It’s been a strange year for comics. Not only did DC climb back on top via a superhero Rebirth, it did so while Marvel collapsed under the weight of its delayed, overwrought Civil War II storyline. Elsewhere, mainstream independents had a strong, if somewhat quiet, 12 months, and “art comics” publishers like Drawn & Quarterly, Fantagraphics, and First Second produced some stellar work. With so many good books out there, making a Top 5 Comics of 2016 list isn’t an easy job… which might be why there are actually eight different titles on our list. Don’t tell anyone. It’ll be our little secret, OK?