Comicon’s Most Progressive Comics Of 2024

The following are Comicon’s Most Progressive Comics (Fiction) of 2024.

5. Poison Ivy, published by DC Comics; written by G. Willow Wilson, drawn by Haining, colored by Arif Prianto, and lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Once more, this series finds itself upon the best of list within this important space. Whether dealing with fungal zombies or parliaments of nature or even eco-terror groups, this series does it all with a progressive beat. Always in a way that feels natural, because the issues and social situations it tackles should be normalized. It stands as a mirror to what our world should be, at the same time that it reflects back the issues of the world as it is. Sexuality is not a blinked about thing here, while the finger is routinely wagged at corporations and the harm befalling this planet. It is all wrapped up in a spotlight focused upon characters that fall more into the realm of villains, for the most part, rather than heroes. Yet here it stands in its successful third year, speaking to how progressive messages can and do resonate with audiences.

— Scott Redmond

4. Big Jim and the White Boy, published by Ten Speed Graphic; written by David F. Walker, drawn and lettered by Marcus Kwame Anderson, and colored by Isabell Struble

— Rachel Bellwoar

3. Girlmode, published by Harper Alley; written by Magdalene Visaggio, drawn by Paulina Ganucheau, colored by Avery Bacon, and typography by Julia Taylor

— Rachel Bellwoar

2. Cemetery Kids Don’t Die, published by Oni Press; written by Zac Thompson, drawn by Daniel Irizarri & Gegê Schall, colored by Brittany Peer, and lettered by Andworld Design

Horror tales have the beautiful ability to pass across any topic or setting imaginable. It gives the perfect platform in which to speak about social issues both within and without the human body and soul. That is what we get with Cemetery Kids Don’t Die. A series that beautifully and horrifically navigates not only the true horror our dependence upon technology poses, but also trauma, dependency, depression and more. Artwork that rests between whimsical and rough visualizes a story that tugs at the heart while pointing to the technology laced cliff humanity seems to be gleefully skipping toward. Truly a must-read series.

— Scott Redmond

1. Navigating with You, published by Maverick; written by Jeremy Whitley, art by Cassio Ribeiro, and lettered by Nikki Fox with additional letters by Micah Meyers

Navigating With You begins with Neesha making the decision that it would be easier to hide her handicapped parking pass in her glove compartment than navigate how people will react when she doesn’t look like how they think a person with a handicapped parking spot should. With that, she also chooses not to make having cerebral palsy her whole identity at a new school. These are decisions most people don’t have to think about. Nobody should have to pay for using tools that make their life easier, but they’re very real choices Neesha has to make every day for her mental and physical health. It’s a story and lived experience that doesn’t get portrayed often, if at all, but the same could be said of stories about queer love and PTSD, all of which Navigating with You also explores.

— Rachel Bellwoar

And the Most Progressive Comics (Non-Fiction) of 2024.

2. Becoming Who We Are: Real Stories About Growing Up Trans, published by A Wave Blue World; written, drawn, colored and lettered by various, edited by Hazel Newlevant and Sammy Lisel

We know the stories that have been in the news lately – the anti-trans rhetoric and legislation that’s being pushed by certain groups and people. It’s the stories contained in this anthology, however, that should be getting a larger platform. Specifically created for middle grade readers by an all-trans and/or non-binary creative team, Becoming Who We Are shares nine stories from trans people about their experiences growing up, the questions they had, and how they’re doing today.

— Rachel Bellwoar

1. Lesbian Grief by Nes Lee

We’ve included Nes Lee’s wonderfully 15-panel strip, Lesbian Grief, in our best of webcomics for the year already. But it also deserves its place here in non-fiction progressive works due to its powerful and inclusive message, one that resonated so well with my daughter.

Lesbian Grief is Lee identifying the societal influences in their own life, the ingrained ideas of womanhood, and how coming out meant they had to jettison those ideas, and how doing that meant they had to overcome that lesbian grief.

It’s just 15 panels long, but within those few frames there’s a hard-won truth, simple yet powerful and absolutely heart-breaking in the way Lee conveys their feelings. They give understanding and support to anyone struggling with their identity and, as such, it gives hope and positivity, something that we could definitely do with more of.

To give you an idea of the import of what Lee is saying here, I’ll pass you over to my daughter, Molly, who said this about it … because she says everything you need to know about the strip:

“Well that was a bit of an emotional roller coaster of something I’d never thought about before, and it feels very true.

I still to this day struggle to use the word lesbian because the whole idea of just being attracted to women is so far out of what we as a society deem as normal. Even men being attracted to men is deemed more acceptable than women being attracted to women. I use the word gay more than lesbian. I don’t know, something about the word feels dirty even though it’s not. Arguably, a lot of that probably has to do with straight men.

They managed to convey something extremely heartfelt, important and emotional in scribbles, colour and 15 panels.”

There you go. That’s why Lesbian Grief is so important, so relevant, so perfect.

— Richard Bruton