It was not just a wealth of comic book TV shows and movies this year, but actual comics were better than ever, with quality books and some real creative stretches from Marvel, DC, and Image, all the way down. This year brought a massive expansion of the talent pool for comics, opening doors for new creators from all backgrounds to bring their original stories, as well as building new ideas into the continuity of the legendary characters we've read for generations. It feels like we'll be able to look back on this year as a creative leap for comics, inspiring not only future writers and artists in the field, but creators in all media as these stories become exciting film and television projects.
- Justin Tyler
Comic Book Club Podcast Host
Why we needed this fandom this year
In a year where our work-life balance smooshed together into one long Zoom meeting, it was so hard to find a time to escape. Even when we did have a break from work, we had our families often VERY close at hand or couldn't help but answer an email while trying to catch up on a beloved television show. Comic books are that rare art form where you can't be multitasking while you consume them, and the stories are often epic journeys into lush fantastic worlds that unlock our imagination no matter how many hours you've been staring at a laptop. This was the year that comics themselves were the heroes we needed.
Why you should join this fandom
Comic book-style storytelling has never been more widespread than it is right now. Not just the superhero characters that continue to dominate mainstream movies and television, but the format of comic books have become how so many of our stories are told: massive, episodic stories interconnected across series, genres, and platforms. If you want to know what the next big story is going to be in any media, there's a good bet you'll get a preview of it in comics.