BoJack Horseman has been a unique force in streaming programming since its debut in 2014. Although its weirdness guarantees that it has never been the most popular show out there, for fans it supplied a unique blend of absurdity, despair, humor, and heart.
Now that its final episodes have shown up on Netflix, many fans have already consumed them and are feeling a BoJack-sized hole in their lives. If you are one of these people looking for a way to replace that unique flavor--sorry, there's nothing. However, here are ten comics that can supply you with different parts of what you loved in BoJack Horseman.
10 The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen
We understand: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen seems a world away from BoJack, and it is, but it's also very close. In this comic, Alan Moore brings together a 19th century Justice League of sorts, filled with heroes and heroines from major works of the time period. This idea may seem tired after we've seen so many versions of this, such as Penny Dreadful.
But trust us, in Moore's hands, this concept still feels fresh. In addition to its inside jokes and references, the comic shares with BoJack an emotional rawness that has the power to stun, though it is more brutal and controversial.
9 Mister Miracle
In this 12-part miniseries, writer Tom King and artist Mitch Gerald tell the story of an adopted son of Darkseid who is seen as a failure by all his parental figures. He lets them down in every meaningful way. As a performer under the assumed name Mister Miracle, Scott Free is trying to build a life for himself apart from both his birth and adoptive homes.
However, he is a deeply broken individual, and his own trauma is probably his biggest obstacle to every being truly happy or truly free.
8 The Tick
Perhaps these comics seem too heavy, and you're looking for something truly light. In that case, you should consider Ben Edlund's The Tick, one of the best superhero parodies ever invented. It's been adapted for TV several times, but none of these versions can capture the madcap weirdness of the comics.
The jokes are fast and furious. The jokes are admittedly, a little emotionally nerfed compared to the dark humor of BoJack. But you'll still love the intertextuality, inside jokes, and neurotic characters.
7 Sandman: Season of Mists
Speaking of intertextuality, what about a comic that borrows guest stars from dozens of major religions and mythologies? That's Neil Gaiman's Sandman. While there are many great volumes to this comic, number four makes a surprisingly great introduction. After he betrayed her, one of Sandman's lovers is held prisoner in Hell, and Sandman feels he must face Satan to free her. But when he gets there, Satan surprises him with the key. Now Sandman is ruler of Hell.
The weighty moral issues of guilt and forgiveness will strike a chord with BoJack fans, and despite its heavy text, there are still a surprising number of jokes.
6 Howard the Duck
But what if you feel that what you really need is a hard-luck story about an anthropomorphic animal, then pick up the version of Howard the Duck written by Chip Zdarsky (who illustrated the incomparable Sex Criminals). As a private detective, Howard has to take cases that send him chasing all around the Marvel universe. And while heroes may look great when they are saving the world, they don't necessarily want you to see all the hi-jinks they get up to on their spare time.
But Howard sees it all, and you can, too, in this surprisingly great series. Just the cameos make the first volume worth the price of admission, and the jokes will have you rolling.
5 Darwin Carmichael Is Going To Hell
If you are looking for a world that is as crazy as the one in BoJack Horseman, maybe Darwin Carmichael Is Going to Hell will be the perfect fit for you. This webcomic shows a world where mythological creatures live among us. And while it might seem cool that you can finally have that unicorn you've always wanted, it's not all rainbows and glitterdust.
In this world, everyone knows their karmic destiny, and has to live with the consequences of their actions over their head. The comic series has finished. You can read it all online, or you can buy the book.
4 Transmetropolitan
You might have thought we were done with the superheroes, but there's one more. And, technically, he's not super. He's Spider Jerusalem, a crusading journalist on a deadline. He is out to root out all the corruption in The City because he owes his publisher two more books.
So he will use every crazy method he can to track down sources and get them to talk. This is an outrageously hilarious spin on the superhero genre.
3 Tip Me Over, Pour Me Out
Before Raphael Bob-Waksberg and Lisa Hanawalt created BoJack Horseman, they teamed up on this comic. It's got many of the elements you love about BoJack Horseman, but in prototype form. The biggest problem is that it's hard to track down.
There are a few comics still online, and some of the most relevant entries have been reproduced in the book BoJack Horseman: The Art Before the Horse, but really enjoying it involves some hunting. Still, it's a rewarding hunt for dedicated fans, and you will enjoy the results.
2 The Unwritten
This comic tells the story Tom Taylor, a B-List celebrity both grateful and bitter at his claim to fame, similar to BoJack. Tom's father named the protagonist of his popular book series Tommy Taylor, and now Tom travels around, selling his father's books at conventions where he has to deal with the same inane jokes.
Like BoJack, Tom's past won't stay in the past, but in this series, the magical world of Tommy turns out to be real. Depending on how you feel about the fantasy, you may want to pick up more of the series, but much of volume 1 will ring true to the BoJack vibe.
1 The Snagglepuss Chronicles
This comic tells the story of Snagglepuss, who is a gay playwright in 1950s America, hunted for his sexuality and his subversiveness. In many ways, The Snagglepuss Chronicles is a spot match for BoJack Horseman.
Anthropomorphic animals mixed with humans. Showbiz stories that mix fictitious and real people. Complex moral questions that have real consequences for the characters. And a number of dark jokes along the way. The biggest difference is that Snagglepuss is a self-assured and effective protagonist, but you can't have everything, right? This gem is easily one of the best comics produced in recent years, and it will reward all readers--especially fans of BoJack Horseman.