Comic Book ReviewsJosh’s Favorite Comic Book Series of 2025 — Part Two!

Josh’s Favorite Comic Book Series of 2025 — Part Two!

I’m excited to present my list of my favorite comic book series of 2025!

Click here for part one of my list, in which I wrote about a bunch of wonderful 2025 graphic novels, as well as a whole host of honorable mentions!

(As I was the case in part one of my list, I’ve embedded Amazon links where I could.  Please click through these links and support my work here on this website! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  That means I’ll receive a small percentage from ANY product you purchase from Amazon within 24 hours after clicking through.  Thanks!!)

And now, on to my main list:

25. Medieval by Neil Kleid & Alex Cormack — It’s a “New York Yankee” in King Arthur’s Court in this joyously daffy tale of a New York baseball fan mysteriously transported back into the time of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.  Funny, violent, and with a deep love of baseball and the can’t-keep-me-down spirit of born-and-bred New Yorkers, this Comixology Originals series is a ton of fun.  (I hope someday to see a print edition!)

24. Birds of Prey by Kelly Thompson, Sami Basri, Juann Cabal, & others — I had a ton of fun reading every single issue of Kelly Thompson’s reinvention of DC’s classic all-female superhero team.  I loved this eclectic mix of characters, and I was quite taken by how Ms. Thompson was able to develop distinct characters for each one of these heroes.  The Barda-Cassandra Cain (Batgirl) friendship is one of the best developments in the DC comics universe in years.

23. Cheetah & Cheshire rob the Justice League by Greg Rucka, Nicola Scott, & Annette Kwok — This great Wonder Woman & Black Magick team (and when will we be getting more issues of Black Magick??) of Greg Rucka & Nicola Scott reunite for this fun heist story set in the DC Universe, in which a bunch of low-powered villains team up to rob the Justice League’s orbiting HQ.  A delightful romp through the DCU.

22. Hello Darkness edited by Bryce Carlson and Cruel Universe edited by Allyson Gronowitz — This is a tie between these two wonderful horror anthologies, both of which I have found absolutely delightful.  Both feature an incredible array of talented writers & artists crafting short horror yarns.  I’m happy each time a new issue arrives.

21. The Bat-Man: Second Knight by Dan Jurgens, Mike Perkins & Mike Spicer — I loved The Bat-Man: First Knight, and I’m delighted to get this wonderful sequel!  This Elseworlds tale, written by comic book legend Dan Jurgens and gorgeously illustrated by Mike Perkins & Mike Spicer, is set in 1940, telling the story of the Bat-Man’s emergence at the same time as fascism is spreading across Europe.  This pulpy adventure yarn is a delightful reinvention of the Batman mythos; it’s a clever idea to put Batman back in the era in which he was first created, but at the same time telling a modern type of story.  I particularly appreciated the return of a Rabbi Cohen, a great character introduced in First Knight who befriends Bruce Wayne when he’s most in need of an ally and serves as a type of moral guiding light.  And, wow, that artwork!!  Spectacular.

20. Star Wars: Legacy of Vader by Charles Soule, Luke Ross, Stefano Raffaele, & Nolan Woodard — I loved this great story exploring the mind of the pouty Kylo Ren, set between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker.  Luke Ross’ gorgeous art was perfect, and I loved all the fun Star Wars connections as we get to see what became of many classic Star Wars locations (such as Mustafar, Naboo, Tatooine, and more) in the time of the Sequel Trilogy.

19. Good as Dead by David Lapham, Maria Lapham, & Dee Cunniffe — Stray Bullets made me a forever fan of David Lapham, and it’s a pleasure to see him working in full color with this twisty, dour crime saga of violent family conflicts in a small town.

18. Exquisite Corpses by James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh, & others — The twelve families who secretly run America unleash killers upon a small American town as a way to determine which family gets to be in charge for the next five years.  Somehow Mr. Tynion is able to combine brutal violence, social commentary, and rich character development in a story that is also a ton of pulpy fun.  Michael Walsh’s art is incredible.  (This series would be ranked higher if they were able to find a way for Mr. Walsh to illustrate every issue.)

17. Harley & Ivy: Life & Crimes by Erica Henderson — How did we get from the platonic friendship seen in that first great Harley & Ivy team-up on Batman: The Animated Series, to the two being in a loving lesbian relationship in the DC Comics today?  Ms. Henderson’s fantastic story sets out to tell the tale.  I love the look of her artwork, which feels like it pays homage to the Bruce Timm Batman: TAS look while also having a wonderful individual style all its own.  This story is sweet and fun, and a wonderful adventure yarn.

16. Skinbreaker by Robert Kirkman, David Finch, & Annalisa Leoni — In this richly-realized fantasy epic, a tribe-leader on an alien world tries to bring change to the ingrained violent traditions of his people.  The story is simple but powerful, and David Finch’s ridiculously detailed artwork is extraordinary, sucking the reader into this gorgeous fantasy world.

15. Quick Stops by Kevin Smith, John Sprengelmeyer, Ryan Gajda, Mark Reihill, Ahmd Raafat, & Andrew Thomas — Each issue is a fun short story set within Kevin Smith’s “View Askiewniverse”, fleshing out side characters from Mr. Smith’s various films and creating fun and fascinating connections.  For instance, issue #4 brings together the three Jones sisters (Heather Jones from Clerks, Tricia Jones from Mallrats, and Alyssa Jones from Chasing Amy).  I love Mr. Smith’s first five films (Clerks through Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), and this is a joy-filled dip back into the world of those great stories.

14. Minor Threats by Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Scott Hepburn, Ian Herring, & others — I’ve loved watching this indie super-villain saga expand this past year, with new mini-series, spin-offs, an anthology of short stories by other famous comic creators, and a truly insane crossover with Archie comics!!  This series is wild and goofy but also heartfelt.  I can’t wait to see where this saga goes next!

13. Phantom Road by Jeff Lemire, Gabriel H. Walta, & Jordie Bellaire — I am deeply hooked into this weird, twisty mystery story about a strange dimension that seems to connect to our world at a variety of truck stops, and the group of women & men who have been drawn to it.  I still don’t really have any understanding what’s going on, but each new issue is a pleasure.  Gabriel H. Walta’s gorgeous artwork, with cartoony stylization mixed with a ton of detailed line-work — my favorite type of artistic combination — is a joy to see.

12. The Power Fantasy by Kieron Gillen & Caspar Wigngaard — This great series tells a 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.  It’s a geopolitical thriller crossed with an intimate character drama crossed with a superhero epic.  It’s tense & riveting & also fun.

11. Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor by Mark Waid, Bryan Hitch, Kevin Nowlan, & David Baron — We had to wait forever for issues #2 & 3 of this oversized mini-series to come out, but they were worth the wait.  Lex Luthor is dying from radiation poisoning (caused by his efforts to replicate Kryptonite), and he’s turned to his old enemy Superman to try to save him.  This is a great hook for a story.  Mark Waid has a perfect grasp of these characters, and Bryan Hitch’s artwork is dazzling.  (The inking by comic-book master Kevin Nowlan is the icing on the cake; I love what he does with Mr. Hitch’s pencils!)

10. Bug Wars by Jason Aaron, Mahmud Asrar, Matthew Wilson & Becca Carey — A bug-loving kid’s family moves back into their old house in the middle of nowhere; when the boy discovers an an amulet in his dead father’s study that shrinks him down to the size of an ant, he is thrown into an epic adventure, trying to survive in their backyard which is populated by warring tribes of bug-people, spider-people, ant-people, and more!  It’s Honey, I Shrunk the Kids meets The Lord of the Rings, and I absolutely loved it.  Jason Aaron’s story is rich with world-building detail, while Mahmud Asrar’s beautifully detailed artwork brought this fantasy insect kingdom to vivid life.

9. Batman: Dark Patterns by Dan Watters, Hayden Sherman, & Triona Farrell, and Absolute Wonder Woman by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Jordie Bellaire, & others — Hayden Sherman crushed the artwork on these two spectacular series. Either one could be a career-crowning achievement; I can’t believe these were both coming out at the same time!  Mr. Sherman’s delightfully creative panel design was incredible; this is a comic book master storyteller at work.  The stories were pretty damn great too!  In Batman: Dark Patterns, Dan Watters crafted four wonderful Batman mystery/horror stories that connected into a larger tale.  In Absolute Wonder Woman, Kelly Thompson has created an instantly iconic new version of Diana that only grows more wonderful with each new issue.  (Let me also say I quite enjoyed reading Absolute Batman and Absolute Superman as well.  These are fun reinventions of the classic DC characters.)

8. Geoff Johns’ Ghost Machine universe — I’ve been continuing to find tremendous enjoyment in 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.

7. Aliens vs. Avengers by Jonathan Hickman, Esad Ribic, & Ive Svorcina — It’s years in the future and a duo of Shi’ar mad scientists have unleashed the Xenomorph horde across the Marvel universe.  Earth has been overrun, and a few desperate surviving Avengers struggle to protect the last remnants of humanity.  This shouldn’t have worked, but damn it if Jonathan Hickman hasn’t crafted another phenomenal Avengers saga, filled with epic action & wrenching character moments.  Esad Ribic’s painted artwork is glorious to behold.  I wish this was an ongoing series!

6. Powers 25 by Brian Michael Bendis & Michael Avon Oeming — To my great delight, Bendis & Oeming’s wonderful series Powers returned this year with all new stories!  I’ve been a huge fan of this series ever since purchasing the first issue of the first volume way back in 2000.  To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series, Mr. Bendis & Mr. Oeming reunited to tell new stories, featuring a fun mix of new and familiar faces.  The series’ premise remains evergreen: we’re following homicide detectives in a world of superheroes & supervillains.  The series is as fun and gory as ever.  I love it.

5. Robert Kirkman’s Energon Universe —Transformers by Robert Kirkman, Dan Mora, & Mike Spicer; G.I. Joe by Joshua Williamson, Tom Reilly, Jordie Bellaire, & others, and Void Rivals by Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici, Andrei Bressan, & Patricio Delpeche — 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 and of a far higher quality than I’d ever dreamed these would be.

4. Wonder Woman by Tom King, Daniel Sampere, Tomeu Morey, & others — Tom King continues to craft one of the most complex and interesting Wonder Woman stories I’ve ever read.  Mr. King’s story spans decades, introducing us to Wonder Woman’s daughter Trinity as well as a number of fantastic new villains.  He’s reinvented old ones as well — I’d never dreamed that Mouse Man could ever be so terrifying!!  Mr. King’s story is deeply emotional, and Daniel Sampere’s art is perfect in every single panel; richly detailed while also being crystal-clear with the storytelling.  This is an amazing achievement, and I am loving the ride.  I also loved the other DC comic books series Tom King wrote this year: Trinity: Daughter of Wonder Woman (illustrated by Belen Ortega) was hilarious and heartbreaking, telling a head-spinning story in which three differently-aged versions of Wonder Woman’s daughter team up.  Jenny Sparks (illustrated by Jeff Spokes) brought the Wildstorm Universe character Jenny Sparks into the DCU for a story that was a mystery and a political statement, with astoundingly detailed artwork by Jeff Spokes.  Black Canary: Best of the Best (illustrated by Ryan Sook), was an interesting exploration of Black Canary’s family history and development as a superhero, through a story that positions her as the toughest, most kick-ass woman in the DC universe, matched with sublimely gorgeous art by Ryan Sook.

3. Metal Hurlant — The original French Metal Hurlant magazine returned this year, and I am hooked.  I backed this project on Kickstarter.  So far they’ve published three extraordinary issues, each clocking in at well over two hundred pages, filled with a wonderful array of sci-fi/fantasy comic book stories (a mix of new tales and reprints of some of the great original Metal Hurlant works) and an array of new essays and retrospectives.  I have devoured all three issues and can’t wait for more.

2. Batman & Robin: Year One by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee, & Matheus Lopes — This retelling of the early days of Batman’s partnership with young Dick Grayson as Robin is pretty much a perfect Batman comic book.  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, while Mark Waid’s script nails these characters exactly.  This book is appropriate for all ages, but still depicts sophisticated, nuanced characters and thrilling superhero action.  I love Batman, and many creators have told great Batman stories.  There are quite a few Batman stories elsewhere on my “best of the year” lists!  But this Batman story is the top of the top, an absolutely perfect, iconic version of these characters.  I loved this twelve-issue mini-series and wish it would continue indefinitely!

1. FML by Kelly Sue DeConnick, David López, Cris Peter, & Clayton Cowles — Riley is a teenager in a band trying to navigate the pandemic, and he’s also maybe turned into a monster.  Meanwhile, Riley’s beleaguered mom is also trying to survive the pandemic, while taking care of her two kids & a million household to-do items, and also investigating the cold case murder of her former bandmate from when she was a kid.  There is nothing quite like this book anywhere else on the stands.  Kelly Sue DeConnick’s story is hilarious and heartbreaking, with extraordinary empathy for both today’s teenagers and parents.  It’s also endlessly inventive, zigging and zagging and cleverly blending fantasy elements into the compelling character studies in a way that’s open to multiple possible interpretations.  (We can take Riley’s transformation literally or as a metaphor for puberty; it works either way.)  David López’s art takes my breath away on every page; cartoony and exploding with energy while also being filled with an incredible attention to detail and eye for complex world-building, beautifully bringing the specific Portland setting to life.  Each issue also is packed to the gills with wonderful back-matter, emulating the look and style of underground ‘zines.  I love every page of this, and I want it to continue forever.

Wow! That’s a lot of amazing comic book series!!  If you see some books on my list tat you’re not familiar with, click through the links or visit your local comic book store and check them out.  This is an amazing medium, and there are so many wonderful stories to be enjoyed!

I’d love it if readers of this site would try some of my own comic books and graphic novels!  Take a look:

Please support my website by clicking through one of my Amazon links the next time you need to shop!  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  That means I’ll receive a small percentage from ANY product you purchase from Amazon within 24 hours after clicking through.  Thank you!

Comic Book Reviews, Written Post