The Best Comics of 2019 So Far
Comics matter to us here at ComicBook.com, if the name of the site didn’t already make that [...]
Comics matter to us here at ComicBook.com, if the name of the site didn't already make that apparent. While we admire many of the masterful comics from the past, comics that have provided the foundation for so many movies and television shows we love today, we also know that a brand new generation of stories are appearing in comic book stores each week. Whether it's an amateur team of superpowered champions or a terrifying meditation on loneliness, there has never been a more diverse or refined set of comics narratives than in our current era. They are the stuff of dreams and nightmares.
It's why we place so much effort into providing weekly coverage of as many new comics as we can. That includes a round up of the most anticipated new releases accompanied by recommendations and a collection of reviews covering more than 50 new releases from every major publisher with special focus provided for a handful of big releases. It's a lot of work and it's work the ComicBook.com team is proud to deliver.
That's also why we've taken a brief moment as convention season winds down in order to provide a review of our favorite new comics from 2019 so far. The year is just past halfway over, but there have already been some incredible new offerings that are bound to be discussed again at the end of 2019 and throughout awards season. So whether you're looking for recommendations or trying to avoid fear of missing out, you're in luck. These are 13 of the absolute best comics to arrive in 2019, so far...
Ascender
I'll be the first to admit it: I may have been too hard on Jeff Lemire's Ascender. The sequel series to Descender, the first issue didn't really lift off the ground but in the issues since Lemire and artist Dustin Nguyen have crafted a tale that both honors the Descender series while also slowly unfolding a genuinely new story that embraces both Descender's sci-fi roots while opening up to a fantasy adventure. There's far more heart to Ascender than the first issue would have led readers to believe and it makes the book a slow burn worth checking out as well as a stand out as one of the better titles this year. -- Nicole Drum
Published by Image Comics
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Dustin Nguyen
prevnextChampions
Ever since Jim Zub took over Champions, the book has risen to new heights and become one of the best Marvel books on the shelves. Period. The series is able to find the delicate balance between action and emotion that very few other comics can, and it does so while simultaneously giving each and every character a thoughtful, well-written arc. Miles, Kamala, Viv, and so many other young characters in this book are given the kind of meaningful relationships with one another that have escaped them in the past, allowing them all to reach their absolute full potentials as members of an all-star team. I haven't been this excited for new issues of an ongoing in quite a long time. -- Charlie Ridgley
Published by Marvel Comics
Written by Jim Zub
Art by Steven Cummings
prevnextClue: Candlestick
Dash Shaw understands the tremendous potential of visual design and his work in Clue: Candlestick is a testament to how versatile that understanding and potential can be. No matter how a reader might choose to approach this three-issue text, they are bound to discover an aspect that is both appealing and revealing. There's the surface-level text of a mystery filled with stock characters, the plot of which is brilliantly detailed in each panel. The mystery itself is told as much in the individual panels as a list of clues and twists, though. Careful attention is honored and Shaw even guides readers on how to pay attention through his deployment of mysteries. This is a comic that delivers suspense, humor, and brain teasers, but all in a fashion that will surprise even long-time readers of comics or these specific genres. Clue: Candlestick is one of the best designed and most rewarding comics experiences of 2019. -- Chase Magnett
Published by IDW Publishing
Created by Dash Shaw
prevnextDIE
Initially described as D&D meets Jumanji, DIE is both a loving look at the role that tabletop RPGs play in our lives and a larger deconstruction of how people use fantasy to both confront and escape from personal and social issues. Written by Kieron Gillen and illustrated by the brilliant Stephanie Hans, DIE stars a group of adults who, as teens, were trapped in an RPG world of their making for two years. The experience left them scarred for life, especially as they had to leave one of their friends behind. Eventually, the group is called back into the game and they struggle with returning to their old selves and looking through a horrifying world with new, adult eyes. DIE is a brilliant comic on multiple levels - it examines how we interact with games, with our old friends, and with the fantasy genre in general, and it digs at whether we make our hobbies part of our selves, or if these hobbies slowly consume us. -- Christian Hoffer
Published by Image Comics
Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Stephanie Hans
prevnextThe Dreaming
It is no simple task to create a series that is meant to follow up on one of the most critically-acclaimed comic books of all time. Somehow, writer Si Spurrier and artist Bilquis Evely have managed to do that with aplomb. Spurrier has taken the core themes of the Sandman and expanded on them in a way that feels true to Neil Gaiman's original vision without being restricted by them. Evely has proven capable of drawing everything that exists under the sun, as well as more than a few things that definitely do not. This is an all-star team doing fantastic work of living up to the legacy of Sandman while charting their own course. The Dreaming is a fantastic fantasy and a worthwhile comic book on every level.
Published by Vertigo Comics
Written by Simon Spurrier
Art by Bilquis Evely
prevnextFairlady
Fairlady may not have the flash or complex, multi-issue arc style of storytelling that many comics rely on, but that is what makes this series from writer Brian Schirmer and artist Claudia Balboni a real standout for 2019 thus far. Each issue is a complete, contained story from start to finish, but those complete stories are put together in such a way that a little bit of a larger story gets revealed a bit at a time -- and is presented in such a natural way that you can pick up any issue and still know everything that's going on. The characters have depth and color that lifts them from the page without being too much and the themes, specifically of sexism, trauma, and the reality of life after war, are handled with grace and sensitivity. In a field of big stories and events, Fairlady stands out for its quiet, solid storytelling and needs to be on everyone's pull list. -- Nicole Drum
Published by Image Comics
Written by Brian Schirmer
Art by Claudia Balboni
prevnextFemale Furies
After Mister Miracle (deservedly) dominated the comic conversation last year, Female Furies brings a New Gods tale that could not feel more suited for 2019. The prequel miniseries chronicles the early days of the titular squad and the various events that lead them to rebel against Darkseid. Gender politics, sexual and emotional abuse, and the cycles that that trauma unintentionally creates are dissected pretty heavily by Cecil Castellucci in this series, in a way that isn't afraid to be frustratingly and upsettingly real. The choices that Adriana Melo makes with the series' art are a real standout, particularly with the use of Kirby-esque visuals to highlight certain flashback sequences. The miniseries published its final issue earlier this month, so there's no excuse for you to not binge-read the entire story. -- Jenna Anderson
Published by DC Comics
Written by Cecil Castellucci
Art by Adriana Melo
prevnextGuardians of the Galaxy
Since Guardians of the Galaxy came out in 2014, Marvel Comics dove head-first into the off-the-wall goofiness of the on-screen characters, pushing out storyline after storyline that found themselves almost too campy for their own good. Now with Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw at the helm, the Guardians have returned to their mid-2000s form, the team and characters that ended up inspiring a film franchise in the first place. Sure, there's still a bit of that goofiness involved, but there's a certain darkness that follows the team around, adding this special layer of depth to each of the characters. Even though each of the characters is a loner in their own right, the group has each other and as cliche as that sounds, this run hits the nail on the head issue after issue. In terms of cosmic Marvel stories, it doesn't get much better than the current ongoing Guardians of the Galaxy series. - Adam Barnhardt
Published by Marvel Comics
Written by Donny Cates
Art by Geoff Shaw
prevnextImmortal Hulk
More than one year after Immortal Hulk made its debut, it remains the Marvel comic to read and discuss each month. As the story has transformed from single-issue thrillers into a more sweeping saga pulling in much of the Hulk's continuity, the series itself has never lost its guiding light. This is an examination of what monstrosity means and how individuals are continually impacted by past trauma. It is simultaneously a psychological thriller, a supernatural journey, and part of the great Marvel literary tradition begun by Kirby and Lee with this same character (amongst others). Bennett distills all of these big ideas in a fashion that reminds readers comics are every bit as potent a medium for horror as film, playing with space and power in his layouts as well as the panels. Immortal Hulk is still a can't-miss superhero comic in 2019 and one we'll likely be talking about for years to come. -- Chase Magnett
Published by Marvel Comics
Written by Al Ewing
Art by Joe Bennett
prevnextMartian Manhunter
J'onn J'onnz has been a part of the DC Comics canon for decades, but the currently-running maxi-series gives him the solo story he's always deserved. The series opens with J'onn undercover on Earth, investigating a murder that quickly intersects with his dark past. Steve Orlando crafts a narrative that's part True Detective-style noir, horrific sci-fi, and poignant refugee tale, and does some pretty impressive things in all three of those domains. Riley Rossmo's visuals in this series are unlike anything else currently on comic stands right now, crafting visuals of Mars (and yes, Martian sex) that feel bizarre, gorgeous, and truly inspired. The series is currently at its midpoint (and is somehow managing to outdo itself in the process), so now is as good of a time as ever to catch up. -- Jenna Anderson
Published by DC Comics
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by Riley Rossmo
prevnextPeter Cannon, Thunderbolt
Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt, from Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard, is reminiscent of Planetary #7 in how it prods comics to move past its arrested development. It begs comics to free itself from the trap of never-ending deconstruction and constant imitation. It inspires comics to move forward into an uncertain future full of potential. This is hardly the first commentary on that endless untapped potential, yet it may be the most willing to acknowledge and wrestle with the icons weighing comics down. That is, before it knocks that icon on its side and steps over it in triumph. Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt is a wake-up call for comics readers and creators. Stop worshipping at the altar. Get up off your knees. The future is waiting for you. -- Jamie Lovett
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Caspar Wjingaard
prevnextSabrina, the Teenage Witch
Whether you love Sabrina from her adorable '90s sitcom, her gothic horror series, or something in between, you'll find something to love in Archie's current Sabrina the Teenage Witch miniseries. The tale follows Sabrina beginning her time at a new high school and simultaneously enduring both average high school moments and surprising supernatural threats. Kelly Thompson is as good as she's ever been on this series, giving the titular protagonist and those in her orbit so much earnestness and personality. Veronica and Andy Fish's art is practically perfect as well, bathing each page in candy-coated colors and an unbelievably pleasing aesthetic. The world of Sabrina could not be in better hands. -- Jenna Anderson
Published by Archie Comics
Written by Kelly Thompson
Art by Veronica Fish
prevnextWhen I Arrived at the Castle
Will Eisner once described his vision of comics as a medium in which the many components (e.g. lettering, art, color) would be seen as part of a holistic vision, not separate pieces divided by clunky work balloons, panel borders, or miscommunication between collaborators. That ideal comic—one in which each page is a complete piece of art—is exactly what Emily Carroll has achieved in When I Arrived at the Castle. It delivers an immersive experience into a fantastic world of suspense, horror, and a special form of romance, one which leaves you feel trapped by its perfectly conceived narrative presentation. This is the sort of comic that is impossible to set down once it is opened, one that can only be experienced to fully understand its achievement. Carroll has ensured her place as a modern master with When I Arrived at the Castle if she had not already. -- Chase Magnett
Published by Koyama Press
Created by Emily Carroll
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