The Best Comics of 2025, Part 4: Captain America and Exquisite Corpses
Well, I failed at keeping things short last time, didn't I? I'm going to try this again, but I also know this is going to be sent out on Boxing Day, so let's try to keep is INTERESTING, shall we?
I’m a big fan of Chip Zdarsky (born Steve Murray). Not just the Canadian’s comic book work— both as writer and artist— but his anarchic, deadpan shtick online, the work he did before making it “comics big” for the Toronto’s National Post, and just his general vibe as a disruptor to the comics norm.
Anyway, meet Todd Diamond1:
Zdarsky has written acclaimed runs on Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (2017-2019), Daredevil (2019-2023), Batman (2022-2025) and especially Howard the Duck (2015-2016). He’s written the biggest names in superhero comics, with Justice League: Last Ride (2021) and Avengers: Twilight (2024). And that’s just his Big Two stuff. He’s the award-winning artist of Sex Criminals (2013-2020). The award-winning writer/artist of Public Domain (2022-).
And now he’s the writer of the twelfth volume2 of Captain America, with the fantastic Valerio Schiti on art duties. From that, he’s fast become an architect for the next stage of Marvel’s continuing story, spearheading the upcoming crossover Avengers: Armageddon (2026), which promises major changes across the line in the aftermath of One World Under Doom (2025).
Zdarsky’s first arc featured a newly defrosted Captain America accepting the mission to support freedom fighters in Latveria who oppose the newly in-power Victor Von Doom. This is a Captain America coming to terms with being a man out of time, a Doctor Doom who has yet to become the global threat we know him as today. It’s utterly fantastic. With twists and turns, espionage and intrigue, and an artist who has continuously delivered some of the best art Marvel has published in recent years, it’s a bloody fantastic title, and I highly recommend it as we careen toward Armageddon.
Oh, shit, I kept that short. Let’s keep the momentum going!
A lot of my writing is informed by television, for better and for worse, and it’s a medium I constantly keep in mind when I’m working on my projects. A brand new comic that ticked a lot of my boxes as both a writer and a reader this year was Exquisite Corpses, from acclaimed creators James Tynion IV and Michael Walsh, published by Image Comics. Here’s the premise:
In Exquisite Corpses, every five years on Halloween, the wealthiest families in America play a game. Twelve of the deadliest people in the world are dropped into a small town with just one goal: last killer standing wins. For the citizens of Oak Valley, Maine—this year's unlucky arena—the goal is much simpler. They must survive the night.
So, why am I talking about television? From the same press release:
The series came together in a writers’ room led by Tynion IV and Walsh and made up of “Corpse Crew” comics superstars Adam Gorham (Hellhunters), Becca Carey (Absolute Wonder Woman), Che Grayson (Dark Spaces: Good Deeds), Claire Roe (Dark Spaces: The Hollywood Special), Gavin Fullerton (The Closet), Jordie Bellaire (Redlands), Marianna Ignazzi (Catwoman), Pornsak Pichetshote (The Good Asian), Tyler Boss (You’ll Do Bad Things), and Valentine De Landro (Bitch Planet). Each issue of the series builds upon the last in a true 'exquisite corpse' game style, with a passing of the storytelling baton from creator-to-creator in a collaborative and competitive fashion.
Tynion and Walsh got a grab bag of some of the most talented creatives in comics today and chucked them into a room (or a Discord server, I don’t know), and the result is a high-octane, terror-filled romp, as a smalltown is besieged by a group of 12 serial killers, who all want to be the last killer standing.
Because Image knows they’ve got a winner on their hands, they’ve made the first issue available digitally on their website. How do they know it’s a winner?
Exquisite Corpses is on track to become one of the most successful Image Comics launches of 2025 with year-to-date (YTD) orders for the series projected to break 150K total with this latest reprint.
Tynion and co. bring human drama to a larger-than-life scenario, with diabolical villains who drop victims like flies and fall to their opposition’s wiles in equal measure. The logistics of turning a town into a kill box are horrifying and shockingly logical, and the rush for survivors to last the night, and the legion of killers in their midst, is simply heart-wrenching. The art from Marianna Ignazzi (#2), Valentine De Landro (#3), Adam Gorham (#4), Claire Roe (#5+7) and Gavin Fullerton (#6+8), with Michael Walsh’s “house style” leading the way, is brilliant. Jordie Bellaire provides a murky yet crisp colour palette that keeps everything consistent, regardless of artist. There are strong lines in each issue and a real sense of weight and character. This book is fantastic. I don’t know what else to say. You should check it out.
Oh, here’s something: I love not knowing what’s going to happen next. Corporate-owned comics have a certain status quo. Peter Parker isn’t going to die, because he’s Peter Parker. There’s too much money riding on the IP. Even when he was “replaced” in Superior Spider-Man (2013-2014), you can see it only lasted a year. Bruce Wayne got his back broken in Batman #497 (July 1993) but was healed up and reclaimed the cape and cowl by Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #63 (August 1994), a little over a year later.
Superman only remained “dead” at the hands of Doomsday from Superman #75 (November 1992) until Superman: The Man of Steel #25 (September 1993). Steve Rogers was shot in Captain America #25 (April 2007) and returned at the conclusion of Captain America: Reborn #6 (January 2010). Batman died (ish) in Final Crisis #6 (January 2009) and returned in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #6 (November 2010).
Jason Todd, aka the second Robin after Dick Grayson, was murdered by the Joker in Batman #428 (December 1988) and was revealed as somehow being alive 17 years later in Batman #638 (May 2005). This is a bit of an outlier, but look at Bucky, who died in World War 2, as seen in The Avengers #4 (March 1964), but was back as the Winter Soldier in the present, as revealed in Captain America #6 (June 20053).
An interview with Steve Englehart, from The Comics Journal #63 (1981), as recalled by Gene Phil of the Archetypal Archive blog, shares this titbit:
There’s that famous meeting that happened before the quitting time when Stan said, “I don’t want progress; I want the illusion of progress now. We don’t want people dying and coming out of the strips [a reference to the death of Gwen Stacy], we don’t want new girlfriends, we want to try to keep it the same.
There is no real change in comics. Did you know Alfred Pennyworth has been dead in the mainline DC universe since Batman #77 (August 2019)? I’m just waiting for his return through shenanigans. He died once before in Detective Comics #328 (June 1964), before returning in Detective Comics #356 (October 1966). It’ll inevitably happen again. The IP is too valuable to ignore.
Anyway, my point being, independent, non-corporate comic books surprise me. They don’t have to adhere to IP rules, there’s no fixed status quo.
Written by Rick Remender, The End League (2008–2009) opens with the world alresdy ended. The series initially featured artist and co-creator Mat Broome, inker Sean Parsons, and colourist Wendy Broome, before Eric Canete took over art duties starting with issue #4. The story follows a band of superheroes on a dystopian journey where, unlike corporate-owned characters, there are no shareholders to guarantee their survival.
Mark Waid and Peter Krause’s Irredeemable (2009–2012) reimagines the "Superman" archetype through the Plutonian, a god-like saviour who snaps and embarks on a world-shattering rampage. Over 37 issues and a 30 issue spin-off in Incorruptible, the series becomes a deadly race for survival as the world’s remaining heroes (and villains!) unite to stop him. While Krause was the series' founding artist, he eventually shared and then relinquished art duties to Diego Barreto— with Diego's father, Eduardo Barreto, also contributing an issue— before Krause officially departed with issue #29.
You had no idea what was going to happen next, because there was no paradigm the creative teams had to follow, other than their unbridled imaginations. And that’s what I love. Creativity. Surprise. Impossibility. Usurp expectation. Make stories. Make me wonder. That’s why I write stories.
Did anyone expect the final page of Saga #50? I certainly didn’t. And it killed me.
So, what can I do to live up to that?
This is quintessential Zdarsky, and I love it, I’ve always loved it, and it continues to baffle me.
Publishers often restart comics with a brand new #1, as it boosts sales. It’s usually done to announce a new creative team or a new direction. The same writer can be at the head of multiple relaunches; it just depends on what’s happening at the time. Here’s a rundown of Captain America’s volumes and writers:
Volume 1 (1968–1996) The original, the defining, the foundation.
Volume 2 (1996-1997) Part of the “Heroes Reborn” crossover event. Absolutely terrible.
Volume 3 (1998-2002) Initially launched as part of the “Heroes Return” line, with Mark Waid as the main writer, followed by Dan Jurgens. A return to form.
Volume 4 (2002-2004) An attempt to align Captain America with the real world in the aftermath of 9/11 under the Marvel Knights imprint. Numerous writers had the reins across its lifespan. Some really good stuff.
Volume 5 (2005-2012) Solely written by Ed Brubaker, and instrumental in the creation of the Winter Soldier (for which he receives no royalties from Sebastian Stan’s portrayal in the MCU).
Volume 6 (2011-2012) Again written by Ed Brubaker, wrapping up his previous run.
Volume 7 (2012-2014) Written by Rick Remender.
Volume 8 (2016-2017) Written by Nick Spencer.
Volume 9 (2018-2021) Written by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
Volume 10 (2022-2023) Comprised of two separate titles, Captain America: Symbol of Truth (starring Sam Wilson) with Tochi Onyebuchi writing, and Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty (starring Steve Rogers) written by Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing. They crossed over to conclude.
Volume 11 (2023-2024) Written by J. Michael Straczynski.
A quick admin note on the release dates; comics have a cover date and then an actual release date. For example, Captain America #5 had a release date of April 2005, but a cover date of June 2005. The issue comes out on the release date. I might have been inconsistent with my use of dates, and if I was… I’m sorry! I’m just a man! I’m just an innocent man!
Love this!