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12 Amazing Indie Comics You Should Check Out


Everyone knows about Marvel and DC, but there’s a lot more to comics than the superhero genre, even if we’re keeping it just to Western stuff. There are tons of independent comics out there that cover a huge range of subjects. From living gods to knightly princesses to monster ladies to zombies, you’ll find a huge variety of greatness in independent comics waiting to be unlocked. This is only a taste of the great indie comics out there, the list is endless- so be sure to talk about your favorites in the comments!­­ 

  1. The Unwritten by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (2009-2015)

    The Unwritten is a paradise for literature geeks- the whole story is a huge ongoing examination of the nature of stories and how they shape real world history that incorporates tons of literary works and figures. The story is about Tom Taylor, whose father wrote the wildly famous “Tommy Taylor” a Harry Potter-esque series and what’s more, based the main character off Tom himself. Tom’s father disappeared, leaving the Tommy Taylor series unfinished.  Despite deeply resenting his dad, Tom makes his living through coasting off his minor celebrity and appearing at fantasy conventions and such.

    However, Tom soon starts being embroiled in strange events- he runs into a real life version of Tommy Taylor’s Voldemort like antagonist, starts manifesting magical powers like his fictional counterpart and  is targeted by an assassin who can melt anything he touches into nothing more than words. While searching for a truth about his own identity, Tom uncovered a vast conspiracy that involves all of the world’s fiction.

     The Unwritten is a fascinating read that incorporates everything from Rudyard Kipling to Frankenstein to Superman- all while creatively playing with the nature of fiction itself. It even changes up its format a lot, featuring what may be the most disturbing choose-your-own-adventure comic of all time, a Winnie-the-Pooh-esque fairy tale where a bitter, foul-mouthed criminal is stuck in the role of the protagonist and even ongoing message-board conversations. It’s smartly written and beautifully drawn- if you love stories and love thinking about how fiction influences people, you’ll love this comic.

  2. The Sandman by Neil Gaiman (1989-1996, various miniseries follow)

    The Sandman actually started out in DC, but it went to the Vertigo impint before the end of its run, so many people consider it indie. I already talked about Sandman a bit in my article on dark fantasy, but it’s remiss to do a list of indie comics without mentioning it- this haunting tale of mythology and the occult is how many people got introduced to indie comics in the first place and is beloved to this day. It follows the personification of dreaming, called, well, Dream.

  3. Bone by Jeff Smith (1991-2004)

    Bone is a modern classic as far as comics go- while a glance at it might lead one to believe it’s about the simple cartoon antics of silly characters, there’s actually huge range or storytelling- there’s gentle humor, slapstick, horrific monsters and epic, sprawling fantasy with great worldbuilding. The story follows the three Bone brothers, who after being run out of their town, are separated and pursued by fearsome rat creatures into a mysterious valley, where they meet two women who end up being embroiled in a fantastical conflict.

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    The book is well-paced, easy to follow and just a great all-ages tale. It won several Eisner Awards.

  4. Lumberjanes by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellison and Noelle Stevenson (2014-Present)

    Lumberjanes is combines fantastical elements, quirky humor, adventurous romps and great character dynamics to make a super enjoyable tale. The comic follows five girls who are Lumberjane scouts at “Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types” as they attempt to get to the bottom of the mysterious supernatural happenings around their camp. Lumberjanes is just a fun, charming read with diverse characters that’s appropriate for all ages. It’s gotten such critical acclaim that it’s already being optioned for a live-action adaptation.

  5. Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (2012-present)

    Saga is an epic space opera of amazing scope and depth. It follows a couple, Alana and Marko, as they evade pursuers while protecting their baby, Hazel. The two entered into a forbidden love despite their planets being at war and now they are fugitives from both their worlds. The story spans a great length of time and features copious worlds and elements- from ghosts to robot kingdoms to “Lying Cat” a cat who can detect when people lie. It’s dark, intense and entertaining and has won multiple awards.

  6. Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (2015-Present)

    Though only six issues are out so far, Monstress is already proving to be an epic fantasy to remember. The series takes place in an alternate fantasy Asia that is ruled by a matriarchy. This land has been torn apart by a war between the Arcanics- “monsters” who resemble humans- and the sorceress who enslave and consume the Arcanics to fuel their magic. Maiko, the main character, is an Arcanic and former slave who is trying to avenge her mother while struggling with the monster inside her. The book explores issues of war, racism and injustice in fantastical context and is features an amazing range of women both good and evil.

    Sana Takeda’s art is absolutely breathtaking. It’s detailed, complex, delicate and also gruesome when it needs to be. The book is not a light one- there’s gore and brutality aplenty and it touches on a lot of scary stuff. 

  7. The Wicked + The Divine by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie 2014- Present)

    The Wicked + The Divine is a comic with a fascinating, huge range of larger-than-life characters that combines celebrity-obsessed modern society with ancient mythology in a clever and inventive way. The comic shows a world where every ninety years, twelve normal  people will be chosen to merge with the spirits of ancient dieties from various traditions (Amaterasu from Japanese mythology, Dionysus from Greek myth, etc). They then get to enjoy fame akin to pop idols and supernatural powers- but in two years, they die. A girl names Laura gets involved with this group, “the Pantheon” after one of they number, “Luci” (Lucifer) is apparently framed for murder.

    The inventive premise and Gillen’s trademark humor, social awareness and intelligent writing make this comic an exciting read- there are constant surprises, with twists and turns and the plot thickening every issue. 

  8. Princeless by Jeremy Whitley (2011-present)

    Princeless is another great all-ages comic. It follows Princess Adrienne, who is locked in a tower on her sixteenth birthday for a prince to rescue and is less than pleased about it. Adrienne ends up befriending the dragon guarding her castle, gets a sword and armor and sets off to rescue her six sisters who are locked away in their own castles. On her journey, she runs into a lot of people, like a half-dwarf blacksmith girl and a young pirate.

    Princeless is pretty light reading, but it’s a fun comic that parodies and lot of princess, fairytale and fantasy tropes, features great cartoony art, lots of action and strong characters. Even if you don’t enjoy it, a kid in your life might. 

  9. Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon, Dean and Nathan Hale (2008)

    Rapunzel’s Revenge is another all-ages comic, but it’s worth a look for anybody. The comic reinvents Rapunzel’s story and sets it in the Wild West. This Rapunzel learns to use her hair to her advantage as a weapon and tool (this was before Tangled, mind you) and gets out the castle herself, determined to take revenge on mother Gothel and track down her real mom. On the way she meets up with Jack, of The Beanstalk fame, who after being run out of town by giant troubles is making ends meet through scam artistry.

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    The story is a fun, adventurous romp with colorful dialogue and lots of antics. There’s also a sequel comic with Jack in the lead, called Calamity Jack

  10. The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman (2003-Present)

    If you liked the TV show, you oughta check out the comic that started it all. Robert Kirkman’s black-and-white comic looks at the human drama behind the zombie apocalypse in a way that captivated many. Deputy Rick Grimes wakes from a coma after being shot in the line of duty to find Georgia devastated by zombies. This gritty series features a huge range of characters and prime drama. 

  11. Zodiac Starforce by Kevin Panetta and Paulina Ganucheau (2015-2016)

    Zodiac Starforce is a four-issue miniseries about a magical girl squad who has broken up, but is bought together again by calamitous events. Featuring fun and well defined characters, bold, colorful art and tons of Sailor Moon references, it’s a great little series. If you love magical girls or superheroes, you’ll love this.

  12. I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly and J.M. Ken Nimura (2008-2009)

    I Kill Giants follows Barbara Thorson, a misanthropic, misfit young girl who believes that giants are real and she is the one to fight and kill them. It’s unclear whether these giants are real or not- but very clear that Barbara is struggling with something pretty heavy. The series uses fantasy to explore psychology and childhood trauma in a deft, well-done way.

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