Comic books and superheroes are synonymous in popular culture, yet there is so much more to illustrated fiction than cape clad crimefighters. As such, despite our name being SuperHeroHype, the following list is not entirely composed of superhero series. It is made up of the five books that best defined the magic of the comics medium in 2023.
5. Blue Book
James Tynion IV is widely regarded as one of the best horror writers working in comics today. However, despite writing a number of imaginative series in 2023, none were quite so spine-tingling as Dark Horse Comics‘ Blue Book. Based on the accounts of alleged alien abductees, the idea that these stories might be true adds to their terror. The surprisingly simple artwork of Michael Avon Oeming, colored only in pale blue, also established a stark aura of suspense. A sequel comic will be released in February 2024.
4. Birds of Prey
First published as a series of one-shots in the late 1990s, Birds of Prey was a brilliant conceit. Starting with Black Canary and Oracle, the comic teamed various women underutilized by DC Comics on covert missions. The 2023 revival by Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero is a welcome return to form, with Black Canary leading a raid on the Amazon homeland of Themyscira.
Thompson builds upon the history of Gail Simone‘s beloved run, with scripts that balance humor and action in equal measure. Romero is equally innovative, boasting a style that is simultaneously streamlined, yet detail-driven. The end result is a comic that has a little bit of everything and does it all well.
3. The Alternates
If 2022’s Minor Threats was a love letter to the silliness of the Silver Age, 2023’s The Alternates is a tribute to Bronze Age counterculture comics. Series creators Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum teamed with Tim Seeley to spin a story of weird superheroes who defy convention. These outsider heroes seek a place in the world that hates and fears them despite their sacrificing themselves to avert a reality-altering crisis. Both playful and poignant, every comic in the miniseries is well-illustrated by Christopher Mitten and Tess Fowler.
2. Conan the Barbarian
2023 was a great year for sword and sorcery comic books. Dynamite Entertainment published two amazing Red Sonja series in honor of the 50th anniversary of the She-Devil With a Sword. Likewise, Vault Comics continued to expand on their Barbaric line with the excellent Queen of Swords. However, great as these books were, nothing else quite equaled the return of the King.
King Conan, that is.
From the first Free Comic Book Day special, Titan Comics‘ Conan the Barbarian is a masterpiece. Jim Zub, Rob De La Torre, and Doug Braithwaite reach new peaks with their work on the series. Simply put, Conan the Barbarbarian is a must-read for fantasy fans.
1. Titans
While DC Comics’ Dawn of DC initiative saw a number of long-neglected characters restored to prominence, the Titans benefited most from being thrust into the spotlight. Writer Tom Taylor brought his A-game to the table, bringing the perfect blend of humor, action, and drama to the comic. The artwork by Nicola Scott is fantastic, with many poster-worthy pages in every issue. Titans is not merely DC‘s best book — it is the best comic book of 2023.
All these series are now available online or at a library or comic shop near you.
