December is the month of “best of” lists, but the first of the month always seems too early to choose. What if a list-topping album gets released on December 12th? As such, this list isn’t my favorite issues of the year, or the ones I think are the best. They’re the issues I found myself thinking about in my free time, remembering fondly, and talking about the most with other people.
The Immortal Thor #22: “The Edge” (April 2, 2025)
Written by Al Ewing, art by Jan Bazaldua, colors by Matt Hollingsworth, letters by Joe Sabino
I’ve written about the work Al Ewing did with the Hulk before, and now he’s at it again with Thor, mining the character’s entire history to tell a new story for both old and new fans. In issue 22, Thor and his companions are navigating a maze of an endless city. Readers are meant to flip a coin on each page to determine movement backward or progress forward.
As much as I don’t think I enjoy gimmick issues, they stick with me longer. It’s easier to remember the issue of Grant Morrison’s X-men with no words and the issue of The Wicked + The Divine modeled after a magazine because of the stylistic differences from most issues. While this installment isn’t as much of a departure, the feeling I got reading it for the first time and understanding what was going on was really cool, and something no other issue did this year. The technical work that has to be done to make a story that makes sense when read forwards and backwards impressed me, and it was extremely satisfying to read.
Assorted Crisis Events #3 (May 28, 2025)
Written by Deniz Camp, art by Eric Zawadzki, colors by Jordie Belaire, letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Right now it feels like everything is happening too much, and Assorted Crisis Events makes that literal. The anthology series tells stories about individuals and communities in a world where all of time has the potential to happen at once. Every single issue of this series has moved me toward tears, exploring the disaffected and downtrodden of our own world. Deniz Camp has done some amazing work at Marvel and DC, and seeing what he does unshackled from corporate reputations makes me appreciate all his work more.
In this issue, refugees from the town of Hearth seek shelter from that same town in an alternate universe. Every two-page spread tells the same story from each perspective, which gives page turns more weight. I especially appreciate the unique character designs for all the townspeople, and the way the colors start bright but get more muted as the story goes on really goes to show the shift in tone as things progress.
The Department of Truth #0: “Another National Anthem” (October 1, 2025)
Written by James Tynion IV, art by Martin Simmonds, letters by Aditaya Bidikar
The Department of Truth is about the stories the US tells to perpetuate its own existence. Set in a world much like our own, except that the more people that believe in something, the more likely that thing is to become real. As such, the Department of Truth exists to hunt down bigfoot, keep the world from becoming flat, and monitor whatever new conspiracy theories might pop up. That is, it did until its director told President Donald Trump about the department’s existence.
Issue #0 (I don’t know why it’s numbered that, it’s the 34th one) is a pretty good jumping on point, as new cast members, a woman named Sinclair and a kid who might as well be a DOGE-staffer, explain how they’ll use the Department to hunt down the “devils” in the world and turn the US into a Christian nation. While I wish it was a little more subtle, I appreciate the issue’s title coming from Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins, specifically the song where the cast (presidential assassins) talk about being dispossessed of the American Dream and try to get it back. Martin Simmond’s art, as always in this series, is superb, and has a fuzzy, almost fairytale quality to it, wonderfully reflecting the subjective world of the setting.
DIE: Loaded #1: “The Funeral Party” (November 12, 2025)
Written by Kieron Gillen, art by Stephanie Hans, letters by Clayton Cowles
It’s weird to say I’ve been thinking about a comic that came out two weeks ago all year, but after teases late last year that more would be coming, Die is finally back! The “what if Jumanji-but-with-DnD” series that served as my gateway to comics as an adult ended in 2021, and this issue was well worth the wait. It’s a little wordy, but the perfect combination of rehashing stuff from the first series, introducing new characters, foreshadowing things to come, and fanservice. Stephanie Hans’s art feels more dynamic, while still keeping to simpler color palettes for each page—what made the first series feel so distinct, and I’m excited to continue reading into the new year.
