The best Dark Horse comics: the tier list

Founded in 1986, Dark Horse has established itself as the major publisher of author comics, fantasy and prestigious licenses. This tier list classifies its catalog according to quality and impact. Criterion: the success of the series.

Editorial Ranks, Facts verified. Each entry refers to a site file when it exists.

Tier S: Dark Horse flagships

Hellboy by Mike Mignola is the publisher's emblematic series, an inimitable fantasy universe. Sin City by Frank Miller found his home there, as did 300 . And The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way gave Dark Horse immense modern success.

Tier A: major author series

B.P.R.D. extends the Hellboy universe, Grendel by Matt Wagner is a cult thriller, Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai is an acclaimed samurai epic, and Concrete by Paul Chadwick an introspective classic.

Tier B: the rich catalog

Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire, The Goon , licenses Aliens and Star Wars (long at Dark Horse) show the extent of the house.

Tier C: the notable series

Baltimore , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , The Mask and Mind MGMT by Matt Kindt complete the selection.

Tier D: the curiosities

Ghost , Barb Wire and Timecop close this tier list: more confidential series from the publisher, but very real.

To remember

• Dark Horse is the home of authored fantasy (Hellboy, B.P.R.D.).
• The publisher carried large licenses (Star Wars, Aliens).
• Hellboy: Seed of Destruction is a searched key number.
• Each entry refers to a site file when it exists.

Landmarks for building a Dark Horse collection

The tier list ranks series by quality, but to collect you also need to know when each one was born. The dates shown are those of the series' creation: Grendel (1982) thus predates the publisher's founding in 1986, proof that some series did not start at Dark Horse.

A timeline in five stages

• The beginnings (1980s): Concrete (1986) and Aliens (1988) set the two pillars of the house, creator-driven comics and licensed properties.
• The 1990s boom: Sin City and The Mask (1991), Star Wars (1991-2014), Timecop (1992), Hellboy (1993), Ghost and Barb Wire (1994).
• The end of the decade: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and 300 (1998), then The Goon (1999).
• The 2000s: B.P.R.D. (2003), The Umbrella Academy and Baltimore (2007).
• The 2010s: Mind MGMT (2012) and Black Hammer (2016).

This breakdown helps set a budget: the older a series, the harder it is to assemble its original issues in good condition, whereas supply is generally more abundant for series from the 2000s and 2010s.

Three ways to go about it

By universe. The most coherent approach is to follow Mignola's thread: Hellboy (1993), then B.P.R.D. (2003), which extends its universe, then Baltimore (2007, Mignola and Golden). Start with Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, the first arc, which remains the recommended entry point and a sought-after key issue.

By creator. Frank Miller links Sin City and 300, two series by the same author that can be gathered without a long-term commitment. Matt Kindt (Mind MGMT) and Jeff Lemire (Black Hammer), for their part, offer modern series that can be built in one go.

By license. Star Wars and Aliens produced a huge number of issues, with Star Wars running from 1991 to 2014. It is better to pick an arc or a period than to aim for completeness.

Points to watch

Many of these series exist both as single issues and as collected editions: decide from the start whether you are collecting issues or volumes, because the two approaches mix poorly. For single issues, check the printing and condition before buying: a series' reputation does not make an issue valuable. Tier D series, more obscure, are hunted one by one and are mostly a matter of curiosity.

One last tip: read before you buy. A Hellboy or Umbrella Academy collected edition costs little and quickly tells you whether the universe speaks to you, before you invest in single issues.

Frequently asked questions