The best fantasy comics: the tier list

Fantasy offers comics its most abundant worlds: imaginary kingdoms, magic, creatures. This tier list brings together the series that build the richest universes and the most gripping stories, from adventure for all audiences to adult fantasy. Criterion: the success of the story and the depth of the world.

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

Tier S: the great fantasy worlds

Bone by Jeff Smith is the ultimate fantasy epic for all audiences, funny and profound, one of the most awarded series in history. Conan the Barbarian (Marvel, 1970) brought Robert E. Howard's heroic fantasy to the top of the newsstand. Monster unfolds a sumptuous Asian dark fantasy, and ElfQuest remains a cult independent saga since 1978.

Tier A: modern fantasy

die by Kieron Gillen mixes fantasy and deadly role-playing. Rat Queens revisits the dungeon adventure with humor, Sandman: Openings extends Gaiman's universe, and Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi is a huge youth success.

Tier B: universes to explore

Kill Six Billion Demons , Birthright , The Autumnlands by Kurt Busiek and the Dungeon of Sfar and Trondheim (monument of Franco-Belgian fantasy) offer rich and original worlds.

Tier C: gender values

Elrick (after Moorcock), Northlanders (Viking fantasy by Brian Wood), Pathfinder and Skullkickers complete the selection with solid adventures.

Tier D: the curiosities

Warlord and Claw the Unconquered (DC fantasy from the 70s) and Weirdworld (Marvel) close this tier list: historical or offbeat series, real but confidential.

To remember

• Bone is the consensus summit of fantasy in comics.
• Conan remains the heroic fantasy reference, highly sought after in terms of collection.
• Indie fantasy is thriving (Monstress, Die, Rat Queens).
• Each entry refers to a site file when it exists.

Choosing Your Entry Point According to What You Want to Read

A tier list ranks how well the stories succeed, but a first read is mostly chosen according to mood and intended audience. Here is how to find your way among the ranked series without piling up useless purchases.

To read with family or younger readers

Bone by Jeff Smith (1991) is the all-ages epic par excellence, both funny and deep, and Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi (2008) is a huge hit for young readers. Both series can be read from start to finish and suit a first fantasy library.

For dark adult fantasy

Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (2015) unfolds an Asian-inspired dark fantasy. Die by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans (2018) mixes fantasy with deadly role-playing, Kill Six Billion Demons (2015) bets on a very singular universe, and Brian Wood's Northlanders (2007) transposes the genre to a Viking setting.

For humor and dungeon adventure

Rat Queens (2013) revisits dungeon adventure with humor, Skullkickers (2010) plays in the same register, and Dungeon (Donjon) by Joann Sfar and Lewis Trondheim (1998) is a monument of Franco-Belgian fantasy. This is the right shelf for readers who prefer to laugh while exploring an imaginary world.

For the classics of heroic fantasy

Conan the Barbarian at Marvel (1970) carried Robert E. Howard's heroic fantasy to the top of the newsstand, ElfQuest by Wendy and Richard Pini has been a cult independent saga since 1978, and Warlord and Claw the Unconquered (DC, 1975) tell the adventure of the 1970s. Elric, based on Michael Moorcock, completes this classic side.

A few pointers for collecting

• For Bone, Monstress and recent series, a bound collection is often easier to complete than separate issues.
• For Conan the Barbarian, the 1970 #1 is the sought-after issue: check the edition and condition, since the series was heavily printed.
• The Sandman: Overture extends Neil Gaiman's universe: it is better to already know that universe before tackling it.
• Keep the tier D entries, such as Weirdworld or Warlord, for historical curiosity rather than as a starting point.

Frequently asked questions