2025 Top 40 Loved Comics
2025 Top 40 Loved Comics

As 2025 comes to a close, I wanted to share a collection of my favourite graphic novels and comic series spanning from the mid-1990s through 2023. This represents the works that have inspired me and left a lasting impression.

Each of these works has something special—whether it's groundbreaking art, innovative storytelling, emotional depth, or simply being an excellent read. Presented in chronological order by publication date.

1994 Alex Ross - Marvels
←1994 Alex Ross - Marvels→F
1995 Warren Ellis - Ruins
←1995 Warren Ellis - Ruins→F
1996 to 2004 Charles Burns - Black Hole (001 to 012)
←1996 to 2004 Charles Burns - Black Hole (001 to 012)→F
1997 to 2002 Warren Ellis - Transmetropolitan (001 to 060)
←1997 to 2002 Warren Ellis - Transmetropolitan (001 to 060)→F
2000 to 2009 Hiroya Oku - Gantz (Phases One to Three)
←2000 to 2009 Hiroya Oku - Gantz (Phases One to Three)→F
2002 to 2008 Brian K. Vaughn - Y, The Last Man (001 to 060)
←2002 to 2008 Brian K. Vaughn - Y, The Last Man (001 to 060)→F
2003 to 2018 Robert Kirkman - Invincible (001 to 144)
←2003 to 2018 Robert Kirkman - Invincible (001 to 144)→F
2004 to 2010 Brian K Vaughan - Ex Machina (001 to 050)
←2004 to 2010 Brian K Vaughan - Ex Machina (001 to 050)→F
2006 to 2009 Gerard Way - The Umbrella Academy, Apocalypse Suite
←2006 to 2009 Gerard Way - The Umbrella Academy, Apocalypse Suite→F
2007 to 2008 Jeff Lemire - Essex County
←2007 to 2008 Jeff Lemire - Essex County→F
2008 to 2013 Joe Hill - Locke & Key
←2008 to 2013 Joe Hill - Locke & Key→F
2009 to 2013 Jeff Lemire - Sweet Tooth (001 to 040)
←2009 to 2013 Jeff Lemire - Sweet Tooth (001 to 040)→F
2010 Alan Moore - Neonomicon (001 to 004)
←2010 Alan Moore - Neonomicon (001 to 004)→F
2010 to 2012 Arthur de Pins - The March of the Crabs
←2010 to 2012 Arthur de Pins - The March of the Crabs→F
2012 Ales Kot - Wild Children
←2012 Ales Kot - Wild Children→F
2012 Jeff Lemire - Underwater Welder
←2012 Jeff Lemire - Underwater Welder→F
2012 to 2014 Matt Hawkins - Think Tank (001 to 012)
←2012 to 2014 Matt Hawkins - Think Tank (001 to 012)→F
2012 to 2015 Matt Kindt - Mind MGMT (001 to 036)
←2012 to 2015 Matt Kindt - Mind MGMT (001 to 036)→F
2014 Joe Kelly - I Kill Giants
←2014 Joe Kelly - I Kill Giants→F
2014 to 2016 Michael Moreci - Roche Limit
←2014 to 2016 Michael Moreci - Roche Limit→F
2014 to 2017 Hiroya Oku - Inuyashiki (001 to 085)
←2014 to 2017 Hiroya Oku - Inuyashiki (001 to 085)→F
2014 to 2019 Rick Remender - Black Science (001 to 043)
←2014 to 2019 Rick Remender - Black Science (001 to 043)→F
2014 to 2021 Rick Remender - Low (001 to 026)
←2014 to 2021 Rick Remender - Low (001 to 026)→F
2015 Curt Pires - The Fiction (001 to 004)
←2015 Curt Pires - The Fiction (001 to 004)→F
2015 Grant Morrison - Nameless (001 to 006)
←2015 Grant Morrison - Nameless (001 to 006)→F
2015 James Tynion - Memetic
←2015 James Tynion - Memetic→F
2015 to 2018 Brian K Vaughan - Barrier (001 to 005)
←2015 to 2018 Brian K Vaughan - Barrier (001 to 005)→F
2015 to 2018 Jeff Lemire - Descender (001 to 032)
←2015 to 2018 Jeff Lemire - Descender (001 to 032)→F
2015 to 2019 Brian K Vaughan - Paper Girls (001 to 030)
←2015 to 2019 Brian K Vaughan - Paper Girls (001 to 030)→F
2016 Dan Watters - Limbo
←2016 Dan Watters - Limbo→F
2016 R.J. Ryan - The Joyners (001 to 004)
←2016 R.J. Ryan - The Joyners (001 to 004)→F
2016 to 2017 Jason Shiga - Demon (001 to 021)
←2016 to 2017 Jason Shiga - Demon (001 to 021)→F
2016 to 2017 W. Maxwell Prince - The Electric Sublime (001 to 004)
←2016 to 2017 W. Maxwell Prince - The Electric Sublime (001 to 004)→F
2016 to 2018 Curt Pires - The Forevers (001 to 005)
←2016 to 2018 Curt Pires - The Forevers (001 to 005)→F
2017 Geof Darrow - Shaolin Cowboy, Who'll Stop the Reign (001 to 004)
←2017 Geof Darrow - Shaolin Cowboy, Who'll Stop the Reign (001 to 004)→F
2017 to 2020 Neil Gaiman - American Gods (Books 01 to 03)
←2017 to 2020 Neil Gaiman - American Gods (Books 01 to 03)→F
2018 Ales Kot - Generation Gone (001 to 005)
←2018 Ales Kot - Generation Gone (001 to 005)→F
2019 Michael Conrad - Tremor Dose
←2019 Michael Conrad - Tremor Dose→F
2021 EPHK - Mawrth Valliis
←2021 EPHK - Mawrth Valliis→F
2023 Patrick Horvath - Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (001 to 006)
←2023 Patrick Horvath - Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (001 to 006)→F
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Creator-Driven Auteur Comics

Clearly my sweet spot. I've rated highly across the complete catalogues of:
  • Jeff Lemire (Essex County, Sweet Tooth, Descender, Underwater Welder in Loved; Gideon Falls, Royal City, Trillium)
  • Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Paper Girls, Barrier)
  • Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips (Criminal, Fatale, Reckless series, Sleeper, The Fade Out)
  • Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan, Trees, Wild Storm, James Bond)
  • Matt Kindt (Mind MGMT, Fear Case, Divinity, Past Aways)

Thematic Sweet Spots

  • Speculative/dystopian sci-fi with strong character work (Black Science, Transmetropolitan, Paper Girls)
  • Crime noir with psychological depth (Brubaker's entire oeuvre)
  • Body horror and existential dread done well (Gantz, Inuyashiki, Black Hole, Neonomicon)
  • Deconstructive superhero narratives (Invincible, The Boys, Kingdom Come, Vision)
  • Intimate character studies wrapped in genre (Essex County, I Kill Giants, Locke & Key)

Format Preferences

I tend to commit to complete runs rather than sampling. I haven't started Saga by Brian K. Vaughn for this very reason.

Creator-owned work consistently outperforms work-for-hire in my ratings

I appreciate high-concept premises but they need strong execution

What Distinguishes Loved from Liked

I love titles that tend to have either
  • (a) genuine emotional resonance beyond genre elements (Essex County, I Kill Giants, Paper Girls), or
  • (b) such committed execution that the craft itself becomes the point (Gantz, Shaolin Cowboy, Mind MGMT, Demon).

On the other hand, my liked reads are often technically excellent but perhaps veer more towards exercise than experience.

This is all entirely subjective and meaningless of course!