James' Favorite Comics of 2024

I'm still basically retired from comics review, but I couldn't let the end of a year go by without putting together a post of my favorites. My second favorite thing about comics, after reading them, is sharing what I love with others.

So here are my favorite comics of 2024. As always, these aren't the BEST comics, just my personal favorites that meant something to me during this year. I hope you find something you enjoy!

Absolute DC Comics/DC All In by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Scott Snyder, Nick Dragotta, Jason Aaron, Rafa Sandoval, Josh Williamson, Daniel Sampere, Wes Craig, and more published by DC Comics

This is the first of a number of "cheats" on my list where one entry actually picks up a number of comics. Well, it's my list, my rules! Anyway, I want to honor the entire mini-line here. This all started off with the DC All In special earlier in the year. These sorts of one-shots are not always great, and particularly where it ties into a previous event (in this case, Absolute Power, which was actually pretty fun). However, this All In special was terrific. There were 2 separate but related stories in this special, one drawn by Daniel Sampere and the other one by Wes Craig(!). It was highly entertaining and the outcome of the special led right into the new Absolute universe. This is a new, darker DC universe where there are different versions of the heroes you know and love. So far there have been series for your big 3, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, and I'm happy to report that all of the comics have been excellent. Each pairs a first-rate writer with an A+ artist, and tells a story that's a really interesting variation on the origin stories you think you know. Thus far I think Wonder Woman is my favorite but they are all excellent. I'd recommend reading all of this. 

Action Comics/Superman by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Clayton Henry and more, published by DC Comics
Speaking of really strong families of comics, the Superman-related titles have been great this year. Both Action Comics and Superman have been telling really fun stories, and they often tie in together but they're distinct enough to be doing their own thing. But both books are continuations of the triumphant return of Mark Waid to DC Comics (along with a number of other contributors). The man has read every Superman comic ever written, and knows the character (and his associated co-stars) better than just about anyone. Waid has had a very strong year, with these books, World's Finest, and the aforementioned Absolute Power event. He just knows how to tell a really fun, engaging superhero story. And he's got great art partners such as the amazing Dan Mora, who is really kind of the gold standard (as far as I'm concerned) in superhero comic storytelling (always with great colors from Tamra Bonvillain). Both of these books are a ton of fun and give you entertaining stories involving Superman and his associated family.  

Avengers Twilight by Chip Zdarsky and Daniel Acuña, published by Marvel Comics

This was one of my favorite comics covering last year and this year. The basic premise is that this is set in the future of the Marvel universe, and the world has really gotten off track. So, the old superheroes (Cap, Luke Cage, and more) have to come in and clean up the mess that the next generation has made. The art from Daniel Acuna is wonderful here - big and epic and dramatic. A really satisfying read. It's basically like Marvel's version of Kingdom Come (speaking of Mark Waid comics). Writer Chip Zdarsky has a great sense for the voices of old, beaten-down versions of the various characters, and this is just a terrific, engaging story. 

Batman: The Dark Age by Mark Russell, Mike Allred and Laura Allred, published by DC Comics

This is an alternate telling of the story of Batman over a period of a number of years, slightly more intertwined with the events of American and world history. Written by Mark Russell and with art by Mike and Laura Allred, this is a companion piece to a similar story from the same team called Superman: Space Age. That story was one of my favorite comics of the last few years, and so you'll be unsurprised to learn that this one is also a favorite of mine. First, the fact that it's the Allreds on art is enough to get me to read the comic, irrespective of what the comic is actually about. They're among my favorite comic artists ever, and I think their work just keeps getting better and better. And Mark Russell is a fantastic writer, who knows how to fill a comic with emotion, huge laughs, incredibly insightful ideas, and great storytelling. So, similar to the Superman series, this comic is full of action and melodrama and sadness, but it doesn't feel sad when the art comes from the Allreds. They continue to do extraordinary work that conveys big emotions and action and stakes. But we feel the passage of time and history on Bruce Wayne and his friends and family and on Gotham. This story has great twists and turns and is just a feast for the eyes. 

Blacksad They All Fall Down Part 2 by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido, published by Dark Horse

I’m thrilled that there’s a new Blacksad comic - this book is part 2 of a story and part 1 was released in 2022 (so you should start there). Blacksad is a French-published series that’s released a number of volumes over the years, and it is truly one of the most beautiful comics you will ever read. It’s a noir detective story taking place in the 1940’s and 1950’s of a world that’s a lot like ours, except that this is world full of anthropomorphic animals. The lead character is John Blacksad, a private detective who is a large cat. You might initially be thinking that you’re not really interested in something fantastical like that. You want more realistic, grounded stories. Well, the good news for you is that the stories here are incredibly real and grounded and compelling. Apart from the fact that the characters are animals, this is classic noir detective storytelling. There’s been murder, and politics, and racism. This story centers around the arts, and around the politics and money involved in the building of a big superhighway and bridge (very Robert Moses of a story). And like I said, you’ll be left absolutely slack-jawed by the lush, detailed cartooning, and the incredible personality that artist Juanjo Guarnido puts into every character. Don’t miss out on this one.

The Department of Truth by James Tynion IV, Martin Simonds and Aditya Bidikar, published by Image Comics

The Department of Truth is a comic that becomes more and more prescient every time I read a new issue. Department of Truth is a fantastic comic that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a dark, smart commentary on our current times. This is my feel-bad book of the year! What I mean to say is, I wish that the current circumstances in our country/world were such that a book like Department of Truth didn’t need to exist. The central premise of Department of Truth is based around the idea that belief itself shapes reality. Not just in an abstract, philosophical sense of "your perception shapes your reality" but in an actual "what people collectively believe can change and warp reality itself" sense. Think about how that power could be wielded and used to shape and reshape the world. Imagine it how it might change things like the outcome of elections if you could basically just present people with a completely different reality for them to live in. Different facts, different truths, etc. So, you get the power of the Department of Truth. This is a book with a clear point of view that I very much appreciate. It's not subtle, but these are not subtle times that we are living in. 

Energon Universe Comics - By Daniel Warren Johnson, Tom Reilly, Jorge Corona, Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici, Dan Watters, Andrei Bressan, Kelly Thompson, Marco Ferrari and more, published by Image Comics/Skybound 

Like the DC Absolute Universe, this is another situation where I am really just recommending an entire universe of comics. Void Rivals, Transformers, Duke, Cobra Commander, Destro, Scarlett and GI Joe. They've all been fun and exciting and it's been a real joy to see this whole new shared universe take shape. They've got some terrific creators involved. A number of these have been discrete miniseries which provide background on some of the main GI Joe characters. Each of those has been a lot of fun. They're building up the GI Joe world, while also tying it in to what's going on in the Transformers comics (which have been wonderful). And Void Rivals is off in space telling a different and incredibly engaging story, but which also ties into this same universe. It's building a very strong foundation for these individual corners of the universe, but also presumably building up to when we can see all of these stories tie in together. They're all great fun, and I recommend you dive in. 

Fantastic Four by Ryan North, Carlos Gomez and more, published by Marvel Comics

The current run of Fantastic Four has really taken shape as a great, fun, emotional superhero comic that's really as much or more of a sci-fi adventure comic than a superhero comic. Ryan North has been writing terrific stories that find ways to focus on each of the members of the FF and their family and close friends, and it's been a delight. We really get to spend a lot of time with these characters as people, not just as superheroes. Part of what's great is that most issues are either totally self-contained or just involve a 2 or 3 issue arc. So while this comic hasn't been telling one big story like some other FF comics, each issue is its own self-contained story. And North and his artistic partners have done a great job telling some wonderful stories. Issue 25 from just a few months ago was an extraordinary comic that told a full story set on a new world, with characters we came to care about and real stakes, all in a single issue. The art from Carlos Gomez and others has been fun and engaging. This is top-notch storytelling that you should definitely check out. 

Fishflies by Jeff Lemire, published by Image Comics
If Jeff Lemire is writing and drawing his own series, he's another one of those creators where he can just reserve a spot on my list of year-end favorites. He's such a great visual and emotional storyteller, and really good at getting you invested in his characters very quickly. Lemire is one of my favorite storytellers in comics, whether illustrating his own story or working with talented artists. He's got a distinctive voice that often tells stories of loneliness or melancholy, and people making the most of weird or bad situations. Fishflies fits well into that tradition. Fishflies is an unlikely story of a lonely kid and a criminal on the run, and their unlikely bond. There are also lots of weird gross flies, but don't let that stop you. This is a heartfelt, weird and lovely story.

Helen of Wyndhorn By Tom King, Bilquis Evely, Mat Lopes and Clayton Cowles, published by Dark Horse

Helen of Wyndhorn is a miniseries that just concluded, from the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow team of writer Tom King, artist Bilquis Evely, and color artist Mat Lopes. Well, I loved that comic, so I was thrilled to get more from the team, and Helen of Wyndhorn did not disappoint. This is a really special story - about family, and legacy, and the lines between fiction and reality. It's an incredible adventure comic, but also a really sad story about generations of family alienated from one another. I don't want to say too much more about the story because it's worth discovering for yourself, but it's incredibly engaging and the art is stunningly beautiful. 

Houses of the Unholy HC by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Jacob Phillips, published by Image Comics

This is my annual inclusion of whatever work artist Sean Phillips and writer Ed Brubaker have cooked up for a particular year. The two have been working together for decades now and have created some of the most iconic, memorable comics of the 2000's. There appear to be no signs that they are slowing down! This year Houses of the Unholy was their graphic novel, and I absolutely loved it. This is a story that, like most Phillips/Brubaker stories, has crime, tragedy, regrets, bad decisions, and people trying to escape something. Here, it's the Satanic Panic of the 1980's. We've got a protagonist who was one of the unwitting accusers in a Satanic scandal back then, and she continues to be unable to shake her past. There's murder and conspiracies and people on the run. This is fantastic storytelling, and while all of their stories broadly fit into he category of "crime" stories, Brubaker and Phillips keep coming up with fresh and interesting ideas. As long as they do that, they'll have a spot on my list of year-end favorites.  

If You Find This, I’m Already Dead by Matt Kindt, Dan McDaid and Bill Crabtree, published by Dark Horse

This was a fun, weird, 3-issue miniseries from earlier this year that's been collected into a nice HC from Dark Horse. This is a sci-fi series where things start one way and go incredibly wrong, and our lead character finds herself in a stranger place than she would have imagined. Matt Kindt is the ideal storyteller for this sort of weird, scary world, and he has a perfect partner in artist Dan McDaid, whose gritty and exaggerated linework, and ability to draw weird and gross stuff, makes him the perfect artist for this story. The colors from Bill Crabtree work perfectly with McDaid's linework to give this story a weird, grimy, alien feel. This is a fun, weird read. 

The Incredible Hulk by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Nic Klein and more, published by Marvel Comics

The current Incredible Hulk run is very rooted in Hulk's origins as a monster (picking up that theme from the much-loved Immortal Hulk), and explores Hulk's ties to some of the other "monsters" of the Marvel Universe. Hulk is a loner, and he and Banner are at odds, and they've picked up a sidekick in a troubled teen who sees the strength of the Hulk and wants to be strong like him. The art duties have been split among Nic Klein, Travel Foreman and others. They have very different styles from one another but all of them are incredibly skilled storytellers, and the various artists excel at drawing some of the most HORRIFYING things you'll see in a mainstream superhero comic. Like when Banner turns into Hulk - yikes, it's pretty horrific. But that's awesome. I love seeing Hulk explored as a monster among monsters; it's an incredible read.

Kneel Before Zod by Joe Casey, Dan McDaid and David Baron, published by DC Comics

Speaking of the terrific work of Dan McDaid, he drew one of my favorite superhero (or villain, in this case) stories of the year, Kneel Before Zod. ZOD!! (sorry, had to do that) This is a very engaging miniseries about the mighty General Zod and his extremely dysfunctional family, trying to rule their own world and improve their fortunes. Unfortunately for Zod (but fortunately for us) things don't go great. This is a terrific comic full of action and intense drama. And McDaid's gritty, grimy artwork is perfect for telling the story of this villainous but highly compelling military leader and family man(?). This is absolutely a great read.

Man's Best by Pornsak Pichetshote and Jesse Lonergan, published by Boom! Studios

If you're looking for a funny, sweet, emotional miniseries involving hyper-intelligent animals on an alien world, have I got the comic for you! This series (written by Pornsak Pichetshote and Jesse Lonergan) is highly compelling and really just beautiful to look at. Pichetshote is a talented writer (see The Good Asian) and Lonergan is a great artist and storyteller (Hedra, Planet Paradise). Here Lonergan really gets to go wild, with space vistas and alien landscapes, you see all that Lonergan can do. He often adds a really great geometrical element to his storytelling, with innovative panel designs and layouts; it's all both very cool and still in service of the storytelling. And it's a compelling story, about 3 animals just trying to do the best they can for their humans, in some stressful situations. It's a great read.  

Minor Arcana by Jeff Lemire, published by Boom! Studios

I love a Jeff Lemire written-and-drawn story for the reasons I mention above. Minor Arcana has a lot of those classic Lemire elements that pull you in, such as complicated family dynamics and history, and a town full of history and secrets, and a world that is more fantastical than it first appears. These are themes at which Lemire excels, and he does so here as well. I was instantly drawn in by the story of Theresa who comes home to take take of her sick mom (who is a fraud "psychic"), and gets more than she bargained for. It's engaging and compelling from a plot level and an emotional level, and I think Lemire continues to grow and evolve as an artist, doing great work. 

The One Hand and The Six Fingers by Dan Watters, Sumit Kumar, Ram V, Laurence Campbell, Lee loughridge, Aditya Bidikar, and Tom Muller

This was a very cleverly told story. It was 2 different miniseries, written and drawn by 2 different teams, but telling one big story. And that's how you should think of it, as one big story. This is a dark detective story that's set a long time in the future, but in a city that looks very much like our world right now. It's a dark, gritty, scary place, and there's a serial killer on the loose again, which shouldn't be possible because that particular killed was locked up. Suffice to say, there is a lot of weird stuff going on here. This comic is dark and scary and occasionally a little disturbing, but is a fantastic read. I highly recommend picking it up, as the whole story is collected in a single volume. 

The Power Fantasy by Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Clayton Cowles and Rian Hughes, published by Image Comics

The Power Fantasy is an amazing, thought-provoking, dense read. Don't let that dissuade you though, it's also a very fun comic with dramatic twists and turns. It's not a superhero story, but it is a story about people with superpowers. Basically they are superpowers, but in the political nation-state sense of the term. This is a more "realistic" telling of a story about people with super powers, and in this world, these people co-exist uneasily with the nations of the world, living by their own standards and seemingly with humanity's best interests at heart, but sometimes it's hard to tell. I enjoyed each issue so far individually, but the story really came together when I read the first 4 issues in one sequence. At that point I could really appreciate what writer Kieron Gillen and artist Caspar Wijngaard were doing. This is a big, heady story that you will love. Part of why you'll love it is the amazing work of Wijngaard. He's got a clean, fun art style that just keeps getting better and better. His work is extremely ambitious in this series so far, and he brings small and huge moments to life in an equally skillful manner. The whole feel of the book (with letters from Clayton Cowles, and design of the book by Rian Hughes) just has a super-modern, stylish, intelligent feel to it. 

Geiger, Redcoat, Rook: Exodus, and Rocketfellers by Geoff Johns, Bryan Hitch, Jason Fabok, Gary Frank, Brad Anderson, Rob Leigh, published by Image Comics/Ghost Machine 

This is another time where I sing the praises of a whole superhero mini-line of comics. The Ghost Machine comics from Geoff Johns and other writers, and all of the wonderful artists I've listed above (and more) is a series of comics that (so far) have been telling independent stories) but seem to be part of a broader universe and which are going to come together at some point. I can't speak to how or when, but I can tell you that the individual books themselves are really fun. Geiger is the story of a post-apocalyptic world, and a nuclear powered hero roaming the wasteland of former America with his two-headed dog, doing good and presumably looking for purpose. With amazing art from Gary Frank. Rook: Exodus is a fun sci-fi story about a human-settled planet where everything has gone wrong, and order is (sort of) kept by people who are psychically linked to different types of animals. It sounds weird, but it is a super-fun series with great art from Jason Fabok. And Redcoat is a terrifically fun and funny story about a former English soldier who ended up as an immortal and has been having misadventures in America over the last few centuries. That one has delightful art from Bryan Hitch. And most recently, I've loved the first 2 issues of The Rocketfellers, kind of a "Lost in Space" story with a futuristic adventurer family stuck in our time period. All of these are apparently going to tie together at some point, but the good news is that until then, they're all super fun action-adventure comics. 

Saga by Brain K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, published by Image Comics

Saga! Saga came back in 2024! After a 3+ year absence, I'm so glad to say that Saga was back this past year, and it continues to be a comic that I absolutely adore. The artwork of Fiona Staples continues to be as wonderful as ever, and really actually get better and better over time. And BKV knows how to write memorable characters and dialogue. And this creative team still knows how to tell a story with shocking, gross, hilarious and incredibly emotional moments. Saga may not be quite the phenomenon it was when it first came out (which incredibly was more than a dozen years ago), but it still remains a wonderful, really special comic, and one of my favorite books of the year.  

Sensational She-Hulk by Rainbow Rowell, Andres Genolet, Ig Guara and more, published by Marvel Comics

She-Hulk comics don't seem to last that long, sadly. That's a shame, because over the past few years writer Rainbow Rowell has been writing some really wonderful stories about everyone's favorite green super-powered attorney. In this most recent run, Rowell has worked with Andres Genolet and Ig Guara, with great covers from Jen Bartel. It's been a fun, sweet, romantic, occasionally action-packed, always delightful comic. More of a slice-of-life comic that frankly superhero comics could use more of. I love a comic where not everything feels like the end of the world, and the stakes are more personal than they are cataclysmic. It's been a delightful read, and hope Rowell and some of her artistic partners come back to give us more fun, incredibly charming comics like The Sensational She-Hulk.

Ultimate Spider-Man/The Ultimates by Jonathan Hickman, Deniz Camp, Marco Checcheto, Juan Frigeri, Phil Noto, Chris Allen, David Messina, Matt Wilson and more, published by Marvel Comics

Marvel has their own mini-line of comics that I have been really enjoying. Well, 2 comics in particular. That's the Ultimate line, and specifically The Ultimates, and Ultimate Spider-Man. The Ultimates has been the big central story in the new Marvel Ultimate Universe, involving The Maker (evil Reed Richards) and the different sort of Marvel universe he created. Much like DC's Absolute universe, this world is a darker, less heroic place. But there are still heroes and even as the underdogs, they are still coming together. Camp is a great writer and I've really enjoyed what he's been doing in this book with several different excellent artistic partners. And I've loved the Ultimate Spider-Man book, as it's kind of the story I always wanted. Peter is new to being Spider-Man, but he and MJ are together and they have kids. And he's navigating the new world of bring a superhero alongside his pal Harry Osborn, with new threats continuing to appear. The art (mostly from Marco Checcheto) has been really great. I like what Marvel is building here, and these 2 books have both been terrific. 

Unnatural Order by Christopher Yost, Val Rodrigues and more, published by Vault Comics

I'm so happy to see new art from Val Rodrigues. Rodrigues was the artist on an amazing miniseries called Deep Roots (also from Vault Comics) where he had some of the most amazing, weirdest art I've seen in a while in a comic. Unnatural Oder thankfully gives Rodrigues plenty of opportunities to get super weird again. This is a miniseries about a strange alternate world fully of fantasy figures, that isn't exactly what it appears. We meet a bunch of different characters who come together as a group to fight evil, and we meet the threat of the story, and our expectations get upended. It's a really engaging, amazing-looking story and I can't recommend Rodrigues' work highly enough. 

Weatherman Vol. 3 by Jody LeHeup, Nathan Fox and Moreno Dinisio, published by Image Comics

The Weatherman is a totally weird and wild sci-fi miniseries that has great, absudist vibes but actually delves into a lot of heavy, deep ideas. I took a very deep dive into the Weatherman back in 2020, and I'm thrilled that it returned for one more volume. It's a story set centuries in the future, where there isn't a lot of humanity left because of a tragedy that occurred a number of years before. And it involves a seemingly innocent weatherman who might actually be at the center of that tragedy. Or was it someone else? Or was *he* someone else? Like I said, this story goes deep. And the art is wild and weird and gorgeous, from artist Nathan Fox and color artist Moreno Dinisio. It's a remarkable, special series that's unlike most anything you've ever read. I highly recommend it.