Josh’s Favorite Comic Book Series of 2024 — Part Two!

Thanks for reading part one of my list of my favorite comic book series of 2024! 

Part one listed a bunch of graphic novels and a bunch of honorable mentions.  Here now is my main list!

One note before we begin: for my first decade or so of writing these lists, the Hellboy universe books overseen by Mike Mignola were always my #1 choice.  But I’ve fallen way behind on those titles, and I’m starting to get excited about a re-read of the entire saga from the beginning, which I’d love to get to this year.  So that’s why the Hellboy books aren’t on my list this year.  Hopefully by next year I’ll be caught back up!  (I believe I wrote that same thing last year… so we’ll see how it goes!)

And now, onwards: my favorite comic book series of 2024:

20. Nice Jewish Boys by Neil Kleid & John Broglia — I’m a big, big fan of this ripping yarn about three “nice Jewish boys” caught up in a world of violence and crime.  The art by John Broglia is perfect.  I’d love to see this series continue!  (And for the series to be released in print!)  Nice Jewish Boys is a Comixology Original, available for Kindle.

19. Cruel Universe, edited by Sierra Hahn & Matt Dryer — I loved this modern-day anthology of EC Comics style horror shorts, focusing on science fiction tales.  (The amazing covers by Greg Smallwood hooked me in!!)  Reading this mini-series led me to several other wonderful anthologies of horror short stories, including Hello Darkness, edited by Bryce Carlson; Voices in my Head, edited by Joe Pruett; Headless Horseman, published by Dark Horse Comics (I didn’t see an editor listed in the credits); and Creepshow, edited by Ben Abernathy.  I had so much fun reading all these wild and weird and creepy short stories!  All these titles are available on Amazon; I suggest you start with Cruel Universe.

18. The Blood Brothers’ Mother by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso — The amazing 100 Bullets team reunited for a grim tale of three kids in the old west whose adopted father is murdered by the biological father they never really knew (because he’s been in a Mexican prison).  Gorgeously illustrated by Mr. Risso, with beautiful watercolors in DSTLRY’s oversized graphic novel format; this was a delight.  The Blood Brothers’ Mother is available on Amazon.

17. Love Everlasting by Tom King & Elsa Charretier — In this bizarre but delightful series, we follow a young woman who seems to be trapped inside classic romance comic book stories. We’re 15 issues in and I’m still not quite sure I know what’s going on, but I’m loving the ride.  (While Love Everlasting is on hiatus, Mr. Tynion IV and Ms. Charretier have collaborated on a new series for DSTLRY called The City Beneath Her Feet.  Only one issue has come out, but it’s great so far!)  Love Everlasting is available on Amazon.

16. Somna by Becky Cloonan & Tula Lotay — This gorgeously illustrated book tells an erotic fantasy mystery set in the 1600s.  I can’t get over how incredible the art is, magnificently combining the very different styles of Ms. Cloonan & Ms. Lotay.  Another winner from DSTLRY in their gorgeous oversized graphic novel format.  Somna is available on Amazon.

15. Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant by Collin Kelly, Jason Lanzing, Ramon Rosanas, Mike Freehan, Rachael Stott, Christopher Cantwell, Angel Unzueta, & others — I’m having a lot of fun reading these two inter-connected Star Trek series from IDW, picking up characters and threads from the 24th Century-set Trek shows (The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager).  I love the approach of telling big, epic stories that bring together great characters and storylines from across the different Trek shows.  Right now, Lore has destroyed main timeline, leaving Captain Sisko & co. bouncing around multiverses (including a visit to the Kelvin timeline)!  These comics are a lot of fun!  The two titles start here: Star Trek and Star Trek: Defiant.

14. Newburn by Chip Zdarsky and Jacob Phillips — Easton Newburn is an enigmatic detective who works for various crime families, solving problems for them and keeping the peace between them… at least, until Newburn’s carefully balanced life starts falling to pieces.  I was sorry to see this compelling crime yarn come to an end this year!  Newburn is available on Amazon.

13. The Power Fantasy by Kieron Gillen & Caspar Wingaard — I’m hooked into this twisty story of an alternate history of the last century or so, in which the existence of six super-powered people has dramatically changed the course of humanity.  A geopolitical thriller crossed with an intimate character drama crossed with a superhero epic.  I can’t wait to see where this is going.  The Power Fantasy is available on Amazon.

12. The Bat-Man: First Knight by Dan Jurgens, Mike Perkins, & Mike Spicer — This Elseworlds tale, written by comic book legend Dan Jurgens and gorgeously illustrated by Mike Perkins & Mike Spicer, is set in 1939, telling the story of the Bat-Man’s emergence at the same time as the drums of war pound and hatred rises in America.  I wasn’t expecting how relevant the story was for today; I particularly appreciated the inclusion of a rabbi character who befriends Bruce Wayne when he’s most in need of an ally.  And, wow, that artwork!!  Spectacular.  The Bat-Man: First Knight is available on Amazon.

11. Zatanna: Bring Down the House by Mariko Tamaki & Javier Rodriguez — This delightful five-issue mini-series was so much fun, bringing to life the story of stage performer Zatanna, who doesn’t want anything to do with real magic but finds herself drawn into a supernatural adventure nonetheless.  This stand-alone story, outside continuity, beautifully encapsulated everything that’s great about the character of Zatanna in a story that was aimed for older readers but was still fun and silly.  Javier Rodriguez’s art was incredible.  I loved every page and demand a sequel!  Zatanna: Bring Down the House is available on Amazon.

10. Our Bones Dust by Ben Stenbeck & Dave Stewart — A curious robotic intelligence befriends a feral human child in this weird and riveting sci-fi story.  Ben Stenbeck’s art was magnificent.  This one really stuck with me.  Our Bones Dust is available on Amazon.

9. Geoff Johns’ Ghost Machine universe — I’ve been enjoying all of the series that Ghost Machine has been publishing!  This is a wonderful new interconnected universe!  Ghost Machine’s excellent stable of titles  includes Geiger by Geoff Johns & Gary Frank, Rook by Geoff Johns & Jason Fabok; Redcoat by Geoff Johns & Bryan Hitch; Hyde Street by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, & Danny Miki; The Rocketfellers by Peter J. Tomasi & Francis Manapul; and Hornsby & Halo by Peter J. Tomasi & Peter Snejbjerg.  Redcoat (about a scoundrel of a British soldier who becomes immortal and goes on adventures with a young Albert Einstein) is my favorite, but they’re all great.  These series are all available on Amazon; I suggest you start with Geiger or Redcoat.

8. Batman & Robin: Year One by Mark Waid & Chris Samnee — This retelling of the early days of Batman’s partnership with young Dick Grayson as Robin is pretty much a perfect Batman comic book in my mind.  The gorgeous artwork by Chris Samnee blends a mastery of design with a simplicity and bold use of blacks reminiscent of Bruce Timm’s beloved Batman: The Animated Series, and Mark Waid’s script nails these characters exactly.  I love this mini-series and wish it would continue indefinitely!

7. Phantom Road by Jeff Lemire, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, & Jordie Bellaire — I still don’t know what the heck is going on in this story yet, but I’m hooked!  Dom is a long-haul trucker who stops to help a young woman, Birdie, who’s been in an accident.  The accident was caused by a mysterious artifact that seems to be able to move Dom and Birdie into a parallel dimension, one haunted by mysterious faceless creatures.  Meanwhile, FBI Agent Theresa Walker is investigating the mystery of their disappearance, and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy.  This story is inventive and gripping, and I love the art.  Phantom Road is available on Amazon.

6. Animal Pound by Tom King and Peter Gross and Helen of Wyndhorn by Tom King & Bilquis Evely & Matheus Lopes — Tom King wrote a number of amazing comic books this year.  Animal Pound is a five-issue mini-series that’s a retelling of Animal Farm for the modern day and the world of Donald Trump, set in an animal pound.  This deeply disturbing parable is a must-read.  Helen of Wyndhorn is a richly compelling fantasy story of a lost young woman trying to reconnect with her strange grandfather (who just might be a Conan the Barbarian type of hero in a fantasy world just beyond the doorstep of their ancestral home).  Both books are compelling and haunting.  Animal Pound and Helen of Wyndhorn are available on Amazon.

5. Energon Universe series: Transformers by Daniel Warren Johnson & Jorge Corona; G.I. Joe by Joshua Williamson & Tom Reilly, and Void Rivals by Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici, & Matheus Lopes — I cannot believe how much I love this Energon Universe overseen by Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead).  These series weave together modern-day reinventions of Transformers and G.I. Joe, two cartoon series that defined my childhood, with Void Rivals, a wonderfully original sci-fi creation.  I love all three series and am constantly amazed, month after month, at the fun ways in which they weave in and out of one another.  I’m bowled over by how these creative teams have managed to capture everything I loved about those silly 1980s cartoons, taken them seriously and re-worked them into thrilling and emotional stories that embrace everything fun and great about those shows while also reshaping them as compelling, modern-day stories.  Void Rivals, meanwhile does what I never realized I wanted a story to do — it takes the various alien races introduced in the later seasons of the original Transformers cartoon — the episodes set after the events of Transformers: The Movie, that took place on many alien planets — and takes them seriously, weaving them into a coherent sci-fi universe.  Amazing and fun.  Transformers and Void Rivals are available on Amazon (as are the various G.I. Joe mini-series).

4. Tom King’s DC universe stories: The Penguin, Wonder Woman, Jenny Sparks, and Black Canary: Best of the Best — And here we are, back to Tom King!  Once again, Mr. King wrote an incredible array of DC Comics stories this year!!!  In The Penguin, Mr. King crafted an out-of-continuity crime saga that completely reinvented the character of the Penguin.  (It’s similar to what the wonderful Penguin TV show on MAX did, but this series is entirely separate and makes very different creative choices.)  I have never been so interested in this character of the Penguin!!  In Mr. King’s hands, he’s a brilliant and tortured former crime lord who is on a path to reclaim control of Gotham City.  I loved this series and I was sad to see it end.  In Wonder Woman, Mr. King has crafted a story (that also seems to be out-of-continuity with the rest of the DCU), in which the United States government has declared war on the Amazons, and Wonder Woman is caught in the middle.  I am riveted by this tale, gorgeously illustrated by Daniel Sampere.  In Jenny Sparks, Mr. King has wonderfully reinvented this terrific character from the now-defunct Wildstorm universe, weaving her into the actual history of the 21st century and also into DC comics continuity as a watchdog of superheroes.  I can’t wait to see where this series is going.  And in the just-launched Black Canary: Best of the Best, Mr. King has started to dig his teeth into Dinah Lance, the Black Canary.  All of Mr. King’s stories balance brilliantly tight plotting, compelling and memorable dialogue, with a deep focus on characterization, finding new depths to classic DC characters.  The Penguin and Wonder Woman are available on Amazon.

3. The Deviant by James Tynion IV & Joshua Hixson — This gripping crime/horror story digs into the mystery of a brutal 1973 killing, now being explored by a modern-day comic book writer.  This is a wonderfully twisty noir — the story wonderfully keeps me guessing — that is also a fascinating character study of several homosexual men and an exploration of how they are seen by the people and society around them.  This story has its hooks in me and I am beyond eager to see how it all turns out.  The Deviant is available on Amazon.

2. Saga by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples — Another year and once again it is time for me to heap more praise on this gloriously weird and wonderful sci-fi story.  Is there a more original comic book story out there?  Mr. Vaughan and Ms. Staples have created a sci-fi/fantasy universe that is delightfully rich and deep.  The world-building is amazing, and the character-development is even better.  I could spend all day listing all the characters in this comic — they’re all so beautifully unique and well-developed, and I love them all so much!  Fiona Staples’ artwork is perfection — just dazzling in its beauty, its originality, and its incredible storytelling.  I don’t think there’s a better character-designer working in comics today than Ms. Staples.  And Mr. Vaughan’s stories are delightful and heartbreaking in equal measure.  Saga is available on Amazon.

1. Forged by Greg Rucka, Eric Trautmann, & Mike Henderson — In the far, far future, the Forged are a team of genetically-engineered women who, in their armored suits of war, are the tip of the spear of the Eternal Empress’ fighting forces.  But when a mission goes terribly wrong and they discover what might be the first sentient non-human life ever before encountered in the Empress’ galaxy-spanning empire, the Forged team suddenly find themselves at the center of various conflicting conspiracies and plans.  This raucous, funny, violent, sexy, inventive new sci-fi series is a pure delight on each and every page.  I love the gorgeous oversized issues, packed full of fascinating back-matter.  But I want more, and soon!!  The Forged is available on Amazon.

Thanks for reading my list!  I hope you’ll all find some new great stories to try out.

That’s a wrap on my best of 2024 lists.  I hope you’ve enjoyed reading them.  C’mon back soon for my reviews of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Dune: Prophecy, Creature Commandos, and lots and lots more!