I’m pretty sure you have come in to expect a comic checklist for a blog about comics; instead you have links to comic checklists. Well if you’re looking for one about the best comics of all time, there are already plenty of those. See here for arguably the most comprehensive lists by the Comic Book Herald.
What you get here meanwhile is a list about comics that fall under the radar by both the public and the direct market. There will be plenty of stuff by Marvel and DC; but we’ll also include the stuff that gets good reviews but no further coverage. This list will also include character portrayals that are not commonly seen. For example Manhunter’s entire run by Marc Andreyko.
The Primary Comic Checklists
Please note that we will displaying the most efficient means of gathering these series; ergo single issues are minimal and Omnibuses will have priority over standard trade paperbacks. We’re always growing though so feel free to leave suggestions in the comments.
The Alternatives
Other comics that do not appear in the limelight are usually under the banners of alternative publishers. These publishers hold the rights to make deals with their IPs like movies. For some of the best that are not licenses visit Comic Book Roundup’s lists. These include:
- IDW
- Boom! Studios
- Dynamite
- Oni Press
- Aspen Comics
- Avatar Press
- Black Mask Studios
- Zenescope Entertainment
- Valiant Entertainment
- Aftershock Comics
- Heavy Metal
- Titan Comics
- Albatross Funnybooks
- Legendary
- Red 5
- TKO Studios
- Graphix
- American Mythology
- Ahoy Comics
- Vault Comics
- Mad Cave Studios
- Papercutz
- AWA Studios
- Scout Comics
- Blood Moon
- Dead Sky Publishing
- Massive Publishing
- DSTLRY
- Ablaze Publishing
- Sumerian
- Comic House
- Big Punch Studios
More Obscure Publishers
- Alterna
- Antarctic Press
- Abstract Studio
- AAM-Markosia
- Caliber Comics
- Z2 Comics
- ComixTribe
- Devil’s Due Comics
- TidalWave Productions
- Millsverse Comics
- Lucky Comics
- Neil Gibson’s Twisted Comics
- Source Point Press
- Black Panel Press
- Renegade Arts Entertainment
- Crucial Crisis Comics
- Inverse Press
- Catalyst Press
- Outland Entertainment
- Asylum Press
- Yali Dream Works
- Bad Egg Publishing
- Opus Comics
- Band of Bards
- Odyssey Comics
- Second Sight Publishing
- Saturday Originals
- Never Studios
- Rosales Comics
- Gifted Rebels
- Global Frequency Studios
- Augmented Liberty
- AB3 12C Entertainment
The only criteria for all of these is that the “underrated comics” are not part of franchise licenses, are not featured in major site news like comicbook.com and above 7.5 in reviews.
The Others For Comic Checklists
The more independent series are getting harder to distinguish from true indies. These publishers for the most part lack major business connections such as partnerships and mergers. Fan Favorites include the published work of:
- 451
- Ominous Press
- Battle Quest Comics
- Benitez Productions
- Rent-A-Thug
- Aardvark-Vanaheim
- BroadSword Comics (NSFW)
- Cartoon Books
- Floating World Comics
- Coffin Comics (NSFW)
- Lone Star Press
- Black Box Comics
- Soaring Penguin Press
- Penny Farthing Productions
- Space Between Comics
- A Wave Blue World
- Storm King Comics
- Cave Pictures Publishing
- Bliss On Tap
- Red Sun Publishing
- Dark Fire Press
- One Shot Studios
Bonus Comic Checklist
For the truly independent companies/series that start small or originate from crowdfunders like Kickstarter a list compiles them. Unlike the lists above, these series/companies don’t have any mainstream connections. This includes Diamond Comic Distributors handling distribution and (A-C)-List creators providing support.
- Hero Tomorrow Comics (Apama, Tap Dance Killer)
- Sugar Skull Media (Halloween Man)
- Wannabe Press (Katrina Hates the Dead, Cthulhu is Hard to Spell)
- Martian Lit (Martian Comics)
- Red Anvil Comics (War of the Independents)
- Aw Yeah Comics!
- Top Secret Press
- Advent Comics (Southside)
- Approbation Comics (Chaos Campus)
- Locus Comics (Locus)
- ErgoComix (Wyliman)
- WCG Comics (Rob Hanes Adventures)
- Red Stylo Comics (Crossing, Ninja Bear)
- Invader Comics (Kodoja, Neurocron)
- HBComics (Lazerman)
- Studio Stella Polaris
- Stranger Comics (Niobe)
- Terminus Media LLC (Dominion)
- Committed Comics (Nira X)
- Wunderman Comics (Time Corps)
- Dark Planet Comics (Silver)
- Big Dog Ink (Critter)
- Cloud 9 Comix (Exilium, Trail)
- Critical Entertainment (Planetary Expansion)
- Blue Juice Comics (The Accelerators, Aether & Empire)
- Creephouse Comics (Krush McNulty, The Haunter)
- NimProd (Snake, Bang Bang Lucita)
- Fanbase Press (The Gamma Gals)
- Drumfish Productions (Sentinels, Neverminds)
- Expastic Comics (Disgruntled Avenger)
- Mana Comics (Sistah Shark)
- Standard Comics (The Sentinels)
- Scattered Comics (Shadow Hunters)
- Outhouse Cartoons (Combat Fairies)
- Higher Universe Comics (Stargirl, Misfits)
- Iron Gate Comics (All Winners Society)
- Constant Hustle Comics (Nightfall)
- Blue Fox Comics (Sinners, Robyn)
- Red Eye Press (Valentine, Tommy Gun Girls)
- Lone Wolf Comics (Night Wolf)
- SitComics (Startup)
- Will Lill Comics (Monty’s World)
- Y Comics (Kinetic)
- Vices Press (M3, Forgotten Home)
- QAM Comics (Template)
- Polite Strangers LLC (Sucker, Nocturnal Comissions)
- Cloud Wrangler Studios (The Arcane Cocktail Enthusiast)
- Buño
- Garvey Comics (Transfer)
- Rainy Road Media (Neotheric)
- Absolute Comics (White Widow)
- Wake Entertainment (Ascenscia)
- Gestalt Comics (Changing Ways)
- Space Captain Steve (Mech Skin)
- Timberwolf Entertainment (The Few and Cursed)
- Mountaineer West Productions (War Angels, The Book of Luka)
- Freestyle Komics (Hotshot)
- AfterLight Comics (Section VII)
- Ovation Comics (Goth Ghost Girl)
- Kraven Comics (Class6)
- Concept Moon Studios (Frontline Soldiers)
- Rocket Ink Studios (Gapo The Clown)
- UMC Comics (Silver Sun/Sol de Plata)
- Altruist Comics (Bullet)
- Correct Handed Comics (The Offspring)
- Lesser Known Comics (Murph)
- Junction City Comics (All-New Union)
- SnowyWorks (Caspian Porter)
- Rising Eagle Comics (Kani: Timeless Assassin, Showtime)
- Unparalleled Comics (Operation: Eclipse, Dragon Fly)
- Oniric Comics (The Formidables, The Astro-Dome)
- Atomic Pulp Media (Space Crusaders)
- Unstoppable Comics (Shield of the Interceptor, Dragonstorm)
- Griot Enterprises (The Horsemen)
- Owl Eye Comics (The Maroon)
- New Age Ninja Corps (Rags)
- FairSquare Comics (Intertwined, Noir is the New Black)
- Super Serious Comics (Idle Thuggery)
- Literati Press (Glamorella’s Daughter)
- Artillery Network (.357 Magnum Opus)
- Orange Cone Publishing (Voodoo Nations, Broke Down & 4 Dead Bodies)
- Wingless Comics (Justice)
- Wolven Press (TOXX)
- PitDoc Press (By the Time I Get To Dallas)
- Merc Publishing (Miss Meow, Deathrage)
- Dren Productions (Flesh-Eating Cheerleaders from Outer Space)
- Atlas Studios (American Dreams)
- Atrocity Press (Mary Machinegun)
- Iqbal A Comics (Plant Life)
- Two Gargoyles Comics (Diaperman, Twilight Detective Agency)
- Unearthly Comics (Gatorman Kills, Atomic Tales)
- Haunted Pixel Studio (Necroblivion)
- Optical Illusion Studios (Angel of Darkness)
- Carnouche Productions (The Resurrected)
- Blue Moon Comics (Diversions)
- Summoner Studios (Project Magus)
- Covenant Comics (Burlap)
- Mythoverse (Triple Crown)
- Finish Line Comics (Immortal Era)
- Manos Publishing (Red Knight)
- Catalyst Comics (One Last Job)
- Millennial Comics (Delta Dogs)
- Triumphverse (TALON, Scourge of the Skull Digger)
- One Blue Land (Captain Bitcoin)
- Curious Perspective Comics (Ruination)
- Darkstorm Comics
- Phoenix Studios (A La Brava)
- Sigma Comics (Calico)
- Pocket Watch Press (Area 51: The Helix Project)
- Red Sea Comics (The Saturn Effect)
- MAZE Comics (The Mistakes)
- HekaCo (Neonseed: Babylon)
- Raze Comics
- XanCon Entertainment (Once Upon A Time In Xanatopia, The Lost City of Souls)
- Xion Studios (Spider-Squirrel)
- Godhood Comics (The Antagonists)
- Wesley Griffith Comics (The Jump)
- Regalia Comics (The Fall of Godz)
- EVRT Studios (KANYEN)
- As a bonus, there are networks of publishers like the operative network and the CCBA.
I can’t have webcomics on here however; because these websites do better than I ever could.