Has it been a year already?
Well, that’s another twelve months over in the world of comics, and as we move into 2024, it’s time once again for us to highlight some of the titles that have excited us most over the past year.
As with previous years, there’s no hard and fast criteria for inclusion on this list. This is simply the comics that we think have stood out from the rest of the pack in 2024 by virtue of their premise, story, artwork… or all of the above.
Let us know in the comments below if you agree or disagree with our selections, which are presented in no particular order, and we’d love to hear what you were reading and enjoying tas in 2023 as well if you have time.
Conan the Barbarian (Titan Comics)
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist(s): Rob De La Torre, Doug Braithwaite
We’ve been extremely vocal supporters of Marvel’s Conan comics over the last few years, so when we heard that the Cimmerian was making the jump to Titan Comics, there were initially some concerns about whether the British publisher could maintain that incredibly high standard of quality.
And then we saw the creative team.
As expected, writer Jim Zub and artist Rob De La Torre (and more recently Doug Braithwaite) have absolutely knocked it out of the park, delivering an authentic version of Conan that Robert E. Howard himself would be proud of, but managing to ensure that things feel fresh and new at the same time. The first four-part arc is released in trade paperback format this February, and if you’ve managed to miss out on the series so far, we strongly recommend picking it up. By Crom it’s good!
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (IDW Publishing)
Writer/Artist: Patrick Horvath
A fascinating new series we described as “Sylvanian Families meets Dexter”, Patrick Horvath seamlessly blends the worlds of cutesy anthropomorphic animals and high-functioning serial killers into a story which is like absolutely nothing else on the shelves right now.
Set in the town of Woodbrook, we are introduced to hardware store owner Samantha Strong who harbours a dark, chilling secret. But when a second serial killer shows up with a far more dramatic (and public) approach, Sam is forced to act before the townsfolk’s investigations end up uncovering her own dark desires.
Just a brilliant blend of genres with some truly fantastic artwork from Horvath.
Transformers (Skybound Comics)
Writer/Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson
Taking the bones of the original G1 cartoon plot and giving it a slightly darker, noticeably more violent twist, Daniel Warren Johnson’s Transformers exploded out of the starting blocks with one hell of a debut issue, and has barely missed a step since, instantly establishing Skybound’s “Energon Universe” as one of the coolest things in comics today.
With a trimmed-down cast of characters and plenty of Johnson’s trademark kinetic, action-packed artwork, this new series is a must read for both fanatic and lapsed Transformers fans alike.
Coda (BOOM! Studios)
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Matias Bergara
Man do I love me some Coda.
The original series has appeared not once but twice on my previous “Best Of” year end lists, and with good cause. Simon Spurrier and Matias Bergara’s irreverent look at a dystopian fantasy world where magic has all but dried up made a triumphant return earlier this year, boasting the same blend of humour, fantasy and jaw-dropping visuals as before.
The themes have shifted a little in this more recent run, focusing a lot more on the relationship between Hum and Serka as a new family unit, but the high level plot is still every bit as compelling as before. An immaculately written and drawn series that we’re thrilled to see return.
A Guest In The House (First Second)
Writer/Artist: Emily Carroll
I mean, it’s a new Emily Carroll book, so there’s pretty much no way it wasn’t going to be included on this list.
For Carroll’s latest offering we are introduced to new bride Abby as she struggles to adjust to life with her husband and stepdaughter. Her initial happiness gradually gives way to a creeping unease about what happened to David’s previous wife, and Carroll depicts this haunting decline in her usual striking visual style.
An absolutely mesmerising psychological horror graphic novel that deserves to find it’s place on as many of your bookshelves as possible – assuming it’s not there already.
Wild’s End (BOOM! Studios)
Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: INJ Culbard
Another previously loved series which made it’s triumphant return this year at BOOM! Studios (and the second book on our list to feature anthropomorphic animals in a decidedly un-cute setting), Wild’s End reunites Dan Abnett and INJ Culbard to provide a fresh perspective on the menacing War of the Worlds-style alien invasion we experienced in the first series.
Boasting the same strong character work from Abnett and the inimitable artistic style of Culbard, the series puts this latest group of survivors through the physical and emotional wringer, and is an absolute delight to read.
Peacemaker Tries Hard! (DC Comics)
Writer: Kyle Starks
Artist: Steve Pugh
Following an unexpected breakout appearance in 2021’s The Suicide Squad and a thoroughly entertaining TV series spinoff, Peacemaker finally gets the comic book series he deserves courtesy of longtime BCP favourite Kyle Starks and talented artist Steve Pugh.
One of only two “big two” titles on this year’s list, Peacemaker Tries Hard! brilliantly matches the madcap energy of the HBO Max series, with Starks delivering a machine gun spray of gags and Pugh (alongside colourist Jordie Bellaire) really leaning into the bombastic nature of the action set pieces. A ton of fun.
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Writer(s): Chip Zdarsky/Saladin Ahmed
Artist(s): Marco Checchetto, Aaron Kuder
The second “big two” title on this year’s list serves as the continuation of last year’s fantastic Daredevil series, with Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto wrapping up their stellar run on the Man Without Fear and handing the proverbial billy club to Saladin Ahmed and Aaron Kuder.
Tasked with picking up the pieces after Zdarsky and Checchetto took great pleasure in completely and utterly destroying both Daredevil and Matt Murdock, this new creative team have done a fantastic job of building on the epic conclusion to the previous run and unleashing a grave new threat onto the streets of Hell’s Kitchen. A masterpiece of superhero storytelling, and by far my favourite DD run in years.
w0rldtr33 (Image Comics)
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Fernando Blanco
It wouldn’t be a Big Comic Page end of year list without a James Tynion IV comic, and w0rldtr33 most definitely earns its place here.
Featuring stunning artwork from Fernando Blanco, this horror series sees a group of hackers doing everything they can to prevent a malevolent online entity from being unleashed.
A brilliantly paced mystery unfolds throughout the course of the first volume, with Tynion IV and Blanco delivering a heady blend of tense horror and shockingly brutal violence, with the internet itself (or in this case the “undernet”) becoming legitimately terrifying threat. A fantastic offering from a creative team working in perfect harmony.
Dark Spaces: Dungeon (IDW Publishing)
W: Scott Snyder
A: Hayden Sherman
Rounding out this year’s list is a brilliantly executed psychological horror comic from IDW’s Dark Spaces anthology series. Dungeon sees Scott Snyder and Hayden Sherman tapping into some primal, claustrophobic fears as a family makes a grim discovery near their house and finds themselves firmly in the crosshairs of a terrifying serial killer dubbed “The Keep”.
Boasting some typically sharp writing from Snyder and Sherman’s ever-evolving artistic stylings, this new series earns a place on the list despite only having two issues published this year. That said, the first chapter alone is easily one of the best comics I’ve read all year, so it more than warrants its inclusion here.
The writer of this piece was: Craig Neilson-Adams (aka Ceej)
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