SDCC Reading List 2023

If you are going to San Diego Comic Con this year (and even if you aren’t), you’ve got to be excited for all of the amazing comic book creators that are going to be making an appearance. So if you want to feel fully prepared for SDCC here is our recommended comic book reading list!

Alex De Campi is a multi-talented artist who writes prose, poetry and graphic novels so there are many ways to experience her incredible storytelling. Her comics making the recommended reading list are; Bad Girls a story set in 1958 Cuba, Dracula MotherF**ker, a fun new tack on a classic character and Twisted Romance

Becky Cloonan has worked as a writer and an artist and has contributed to some great DC Comics stories. If you would like to catch up on this amazing woman’s work we highly recommend Gotham Academy: Volume 1 from this year, Batgirls: One Way or Another from 2021 and Wonder Woman: The Villainy of Our Fears from 2016.

Jo Duffy is someone who has worked for independent publishers and Marvel and DC so her recommended list could go on forever but let’s start with her run of  (#1-#14 1993), The english adaptation of Akira (#1-#37 1988), and Power Man and Iron Fist (#56-#84 1979).

Todd McFarlane is most well known for creating Spawn, as well as running his own comic book production company, toy company and entertainment company. He also lent his writing skills to issue #1-#14 of the 1990 run of Spiderman. 

Frank Miller is arguably the most famous comic book creator on this list, bringing us iconic titles like Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, so much of Daredevil, and Sin City and those are all absolutely worth the read. But if you want some lesser appreciated Frank Miller reads than check out his Elektra run from 2008, All Star Bat-Man and Robin: The Boy Wonder #1-#10, and the Booze, Broads and Bullets collection from 1998.

Now we can’t end this list without recommending Rachel Smythe’s incredible Lore Olympus. From WebToon to physical graphic novel volumes Smythe has taken her story to incredible places and everyone should experience this story and the beautiful art that helps tell it. 

There are so many amazing writers and artists being showcased at San Diego Comic Con but these writers have incredible stories that are worth the read before you see them at SDCC.