We're back with our longtime annual CBR tradition. At the end of the year, we polled the many members of the CBR staff that make this site so great and asked them for their rankings of the top comics of the year. Every publisher putting out new comics material in English, regardless of genre or format, was fair game; each individual list was then factored in to determine the overall Top 100 that will be unveiled on CBR over the course of this week.
Earlier this week, we started unveiling the list with entries No. 100 to 76, No. 75-51, No. 50-26, and then yesterday was No. 25-11, and we conclude the countdown today with the top ten! The whole endeavor concludes later this week. Here's the schedule (all times Eastern): Wednesday, 1/1, 3 p.m.: Master list.
Start perusing the list below, and if you feel so moved, take to social media and (politely) discuss your thoughts using the hashtag #CBRTop100.
CBR's Top 100 Comics of 2024: #25-11
CBR's annual year-end comics countdown continues, with Ultimates, Absolute Wonder Woman and more in the spotlight in this installment.
10. Final Cut
Written by: Charles Burns
Art by: Charles Burns
Colors by: N/A
Letters by: Charles Burns
Publisher: Pantheon Books
9. Absolute Batman
Written by: Scott Snyder
Art by: Nick Dragotta
Colors by: Frank Martin
Letters by: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC
8. Kagurabachi
Written by: Takeru Hokazono
Art by: Takeru Hokazono
Colors by: N/A
Letters by: Phil Christie (Translated into English by Camellia Niah)
Publisher: Viz Media
In an era when shonen manga has focused primarily on subverting the tropes of the classics that came before, Kagurabachi, written by Takeru Hokazono, stands out for its willingness to lean into a more traditional storyline. The series’ bloodier action, edgier protagonist and overall darker undertones are absolutely inspired by the modern Dark Trio (Chainsaw Man, Hell’s Paradise and Jujutsu Kaisen), but the straightforward revenge narrative, well-crafted power system, and emphasis on working together with the power of friendship can make Kagurabachi feel more like a modern take on the classics. It’s a breath of fresh air in today’s shonen climate, which - when coupled with its stunningly beautiful art - is why Kagurabachi is arguably the best new manga series of 2024. Fans of Bleach, Naruto and Demon Slayer will find a lot to love in Chichiro Rokuhira’s tragic tale of redemption, but this is far from your dad’s shonen manga series. - CBR Staff Writer Brett Cardaro
7. Transformers
Written by: Daniel Warren Johnson
Art by: Daniel Warren Johnson, Jorge Corona, and Jason Howard
Colors by: Mike Spicer and Sarah Stern
Letters by: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image
6. My Favorite Thing is Monsters Vol. 2
Written by: Emil Ferris
Art by: Emil Ferris
Colors by: Emil Ferris
Letters by: Emil Ferris
Publisher: Fantagraphics
CBR's Top 100 Comics of 2024: #50-26
CBR's annual year-end comics countdown continues, with Detective Comics, Uncanny X-Men and more in the spotlight in this installment.
5. Spy x Family
Written by: Tatsuya Endoand
Art by: Tatsuya Endoand
Colors by: N/A
Letters by: Rina Mapa (Translated into English by Casey Loe)
Publisher: Viz
2024 was a good year for Spy x Family fans - two new volumes and the American release of Spy x Family: Code White. The latest stories upped the stakes, putting Anya and Loid at risk and forging deeper connections for this odd family. Meanwhile, the movie is a standalone and highly comical adventure worth a million re-watches. - CBR List Writer Cat Wyatt
4. Mary Tyler MooreHawk
Written by: Dave Baker
Art by: Dave Baker
Colors by: Dave Baker
Letters by: Dave Baker
Publisher: Top Shelf
3. The Power Fantasy
Written by: Kieron Gillen
Art by: Caspar Wijngaard
Colors by: Caspar Wijngaard
Letters by: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image
2. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees
Written by: Patrick Horvath
Art by: Patrick Horvath
Colors by: Patrick Horvath
Letters by: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: IDW Publishing
1. Ultimate Spider-man
Written by: Jonathan Hickman
Art by: Marco Checchetto and David Messina
Colors by: Matthew Wilson
Letters by: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel
Jonathan Hickman is the architect behind this current Ultimate Universe, and he showed everyone the power of the concept (this being a Marvel Earth where the heroes were prevented from their destinies by a supervillain, so, for instance, Peter Parker was never bitten by a radioactive spider as a teenager) in Ultimate Spider-Man, the flagship book of the Ultimate Universe. In this series, Peter Parker is now married with two children, but he is given the chance to recapture the destiny that was stolen from him, and he takes it, becoming Spider-Man for the first time in his late 30s. It has been fascinating seeing him maneuver his way through the world of superheroing, figuring things out on the fly. Meanwhile, since Peter never became Spider-Man, the burglar never killed Ben Parker. Instead, it is May Parker who was recently killed in a terrorist attack, an attack that killed Norman Osborn, as well. Harry Osborn has inherited his father's fortune, and also some old Stark armors, which Harry has used to become the heroic (for now, at least) Green Goblin. Ben Parker is a former Daily Bugle editor, who has gone off on his own with his longtime friend and colleague, J. Jonah Jameson. The adventures of these two old reporters starting their own newspaper has been a particular delight. This is a heartfelt, character-driven story with excellent artwork from Checchetto and Messina (who fills in for Checchetto on occasion), and it the CBR pick for the top comic of 2024!
Have a Happy New Year, and thanks for following our countdown this year! The master list will go up tomorrow morning!
