Continuing to celebrate the year that was I’ve put together a list of the ten best, must-read comic books that released in 2023. From ongoing series to mini-series, there were a ton of great comic books that where released. Marvel, DC Comics, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, and all other comic book publishers brought a lot of stories for fans to enjoy. There are many comic books for everyone to enjoy. That all made it difficult to select just five comic book series that stood out in 2023 but after much deliberation I was able to pick my Elite Five. Find out the five best comic books of 2023 below.
5) NIGHTWING
Issues Released: Nightwing #100 to Nightwing #109
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Tom Taylor, C.S. Pacat, and Michael W. Conrad
Artists: Bruno Redondo, Scott McDaniel, Rick Leonardi, Eddy Barrows, Javier Fernandez, Mikel Janin, Travis Moore, Eduardo Pansica, Stephen Byrne, Serg Acuna, and Sam Basri
Inkers: Karl Story, Eber Ferreira, Caio Filipe, Joe Prado, Rick Leonardi, and Julio Ferreira
Colorists: Adriano Lucas and Ivan Plascencia
Letterer: Wes Abbott
2023 was the year of Nightwing. This is the year where Nightwing reached that next tier that was reserved for Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. He did so by stepping up in a world where the Justice League are no longer around he became a key figure in the DC Universe. That all started with Nightwing #100 where the Trinity entrusted the leadership of the superhero community to Dick Grayson.
Proving his leadership Nightwing’s first step in his new role was bringing together the Titans to help fill the giant hole left by the Justice League’s absence. After Nightwing #100 Tom Taylor and Travis Moore did a lot to set the foundation for this new era for the Titans. In the process Taylor was able to not only further re-establish Nightwing’s leadership abilities but also wrap up the remaining threads from Blockbuster’s downfall in 2022.
After helping establish the Titans as DC Universe’s premiere superhero team and taking part in the Knight Terrors event Nightwing ended his year with a pirate adventure. It wasn’t just any pirate adventure, Nightwing was visited by the ghost of Ric Grayson’s past as his ex-girlfriend Bea Bennett revealed she was the captain of a secret pirate society. This led into a cool dive into Bludhaven’s origins, provide great character development for Dick Grayson and Bea Bennett, and set-up Nightwing to have an even stronger 2024.
If that wasn’t enough throughout the year we got some great back-up stories by C.S. Pacat, Michael Conrad, Serg Acuna, and Eduardo Pansica. The stories mixed things up with team-up stories involving Jon Kent’s Superman and the Batman Family. They all helped to add to the quality the Nightwing gave us throughout the year.
4) NO/ONE
Issues Released: No/One #1 to No/One #7 plus “Who is No/One” companion podcast
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Kyle Higgins and Brian Buccellato
Artist: Geraldo Borges and Antonio Fuso
Colorist: Mark Englert
Letterer: Hassan Otsame-Elhaou
The growth of the Massive-Verse has been an impressive thing to witness. It’s grown has provided some of the best ongoings and mini-series of the last few years. What immediately became the standout series in the Massive-Verse as soon as its first issue released was No/One. Kyle Higgins teamed with Brian Buccellato to tell a more grounded story within the Massive-Verse.
Throughout the year No/One has given us a look at what the world’s reaction to a vigilante operating in the Massive-Verse. Setting the series in Pittsburgh added to the real-world tone No/One took compared to its big brother and sister titles. The presence of No/One set off a chain of events that made the integration of politics and media into the story to be a natural part of the world.
The spark that No/One lights gave immediate importance to every member of the ensemble cast. There are obvious leads in Ben Kern, a retired Police Chief, and crime reporter Julia Page. Ben’s family history, particularly with his son, gives him a personal stake with the No/One case that brings him out of retirement. While Julia’s narrative gives us a lot of insight into how the media is handling what is going on in Pittsburgh in response to No/One. These two characters’ stories provide a path for other members of the cast to have major moments that push the story forward. This is all on top of how No/One slowly goes from being a legend to more of a physical presence in the story.
Adding to the unique experience No/One provides is that a companion podcast titled “Who Is No/One” is releases episodes with each new comic book issue released. The podcast is stars Rachael Leigh Cook and Patton Oswalt as Julia Paige and Teddy Barstow, respectively. The companion podcast does a great job at adding layers to the story being told in the No/One comic book. It all works for a cool approach to how comic books and podcasts can work together to tell one big story.
3) SCARLET WITCH
Issues Released: Scarlet Witch #1 to Scarlet Witch #10 and Scarlet Witch 2023 Annual
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Steve Orlando and Stephanie Williams
Artists: Sara Pichelli, Russell Dauterman, Chris Allen, Carlos Nieto, and Lorenzo Tammetta
Inker: Elisabett D’Amico
Colorists: Matthew Wilson, Dee Cunniffe, Triona Farrell, and Frank William
Letterer: Cory Petit
Scarlet Witch proved that you don’t need long story arcs to get readers to embrace a character largely known for being in team books as a solo superhero. Steve Orlando and Sara Pichelli did an excellent job at taking a one-shot approach to the storytelling in Scarlet Witch. The first three issues of Scarlet Witch do a wonderful job at exploring how Scarlet Witch utilizes her powers and experience to tackle superhero adventures. These first three issues are key to laying the foundation so when the series does tell two-part stories it fits into the flow of the story.
The best of all the stories told in Scarlet Witch is how the series embraces how Wada Maximoff is connected to both the Avengers and X-Men worlds. She isn’t just placed in one corner that emphasizes her magic powers or one of the worlds she is in. In creating The Emporium there was a natural way for Scarlet Witch to interact with a wide variety of characters. She was able to use her unique power set and history to help others in need, including her reluctant step-daughter Viv Vision.
The friendship built between Wanda Maximoff and Darcy Lewis, who finally made her Marvel comics debut after only appearing in the MCU, helped center the series. Wanda did not try to push being friends on the reluctant Darcy. She understood what it means to carry baggage that’s not easy to share with others. That made it so when Darcy’s history is revealed she more naturally opened up to Wanda, deepening their friendship in the process.
This all led the series to have a strong ending that brought things back to Wanda’s familial ties Magneto. While Marvel has done away with Magneto and Scarlet Witch being father-daughter that bond they have still exists. That made it so when a villain tried to use Magneto’s clone in Joseph to emotionally hurt Wanda a strong way to explore this dynamic with Erik’s current status quo of being dead. It led to a strong ending that made Wanda an even better character.
2) MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II
Issues Released: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #5
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Ryan Parrott
Artist: Dan Mora
Colorist: Raul Angulo
Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
The first Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book crossover brought to life everything fans want from a story teaming up these two legendary franchises. Rather than be a clash of universe the first issue established the Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles existing together in a shared universe. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II took things to another level as Ryan Parrott and Dan Mora wet even further with all the crazy fun elements of both franchises.
Opening up with both teams being on friendly terms where they are regularly hanging out, training together, and teaming up was a fantastic tone setter. Parrott and Mora were able to further blend both the Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles world together so they all fit in one shared universe. The jailbreak that launches the rest of the series forward created the clear stakes involved.
Best of all was how the mythology of both franchises was used. Parrott and Mora’s love for the Power Rangers and Ninja Turtles was clear with how the Morphin Grid and Dimension X were brought together. There was a ton of great action set-pieces that were genuinely jaw dropping. The dramatic moments further pulled you into the story that you didn’t want to stop reading.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II also further established how 2023 was the year of Rita Repulsa. The Power Rangers villain already reached new heights with her transformation into Mistress Vile in the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers comic book. Her plan in this latest crossover played even more into what makes Rita Repulsa a villain not to be messed with. Adding this to the events in the Once & Always anniversary special and 2023 was truly Rita Repulsa’s year.
1) DAREDEVIL
Issues Released: Daredevil #7 to Daredevil #14
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artists: Rafael De Latorre, Marco Checchetto, and Manuel Garcia
Inker: Elisabetta D’Amico
Colorists: Matthew Wilson and Erick Arciniega
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto’s run on Daredevil was on the path of being a legendary creative run. Along with Rafael De Latorre, Manuel Garcia, Elisabetta D’Amico, Matthew Wilson and Erick Arciniega, and Clayton Cowles, Zdarsky and Checchetto absolutely stuck the landing for the ending of their run on Daredevil. They easily joined the ranks of what Marv Wolfman, Dennis O’Neil, Ann Nocenti, Frank Miller, Brian Bendis, and many others as having a legendary creative run on Daredevil.
That all came together thanks to the epic conclusion they delivered to the Red Fist Saga. As with their predecessors, what Zdarsky and Checchetto did with the Red Fist Saga felt like a culmination of all of Daredevil’s development across his incredible history. Every choice that Matt Murdock and Elektra Natchios have made in their life shaped the direction of this story.
Through all of that we saw both Matt and Elektra challenged as a couple and individually. The deeper they got into working together as the leaders of The Fist complicated things as The Hand seemingly had an answer to every one of their moves. That came to ahead with the epic battle between The Fist and The Hand organizations that saw everything taken from Matt and Elektra.
The way it all went down set the stage for a epic final battle in Hell. While Daredevil is known for being a grounded hero the mystical journey that Matt and Elektra ended up on completely fit. The setting for the final battle came across as the payoff so many Daredevil’s were building towards. It all wrapped up in an emotional way that made the Red Fist Saga one of the most memorable storylines in not only Daredevil’s history but also Marvel as a whole.