Matt Morrison’s 5 Best Superhero Comics of 2025

For three years now, I’ve been fortunate enough to review comics for SuperHeroHype. I have also been allowed to drop the collective “we” for this annual look back at the best books of the year. Agree with me, or not, I appreciate all of you who take the time to read my work.

With that said, let us look at the Best of 2025 in the world of Superhero Comics!

How Matt chose the Best Superhero Comics of 2025

Certain criteria had to be met for a comic to be considered for this feature. The chief qualifier was that it had to be a superhero comic. I also list individual issues, rather than whole series.

With one exception, everything on this list is something I previously reviewed for SuperHeroHype. Of those, everything had earned a perfect 10/10 score. Additionally, I reread the books in question, to make sure they still had the same punch as when I first read them. I also asked if each of these was something I could comfortably recommend to a new reader.

Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon #1

2025 was a red letter year for Doctor Doom. His profile was boosted publicly by the hype surrounding the upcoming MCU movie Avengers: Doomsday. HIs star also rose in the comics, where he dominated the Earth in the One World Under Doom miniseries. And yet, for all this, his finest turn in 2025 came as part of an unlikely team-up with Rocket Raccoon.

Written by J. Michael Straczynski, with art by Will Robson, Doctor Doom & Rocket Racoon #1 finds Rocket summoned to Latveria. Doom is in a contemplative mood, and has come to question the nature of existence. In short, he seeks the meaning of life.

However, for all his knowledge, Doom is a master of Earthly science. This is where Rocket and his own brilliance with alien technology come into play. Rocket, for his part, thinks Doom is nuts, but he’s willing to indulge just about anything if the money is good.

Doom and Rocket are an odd couple, to say the least. However, the pairing makes sense under Straczynski’s pen. Both characters are largely amoral, yet can be pressed into playing the hero. This leads to the development of an odd friendship that defies logic, yet fits both characters perfectly. Beyond that, the story delves into some truly deep philosophy.

Robson’s artwork further highlights the paradoxical nature of the story. The image of a talking raccoon standing alongside a Wagnerian figure in full plate is frankly ridiculous. It is the sort of thing that only works in comics. And yet, it does work.

Absolute Martian Manhunter #1

DC Comics‘ new Absolute Universe has been a critical and commercial success. The line has revamped many beloved characters. For all the changes, however, no book has disassembled its protagonist quite so thoroughly as Absolute Martian Manhunter.

The book centers around FBI Agent John Jones. A profiler specializing in anti-terrorism intelligence, Jones is good at his job. However, he’s not the most sociable soul, and his coworkers nicknamed him “the Martian” because of his odd behavior.

After surviving a bombing, Jones starts to experience strange sensations. He sees colorful whisps of smoke, that seem to reveal thoughts and emotions to him. He also starts hearing a voice that assures him he is not going crazy. This sets up a strange psychodrama, as Jones tries to figure out what is going on inside his own head while continuing to do his job.

The word ‘alien’ was originally associated with mystic influences rather than beings from outer space. It is this definition which Deniz Camp uses in defining Absolute Martian Manhunter. This is no sci-fi spectacle, but a gritty blending of true crime and metaphysics. Coupled with the surreal art by Javier Rodriguez, the final effect is like some weird collaboration between Chandler, Lovecraft and Dali.

Captain Planet #1

Modernizing a classic franchise is always tricky. Too often the new creators warp the original and change what made it work. Other times, the changes are only skin deep, with the characters being given new costumes and portable phones. Thankfully, while the new Captain Planet sports a dad beard, the heart of Earth’s Greatest Champion remains untouched.

The first issue sets the stage for those who never saw the classic cartoon. A private army financed by tech magnate Lucien Plunder is hunting for five magic rings and the priestess Gaia who protects them. In a moment of desperation, Gaia sends the rings to find champions to wield them. These Planeteers must work together to save Gaia and the Earth. Thankfully, they are not alone, and with their powers combined they can summon Captain Planet to help them.

Writer David Pepose does not change the core mythology of Captain Planet. What few changes he makes involve deepening and updating the backgrounds of the Planeteers to reflect the changes to the world since the 1990s. The Russian Linka, for instance, is now a punk rocker and protester clearly inspired by Pussy Riot.

Artist Eman Casallos does a similarly fantastic job of updating Captain Planet visually. Fans of the original cartoons will have no trouble identifying their favorite heroes and villains. Beyond that, the action sequences flow smoothly and are well blocked. All in all, this was easily the best superhero revamp of 2025.

Uncanny X-Men #17

I’ve honestly never been much of an X-Men fan. The franchise has often exemplified the worst excesses of superhero comics, with writing that presumes you already know the characters. Uncanny X-Men #17 does not do this. Indeed, it’s a simple one-shot story with an interesting new villain.

The plot centers around the release of a new horror movie about a Mutant girl dubbed Mutina, who murders her bullies. The movie kicks off a new epidemic of anti-Mutant sentiment. It also causes the four teenage Mutants recently adopted by the Uncanny X-Men to face problems ranging from bullying to self-doubt. And that is before the villain Mutina turns out to be real…

Gail Simone spins a lot of comedic and dramatic plates in this issue. There’s a wonderful horror movie parody in the scenes taken from ‘Murder Me, Mutina,’ and some funny celebrity commentary. There’s also a beautiful YA slice-of-life sequence that introduces the new X-Men, as they sneak out to see the movie. While this is relatively old hat for the franchise, the execution is top-notch.

This execution is further enhanced by artist Luciano Vecchio, who works many subtle details into the finished art. A fine example of this is the above panel, which visually sums up the young X-Men’s personalities without the dialogue. If you’ve ever wanted to give X-Men a try, or are an old fan wanting to catch up, this issue is a good place to start.

Titans 2025 Annual #1

Donna Troy is notable among DC Comics’ characters for being one of the few heroes created by a continuity error. Her backstory has become even more muddled over time, thanks to various reboots changing the history of the Amazons. She’s been everything from a baby rescued by Wonder Woman to an evil clone meant to replace her. Titans 2025 Annual #1 sought to once again clarify this, creating a definitive history for Donna in the DC All-In era.

Writer/artist Phil Jimenez has often said that Donna Troy is his favorite superhero. That is made more than clear over the course of this issue. It is an obvious labor of love, made all the more miraculous for how it details some fairly complicated history and makes it accessible. The artwork is simply gorgeous as well. To be frank, this was the best comic I read in 2025 and I recommend it to everyone, regardless of if you’ve ever read a Titans comic or any comic before.