Science fiction is one of the most important genres in the comic industry. Sci-fi is a relatively new genre, only 207 years old at this point (the first generally recognized sci-fi story is Frankenstein, in case you’re wondering). Still, it wouldn’t get massively popular until the early 20th century, when H.G. Wells and the pulp novels of the day made it more accessible. Sci-fi and comics were created to be together; there’s something about the combination of words and images that makes these stories pop even more. The genre became one of the cornerstones of superhero comics, but there are numerous “pure” sci-fi comics out there that have pushed the envelope of what this type of story can be.
Publishers like Image Comics have taken up the baton of sci-fi comics and given readers some amazing tales. These stories can stand with the best of the genre, and there are multiple science fiction comics that even the most discerning fans should try. These seven sci-fi comics are the ones that every fan of the genre should try.
Once upon a time, Prophet was a style over substance superhero comic of the mid-’90s that faded away as Rob Liefeld’s Extreme Studios lost its popularity. In the ’10s, Image Comics entered a second renaissance, and a new version of Prophet dropped. This version of the story took place in a far future where the despotic Earth Empire, built on the back and genetics of supersoldier John Prophet, was defeated but preparing for a new war, one meant to take back everything they lost. As Prophets awaken all over the universe, Old Man Prophet, who helped the rest of the universe defeat the Empire, returns. This comic has always reminded me of Dune, dropping readers into a fully-formed universe and giving readers the background of it all while telling its story. It’s a tremendous story, and every sci-fi fan will love it.
Moebius is one of the greatest comic creators of all time, a brilliant artist whose simple yet beautiful style is perfect for sci-fi. There are some amazing comics by the dearly departed French superstar out there (Arzach, Blueberry, and Silver Surfer: Parable are all brilliant), but the one that every sci-fi fan needs to read is The Incal. This story teamed the artist with Alejandro Jodorowski, a filmmaker known for his hallucinogenic and surreal style. The Incal used ideas from the writer/director’s Dune screenplay — Jodorowski met Moebius during the pre-production phase of a movie that was never made — taking readers to a whole new world, following detective John Difool as he deals with a dystopian human empire, strange aliens, and wild mysticism and intrigue. The Incal is a deep and surrealistic sci-fi trip, with Moebius’s art supplying readers with some amazing imagery. This is peak sci-fi and you’ll love it.
Writer/artist Liam Sharp is one of the most underrated creators in the comic industry, a master of sci-fi, superheroes, and fantasy. StarHenge Book One: The Lion and the Boar was his entry into creator-owned sci-fi/fantasy comics. In a far future where humanity and machines were at war, they both send soldiers back in time to the dawn of magic, one side to protect it and the other side to destroy it, leading to the rise of Camelot, and stretching to the modern day. StarHenge is brilliant, a masterfully drawn and deftly written piece of sci-fi perfection. Seriously, go give it a try so Sharp can get to work on the next part of the story.
Grant Morrison is an undisputed great, having worked in nearly every genre in comics. Sci-fi has always played a big role in their work, and there are some amazing Morrison sci-fi comics out there (Annihilator is really good if you can still find it). However, the best of them is Nameless with artist Chris Burnham. It’s a cosmic horror masterpiece starring an occult detective called Nameless as he’s recruited for a mission to save the Earth from an approaching object from space. This is the kind of complicated mindbending Morrison story that everyone talks about and it’s fabulous. Burnham’s art is something else as well, giving the book the kind of horrific imagery that makes cosmic horror so chilling.
East of West is one of the best Image Comics of all-time. Written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Nick Dragotta, the book takes place in an alternate universe where the United States split into seven countries during the Civil War. The war was ended when the Prophecy was given to them, setting the stage for the end of days in the future. In the present day, the Horseman of Death, who broke away from his fellows years before, begins a journey of revenge that will reignite the war and bring the Prophecy to fruition. This is apocalyptic Western sci-fi, and it is rarely anything short of brilliant. East of West is an all-timer, and it will take new readers on a journey unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before.
Black Science is multiversal madness in the best possible way. The book follows Grant McKay, a scientist who created a new piece of technology called the Pillar. It allows its users to travel through the multiverse, and McKay and a group of “Dimensionauts” take their trip into the wilds of existence to test it. What follows will blow your mind and break your heart. Black Science, by Rick Remender and Matteo Scalero, is sci-fi that’s as much about the characters as it is the science, and that’s what makes it work so well. McKay is the ultimate flawed protagonist, and readers will be introduced to one of the greatest casts of characters in sci-fi history. Multiverse stories have a bad name nowadays, mostly thinks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Black Science uses the concept in the best way, and tells a deeply emotional tale about a man dealing with life and science.
Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, is a near perfect comic, especially in the early days of its run. Saga tells the story of Alana, Marko, and their daughter Hazel as they navigate a universe embroiled in a civil war that has everyone picking sides. It’s a story about a family trying to survive in the most difficult circumstances, often with nothing but each other and their love, using sci-fi trappings to tell its story. Saga is one of the most beloved comics of the modern era, a book that hooks basically everyone who reads it. It’s got everything that you could want from a sci-fi book and then some.
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