The 5 Best Marvel Comics Of 2023

In 2023, Marvel Comics' lineup continued to be strong with its ongoing series, miniseries, and one-shots spotlighting what makes the publisher's characters and universe great. The comic books took readers through the multiverse, whether that was in the main Marvel Universe, across the Spider-Verse, or a newly conceived Ultimate Universe.

Picking five comics as Marvel's best of the last year wasn't the easiest thing to do. Strong contenders that didn't make the list include "Avengers" (by Jed MacKay, Carlos Villa, Federico Blee, and Cory Petit), "Strange" (by MacKay, Marcelo Ferreira, Roberto Poggi, Java Tartaglia, and Petit), "Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise" (by Tradd Moore, Heather Moore, and Clayton Cowles), "Savage Avengers" (by David Pepose, Carlos Magno, Espen Grundetjern, and Travis Lanham), "Daredevil" (by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Matthew Wilson, and Cowles), "Fantastic Four" (by Ryan North, Ivan. Fiorelli, Brian Reber, and Joe Caramagna), "Ultimate Invasion" (by Jonathan Hickman, Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Alex Sinclair, and Joe Caramagna), "The X-Cellent" (by Peter Milligan, Mike Allred, Larua Allred, and Nate Piekos), "Guardians of the Galaxy" (by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Kev Walker, Matt Hollingsworth, and Cory Petit), "Invincible Iron Man" (by Gerry Duggan, Juan Frigeri, Bryan Valenza, and Caramagna), "Bloodline: Daughter of Blade" (by Danny Lore, Karen S. Darboe, Cris Peter, and Joe Sabino), "Deadpool" (by Alyssa Wong, Javier Pina, Matt Milla, and Sabino),and "Scarlet Witch" (by Steve Orlando, Lorenzo Tammetta, Sara Pichelli, Frank Williams, and Petit).

However, factoring in things like their incredible art, writing, and meaning to the overall Marvel Universe, a handful of books stand out. These are the five best Marvel Comics of 2023 — plus one series we can't help but recognize for its continued excellence.

"Moon Knight" (by Jed MacKay, Alessandro Cappuccio, Rachelle Rosenberg, and VC's Cory Petit) continues to be one of Marvel's most consistent and impactful ongoing series.

In 2023, Moon Knight took on a new Black Spectre, watched his romance with Tigra grow stronger, dealt with the sinister machinations of Zodiac, and continued to protect those who travel at night via his Midnight Mission. But plotlines aside, what makes "Moon Knight" so dynamic is its focus and spotlight on the titular hero's unlikely family of misfits taking on all kinds of supernatural threats, with Reese, Soldier, Tigra, Hunter's Moon, and even the oddity known as 8-Ball all being well-written and complex.

MacKay's work reaches deep into Moon Knight's lore and blends in key elements of the character's long history while forging a story that feels completely fresh. The book achieves the difficult balance of being new-reader-friendly while rewarding longtime fans with important callbacks and beats to his storied past with the publisher. Cappuccio remains the perfect artist for the horror-filled adventures; whether the comic calls for something bombastic and bloody or deeply intimate, his ethereal style always manages to capture the tone perfectly. Rosenberg's colors stand out as well, beautifully balancing Moon Knight's all-white costume with the story's darker, shadowy environment.

Even with "The Death of Moon Knight" promising another mysterious figure will soon take up the mantle and the comic getting retitled and reverting back to issue number one with "Vengeance of Moon Knight," the series has lost no steam since debuting back in 2022, and it's a safe bet to remain one of the best books available on the comic stands in 2024.

"Punisher" (by Jason Aaron, Jesus Saiz, Paul Azaceta, Matt Hollingsworth, and VC's Cory Petit) faced one comics' biggest and seemingly most insurmountable challenges in recent memory: Reinventing a classic character in the shadow of real-life hatred. The Punisher's iconic logo being adopted by bad actors and used as a symbol of division in the real world forced Marvel's hand, and the company responded by taking Frank Castle in a wildly new direction. In the end, the creative team succeeded in their uphill battle of transforming the deadly antihero through a compelling story that will be remembered as one of Castle's best.

Aaron takes the Punisher off the streets of New York City, placing him in Japan and teaming him with the Hand as the assassin organization brings his wife back to life in exchange for Castle serving as their ultimate warrior, the Beast. While the main arc follows the Punisher dealing with Maria's return and the hope that his dead children will also be resurrected, the story also offers important new details about his childhood, revealing that the Hand shaped him into becoming the deadly antihero long before his family's demise. Saiz's bloody realism and Azaecta's grounded style masterfully differentiated the periods the story took place in, perfectly connecting the Punisher's past and present.

The series shows Castle at his most powerful as well as his most vulnerable. He knows working with the Hand is a mistake, but they offer him the one thing he's ever wanted. As a result, he spirals out of control into something he barely recognizes. By the end of the series, the Punisher reaches a place no reader could have expected, opening an exciting new path for the character whenever he inevitably returns.

"She-Hulk" (by Rainbow Rowell, Andres Genolet, Dee Cunliffe, and VC's Joe Caramagna), a victim of being renumbered and retitled into "Sensational She-Hulk," spent 2023 offering Marvel Comics readers a breezy romance with plenty of gamma-packed action.

Moving She-Hulk away from the Avengers, where her character, unfortunately, lost her voice and became a rage monster with her best personality traits suppressed, and bringing her back to her element as a superhero lawyer has breathed much-needed new life into the hero. It lets her be her best self. Rowell writes what is currently Marvel's most captivating romance, between She-Hulk and Jack of Hearts, a relationship that has blossomed into something special and deserves to remain the status quo. Jennifer Walters' work-life balance is also a big draw, as her promotion to partner at her law firm and assisting both heroes and villains in their legal troubles are hilarious to read. "Sensational She-Hulk" features a great cast of supporting characters, with Hulk, The Thing, Titania, and the Absorbing Man all playing their roles to perfection. Meanwhile, Genolet and Cunliffe's art offers readers a colorful and bright story that looks fantastic throughout.

While some comics feel the need to focus on end-of-the-world theatrics, non-stop superhero drama, and massive stakes, "Sensational She-Hulk" succeeds by keeping things relatively small. However, in doing so, the larger-than-life hero is allowed to shine. Plus, each issue features incredible covers (and interior designs) by Jen Bartel, making the book instantly eye-catching to those who find it in comic shops. Simply put, there's a lot to love about the series.

Before "Immortal Thor" (by Al Ewing, Martin Coccolo, Matthew Wilson, and VC's Joe Sabino) launched, the mighty Avenger's future was unclear following writer Donny Cates' unexpected departure from the previous "Thor" series. Torunn Gronbekk, Juan Gedeon, and Wilson did their best to try to end their run in as satisfying a way as possible and did as good of a job as anyone could have expected. Still, there was no way they could avoid leaving Thor in a bit of a messy place. Thankfully, the unexpected ending led to a creative rebirth under the watch of Al Ewing, who previously scripted the horror-filled "Immortal Hulk," taking over the reins on a new Asgardian-led title alongside Coccolo and Wilson. Now, five issues into their run, "Immortal Thor" is one of Marvel's best books.

"Immortal Thor" succeeds due in large part to Ewing's expertise in Marvel history as the series dives deep into the character's past. At the same time, Ewing deftly massages Thor's lore to create something fresh and different, adding new bits to the Avenger's mythology, including introducing one of the hero's most terrifying villains yet, a powerful Elder God named Toranos, who has connections to the God of Thunder's mother, Gaea. Ewing gets what makes Thor great and writes a hell of a Loki, too; the story that shows the trickster god testing his brother ahead of a major battle with Toranos is the best issue of the comic so far. Coccolo is more than up for the challenge of Ewing's scripts, which, at times, veer into wild storytelling ideas. Coccolo continues to craft epic, massive-scale battles and settings, making Thor look, well, godly. And with Alex Ross providing the comic's covers, it's not just what's inside that shines.

The Hulk is another hero whose most recent series conclusion left much to be desired, especially following in the wake of the incredible success of "Immortal Hulk." Artist Ryan Ottley picked up the pieces and did his best when writer Donny Cates abruptly left the series due to health issues, but it never fully gelled. So, when Marvel announced "The Incredible Hulk" (by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Nic Klein, Matthew Wilson, and Cory Petit), the new creative team really had to work to bring excitement back to the Jade Giant — and hoo boy, did they ever.

Johnson and Klein have brought the Hulk back to his horror-fueled roots, taking Marvel Comics' prime monster down a dark path and emphasizing his strained relationship with Bruce Banner. At the same time, the story introduces a number of exciting new characters to the Hulk's mythos, such as a new primordial Mother of Horrors and a teenage runaway named Charlie, whom the green monster accepts as company in a "Last of Us"-esque situation. The comic also features connections to other Marvel horror icons, with Man-Thing playing a prominent role in the first arc. Klein and Wilson's work is downright epic and, at times, stomach-turning, with the pair showing off some of the most twisted Hulk transformations ever, including the disgusting way Hulk returns to his human form.

It's nice to see Hulk regain the momentum he lost after the conclusion of "Immortal Hulk." "The Incredible Hulk" has been a smash for Marvel because it embraces horror and doesn't hold back on blood and guts, resulting in a fascinating and unpredictable story.

While we've technically already covered our top five, if we're reflecting on 2023, we have to talk about one specific Marvel hero.

When discussing the recently concluded "Captain Marvel" (by Kelly Thompson, Sergio Davila, Sean Parsons, Arif Prianto, and Clayton Cowles), one expression comes to mind: Don't cry because it's over; cry because it happened. Thompson's run with Carol Danvers represents the writer's career-best work, where she explores what makes the hero great and, at times, frustrating — someone whose journey has led Carol to learn more about her incredible abilities and responsibilities while diving deep into her psyche.

Nobody in the modern era knows how to write Carol Danvers as well as Thompson. Too often, heroes and villains, especially powerful ones, are put on a pedestal, allowing their larger-than-life abilities to overshadow any development and growth. "Captain Marvel" proved that while the titular hero may be one of the mightiest beings in the universe, she's still funny, flawed, complex, and always trying to do better. Despite a rotating roster of artists tackling the story — including Dalvia and Parson's awesome pencils and inks to finish the series — the book remained consistently outstanding until the end. Fifty issues (plus annuals) is a tremendous feat for a character, especially one who has had so many relaunches over the years, and the talented writer's work on the character will end up being the benchmark of excellence for all future Captain Marvel tales. As cliché as it sounds, Thompson and co. took Carol's stories to new heights, guiding the Avenger "higher, further, faster" than anyone else had before.

Marvel released tons of comics in 2023, and many were excellent, so picking the five best was a difficult challenge. Several factors were considered in selecting the comics for this list, including storytelling, writing, artwork, colors, and lettering. Additional considerations were made for plot consistency, impact on the status quo, and, most obviously, overall quality. Given the subjective nature of comics, we didn't account for any data from other reviewing sites. Still, we considered online conversation, buzz, and what people are discussing on social media.

The good news for readers is that as great as 2023 was, Marvel's 2024 looks equally promising, with "Vengeance of Moon Knight," "Incredible Hulk," Immortal Thor," and "Sensational She-Hulk" all continuing next year. So, for those anticipating big things from the publisher, we highly recommend visiting your local comic book stores and checking those books out. Don't forget to read Looper's 5 Best DC Comics of 2023 list, too!