We're halfway through the year, and comics have been giving! Let's celebrate.
With June done, it's time for us to check in. 2024 is turning into another year of exceptional comic book reading. From single issues to original graphic novels, for all ages and adults only, every customer is covered. If you like to stay in your lane, you're good, but if you choose adventure and push beyond your taste, you'll discover some transformative material. However, as usual, selecting The Best Comics of 2024 So Far has proved tricky, but the joy is in the attempt.
Below, you'll find our thirty favorites. Naturally, these picks come with some caveats. We've read a lot, but we have yet to read everything. If you don't see your fave listed, let us know because we want to put it in our brains before we complete our end-of-the-year selections. Also, we're weirdos, and our tastes might not align with yours. That's not only okay, that's exciting.
Our biggest regret is the lack of Manga. We've read some, but obviously not enough. We need help in this arena, so again, let us know what you think has been the best of the year so far.
We're already contemplating the sequel to this article and our end-of-the-year awards ceremony, The Stampies. We've read a bunch of books that haven't been released yet, and the future looks somehow impossibly brighter. New Charles Burns books are on their way. Get hyped.
Armored (Clover Press)
If we crack a comic open and it looks unlike anything else on the stands, we're immediately into it. Armored, written by Michael Schwartz and illustrated by Ismael Hernandez, is shockingly watercolored and features stellar acting on its characters. Its hook involves a recently adopted boy discovering a haunted suit of armor. Beyond that, there's a gnarly creature on the hunt. So far this year, we've only gotten two issues, but that's enough to steal our hearts. The vibe will undoubtedly appeal to anyone obsessed with 80s gems like The Goonies, The Monster Squad, and House II: The Second Story.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (IDW Publishing)
Oh, we thought we loved this book after it launched last year, but now that it's wrapped, we're positively smitten. Yes, we know we're not the only ones considering the much-deserved heaps of praise this book has received from seemingly everyone. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees far surpassed the promise of its elevator pitch, delivering a profoundly upsetting saga of two serial killers squaring off while the town around them deteriorates. And yeah, everyone is a cute, cuddly critter, which only enhances the horror when they get pulped bloody. And even though it seems everyone in our circles has already devoured Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, we know the book will grab an entirely new audience when the trade paperback drops. We're betting it will sell perenially.
Birds of Prey (DC)
The best superhero book of the year continues to slay month after month. As we expected, writer Kelly Thompson nails the voices of this book's eclectic cast, providing conversation combinations we never imagined and ones we never want to see broken asunder. Thanks to folks like Leonardo Romero, Javier Pina, Gavin Guidry, and Jonathan Case, Birds of Prey excels in the action sequentialing while never skimping on character and emotion. Superhero books are dynamite right now, but this is the roster that feels the most fresh and vibrant.
Barda (DC)
Very few have explored Jack Kirby's Fourth World as both writer and artist. There's Walter Simonson, and there's Ngozi Ukazu. Barda is an incredibly special YA OGN. The cartoonist began her journey on the book as a Kirby enthusiast, but she completed it as an absolute fanatic. Her passion for the King radiates from every page, even though it does not mimic Kirby's style (although his aesthetic is all over this book). Barda explores its hero at the very moment she discovers the rebellious nature of love. It's a romance, but directed inward more than outward, but don't worry, it's got the Scott Free meet-cute. Ngozi Ukazu put massive smiles on these two Love Birds running this site, and we're beaming knowing she'll continue her great work with the Orion follow-up.
Boy Wonder (DC)
Oh, is it a Juni Ba comic? No doubt, it will wind up on our end-of-the-year list, aka The Stampies. Having devastated our hearts with books like Djeliya, Monkey Meat, and Mobilis: My Life with Captain Nemo, Ba turns his attention to Gotham, or more accurately, Gotham's most troubled son. Or, grandson? Damian Wayne is a tough character. Too often, he's cast off as a brat, but Ba showcases Damian's traumatized soul and his quest for space amongst Batman's too many Robins. Brilliantly, in the process, Juni Ba highlights what's so dang special about each one. If the Jason Todd issue doesn't bring tears to your cheeks, you better check your humanity.
Brownstone (Versify)
What do we owe our parents? Are you, you, or are you what happens when two people smash together and fall apart? Are you just the pieces? Almudena does not know her father, but she's always been curious. Until her white mother ditches her for a once-in-a-lifetime trip, abandoning Almudena with her Guatemalan father, who speaks almost zero English. Now, she's trapped and isolated, tasked with renovating a busted brownstone alongside Dad. Authors Samuel Teer and Mar Julia expertly encapsulate Almudena's adolescent fear and power, once she commits to her surroundings and childhood curiosity. Brownstone is as good a coming-of-age story as they get.
The Deep Dark (Graphix)
The Deep Dark is a big, fat, soul-satisfying read. It's an epic about deadly secrets made literal, forcing its central hero to isolate themselves from community until remaining hidden reveals itself to be just as lethal. Molly Knox Osertag is a cartoonist who pumps every line with life, creating tangible characters that almost seem stolen from your timeline. The Deep Dark is mad, and its heat should transfer into your skin and blood, but through its anger, you should uncover tremendous warmth and beauty, too. If you spend your time only looking at weekly comics, make sure to spin over to the bookshelves for this one.
Doom (Marvel)
No one does Doom like Jonathan Hickman. As folks who found their love for the writer through his Fantastic Four run, carrying over to Avengers, New Avengers, and Secret Wars, we thought Hickman had said all there is to say about the good bad doctor. Welp, nope. Hickman plunges Dr. Doom into his End, facing off against the world devourer, Galactus. It's all quite existential and delightful, but what takes this comic over the top is artist Sandford Greene doing the best work of his already outstanding career. Greene himself seems touched by the infinite and his Doom will be a cosmic comic celebrated for ages.
Flash Gordon (King Features)
Dan Schkade got us reading the daily strips again. His Flash Gordon removes Ming from the equation, exploring a Mongo without its despot, revealing the treachery possible in peacetime. Flash, Dale, and Dr. Zarkov remain the strip's central three, but Schkade has added great texture to the lore with new characters while highlighting and bolstering your supporting faves. Since its relaunch late last year, Flash Gordon has given us espionage, gladiatorial combat, kaiju terror, and good old classic swashbuckling, all told with Schkade's unique, high-energy enthusiasm.
Friday (Panel Syndicate/Image Comics)
We did not want this comic to end. Seriously, could there be just one more chapter? Alas, Ed Brubaker and Marcos Martin bring their supernatural detective story to its conclusion, and despite our desires, find an ending so perfect, we cannot deny it. Friday is over, and it was a serialized ride we won't soon forget. If you have yet to read this comic or this final chapter, please, please, please don't go exploring for more information about it. Trust us and dive in. The third and final trade paperback is coming, but you should really give the Panel Syndicate digital delivery system a spin.
Griz Grobus (Image Comics)
Technically, as Kickstarter backers, we read this comic last year, but since Image Comics just published a glorious trade paperback edition, we're including Griz Grobus among our 2024 faves. Simon Roy's comics always demand your attention, especially these twistedly comical sci-fi tales about Altamira (see also Habitat and Refugium). His top-tier design work creates machines, flora, and fauna that are as engaging as his humanoids and robots. Griz Grobus discusses religion and environmentalism in an addictively readable, hilarious, and pulse-pounding way. And, frankly, it's just clever as hell.
Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse Comics)
Tom King and Bilquis Evely should never stop making comics together. Their work on Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will go down as an all-timer collaboration, and after three Helen of Wyndhorn issues, there's no reason to think it won't, too. It's a masterfully told fantasy that owes much to Conan the Barbarian and The Wizard of Oz. Still, as much as it champions those works, it champions its creators, especially Robert E. Howard, even more so. Helen of Wyndhorn has sent us back to those short stories, and we are deeply grateful, even if they don't really offer any insight into what will come next for Helen and her supporting cast. King and Evely's magical creation contains a feverishly compelling mystery, but the many narrative layers it's treading fascinate us the most.
Hexagon Bridge (Image Comics)
Yesterday, a bridge was built to aid humans in crossing dimensions. A husband and wife tried to use it, but the artificial intelligence controlling the bridge imprisoned them, and they were lost. Years later, their daughter, who has enhanced mental abilities, partners with another A.I. in a rescue attempt. The adventure proves meddlesome. Richard Brake's Hexagon Bridge feels like something you would have encountered in Heavy Metal a long time ago, in a dimension far, far away. Its pictures are as pretty as the poetry found in its captions and balloons. Yes, it's a tale for those who appreciate melancholy in their optimism.
Hogbook and Lazer Eyes (Fantagraphics)
Long before Comic Book Couples Counseling, comedian Maria Bamford was our life coach, although she didn't know it. Already obsessed with her albums, memoirs, television, and film appearances, we nearly imploded from the potential when we learned she and her husband, Scott Marvel Cassidy, would tell their unification tale in the medium we cherish above all others. Of course, they're not actually telling their story in Hogbook and Lazer Eyes. Instead, their elderly pugs communicate the romance to the readers, and this detail propels the graphic novel above the standard autobio. Hogbook and Lazer Eyes is an achingly sweet and passionate story, told expediently and with power. It's a comic we've already returned to multiple times, and we imagine that will continue as the years progress.
I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together (Pantheon)
If 2024 were to end today, I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together would be our absolute favorite comic of the year. Maurice Vellekoop spent eleven years executing his vision, and we're so thankful he never took a breath or had a second thought about where to spend his last decade. I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together seemingly exposes Vellekoop's childhood, adolescence, and adulthood in totality, and we could not possibly imagine doing the same for our lives. The comic is a heroic expression of self, investigating sexuality, religion, depression, artistic subjugation, and parental judgment. Go to your nearest bookstore. Pull Vellekoop's comic from the shelf. Open to a random page. We dare you to deny the beauty you see.
Judge Dredd: A Better World (2000 AD)
Just as Dan Schkade got us reading daily strips again, Rob Williams got us reading Judge Dredd again. He understands Dredd better than many, directing Mega-City One's top cop with a contemporary rage, maintaining the character's relevance. In partnering with co-writer Arthur Wyatt and the equally quintessential Dredd artist Henry Flint, Williams pounds out a brutally relatable crime story that clamors for more eyeballs upon it. Judge Dredd: A Better World asks how safe Mega-City One would be if they diverted Judge dollars to other social programs. Can the Judges afford to learn the truth? Can Dredd?
Karate Prom (First Second Books)
Folks are waking up to the genius of Kyle Starks, and it's so goddamn great to witness from our high-seated position of, "We've been reading Starks since Sexcastle." Yes, we've loved his work with Marvel Unleashed, I Hate This Place, Peacemaker Tries Hard, and the upcoming Barfly: From the World of Minor Threats, but there's something extra special when he gets to let loose as a full-blown cartoonist. What makes Karate Prom extra special is that it's Starks catering to an audience he's never partied with before. His latest book is a YA romance packed with one-punch men, nunchucks, and noodle arms. It's a blast, but like all Starks comics, the heart is the ultimate destination.
Love Everlasting (Image Comics)
When Love Everlasting began, the story was difficult to pin down. We were watching Joan propelled through various romance comic scenarios. Whenever love finally found its hold on her, a mysterious cowboy would enter and blow her brains out—wash, rinse, repeat. This year, the mechanics thrusting Joan through these situations started to become more apparent, and with the realizations, the horror intensified. Tom King and Elsa Charretier are taking a break from Joan for a bit, but hopefully not too long. The fifteenth issue climaxed with a sad victory of sorts, and we're more than eager to see the next panel. Love Everlasting, while owing itself to a comics genre and era we adore, never feels nostalgic. If anything, it's one of the most vital comics on the stands and has the capacity to alter brains or radicalize them.
Lunar New Year Love Story (First Second Books)
Released in January, Lunar New Year Love Story was the first great comic book of 2024. As such, we hope folks remember it when it's time to make Best-Of lists like this one. Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham team up for a coming-of-age rom-com that's not afraid to be a little scary. Friends, there are pages in this comic that evoke the best and creepiest moments from Guillermo del Toro's cinematic canon. Young Val has jettisoned her belief in love, having experienced its cruel work on her family. Then comes along a pair of lion dancers who spark some sort of feeling in her. Can she trust it, though?
Man's Best (Boom Studios)
How far can the boundaries of comics be pushed? The answers lie within any Jesse Lonergan comic. His latest, Man's Best, done in collaboration with Pornsak Pichetshote, is a riveting science fiction adventure about three emotional support animals lost on an alien planet, looking for their master. As they trek through an unforgiving environment, their outer and inner realities are tested, allowing Lonergan to go nuts with the paneling. Pichetshote masterfully structures the quest, driving the reader into treacherous territories and subverting expectations while providing something so much better. We have a few issues left and wouldn't miss them for the world.
Mary Tyler Moorehawk (Top Shelf Productions)
What were we just saying about pushing the boundaries of comics? With Mary Tyler Moorehawk, cartoonist Dave Baker asks all others to hold his beer. His impossible-to-classify comic is the kind of ambitious storytelling that drives readers to the mountain tops, ready to start a new religion, which would be very on-brand for this story in particular. On some of its pages, Mary Tyler Moorehawk is about a Johnny Quest/Nancy Drew type, saving the day, every damn day. On some of its other pages, Mary Tyler Moorehawk is about a reporter named Dave Baker investigating the cult classic television show called Mary Tyler Moorehawk. On some of its other, other pages, Mary Tyler Moorehawk is about a whole lot more. The book is dense and hard to put down. We may even be gripping onto it as we type these words with one hand.
Newburn (Image Comics)
Another comic finds its ending whether we want it to or not. Newburn, by Chip Zdarsky and Jacob Phillips, approaches noir from an even more vicious perspective. The title detective is the best there is at what he does, and what he does is solve mysteries for New York's toughest crime families and keep them from tearing each other apart. Newburn's first volume was primarily set up, but its second digs deep into our hero's morality and our morality in return. Phillips excels in this genre, but Zdarsky gives him problems to jump his game. It was awesome to watch, and it's impressive how tidy a package these two volumes make.
Our Bones Dust (Image Comics)
We've always treasured Ben Stenbeck. His collaborations with Mike Mignola (Frankenstein Underground, Koshchei) are stellar additions to the Hellboy and BPRD universe, but Our Bones Dust stands above those beauties as a pure, singular expression. True, it's gnarly. Stenbeck's post-apocalyptic wasteland features roving herds of cannibals, corporate robo-killers, and curious aliens who merely want to avoid the hell humanity created. It's a mean, mean, mean book at times, but told thoughtfully and with nuance. Would it be weird to say we want to spend more time in this place? There certainly is more story to be told. We'd love to hear it.
The Principles of Necromancy (Magma Comix)
Full disclosure: artist Eamon Winkle is a friend. With that acknowledged, holy shit, The Principles of Necromancy goes hard, and Winkle's art feels like a significant new addition to the medium. The comic, written by Hivemind Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, is a demented tour through a barbarian world. Jacob Eyes, the world's first necromancer, seeks to defeat death through his twisted science, and as depicted by Winkle, it's a graphic, grotesque education. As readers, we also can't turn away, and the doctor's mask might very well be the best superhero/supervillain accouterment of this century. Icon.
Spectregraph (DSTLRY)
The first issue rocked us. James Tynion IV and Christian Ward are a devilish pair, both artists slamming their creative metal to the pedal and gifting readers the year's most stunning and nightmarish ghost story. What purpose does the empty LA mansion serve? Nothing good, certainly not for the poor realtor who's ditched her baby for a quickie show and tell that turns out not such a quickie. Something happened during Batman: City of Madness. A button got pushed, or a fire got lit. Ward's work is ablaze, determined to burn into our imaginations permanently. Spectregraph is our favorite book from DSTLRY so far, and they've knocked out a few bangers already.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Black, White, and Green (IDW Publishing)
We've written this elsewhere on the site, but we'll repeat it: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Black, White, and Green is the most exciting TMNT book in years. Frankly, it's the TMNT book we've been waiting on, an anthology free from continuity that allows artists like Dave Baker, Jesse Lonergan, Gavin Smith, Javier Rodríguez, and others to cook. Already in the two issues on the stands, we've seen wildly different interpretations of the Turtles, embracing multiple tones, let alone styles. As thoroughly and iconically tested during the original Mirage Studios days, this freedom accentuates the core attributes that make the Turtles the Turtles. If Batman and Superman can sustain and thrive in such flexibility, so can they. These comics are invigorating to read, and we hope the series continues to push itself, pick up more readers, and never end.
Transformers (Skybound/Image Comics)
We're one year into Skybound's Energon Universe and are as excited about it today as we were when it launched. Daniel Warren Johnson's first Transformers arc did what Daniel Warren Johnson comics do, kicked ass, tore our guts out, and left us weeping through its love and optimism for the characters. We always knew his art duties would only last for the first six issues, and we were naturally nervous about the baton toss to artist Jorge Corona, but the book retains the hallmarks we crave. The Autobots and Decepticons look their dapper best here, but we're even more impressed by their relationship with us puny humans, and that's a relationship we've previously shirked away from.
Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse Comics)
Few comics compete for our hearts like Usagi Yojimbo. It's a cherished book in these parts, and Stan Sakai is a venerated cartoonist. For forty years, he's chronicled the Rabbit Ronin's story. We love some chapters more than others, but we like every single one, and even more astonishing, this year's "The Crow" storyline provided one of our all-time favorite Usagi Yojimbo issues. Those two buds, Masa and Jiro, loving each other and hating each other as their comrades die around them. Too funny, too truthful. Masterfully illustrated. We're in awe of Stan Sakai. It's that simple.
When I Arrived at the Castle (Koyama Press)
If you're wondering where the header image for this article came from, ding, ding, ding! This is the responsible comic. When I Arrived at the Castle by Emily Carroll is a thin, breezy, and haunting read. Erotic gothic romance is a well-traveled subgenre filled with standout pieces. Carroll adds to it like the pro you should already know her to be (you've also read Through the Woods, right?). A woman crosses a threshold and encounters a creature. Like most things, the less you know about it, the better. There is a page-turn at a certain point that sent shockwaves through our nervous system. Want to guess the image that proceeds it? Scroll up. Damn, we've said too much.
William of Newbury (Dark Horse Comics)
This one is written, illustrated, colored, and lettered by Michael Avon Oeming. Ya gotta take notice when one person does everything. William of Newbury is loosely based on actual 12th-century English events, but like Usagi Yojimbo, features all manner of critters walking and talking. The titular figure is an anxious monk with a powerful confidence in battling demons and ghouls but a timid persona within the human world. So far, the series has been a bit of a road adventure as William picks up a semi-fiendish aid, avoids his monastery masters, and rivals the wicked.
Wonder Woman (DC)
Wonder Woman is a radical book, and we mean that in every sense of the word. Tom King, Daniel Sampere, and others place Diana before a corrupt American government poisoned by wealth, fear, and hate. Their Diana speaks truth to power; when words fail, she lets her actions do the talking. But don't worry; Wonder Woman is also a propulsively entertaining read, featuring great bouts of superheroics and even shopping trips with Superman.
That's our list. What's on yours? Also, were you counting? We snuck an extra comic into our list. We're rascals.
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