Indie comics have become a very important part of the comic industry, giving creators freedom they don't have elsewhere. Publishers like Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Boom! Studios and others form a very important part of the comic ecosystem, allowing creators to own their own work and go outside the bonds of superhero comics. They also make comics free of the censorship of the Big Two.
Indie comics embrace a more adult method of storytelling, whether it be because of the content of the story or how graphic they can be. There are some great indie books out there but many of them aren't for kids.
10 BRZRKR Is A Violent Travelogue Through The Ages
BRZRKR, by writers Matt Kindt and Keanu Reeves, and artist Ron Garney, was one of the biggest indie comics of 2021. Everyone loves Keanu Reeves and his first foray into comic writing, along with amazing creators like Kindt and Garney, struck a chord with readers. BRZRKR tells the story of Unute, an immortal warrior trying to piece together the history of his life while working for the government.
The book is extremely violent, rendered in all of its bloody glory by Garney's adroit pencils. There is also mature language throughout; it's basically an R-rated movie on the page. It's definitely not for the faint-hearted or children.
9 Eat The Rich Highlights The Inequities Of Capitalism Using Cannibalism
Eat The Rich, by writer Sarah Gailey and artist Pius Bak, deals with Joey meeting her ultra-wealthy soon-to-be in-laws at Crestfall Bluffs, a vacation enclave for the elite. She's exposed to a world of privilege like she's never experienced before, one which holds a terrible secret. The rich residents of the Bluffs eat the help when it's time for their retirement, a relationship everyone agrees on because of its benefits to all sides.
The book uses cannibalism as a metaphor for class warfare, so there's a heaping helping of violence and gore. There are some important lessons about the nature of capitalism in the book, but it's not appropriate for younger audiences.
8 Invincible Is One Of The Most Violent Superhero Epics Ever
Indie comics do superheroes much differently from the Big Two, and Invincible is a perfect example of that. Written by Robert Kirkman with art by Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley, it followed the adventures of teenage superhero Invincible. Working with his father Omni-Man, he learns the dreadful secret kept from him by his elder and fights back.
Invincible is a superhero comic for mature readers, showcasing superhero battles in all their violent glory. There's a heaping helping of profanity and other mature situations as well, making it a comic that most parents would keep from their kids.
7 The Boys Is A Very Adult Parody Of Superhero Comics
The Boys, by writer Garth Ennis and art by Darick Robertson, John McCrea, Carlos Ezquerra, and many more, premiered in the mid-2000s. As a writer, Ennis always enjoyed showing the absurdities of superheroes, and The Boys puts that on full display, parodying Marvel and DC heroes in violent and realistic ways.
The comic follows the adventures of the titular group, all of whom have been wronged by superheroes and are out for revenge. Inspiring the hit Amazon Prime show, the comic doesn't skimp on the violence, profanity, drug use, and sex, all of which takes it out of the realm of anything for children.
6 Jupiter's Legacy Is A Warts And All Look At Superheroes
Writer Mark Millar is known for pushing the envelope when it comes to superheroes, and Jupiter's Legacy is one of his strongest works in that regard. Joined by artists Frank Quitely, John Paul Leon, and Tommy Lee Edwards, the book follows the Samson family, the world's premiere superhero familial unit, and their trials and tribulations.
The comic gets very graphic in just about every way, but it's actually a great superhero story, but it's definitely written for mature readers. The Netflix show based on it struggled to find an audience but the comic keeps chugging along, in all of its violent and profane splendor.
5 Deadly Class Is A Crime Epic
Image Comics changed the comic industry in many ways. One of these was by bringing back genres that hadn't been as popular, like crime comics, and among the best is Deadly Class, by writer Rick Remender and artist Wes Craig. The comic follows Marcus, a student at the assassin high school Kings Dominion in the 1980s, as he fights his way to the top of his class.
Deadly Class uses its narrative to talk about the ennui of Generation X and how it affected them, using its violence, sex, and drug use to illustrate the wrecked lives of that cohort. It's a deep and rewarding story, but it's not one that is meant for young eyes.
4 Nameless Is Cosmic Horror At Its Best
Writer Grant Morrison is known for their work at DC, but they've also written many indie comics. One of the best is Nameless, with artist Chris Burnham, in which an occult hustler known only as Nameless is roped into a desperate mission to save Earth from an incoming malevolent force by billionaire futurists, but all is not as it seems.
Cosmic horror is a genre perfect for Morrison, and they impress in this comic. Their boundless imagination is perfectly illustrated by Burnham, with horrific imagery that would haunt anyone but especially young readers. Everything about it is not safe for kids.
3 Sin City Rejuvenated The Crime Genre In The 1990s
Writer/artist Frank Miller is one of comics' most prolific voices and Sin City is one of his greatest works. Set in Basin City, a bastion of corruption and crime like few others, it follows the residents of the city as they try to survive on its mean streets. Crime comics were all but dead in the 1990s, but Sin City brought them roaring back, making it one of the most important works in that genre.
Miller was always known for pushing the envelope at the Big Two, so given the freedom of the indies, he kicked it into overdrive. Sin City is hard-boiled noir at its best and Miller spares the audience nothing when it comes to graphic violence and sex.
2 Saga Is A Mature Sci-Fi Epic
Saga, by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples, is one of Image's crown jewels. Following the family of Alana and Marko, previously fighting on separate sides of an intergalactic war and each of a different species, after the birth of their daughter Hazel, and it's a sci-fi masterpiece like few others. It tugs at the heartstrings as it tells a story of love and survival in the face of overwhelming hate.
Vaughan and Staples don't hold anything back. Issues combine heartwarming family moments with shocking violence and there's an abundance of sex and nudity. It's a story that can be given to anyone, and they'll love it. However, it's best to wait til the kids are older for them to experience it, even with its coming-of-age elements.
1 The Walking Dead Helped Bring Zombie Fiction Back To The Fore
The Walking Dead, by writer Robert Kirkman and artists Tony Moore and Charles Adlard, is one of the most well-known indie comics ever. Its TV adaptation has legions of fans, creating a story that takes from its source material without being beholden to it. The show can be violent, but it has nothing on the comic, where the creators worked with no network censorship.
The Walking Dead redefined zombie horror for the 21st century, showing the things that humans would do to each other to survive in the face of the terrors of a zombie apocalypse. It's a harrowingly violent comic, made all the starker by its black and white art. It's definitely not anything that a kid should read.