10 Best Licensed Comic Books, Ranked

Most comic books fall into two distinct categories. They’re either properties and characters owned by certain publishers, such as the superheroes and supervillains of Marvel Comics and DC Comics, or creator-owned works, such as Spawn, Invincible, The Walking Dead, or Locke & Key. A third category also exists, and while it’s not quite as mainstream, it’s resulted in several hit comic books.

Licensed comic books are based on preexisting movies, TV shows, books, video games, or other properties, with stories expanding beyond the scope of the original works. They’re sometimes produced as merely cheap tie-ins, but in some cases, licensed comics are some of the best books on the shelves. One of the best examples of this was once scoffed at as merely a “toy book,” but its sales and reception were no laughing matter.

10 Rom Actually Tied Into the Marvel Universe

Notable Creators: Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema

Many of Marvel’s licensed titles had little to no connection with the wider Marvel Universe, but that wasn’t the case with one legendary book. Rom was based on a middling toy that failed to capture kids’ attention, but the comic was a major success. Not only did it feature the struggles of Rom himself (whose world was radically built upon compared to what the toy offered), but it also made him a part of the Marvel Universe proper.

The Rom book crossed over with concepts and characters such as the X-Men and Power Man/Iron Fist, which is why the recent omnibus re-release for the series was such a big deal for completionists. Rom showcased the best way to take the lackluster source material and make it great by fleshing out the title character. Later iterations have since been released, but Marvel’s version is still considered the best.

9 Marvel Has Expanded the Star Wars Mythos

Notable Creators: Kieron Gillen, Charles Soule and Jason Aaron

Marvel Comics handled the original Star Wars comic books, and once Disney bought Lucasfilm, everything was brought full circle. Decades beforehand, Marvel Comics had published the first Star Wars comic books. Since the 2010s, the publisher has kicked this into overdrive, releasing countless Star Wars from different eras. The newest Star Wars books feature characters and stories from the era of the Original Trilogy, as well as before and after.

The Star Wars comic books have been a huge hit for Marvel, representing another pillar for the company beyond its stable of superheroes. They’ve also been a major source of quality in the brand amid the lack of new movies since 2019. Scoring the Star Wars license has been a major win for several publishers, and now that the same parent company owns the property and Marvel, it makes sense that the two would be so successful together.

8 Sonic the Hedgehog Is a Flagship IDW Book

Notable Creators: Ian Flynn and Tyson Hesse

Unrelated to the Archie Comics Sonic titles, IDW Publishing has seen great success with its Sonic the Hedgehog comic book. Rebooted and separated from previous books, the comic is meant to more closely tie into or reflect the world of the Sonic video games. This made a lot of sense, given how much Archie’s books diverged at different points.

Those wanting to read the perfect comic for Sonic need not look any further than IDW’s book, with the comic perfectly translating the Sega video game franchise into a fun story. Likewise, other characters get to be showcased without overshadowing Sonic himself, which was something that the Archie series failed at. It’s essentially a Saturday morning cartoon every month, which is why it’s one of the major hits for IDW.

7 Turok Was a Major Hit In the 1990s

Notable Creators: David Michelinie and Bart Sears

Turok was another character revived by Valiant Comics in the 1990s, and he was perhaps the publisher’s biggest success beyond the comic book medium. The character was initially portrayed as a Native American whose tribe lived in the “Lost Lands,” a place untouched by time where dinosaurs, demons, and aliens ran rampant. Afterward, he became a central part of the Valiant Universe, coming into conflict with the villainous Mothergod.

Turok’s biggest claim to fame was in the Acclaim Comics relaunch of Valiant, with his book and the subsequent video games being perhaps the only success for the company in this era. There, Turok was a title handed down to Joshua Fireseed, with the hero protecting the lost lands amid all manner of multiversal threats. Seeing popularity in comics and video games, Turok is perhaps the most recognizable Valiant character despite no longer being owned by the company.

6 Conan the Barbarian Was Unlike Any Other Marvel Book

Notable Creators: Roy Thomas, J.M. DeMatteis, Doug Moench, Barry Windsor-Smith and John Buscema

During the 1970s, Marvel Comics began publishing comic books for Robert E. Howard’s fantasy character, Conan the Barbarian. After a lengthy battle to acquire the character’s publishing rights, Marvel released a series that lasted almost 280 issues. The series adapted many of Howard’s concepts and characters, with Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian making sword and sorcery stories more popular than ever in comics.

To some extent, Conan was even portrayed as a member of the mainstream Marvel Universe. This was the first such example of this idea, and it would be briefly replicated when Marvel regained publishing rights to the character in the late 2010s. The 1970s were an era of expansion for Marvel, seeing the company go beyond boilerplate superhero stories with tales in other genres. Conan the Barbarian was a big part of that, with the series being a favorite even among those who didn’t tend to read superhero comic books.

5 Godzilla Is a Major IDW Success

Notable Creators: Eric Powell, Tracy Marsh, Phil Hester, Bruce McCorkindale, James Stokoe, John Layman, Chris Mowry and Jason Claramella

Over the years, Godzilla has had several comic books, with one of his first major titles published by Marvel Comics. Beginning in 2011, IDW Publishing released several Godzilla comic books that showcase the franchise’s various types of monsters and mayhem. This is mainly because, unlike previous Western adaptations of the character, the series of books included many monsters from the Toho movie franchise.

The Godzilla books have been a strong mix of anthological ongoings and miniseries, with many of the latter focusing on different monsters. This has allowed for various tones and scopes, all of which add new layers to the property. IDW continues to release new titles featuring the Big G, which are full of action, terror, and fun. Thus, there’s something for everyone, with fans of any era of Godzillaable to find something to enjoy.

4 The Energon Universe Has the Best Transformers Comics

Notable Creators: Daniel Warren Johnson, Robert Kirkman and Joshua Williamson

In 2023, Skybound Entertainment acquired the publication rights to both Transformers and G.I. Joe, previously held by IDW Publishing. Rebooting the Hasbro brands in the Energon Universe, Skybound’s take on Transformers has so far been truly more than meets the eye. Tying into the various miniseries based on G.I. Joe characters and the original series Void Rivals, the Energon Universe is an epic mix of new and old ideas.

Skybound’s Transformers is a gritty yet colorful new version of the Generation 1 continuity, but it’s far different from the 1984 cartoon and the classic Marvel Transformers comic books. Many characters are killed off brutally, making it clear that the Autobots and Decepticons are at war with each other. It’s continued to be a major success because it showcases fan-favorite characters and more overlooked Transformers. The series has also been a massive sales juggernaut and made an even bigger splash than the IDW books ever did.

3 Power Rangers Has Put BOOM! On the Map

Notable Creators: Kyle Higgins, Steve Orlando, Mairghread Scott, Hendry Prasetya and Daniel Bayliss

Beginning publication in 2015, BOOM! Studios’ Power Rangers is a phenomenal series that enhances the story and characters from the classic incarnation of the property. Essentially a reboot of the show’s original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers version, it updates the original story while still keeping many of the same elements. These include the original Megazord, Rita and Zedd, and the comedic Bulk and Skull.

Beyond the scope of the classic show, the Power Rangers comics also introduced many new concepts. These were the Omega Rangers and Lord Drakkon, a dark take on Tommy Oliver that was truly green with evil. This continuity has now ended, but fans loved the Power Rangers series for how it took what they already loved and made it even better. It was also the biggest BOOM! publication ever, showcasing the potential of licensed comic books.

2 Solar: Man of the Atom Was Valiant’s Best Licensed Book

Notable Creators: Jim Shooter, Barry Windsor-Smith and Bob Layton

Before introducing characters such as Bloodshot and X-O Manowar, the first comic books in the Valiant Comics Universe were based on older characters once published by Gold Key Comics. One of these was Doctor Solar, who was rebooted in the Valiant Universe in the book Solar, Man of the Atom. This series focused on Phil Seleski, who gained incredible superhuman abilities, making him a veritable god.

Though the costume was the same as in the Gold Key days, this Solar was different. Valiant’s Solar was a post-Watchmen series in many ways, with the title character characterized somewhat similarly to Doctor Manhattan. This made it more than just another superhero comic book and exemplified Valiant’s darker nature. Even when it featured concepts such as Solar accidentally eradicating the planet, the series felt grounded and human in a way that few comics at the time did.

1 Marvel’s G.I. Joe Was a Real American Classic

Notable Creators: Larry Hama and Herb Trimpe

Released alongside the rebooted toy line and the cartoon, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was a comic book series featuring the reimagined 1980s take on the classic Hasbro toy franchise. The series pitted the G.I. Joe team against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world. Focusing on military missions and tactical action, the series was notably written in an “edge of the seat” manner, with the Joes and Cobra constantly in harrowing situations.

Far more than the sum of its parts, the Marvel G.I. Joe comic book was a masterclass in taking what could have been a cheap, lazily done comic book and making it into an all-time gem. It cemented many elements that have defined the franchise since then, namely the relationship between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. It’s seen as the definitive source material for the brand, even more so than the 1980s cartoon, and it kept going even after Marvel’s Transformers comic had ended. Likewise, the continuity of this series continues to this day in the similarly titled comic book by Skybound Entertainment, showcasing just how long-lived the quality of the Larry Hama book is.