Which periodical comics were hits in 2021? Nightwing and Daredevil top the list – Oklahoman.com

Matthew Price| Special to The Oklahoman

Periodical comics sales stabilized and even likely increased in 2021 after a challenging 2020. Most industry estimates indicate periodical comic-book numbers for the year will surpass pre-pandemic sales.

But what of the comics themselves? Superheroes are still the prominent periodical genre, with street-level heroes like Nightwing and Daredevil among the years best. Barbarians, space adventurers and detectives also made their mark in this years comics. Here are my picks for the top 10 periodical comic books of 2021.

Humans are about to discover immortality which is going to put the incarnation of Death out of a job. Death is put into the body of Laila Starr, and sent to find the man who will render her obsolete. Writer Ram V and artist Filipe Andrade join letterer AndWorld Design in this magical realism series set in Mumbai.

Set during the Chinese immigration ban of the 1920s, Edison Hark is a Chinese-American police detective in San Franciscos Chinatown investigating gang killings that may be tied to the death of his mother many years ago. Writer Pornsak Pichetshote joins artist Alexandre Tefenkgi for the series.

Writer Tom Taylor and artist Bruno Redondo bring some zing to Nightwing as Dick Grayson inherits a large sum of money and tries to revitalize his town of Bludhaven. The former Robin, now grown up and on his own away from Batman, works as a street-level vigilante and confronts a possible foe with ties to his past in this years stories. Visually compelling and kinetic, its a reminder of what superhero comics should be.

A former FBI agent is inducted into a mysterious group known as the Department of Truth that investigates conspiracy theories in this ongoing Image Comics series by writer James Tynion IV and artist Martin Simmonds.

The assassin Elektra must take over as the Daredevil of Hells Kitchen when Matt Murdock is incarcerated. As the Kingpin has become mayor of New York, crime families and superheroes alike come under his scrutiny. Chip Zdarsky writes; Marco Checchetto and others are the artists for this years series.

Ten years ago, the sun was swallowed by darkness, and most of humanity was turned into monstrous shades. Val Riggs works as a ferryman, providing transport for the remaining humans and the goods they need across the deadly dark roads in her 18-wheeler. Writer Scott Snyder and artist Tony Daniel are the creative team.

As mutants forge their own society on the island of Krakoa, some are having trouble fitting in. Former X-Men foe Mr. Sinister volunteers to help a team of misfit mutants, including former X-Man Havok, but Sinister has his own set of motives. The series is written by Zeb Wells with art by Stephen Segovia and Roge Antonio and others.

Working with artist Jamal Campbell (Naomi), writer N.K. Jemisin (the Broken Earth novels) follows Green Lantern Jo Mullein as she investigates a murder mystery far from Earth. After a handful of delays, Far Sector wrapped up its inventive premise in 2021. Writer N.K. Jemisin and artist Jamal Campbell are the creative team.

Writer Michael Moreci and artist Nathan C. Gooden provide a twist on the barbarian genre, as Owen the Barbarian and his weapon, Axe, have been cursed to do good and aid others.

Screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) writes first-person accounts from various DC Comics characters of color in The Other History of the DC Universe. Artists include Giuseppe Camuncoli and Andrea Cucchi.

Matthew Price, matthew@matthewLprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman.

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Which periodical comics were hits in 2021? Nightwing and Daredevil top the list - Oklahoman.com