(CBR) It’s a fact: the landscape presented by modern comic books is more diverse than it’s ever been, and it’s expanding even further with each passing year. From slice-of-life superhero mix tapes and small-town murder mysteries to world-traveling, dimension-hopping buddy cop comedies, there’s definitely something out there for every fan. Like any medium, comics has the potential to become stale, but modern creators refuse to stop innovating, continually keeping the freshness rating high every Wednesday. Although every fan has their own tastes and preferences, there are always a few titles that rise to the top as fan-favorites, while others stay in the background as indie and/or critical darlings — and some are lucky enough to have both as a part of their identity.
While the books listed below are far from unknowns, each has a special quality that keeps readers coming back every month — whether it’s innovation, a reinvention of a classic formula or just plain fun, these are the titles that rise to the top of my list every month.