10 Comics That Took Their Characters To New Heights In 2017

Comic books are a lot like candy: just when you think you’ve tried every variety of gum and gobstopper available and can’t cram any more, Willy Wonka brings out something new to satiate those tastebuds.

But what’s even better than being given something new and unknown? Taking something familiar and giving it a twist so it feels fresh, but with the same tastes and themes that made us love it first time around.

Sometimes the addition of a new artist or writer on a series can have a revolutionary impact on its popularity; sometimes all it takes is the right story-arc to inject a new level of intrigue into the equation.

Here, we’ve taken a look back at the comics of 2017 that did best in developing their titular characters; among those included sit long-standing heavyweights of the comic multiverse, while others made more substantial leaps from chump to champ in twelve issues (or less).

As if it needs saying for a countdown based on some of last year’s biggest hits: Spoilers ahoy.

G. Willow Wilson continued her work with the fourth Ms. Marvel as flagship for worthwhile causes, once again tackling real issues faced by people young and old in 2017 - though hopefully, thanks in part to her, not so much in 2018.

Muslim super-pioneer Kamala Khan has already dealt with bouts of xenophobia and cloaked racism during her run as Ms. Marvel, but 2017 brought the topic of cyber-bullying to the fore, dealing with trolls of the online and literal sense.

But aside from the “poster girl” part Khan has taken on as a Ms. Marvel fighting for change and tolerance, she also enjoyed some amazing moments as a heroine in the more physical sense.

Her positioning as one of the de facto heads of the new Secret Warriors helps further establish Khan as a leader figure for the future, with 2017 but the latest leg in cementing her spot as one of Marvel’s new reliable heavyweights.