Rachel is a writer from Arkansas, most at home surrounded by forests and animals much like a Disney Princess. She spends most of her time writing stories and playing around in imaginary worlds. You can follow her writing at rachelbrittain.com. Twitter and Instagram: @rachelsbrittain
Ready or not, the end of 2024 is here, and the end of the year means best-of lists galore. When it comes to the best comics and graphic novels of 2024, people have their opinions. But I did my research, and these eight are the best of the best. The best comics of 2024 include revolutionary anthologies in translation, lush culinary adventures, and stunning fantasy worlds that transport you into new realms.
I wish I could say I’ve read every single comic and graphic novel that came out this year and, therefore, definitely didn’t overlook your fave, but sadly, I’ve yet to figure out the secret of freezing time, so that just wasn’t possible. That said, I have read a lot of sequential art this year, and these eight comics and graphic novels from 2024 more than earned their spot on this list. These comics combine stunning artwork with compelling storylines that alternately whisk us away or force us to look headlong into the issues of today.
So, if you want to read the best comics and graphic novels of 2024, this is the place to start. There are plenty of other great comics that came out this year for you to enjoy (and we’ve recommended plenty of them here on Book Riot, like these YA ones), but these eight are the must-reads. Let me explain why.
Rare Flavours by Ram V, Filipe Andrade, and Inês Amaro
A demon with an unquenchable hunger and dreams of becoming the next Anthony Bourdain teams up with a disillusioned young filmmaker to create a food documentary. This lush graphic novel is full of Filipe Andrade’s signature, richly saturated style. Andrade and Ram V are the duo that brought us The Many Deaths of Laila Starr in 2022, and, like Laila, Rare Flavours is a real treat of a graphic novel. It combines Indian mythology with real-world problems to create a uniquely delectable story. You’ll be craving some good Indian food before you’re finished reading, trust me.
Woman Life Freedom edited by Marjane Satrapi
This anthology of comics edited by the author of Persepolis, and translated for the first time into English this year, brings the feminist revolution taking place in Iran into striking light. The comics depict the events leading up to and following the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini at the hands of the morality police in 2022, which set off a string of protests against the treatment of women and ethnic minorities in Iran. The movement soon took up the phrase “Woman, Life, Freedom” as both a thesis and a rallying cry. Whether you’ve been following the revolution closely or were unaware it was even taking place, this anthology is a must-read.
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In Utero by Chris Gooch
Something is growing in the abandoned mall where Hailey’s holiday day camp takes place. She’s too old to be here anymore, but her overbearing mom isn’t willing to consider any alternatives. Then, Hailey meets Jen, a new girl who shows her an enormous egg growing in the flooded car park. What’s about to hatch in this mall full of children? Is it even the worst thing growing there? This is a story about monsters, but also friendship and family. What are you willing to do to protect the people you care about? Hailey and Jen are about to find out. Writer-illustrator Chris Gooch finds the perfect balance between creepy and charming in this surreal monster story for the ages.
Bad Dream by Nicole Maines and Rye Hickman
In a town full of alien refugees, you would think acceptance would be second nature. But that’s never been Nia’s experience. So when she realizes she’s inherited the powers of dream premonition her sister has always expected to develop, she runs, terrified she’ll lose the love of the only people who really matter to her. Soon, she discovers that in the big city, there’s more love, acceptance, and hate than she ever could’ve imagined. This beautiful graphic novel takes a place among my favorite DC titles. The dream sequences are evocative, and the anti-alien and anti-trans sentiments Nia and others face bear a strong resemblance to the anti-immigrant and anti-trans rhetoric so prevalent today. The fact that it’s written by the actress who brought Nia to life on TV is just the icing on the cake.
Devour by Jazmine Joyner and Anthony Pugh
When Patsy and her family move south from California to help care for her grandmother with dementia, she expects making new friends to be the hardest part. She wasn’t expecting to find out she comes from a long line of conjure women tasked with keeping a god prisoner. But now, under her grandmother’s tutelage, that’s exactly what she’s doing. Unfortunately, there’s a family in town who believe they’re owed what the Turner family has—and they’ll go to any lengths to take it from them. This horror graphic novel brings the myth of Anansi to life in spectacular and terrifying form. If you’re afraid of spiders, maybe steer clear of this one.
The Night Mother by Jeremy Lambert and Alexa Sharpe
On a secluded island, an astronomy-obsessed grave digger and his adopted daughter tend to the dead. But when the sun stops rising, condemning the island and nearby town to endless night, Madeline’s father fears it’s personal. He knows his daughter is special, hears the voices of the dead that no one else can, and it’s up to him to protect her. Could the Night Mother finally be planning to take her back? This entire graphic novel is begging to be turned into a full-length animated feature. Every page felt like a glimpse into a gorgeous movie universe, and if Disney or Pixar or Sony or somebody doesn’t pick this up, they’re really missing out. (And if any studio bigwigs happen to be reading this, ya girl’s fully available to read stories all day and flag any good ones for you; just saying.)
The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Faith Schaffer
A wanna-be samurai teams up with her icon—a famous ronin who once slew a hundred warriors—to take on a mystical monster stealing children from a village. But Tatsuo isn’t exactly what Chihiro imagined. She’s a foul-mouthed drunk with an attitude problem. Tatsuo has her reasons for being bitter, but maybe Chihiro’s optimistic attitude will rub off on her in the end. Or not.
The Worst Ronin is a rollicking good time, full of funny team dynamics and samurai action contrasted with the harsh realities of being a warrior.
The Fade by Aabria Iyengar and Mari Costa
Even though only the first two issues of The Fade came out in 2024, it earns an enthusiastic place on this list. I’m a big fan of Aabria Iyengar’s storytelling (Dimension 20, anyone?), and the world she and Costa set up in the first issue is incredibly intriguing. Two young women, one a new college student and the other heir to a title and role she doesn’t want, are searching for a different way forward for themselves. Real-world and fantasy collide just as the first issue draws to an end, and I personally can’t wait to see what happens next.
If you’re looking to catch up on all the best comics of 2024 that you might’ve missed, these new queer comics and new cozy comics might be a good place to start. You can also check out some of the many comics and graphic novels that Rioters read and loved this year. And don’t forget the best comics of 2023, either.
English (US) · 