The best comics published by Boom Studios, ranked

Key things

• Boom! Studios has a diverse line-up of titles working with both established and emerging creators.
• Mouse Guard, The Woods, Lumberjanes, Once & Future and Something Is Killing the Children are notable hits.
• Something's Killing the Children, a terrifying monster mystery, won acclaim and an Eisner Award nomination.

Since its inception in 2005, Boom! The studio has earned a respectable reputation for releasing a diverse range of titles. The company quickly managed to turn heads with the sharp artwork and quality storytelling it offered.

Boom! Studios are eclectic in their approach to hiring creators, working with both established and emerging writers and artists. The result has been the discovery of many exciting new creative minds in the comics medium over the years. The company also differentiates itself from titles for children and young adults, developing a number of acclaimed efforts for these age groups. All in all, Boom! Studios continues to strengthen its presence in the comic book world and beyond, as some of its titles are now in the process of being adapted for film and television.

5 Mouse guard

An unusual look at medieval bravery

• Creator: David Peterson
• Genre: Action, Adventure, Medieval Fantasy
• First issue: February 2006

In one of the Boom! Studios' most eccentric titles, readers are introduced to a medieval world populated by humanized mice. The titular Mouse Guard serves as the main focus of the series, a fraternity of brave mice who do whatever it takes to protect those in need.

The predatory classes that the Mouseguard must contend with serve as guardians as well as guides for the common mice. With finely detailed, well-colored artwork and a crisp, nicely paced story, the series is perfectly suited for younger readers. With plenty of adventure stories and interesting characters to follow, Mouse Guard has proven to be a consistent hit for Boom! Studies over the years.

4 Forests

A thoughtful look at high school life and survival

• Creators: James Tynion IV, Michael Dialynas
• Genre: Sci-Fi, Survival, High School Drama
• First issue: May 2014

This wild sci-fi/horror mash-up introduces readers to a Milwaukee prep school that is in for a terrifying surprise. A large number of students and staff suddenly find themselves trapped in a foreign world that is completely different from their own.

From there, readers follow a diverse cast of main characters as a terrifying journey of survival and adaptation begins. The new world the characters find themselves in is a dense, forest-covered moon in deep space. The characters are richly fleshed out, and many of them serve as incredibly vivid high school settings and experiences, making for poignant, human drama amidst all the action.

3 Once & Future

A subversive, twisted take on King Arthur

• Creators: Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora
• Genre: Dark Fantasy
• First issue: August 2019

This unexpectedly dark fantasy series offers readers a grim, disturbing look at the Arthurian legends. When the mighty King Arthur is resurrected in the present, he turns out to be unlike anything his future followers might expect.

The result is a dangerous, powerful royal riot that causes mass destruction and murder wherever it goes. Needless to say, the sword threat must be stopped, leading to the introduction of a retired monster hunter and her grandson who must work together to stop the madness. Between its unconventional take on King Arthur and its generally imaginative, high-stakes storytelling, Once & Future consistently entertained readers throughout its three-year run.

2 Lumberjanes

Thoughtful coming of age hit

• Creators: ND Stevenson, Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Gus Allen
• Genre: comedy-drama, adventure, coming of age
• First issue: April 2014

This acclaimed teen hit enjoyed six years after it began as a miniseries. Lumberjanestakes the reader to a summer camp inundated with supernatural phenomena.

The series follows a group of young girls at camp who encounter a series of bizarre threats, including a litany of monsters. Title Lumberjanes take it upon yourself to uncover the area's hidden truths and prepare for some interesting, often mysterious fare. Widely praised for its diversity of characters and ability to tackle complex themes and characterizations, Lumberjanes proved to be a hit for Boom! Studios during its operation.

1 Something is killing children

An unsettling mystery of monsters

• Creators: James Tynion IV, Werther Dell'Edera
• Genre: horror, mystery
• First issue: June 2019

Originally planned as just a five-part miniseries, Something is killing children took on a life of its own thanks to monumental recognition. The praise even led to him receiving an Eisner Award nomination as well as a large following.

The series focuses on the town of Archer's Peak, where children have begun to eerily disappear without a trace. The few who find themselves again claim that monsters roam there. Fortunately for the community, Erica Slaughter, an intrepid monster hunter, steps in to investigate. With thoughtful character development, intensity, and an appropriately unsettling atmosphere, the series has largely gone from strength to strength and is even in the process of being adapted for television.