Beyond Marvel & DC

Invincible, Saga, Spawn, The Boys, Irredeemable — superhero comics from everyone except the big two. It's a hand-picked shelf of 10 picks — the indie side of capes.

Start with Invincible Compendium One if you want the classic; Saga if you want something wilder. On this page the picks are listed in recommended order, so "Invincible Compendium One" is the one to buy first.

The most inventive superhero comics of the last two decades weren't published by Marvel or DC. Without decades of continuity to protect, these books can kill anyone, end properly, and go places the big two never will. They're together here because each one is complete, creator-owned, and reads perfectly with zero background knowledge.

No. Every pick here is beginner-friendly and reads on its own, so you can start with any of them without prior reading or continuity homework.

Picks start from around $10 and cover comics. Prices change often on Amazon, so each item links straight to its current listing — buy the whole shelf at once or work through it one pick at a time.

Every pick links directly to its Amazon listing. Explaining Superheroes earns a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you — nothing here is paid placement.