The Best Comic Books of 2022
I’ll start by saying this is a list of my “favorite” individual comic book issues published in 2022, even if I used “best” in the headline.
As a result of the individual issue focus, there may be some series that appear higher than many would rank them, and others lower (or not present) vs. other lists. That’s fine, since the aim here isn’t to conform to conventional wisdom. Rather, it’s just an account of what I’ve gotten the most out of reading over the last 12 months.
Hopefully you’ve enjoyed some of these issues as well. And if not, maybe it’s a helpful guide for your 2023 catch-up reading. If anyone has your own recommendations not included here, please feel free to share. I’m always looking for new titles to check out.
With that in mind, here are my 20 “best” individual comic book issues of 2022:
(warning: copious spoilers ahead)
- Drawn & Quarterly: Ducks: Two Years In the Oil Sands (Kate Beaton)
So admittedly, we’re starting without an individual issue. But since Ducks was only released as a full graphic novel, it’s fine to mess with the “rules” a bit.
For the uninitiated, Ducks is an autobiographical story from Kate Beaton describing the struggles and self-discovery that came from spending two years post-college trying to pay off debt by working in Alberta’s oil sands. The fact that this is Beaton’s own story lends to an immediate familiarity with the characters, and her approach to Ducks creates a real world around readers very quickly.
It also manages to be incredibly accessible, quickly showing who characters are instead of telling, and avoiding typical comics tropes in favor of clear structure and emotional beats. There’s fleeting joy here, but a lot of loneliness. That doesn’t make it a depressing read, as much as it’s an enthralling and education one — about Canada, economic anxieties, being a woman in male-centric settings — as told by Beaton.
2. BOOM! Studios: Something Is Killing The Children #25 (James Tynion IV/Werther Dell’Edera)
I’ll admit that I found the preceding issues (#21–24) interesting, but admittedly, they lacked the sort of shock I’d become accustomed to in the early run of SIKTC. Then, of course, this issue happened.
While we’ve seen Erica deal with consequences before, that was mostly before joining The Order. Here, as an adult, she’s being hunted on multiple fronts and one of the people closest to her pays the ultimate price. She breaks down, naturally, but Tynion does an excellent job of not allowing that to compromise the strength Erica’s been portrayed with to-date. Instead, the fault goes back on Cutter, who’s a clever foil for Erica that’s slowly revealing the depths of her own depravity.
3. Marvel: King Conan #4 (Jason Aaron/Mahmud Asar)
Aaron’s previously said he’s always wanted to write Conan, and the passion for the character shows in the work. But in King Conan #4, he’s truly at his best by removing Conan and Conan II from the larger action to instead create a larger examination of their father/son dynamic.
Despite the swords and mythology here, there’s a relatable nature to many father/son relationships of today as well, which is what makes this particular part of the story resonate so well. You learn about what makes both of these men tick, and how their flaws — and needs to protect one another — end up creating further issues within their relationship.
4. Image: Public Domain #1 (Chip Zdarsky)
A comic about a comic book? It doesn’t get as meta as that might sound, honestly. And in Zdarsky’s hands, this story winds up being a frank and funny commentary on the nature of ownership, family and the larger superhero enterprise that permeates our pop culture today.
Better still, no one’s clearly “good “ or “bad” — though there are some larger mysteries to unpack down the road that could mean certain characters are a bit more nefarious than they first let on. Even the Dallas clan at the center of all of this has their obvious issues. But Zdarksy’s always appeared (to me) most comfortable exploring people’s flaws, and like the series, this issue does that extremely well.
5. Marvel: Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise #1 (Tradd Moore)
Like others, I loved Moore’s Silver Surfer: Black (2019), and this story arrives in a similar vein. The art throws you immediately into an acid trip of a story for the titular Stephen Strange, and you don’t really question where it’s going. You just know you want to read on.
In similar ways to the Silver Surfer: Black story before it, this was well-paced in issue #1 with dialogue used sparingly in deference to arresting visuals. And for Fall Sunrise, the psychedelic images are an even better fit, paying homage to the weirdness that is Doctor Strange’s world. I’d happily read an ongoing Strange series in Moore’s art style, but will take what I can get with this limited run.
6. Marvel: Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #4 (Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing/Carmen Carnero)
Recent-vintage Captain America stories have gone one of two routes (and sometimes both): Either interrogating what it means to be a symbol of the United States, or adding additional layers to Steve Rogers’ backstory that make it less cut-and-dry than originally laid out. As a result, some of these stories have worked out better than others, and there’s a high chance of getting repetitive or derivative of what came before.
Yet, Kelly and Lanzing’s story-telling thus far has avoided most of those traps while creating yet another secret for Captain America’s legacy with the Outer Circle — and the crucial parts both he and Bucky play, though not with the freewill they may think they have. On full display here are some of the key differences between Steve and Bucky and their journeys thus far, along with subtle questions about whether Steve’s point-of-view is truly the right one.
7. Marvel: Black Widow #14 (Kelly Thompson/Elena Casagrande)
I mentioned this issue while talking about my favorite comic book issues of the first half of the year, but it’s worth repeating: It’s truly a shame that Thompson didn’t get more time with these characters and the world she’d quickly built around Natasha and her personality. This spy story worked ver well, as did her relationships and the humanity they imbued her with. Hopefully that’s carried over into another title at some point soon.
Whether that happens or not, though, Thompson deserves a lot of credit for the compelling story arcs she put together on these issues, and how she’s been able to do the heavy lifting for Marvel when it comes to some of its most prominent female characters. I’d argue her work with Natasha and Carol Danvers have been among the best portrayals of both, making up for years of stories falling short around them.
8. Marvel: Inferno #4 (Jonathan Hickman/Stefano Caselli)
Admittedly, when I thought this was the best individual comic issue of the first half of 2022, I thought it was quickly launching the X-Men into a life-or-death conflict with Moira, who’d understandably “broke bad,” so to speak. Unfortunately, that hasn’t completely materialized just yet given the other cross-book X-Men things going on. But it doesn’t completely take away from what occurs in Inferno #4 given what else transpires.
Hickman says his goodbye to Krakoa by planting plenty of seeds for the conflicts to come. The mistrust within and outside the Quiet Council for all of 2022 really gets rolling here, as does Destiny’s increased role in mutant affairs. It also rips the band-aid off when things come to the white knight portrayals of Professor X and Magneto early in the Powers/House of X books. Those doubts have stuck rather well since and served the overall story extremely well (especially in Immortal X-Men and X-Men: Red).
9. BOOM! Studios: House of Slaughter #5 (James Tynion IV & Tate Brombal/Werther Dell’Edera)
House of Slaughter works so well as a SIKTC spin-off because it builds out the lore of the original series not just on the ideas of monster-hunting, but more, the characters we meet in the original. For instance, in the first five issues of Slaughter, we explore Aaron’s backstory, and find unique tragedy that sets him apart from Erica.
In doing so, Tynion and Brombal make his demise in SIKTC all the more meaningful in hindsight. And the ideas that The Order is this monolith of a singular idea continues to break apart, to the benefit of the audience and the overall story Tynion’s interested in telling about this world.
10. DC: Catwoman: Lonely City #3 (Cliff Chiang)
Catwoman has been fleshed out more thoroughly as a character in recent years. And while Batman’s presence looms large across most stories — and even here, where he’s already passed away in this alternate universe — this is yet another showcase for Selina Kyle to build out what her own mantle means (again, even here, where it’s not in the main DC continuity).
In issue #3, Selina and her team come face to face with the mysteries she was searching for and dreading the most in the series. Chiang’s art is unique throughout, and adds a charm to this Batman-less Gotham. His telling of the story through an aged Selina also provides interesting perspective on the nature of Gotham and its gallery of heroes and villains (and I’d argue one that does so a little better than another series around her older self, Tom King’s Batman/Catwoman).
11. Marvel: X-Men: Red #3 (Al Ewing/Stefano Casellli)
The Krakoan Age of X-Men has really done some excellent work with the characterizations of both Storm and Magneto, but putting both characters at the center of Arakko’s politics and efforts to define its new society has unlocked something truly great. Ewing is absolutely cooking from the start of this series, but this issue might be the peak of that work.
In one of his more ruthless maneuvers in recent stories, Magneto defeats Tarn the Uncaring through the guile and intelligence that have defined him best. With victory in hand, Magneto appears more at ease than we’ve seen him in some time. The fight, as always, is where he’s most comfortable.
12. Marvel: Strange #1 (Jed Mackay/Marcelo Ferreira)
As far as tone-setters go, this was one of my favorite #1 issues of the year. Taking over the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme of Earth from Stephen (post-Death of Doctor Strange), Clea makes the title her own very quickly while also balancing her duties as Sorcerer Supreme of the Dark Dimension. Her approach to the role is different in the sense that she’s more cutthroat than her predecessor, but is also more fearless.
What Mackay’s done to add rich lore to long-standing characters like Clea and Felicia Hardy (Black Cat) has been one of the better elements of Marvel books lately. It’s a shame this series is potentially coming to and end in 2023, albeit in a hand-off to a new Doctor Strange #1 (also by Mackay).
13. Image: Eight Billion Genies #1 (Charles Soule/Ryan Browne)
Eight Billion Genies was another fun #1 issue, setting up a world where every person alive gets a genie and one wish. While that could yield chaos for story-telling (and it does for this world pretty quickly), Soule is smart to anchor the early stages in a single bar which is immediately protected by a wish to save it from the effects of the outside environment.
The focus on who all of this impacts normal people is where the first issue — and the overall series — excels, and admittedly, as it drifts away from that in later issues, some doubts arise on my end. But overall, the #1 issue is a great time with an interesting concept that should seem vaguely familiar to those that know Soule and Browne’s other work together (like Curse Words).
14. Marvel: Daredevil #2 (Chip Zdarsky/Marco Checchetto)
Zdarsky doesn’t miss a beat with the new Daredevil series (a follow-up to Devil’s Reign and his previous acclaimed Daredevil run). And as much as this could’ve wound up a complete side step into anniversary territory since it’s #650, the main story brings an interesting and impactful revelation that alters what we think of Matt Murdock, his life, faith and his time as Daredevil.
Having Robert Goldman be the man behind the curtain could seem like a weird swing, but it works here as a way to further create doubt in Matt. That doubt fuels the story to come, and in this specific issue, it has absolutely explosive results.
15. Dark Horse: Break Out #1 (Zack Kaplan/Wilton Santos)
There’s a familiarity to the world of Break Out right off the bat, even if it’s about what would appear to be alien abductions instead of a pandemic. Kaplan uses young people to showcase understandable mistrust in government, lack of social safety nets and a push to “return to normal” despite strong evidence we shouldn’t. Is it purposefully an allegory of our current reality? Probably. Or at the very least, the last three years completely permeate this story.
Where it avoids turning into current events commentary is anchoring it in sibling relationships and a personal struggle to feel like you have a future when the world feels like it’s collapsing around you. As the rest of the story reveals itself, it keeps building on that as well, while creating its own avenue beyond “just” the commentary.
16. Abrams/Marvel: Fantastic Four: Full Circle (Alex Ross)
In his first graphic novel, Alex Ross shows off why he’s such a talented artist, while also writing an interesting standalone tale for Marvel’s first family. By staging things in the Negative Zone, Ross is also able to lean into some wild and interesting art choices. The setting, largely not of Earth-616, allows for nostalgia and psychedelia in equal measure, gorgeously playing to an aesthetic that is synonymous with many of the FF’s most iconic arcs.
Better still, it avoids being yet another retelling of that fateful day with the cosmic rays. And instead, uses the one-shot format to tell a story that would fit well with most Stan Lee/Jack Kirby FF endeavors.
17. DC: The Nice House on the Lake #10 (James Tynion IV/Alvaro Martinez Bueno)
Admittedly, when Nice House On the Lake restarted, it was tough to get back into the swing of things. It was an extended time without these characters, and given the extreme duress they were (and continued to be) under, it was difficult to figure out where this was going. But that’s where Tynion does his best work, as shown here in #10, where the series starts careening dangerously toward the finish line (whatever that may be).
By showcasing the tenuousness of Walter’s control, the immortal conditions the guests are under and the fact that they’re all answering to something bigger, it creates the struggle that guides the rest of the story. Better still, it digs into the complex nature of Walter as an unwilling antagonist at times.
18. DC: Batman: The Knight #1 (Chip Zdarsky/Carmine Di Giandomenico)
While more attention may be paid to Zdarsky’s taking over the main Batman series, to me, this limited run was the impressive proof-of-concept. We join Bruce Wayne before he’s Batman, but well after his parents’ passing. It sheds light on the struggles he deals with mentally, what he overcomes to eventually become Batman, and what he loses along the way.
The setup in issue #1 creates a globe-spanning quest to master his reality. That desire eventually leads Bruce to the understanding that he can’t do that without compromising his beliefs; which is a great character study within early-years Batman stories.
19. Image: Radiant Black #13 (Kyle Higgins/Marcelo Costa)
While I like other aspects of Image’s Massive-verse, Radiant Black is really the standard as an interesting and modern superhero origin story that regularly turns things on its head. And in all honesty, there are few ongoing series that I enjoy reading more than this one, which has impressive consistency despite the world-building and evolution it’s always juggling.
In #13, having Marshall and Nathan both trying to set up what’s next hints at what’s to come in later issues. Radiant Black is not always a superhero, as much as a setting for two struggling adult men to figure themselves out — both together and apart. Establishing a real villain in Accel is also a nice step that takes off in this issue.
20. Image/Skybound: Dark Ride #1 (Joshua Williamson/Andrei Bressan)
Williamson loves horror elements, and with Dark Ride, he gets a literal theme park of scary elements to play with (right down to a fun Disneyland-style map of Devil Land included in issue #1). The Walt Disney-like characterizations here give way to something darker quickly, but after being planted back in today’s time and the park, you think you’re getting a clear-cut “something weird is going on at the park” story. Of course, it’s much more.
The final scenes of #1 take things to further depths than the reader (or at least, this reader) would’ve thought, creating a murkier mystery about the nature of the park itself than what’s initially hinted at. Issue #2 takes that further, while continuing to up the ante on disturbing images — something that seems likely to be a theme throughout this run.
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Thanks for taking the time to read this list, and like I said, would love to hear about other recommendations. Below is a quick list of honorable mentions, too, to nod to a few more titles I really enjoyed this year.
- Marvel: Iron Cat #3 (Jed Mackay/Pere Perez)
- DC: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #1 (Mark Waid/Dan Mora)
- BOOM! Studios: Once Upon a Time at the End of the World #1 (Jason Aaron/Nick Dragotta)
- Image: Step By Bloody Step #1 (Si Spurrier/Matias Bergara)
