Here we are, the top 10 small press and indie comics of 2021! For regular readers you may notice we are doing something slightly different this year. Rather than declare an overall winner the team have each nominated their favourite 2 books they have reviewed this year, to be included in this top 10. Which means all the books featured here are joint winners of Best Small Press and Indie Comic of 2021! We believe this gives you a more diverse selection and rightly celebrates the fantastic comics which have been released in 2021. We hope you agree and that you use this as a chance to discover your new favourite indie and small press comic of 2021!

So here they are, the 10 best indie and small press comics of 2021!

Cuddles

James says: If you had told me at the beginning of the year that a crime comic called ‘Cuddles’ would be amongst my best reads of 2021, I might have rolled my eyes. However, here we are! Jed MacPherson (The Show, Deadbeats), Marco Perugini (Black Cotton) and Shan Bennion created something truly special here, an engrossing, compelling, seriously addictive story about an unassuming man living a life of crime and having to choose which way his loyalty lies. Coupled with artwork that was truly breathtaking and some of finest I’ve gotten to see, then you realise just how special this book is.

Alex says: “This was a joint nomination from both of us, as this was genuinely one of my favourite books of the year. It was like reading a Brubaker and Philips one shot, but with Marco’s amazing artwork making it even better than that lofty benchmark! We need to see more from this character in 2022!”

Read our full review of Cuddles here

Dani and Ramen Volume 2: A Nomad’s Tale (Fishdog Studios)

Lydia says: “There was nothing I didn’t adore about Dani and Ramen Volume 2: A Nomad’s Tale by Jake Morrison. Moving on from the more jovial Volume 1, Volume 2 is tonally darker while still being fun, as our wonderfully quirky brothers are faced with more adventures, more challenges, and more sidekicks! It was wonderful to see the world building in this volume, and it definitely evoked the styles of nostalgic Cartoon Network shows like Adventure Time! All in all, this is just a super fun, feel good read, which incorporates whimsical magical elements!”

Read our full review of Dani and Ramen Volume 2 here

Djeliya (TKO)

James says: TKO have been making big waves in the last few years but none were as big to me as this one thanks to their release of Juni Baa’s Original Graphic Novel. Djeliya was an incredible and epic fantasy story which was told in gorgeous, almost folktale-like art style that only made it’s captivating even greater. TKO have made a reputation for getting some great ideas and creators into their door but with this they’ve added a truly incredible feather to their cap and for Baa … well, it brings me to the edge of my seat to see what this creator does next.

Read our full review of Djeliya here

Endswell (Pete Morey Illustrations)

Alex says: “This is one of those books which reminds you what is so great about the UK small press scene. Packed full of idiosyncratic characters; sublime, inventive artwork; and a delightfully daft and dry sense of humour. Pete Morey’s tale of his family farm is based loosely on real life, but is tweaked to make it just that little more outlandish, but without ever loosing the realness and humanity at its core. This issue is based around his grandfather’s funeral for example and has family bickering but also a genuinely emotive human story at the core at he looks back on his life and legacy. We’re a bit late getting on the Endswell band wagon and so this nomination is for all 3 issues released so far as much as it is for this new edition. In our review we described it as having the “the melodrama of the Archers as if projected through the lens of a British small press comics” and we can’t think of a better description for this wonderful book!”

Read our full review of Endswell #1-3 here

Immortal Ewan – Viscera Cera (AT)

Alex says: “This is another book we discovered late on (issue 11!!), but this is one of the best yet. Claude TC’s tale of the last human in the galaxy, who happens to be immortal, is a brilliant mix of silly sci-fi and zany humour. It has filled the gap in our lives where the wonderful Space Captain once resided, and from the minute we saw the opening page of Ewan running away from a bunch of cyborg aliens shouting ‘Borgies’ we knew this was going to be a winner. (Actually, who are we kidding, it was the moment we saw that pun-tastic title!!) With the silly humour of Spaceballs and cartoonish artwork similar to James Lawrence’s Legend of La Mariposa, this was a true delight which managed to remind us of how much fun small press comics could be!”

Read our full review of Immortal Ewan – Viscera Cera here

Impossible Jones #1 (Scout Comics)

Alex says: “When it comes to superhero comics, coming up with something new and original is never easy, yet veteran comics writer Karl Kesel (Harley Quinn) and artist David Hahn (Batman ’66) have managed to do just that with Impossible Jones.  They manage to take their considerable years of experience to craft a story which is both a loving homage to classic superheroes, but is also packed full of originality and most importantly fun! With artwork that is reminiscent of Bruce Timm’s Batman: The Animated Series (a perennial favourite) and the wit and energy of Paul Tobin’s Bandette, but with the self referential snarkiness of Deadpool, Impossible Jones manages to deliver the impossible – a genuine fresh and original indie superhero comic, which is every bit as good, if not better, than something from the Big Two!”

Read our full review of Impossible Jones here

I Feel Love (SelfMadeHero)

Mike says: I Feel Love is the brainchild of writers and editors Krent Able and Julian Hanshaw, the follow up to 2018’s I Feel Machine. Able and Hanshaw bring together an eclectic mix of some of the most idiosyncratic voices in modern comics including Benjamin Marra, Kelsey Wroten and Cat Sim. The stories are loosely based around love but also take in themes as diverse as obsession, loneliness, religious fanaticism and fear of infection. Many of the stories start off lightly but take a dark turn very quickly. It’s difficult to think of anything else published at the moment that I Feel Love is similar to. It reminded me the most of Daniel Clowes’ Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron. Visually it’s very Cronenberg, especially Able’s contribution. I Feel Love is not for everyone but it’s not something that you’ll forget in a hurry.

Read our full review of I Feel Love here

The Dancing Plague (SelfMadeHero)

Lydia says: “There was no way I couldn’t pick The Dancing Plague by Gareth Brookes as my top graphic novel for this year. With the embroidery art, pyro-graphic techniques and sheer unsettling absurdity of the plot, this graphic novel is thrilling, emotive and slightly terrifying! Based on a real unexplainable epidemic in which people started dancing and couldn’t stop, Brookes’ dark interpretation of what caused the mania is bound to give you nightmares! This stunning piece of artwork will make an exquisite addition to any graphic novel collection and is an absolute must read!”

Read our full review of The Dancing Plague here

Thistlebone (Rebellion Publishing)

Mike says: Regular Dredd and Megazine scribe T.C. Eglington gives us grounded characters in a compelling folk horror tale. Neither of the central characters are particularly likeable. Journalist Seema is well aware that she might well be taking advantage of Avril’s precarious mental state to get material for her book. Avril herself is untrustworthy and violent. And lurking behind everything is the mysterious presence of Thistlebone. Is he real, imaginary or perhaps a little of both? Simon Davis’ painted artwork is wonderful, both realistic and impressionistic at the same time. Thistlebone takes The Wicker Man’s mix of the ordinary and the horrifying and turns it into a genuinely creepy tale with an unsettling ending.

Read our full review of Thistlebone Book 1 here

White Ash: Season 1 and 2 (Scout Comics)

James says: Despite having an abundance of strong titles within their bibliography and on this list, White Ash reads like it is the jewel in the crown for Scout Comics thanks to a strong first season. Fortunately, while it just made it under the wire for this list, Season Two continued the story of Elves and Dwarfs living in secret in this little mining town and it felt just as strong as where season 1 left off. Charlie Stickney again created a phenomenal world, building on his wonderful characters with a much more immersive and rich society while the combination of Conor Hughes and Fin Cramb continue to show this world with such simple Darwyn Cooke-esque beauty which I can’t help but look at. White Ash was a surprise find for me when I first read it, but now I can’t help but hope it stays in my pull list for many issues to come.

Read our full review of White Ash Season 2 here