10 Indie Comic Masterpieces You Forgot Existed

For decades, Marvel and DC Comics have been the major forces in the comic book world, and they’ve certainly created some truly amazing stories. However, they aren’t the only ones! While characters like Batman, Spider-Man, Superman, and the Avengers are incredibly popular, there’s a whole world of other great comics out there waiting to be discovered.

Publishers like IDW and BOOM Studios, which operate independently, have created some truly outstanding comic books over the past few decades. While titles like Invincible, The Walking Dead, Spawn, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have become well-known and highly praised, many other fantastic independent comics have been overlooked. It’s time for readers to rediscover these hidden gems.

The Power Fantasy Is A Current Series That Is Being Tragically Ignored

Even though it’s a relatively new comic, Kieron Gillen’s The Power Fantasy is easily one of the best series in recent years. It’s disappointing that so few people are reading it, and it appears this lack of readership is leading Gillen to end the series with issue #16.

Okay, seriously, The Power Fantasy has some of the best characters I’ve ever seen in a comic, and it keeps throwing these crazy twists at you! Plus, the world they’ve built is just incredible. It’s easily one of those titles that deserves to be mentioned with the greats, and I’m grabbing every issue as soon as it comes out.

Black Science Is A Multiversal Epic

Rick Remender is a highly acclaimed writer in the comic book world. While he’s achieved significant success with Marvel on titles like Captain America, he’s made a bigger impact with his independent work. Deadly Class is considered a classic indie series, but many fans consider his sci-fi epic, Black Science, to be his most overlooked masterpiece.

With its incredibly imaginative story, spanning countless universes and filled with unexpected twists, Black Science is a truly original comic. Matteo Scalera’s stunning artwork perfectly captures the strange and exciting feel of the series. While Rick Remender has created many great comics, Black Science deserves more attention and has unfortunately been overlooked by many readers.

Murder Falcon Has Been Overshadowed By Its Creator’s Newer Works

Daniel Warren Johnson is a major force in comics right now. He’s quickly become popular thanks to his energetic artwork and compelling stories, showcased in titles like Transformers and the recent Absolute Batman Annual. While everything he creates is fantastic, many fans consider Murder Falcon to be a hidden gem.

Murder Falcon is an eight-part comic series that brilliantly blends rock music with high-fantasy adventure, making it one of the most original and thrilling action comics in decades. It’s full of powerful emotional moments, incredibly creative characters and monsters, and boasts a fantastic title. Murder Falcon is just as deserving of attention as the recent work of its creator, Daniel Warren Johnson.

The Maxx Is An Over-The-Top Epic From The Early Days of Image

Image Comics is a hugely influential publisher, often considered the third most important in comic book history. For a time, many believed it even surpassed DC Comics in impact, with only Marvel being more powerful. Founded in 1992 by renowned artists like Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee, Whilce Portacio, and Rob Liefeld, Image Comics has consistently pushed boundaries and redefined the world of independent comics.

Only a year after it began, Image Comics published The Maxx, a unique and visually striking comic book created by artist and writer Sam Kieth. This book perfectly captured the wild spirit of 1990s comics, running for thirty-five strange and captivating issues. While it gained a dedicated fanbase and remains popular with a devoted following, it didn’t achieve the same lasting success as titles like Spawn or Savage Dragon.

Wytches Is A Startling Horror Comic From A Legendary Creative Duo

Scott Snyder is a top comic book writer, and his collaborations with artist Jock are particularly outstanding. Their work, often centered around a town hiding a dark secret, showcases Snyder’s talent at its peak. The combination of striking artwork, meaningful themes, and genuinely frightening visuals makes it a truly exceptional comic.

It’s unfortunate that most fans are only familiar with Scott Snyder’s work on the New 52’s Batman and his recent Absolute Batman, because he’s created a lot of other excellent comics over the years. Wytches is a great example of this, and horror comic readers should definitely check it out – it’s a fantastic and frightening book by the same team that brought us Batman: The Black Mirror.

Casanova Is A Quick-Witted Sci-Fi Spy Caper

I remember discovering Matt Fraction way back before he was a huge name with stuff like Hawkeye or even his recent Batman work. He was doing these incredibly cool, different indie comics, and they really stood out. A lot of people love Sex Criminals (which he did with Chip Zdarsky), and it’s fantastic, but honestly, I think Casanova is the one that really deserves more attention – it’s seriously underrated!

Despite only lasting fourteen issues, Casanova is incredibly rich and memorable. It’s a unique blend of dark humor, strangeness, and sensuality, showcasing Matt Fraction’s talent at its best. Its sheer originality might be why it’s slipped under the radar for some. If you enjoy sci-fi adventures, visually engaging art, and thrilling spy stories, Casanova is a true gem you shouldn’t miss.

A Righteous Thirst For Vengeance Is A Fast-Paced And Violent Masterpiece

Rick Remender delivers a brutally realistic and dark comic in his eleven-issue series, A Righteous Thirst For Vengeance. It’s a remarkably violent story, relying more on impactful visuals than extensive dialogue to create a truly gritty experience.

Remender’s comic isn’t just trying to feel like a movie; it’s something special and stands out on its own over its eleven issues. Sadly, even fans of Remender seem to have overlooked it, which is a real loss. It’s a quick read – easily finished in one sitting – and it really deserves more attention.

The Black Monday Murders Is Jonathan Hickman At His Finest

He’s one of the most influential comic book creators in decades, known for his amazing work with Marvel. Titles like Fantastic Four, Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Wars, and X-Men are just a few examples of why he’s been at the forefront of so many of Marvel’s most successful periods.

Honestly, while I love Jonathan Hickman’s work for Marvel and DC, it’s his independent stuff where he really gets to flex his creative muscles. Everyone talks about East of West, which is amazing, but I think his most overlooked gem is The Black Monday Murders. It’s this incredibly strange and smart murder mystery that blends economic conspiracies with seriously creepy supernatural stuff. And if you’re a big Hickman fan like me, you’ll be thrilled – it’s full of charts and diagrams! It’s just a really unique and mind-bending series.

20th Century Men Is A Geopolitical Sci-Fi Epic From An Up-And-Coming Superstar

Deniz Camp is the writer behind popular comics like Absolute Martian Manhunter and The Ultimates. Many consider him one of the most innovative creators in the comic book industry today, and he’s consistently produced excellent work for years. While he’s recently gained widespread recognition for his work with DC and Marvel, his independent comics are equally impressive.

Before creating the acclaimed sci-fi anthology Assorted Crisis Events, author Camp captivated readers with 20th Century Men. This six-issue miniseries is a rich and thoughtful exploration of world politics, cleverly told through the exciting combination of superheroes and science fiction. Featuring memorable characters, sharp dialogue, and incredible world-building, it’s a must-read for anyone who enjoys Camp’s recent work and should be picked up as soon as possible.

Astro City Is A Superhero Masterpiece That Rivals Any Marvel or DC Book

You know how a lot of superhero stories try to shock you by flipping the script – like, “What if Superman was a bad guy?” – but it’s usually just a twist for the sake of being different? Well, Astro City is totally different. This indie comic, which started way back in 1996, doesn’t try to subvert the genre at all. Instead, it loves everything about superheroes and actually dives deeper into the ideas and tropes than even Marvel or DC do. It’s seriously underrated, and I wish more people knew about it.

Astro City is a heartfelt tribute to heroes and the power of hope, featuring some of the best independent superhero characters ever created. Despite launching two successful ongoing series with the same team, it hasn’t gotten the widespread recognition it deserves. It’s time for more people to discover this indie comic gem and appreciate it as the masterpiece it truly is.

2026-01-11 07:16