What “indie comics” means here
In this guide, indie means creator-owned comics published outside the two biggest superhero publishers, often through Image Comics, Dark Horse, IDW or Boom! Studios, or self-published. It does not mean small-press superhero comics, which use the same genre rules as Marvel and DC.
Every pick builds its own world, so you need no continuity to start. Most are in print as collected volumes, and several are finished, so you do not have to wait for an ending.
Saga, Vol. 1
Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples
A space-opera family story with adult content.
Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening
Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda
A richly painted fantasy epic with mature themes.
Invincible, Vol. 1: Family Matters
Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker
A teen superhero story with strong violence.
Paper Girls, Vol. 1
Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang
Four paper-delivery girls get pulled into a strange conflict.
Space opera and fantasy epics
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, from Image, mixes space opera, fantasy and family drama in an ongoing series. Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda, also from Image, is a dense fantasy with ornate art and a story about trauma and survival. Both are best read from Volume 1, in order.
Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang is a time-travel adventure with four young newspaper carriers, and Invincible, from Image, starts a long superhero story in a world of its own.
Horror and thrillers
The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard, from Image, is a completed black-and-white zombie series that ran for more than 190 issues. Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, from IDW, is a completed horror series about a family and a house full of magic keys.
Hellboy: Seed of Destruction from Dark Horse starts a long supernatural-detective series, and Sin City: The Hard Goodbye is a black-and-white crime story. Both are for adult readers.
The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye
Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore
The comic that started the long-running zombie story.
Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft
Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez
A family moves into a house full of magic keys.
Hellboy: Seed of Destruction
Mike Mignola, John Byrne
The first Hellboy collection.
Sin City: The Hard Goodbye
Frank Miller
A black-and-white crime story set in Basin City.
Memoir, slice of life and all-ages indie
Bone by Jeff Smith began as a self-published black-and-white series, and is one of the most recommended all-ages indie comics. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson started as a webcomic and was collected by a major publisher. Blankets by Craig Thompson is a memoir about adolescence, faith and first love.
Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1 is a funny comedy about a slacker and his love life, published by Oni Press, and The Umbrella Academy from Dark Horse is an offbeat superhero family story.
Bone: Out from Boneville
Jeff Smith
Three cousins get lost in a valley with a dragon, a Rat Creature and a farm girl.
Nimona
Noelle Stevenson
A shapeshifting teenager signs on as a supervillain's sidekick in a funny-turns-serious fantasy.
Blankets
Craig Thompson
A memoir about a teen's first love and growing up in a strict religious family.
Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Precious Little Life
Bryan Lee O'Malley
A young man has to fight his new girlfriend's seven evil exes, in a video-game flavoured comedy.
The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite
Gerard Way, Gabriel Bá
A team of estranged adopted siblings reunite.
Why creator-owned comics read differently
A creator-owned series usually has one core creative team from start to finish, so its tone, pacing and art stay consistent. It tends to have a planned ending, even if it takes years to reach. The Walking Dead and Locke & Key both finished as their creators intended, instead of running forever like a flagship superhero title.
If you have been put off by rotating writers and constant relaunches, that consistency is the main reason to try indie comics.
How to pick where to start
Use this as a short decision list.
- You want an ongoing series to grow with: Saga or Monstress, from Volume 1.
- You want a finished series: The Walking Dead or Locke & Key.
- You want one complete book: Bone, Nimona or Blankets.
- You want a comedy: Scott Pilgrim Vol. 1.
- You want a long superhero story with no baggage: Invincible Vol. 1.
Supporting creators directly
Creator-owned comics generally give the writer and artist a larger share of ownership than work-for-hire comics, so buying new copies helps the people who made them. Many creators also sell through their own shops or at conventions, sometimes with signed or exclusive editions. If a series is ongoing, buying new volumes as they come out is one of the most direct ways to keep it going.
Following creators across publishers
The same writer or artist often moves between Image, Dark Horse, IDW and self-publishing over a career, so the best way to find more is by creator name, not by publisher. If you loved Saga, look at Brian K. Vaughan’s other books. If you loved Locke & Key, look at Joe Hill’s. The Comic Finder can search by creator or title, and shows matches by age and genre.
A simple indie reading habit
Because indie comics do not share a universe, there is no pressure to catch up. A good approach is to follow one ongoing series, such as Saga, and one finished series, such as Locke & Key, at the same time, so you always have a long-term read and one you can finish. Libraries and comic shops can both order the first volumes if they are not on the shelf.
A starter shelf of five
If you want a small, varied shelf to begin with, try one from each lane. Saga gives you space opera and family drama in one long series. Locke & Key gives you a finished horror story. Bone gives you an all-ages fantasy you can share with a child. Blankets gives you a memoir, and Scott Pilgrim gives you a comedy. Together they show how different creator-owned comics can be, and you will quickly learn which lane you want more of.
None of them needs an earlier book, and each is available as a collected volume, which is the easiest way to read a full story. Start with whichever description sounds most like something you already enjoy, and give it a full volume before you decide.
Where to find indie comics
Public libraries and local comic shops are the easiest places to try indie comics before buying. Many libraries lend graphic novels in print and through apps such as Libby, and comic shop staff can often suggest similar books after a short chat about what you have enjoyed. Online retailers list current editions and formats for most in-print volumes, which helps once you know what you want.
Content notes
Most of these books are for older teens and adults. Saga, The Walking Dead, Locke & Key, Hellboy, Sin City and Monstress include violence and mature themes, and Blankets is a frank memoir. Bone and Nimona are friendlier. We place the books in the age bands shown on the cards, so check the publisher’s rating and look through a copy before buying for a younger reader.
Frequently asked questions
What does “indie comics” mean?
Here it means creator-owned comics published outside the two biggest superhero publishers, often by Image, Dark Horse, IDW or Boom! Studios, or self-published. The creators own the characters and the stories. It does not mean small-press superhero comics, which use the same genre conventions as Marvel and DC and read very differently from creator-owned work.
Do indie comics require reading anything else first?
No. Creator-owned comics are self-contained by design and do not assume knowledge of any shared universe. Start with Volume 1 of a series, or pick a single complete book such as Bone or Nimona. That makes them one of the easiest ways into comics for a new reader.
Which indie comics are finished?
The Walking Dead and Locke & Key are both finished series. Bone is a complete nine-volume story in its color editions. Saga, Monstress and Invincible have long runs, so check the publisher’s page for the latest volume and status before you begin, especially if you dislike waiting for the next one.
Are indie comics harder to find than Marvel or DC?
Not usually. Most titles here are in print as collected volumes at comic shops, bookstores and libraries. If a store does not have one, it can normally order it. Our cards link to Amazon, and you can also ask your library, which often stocks Saga, Bone and similar series.
Where should I start with indie comics?
Start with Saga Vol. 1 if you want a long series, The Walking Dead or Locke & Key for a finished one, and Bone, Nimona or Blankets for a single complete book. Pick by genre: space opera, horror, fantasy or memoir. Our Comic Finder can filter the whole catalog by style and age.