. Or when he does standup for himself its for the wrong reasons like narcing on his girlfriend regarding her illegal use of televisions. 

Pettinger has knack for getting to the part of your brain that feels awkward but also just wants to keep going to see where it leads. Often that journey gets beyond absurd. Pettinger is quite the cartoonish and to sound perhaps a bit primitive he simply can draw funny. Tedward’s facial expressions tend to be a varying degrees of befuddlement as if he exists within a constant state of confusion. Humor is all about rhythm, timing, and expression and the same goes for comics. Pettinger appears to have figured out the formula. 

Tedward is not a book that is going to work for everyone and that is by way of design. It knows what it is and it’s not ashamed to be that, even if at times maybe it should be. And because of that you’ll know rather quickly if this is something that is click with you are not. If you don’t enjoy the first few pages, don’t see that changing by page fifty. It worked with me but your milage may vary. 

61. Fault Lines

Writer/Artist: Robert Cullen

Publisher: Ablaze

Solicitation: A struggling singer-songwriter in Blackpool becomes the Lovely Assistant in an ominous magical act. A mother in Vancouver recounts her life and death. A widow in Edinburgh is summoned to confront the guilt that’s haunted him since childhood. Fault Lines presents three stories set in the three cities with their catalysts spanning three decades, all brought to you by Emmy-nominated animation veteran Robert Cullen (Danger Mouse, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends).

Why it Made the List: Anytime an artist from another medium moves over to comics I tend to get worried. Especially when that person is coming from the world of film or TV. Do they have good intentions regarding comic books or are they simply using it as a way to gain interest so it can be made someplace else down the line. 

I cannot speak to Robert Cullen’s intentions. Despite my many attempts I have no super powers yet to grant me such an ability. I can speak to his execution because clearly his work with the world of animation paid off when it came to making this comic. For what I can find this appears to be his first published comic and he has taken to the medium quite well. 

This comic contains three separate stories that share thematic similarities. First about a mysterious magic act with dark secrets, another about a mother working through her ultimate loss, and lastly a widow confronts his guilt. Across all three stories, Cullen uses magical realism and personal crisis to explore how people deal with trauma, regret, and moments that shake the foundations of their lives

His time in animation clearly informs his arctic style. With this being such a character focused story his ability to render emotion and craft memorable characters were key to making it work. Very clean and lightly detailed lines that have that animated feel. Many fantastic artists have come from the world of animation and Cullen lives within that same world. I hope he sticks around longer because his command of the medium is at the level of an industry veteran already. Could only imagine how better things could get with future projects. 

 60. Shimazaki in the Land of Peace

Writer: Gouten Hamada

Artist: Takeshi Seshimo

Publisher: Kodansha

Solicitation: Shingo Shimazaki was kidnapped as a boy by the LEL, an international terrorist organization who turned him into an elite covert operative in their war against the international community. After thirty years, he has finally escaped their clutches and returned to his native Japan. All he wants now is to live in peace…but what will happen when his past catches up to him? The acclaimed, action-packed slice-of-life adventure begins here!

Why it Made the List:  Sometimes going through your favorite comics can lead you to learn something about yourself. That happened with me. I found out that the ‘Hitman trying to live a normal life’ genre is one I very much dig. I guess growing up on Mr. Nanny had a bigger impact on me then I realized. 

Shimazaki in the Land of Peace is one of those series along with another book that will make this list shortly. I do love to spoil this list don’t I? This has a more serious bend to it than you may expect for an idea that seems ripe for classic fish out of water hijinks. Much of that is because the central character has a much more tragic backstory as he was kidnapped by a terrorist organization as a young child, forced to work with them for 30 years, but now he is free in search of peace. Peace however has a tendency to play hard to get. 

Now it is not void of humor as there are plenty of awkward social interactions. It’s just not the point of this story. It may be too slow for some as it does take its time. Giving you the chance to just be with these characters. There’s always the sense that something invisible is shaping everyone’s behavior. That creeping discomfort is where the series really shines.

59. The Murder Next Door: A Graphic Memoir

Writer/Artist: Hugh D’Andrad

Publisher: Street Noise Books 

Solicitation: When someone is murdered next door, it changes everything about the way you live your life.

When Hugh was ten years old, he walked home from school to find his friends next door crying outside – they had just come home and discovered their mother’s body. She had been murdered.

Now an adult, Hugh has a happy social life and a successful career as an artist in Oakland, California. But even so he is plagued by anxiety, anger, and panic attacks. As he attends therapy and looks back on his childhood, he comes to realize the trauma and stress that the murder next door had on his life, and how it still affects him today.

Does trauma ever go away? Or does it just hang around, in the backs of our minds forever? This thoughtful, powerful memoir explores how one event in childhood can make a permanent mark on someone’s life.

Why it Made the List: Based on title The Murder Next Door: A Graphic Memoir I was worried this was going to be one of those books that tried to jump on the True Crime trend that simply will not end. I’m pretty sure Netflix just released three more multipart docuseries focusing on the most shocking crimes of all time within the time it took me to write this sentence. Luckily that is not what this is at all. 

The story is not about the murder but rather a vehicle to look into the impact of trauma and how that impact is not always immediate. How sometimes you may see something your mind simply cannot comprehend fully. Immediatly you appear fine, yet that moments lingers with you decades later. 

The limited color palette is very effective. Using teal and black to set a consistent mood only for red to sneak in when trauma and tragedy hit. Upsetting the normalcy of what has been expected bringing us into the anxiety of what is being felt. 

Despite this not being a true crime book it does cover a shocking crime that shows life can change on a dime. There is a mystery as well that is worth exploring. So to say it is completely void of those True Crime elements. They are there and well executed. Hugh D’Andrad simply does not stop there.

58. In the End We All Die

Writer: Tobias Aeschbacher

Artist: Andrew Shields

Publisher: Helvetiq

Solicitation: If Tarantino met Murakami in Germany—this multiple-prize-winning graphic novel set in six adjoining apartments is touching, intricate and very, very violent.

When three sleazy gangsters storm into an apartment in search of a stolen urn, they set off a series of unfortunate events that threatens everyone in the building. As blood begins to pool, it becomes clear that this story is about more than the senseless violence. What is good and what is evil? Who decides who should die? And does anyone really know their neighbors?

Theft and poison and so much shooting: and yet, on muted and somber pages, heartless villains become vulnerable heroes—before descending to cruelty once again. In this graphic novel that swept awards for best debut in Germany and Switzerland, a classic gangster comedy of errors grows into a meditation on loneliness, morality, and even love.

Why it Made the List:  In the End We All Die. Sure that’s a stern reminder of the morality of life but it’s also the name Tobias Aeschbacher’s crime graphic novel that iwas  finally translated for English audiences. This German Graphic Novel, of course it is German, follows sleazy Gangster on the search of stolen urn.  As you would think things do not go as expected in that journey. 

What separates this from other crime stories is that the events all taken place in what’s probably no longer than a fifteen to 30 minute plus or minus a flashback or two. We see this initial confrontation as these gangster burst into an apartment building demanding they get what they are looking for and quickly things devolve with bullets flying anywhere including some unexpected locations. The story then takes a step back as we traverse around the apartment complex learning about the lives of the other tenets as they slowly get intertwined into the chaos. 

I know when talking about a crime story and referencing people like Quiten Tarantino and Shane Black is over done and overtly forced but I do think it is a bit apt here. For one how this likes to play with narrative structure like Tarantino and the dialog here definitely feels akin to Shane Black dialog. Very comedic, heavy on individuals that cannot get out of their own way. 

Now it is not a direct clone as the style here is quite different but those specific elements do feel perhaps inspired by or at least similar to previous work. Tobias Aeschbacher’s artistic style and sense of humor reminds me a great deal of someone like Kyle Starks so if you enjoyed his past work like Assassin Nation or more specifically Kill Them All definitely think this book will work for you. 

Aeschbacher’s has a strong skill in fine tuned economic storytelling because this is a brisk read yet were get a cavalcade of characters created that are fleshed out complete identities. The old couple for example were perhaps my personal favorite and add in some dramatic weight with all the levity that dominates much of the book. Speaking of that pace perhaps this Aeschbacher’s best skill is how well he is able to move from moment to moment in organic ways despite the fact that time is not always moving forward. Breadcrumbs are left and called back upon so your mind is ready to fill in the gaps that have been left that will further explain what exactly is going on in that next room. 

In the End We All Die  is a book that is true to its word. With a title like that you may get the thought this will be some dreary tale full of grit and vinegar about the failings of a humor soul. That would be incorrect. Instead that title is about using the inevitability of death to find humor in places where it does not normally belong. 

57. Exquisite Corpses

Writer: James Tynion IV

Artist: Michael Walsh

Publisher:  Image Comics

Solicitation: Every five years on Halloween, the wealthiest families in America play a game. Twelve of the deadliest people in the world are dropped into a small town with just one goal: last killer standing wins. For the citizens of Oak Valley, Maine — this year’s unlucky arena — the goal is much simpler. They must survive the night.

Experience a comics event like no other, from the minds of JAMES TYNION IV & MICHAEL WALSH, as they lead a group of the most exciting voices in the industry. Over thirteen blood-soaked chapters, these creators will collaborate and compete to determine who wins and who dies

Why it Made the List: Who does not love a good battle royale? You know besides wrestling battle royals that tend to consistent of a multitude of people gradually struggling to throw people over the ropes in the corner of the ring until their specific spot comes out only to ultimately end an unsatisfying finish. Those may not be a good time but when you put a bunch of maniacs into a small area with the only goal is to survive that lead to some kick-ass chaos. 

There are actually a lot of similarities with this comic to wrestling because both consist of characters with over the top gimmicks. Here though they are more video game esc as wealthiest families in the US continue with their tradition of determining who is in control by having a bunch of gun for hires kill each other. Basically The Purge meets Fortnite. Just with far less dancing. 

As a big Michael Walsh fan so happy to see him on a book like this that is getting both a lot of praise and fan attention. He has long shown his ability to draw great horror comics but this is my first experience with him drawing a book with so much action. He makes it work and his background with the horror genre also gives everything a hard edge. It has that grindhouse horror feel that makes the violence that more impactful. 

Usually a book like this with so many different characters would be rather hard to follow. By creating characters so distinct that has not been the case. Costume and character design goes a long way and has been one of my favorite parts of this entire series. 

56. Poison Ivy

Writer: G. Willow Wilson

Artist: Marcio Takara

Publisher:  DC

Solicitation: Ivy is in the crosshairs of tragedy and violence at a pivotal moment. Will she be able to blossom under the pressure, or will her life hit an all-time low? G. Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara continue their fan-favorite epic run in a brand-new volume!

Poison Ivy’s life’s work, Marshview, is under threat from every direction – a horrible entity from the town’s past, the GCPD, an unexpected traitor, Ivy’s old enemy the Gardener, the Order of the Green Knight… and Batman! Nobody is leaving until they get a piece (or more) of Ivy! DC’s verdant villain must confront both the past and present in hopes of securing her own future. The stakes are higher than ever, and Ivy must protect what she holds dear. But will this ultimately be enough to safeguard the sanctuary she’s tirelessly cultivated? And what sacrifices will she have to make along the way?

Why it Made the List:  This series is such a small miracle. For one the fact a series staring one of Batman’s villains is this good does not happen very often. Also this series has hit forty issues by this point and solicited till forty-three with no hint of slowing down. That is so rare for any character in today’s market let alone Poison Ivy. 

So why has it lasted so long? The simple answer is because it’s been so good. Being able to maintain the same creative team of G. Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara is a big reason why. This shows the benefits of having a long wrong being able to create storylines that gradually build along with characters that can change in develop in meaningful ways. Somehow Janet from HR has grown into one of my favorite current DC characters, and even had a budding relationship with Killer Croc that was so endearing. Yeck, even Killer Cros was great in this. 

Marcio Takara was the exact right artist to put on a Poison Ivy book. Being able to render some pretty harsh body horror in a way that is impactful but can still exist in a main title DC book is not a universal skill. 

I sometimes worry that DC is not aware they are still publishing this book and bringing attention to it will lead to its cancellation or getting renumbered back to one for no reason. So it may be a risk but it definitely deserves the recognition. 

55. The Weight

Writer/Artist: Melissa Mendes

Publisher:  Drawn and Quarterly  

Solicitation: A relative’s depression-era diary inspires a young woman’s journey to adulthood

Edie comes into the world calmly as the adults around her rage. Her father is a cruel man who beats her mother regularly and much of Edie’s young life is spent trying to escape this tyrant. “Why doesn’t she ever cry?…Gives me the creeps.” Of course, being a child means she lives a child’s life—she still has laughter-filled sleepovers and outdoor adventures with the local rat pack of kids still too young to work. But Edie’s heart grows callous as her father becomes drunker and angrier.

Melissa Mendes’ pastoral cartooning captures the openness of rural America—soft breezes, tall grass, whirring grasshoppers, rainstorms, skinned knees. But all the while, the cruelty, the disappointment of man lurks behind the barn and in the trailer. Life can be stubbed out as easily as a cigarette tossed in the dirt. One moment all focus, next, gone without a thought. Will Edie find herself repeating a cycle or will she be free like she felt as a child?

Why it Made the List:  Not all wounds heal, especially emotional and psychological ones. Trauma can carry on for generations and that is explored in Melissa Mendes’ The Weight. It is a coming of age tale about a young girl growing up in a small town trying not to repeat the same mistakes of her mother but discovering that will be far more difficult than she realized.

The story follows Will Edie whose mother was in an abusive relationship that got so bad Will had to escape to live with her grandparents. Eventually she is able to find a home with family she barely knew as their support gave her the escape that she needed. However, some of her own mistakes along the way may lead her down the vary path she previously left. 

This is a fictional tale but Melissa Mendes indicated it is inspired by the life and past works. Also brought in elements of her grandfather’s childhood. That level of inspiration is apparent as there is a level of authenticity within this drama. This takes place during midcentury rural America and captures that world well. 

 Mendes excels at keeping things simple to focus on the right details. Page design uses a basic six panel structure which yields a quick reading pace but also helps highlight the isolation of this tale. Rarely are characters captured within the same panel together. Often separated by gutter lines or entire pages. When characters to appear together it is either a moment of violence, or a response to those incidents though moment of warmth. 

The use of black and white recreates this past world as it looks like you are seeing events that take place during yesteryear. There is a limited use of lines, that give you an idea of someone looking back within their own memories. Almost like a counterpoint to the idea of the American Dream that tends to romanticize and simplify this area and time. This shows that perhaps it was not all sunshine and rainbows. 

The Weight isn’t void of heart or positives. It does show the power of a loving parental force and how those forces do not have to be traditional. Most important though is how it is possible to fight through past misgivings to reclaim your own life. It’s not easy, and not everyone has that opportunity, and sometimes the only choice you have is to take matters into your own hands to escape the trauma that won’t let you go. 

54. Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow 

Writer: Ikki Kajiwara

Artist: Tetsuya Chiba

Publisher: Kodansha

Solicitation: After a stunning clash between Rikiishi’s finely honed skill and Joe’s raw, unbridled gift, both are released from Toko Reformatory—but Joe has a lot of catching up to do. His rival is already making waves on the pro circuit, and while Rikiishi has expensive, state-of-the-art training facilities, Joe has nothing but a makeshift gym down by the river. Danpei inspires him to dream of walking back across the so-called bridge of tears and into the limelight, but when the old pug’s reputation catches up with him, it looks like Joe might be shut out of the pros forever…

Why it Made the List: Ashita No Joe Fighting for Tomorrow is one of the most influential mangas of all time and is finally got its first English release the previous year. Apparently it was successful enough as more volumes came out in 2025.  Some may call this a bit of a cheat but since this is part of its first English release I am counting it. 

This first debuted in 1968 and follows the aptly named Joe who wanders the streets of Japan with reckless abandon and a bit of an addiction to fighting. Good thing for him is that he’s good at it and his skills gets him noticed by a down on his luck former boxing coach who believes Joe has the raw talent to become the next boxing legend. 

The thing is Joe doesn’t have much interest in doing that. An orphan who has basically been on his own his entire life he is a bit of a rebel against all causes. He’s a mixture of Huckberry Finn, Robin Hood, and reminds me a great deal of Cool Hand Luke from that Paul Newman classic.  He just does not click with society but with that has a will that keeps him going beyond all odds. His unflinching will gains the respect of those who initially cannot stand him. 

In Volume two this year the Cool Hand Luke comparison hits even stronger considering how much of it consists of him in jail becoming the boxer he once rain away from. He is a challenging character to root for because of his abrasiveness but you can also see why he would garner so much fandom when this was originally released.  He e refuses to back down against a broken system and sees through the charity of individuals for what it really is. 

On the art side the style is indicative of its day but still remains strong nearly sixty years later. Characters are drawn with so much personality and the action is fluid and exciting even if its a bit over the top at times. 

In its most basic form this is a long way to get to what is basically a boxing story but the journey is worth watching, and if you are someone that likes to know about this history of comics and how we got to where we currently are it’s must read to understand what some of your favorite manga and comics series were influenced by. 

53. There’s No Time Like the Present

Writer/Artist: Paul B. Rainey

Publisher:  Drawn and Quarterly

Solicitation: If time travel existed, would you right societal wrongs or just watch future episodes of Doctor Who?

Paul B. Rainey’s There’s No Time Like the Present continues to upend grand science fiction gestures with a deep desire to understand the emotional lives of the common man (nerd). It’s a simple conceit: time travel is only possible between the invention of the necessary, functioning machinery and the day those machines are shut off. In that finite sliver of space-time, humanity schisms into those who defiantly refuse to look into the future, and those who reap the benefits of doing so.

After all, what would you do if you accidentally found out for certain that you would still be working the same dead end job at the age of 70? What would you do if you could read every future issue of your favorite comic? Or if you traveled back in time and couldn’t afford to travel back? Would your life actually be that different? Can we admit that there might not be such a thing as free will? Is life just a series of denials of reality? Why does that one guy have horns?

There’s No Time Like The Present proves the success of Why Don’t You Love Me? was no fluke, and is yet another brilliant graphic novel by a modern master.

Why it Made the List: This was one of the last books I read before I did this list and I am glad I did because it was such a trip. It starts as the ultimate Low Fi / Sci Fi story as it takes this big idea of time travel and breaks it down to its most mundane existence. That sounds like the opposite thing you want to do with a story but society making time travel boring was very much the point.  

What would happen if Time Travel existed? Well it is probably being heavily regulated so only the select few can use it and those that do have access will mainly use it just to get movies and TV shows from the future. Crazy how accurate that felt. 

Now it adds to that as well and gets into some time paradox situations by the end. It asks some questions regarding what happens when you know your fate and your life is just boring. It reminded me of the film Another Earth with a much more sardonic sense of humor. Both had this massive Science fiction idea that was really in the background to explore people and they way they live their lives in the face of the fantastical.  

By the end though it does expand its scope a great deal as it moves from the mundane to the insane. If you are a person who likes their science fiction with deep and detail explanations regarding how everything is happening this is not that type of read. It’s less interested in the Science and more concerned with what those things say about who we are as people. 

52. Skin Police

Writer: Jason Wordie, Jordan Thomas

Artist: Daniel Gete, Jeff Powell

Publisher: Oni Press

Solicitation: WHEN YOU’RE A COP IN THE YEAR 2142, YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO TRUST ANYONE . . . NOT YOUR PARTNER, NOT YOUR SPOUSE, NOT EVEN YOURSELF!

From rising star Jordan Thomas (Mugshots) and powerhouse artist Daniel Gete (Biker Mice from Mars), the hyper-kinetic, near-future action epic SKIN POLICE returns with AN ALL-NEW JUMPING-ON POINT that begins with a no-holds-barred turning point for a world where morally gray law enforcement, black market illegal cloning, and political strife are about to boil over in a hail of gunfire . . .

Agents Eckis and Sheen swore an oath to protect the civilian population from the eminent danger of the rogue black market clones known as “Dupes” that can suddenly “pop” without any advance warning—which means any passerby on the street or subway could possibly become an unhinged spree killer on a moment’s notice. In return for their service, however, the public has dubbed Eckis, Sheen, and their fellow agents the “Skin Police”—an insult handed back by a populace unwilling to sacrifice their own civil rights for the agents’ unprecedented duties in light of the Dupe threat. But what if these illegally manufactured clones doppelgängers weren’t as deadly as initially believed? What if they could be saved? And, as the underground resistance movement supporting them grows, what if their leader proved to be someone uncomfortably familiar to the Skin Police?

Why it Made the List: Wa7 back when Exorcism Island made the list I mentioned how big of a fan I am of Jordan Thomas. Skin Police is another example of why that is the case. Where Exorcism Island is squarely in the horror genre this fits into Science Fiction. You can certainly see influences from properties like Blade Runner to Incal but still exist on its own accord. 

Where Blade Runner focused on Replicates this is all about illegal cloning and tracking down Dupes before they pop and destroy everything around them. It is quite the moral dilemma because these individuals do pose a real threat and have caused major harm to innocent bystanders. At the same time they are still human.  You also have the mystery of the root cause of where this defect comes from. Conflict is best with both sides have valid points to build upon and that is the situation here. 

Daniel Gete has been a bit of a revelation has well. I do not believe I have ever read a comic he drew before and the more this series goes on the more I feel like he is set to become a major name in this business. He has a great skill for cinematic sequences. For example there was this great fight scene in front of an elevator or more recently a shootout within this Dinosaur structure that specifically tracked the path of a bullet. 

Have to also mention Jason Wordie who operates as Co-Writer and colorist. As mentioned you can see the influences of Blade Runner but I love the choice of a color palette that is the exact opposite of that dreary wet neon lit world. With this the colors are bright, vibrant, and often he uses a lot of flat colors as well. To me that seems to help  represent the facade of this society. On the outside trying to maintain that everything is normal and functioning as it should. In reality though what is underneath is far more sinister. 

51. The History of Jerusalem: An Illustrated Story of 4,000 Years

Writer: Vincent Lemire

Artist: Christophe Gaultier

Publisher: Abrams

Solicitation: The 4,000-year history of the city of Jerusalem unfolds in an exceptional graphic narrative that touches on the birth of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, as well as famous conquerors and mighty empires, and more

Four thousand years ago, Jerusalem was a small, isolated village perched on a ridge line between the Mediterranean and the desert. Today it is a bustling metropolis with almost one million inhabitants, attracting visitors from all over the world.

The story of Jerusalem is in many ways the story of the development of Western civilization—religions were born on its streets, famous conquerors laid siege to it, and great empires clashed over it. Considered the cradle of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—the three major monotheistic religions—and a spiritual capital for more than half of humanity. Tracing its history gives us a unique perspective into the histories of these different religious identities.

Why it Made the List:  Jerusalem is one of the most important cities in the history of human kind but even with that much of the Western world does not know much about it beyond the occasional headline. That is why a comic like The History of Jerusalem can play a vital service. 

Obviously with this subject matter you will have people at the ready to claim bias or indicate what is presented is a falsehood for the purpose of propaganda. I think this looks to tell the story as is and even calls out situations where differing opinions of the facts may occur. Plenty of sources are provided for those who wish to check the facts that are presented. Complete objectivity is always impossible but this is a piece designed to get at root causes of what has happened to this city over the last few thousand years

Fitting that is done by having this story told through the perspective of a sacred tree. It  speaks to what has occurred during its existence.  Another risk with a book like this is having a story that is dry and dull that reads like an info dump documentary your teacher would use for history class when they didn’t feel like teaching that day. Instead it is like going through a well designed museum with an informed guide that knows how to tell a story while filling in some key details that you may have missed. 

Christophe Gaultier is the artist here and had quite the task to complete. These pages are packed with information but the page designs do wonders keeping all that detail organized while keeping the story moving forward. I would describe the art style as a bit barebones as there’s not a great deal of detail here; That also makes sense because the purpose is to focus on what is important and that is what occurs. A lot is gleaned through body language and recreations of all the different time periods and that is not easy to do. Fundamentals may not be the most flashy but when done right the impact is massive. 

We live in a time and place where context is more important than ever. Often issues or events will be presented where zero context is given, especially when someone is trying to convey only their side. The History of Jerusalem is not suddenly going to make you an expert on the Middle East but it will provide a lot of context that is absent from today’s media and even the education system we have found ourselves in. Now this isn’t just a textbook in comic book form because there is craft and artistry here. Writer Vincent Lemire and artist Christophe Gaultier are using these events to get to grander points about how civilization’s progress. So even those not yearning for historical comics will find something of importance to be gained. 

50 – 26

(101 – 76 | 75 – 51 | 50 – 26 | 25 – 1)