The best current series to follow in 2026 are, at the top, Absolute Batman by Scott Snyder, The Mortal Thor by Al Ewing, the Batman by Matt Fraction and Absolute Superman. This tier list classifies the series still in publication that we can follow number after number, by their quality and regularity. Creators and publishers from 2026 announcements; schedules can slip.
Unlike a ranking of the best one-off reads, this tier list focuses on the series that can be followed monthly in 2026: those that are worth a bookstore subscription. We therefore discard the stories that have already been concluded. The criterion: quality combined with sustainability, to invest your time (and your budget) in a series that continues.
Editorial Ranks, Facts verified. A current guide to choosing your series.
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Start my trial →Tier S: the series to follow as a priority
Absolute Batman is DC's most regular and best-selling series: an almost obligatory subscription for those who follow the news. The Mortal Thor continues Al Ewing's long-distance run, with remarkable consistency. THE Batman Matt Fraction's main character connects the significant arcs, and Absolute Superman confirms the solidity of the Absolute line.
Tier A: the sure values of the month
The revival Iron Man by Joshua Williamson starts a promising cycle. Absolute Wonder Woman et The Flash by Ryan North offer regular quality reading, while the relaunch Daredevil by Stephanie Phillips sets up her intrigue over time.
Tier B: to be installed in your pull-list
The new Absolute titles:Absolute Green Arrow et Absolute Catwoman: expand the line. THE Nightwing remains a safe bet, and the event X-Men: Shadows of Tomorrow animates the mutant side of Marvel.
Tier C: the mini-series to follow
Some mini-series are worth the detour even if they don't last: We're Taking Everyone Down With Us (Picture), Wonder Man et Barbara Gordon: Breakout offer short, full-length stories: perfect for testing an author without a long-term commitment.
To remember
- The Absolute line from DC concentrates several of the best current series.
- Follow a current series allows you to build a coherent collection number by issue.
- The mini-series are ideal for discovering without committing to dozens of numbers.
- Each series refers to the file of the character concerned.
Frequently asked questions
Absolute Batman is DC's most popular, best-selling ongoing series. On the Marvel side, The Mortal Thor by Al Ewing is the safest bet.
An ongoing series continues without a planned end; a miniseries has a fixed number of issues (often 4 to 6). Both have their interest: long-term follow-up or complete story.
The most reliable method is to keep a “pull list” and catalog your issues as you go: this is exactly what a collection management application allows.
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Building your pull list from this tier list
A tier list shows where quality lies, but it does not tell you how many series to follow. The simplest approach is to start from the tiers: take one or two series from tier S, add one from tier A, then reserve a slot for the tier C miniseries to discover new creators without a lasting commitment.
Pick one entry point per publisher. On the DC side, Absolute Batman by Snyder and Dragotta is presented as the publisher's most regular and best-selling series, and the Absolute line gathers several of the best ongoing series: Absolute Superman, Absolute Wonder Woman, then Absolute Green Arrow and Absolute Catwoman. On the Marvel side, Al Ewing's The Mortal Thor is the safest bet, followed by the relaunches of Iron Man (Williamson and Carnero) and Daredevil (Phillips and Garbett).
Tell the ongoing from the miniseries. An ongoing series has no planned end, which means keeping up month after month. The tier C miniseries, We're Taking Everyone Down With Us by Rosenberg, Wonder Man by Duggan and Barbara Gordon: Breakout, instead offer a complete story in a few issues: the right format to try out a writer.
Do not mix up relaunches. Several titles in the ranking are relaunches or new lines: Williamson's Iron Man, Phillips's Daredevil, the Absolute series. For a collector, the first issue of a relaunch and its following issues form a coherent set, to be filed under the right volume rather than in the earlier series that bears the same title.
Catalog as you go. The risk of monthly following is missing an issue without noticing. Logging each release in your inventory on the day you buy it, with its condition, avoids gaps and immediately shows what is missing in a run in progress. That is precisely what an up-to-date pull list makes possible.
Review your list regularly. A ranking of series still being published evolves: a series can rise, a miniseries can end, a title can lose its regularity. Revisit your pull list at regular intervals and keep only the series you still read with pleasure, because a collection followed out of habit ends up cluttering rather than delighting.