The COVID-19 pandemic has had a particularly profound impact on the comic industry, as publishers and fans try to adjust to a “new normal” in terms of distribution and release. A majority of new comics are on hold for the immediate future, leaving some to check out digital comics and collected editions of series to pass the time. While there are thousands of comics to check out on services like DC Universe and Marvel Unlimited (with Marvel recently uploading some significant free titles to that latter app), that’s only the tip of the iceberg in terms of comics fans can explore. There are plenty of titles – either from other publishers or self-published entirely – that are just a few clicks away.
Many of these titles are available through Comixology (if you’re wanting to lend a few bucks to the industry), as well as free services through your local library, such as Hoopla. Other titles are available entirely for free, partially because they got their start as webcomics. So, if you’re looking for a good jumping-off point of indie comics to dive into while you’re stuck at home, read on to find out our suggestions.
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Check, Please!
Available on: Official website
If you’ve been on Tumblr for the past eight-or-so years, you’ve probably heard something about Check, Please!. The series follows Eric “Bitty” Bittle, a former figure skater who joins his college’s hockey team as a freshman. Through a series of “vlogs” set in real-time, we follow Bitty and his teammates throughout college, as well as Bitty’s journey as a young gay man.
Ngozi Ukazu’s series has been published in physical volumes, but it got its start as a free webcomic in 2013, and its storytelling blossomed into an official Tumblr, Twitter, and various other forms of storytelling. If you want a queer, heartfelt story to get you through self-quarantine – or you’re just really missing sports – Check, Please! might be a good place to start.
Coffin Bound
Available on: Comixology, Hoopla
Coffin Bound follows Izzy, a young woman who is sent on a literal trip down memory lane after being targeted by a hitman. With the help of a macabre cast of characters, Izzy sets out on one major road trip, as she seeks to erase all trace of herself — and prevent the men in her life from manipulating her history.
While only a few issues in, Coffin Bound is one of the coolest and most profound comics that has been published in the past year. Dan Watters and Dani craft a punk rock, grindhouse tale of legacy, self-preservation, and body horror, and now is as good of a time as ever to dive into it.
Crowded
Available on: Comixology, Hoopla
For a completely-different kind of assassin-tinged road trip story, you should absolutely pick up Crowded. The series is set in an alternate version of our present, where assassinations are crowdfunded through an app called Reapr. This begins to cause a major headache for Charlie Ellison, a seemingly-average young woman who suddenly has a very expensive bounty on her head. Teaming up with Vita – the lowest-rated bodyguard on the “Dfend” app – and an adorable chihuahua, Charlie needs to stay alive… and figure out who wants her dead.
Christopher Sebela, Ro Stein & Ted Brandt, and company craft a hilarious and action-packed tale, which will make you look at human interaction and relationships in a whole new way.
Hark! A Vagrant
Available on: Official website
Kate Beaton might be one of the best cartoonists to rise to prominence in the past decade and a Hark! A Vagrant is the best distillation of her skills. The long-running webcomic has lampooned everything from centuries-old history to Nancy Drew covers, with some legitimately hilarious results.
No matter where you dive into Hark! A Vagrant, each comic will bring a satisfying, but brilliantly-constructed short-form storytelling.
iZombie
Available on: Comixology, Hoopla
iZombie is about as self-contained and genuinely creative as you can get. The series, which was part of DC’s (now-defunct) Vertigo label from 2010-2012, follows Gwen Dylan, a young-woman-turned-zombie in Eugene, Oregon. Gwen is forced to moonlight as a gravedigger to feed her appetite for brains, which allows her to access the memories of the brains she’s eating.
While the comic is definitely different from The CW’s fan-favorite television adaptation, both versions of iZombie have quite a lot to love. Plus, what other comic has a supporting cast that includes a ghost from the 1960s and a “were-terrier”?
Lady Killer
Available on: Comixology, Hoopla
Another female-led and obsession-worthy comic that deserves more attention is Joelle Jones’ Lady Killer. The series, which is published in two volumes, follows Josie Schuller In the 1950s. A seemingly-perfect housewife, Josie moonlights as a contract killer, only the two sides of her life to intersect in a deadly way.
If you’ve been following Jones’ recently-concluded Catwoman run, Lady Killer is a perfect way to keep the momentum going. If not, it’s still just an incredibly entertaining and gorgeously-rendered comic.
On a Sunbeam
Available on: Official website
Tillie Walden is another cartoonist and artist who has put out consistently-stellar work, and On a Sunbeam is no exception. The series, which was initially published as a webcomic, follows Mia, the member of a team in charge of rebuilding structures in space. As the story goes along, Mia and her fellow crew members must come to terms with their own losses.
On a Sunbeam is bizarre and truly breathtaking with visuals to match. While you should also buy the collected edition, which was published in 2018, the webcomic is a cost-effective way to experience the story for yourself.
Nancy
Available on: Official website
While Nancy has been a fixture of comic strips since the 1930s, Olivia Jaimes’ recent run on the character has helped her become something truly special. Jaimes has been the first female author to take on the title, giving the sarcastic titular young character the modern, but earnest edge that the comic world didn’t know it desperately needed.
The first nine months of Jaimes’ Nancy run have been collected into a snazzy hardcover, but her past nearly-two years of strips are also available for free courtesy of GoComics. Get ready to be genuinely entertained by Nancy (and to find out exactly why Sluggo is lit.)
Motor Crush
Available on: Comixology, Hoopla
Brendan Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr helped usher Batgirl into a new era, and they bring their energetic and truly stylish energy to Motor Crush. The series follows Domino Swift, a professional motorcycle racer who secretly races in underground fights, in hopes of gaining a new drug named Crush.
Motor Crush has so much action, heart, and Instagram-worthy aesthetics, while offering a poignant tale about identity and family. While there are only two volumes out so far, they’re absolutely worth joining the ride for.
Tank Girl
Available on: Comixology, Hoopla
Let’s be honest — you don’t really need an excuse to dive into Tank Girl comics, but the recent anniversary of the beloved ’90s movie (and the fact that Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap is producing a new reboot) certainly help. The irreverent post-apocalyptic series follows Rebecca Buck, a woman who travels around with a mutant kangaroo named Booga in a literal tank.
Regardless of wherever you start reading Tank Girl (and really, you can start anywhere), you’re in for a punk-inspired and irreverent journey. Plus, with the world feeling more and more chaotic every day, there could be a bit of comfort in following the adventures of Tank Girl.
