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While watching The Boys for the first time, fans were thrilled to see the superheroes as a threat to society. The TV show/comics also shows the superheroes being corrupted to the core. The gore and dark concept of the show has gained a massive fanbase, who are now looking for more dark and mature comic books.
If you are one of those fans, here you will come across a list of such from DC, Marvel, and other publishers that, according to us, have a dark storyline. Also, these stories won't come up with regular costumed heroes who are always looked upon to save the world.
10 comic books for fans of dark and gritty themes
1) Kick-Ass
Kick-Ass is the story of a high school student named Dave Lizewski, who dons a mask and a costume to take on the responsibilities of a crime-fighting superhero. Being a superhero, he crosses paths with several vigilantes, who reveal how Dave's actions inspired them to put on their costumes and start fighting crime.
If you are someone who enjoys fun yet gore-filled storylines, then Mark Miller and John Romita Jr.'s Kick-Ass is a must-read for you. It was also adapted into a film in 2010.
2) Locke & Key
Locke & Key is a comic book series published by IDW. Written by Joe Hill and drawn by Gabriel Rodríguez, the comic book sees the Locke family as they come to live in their uncle's Keyhouse after their father is murdered. Later, as the plot moves forward, the family's youngest member discovers a key and learns that there are many secrets in the house that no one should unlock.
The series has some supernatural moments that will give you goosebumps. It has been adapted as a Netflix series since 2020, and is currently gearing up for its third season.
3) The Punisher
The Punisher doesn't have a superhero, instead, we see Frank Castle, who decides to kill all mobsters. He made this decision after gangsters murdered his family members. The series gained massive attention because of its impressive illustrations and the language used.
The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 in February 1974, originally depicted as an assassin and adversary of Spider-Man.
Readers who love reading stories that have dark humor will find The Punisher interesting. The character is extremely popular and has been adapted into multiple movies and series, most recently being 2017's The Punisher series with Jon Bernthal in the titular role.
4) Preacher
Preacher follows Jesse Custer, a preacher in Texas, who kills the entire congregation after being possessed by a supernatural being named Genesis. As Genesis is the child of a unique demon and angel couple, he makes Custer the most powerful being on Earth. Later, he embarks on a journey to find God, who left heaven after Genesis' birth.
Custer is accompanied by his girlfriend Tulip and a blood-thirsty vampire named Cassidy. The trio encounter many obstacles and enemies as they head towards their goal.
Created by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, Preacher was adapted into a TV series by AMC in 2015 with Dominic Cooper in the titular role.
5) Die!Die!Die
Die!Die!Die! comes from the mind of The Walking Dead writer Robert Kirkman with illustrations by Chris Burnham. The comic book features a secret army premise that readers will love.
However, the thing that makes the comic interesting is the gritty and blood-soaked moments. The book sees a world where the United States government influences the world via targeted assinations carried out by a secret cabal within the government. The first edition was released in 2019, followed by a second edition in 2021.
6) The Walking Dead
Created by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore, the story features a world facing a zombie breakout and tells the story of an Atlantis police officer, Rick Grimes, who went into a coma after being shot by criminals. After waking up, he discovers the walking dead/zombies have attacked and taken over the entire city. He also finds out that there are still several people who are struggling to survive the apocalypse. He decides to protect the survivors and find his missing wife and son.
The comic also got a live adaptation in 2010, and if you enjoyed the show, you would love the book as well.
7) Crossed
The comic follows a world going through a pandemic where infected people develop a crossed rash on their faces and turn into psychopaths. The infection causes them to fulfill their evil thoughts. The contagion is basically spread through body fluids, including sweat.
This infection is quite similar to the zombie stuff, but the thing that makes the two different is that the in Crossed, despite being half-dead, the infected ones are intelligent. They can ride bikes and can set complex traps.
8) Old Man Logan
It's an alternate version of the Marvel comics, set in an alternate reality where supervillains are more potent than superheroes. The story follows an older adult named Logan, who was once Wolverine, but now leads a peaceful life as a farmer with his family. But, one day, he is approached by an old friend who asks him to retake the mantle of X-Men, and Logan does not have any other option but to agree.
9) Sin City
Sin City features a corrupted world and paints a violent picture for the reader. Readers will see a pool of blood all over the pages of the comic, and the sad thing about this is that no one sees death in a clean fashion. Everyone is killed brutally. Despite being a dark story, the book has Illustrations that are disturbing and equally beautiful.
Frank Miller's Sin City was adapted into two movies in 2005 and 2014.
10) Black summer
It's the story of overpowered supervillains and superheroes. The plot follows the superhero, John Horus, who kills the President of the United States and his advisories, who were corrupted. This led to a war between the politicians and the superhero group, The Seven. This comic has a unique premise that calls for your attention.
Written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Juan Jose Ryp, the series was published by Avatar Press from 2007 to 2008.
