Betty and Alex dig into their faves of 2025, and their reading resolutions for 2026!

Media Mentioned:

Tracking

• Storygraph
• Reading List

Non-Comics

• The Lord of the Rings series by J. R. R. Tolkein 
• Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
• Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Quartet
• Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Cutest of the Year

• Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi by Yuri Sonoda
• Chi’s Sweet Home by Konami Kanata 
• Cat & Cat Adventures by Susie Yi

Favorite Indie/Small Press Title

• Testament by J. Marshall Smith
• Pushing Buttons! A Futuristic Workplace Kerfuffle by Ursula Blix

Favorite Kids Comic

• Miss Cat series by Jean-Luc Fromental and Joëlle Jolivet 
• Magda, Intergalactic Chef Volume 1: The Big Tournament by Nicolas Wouters and Mathilde van Gheluwe
• Creaky Acres by Calista Brill and Nilah Magruder

Favorite Book Club Read

• Cannon by Lee Lai
• Stone Fruit by Lee Lai
• Uzumaki by Junji Ito

Favorite YA Book

• Flip by Ngozi Ukazu
• All Princesses Die Before Dawn by Quentin Zuttion

Favorite New Manga Series

• Medalist by Tsurumaikada
• Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama
• Ping Pong by Taiyo Matsumoto
• My Love Mix-Up! by Wataru Hinekure and Aruko
• Hirayasumi by Keigo Shinzo
• Maison Ikkoku by Rumiko Takahashi

Favorite Marvel/DC and Trade Comics

• Absolute Superman by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval
• Absolute Batman by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta
• Absolute Wonder Woman by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman
• Absolute Martian Manhunter by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodríguez
• Absolute Green Lantern by Al Ewing and Jahnoy Lindsay
• Absolute Flash by Jeff Lemire and Nick Robles
• Minor Arcana by Jeff Lemire
• Robin & Batman: Jason Todd by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen

Favorite Overall

• The Corus Wave by Karenza Sparks
• Do Admit: The Mitford Sisters and Me by Mimi Pond 

Biggest Surprise

• Raging Clouds by Yudori

Year-End Lists

• Peow Studio Publishing
• Gosh! Comics
• Farewell, Daisy: Jun Mayuzuki Story Collection by Jun Mayuzuki
• Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls
• Maus by Art Spiegelman

Wish We’d Read

• Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls
• Black Arms to Hold You Up: A History of Black Resistance by Ben Passmore
• The One and Future Riot by Joe Sacco
• Palestine by Joe Sacco
• Safe Area Goražde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995 by Joe Sacco
• Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson
• Stop!! Hibari-kun! by Hisashi Eguchi
• More Weight: A Salem Story by Ben Wickey
• Drome by Jesse Lonergan

Currently Reading

• Do Admit: The Mitford Sisters and Me by Mimi Pond 
• Absolute Wonder Woman by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman
• Neighborhood Story #4 by Ai Yazawa
• Testament by J. Marshall Smith
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
• The Will of the Many by James Islington

Rocket Ship-Grawlix Sandwich

• Moomin by Tove Jansson
• The Lord of the Rings film series

Next Time:

DC’s Absolute series