It’s time once again, folks. We’re entering the end of the year celebration window on SKTCHD, as another banner year in comics — maybe my favorite one yet, which is really saying something — is highlighted over multiple weeks here on the site and podcast. But while The SKTCHD AWRDS still need another week to cook, the party is starting today with insight from other folks in comics.

That’s because while I do everything I can to make my world of comics as wide as possible, I’m still just one person. The only way to expand beyond my worldview is to ask others about their perspective on the year that was, so I turned to a variety of folks — writers, artists, cartoonists, letterers, editors, marketing folks, publishers, etc. — to see what stood out to them from the year that was. More specifically, I asked these folks the following very long-winded question.

It’s been a big and interesting year in comics, and for a whole lot of different reasons. To tap into that, I want to know about something you really, really loved from it. What was one favorite thing — it doesn’t have to be your absolute favorite thing, just something that stood out to you — from the year of comics for you? Also, it doesn’t have to just be a comic. It could be one, or it could be a graphic novel, a panel or page, a cover, a creator who stood out, a line of books, a trend, a convention experience, or whatever.

My hope for going that route with this question was that it would help everyone realize they did not need to talk about a specific comic from the year. They could highlight anything from the year that made their year in comics a little bit better. And you know what? It worked. This year’s answers largely escaped the confines of singular works into a broad mix of things, including some that are largely built on vibes and community.

So, let’s get to the answers from these fine folks, with answers in alphabetical order by first name. This article is open to non-subscribers, but if you enjoy this type of thing, consider subscribing to SKTCHD for more like it. This site is entirely funded by its subscribers, with no ads at all, and it’s my full-time job these days, so your support makes a major difference for me.

Cliff Chiang (Catwoman: Lonely City): When I’m on deadline, I’ll often need to play something in the background: music, podcasts, or videos I don’t have to watch intently. It’s the perfect way to catch up on “content,” but it also means that anything highly visual that requires more focus gets pushed. So I’m only now watching the greatest series on earth: Manben.

You can find some recent episodes on the NHK website and some fan translations on Youtube. Started in 2015 and hosted by manga creator Naoki Urasawa (20th Century Boys, Pluto, Asadora!), a variety of different artists are filmed as they draw (often right before a deadline, to add to the stakes) and the footage is later reviewed by them and Urasawa. It’s a fascinating look into their daily process and the insights from both artists veer from technical minutiae (which pen nibs they’re using and why) to artistic philosophy (why they chose manga as a medium). It’s a real deep dive and unlike any coverage I’ve seen of Western comics. Illuminating and inspiring.

David Brothers (Good Devils: Don’t Play Fair with Evil): I started writing about comics twenty years ago this year, back on 4thletter!. My pick for a remarkable thing this year is related to that. I’m grateful that comics criticism and journalism is still trucking along, even with how much less free and open the internet has become for all the obvious reasons.

I used to write about comics, and I still write for Steve Morris at Shelfdust here and there. I’ve got friends and people I admire who do work for indie group projects like SOLRAD Magazine, Tiffany Babb’s The Comics Courier, and The Comics Journal, which I’ll admit isn’t exactly independent but has been willing enough to bite the hand that feeds over the years that I think we can count it in spirit. Operations like your own SKTCHD or Comic Book Couples Counseling, which are operated by just a couple of people on their own, are great too. I appreciate the focused perspective of those as much as I appreciate the chorus of voices on the group sites.

Tom Spurgeon introduced me to the umbrella term “writers about comics” when I had no idea what I was doing, and it remains my favorite phrase to describe that weird blend of journalism, history, and criticism that I’ve enjoyed over the years. I genuinely believe the industry is better with a strong set of journalists to keep track of it and make opaque issues less opaque. People often see critics as enemies of art, but the opposite is the truth. Visiting websites where you can scroll a front page and see a dozen comics you’ve never heard of next to six you have is a delight. Reading well-argued dissenting opinions regarding something you love is enlightening. Comics are my favorite art form, and criticism is how we appraise and celebrate them.

Sharing and thinking deeply about art are half the point to me. Metacritic and similar sites have kinda trained us to see reviews as a measure of whether or not something is worth buying, but I think the real juice is in the reaction to the art, not the worth of the product. How does it make us feel, what does it say about us, does it actually say anything about us? I’ve learned so much from people interrogating or sharing their reaction to work. I genuinely don’t care if I agree with them or not, even if they think my favorite book is tailor-made for ugly babies. I want to see how their experience compares to mine, and how that helps shape my perception of the work.

I think times are tough across the board in comics, and it’s a beautiful thing that writers about comics are still trucking along, sharing what makes them passionate or sharpening their voice on the way to doing their next thing. SOLRAD and Shelfdust have Patreons, and the Courier is funded via Kickstarter. Extra-special shout-out to Babb for doing a $250 grant for comics critics too. I think this kind of self-funded thing is our future, considering how corporate sponsorship of some older sites shook out, and I hope it keeps us afloat while my personal corners of the comics industry figure out their post-Diamond era.

This kind of fan participation is a true highlight of comics, and that love of close reading is so common in the community of people I’ve surrounded myself with that I’m sometimes surprised when I see people who feel otherwise. Comics are beautiful and criticism is good. I hope other people catch this wave, too.

Declan Shalvey (Thundercats, The Terminator): This might sound a bit of a weird answer to your question but this year I’ve noticed more water-cooler talk thanks to the Absolute line and I’m glad to see it. I’m not talking about the sales [though it’s bloody brilliant to hear, it’s great to hear there’s a ton of readers getting behind these wilder interpretations of the characters] …kudos to DC for trying it, and hats off to all the creators who have been spinning gold on these.

More specifically what I mean is I’ve talked to lots of creators about the Absolute line in the last year and everyone has had different opinions about the various books, and I’ve really enjoyed agreeing and disagreeing with them. I didn’t realise how much I missed that, it seemed to have slipped away over the last few years and it’s cool to have it back. I’m reading more because of it. Regarding the line; I like one book more than I thought I would, another less so. Love the art on one, dislike the art on another, or whatever it might be. In talking to creators and fans at shows I’m hearing various opinions because we’ve all read them. I feel like we have more water-cooler comics with the Absolute line …something we’re all curious about and are discussing, instead of retreating into our very particular tastes with other titles. I think it’s a very good thing for comics, and we could do with a hell of a lot more of them at all the publishers.

Another small thing I’ve liked as I’ve directly benefited from it; The trend of licensors giving creators longer leashes on licensed books. I’ve had such freedom on ThunderCats and Terminator, it’s been fantastic to go as wild as we want to tell compelling stories. We’re clearly seeing it across the board, with the Energon stuff, etc, it seems to me a lot of licensors have learned to let comics creators well the best stories. It’s not every licensor of course, but I think it’s enough of a noticeable shift in approach that’s wielding great results, if I do say so myself, but certainly not exclusively so. Worth acknowledging.

Jazzlyn Stone (Director of Communications, Tiny Onion): Something that stood out to me this year is readers and fans being more welcoming to new-to-comics readers. On ComicTok, or at conventions IRL, I’ve noticed a trend towards “I like these comics, I hope you will too! Here’s where to get them!” It’s so refreshing to think we’re finally moving away from the archaying stereotype of angry gatekeepers. I’ve been to a lot of cons and signings this year. Usually -incredibly- at least one person will “confess” that *this* was the first comic they read or *this* is their first comic event, leaving me beaming. What a gift to welcome you to this new world, a medium I love thoroughly and hope you will too.

Comics are the single greatest medium of storytelling. I’m so glad you’re here. Stay awhile!

Jodie Troutman (Star Trek: Red Shirts, Flow): What I truly loved this year was seeing a lot of talent finally being rewarded on the big stage.  I’m not just talking about me, even though 2025 was – selfishly – a breakout year.  I’m talking about relative newcomers like Zoe Tunnell drumming up gigs writing books for multiple publishers, and about veterans like Benito Cereno returning to write an ongoing series, a mini-series, and an eighty-page-giant after a dry spell that lasted years.  It feels like an incredible time for a diverse spectrum of creators to breakout huge across a wide variety of projects and publishers.

John Allison (The Great British Bump-Off: Kill or Be Quilt, NEMS): My favourite comic I read this year was Womb Rider by Emil Friis Ernst (Uncivilised Books) – a one-off, unlike anything else I read this year. I loved everything about it – the art, the colours, the lettering. Demented brilliance. In a similarly loopy (but slightly more coherent) vein, I enjoyed every issue of Rick Remender and Paul Acazeta’s The Seasons. It was nice to read comics that felt like they could only ever be comics.

Julio Anta (Frontera, This Land is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story): As someone who primarily makes comics for the children’s book market (though that’s changing next year!) I have come to love a good library and/or educator conference. This year, I particularly enjoyed my time at ALA in Philly and NCTE in Denver – the former, the American Library Association conference for librarians, the latter, the National Council of Teachers of English conference for English teachers. 

These are yearly conferences filled with author panels that dive into how our books and graphic novels can be used in the library and classroom settings, and an exhibitor hall where all the major book publishers host signings with FREE COPIES of all their books. 

In a world of hectic comic conventions filled with people trying to make money off creator signatures, exclusive variants, etc. conferences like ALA and NCTE have been a welcome reprieve! But most importantly, they’ve been a chance to meet so many enthusiastic people excited to share your books with their students. It’s also worth noting that it’s a MUCH MORE chill environment than comic conventions that don’t require you to table all day!

Juni Ba (The Fables of Erlking Wood, Monkey Meat: The New Batch): I think it’d have to be Assorted Crisis Events. I’m fortunate to have gotten early looks at it as it was being made, and it was such an excellent reminder of why I like this medium. It also manages something I truly believe we need more of and I hope to contribute to, which is a focus on every day people. No supers or self absorbed narratives taking the focus away from a curiosity about others, about normal people simply living. And why they deserve and should be the focus of stories to encourage our ability to value others. 

There’s been a lot of talk of more bombastic/violent attempts at making comics that are timely, push back and speak to the current moment, but this is, to me, the only one that actually manages it. It’s going to be one of my morning stars.  

Liana Kangas (TRVE KVLT, Know Your Station): My favorite experience is the camaraderie and true community support that peeked its head out during some wild, and frankly, pretty rough times this year. Whether tabling next to someone such as Gavin Guidry (one of my fav table neighbors, like having a big brother drawing and chatting beside me), sharing some quiet dinners alongside my personal collaborators or artist friends, or the full enthusiasm and PURE joy for small celebrations (like the unmatched Raleigh crew that stayed up TOO late celebrating the Godzilla Eisner with me), I always had my cup filled during each and every event I was lucky enough to travel to this year.

I will never forget how that made me feel. Everyone deserves to feel that way in comics.

Morgan Perry (Marketing Manager, Square Enix Manga & Books): I think 2025 was a challenging year for a lot of folks, regardless of what island you reside on in this amazing little archipelago we call Comics. Whether it was navigating the economy and tariffs, dissolutions of industry pillars that provided a lot of invisible infrastructure, acquisitions and layoffs, or something more personal, everyone was carrying a heavier emotional and mental load this year, and the reason I bring this up is because what I really loved about this year (at least from the POV of my own island) was seeing the outpouring of support in their time of need and how some of those relationships to one another strengthened and transformed into something noticeably different simply by checking in with each other outside of work-related conversations, verbalizing and highlighting each other’s strengths outwardly, and cheering on their endeavors, not because you have a stake in the results but because you’re just excited to see your friend/colleague/peer achieve something personally or professionally.

Murewa Ayodele (Storm, Akogun: Brutalizer of Gods): My favorite thing in comics this year has been the infectious storytelling ambition we’re getting from a lot of fan-favorite creators in Big Two Comics… and I absolutely love it. I love that comics have crazy shit happening in them more than ever. Just recently, we saw Lex Luther use the Black Lantern ring to resurrect dead elder gods to win a fight in what is essentially an omega fight pit in DC K.O. #2. We saw Hulk thunderclap someone’s brains out in The Infernal Hulk #1. And this has been a trend since the beginning of the year. The year started with Wonder Woman going into battle with what is essentially a skyscraper-sized sword in Absolute Wonder Woman #4. It extends to how creators like Deniz Camp use the medium in unique ways, to us getting the first Marvel/DC crossover in decades. It’s a great time to be a fan of big and bold superhero comics.

Also, trust me. It’s not recency bias. It’s not my fault that a lot of banger comics were released towards the tail end of the year, because a comic book that’s really stood out to me this year has been Escape by Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña. It’s a beautifully illustrated war story that is incredibly personal. The three-panel sequence, where we get the full confirmation that the protagonist joined the army to fight in the war as an escape from his life with his wife, hit like a truck. It’s an extremely moving comic book series that doesn’t spare the thrills of a soldier who finds himself in an enemy territory that he just bombed. An intense manhunt tale paired with the complexities of family, warfare, propaganda, and lost dreams. These are the comics that I love to read. It’s why I love the medium so much. And Escape delivers the goods in spades.

Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring): It was indeed a big and interesting year. It also seems like there is never a shortage of amazing books from incredible creators. A big standout for me this year was Daniel Warren Johnson’s one-two punch with his short in the legacy #400 Wolverine followed by his lead story in Absolute Batman Annual #1. In spite of the short page count of both, he managed to conjure two separate works that I’ll be carrying along with me for a long, long time. They’re heavy-duty and haunting in the best possible way.

Rebecca “Tay” Taylor (Editorial Director of Inklore): KPop Demon Hunters. I was blown away by the first rough trailer for KPDH at Licensing Expo in 2023 and immediately knew it was a must-have for the Inklore audience. To see it finally release, and to such worldwide, groundbreaking success, was incredible, and Inklore is in keyboard-smashing ecstasy at getting to help roll out a publishing line next year. The global embrace of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey is yet another watershed moment for K-culture’s global influence, something we’ve seen explode in publishing on the Inklore list, with titles like Under the Oak Tree, King’s Maker, and the upcoming Eleceed from our partnership with Webtoon. And on a personal note, it has been magical to watch my daughters discover their own Sailor Moon-style world of female friendship, strength, and creativity. Nothing is cuter than a three-year-old dancing around the kitchen singing, “I don’t think you’re ready for the takedown!”

Terry Dodson (AdventureMan, Ultimate Endgame): I would have to say, trendwise, the return of “fun” comics. Between Matt Fraction’s and Jorge Jimenez’ Batman, the Absolute Line, and the Marvel and DC Crossovers – all mainstream titles that anyone can read and are accessible good times. The End of Ultimates that I’m working on is a lot of fun and I would have to say pretty accessible as well.

The Vertigo initiative is also a good thing, creator started/helmed/owned books is good for mainstream.

Lastly, The End of Diamond officially I think spins off into a lot of directions, and we haven’t seen this all wrapped up, but in the (painful) end, it may be best for comic store distribution.

Zachary Clemente (the head of Bulgilhan Press): Prepare yourself for a schlocky cop-out!

The thing I loved the very most this year in comics is the community that comes from an incredible group of curious, hard-working, talented, and generous people. While this community, in its abundance, serves as a fixture, the ways in which we connect and commune with it changes each season. Every time I travel for a festival or get a chance to talk to up-and-coming cartoonists I feel the energy I’ve painstakingly put into the world through publishing and advocacy efforts returning to me tenfold.

To be specific, I’ve found myself flabbergast more times than I can count with what the Boston Comic Arts Foundation has accomplished this year, for which I serve as Board President. From producing unique Picture + Panel artist talks on a monthly basis, to welcoming the National Cartoonist Society to Boston for their annual conference, to helping the Massachusetts State Senate pass S.2328, An Act Regarding Free Expression (which is now onto the House), to witness the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo continue to grow and thrive. With each new successful effort, Boston, Massachusetts, and New England as a whole continues to prove itself as a place where comics are beloved and understood. As someone who has fully dedicated themselves to working “between the panels” by supporting comics as an art form and cartoonists individually, my heart grows – fit to burst – with admiration and pride when seeing just how far the town I’ve called home for over a decade has come.

Thanks for reading this article. If you enjoyed this feature, please consider subscribing to SKTCHD to support the work that I do and to read more of it. I’m a full-time comics journalist, and your support keeps the site and my work going.