Comic Book Dominance: 2024's Top Marvel, DC, and Indie Picks

2024: A Year of Familiar Comfort and Unexpected Excellence in Comics

In 2024, comic readers found comfort in familiar narratives. Surprisingly, many of these familiar stories pushed creative boundaries and delivered exceptional results. Navigating the sheer volume of weekly releases from major publishers, plus the diverse graphic novel landscape, is a daunting task. This list highlights some of the year's most captivating titles.

A Few Preliminary Notes:

• Focus: Primarily on Marvel and DC, with a few notable exceptions.
• Minimum Length: Series must have at least 10 issues. This excludes newer titles like Ultimates, Absolute Batman, recent X-titles, and Aaron's Ninja Turtles.
• Overall Ranking: The ranking considers all issues of each series, regardless of release date in 2024. Exceptions are McKay's Moon Knight and Williamson's Robin.
• Anthologies Excluded: Anthologies like Action Comics and Batman: The Brave and the Bold are omitted due to their varied creative teams.

Table of Contents:

• Batman: Zdarsky Run
• Nightwing by Tom Taylor
• Blade + Blade: Red Band
• Vengeance of the Moon Knight + Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu
• Outsiders
• Poison Ivy
• Batman and Robin by Joshua Williamson
• Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver
• The Flash Series by Simon Spurrier
• The Immortal Thor by Al Ewing
• Venom + Venom War
• John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America
• Ultimate X-men by Peach Momoko

Reviews:

Batman: Zdarsky Run

A technically impressive but ultimately underwhelming comic. The fight against the "wrong" Batman was tedious, except for the Joker neuro-arc, which was a significant misstep.

Nightwing by Tom Taylor

A strong start that unfortunately faltered towards the end, bogged down by filler issues. Despite the disappointing conclusion, the earlier arcs were excellent.

Blade + Blade: Red Band

A successful adaptation of the Daywalker into a thrilling, action-packed comic book.

Vengeance of the Moon Knight + Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu

A mixed bag. The rushed resurrection and lack of character development were disappointing. Hopes remain for future installments to rectify these issues.

Outsiders

A Planetary reimagining within the DC Universe. The meta-commentary, while present, felt heavy-handed and predictable.

Poison Ivy

A surprisingly long-running series (30+ issues!) with a consistent, psychedelic charm, despite occasional pacing issues.

Batman and Robin by Joshua Williamson

A solid exploration of father-son relationships and self-discovery, though not quite reaching the heights of Williamson's previous Robin series.

Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver

A charming and visually appealing comic from Dark Horse, emphasizing heartwarming simplicity over experimentation.

The Flash Series by Simon Spurrier

A complex and challenging read, rewarding those willing to engage with its intricate narrative.

The Immortal Thor by Al Ewing

Despite its occasionally tedious pacing and reliance on past storylines, Ewing's vision and the stunning artwork kept it engaging.

Venom + Venom War

A chaotic and impactful series, leaving a lasting impression.

John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America

A masterpiece in its first part, but the second part falters with its heavy-handed commentary. However, Spurrier's portrayal of Constantine remains brilliant.

Ultimate X-men by Peach Momoko

A unique blend of manga, psychological horror, and the X-Men, beautifully illustrated by Momoko.