This year’s superhero comics shopping guide is a nice mix of tried and true Big 2 titles, alternative superhero takes, and new editions of some old favorites. Even if you (or the comics reader in your life) is suffering superhero fatigue, there’s been some recent books that reflect or upend the genre, and we’ve included those too.
All of these superhero shopping guide picks are relatively recent, and should be relatively easy to find at your local comic book store (shop and support local if you can!), or, if geography is an issue, via the affiliate links we’ve supplied with each pick below.
Enjoy!
The 2023 Superhero Comics Shopping Guide
Absolute Superman for All Seasons — $100
This total classic has a new edition out this year, and it’s a gorgeous book, one more than worthy of the material inside. Your mileage may vary, of course, but for my money, Superman For All Seasons by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale is one of the prettiest Superman stories ever, a wonderful encapsulation of what has made this character so enduring over the decades.
Get it here
Astro City Metro Books, Vol 1. – Vol. 4 — From $29.99 to $34.99
Some of my personal favorite superhero comics of all time have gotten reprinted recently in sleek, new formats that are perfect for any and every superhero fan’s bookshelf. This classic series by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson, with the stunning covers by Alex Ross, is a different kind of superhero story, one that is told through the many eyes of the real people who live in Astro City. They see superheroes on their morning commute, or while at the park on the weekend, leading of the most poignant takes ever for the genre.
Get it here
Captain Marvel by Kelly Thompson Vol. 1 HC Omnibus — $100
While it’s become increasingly rare in recent years, there are sill in-continuity Marvel and DC Comics stories that span dozens of issues, and if you’ve got a reader on your list who enjoys that sort of long-form superhero story, you can do much worse than the Captain Marvel by Kelly Thompson Omnibus, which includes nearly 30 comics. This is also a great gift for anyone on your list who recently saw The Marvels and wants more.
Get it here
Gotham City: Year One HC — $29.99
Gotham City: Year One is the perfect pick for the reader on your list who wants complex and relevant stories with tinges of superheroics. Set before Batman ever set foot in Gotham City, this wonderfully-told story involves themes that range from profiteering to redlining, all unfolded through the DC Universe’s version of the Lindbergh Baby. This book also flew a bit under the radar, but it’s one of the best DC Comics stories in years, now available in a great new hardcover format.
Get it here
Milestone Compendia, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 – $59.99
For the first time in many years, the groundbreaking ’90s comics published by Milestone are available in new compendia. These oversized paperback formats from DC look great on a bookshelf, compiling dozens of comics starring characters like Hardware, Icon, Static, and more. With Milestone currently undergoing a new comics revival, now is a great time to snag the stories that started it all.
Get it here
The Ones TP – $24.99
This trade collection from Brian Michael Bendis and Jacob Edgar just has an absolutely wonderful superhero comics concept. You know all those people in these stories who are the one? You know, the ones destined to save the world, or defeat the ancient evil, or what have you…what happens to them after their thing? Well, in this story, they are still hanging around, and then someone assembles all The Ones to combat another thing that might end the world. It’s sharp, it’s clever, it’s self-aware, and it’s great.
Get it here
Pink Lemonade — $24.99
It feels funny to type this about a book called Pink Lemonade, but this is one of the most refreshing superhero comics I’ve read in years. In fact, I almost feel like I’m cheating calling it a superhero comic at all, but it does feel like it’s in conversation with the genre. The book is written and illustrated by Nick Cagnetti, whose polished and bright artwork tells the story of an earnest protagonist brushing up against exploitative evils. In fact, you might say the real villain of this book is the way comics creators are exploited by companies, and what could be more relevant to superheroes? I can’t recommend this one enough.
Get it here
Poison Ivy HC, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 — $24.99 Each
This book is just an absolute stunner, one that has been so good that it was originally billed as a limited series and just keeps going and going and going. It’s written by G. Willow Wilson with art by Marcio Takara. It’s a gorgeous, character-driven comic that starts primarily in the horror space and expands outward from there. It’s got poignant themes, universal challenges, and what might be the best-ever depiction of it’s lead character. There are two nice hardcover volumes of this series out now.
Get it here
Powers – Dark Horse Editions — $29.99 Each
Like Astro City before it, Powers is the other alternative superhero classic getting pretty new editions, this time from Dark Horse Comics. Powers — which was written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Michael Avon Oeming — felt so new and fresh when it was first published, following a pair of detectives on the job in a city filled with superheroes. And there really still hasn’t been anything else like it. Put simply, these comics hold up, and if you want to add them to your library, the new editions are your chance to do so now.
Get it here
The Super Hero’s Journey — $29.99
Put simply, Patrick McDonnell’s new book is an absolute must-own for any fan of Marvel Comics or the Marvel superhero characters. It uses repurposed art from the classic 1960s runs in combination with new illustrations from McDonnell to convey what makes these characters so lasting and powerful. It’s a great read, a nice addition to a bookshelf, or even a great coffee table book about superhero comics.
