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Creators' Year in Review Part 4: Comics to Look Forward to in 2025

And sometimes you need to know where you're going.

Cover by Kay Davault.

One of the pieces I most looked forward to at the end of every year was Multiversity's Creators' Year in Review. Brian, the man behind the curtain, would send out questions to comics creators all the around the comics world and come back with a list of answers that was every bit as eclectic as the people answering them. You never knew what comics or other creators would be reified en masse and which ones would bubble up from the underground, catching you completely off guard.

It was fun and I always got some excellent recommendations.

As is my wont, I wanted to fill that hole with my own Creators' Year in Review. and that's what you're reading now! Thank you to everyone who responded, whether that was to say they were so swamped they couldn't make it this year or whether they gave me five mini essays to format. Y'all are great!

So. Five Questions. Five Posts. It's time to look to the future!

What comics are you looking forward to in 2025?

Rodrigo Vargas (“The Do-Over,” “Walking to Do”): I don’t know what’s coming next month, haha. I do know my friend Mario Gonzalez is coming up with a new comic after his recently finished “Nihil Negativum” (also pretty good!). I’m excited to see where he goes now.

I’m hoping to see more comics from my friends and people I care about.

Evan Dahm (“3rd Voice,” “Island Book”): Mattie Lubchansky has a book coming out next year that will be good. Broadly I am excited about First Second Books' new imprint "23rd Street."

Sebastian Girner (“The Dead and the Damned,” “Scales and Scoundrels”): Aside from the fine offerings of my very own Goats Flying Press, I'm looking forward to every comic made out of a sense of deep despair or deep hope. I genuinely encourage people to put their grief on paper so that future readers can see that we saw this moment in time for what it was. And if you need to add robots or horny aliens into the mix because those are fun to draw then we’re all the richer for it.

Harry Bogosian (“A Better Place,” “Angel’s Orchard”): Although I read the webcomic version, I am very excited for more printed issues of “Mob Psycho 100” to come out! I think ONE is an example every single comic artist and writer could look to as an example of amazing writing and pacing being accompanied by clear and energetic art. It's easy to get bogged down by an endless toil to improve your art on a technical level, but there are laws of diminishing returns, and at the end of the day the story, characters, and themes will always be what is most important!

Thom Zahler (“Love and Capes,” “Time & Vine”): I don’t pay enough attention to the PR anymore. I’ve got friends’ books that haven’t been announced, and a couple of my own, neither of which are fair to talk about. But you know what I really look forward to is the one that someone just gushes to me about. The surprise that I don’t know is coming and the book that just blows someone away so much that they can’t contain it. There’s always one or more of those a year. Whichever one rises to the top I’m gonna dig.

Pat Shand (“Destiny, NY,” “Private Dance”): I want a lot more “White Ash” from Charlie Stickney, Conor Hughes, Fin Cramb, and the team. I'd love to get a big chunk of that series next year.

“Loogie” by Kadin also looks like a lot of fun.

Ryan Holmberg (“The Translator without Talent,” Translator for Yoshiharu Tsuge Library): More old horror manga.

Taylor Robin (“Never Satisfied,” “Hunger's Bite”): Mine :) [Ed: “Hunger’s Bite”] But also “Strange Bedfellows” by Ariel Ries and “Beetle and the Chimera Carnival” by Aliza Layne. I am of course biased because these are my friends but they're also incredibly talented people, and these comics are going to blow people's minds.

Tri Vuong (“Lego Ninjago: Garmadon,” “The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn”): I’m pretty out of the loop these days but I’ve been eager to check out the H.P Lovecraft mangas by Gou Tanabe.

Blue Delliquanti (“O Human Star”, “Across a Field of Starlight”): I can't wait for issue 3 of the gorgeous riso-printed anthology magazine “Datura,” which will include work by, among others, Shan Wright and Karen Czap.

A few more GNs from accomplished webcomic creators are on my pull list next year, including “Strange Bedfellows” by Ariel Slamet Ries and, for a younger crowd, “Sea Legs” by Jules Bakes and Niki Smith.

The graphic novel version is coming down the pipe, but you can get a head start on Jay Eaton's “Runaway to the Stars” by reading it online! Jay's been refining their story of a raised-by-humans alien engineer refurbishing a spaceship with her friends' help for years now, and it's shaped into a delightful character-driven story.

Grover (“Deeply Dave,” “Jake Spooky and the Wolves Within”): Dang, this makes me realize how out of touch I am with what is coming out. I don't know! But I can't wait to read everyone else's recommendations on this list so I can find out.

Meredith McClaren (“Black Cloak,” “Hinges”): I don't know what's coming out next week, much less next year.

Kay Davault (“Misfit Mansion,” “Oddity Woods”): Many! “Mr. Muffins: Defender of the Stars” by Ben Kahn & Georgeo Brooks, “Sea Legs” by Niki Smith, “Dragonforged: Sword of the Champion” by Eric Lide, and “The History of Everything” by Victoria Evans.

Cover by Molly Mendoza.

Joe Corallo (“Dahlia in the Dark,” “The Never-Ending Party”): I mentioned “West Hollywood Monster Squad” already, but there are more than a few things I’m looking forward to. “Speed Racer” at Mad Cave Studios, “Aquaman” and “Green Lantern Corps” at DC, and “Weapon X-Men” at Marvel all come to mind.

Michael Moreci (“Barbaric,” “Dick Tracy”): That's a great question--I'm not sure what's coming out in 2025! I hope, whatever it is, it's an original book that blows everyone away. I want the book that no one saw coming but makes us all stand up and pay attention.

Petra Nordlund (“Prague Race,” “Tiger Tiger”): I'm looking forward to reading the “Dandadan” manga, which has been all over the place in my circles! I am trying to avoid spoilers though, so I don't know anything about the plot - only that a lot of my friends like it!

Mike Henderson (“Nailbiter,” “The Forged”): “The HIVE!” “The FORGED!” “CABLE: Love and Chrome!” And those are just mine! But I’ve got it on authority that Rucka and Scott’s “Black Magick” is on its way back. There are also a few new publishers popping up I’m hoping breathes life into the indie scene. 2025 will tell!

François Vigneault (“Titan,” “Orcs in Space”): One that I can't wait to get my hands on in physical form is “The Well” by John Allen, hitting stores in April. This chunky standalone volume takes Allen's wayward anthropomorphic twentysomething characters and thrusts them into a wild adventure. A fantastic mashup of genres and full of beautiful moments, this was one of my fave webcomics back when Allen was publishing it on his Instagram and I am sure it will hit even harder as a book.

Boum (“The Jellyfish,” “Boumeries”): It’s already out now I think, I’m looking forward to reading Riad Sattouf’s latest book, “Moi, Fadi, le frère volé” ("I, Fadi, The Stolen Brother"), which continues his series “The Arab of the Future” from his brother’s perspective. There’s no doubt it’ll be coming out in English soon.

Coni Yovaniniz (“The Do-Over,” “Walking to Do”): I’m super excited for “The Cartoonist’s Club” by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud!! I mean, Raina Telgemeier?? Scott McCloud?? In the same book??? Is this the most ambitious crossover of all time??

Vera Greentea (“Grimoire Noir,” “The Idols of Solanşehir”): I enjoyed Keezy Young’s “Taproot” several years ago, and I was overjoyed to discover that they have a new book coming in 2025. They have a very sensitive and unique touch in their storytelling which I love, so I look forward to their new work. Although I generally don’t love adaptations, I am excited for the graphic novel adaptation of “The Raven Boys,” a YA novel series I adored. The fact that it will be drawn by Sas Milledge, an artist I’ve been amazed by since I read their book “Mamo,” makes the whole enterprise even better!

Reed Hinckley-Barnes (“Hero of Legend,” Letterer on “Wild Wisps”): Really excited for “The Fables of Erlking Wood” by Juni Ba (technically was on Kickstarter this year, but I'm not going it's not going to be out until 2025.) I'm excited to see how the next phase of books from Jonathan Hickman, Mike Del Mundo and Mike Hudelston at “3 Worlds/3 Moons” end up being. The source books that've been created so far have been fun, but I'm excited to see some of my favorite comic creators actually make some comics together.

Zach Clemente (Bulgilhan Press): To be perfectly honest I haven't been paying as much attention as I should so I'll say "Testament" by J Marshall Smith. I'm publishing it and it's going to be fantastic.

Vimeddiee (“Under the Aegis,” “The Ocean Soul”): Honestly, I don't have any specific comics on the horizon, but I'm open to colours, emotional stories, friendship and family, all the good human stuff. Maybe a cryptid or two!

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