Last year was a rough one when it came to comic book and graphic novel availability — not only did you have the collapse of Diamond Comics and the fallout that impacted publishers, retailers and inevitably readers, but you also had numerous book bans being enacted in schools and libraries. Add to that the ongoing turmoil here in the U.S. around tariffs, and you’ve got all sorts of headwinds beyond just the usual ones.
That being said, the comics themselves kind of rocked. Marvel and DC’s “rebooted” universes, the Absolute line and the Ultimate line, both delivered some creative highs for the company, while everyone from Skybound and their Energon line-up to Tiny Onion to Oni Press, brought their A games. New distributors have filled the void left by Diamond, and newer digital platforms like Neon Ichiban and Global Comix brought some competition to the dominant Comixology. Despite the distractions, there was a lot to be excited about.
So, all that being said, here is my own list of my favorite comics and graphic novels from 2025, presented in no particular order. Also I’m sure I’m forgetting something, so maybe I’ll add to it later.
Drome by Jesse Lonergan, published by 23rd Street Books. OK, I said “No particular order” but if it was in order, this one would be at the top of the list. Lonergan’s graphic novels are a “can’t miss” for me, and with this one he continued to impress.
Assorted Crisis Events by Deniz Camp and Eric Zawadzki. Published by Image Comics. If Jesse Lonergan is a “must buy” artist, Camp is a “must buy” writer. He has two books on my list here, and I could have easily added The Ultimates as a third.
Tongues by Anders Nilsen. Published by Pantheon Graphic Library. Nilsen has been publishing Tongues independently for awhile, as noted on his website, so I’m not sure if it is cheating to include this on my 2025 list. But I’ll stick out my own tongue at anyone who questions it.
Exquisite Corpses by James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh + more. Published by Tiny Onion/Image Comics. Such a cool concept, and such great execution. (Pun intended).
The Wrestler by John Kenn Mortensen. Published by Fantagraphics. A bone-crunching fairy tale where John Kenn Mortensen body-slams innocence itself.
News from the Fallout by Chris Condon and Jeremy Love. Published by Image Comics. I’ve been struggling on how to talk about the artwork for this zombie tale, which is the real star here. It’s almost like the people are themselves shadows, invoking the eerie ashes left behind after a nuclear explosion. But Condon’s script also excels, and even when you can’t always tell the people apart, his script makes them distinct.
DC’s Misfits of Magic by Matthew Dow Smith. Published by DC Comics. Smith’s teenaged DC characters are one of the many highlights of following him on social media, and I hope we get to see more of them in books like this one.
Death of Copra by Michel Fiffe. Published by Image Comics. RIP, Copra; I will miss you.
Supergirl by Sophie Campbell. Published by DC Comics. Every month, this one is a delight.
Bug Wars by Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar. Published by Image Comics. For such a tiny battlefield — someone’s back yard — this one was epic.
Absolute Martian Manhunter by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodriguez. Published by DC Comics. Again, you have Camp, joined by the incomparable Rodriguez. Even in the already impressive Absolute line, this one stands out.
The Thing by Tony Fleecs and Justin Mason. Published by Marvel. Fantastic Four got a lot of attention this year, and as much as I liked the regular FF title, this one just brought a different level of fun.
Meat Eaters by Meredith McClaren. Published by Oni Press. This razor-sharp horror-comedy brought messy monsters and messier relationships.
Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Sixteen by J. Michael Straczynski and Phil Noto. Published by Marvel. As far as single issues go, this was one of the most enjoyable ones I read last year.
Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum by W. Maxwell Prince, Martín Morazzo and Chris O’Halloran. Published by DC Comics. And kudos to whoever had the idea at DC to get the Ice Cream Man team to do such a fun Superman story.
The Knives by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Published by Image Comics. Another crime classic from a duo who seem to have earned permanent places on these lists no matter what year it is.
The Adventures of Lumen N. by James Robinson and Phil Hester. Published by Dark Horse Comics. This globe-trotting, pulp-tinged mystery was a nice surprise this year.
The Weight by Melissa Mendes. Published by Drawn and Quarterly. A quietly devastating meditation on bodies, memory and pressure. This one has stayed with me.
Death in Trieste by Jason. Published by Fantagraphics. What if Jason did the X-Men, and David Bowie was a member? Not really, but, well … kind of.
Absolute Batman 2025 Annual #1 by Daniel Warren Johnson, James Harren and Meredith McClaren. Published by DC. In a year of great Absolute Batman stories, this one really stands out. Many people will sing the praises of the DWJ tale, as they should, but don’t sleep on the other two.
Dogtangle by Max Huffman. Published by Fantagraphics. A satirical fable about the excesses of the rich going into some rather ridiculous and chaotic places. After this year, none of it seems implausible.
Ultimate Spider-Man by Jonathan Hickman and Mark Checchetto. Published by Marvel. OK, I had a hard time picking between this and The Ultimates as my favorite Ultimate title, and since I already gave Deniz Camp a bunch of love earlier, let’s go with Spider-Man. Also the older, wiser (wiser?) Peter Parker speaks to me for some reason. Sorry to see this one ending, as I’ll miss the Parker kids and the Uncle Ben/J. Jonah Jameson dynamic and a lot of other things about it.
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