The Best Comic Books of 2024
Obligatory: These are my “favorite” individual comic book issues that were published in 2024. Please direct any gripes around the best vs. favorite debate to our SEO overlords.
As a result of the individual issue focus, there’s a chance this list also looks a little bit different from those put out by other publications — or what you, yourself, might expect.
Even for me writing this, there were numerous series that didn’t make it onto this individual issue list, but would’ve placed easily on a ranking of top series of the year. It happens. But doing it the other way would’ve meant ignoring several excellent one-shot comics. So this felt like the best compromise.
Regardless of format, though, I did truly enjoy each of these issues this year. Hopefully you did as well. If you haven’t gotten around to some of these titles yet, perhaps it’s a good way to see what’s worth catching on next year, too.
And if there are other recommendations I haven’t included on this list, feel free to share.
TL;DR, here are my 25 “best” individual comic book issues of 2024:
(warning: spoilers abound for the rest of this article)
- IDW: Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees #6 (Patrick Horvath)
Every issue of Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees is harrowing, but none more than this finale. The Richard Scarry’s Busytown aesthetic creates a spectacularly unsettling background for this Hannibal Lecter-esque conclusion, as Samantha’s endgame unfolds — yet is (somehow) even more horrifying than what you might have pictured. Horvath has full command of this story and world from the jump, and it’s never more clear than this issue.
2. Marvel: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (Jonathan Hickman/Marco Checchetto)
It’s very difficult to create many thrills with a Spider-Man origin story at this point. Yet Hickman does here in a truly unique way, giving Peter Parker agency over the decision to be Spider-Man to begin with (and, you could argue, spends subsequent issues investigating that key difference). Checchetto art and Matt Wilson’s colors deliver a rich and lived-in world right off the bat, and along with Hickman’s writing, this issue triumphantly propels you forward into what *feels* like a new approach.
3. Image: Ice Cream Man #39 (W. Maxwell Prince/Martin Morazzo & Chris O’Halloran)
Prince regularly plays with the comic book medium in ways that can surprise and unsettle readers. But here, it’s the most basic concepts of storytelling that get dissected as you really think about human frailty. The jarring visuals grab you. But Prince weaves entire lives into very small spaces, leaving you emotionally devastated for these people despite the limited time you “knew” them and the assured conclusion spelled out right in the cover.
4. Image: The Power Fantasy #3 (Kieron Gillen/Caspar Wijngaard)
Gillen’s interrogation of superpowers (both the concept and the phrase) lands well in today’s environment, but the key to The Power Fantasy is how he’s able to emphasize they’re also people. Valentina’s thorough backstory here gives us even more table-setting for the stakes and events of this alternate history, while making you think in-depth about ethics vs. morals conundrums, despite your own inability to level a continent as these characters can.
5. DC: Poison Ivy/Swamp Thing: Feral Trees #1 (G. Willow Wilson/Mike Perkins)
I’ve really enjoyed G. Willow Wilson’s Poison Ivy run, but this one-shot was the story that I felt captured the essence of her Pamela Isley best. She’s not evil. She feels rejected, and when she thinks she has an opportunity to stop someone else from suffering the same fate, she runs toward them rather than away. I’d argue it’s one of the best portrayals this character has yet seen.
6. Marvel: Doom #1 (Jonathan Hickman/Sanford Greene)
In real time, Doom benefited from a sparing deployment of Victor in the mainline 616 (less so recently), so the bombast of his internal and external narrative lands in a way that almost feels missed. And while the ceremony of Doctor Doom is a highlight, it’s the dynamic art and vibrant colors of Rachelle Rosenberg that really make this one-shot sing as he faces off with the end of the world as only Doom could.
7. Dark Horse: Dawnrunner #4 (Ram V./Evan Cagle)
I’m an unabashed defender of the first Pacific Rim movie, which is partly why I started reading Dawnrunner (the other reason being Ram V.). But while there’s some of that kaiju-vs-mech energy in this issue, V and Cagle use it as a vehicle to explore parenthood, the idea of being enough and humanity’s ability to evolve and grow. Cagle’s art, in particular, hits high marks here as he does some of the best work you’ll see in a comic book all year.
8. DC: Zatanna: Bring Down the House #1 (Mariko Tamaki/Javier Rodriguez)
Rather than put Zatanna in an exalted place of importance (as she can appear at times as one of DC’s foremost magic-wielders), this Black Label series zags. Tamaki and Rodriguez place Zatanna in Vegas as a magic act, and suddenly, the character is unlocked as a real and relatable person with snappy dialogue — even as the environment quickly unravels late in this excellent opening salvo.
9. Image: The Deviant #7 (James Tynion IV/Josh Hixson)
Letting Derek and Randall take center stage in this issue is a smart choice, as Tynion and Hixon leave no word or panel wasted to give readers a better understanding of who these people are relative to their reality. Those pieces of commentary, along with the exploration of our society’s fascination with killers land extremely well, and also take our eye away just along enough to miss yet another impressive twist in this thrilling horror tale.
10. Marvel: The Ultimates #4 (Deniz Camp/Phil Noto)
Camp joked about this issue being a key part of understanding Robert Downey Jr. portraying Doctor Doom in the MCU, but… I kind of see it? The monthly nature of the Ultimate Universe storytelling so far can leave a lot of white space to fill in, but The Ultimates #4 catches us up quickly on the true tragedy and heartbreak of this version of Doom. Better still, it shows that pain more than it tells, letting the reader add their own emotional attachments to the proceedings.
11. DC: Absolute Batman #1 (Scott Snyder/Nick Dragotta)
While the phrase “Batman AF” isn’t committed to the page until issue #2 of this series, it could just as aptly describe this issue. Having Alfred be our narrator gives an interesting perspective on this Absolute Batman. It’s not just that he’s working-class, or huge, or friends with his traditional rogues. It’s that Alfred gets to frame him as a subject of great curiosity and intrigue, with events around Bruce’s parents existing in the background vs. the forefront of the story, too.
12. Comixology: She’s Running on Fumes #1 (Dennis Hopeless/Tyler Jenkins)
Hopeless is effectively penning a tribute to his mother in She’s Running On Fumes, creating a story that doesn’t portray her struggles and challenges as weaknesses, but profound strength in the face of adversity. The first issue does excellent work establishing just how strong she is, but also firmly establishes her as the main character pushing the action — not simply someone responding to circumstances put in front of them. Hopeless’s proximity here creates an excellent feel for the character that hooks you immediately.
13. DC: Plastic Man No More! #1 (Christopher Cantwell/Jacob Edgar & Alex Lins)
Despite my limited knowledge of Plastic Man going into this, Cantwell (as he often does) manages to quickly and effectively present the main character as a figure that is deeply flawed but with noble aims. The depiction of the Justice League interactions from his POV helps this along brilliantly, too, as issue #1 showcases where Patrick O’Brian is struggling and literally melting down. Yet, he feels like there’s nothing to grab onto as his fear is mutated by his sense of ostracism among his peers.
14. BOOM: The Displaced #1 (Ed Brisson/Luca Casalanguida)
This is a healthy mystery right from the start. In The Displaced #1, you’re introduced to an array of characters from a city in Canada, the city disappears, and after a brief news cycle, the world literally moves on. The city and its inhabitants are simply forgotten by all except those that lived there but were out of town that day — which leaves you (and the characters) staring out into an interesting abyss at the end of the first issue.
15. Image: Swan Songs #6 (W. Maxwell Prince/Martin Morazzo)
As mentioned with Prince earlier, he’s going to test the medium. And the same happens here in this Ice Cream Man-imbued nod to Shel Silverstein. The book speaks directly to you, and progressively, at you as you’re eerily presented with a story that invokes real and haunting consequences. If you enjoy being creeped out a bit, this is one to pick up.
16. DC: Superman #12 (Joshua Williamson/Norm Rapmund)
“Superman solving seemingly impossible problems” has been getting a lot more burn lately, in part because the idea has been executed so effectively by creative teams — and none more so than what Williamson and Rapmund cooked up in #12. Lex Luthor and Supes combining forces on the strength of newfound trust and belief makes for fun and wholesome storytelling, without removing the stakes for our heroes.
17. Marvel: Fantastic Four #25 (Ryan North/Carlos Gomez)
I’d argue North hasn’t missed on a Fantastic Four issue yet, but #25 seems to combine all the best elements of the run. The group winds up on a (seemingly) alien world and your usual science-and-exploration stuff ensues. But, a startling revelation finds them grappling with ethics in a new way while pitting the future against Johnny Storm’s newfound (and touching) romance. If you love the Fantastic Four, this issue will give you all of the elements you want and more.
18. Dynamite: Space Ghost #6 (David Pepose/Jonathan Lau)
Throughout his Space Ghost run thus far, Pepose has shown glimpses of the titular character’s care and humanity, and like many real people’s care, it can come off as fear or anger. That’s explored in depth in issue #6, as we’re presented with soft conflict between Space Ghost and Jace that later resolves itself in a way that shows major and affecting emotional growth for both characters.
19. Image: Public Domain #9 (Chip Zdarsky)
You’d think the comic expo takes center stage in Public Domain #9 given the cover and how the issue starts. But… instead we get interesting new avenues into the psyches of the creators in question, and a stunning revelation at the end of the book that provides a significant amount of background and new import for both Candy and Cynthia. Even amid all the comic industry satire, Zdarsky creates some delicious drama here.
20. BOOM: Something Is Killing the Children #0 (James Tynion IV/Werther Dell’Edera)
This year’s SIKTC issues have largely served as a hand-off to whatever the next major arc is, but I felt #0 still stood out as a foundational piece of who Erica Slaughter is, and why she’s seemingly never in the good graces of others like her. Tynion started this series with Erica seeming cold out of necessity and not desire. This issue sheds the most light yet on why, and shows what she’s willing to do to help others.
21. Image: Transformers #10 (Daniel Warren Johnson/Jorge Corona)
We’ve understood the Decepticons as antagonists up to this point, but issue #10 shows how there’s levels to that — as Shockwave’s evil even starts to get some pushback from within their ranks. Beachcomber’s pacifism is handled deftly while still portraying him as a strong character. The raw feel of the pencils are effective throughout this Transformers series, but they do help build some extra gravity and dread here as the plot comes into focus.
22. DC: Challengers of the Unknown #1 (Christopher Cantwell/Sean Izaakse)
Yes, more Cantwell love from me. The Challengers are portrayed as the foil to the gods and superheroics occurring on the Watchtower, and that is taken to its peak when Ace and Superman are paired up to explore one of several observed anomalies. But once on Mars, the two are both played off as equals (the costume change is a good touch) — until we get the gravity and danger of the situation, and realized that both Ace AND Superman may be outmatched. As always, Cantwell seeds an excellent idea here in a first issue.
23. Image: Cobra Commander #1 (Josh Williamson/Andrea Milana)
I went into this with very little Cobra Commander knowledge. Yet after one issue, I felt he was knocking on the door of Doctor Doom as a villain. Williamson sets out with clear intentions here, telling you exactly what he wants to establish with Cobra Commander, and then executing quickly. Milana’s art also creates the appropriate setting for me, mixing with Annalisa Leoni’s colors to develop a rich but dark world with stakes you can swiftly buy into.
24. DC: The Question: All Along the Watchtower #1 (Alex Segura/Cian Tormey)
Instead of your streamlined fish-out-water tale about Renee Montoya (Question), All Along The Watchtower quickly morphs into something much more enticing — a murder mystery in space. It’s more than that, obviously, given the parties involved. But putting the safety of city’s worth of superheroes in the hands of Montoya, who’s already asking all of the right questions (pun intended) at every turn, is a fun juxtaposition and issue #1 made for some entertaining and exciting setup.
25. BOOM: Rare Flavours #4 (Ram V./Felipe Andrade)
Every issue of Rare Flavours was rich with depth and analogies between life and food preparation and consumption. But in #4, getting the full understanding of Rubin’s origin, development and progression to this point — partly overcoming the monster he was, but not fully — puts both a new lens on the story that precedes this one, and the two issues that come after as well. Andrade’s art is wonderful here, as always, too.
***
Thanks for reading this list. If you have others (non-Marvel/DC) that weren’t included here, feel free to note. And below is a quick list of honorable mention issues, for some of the other top books that don’t fit above:
- DC: The New Gods #1 (Ram V/Evan Cagle)
- Marvel: Ultimate Universe: One Year In #1 (Deniz Camp/Jonas Scharf)
- Mad Cave: Dark Empty Void #1 (Zack Kaplan/Chris Shehan)
- AWA: Death Ratio’d #1 (Mark Russell/Vladimir Krstić-Laci)
- Image: Kill Your Darlings #8 (Ethan S. Parker & Griffin Sheridan/Bob Quinn)
