While people don't talk about IDW Comics as much as Image, that does not make the indie comic banner any less important. In August 2022, an IDW comic book will return to Netflix with its third season in Locke & Key. Also, in 2022, one of the most prestigious Batman writers of the last decade, Scott Snyder, is moving to IDW for a new book titled Dark Spaces.
That is only the tip of the iceberg for IDW Comics. The banner has licensed out movies and TV shows for years, and it has been the home for two of the biggest properties in comic books for a long time, with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sonic the Hedgehog. With so much to choose from, IDW has comic books for every taste.
Ragnarök
The IDW comic series Ragnarök had a major name behind it in Walt Simonson, one of the key creators of Marvel's Thor comics. Simonson brought Ragnarök to IDW in 2014 and so far has 18 issues in two different series. The first was simply titled Ragnarök and the second had the title Ragnarök: The Breaking of Helheim.
The series features the deities from Norse mythology, with whom Simonson had a lot of experience during his Thor run. It even included a version of Thor, albeit one more closely aligned with the original Norse legends. Fans of gods and myths will find a lot to love in this IDW comic series.
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe has had a long and illustrious history in comic books. Marvel Comics had the original run for the military heroes, but in 1996 Dark Horse got the contract and then IDW gained the license in 2008. Since that time, IDW has released some quality comic books based on the Joes and their villains in Cobra.
Some of the best G.I. Joe stories in comics came from IDW. Possibly the top critically acclaimed series was G.I. Joe: Cobra, which showed a Joe sent in to infiltrate Cobra, only to find himself absorbed into the darkness. IDW also presented a fun G.I. Joe crossover with the Transformers.
Sonic The Hedgehog
While it might seem hard for fans unfamiliar with the IDW comics to understand, Sonic the Hedgehog might be one of the best comic book series out there, regardless of the label. This is based on the video game character, who became a star in the movies and cartoon world.
The comics do a lot with the characters, including going more in-depth about things that the cartoons only touched on. It is also easy to pick up and start reading, without needing to check out all the back issues.
Usagi Yojimbo
There is nothing like the comic book series Usagi Yojimbo from IDW Comics. The book tells the story of a wandering ronin, a rabbit named Miyamoto Usagi. As the title shows, this comic owes a lot to Japanese cinema, including the work of Akira Kurosawa, as well as other popular movies like the Lone Wolf and Cub series.
The books received high critical praise, and have won six Eisner Awards over its existence, including winning in 1996, 1999, 2012, 2015, and 2018. IDW began publishing the series with volume four.
Godzilla
Godzilla has been in comic books since his first movie in 1954. These comics started out in Japan, but soon American publishers gained the rights to the giant creature, with Marvel Comics publishing a lot of issues through the years. Since Marvel finished its run, Dark Horse, and IDW also picked up rights at different times.
Among the best IDW Godzilla comics for fans, look no further than books like The Half-Century War from 2012 to 2013, Rulers of Earth from 2013 to 2014, and Cataclysm in 2014.
Transformers
Transformers was another toy line that became a cartoon and then turned into a comic book series. Marvel first published the books from 1984 until 1991, and then it moved on to different publishers before ending up at IDW in 2005.
Much like other licensed properties, IDW created a lot of different books based on the Transformers. The best of these include The Last Stand of the Wreckers, Chaos Theory, and The War Within. They also crossed over with other IDW properties.
30 Days Of Night
IDW Publishing doesn't just license other properties to turn into comics. In 2002, the company released the original horror comic book series 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith. The series had vampires set up stakes in an Alaskan town where it was sundown for a full month.
The comic book was a massive success and saw IDW license it out as a movie starring Josh Hartnett. Thanks to the success of the comics and then the movie, there have now been several sequel series and even novels based on the story.
The Maxx
One thing that made IDW Comics different from Image Comics was its willingness to crossover with other comic book companies. In 1993, Sam Kieth created The Maxx for Image Comics, and it ran there until 1998. After this, he moved on to IDW in 2013 and relaunched it there.
At this time, there was an interesting crossover series, where Maxx, an IDW character, met up with Batman, a DC Comics hero. The series was a massive success, spawning cartoons, games, and more.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
In 2011, IDW Publishing picked up the rights to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and this is the comic book that has been the backbone of the company ever since. With over 250 issues, IDW has created more Turtles comics than any other company, and they are mostly quality work.
Since publishing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stories, IDW has even had the Turtles in a team up with Batman, similar to The Maxx comic book line. Arguably, one of the best comics from IDW is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Attack on Techodrone, which put them against Krang. Add in City at War, and there is a lot to love about IDW's Turtles run.
Locke & Key
The best IDW Publishing comic series of all time is Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. This series tells the story of the Locke family, who move into their familial estate after their father's murder. Once there, the kids find mysterious keys that open the door to the supernatural.
The series was an enormous success and led to the Netflix series of the same name, which will conclude with its third season. It also recently relaunched with fresh stories, both from the past and from other parts of the world, all from the minds of two of today's top comic book creators.