Indie comics are a huge part of the modern comic industry, with some indie companies lasting as long as the Big Two. Indie comics bring a lot to the comic industry, whether it be horror, sci-fi, or alternate takes on superheroes. There are so many great indie comics out there for fans to choose from, giving people so many more options than the similar fare of the Big Two.
Indie comics boast some of the greatest comic creators of all time and right now, there are some amazing new books on the shelves. Running monthly comics showcase how great indies can be. There's also a wealth of older books still in print, really showing the breadth of the indies.
Updated on September 21, 2023 by David Harth:Great comics are much easier to find than most people know. While superhero fatigue is quite real, there are plenty of brilliant indie comics out there. September brings a whole new set of indie gems for readers to dive into.
56 Rare Flavours
Writer Ram V and artist Filipe Andrade last teamed up for The Many Lives Of Laila Starr, a brilliant story about life, death, and everything in between. They are amazing together, and that's why Rare Flavours has everyone so excited. This book looks like another hit from the team, tapping into Hinduism — much like The Many Lives Of Laila Starr before it — to tell a story unlike anything anyone has ever experienced.
Rare Flavours star Rubin Baksh, a demonic Rakshasa with a rather mundane dream to become the next Anthony Bourdain. Rubin teams up with a down on his luck filmmaker named Mo on a culinary tour of India. V and Andrade know how to give readers something special, and with this interesting premise, they'll do so again.
55 Time Before Time
Time travel and comic books go hand in hand. However, adding time travel to crime comics is something that is unique and that's what Time Before Time does. Teaming up writer/artist Declan Shalvey with the Write It In Blood team of Rory McConville and Joe Palmer, this book is definitely different from nearly anything that readers have ever experienced before.
The world is in a bad place in 2140, but the Syndicate has a cure: sending people back in time. However, it's extremely pricey, and the Syndicate doesn't take well to those who don't want to pay. After years of working for the Syndicate, Tetsuo and Oscar decide to steal a time machine and learn things can get a lot worse than they were. Time Before Time is a brilliant book, and it's been flying under the radar for a while. However, it definitely deserves a bigger profile.
54 Killer Queens 2
Sci-fi has taken readers into all kinds of amazing directions, as well as pushing the boundaries of society. Comics in recent years have been a great place for more diverse stories, especially indies like Killer Queens 2. This sequel takes place in the future and follows the sassiest assassins in the universe on their missions, looking fabulous and pushing the envelope.
Written by David Booher with art by Bradley Clayton, Killers Queens 2 is an amazingly fun comic. Queer stories can take readers to great new places, and this one is pure entertainment with a healthy dash of great queer characters. Killer Queens 2 has a lot going for it and everyone needs to take a look at it.
53 Black Hammer: The End
Black Hammer has allowed writer Jeff Lemire to create his own superhero universe, one that played off the histories of Marvel and DC. Fans love Black Hammer. Not only does it have multiple volumes under its belt, but it's also gearing up for the next big event. Black Hammer: The End, by Lemire and artist Malachi Ward, picks up the main plot of the Black Hammer after Black Hammer: Reborn.
This book is a multiversal, time hopping extravaganza that introduces all new heroes and villains to the Black Hammer universe. Fans catch up with the Weber family, and return to the Black Hammer Farm. This is top-flight superhero storytelling, and it has long been a gem of the indie comic community.
52 Kill Your Darlings
Kill Your Darlings teams artist Bob Quinn, fresh off his time on the X-books at Marvel, with the new writing team of Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan. This book combines fantasy and horror, two things that Quinn has proven adroit at. The first issue has impressed readers already, and it's the perfect time to get in on the ground floor.
After a chilling flashback to the 17th century, the book shifts to 1995, focusing on Rose, an imaginative eight-year-old, who has a rich fantasy life and has created her own world of Rosewood. Often left to her own devices by a loving mother who has to work too much, things take a horrific turn for Rose. This issue is an amazing start for a book that has all the potential in the world.
51 Conan The Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian is a legend. Robert E. Howard's barbarian has a long and wonderful history, and comics have played a huge part in that. Marvel has been home to some amazing Conan comics, from legends like Roy Thomas, John Buscema, Barry Windsor-Smith, and more. Several publishers have controlled Conan's comic rights, and Marvel most recently lost them to Titan Comics.
August features the return of the barbarian in Conan The Barbarian #1, by writer Jim Zub and artists José Villarrubia and Robert De La Torre. Zub is no stranger to characters like Conan, and the art team is definitely on fire. This new book is brilliant and everyone should check it out.
50 Fishflies
Writer/artist Jeff Lemire is a genius. There's really no other way to describe him as a creator. He can do everything, from Big Two superheroes to his own superhero universe to slice of life to horror. His recent exclusivity contract with Image has yielded many exciting projects. The first book written and drawn by him for Image since Royal City is Fishflies.
Fishflies is a perfect slice of Lemire goodness. Combining horror and small town life, Fishflies takes place in Bell River, Ontario. After a terrible crime almost kills a young boy, horrific things start to happen. In the middle of it all is Franny Fox, who meets a fugitive unlike any other.
49 The Sacrificers
By now, Image fans know to look forward to the next book from writer Rick Remender. Remender has proven that he's one of comics' most versatile creators. The Sacrificers, with artist Max Fiumara, looks to be the next hit from Remender and is a must pick up for fans of great comics.
The world is a utopia thanks to five families. However, there is a price for this perfection. Every household must give up a child. Not everyone agrees that this price is worth it, setting a series of events into motion that could destroy the fragile world created by the five families.
48 Battle Chasers
The '90s were a different time. Back then, superstar artists ruled the land. After the Image Seven left Marvel, the publisher built an all-new stable of superstar artists, including Joe Madureira. Eventually, he left the X-Men books and moved to Image, putting out the JRPG inspired comic Battle Chasers. The book put out about ten issues before it disappeared, since Madureira started working in video games.
Battle Chasers eventually got a video game, and now Madureira has returned with the book. Joined by artist Ludo Lullabi, Battle Chasers picks up where the book left off over two decades ago. It's a blast from the past in the best possible way.
47 The Schlub
Writer/artist Ryan Stegman has been killing it at Image since starting Kids Love Chains with writer Donny Cates. Their book, Vanish, is beloved by fans and Stegman's next book looks to be more of the same. Joined by co-writer Kenny Porter and artist Tyrell Cannon, Stegman brings readers The Schlub.
The Schlub follows failing dentist Roger Dalton. A man who blames the world for all of his problems, Dalton suddenly bodyswaps with the greatest superhero on Earth. Now, he has all the power in the world, but that might not be the best thing, because he now has to protect the world despite his overwhelming apathy.
46 Big Game
The Ultimate Universe made Mark Millar a star as he penned stories with an irreverent flair. Millar has stepped up his output in the last few years, building a universe of characters. Now all of them are coming together in Big Game. Millar even got Marvel's biggest star Pepe Larraz to supply the art for the book.
Big Game takes readers back to the beginning of Millar's indie work, and the first issue is possibly the most impressive first issue of any crossover from any publisher this year. The comic pulls together everyone of Millar's properties, from Kick-Ass to Night Club. Millar isn't for everyone, but Big Game is the writer doing what he does best. Additionally, Larraz's art is amazing and takes the book to the next level.
45 Firepower
The Walking Dead made Robert Kirkman a star. Since then, Kirkman has moved on in many different directions. His Skybound imprint at Image is full of great titles and Firepower is among the best. The book follows a man named Owen, as he deals with the world that's trying to force him down a path he doesn't want to go.
The mysterious fire power can save the world, and Owen was never interested in it, but he doesn't seem to have a say in the matter. What really makes Firepower so great is the art by Chris Samnee. Samnee's style is perfect for the kind of violence and drama that Kirkman is known for. Firepower #25(Kirkman, Samnee, and Matthew Wilson) dropped in July, so it's the perfect issue to jump into things.
44 BRZRKR: Poetry Of Madness
BRZRKR thrilled fans like few other indie books. Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney collaborated to create an action packed masterpiece. The book became a phenomenon and for fans that want more, there's BRZRKR: Poetry of Madness, a one-shot from Reeves and artist Steve Skroce. This book follows B through an encounter with a Lovecraftian monster.
Reeves proved he has the goods when it comes to comics like the first BRZRKR, so him coming back is great. Skroce is another reason why this book is so impressive. Known for his work at Marvel in the '90s, he left to do designs for Hollywood, working with the Wachowskis on The Matrix. Reeves and Skroce working this closely together is a guarantee of quality.
43 A Vicious Circle
A Vicious Circle is the definition of a prestige comic. Written by one of The Batman sequel screenwriters, Mattson Tomlin, with art by comic legend Lee Bermejo, the book follows two men who are cursed to roam through time, stuck in a cycle of murder and death. The three issue series has released its second issue, and there's no doubt that it's a special book.
This is Tomlin's first comic, and their skill has been apparent since the beginning. Of course, working with Bermejo can make anyone look good. Bermejo was born to draw A Vicious Circle. This is the kind of comic that stays with a reader for a long time, and it's best to get in on it now, before it finishes up.
42 All Eight Eyes
Steve Foxe is making waves at the X-Office with Marvel, but for someone who wants to delve into something a bit more intense, there's All Eight Eyes. Set in a post-9/11 NYC, the book follows party boy Vin Spencer. On one fateful night, Vin has a horrifying experience and is pulled into the secret war being fought against an arachnid menace.
All Eight Eyes lets Foxe do all the things that Marvel doesn't. It's an excellent book, one that understands just how a horror comic should work. Piotr Kowalski's art is perfect for this book, bringing every page to life in menacing glory.
41 Miss Truesdale And The Fall Of Hyperborea
Comics and mythology have always gone together. Writer/artist Mike Mignola has used mythology in his Hellboy comics, and the myths of the world play an important role in Miss Truesdale and The Fall of Hyperborea. Combining a proper Victorian woman with a barbaric prehistoric country, Mignola has a treat for readers.
Working with artist Jesse Lonergan, Mignola has created another hit. As a writer, Mignola has always been rather good at contrasting two separate worlds and this book does that expertly. The second issue releases in June and it promises to Mignola fans and fans of fantasy comics alike.
40 The Great British Bump-Off
Indie crime comics are well loved, but few of them take place in as bizarre a location as The Great British Bump-Off, by writer John Allison and artist Max Sarins. Murder mysteries in strange places are a hallmark of crime stories, and The Great British Bump-Off takes it to new places.
Combining Agatha Christie-esque mystery with British baking shows, Shauna Wickles must figure out who killed one of her fellow contestants before she becomes the next target. Allison and Sarin made a name for themselves as the team behind Giant Days, and fans have been waiting for their next project. This one looks like it's going to be another winner.
39 Ghostlore
Writer Cullen Bunn was once writing books like Uncanny X-Men and Sinestro for Marvel and DC, respectively. Since then, he's forged a much more interesting career for himself, telling amazing horror stories at various indie publishers. His newest series is Ghostlore, with artist Leomacs.
Ghostlore follows father and daughter Lucas and Harmony after they survive an accident that kills many others. Suddenly, they can see and hear the dead all around them. Some just want to tell their stories. Others are much more malevolent. Ghostlore is a wonderful piece of horror that will reward readers.
38 The Seasons Have Teeth
There are some premises that only thrive in comic book form. As a medium, comics give creators the freedom to do anything they can imagine. The Seasons Have Teeth, by writer Dan Watters and artist Sebastian Carol, takes advantage of the creativity one can have with comics, and it needs to be seen to be believed.
The Seasons Have Teeth follows retired conflict photographer Andrew. His life is already in shambles because of a terrible tragedy, but then the seasons show up. These don't just change the weather. Instead, each season is a monstrous godlike beast ready to rend the world asunder. Readers get pitched into a world unlike any they've seen, and that's just the beginning.
37 Arcade Kings
Arcades are basically dead in the US, going the way of the shopping malls they used to call home. For those who loved arcades, they can probably remember that one person who beat everyone else in the arcade at every game. Arcade Kings, by writer/artist Dylan Burnett, taps into that nostalgic form of competition.
Set in the fictional Infinity City, Arcade Kings follows new arrival with Joe as he conquers the competition at the Round House Arcade. Basically unbeatable at any game, things take a turn for Joe. His mysterious past catches up to him, and he's forced to use all of his skills to survive, tapping into his legendary family's fighting legacy. Mixed with perfect comic action, Arcade Kings is a blast from the past and a love letter to a bygone era.