Six months into 2026, one thing is abundantly clear: comics are having a weird, wonderful, and wildly unpredictable year.
On this week’s AIPT Comics Podcast, episode #386, we gathered our annual “best comics of the year so far” panel, with myself joined by AIPT contributors Chris Coplan and Alex Schlesinger, to debate our favorite series, biggest surprises, weirdest comics, and the books we desperately never want to see end. Along the way, we uncovered a fascinating snapshot of the medium in 2026: DC’s Absolute Universe continues to dominate the conversation, indie creators are producing some of the most ambitious work in years, and comics remain uniquely capable of capturing everything from existential dread to pure joy.
The year in comics, by the numbers
Before debating our favorite books, we took a step back and looked at what 2026 has actually looked like in raw numbers. And frankly, the first six months of the year have been staggering.
According to industry reporting, the North American comics market remains a roughly $2.2 billion business, with graphic novels accounting for approximately 76% of total sales. Meanwhile, DC’s Absolute Universe has become one of the industry’s biggest success stories, helping fuel a dramatic shift in market share and reader conversation.
Perhaps the most eye-opening statistic, however, is the sheer number of new comics launching. By our count, the first six months of 2026 produced 59 major #1 issues across Marvel, DC, and the direct market’s largest publishers. Include smaller publishers, Kickstarter projects, graphic novels, and manga launches, and that number likely climbs well above 150 debut books.
The number tells two stories at once. Comics remain one of the most creatively fertile mediums around, but they also continue to rely heavily on the commercial appeal of a fresh “#1” issue.
And that’s before accounting for AIPT’s own coverage. Through June 30, AIPT had published over 900 reviews, more than 120 interviews, and nearly 1,000 previews, of which 200 are exclusive previews.
The comic everyone agreed on
If there was one book that united the panel, it was Dave Chisholm’s Is Ted OK?.
For Alex Schlesinger, the series represents everything great science fiction comics can achieve: socially relevant themes, unsettling ideas, unforgettable artwork, and a story that leaves readers desperate for the next installment.
“I just ended every issue being like, god damn, I’m really annoyed that I have to wait until the next issue comes out, which for me is like the best sign of a good comic.”
Chris Coplan went even further, calling it potentially the most important indie comic of the last five to ten years. The pair praised Chisholm’s ability to tackle contemporary anxieties around artificial intelligence while maintaining an intensely human perspective, culminating in what both described as one of the most successful lore-heavy issues they’ve ever read.
Why Absolute Batman continues to dominate
No mid-year comics conversation would be complete without discussing Absolute Batman, Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s blockbuster reinvention of the Dark Knight.
For me, the appeal comes down to one simple fact: Batman feels dangerous again.
This version of Bruce Wayne is younger, angrier, less controlled, and capable of making choices that mainstream continuity Batman simply can’t. Combined with Dragotta’s bold character redesigns and Snyder’s willingness to continually upend expectations, Absolute Batman has become one of the year’s defining superhero books.
The panel also explored a fascinating question: could Absolute Batman become the definitive Batman for an entire generation of readers? Given the title’s massive sales and cultural footprint, the idea no longer sounds impossible.
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Credit: DC Comics
The surprises nobody saw coming
One of the recurring themes throughout our discussion was how many books exceeded expectations.
For me, the biggest surprise remains Absolute Green Arrow. Before launch, the concept of a slasher-inspired Green Arrow comic starring a missing Oliver Queen and focusing heavily on Dinah Lance seemed like a risky proposition. Instead, the series has become one of the Absolute line’s strongest and most inventive titles.
Alex pointed to G. Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara’s Poison Ivy, particularly the shocking development that saw Pamela Isley become the elected mayor of Gotham City. What began as a road-trip eco-horror series has transformed into one of DC’s most fascinating long-form character studies.
Chris, meanwhile, highlighted Death Fight Forever, a comic whose outrageous premise concealed one of the year’s most moving examinations of grief, acceptance, and personal growth.
“It moved me to tears,” Coplan said, describing the series’ surprising emotional impact beneath its absurd exterior.
Horror, war, fantasy, and everything in between
Our selections ultimately reflected just how broad comics have become in 2026.
Alex championed Peach Momoko’s (and friends) visually astonishing Sai: Dimensional Rivals and the fantasy action series Fireborn. Chris celebrated the spiritual horror of The Deadman, the chaotic brilliance of Lobo, and the post-apocalyptic ghost story White Sky. Meanwhile, I couldn’t stop thinking about the terrifying body horror of Infernal Hulk and the relentless tension of Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña’s Escape.
Even our favorite graphic novels reflected wildly different tastes, from the emotional memory piece Memories of Giselle to the dystopian satire of Gigs and the deeply unsettling horror tale Pig Wife.
And honestly? That’s probably the best takeaway from comics in 2026 so far. There isn’t one dominant trend, one defining style, or one singular voice. Instead, we’re getting superhero reinventions, experimental science fiction, surreal horror, deeply personal graphic novels, and books that somehow manage to be all of those things at once.
To hear all of our picks, debates, arguments, and a truly unnecessary discussion about what men should call their maiden names, be sure to check out the full conversation on AIPT Comics Podcast Episode #386: The Best Comics of 2026 So Far.
You can stream the AIPT Comics podcast below or find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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