We almost all love comics, right? The combination of beautiful artwork and writing has produced some of the best stories of all time. But as with most forms of media, there is so much to choose from. How can you tell what is worth your time and money? Well, fear not! We are going to help make this choice a little easier.
We present 9 must-read Image Comics titles. Let’s jump right in!
1Saga

Brian K. Vaughan’s Saga is one of the best titles on the market right now. It seamlessly blends epic, sci-fi/fantasy/action with romance, adventure, and heartbreaking drama.
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With mouthwatering artwork by Fiona Staples, Saga tells the story of a young married couple, Marko and Alana. Born on opposite sides of the most destructive war in history, this intergalactic Romeo and Juliet must run from their respective governments, bounty hunters, and alien threats, all while trying to protect their newborn daughter, Hazel. Also, it will absolutely break your heart, seriously.
2Nailbiter

What if 16 of the most sadistic and bloodthirsty serial killers in the history of the United States all came from the same small town? That is the intriguing question that Joshua Williamson’s fantastic horror comic, Nailbiter, asks.
NSA agent Nicholas Finch travels to the town of Buckaroo to find his missing friend and is subsequently drawn into a web of mystery as he tries to uncover just what it is about this seemingly normal town that turns people into killers. As the depraved history of the town is uncovered piece by piece, Finch finds himself in increasingly dangerous situations as he struggles to uncover the truth.
3Birthright

Birthright is an incredibly interesting comic, as it tells the often unexplored story of just what happens after the hero saves the day. Young Mikey Rhodes is abruptly whisked away from the real world and transported to the fantasy land of Terrenos to save its people from the evil God King Lore.
Birthright tells the story of what happens when Mikey returns home to the real world after his years of adventure in Terrenos. While Mikey has aged to adulthood in this time, only a year has passed in the real world. Birthright explores how Mikey adapts to the real world after a lifetime of fighting for his life while also showing how his family responds to his return.
With some of the best artwork in the business, Birthright is a must-read Image Comics title. If you aren’t hooked by the end of the first issue, you need to check your pulse.
4Manifest Destiny

As a card-carrying Brit, I’m fairly unfamiliar with the tale of famous adventurers Lewis and Clark, but that didn’t stop Chris Dingess’ Manifest Destiny from becoming one of my favourite comics.
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While exploring the untamed wilderness of America, the Lewis and Clark expedition discovers that they have more to fear than just bears and Native American tribes. As the death count rises and the monsters get more and more dangerous, Lewis and Clark must decide whether their expedition is more important than the lives of their crew.
5Southern Bastards

Taking a break from the more outlandish comics on this list, Jason Aaron’s Southern Bastards tells the incredibly gritty story of Earl Tubb, a grizzled Vietnam veteran who returns to his hometown of Craw County, Alabama, after years away. Seeing how corrupt his town has become, Earl sets out to bring some justice to the criminals of Craw County by busting some skulls with his trusty club. Earl’s vigilante campaign soon brings him into conflict with Coach Boss, the town’s feared crime lord.
Southern Bastards is a great read, with some of the best love-to-hate characters since Game of Thrones. But be warned, this must-read Image Comics series is not for the faint of heart.
6I Hate Fairyland

Skottie Young’s I Hate Fairyland is one of the best-looking comic books I have ever laid eyes on. Every panel is practically dripping with incredible detail and spectacular colour. This one is worth it for the artwork alone, but luckily, the artwork isn’t the only amazing thing about I Hate Fairyland.
Similar to Birthright, I Hate Fairyland tells the tale of a young hero thrust into a fantasy land. Gertrude is a sweet little girl who’s transported to the sickeningly bright and cheery Fairyland and tasked with retrieving a magical key to return home. Sounds simple, right? Wrong.
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Cut to 30 years later, Gertrude is now a foul-mouthed, antisocial, middle-aged troublemaker in the body of an 8-year-old girl. Her time in Fairyland has severely changed her once sunny disposition. I mean, we all love Disneyland. But how would you feel if you were stuck there for 30 years?
7East of West

Jonathan Hickman’s East of West is a hard comic to describe. Anyone who has read any of Hickman’s previous work will know how complex and ambitious his stories are. Set in an alternate reality America, in which the American Civil War never ended, and the United States split into five independently ran states. East of West tells the story of Death, one of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.
This Clint Eastwood-style gun-slinger is on a bloody quest for vengeance against the corrupt politicians who wronged him. As I said, this is a hard one to explain in a single paragraph. With amazing artwork and a truly unique setting, East of West is perfect for anyone who enjoys complex and richly-detailed stories.
8The Goddamned

The Goddamned proves one very important thing, Jason Aaron is a total sadist. Set in biblical times, in the barren and brutal wasteland of a pre-great flood world. The Goddamned follows Cane, the world’s first murderer. This immortal, Conan-style warrior travels the land seeking an end to his wretched existence.
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The Goddamned shows an incredibly bleak and joyless world in which survival is the name of the game, and even that seems pointless. If you’re a reader who requires a little colour in your stories, then this one probably isn’t for you. But if you like gritty, nihilistic violence, then it’s a must-read Image Comics title.
9Invincible

Robert Kirkman’s Invincible series is just too good to leave out. Telling the very familiar tale of Mark Grayson, a teenage boy who develops superpowers and becomes a hero, Invincible takes every opportunity to subvert and satire superhero comic tropes. With incredibly well-written characters, fantastically-paced storytelling, godlike artwork, and twists and turns that will leave you speechless, Invincible is, for my money, the greatest comic book around.
It has something for everyone, bone-crunchingly violent fight scenes, believable character relationships, and heartbreaking story developments. While there are several great jumping-on points for new readers, I highly recommend starting at the very beginning. You won’t regret it.
Absolutely loving I Hate/F**k Fairyland. Skottie Young is incredible.