The comics landscape in 2024 was dominated by the arrival of two major new universes. Marvel relaunched the Ultimate Universe last year, but it was in 2024 that they fully delved into it, launching ongoing titles for Ultimate Spider-Man, Black Panther, and the X-Men. DC, meanwhile, surprised us by splitting its entire superhero comics line in half. While the mainstream DC universe continued on as DC All In, the new Absolute Universe offered refreshed takes on the company's core trinity of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, with more characters to come in 2025.
But comics isn't just about Marvel and DC, of course. 2024 also saw the release of superb titles from the likes of BOOM!, Image, IDW, Dark Horse, and more. There's been some truly innovative, exciting, and beautiful work released across many genres in the last 12 months, and we're excited to talk about some of it here. Of course, this is just scratching the surface of what was released in a sensational year for the medium. We hope that, whatever your tastes, you find some of your faves in here and maybe something that you've not read before to catch up on over the coming holidays.
Note: The comics we've included here were released between January 1 and December 31, 2023 in the UK. We'll have a separate piece on the top 10 manga of 2024 next week.
25. Universal Monsters: Frankenstein (Image Comics)
With Universal Monsters: Frankenstein writer/artist Michael Walsh has crafted an original tale that sits alongside James Whale's 1931 film, enhancing the role played by Doctor Frankenstein's assistant Fritz and introducing Paul, a headstrong young orphan whose late father provided some of the Monster's reanimated body parts. Mostly staying true to the social conventions of the film's 19th Century milieu, Henry's headstrong fiancée Elizabeth adds some contemporary edge, instigating a discussion about the sexual politics of the day and acting as the story's moral centre. With the narrative subtly shifting between different time periods throughout the four issues, Walsh doesn't shirk from the brutality of the not-so-good Doctor's questionable actions with many of the characters meeting violent ends, while the famous scene where Little Maria ominously meets the Monster by a lake is recreated with understated tenderness. Aided by Toni-Marie Griffin's sombre colours, there's a pleasing simplicity to Walsh's fluid linework, and his depiction of the Monster adds a more naturalistic but no less scary element to Boris Karloff's memorable make-up. Stephen Jewell
24. Poison Ivy (DC)
Three years ago, if someone had suggested that an ongoing Poison Ivy series would exist at all, you might have scratched your head and asked: "Why?" Sure, people love the Batman villain and, like her girlfriend Harley Quinn, she has become more of an anti-hero over the years, but she's not necessarily a natural fit for the lead of a series. Yet since 2022 writer G. Willow Wilson, along with Marcio Takara and occasional fill-in artists, has been making the case that Ivy isn't just a great lead, she's one of the cornerstone characters of the DC Universe. In 2024 the series brought on a character redefining Poison Ivy: Year One style arc, a final battle with her former mentor and creator, the Floronic Man, and it's just kept building from there. A recent crossover one-shot dug deeper into the book's Swamp Thing influences without ignoring how Ivy is uniquely different than other characters steeped in The Green. Add in a fantastic supporting cast, including the perpetually horny Janet from HR, who keeps ending up stuck in Ivy's deadly adventures, and you have a book that – pardon the pun – keeps growing in complexity month after month. Alex Zalben
23. Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Leaning into Matt Murdock's religious side can be a gamble, given how divisive the topic can be, especially when mixed with superhero fantasy. But current Daredevil writer Saladin Ahmed and lead artist Aaron Kuder have managed to thread the needle in an incredibly compelling way by first setting Matt up as a struggling priest believing he is on a mission from God after dying and being brought back from Hell, and then forcing him to confront physical manifestations of demonic sin that may have followed him out of the abyss. Daredevil rarely butts heads with the supernatural, but Ahmed has kept things at least a little bit grounded by peppering in an absolutely chaotic rendition of Bullseye. On the other hand, things have taken an unprecedented turn with Kingpin first becoming possessed, then seeking penitence with Daredevil – a turnabout so hauntingly effective, it has led to Matt Murdock questioning his own faith in his inability to absolve Wilson Fisk. Daredevil is often said to be at its best as a title when Matt Murdock is on the backfoot, fighting like an underdog against not just the world around him, but even himself. If that's true, the current run is taking the lesson to heart in a tragic (but extremely readable) way. George Marston
22. Ain't No Grave (Image Comics)
Skottie Young and Jorge Corona's supernatural western has a simple but irresistible premise. Ryder is a reformed gunslinger and bandit who has traded in her life of robbery and violence for a beautiful family. When she's diagnosed with a terminal illness, however, she picks up the pistols once more and sets out with a new target in mind: Death itself. Published over five issues (each themed around one of the stages of grief), Ain't No Grave was as exciting and funny as you'd expect from the creator of I Hate Fairyland, but it was also shot through with a palpable melancholy. The fourth issue, titled 'Depression', was a near-wordless trek through a barren landscape, while the final part brought Ryder to an emotional reckoning with both her immortal target and with the consequences of her often brutal life. Corona and colorist Jean-Francois Beaulieu do striking work here, while Young's script uses the fantastical premise to say something moving and truthful about the lasting impact of bloodshed and the important things in life. Will Salmon
21. Batman & Robin: Year One (DC)
If there is any one exhausted era of comic book mythology, it's "What was Batman doing near the beginning of his career?" Everyone knows the story of how he met Dick Grayson and turned an orphaned acrobat into the Boy Wonder. What sets Batman & Robin: Year One apart, though, is that it's not only focused on the rise of the Dynamic Duo and what it took for the two to work together as a unit. Instead, author Mark Waid understands that you cannot raise a kid on crimefighting alone, and dives into Bruce Wayne's own learning curve as an adoptive figure as well. The result, fueled by Chris Samnee’s powerhouse art, is one of the best renditions of this all-too familiar tale so far. And though the story involves a new threat arriving in Gotham City and some recognizable villainous faces, the comic is at its most delightful when it harnesses the awe of getting to hang around with Batman. I mean, come on. He's BATMAN. Daniel Dockery
20. Man’s Best (BOOM! Studios)
A cat and two dogs take on an army of robot "Clankers" in this beautiful sci-fi series from writer/artist Pornsak Pichetshote. Man's Best follows Porthos, Athos, and Lovey – a scientist's cybernetically-altered emotional support animals on a deep space mission to find a new home for the survivors of humanity. When the ship crashes on an alien world, however, the pets are left to fend for themselves. The five-issue series unashamedly has echoes of classics like Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon's Pride of Baghdad and Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's We3, but is very much it's own strange beast. What starts off as a fairly conventional survival story turns into something far more psychedelic and thought-provoking as the series progresses. And what's not conventional is Pichetshote stunning art, which balances the cartoony characters with a high-level of detail and a strong manga influence. One of the most visually sumptuous comics published it 2024 is also one of its most quietly effecting. Will Salmon
19. X-Factor (Marvel)
As a title, X-Factor has been ripe for reinvention since its earliest years when it shifted focus from a team made up of the original five X-Men to a new group of government recruits. And across its many eras and new directions in the time since, few have felt as immediately vital as writer Mark Russell, artist Bob Quinn, colorist Jesus Aburtov, and letterer Joe Caramagna's recent X-Factor relaunch. X-Factor picks up on a throughline that's been going in the X-Men universe for decades now, with a team of sponsored mutant recruits whose main mission is to maintain popularity with an audience that may or may not be watching simply to see them fail. And fail they do, with an ever-evolving, often revolving cast of mutant heroes who are simply being fed into an almost literal social media meat grinder. It's a tragically satirical take on the fleeting nature of celebrity, the antagonism that can exist between artist and audience, and the power of bigotry over the bottom line, all wrapped up in an ongoing subplot about the mutants who dare to resist the fickle whims of those who feed off of terminally online clout-chasing. George Marston
18. The One Hand/The Six Fingers (Image Comics)
Moody and intense, The One Hand and The Six Fingers is a triumph for Image, a company that's already found significant success in the crime and horror genres. But what sets the cat-and-mouse story found in The One Hand and The Six Fingers apart is that it's actually two separate but intertwined tales, by different creative teams. The One Hand, by Ram V and Laurence Campbell, details grizzled detective Ari Nasser's attempts to catch a serial killer that he's quite familiar with while The Six Fingers, by Dan Watters and Sumit Kumar, allows us to see things from the killer's point of view. While one can certainly attempt to read each series by itself, the two comics and their mythology intersect to create a puzzle that makes reading both the much more satisfying option. The trade paperback collecting both series hit stores this week, so if these flew under your radar on their initial release, now's your chance to get the whole gloriously suspenseful picture in one place. Daniel Dockery
17. 2000 AD (Rebellion)
With questions about the nature of democracy being combined with a futuristic political thriller in both Rob Williams, Arthur Wyatt and Henry Flint's instant classic Judge Dredd story 'A Better World' and John Wagner and Colin MacNeil's equally superb 'Machine Rule' it's been a banner year for Mega-City One's Finest. But the future lawman wasn't the Galaxy's Greatest Comic only highlight in what's proven to be an especially strong 2024. The late John M. Burns' illustrated the first few episodes of Kek-W's intriguing urban fantasy Nightmare New York before being replaced by David Roach. David Barnett and Lee Milmore delved into folk horror for Herne and Shuck, and Dan Abnett teamed up with I.N.J. Culbard on the hard sci-fi murder mystery Brink: Consumed, before teaming up with Mark Harrison on the epic latest installment of The Out. Meanwhile, Garth Ennis and Patrick Goddard made a welcome return to Rogue Trooper, reintroducing the G.I. Dolls in a story which harked back cleverly to Gerry Finley-Day's original 1980s strip. And there's still the annual oversized Christmas issue to come! Stephen Jewell
16. Batman/Superman: World's Finest (DC)
Maybe it's the peanut-butter-and-jelly effect of pairing the Man of Steel and the Dynamic Duo, or the creative fluidity that exists between the now seasoned team of writer Mark Waid, artist Dan Mora, and colorist Tamra Bonvillain – or more likely a mixture of both – but Batman/Superman: World's Finest has remained the gift that keeps on giving as one of the staple titles of the current DC line. Set in the distant (but vaguely undefined) past of the DC Universe, the title focuses on good old fashioned superhero adventures anchored by the two most popular heroes to ever wear a cape. And while a meat-and-potatoes series about Batman and Superman could feel stagnant after several years on the stands, this one has only gotten better and better as it's gone deeper and deeper into DC history with more exciting adventures and more interesting ramifications for the modern DCU. Mora recently departed the series to focus on his new Justice League Unlimited title with Waid (a series to keep an eye on going into 2025, to be sure), with artist Adrián Gutiérrez coming on board to show that World's Finest is still a title to watch even as it undergoes some creative changes. George Marston
15. Ultimate X-Men (Marvel)
Peach Momoko’s Ultimate X-Men might disappoint those looking for, well, the X-Men. However, what it lacks in Cyclops and Wolverine, it makes up for by revitalizing the themes of the series that have been a focal point since they debuted in 1963. Ultimate X-Men hones in on the experience of growing up and feeling like an outcast, all the while discovering how our differences can either empower us or lead us to lash out against the world. Momoko's art and writing are both great, but what she excels in is grappling with the heightened feelings of youth – main character Hisako Ichiki/Armor and her new friends all experience excitement, wonder, grief and guilt on outsized levels, with each feeling tying into their burgeoning mutant abilities. Combine that with Momoko's ability to craft some truly haunting visuals (A few panels could've easily come out of horror creator Junji Ito's catalog), and you have an X-Men title that both feels like a tribute to what's made Marvel's mutants connect to readers for so long and an effective, entirely refreshing adventure. Daniel Dockery
14. Paranoid Gardens (Dark Horse Comics)
Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, and Chris Weston have – not surprisingly, given their pedigree – created one of the most vital comic books of 2024, at least when it comes to depicting the intersection of art and commerce. Set at the strange convalescence center of the title, our main character, Loo, purports to be a nurse at the facility… But she might be the most broken one of all. And – spoilers here – over the course of the book, it becomes clear that she's a key figure in the forces outside of the Gardens who want to take over its unfettered creativity to conform it to the corporation that seeks to absorb and then destroy it. Filled with bizarre creatures and an array of characters ranging from superheroes to freakish monsters, Paranoid Gardens has the same quirks fans of Umbrella Academy have grown to love. But if it sticks the landing (the final issue hits stores on December 18), it may leave an even more powerful statement about how big companies and the tech bros that run them (the money monkeys attacking the Gardens are a not-so-subtle reference to the Bored Ape cult) are dismantling our artistic freedom through the chokehold of IP, AI, and other insidious abbreviations. Alex Zalben
13. Transformers (Skybound/Image)
Daniel Warren Johnson's fresh take on the Robots in Disguise continues to be one of the safest bets in comics if you're looking for thrilling action and strong characterisation. While Johnson stepped back from drawing the comic himself this year (he still scripts it), artists Jorge Corona and Jason Howard proved to be very capable replacements: this is still a great looking book. The war between the Autobots and the Decepticons is raging across Earth with devastating consequences – witness the levelling of Tacoma, Washington in the most recent issue – but Johnson's script has found nuance in his portrayal of individual Transformers. The internal power dynamics between the scheming Decepticons, for example, has revealed a range of different viewpoints not all of which are entirely evil. And while Optimus Prime remains a noble warrior and leader, his sacrifice earlier in the run has left him more vulnerable than ever before. As the wider Energon Universe continues to expand with the recent launch of the G.I. Joe ongoing series, Transformers remains a pure hit of fun and excitement. Will Salmon
12. NYX (Marvel)
The recently relaunched X-Men line has had its share of ups and downs since it kicked off in July. But while some of the titles struggle with consistency, NYX by writers Colin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, artist Francesco Mortarino, color artist Raúl Angulo, and letterer Joe Sabino has been hitting its marks since the word go. Set where else but New York City, NYX focuses on young mutants finding their footing together in the post-Krakoa era while also grappling with what it means to be a mutant in a world that once again holds violent prejudices against Homo Superior. Though there have admittedly been one or two pacing hiccups in the series, NYX has a focus on character development and turn-on-a-dime soap opera that makes it feel like the truest heir to the X-Men of the vaunted Chris Claremont era that's currently in the line. Mortarino's expressive art seals the deal, nailing the youth movement feel of NYX's cast and selling every bit of drama as the newest class of mutants find themselves sinking deeper into the strange tangled web as their forebears. NYX hasn't gotten the flashy praise of some of the new X-Men line's books, but it's quietly becoming the one that has the highest emotional stakes and the most engaging cast. George Marston
11. Alan Scott: The Green Lantern (DC)
When Alan Scott, the original Golden Age Green Lantern, was officially retconned into being a gay man back in 2011, the response was certainly mixed. It only took 13 years, but DC has finally paid off that decision through Alan Scott: The Green Lantern, the character's recent solo limited series which proved to be not just a beautifully rendered flashback to the Golden Age of superheroes, but also a delicate, tragic, and heartfelt rumination on the nature of what it means to have a secret identity, and what happens when even that isn't enough to provide the freedom of living as one's truest, most authentic self. Writer Tim Sheridan, artist Cian Tormey, colorist Matt Herms, and letterer Lucas Gattoni turn in one of the year's most surprisingly affecting stories in Alan Scott: The Green Lantern, reminding us that the medium of superhero comics can still be reflective of the human experience in deeper, more literary ways, even in an era when bubblegum and popcorn comics are filling the stands. And of course, it doesn't skimp on action, also digging into the strange sci-fi side of the Green Lantern mythos with a new, retroactively introduced Red Lantern as his foe, making for a one-two punch of great superhero storytelling. George Marston
10. Ice Cream Man (Image)
Nearly 50 issues in W. Maxwell Prince and Martín Morazzo's Ice Cream Man is essentially a quarterly comic book. While at one point it held a monthly(ish) schedule, the past few years haven't gone beyond six issues, with only five in 2024. Luckily, then, the team released what might be their masterwork over the course of two stand-out issues this year. Ice Cream Man #39 and #40, titled 'Decompression in a Wreck,' told two sides of a car crash in slow motion over the course of 40 or so pages. While the cheeky conceit is exploring the idea of comic book decompression to the extreme – rather than Spider-Man getting his costume and powers over the course of six issues, this stretches mere seconds over graphic novella length – it's also a chance for Prince and Morazzo to present a thesis statement on the meaning, or possibly meaninglessness, of life. And just in case you thought that wasn't metatextual enough, the final issue released this year featured Prince as a character, responding to readers who label the book as horror. And he asks both the reader and himself how and why we care about reading horror comics when the world outside our window has enough real horror to last a lifetime. There's really nothing else like Ice Cream Man on the stands, and likely never will be. Alex Zalben
9. Absolute Batman (DC)
One of the two biggest sellers of the year (alongside Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man) Absolute Batman kicked DC's new Absolute universe off in fine style. Returning to the Dark Knight after a four-year break, long-time Batman scribe Scott Snyder breathes new life into the Caped Crusader, stripping the young Bruce Wayne of his fortune and reconfiguring him as a blue collar worker living in Crime Alley, assisted in his bid to take on the violent and mysterious Party Animals by veteran spy and assassin Alfred Pennyworth. Alongside appearances from Mayor Jim Gordon and rookie street cop Barbara Gordon, Snyder throws in cameos from Harvey Dent, Oswald Cobblepot, Edward Nigma and Waylon Jones – here reinvented as Bruce's shady, but seemingly largely decent, peer group who are yet to adopt any supervillain personas. With many pages featuring nearly 20 panels, the real revelation is artist Nick Dragotta, who proves equally adept at the quieter, character moments as he is at the viscerally choreographed fight scenes. Assisted by Frank Martin's muted colours, his bulked-up Batman is truly scary while #2's splash-page debut of the Bat-Truck takes the breath away. With Absolute Superman and Absolute Wonder Woman also impressing, there's high hopes for the forthcoming Absolute Green Lantern and Absolute Martian Manhunter titles. Stephen Jewell
8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (IDW)
Are Jason Aaron and his rotating cadre of artists delivering the best run on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles since Eastman and Laird introduced the characters decades ago? It's probably too early to make that call, but based on the issues released in 2024, this might turn out to be an all-timer. Part of that is because of the innovative, slow-build structure inherent in the run so far, with each issue focusing on one of the Turtles, who have all been scattered around the globe after a falling out in their past. Each of the first four issues serves as a character piece, therefore, and IDW has perfectly matched top-tier artists to their favorite Turtle characters. Joëlle Jones took on Raphael in prison, Rafael Albuquerque tackled Michelangelo as a TV star in Tokyo, Cliff Chiang delivered a depressed Leonardo meeting some regular-aged non-mutant normal turtles in China, and Chris Burnham took away Donatello's machines and threw him in a hunting zoo. And in each case, those artists are delivering the work of their careers. December 18's #5 is set to bring Darick Robertson into the fold for an issue about Casey Jones, before Juan Ferreyra takes over as the series' first ongoing artist in 2025. Superb art, great character building, thrilling action sequences… It's enough to make you cheer "cowabunga" in your local comic book shop. Alex Zalben
7. Space Ghost (Dynamite)
There's really something to be said about mastering the fundamentals of any creative pursuit, and this year's sleeper hit Space Ghost has proven that sometimes going back to the core of a character and even the core of the superhero medium itself can offer up storytelling dividends. Up-and-coming writer David Pepose and artist Jonathan Lau, one of the quiet workhorses of the industry, have, along with colorist Andrew Dalhouse and letterer Taylor Esposito, turned in one of 2024's most consistent hits among readers and critics alike by shedding (but not disrespecting) Space Ghost's self-aware comedy side of recent memory and taking him back to his roots as one of the earliest, most influential superhero cartoons with an updated, modern comic book lens. Rather than a post-modern deconstruction, Space Ghost is a reconstruction of the character as a Batman-esque sci-fi hero, which finds its contemporary footing by focusing on Space Ghost's sidekicks Jan and Jace (and yes, Blip), as a POV inroad for readers. Space Ghost is classic comic book action without a hint of irony – a character-driven take on a hero who has been around nearly as long as the modern Marvel and DC universes, and who is finally getting his due as a superhero to be taken seriously. George Marston
6. Somna (DSTLRY)
We sang the praises of this eerie erotic folk horror in last year's list on the basis of its stellar first issue. Well, Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay's Somna only got better with its final issues – so much so that it deservedly took home this year's Eisner for Best New Series. Set in the 17th century, the tale of Ingrid – wife to the local witchfinder who, thanks to some disturbingly sexy dreams about a blue-skinned demon, finds herself under suspicion from the local community – was equal parts enigmatic and alluring. Taking place in both the "real" world and in Ingrid's dreams, with Cloonan and Lotay sharing the art duties and illustrating the series in two very different styles, it was one of the year's most purely beautiful books, while the ambiguous nature of the supernatural elements and some strong characterisation added welcome layers of complexity to the tale. A dazzling piece of comics art that speaks to the amazing possibilities of both the medium and young publisher DSTLRY's innovative approach. Will Salmon
5. The Power Fantasy (Image)
Kieron Gillen returned to creator-owned comics with this heady, disturbing look at the ethics of power in a world watched over by "the Nuclear family" – six super-powered individuals who must never, under any circumstances, come into conflict. Unfortunately, while the Family effectively have the powers of gods, they are very human in personality: arrogant, haughty, and prone to squabbling. When one of their number, the youthful stoner Heavy, draws the ire of the US President he sets in motion a bloody chain of events that threatens everything. The comparison between superheroes and nuclear weapons is not a new one in comics, but what really impresses about The Power Fantasy is the methodical way that Gillen and artist Caspar Wijngaard depict the tightrope that civilization is constantly walking. As in a Cold War thriller, one false move could mean the end of everything. Also impressive is the level of detail that the creative team has put into this alternative world: only four issues in and it already feels believable and real. Will Salmon
4. Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel)
It's no secret that fans have practically been begging Marvel Comics to truly reunite Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson (and the publisher has come this close several times in recent years). And while the concept of the pair as a romantic couple remains confined to alternate universes, the new era of Ultimate Spider-Man, launched just about a year ago, has certainly delivered on the premise of the Parker-Watson family. But there's so much more to writer Jonathan Hickman and lead artist Marco Checchetto's ongoing Ultimate Spider-Man title, the flagship of the new Ultimate Universe, than the gimmick of Peter and MJ as married with kids. The title is a reinvention of Peter Parker's origins, to be sure, but what really stands out is the way Ultimate Spider-Man totally redefines nearly every relationship in Peter Parker's life, from Uncle Ben and Aunt May, to J. Jonah Jameson, and even Harry Osborn. Whereas the original Ultimate Spider-Man focused first and foremost on updating Peter's various foundational relationships into a modern context, the new Ultimate Spider-Man is all about flipping them on their axes and discovering how the change in perspective reflects off Peter Parker as a character. It's a remarkable take on Marvel's most popular hero, and a title that remains engaging (and visually gorgeous) month in and month out. George Marston
3. Absolute Wonder Woman (DC)
The launch of DC's Absolute Universe was surely the year's biggest comics event, but the most exciting thing about it has been the sheer quality of the books themselves. All three titles have been nothing short of excellent so far, but while Absolute Batman is the more attention-grabbing title, it's Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman's thrilling reinvention of the amazing Amazon that stole our hearts. Although the circumstances surrounding this new take on Diana are on the surface bleak – she is raised not on Themyscira, but in Hell by Circe – the warmth and goodness of the character is still very much present and correct. While Thompson's script strikes a fine balance between the tough and the heartfelt, Hayden Sherman's elegant pencils and innovative layouts, and colorist Jordie Bellaire's palette of infernal reds and blacks, make for a seriously good-looking comic. Look, we realize this is a very high ranking for a comic that's only published two issues so far (though we have also read December 26's #3 and boy are we looking forward to talking about that...) but by placing Diana in a much harsher world while retaining all of her essential goodness of spirit, Thompson and Sherman have created something genuinely breathtaking. Plus this Wonder Woman has an absolutely massive sword. Will Salmon
2. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (IDW)
"Welcome to Woodbrook. It may not look like much from the outside, but it's a special place." So opens Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, writer/artist Patrick Horvath's word-of-mouth sleeper hit set in classic small town America. Only, instead of humans, Woodbrook is inhabited by a parade of anthropomorphic animals. They have families, work jobs, and do everything people do – for better and worse. You see, the comic's bear protagonist Samantha is a killer: a ruthless, methodical serial murderer who has gone to great lengths to protect their dark secret. When another killer comes to town, however, Sam must discover their identity before they expose her own wrongdoing. Beneath the Trees puts a simple twist on a familiar crime trope, but its brilliance lies in the clarity of Horvath's storytelling. He weaponizes the storybook aesthetic against the reader, the gore seeming somehow far more shocking in this overtly cute context than it would if these were regular people, while the central mystery is genuinely compelling. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is not just a great comic – it marks the arrival of a major new talent. Will Salmon
1. Fantastic Four (Marvel)
In the decades since their creators Jack Kirby and Stan Lee first brought the Fantastic Four to comics, they've proven a tough concept to truly nail for many creators. Even some of the most loved and well-regarded FF runs have found success by focusing on one or two specific aspects of Marvel's multi-faceted – and notoriously hard to pin down – first family. For the last couple years though, writer Ryan North and lead artist Iban Coello have taken the Fantastic Four title back to its roots as a family drama filled with weird science and strange sci-fi happenings. In 2024 in particular, Fantastic Four has become Marvel's most consistently delightful comic, and one of the most successful comics on the stands at hitting its mark month in and month out. Fantastic Four may not be as flashy as some of 2024's other top titles, but North and Coello and company consistently hit the nail on the head both at communicating the ever-expanding science (and fantastical super-science) concepts that give the title its drive, and at the heart, drama, and comedy that comes from living in a superhero family. Fantastic Four is the best comic of 2024 for a multitude of reasons, but they all boil down to one thing: delivering a much-needed return to form for the Fantastic Four, and consistently anchoring Marvel's line even without the spotlight put on teams like the Avengers and X-Men. George Marston
