Best Image Comics: Creator-Owned Essentials
The creator-owned books that define modern comics.
By Web Admin
If Marvel and DC are the major-label pop of comics, Image Comics is where the artists went to make the records they actually wanted to make. Founded in 1992 by a group of superstar creators who walked away from the Big Two, Image is built on one radical principle: the creators own their work. No editorial mandates, no company-owned characters, no crossover events forced in from above. The result, especially over the last fifteen years, is the most exciting catalog in mainstream comics — the books that shape prestige TV, win the awards, and convert non-readers.
That freedom is also why Image is the best place to start if you’re tired of decades of superhero continuity. Almost every book here is a complete, self-contained story with a beginning, middle, and end. This guide rounds up the essential Image Comics — the creator-owned titles every modern reader should know — with creators, years, and rough US prices.
The one everyone starts with: Saga
No Image list makes sense without Saga (Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples, 2012–present) at the top. This space-opera romance about two soldiers from opposite sides of a war raising a baby on the run is the flagship of modern creator-owned comics — three-time Eisner winner, millions of copies sold, and still the book we hand every newcomer. Volume 1 is about US$10.
Our full Saga, Vol. 1 review breaks down exactly why it works so well as a first comic.
The pop-culture juggernauts: The Walking Dead & Invincible
Two Robert Kirkman books turned Image into a cultural force. The Walking Dead (with artists Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard, 2003–2019) is the zombie epic that became the biggest show on cable — but the comic is bleaker, longer, and, many argue, better. It’s a complete 193-issue story, best bought in the massive Compendium editions (about US$60 each for 48 issues). Our Walking Dead reading order maps every collection.
Invincible (Kirkman & Cory Walker/Ryan Ottley, 2003–2018) is the superhero comic for people who love and are exhausted by superheroes — a coming-of-age story that turns shockingly violent and then keeps escalating for 144 issues of pure momentum. The Prime Video show sent sales soaring; start with our Invincible reading order.
The most beautiful book on the shelf: Monstress
Monstress (Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda, 2015–present) is a dark-fantasy epic set in a matriarchal, Asian-inspired world, and Takeda’s fully painted, Art-Deco-meets-steampunk pages are among the most gorgeous in all of comics. It won the Hugo for Best Graphic Story five years running. It’s dense and brutal, so it rewards a reader ready for a challenge — see our Monstress review for the full picture. Volume 1 is around US$17.
Modern horror standouts: Something Is Killing the Children & Gideon Falls
Image (and its BOOM!/other-publisher peers) is the home of the modern horror revival. Something Is Killing the Children (James Tynion IV & Werther Dell’Edera) follows a monster hunter named Erica Slaughter and became a breakout hit and hot collectible. Gideon Falls (Jeff Lemire & Andrea Sorrentino, 2018–2020) is a genuinely unnerving, formally inventive Lovecraftian mystery about a sinister black barn — Sorrentino’s fractured page layouts alone make it worth owning. Both sit comfortably on our list of the best horror comics.
Big-idea SF: East of West, Paper Girls & Descender
Image’s science-fiction bench is deep. East of West (Jonathan Hickman & Nick Dragotta) is an icy sci-fi western apocalypse; Paper Girls (Vaughan & Cliff Chiang) is a 1980s time-travel adventure; and Descender (Jeffrey Lemire & Dustin Nguyen) is a watercolor-painted robot-boy odyssey. All three are complete and feature on our best sci-fi graphic novels guide.
Cult favorites worth your shelf: Chew & Deadly Class
Chew (John Layman & Rob Guillory, 2009–2016) is a gloriously weird crime-comedy about a detective who gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats — 60 issues of increasingly absurd fun. Deadly Class (Rick Remender & Wes Craig) is a razor-sharp story about a school for assassins set against a 1980s counterculture backdrop. Neither reinvents the wheel, but both are exactly the kind of confident, personal book Image exists to publish.
It’s worth understanding why Image can publish books this idiosyncratic at all. Because creators keep ownership and pay their own production costs, Image doesn’t need every title to be a franchise-in-waiting the way Marvel and DC effectively do. That business model is the whole reason a talking-cat mercenary, a food-psychic detective, and a suburban android family can all exist under one logo — and why so many creators who make their name at the Big Two eventually come here to do their most personal work.
Quick-compare: essential Image Comics
| Title | Genre | Creators | Status | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saga | Space opera | Vaughan & Staples | Ongoing | ~US$10/vol |
| The Walking Dead | Horror | Kirkman & Adlard | Complete | ~US$60/compendium |
| Invincible | Superhero | Kirkman & Ottley | Complete | ~US$65/compendium |
| Monstress | Dark fantasy | Liu & Takeda | Ongoing | ~US$17/vol |
| Gideon Falls | Horror | Lemire & Sorrentino | Complete | ~US$17/vol |
| East of West | Sci-fi western | Hickman & Dragotta | Complete | ~US$16/vol |
Pros and cons of the Image approach
Pros
- Creator-owned means bold, personal, uncompromised stories
- Most titles are complete — no endless continuity
- Consistently home to the medium’s best new art
- Compendium editions offer huge value per page
Cons
- Overwhelmingly aimed at mature readers
- Ongoing series can hit long hiatuses (looking at you, Saga)
- Individual single issues get pricey and go out of print
How to buy Image Comics smartly
For finished series like The Walking Dead and Invincible, the Compendium volumes are the best value going — often 40-plus issues for US$60. For ongoing books like Saga and Monstress, collect the individual trades or wait for a deluxe hardcover if you want the art to shine. Because these are creator-owned, out-of-print single issues can climb in value, so if you’re a collector, our first appearance comics guide is worth a look.
AmazonCheck price on AmazonThe verdict
Image is where modern comics are most alive. If you’re new, start with Saga; if you love TV, The Walking Dead and Invincible are the source material; if you want to be dazzled, Monstress is the most beautiful book on any shelf. The through-line is freedom — these are stories told exactly how their creators wanted, and it shows on every page. Explore more in our Indie & Image hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Image comic to start with?
Saga, Vol. 1. It’s accessible, affordable at around US$10, and showcases everything great about creator-owned comics. Our Saga review has the full breakdown.
Are Image Comics appropriate for kids?
Most are firmly for mature readers, with graphic violence and adult themes. For younger readers, see our best comics for kids guide instead.
Do I need to read Image books in a particular order?
Each series is standalone, so no cross-title order is needed. Within a long series like The Walking Dead, use our reading order to collect the volumes in sequence.
Are Image single issues worth collecting?
They can be. First printings of breakout hits like Saga #1 and Something Is Killing the Children #1 have appreciated. For most readers, though, the trades and compendiums are the better buy.
