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Extinction Event: 63 Best Post-Apocalyptic Comics Worth Tracking Down
- The Curator
- Nov 29, 2024
- 36 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
About Post-Apocalyptic Comics
At some point in our lives, we have all tried to imagine what it would be like to exist in a world dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophic event that devastates humanity. What's a better way to find out than reading a science fiction comic that tells the tale of characters struggling to live in a post-apocalyptic world?
Here's 63 Post-Apocalyptic Comics you should track down!
1. Akira (1982-1990)
Katsuhiro Otomo’s stunning post-apocalyptic comic series, Akira, is hailed as one of the best comic books ever written. Set in post-war Tokyo, the work uses conventions of the cyberpunk genre to present a story of turmoil. The lives of two streetwise teenage friends, Tetsuo and Kaneda, change forever when paranormal abilities start to evoke in Tetsuo, creating him a target for a shadowy agency that will stop at nothing to prevent another catastrophe like the apparent nuclear explosion on December 6, 1992, which destroyed previous Tokyo and started World War III.
2. Savage Highway (2017)
Published by Humanoids, Savage Highway is a brutal post-apocalyptic comic book written by Mathieu Masmondet, illustrated by Zhang Xiaoyu and lettered by Crank!. It's a tale of two opposites who are forced to unite to survive in a violent post-cataclysmic world. In which an ancient highway spans the wasteland and its cracked surface has become a migratory route for the anarchic hunters and marauders who dwell in this barren, future Earth.
Along the highway, Helene, an educated young woman on a grave mission to save her sister, encounters Mo, a solitary hunter, and Jin, an Asian warrior. Together they begin a legendary journey to a Paris in ruins, where a new social “order” is being forged. Clocking in at only 3 issues, this is a great grimdark post-apocalyptic tale to absorb on a quiet afternoon.
3. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1982-1994)
Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind depicts the story of Nausicaä, a princess of a small kingdom on a post-apocalyptic Earth with a bioengineered ecological system, who becomes involved in a war between kingdoms while an environmental disaster threatens humankind.
This is dystopian earth, a world almost unrecognizable from that in which we live. It is a tale about humanity's folly, about hope.
4. Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth (1975-1978)
Kamandi is one of the few survivors of a Great Disaster that has destroyed civilization. Humans have been reduced back to savagery in a world ruled by intelligent, highly evolved animals. He must proceed in a world swarmed by eerie mutated animals and other peculiar wonders!
Considered one of Jack Kirby's most creative works, Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth features a band of anthropomorphic supporting characters who tag along with Kamandi as he searches for answers and adventure across the wastelands of Earth. It has previously been celebrated as a DC Comics blockbuster hit!
5. V for Vendetta (1982-1989)
V for Vendetta is a post-apocalyptic comic book series famously written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. The series is set in an imagined dystopian England which has just come out of nuclear war and is being ruled by a fascist party called Norsefire that has eradicated all its enemies and established a police state. The main protagonist called simply 'V', is an anarchist revolutionary who conducts a sequence of brutal attacks against the party as part of a large-scale vendetta for the treatment he suffered at a concentration camp.
6. Wild Blue Yonder (2013-2014)
Published by IDW and set in the near future, Wild Blue Yonder depicts a world where mankind has destroyed the Earth. Pollution and war have made most of the land area of the world dangerous to live in. The only refuge from radioactive pollution can be found in the skies. Sadly, diminishing supplies and bloodthirsty air pirates make life all the harder. The story follows the lives of the crew of the Dawn as they battle their way through hazardous threats from other crews and deadly troubles.
7. Wasteland (2006-2015)
Published by Oni Press, Wasteland is a post-apocalyptic comic book series written by Antony Johnston, illustrated by Christopher Mitten, colored by Ben Templesmith and lettered by Russ Wooton. It's set one hundred years after the Big Wet, an unspecified disaster that destroyed modern society and, it is assumed, changed the world's coastlines. Clocking in at 60 issues, this series takes place somewhere in America, now a barren desert and dustbowl without modern technology.
The Characters in this story, who are largely illiterate, are surviving the best way they can by forming small communities and trading for whatever they can. Like all good post-apocalyptic stories, the residents have their secrets and pasts as well as underlying traumas. But when this new trader, Michael, rolls through town, it becomes clear he has more secrets than most of the citrizens in this wasteland town.
8. Wonder Woman: Dead Earth (2020)
Creator Daniel Warren Johnson mixes sci-fi and fantasy into a harrowing post-apocalyptic vision of Wonder Woman, unlike anything you've ever seen. When Diana awakens from a centuries-long sleep, she discovers Earth has been reduced to a nuclear wasteland.
Now she's stranded in a dark and dangerous future, protecting what's left of humanity from the mutated monsters known as Haedra and struggling to uncover the secret of this dead Earth and how she may have caused it.
9. Lazarus (2013-Present)
Published by Image Comics, Lazarus is a comic book series written by Gregory Rucka, art by Michael Lark, coloring by Michael L. Smith and lettering by Troy Peteri. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where these Mob-like 'Families' strive for power and control. The setting is in the near future, however resources are stretched thin and coveted, and to make matters worse - the government is non-existent.
What little resources can be obtained are managed by the 'Families', and serving a Family is about as safe as it can get. But keep your heads down because Forever Carlyle, the military leader of the Carlyle Family, has special regenerative powers and loves going around exacting punishment on folks who betray her mafia-style clan. This comic book is like if the film American Gangster and The Walking Dead were combined!
10. Sweet Tooth (2009-2013)
Published by Vertigo, Sweet Tooth is a post-apocalyptic comic book written and illustrated by Jeff Lemire, colored by Jose Villarrubia and lettered by Pat Brosseau. It focuses on Gus, a human-deer hybrid, and his journey across a pandemic ravaged earth. On his way he discovers others like him, hybrid children that part human and part animal.
Eventually, other humans and human factions try to capture him and harness the reason why the hybrids are immune to the pandemic which threatens to kill every human that's still alive. Throughout the series, concepts of friendship, family and survival are explored. Specifically, Gus's kindness versus human depravity and cruelty.
11. Y: The Last Man (2002-2008)
Published by Vertigo, Y: The Last Man is a post-apocalyptic comic book series written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Pia Guerra, colored by Pamela Rambo and lettered by Clem Robbins. It follows a mysterious plague which instantaneously wipes out every living mammal with a Y chromosome, except for one man, Yorick Brown, and his pet monkey, Ampersand.
The series focuses on Yorick, Ampersand, Agent 355 and Dr. Allison Mann, who embark on a quest to find a cure to the plague (and Yorick’s lost fiancée, Beth) which has killed every man on the planet. Along the way, Yorick and his friends encounter many obstacles and factions look to stop them including a militant feminist group calling themselves The Amazons who believe the plague is a blessing, and The Israeli Army, who want to use Yorick for their own plans. Along the way there are clues to the origins of the plague leading to the end of this series - which will shock you!
12. Grendel: War Child (1992-1992)
Published by Dark Horse Comics, Grendel: War Child is an Eisner-Award winning post-apocalyptic vigilante comic book written/inked by Matt Wagner, illustrated by Patrick McEown, colored by Bernie Mireault and lettered by Kurt Hathaway. It tells the tale of this post-apocalyptic Grendel-ruled planet that lies in ruins.
War Child is a story about Grendel Prime, a cyborg created and trained by Grendel Kahn, Orion Assante. Grendel Prime's purpose is to protect Assante's sole heir in the event of his death. Throughout this story, Grendel Prime must protect 10-year-old Jupiter Assante from zombies, mutants, rednecks, bikers, vampires, and worst of all his stepmother Laurel Kennedy Assante. It's a wild ride!
13. Low (2014-2020)
Published by Image Comics, Low is an epic post-apocalyptic science fiction comic book written by Rick Remender and with art by Greg Tocchini. Low, written by Rick Remender and drawn by Greg Tocchini, is another epic post-apocalyptic science fiction comic you should read. The series is set billions of years in the future after the start of the sun's expansion into a red giant has left the surface of earth uninhabitable.
The story of Low focuses on survivors who live in the underwater City of Salus, specifically the Caine family, and the pirate enemies of Salus. The main character, Stel Caine, is forever hopeful in finding a new home for humanity and embarks on a quest for a probe which she believes will point them in the direction of a new home. It's a bit like if 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a post-apocalyptic comic book filled with political intrigue and pirates.
14. Animosity (2016-2020)
Published by Aftershock Comics, Animosity is a dystopian comic book written by Marguerite Bennett, illustrated by Rafael de Latorre, colored by Rob Schwager and lettered by Marshall Dillon. The story of Animosity depicts an event known as "The Wake" in which every animal on earth suddenly becomes self aware. During the resulting chaos, it becomes clear that while the animals can talk they have also gained human-level intelligence.
The world of Animosity follows these newly-intelligent Animals as they fight humanity and fight each other for their own lives in the pursuit of peace and happiness. One year after "The Wake", an 11-year-old girl, and her dog, Sandor, begin a cross-country journey to California, where Jesse's half-brother Adam North, her only surviving family member, lives. During this cross-country adventure they face many foes - human and animal alike.
15. The Walking Dead (2003-2019)
Published by Image Comics, The Walking Dead is a post-apocalyptic zombie survival comic book series that ran for 193 issues. It was originally presented in black and white and has since been released in colour under the name "The Walking Dead Deluxe." It was written by Robert Kirkman and illustrated by Tony Moore (first 6 issues) and Charlie Adlard (remaining 187 issues), and lettered by Russ Wooton. Whereas, Dave McCaig colored The Walking Dead Deluxe issues.
The Walking Dead focuses on main character Rick Grimes who wakes up in hospital (after an accident) to find the world he knew is in the middle of a zombie outbreak. He quickly reunites with his wife and son and their group of survivors. Together again, he attempts to lead them on into a world forever changed by the zombie apocalypse. However, Rick soon discovers that his fellow humans can be even more dangerous than the zombies themselves!
Attack on Titan (2009-2021)
Published by Kodansha, Attack on Titan is a post-apocalyptic feudalistic comic book series which ran for 34 volumes. It's set in an alternate world where the last vestiges of humanity live in cities surrounded by enormous walls which protect them from giant man-eating creatures referred to as Titans. It predominantly follows a young man named Eren Yeager who is possessed by the need for revenge after his hometown is destroyed by a Titan who killed his mother.
Attack on Titan has a grimdark appeal which is driven by militaristic feudal and fascist undertones with the youth of humanity being conscripted into military service - to help defend the last remaining cities against the relentless assault of Titans. It's brutal, bloody and horrific with nonstop scenes of humans being eaten alive.
The Massive (2012-2014)
Published by Dark Horse Comics, The Massive is a comic book series which ran from 2012-2014. It's set in a post-apocalyptic where the environment has gone to hell, thanks to a series of ecological disasters.
It's an absolute gut-punch of a post-apocalyptic thriller that ditches the zombies and nuclear wastelands for something far more terrifying — a world destroyed by our own environmental negligence. The story kicks off with Callum Israel, ex-eco-warrior and captain of The Kapital, scouring the high seas for their lost sister ship, The Massive. But this isn’t your typical “search and rescue” mission. The world’s already gone to hell—climate disasters, collapsing governments, and ruthless scavengers rule the new order. Ninth Wave, once a fearless activist group, now fights just to stay afloat (literally). Callum and his crew wrestle with a brutal question:
"Can you still be an environmentalist when there’s nothing left to save?"
The Massive doesn’t just predict the end of the world — it makes you feel it. Wood and artist Garry Brown craft a bleak, hyper-realistic vision of a planet past the tipping point, blending survival drama, political intrigue, and bone-crunching action. The themes hit hard—climate catastrophe, moral compromise, and the price of idealism.
On the other hand, the follow-up series, The Massive: Ninth Wave, rewinds the clock to Ninth Wave’s golden days, showing their activist battles before everything crumbled. The Massive isn’t just a comic —it’s a devastating warning wrapped in a razor-sharp dystopian adventure.
East of West (2013-2019)
Published by Image Comics, East of West is a genre-bending sci-fi western dystopia that ran from 2013-2019. It's set in an alternate earth where the American Civil War ended in a stalemate, splitting the country into seven warring nations, each with its own ideology and ruling faction. And just when you thought things can't get any worse? Turns out The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are real - and they're here to end the world.
East of West delivers a brutal, no-holds-barred apocalypse where prophecy and revenge go hand in hand. The Four Horsemen have risen, but Death isn’t playing by the rules — betrayed by his own and torn from his wife, Xiaolian, he’s on a bloody path to make things right. Meanwhile, the power-hungry rulers of the Seven Nations scheme to bring The Message — a doomsday prophecy — into reality, triggering a storm of war, deception, and destruction. As Death carves his way through the chaos, the world spirals toward an explosive reckoning where bullets, blood, and destiny collide.
With Jonathan Hickman’s razor-sharp storytelling and Nick Dragotta’s cinematic visuals, East of West is a genre-smashing mix of grimy Westerns, high-tech dystopia, and mythic prophecy. The stakes are of biblical proportions, the betrayals are brutal, and the action is a straight-up gunfight with fate itself. As Death’s vengeance ignites an all-out war, every player — from warlords to supernatural titans — faces their final stand. The endgame is as violent as it is inevitable, sealing East of West as one of the most savage, stylish, and unrelenting sci-fi Westerns ever put to page.
American Flagg! (1983-1988)
Published by First Comics, American Flagg! is a satirical sci-fi comic book series which was originally published between 1983 to 1989. It takes place in a dystopian future where the U.S. government and the elite class has relocated to Mars, leaving the Earth in absolute chaos.
American Flagg! throws you headfirst into a neon-soaked dystopian world where the U.S. government has packed up and fled to Mars, leaving Earth to rot under the iron grip of the corporate-controlled Plex. Enter Reuben Flagg, a washed-up TV star drafted into the Plexus Rangers, tasked with enforcing law and order in the crumbling remains of Chicago. But Flagg isn’t just another company stooge — he quickly realizes the Plex keeps the masses sedated with hyper-violent media, subliminal mind control, and a steady stream of propaganda. As he digs deeper, he’s sucked into a whirlwind of corruption, underground resistance, and more femme fatales than you can shake a laser pistol at — all with his wisecracking, talking cat Raul by his side.
Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg! isn’t just a comic — it’s a bullet train of sex, satire, and swagger that shreds through politics, corporate greed, and media manipulation with razor-sharp wit. Packed with groundbreaking storytelling, cinematic layouts, and a pulpy, hyperkinetic energy, it set the bar for adult-oriented comics in the ‘80s, paving the way for heavy hitters like Transmetropolitan and The Dark Knight Returns. If you like your post-apocalyptic sci-fi with a side of smirking rebellion and unapologetic attitude, Flagg’s got your fix.
Battle Angel Alita
Originally titled Gunnm in Japan, Battle Angel Alita is a cyberpunk manga series by Yukito Kishiro, which is packed with brutal action, existential themes and stunningly detailed artwork. The story takes place in a desolate, junk-filled Scrapyard, which is the name of a dystopian city that sits beneath the floating utopia of Zalem. The separation of class is obvious as the privileged elite live above in Zalem while the rest are left to fend for scraps in Scrapyard.
Battle Angel Alita kicks off in the grim, trash-strewn Scrapyard, where Dr. Ido stumbles upon the broken remains of a mysterious cyborg girl. He revives her, naming her Alita, but with no memory of her past. As Alita gets a shiny new body, she discovers a wild knack for the deadly martial art Panzer Kunst, making her a force to be reckoned with. Determined to uncover the secrets of her past, she dives headfirst into the chaotic world of bounty hunting, battling vicious criminals, cyborg assassins, and the elite forces that control the floating city of Zalem. As Alita digs deeper, her journey becomes not just about survival, but finding her true identity in a world that’s anything but kind.
At its core, Battle Angel Alita is a high-octane mix of epic combat, mind-bending philosophy, and gut-punching existential questions. Themes of free will, transhumanism, and identity weave through Alita's intense battles, where each fight is about more than just brawn — it’s a search for what it means to be truly human. With its brutal action and philosophical depth, the manga isn’t just a genre-defining cyberpunk masterpiece — it also spawned a 2019 live-action film and remains a huge influence on sci-fi and anime today.
Scout's Honor (2021)
Published by Aftershock Comics, Scout’s Honor is a post-apocalyptic comic book mini-series written by David Pepose, illustrated by Luca Casalanguida, colored by Matt Milla and lettered by Carlos M. Mangual. It’s told through the lens of Boy Scout culture and so tackles many themes around survivalism, faith and identity.
Scout’s Honor follows a young scout named Kit living in a post-apocalyptic America where society has been rebuilt using the Scouts Guide rule book as a guide. The result being that only boys can be in the Scouts which is a problem for Kit who is secretly a girl. As the story progresses Kit begins to question her faith and undying devotion to the Scouts. A faith which is tested right at the end of the story.
Year Zero
Published by AWA Studios, Year Zero is a zombie apocalypse comic book series written by Benjamin Percy, illustrated by Ramon Rosanas, colored by Lee Loughridge and lettered by Sal Cipriano. It tells the zombie apocalypse story from different perspectives from different characters around the globe, highlighting a different catastrophe that takes place.
Year Zero follows five main stories and their stories of survival. The first one is set in Mexico and is about a hitman who uses his skills to fight off zombies. The second one is set in the United States and is about a doomsday prepper struggling to stay sane during his isolation. The third one is set in Afghanistan and is about a young Afghan boy trying to survive both a war torn region and one filled with zombies. The fourth one is set in Japan and is about a scientist who is overcome with guilt due to her role in the zombie outbreak. And the fifth and final one is set in Norway and is about a wealthy recluse struggling to survive on his own. All of which tell unique stories of post-apocalyptic survival.
Borderline (1999-2000)
Published by Dynamite Entertainment, Borderline is a dark and gritty noir post-apocalyptic comic book series which ran from 1999 to 2000. It's set in a grim, near-future city, and explores themes of morality, survival and psychological trauma, with a specific emphasis on personal struggles and the ongoing question of "what is right and what is wrong?"
Borderline follows Nick, a battle-hardened ex-soldier turned private eye, who’s hired to protect a mysterious woman. What starts as a simple job quickly spirals into a twisted web of crime, betrayal, and violence. As Nick gets pulled deeper into the chaos, he’s forced to confront the demons of his past, all while questioning his morality in a world where right and wrong are never clear-cut. It's a brutal journey through guilt, psychological trauma, and survival in a corrupt, unforgiving world.
This series dives into the messier side of humanity — morality, redemption, and the weight of violence—while wrapping it all up in a dark, atmospheric noir vibe. Borderline hits hard with its complex characters and morally gray world, where every decision feels like it could be your last. While it may not have the same mainstream recognition as 100 Bullets, it’s a standout in the noir comic scene, with Risso’s striking art and Trillo’s intricate, tension-filled writing making it a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and gritty, morally twisted stories.
Geiger
Published by Image Comics, Geiger is a post-apocalyptic comic book series written by Geoff Johns, illustrated by Gary Frank, colored by Brad Anderson and lettered by Rob Leigh. The comic book is set against a backdrop of a dystopian future left ravaged by a devastating nuclear, referred to in the comic as the Great Poisoning.
The story focuses on its mysterious main character, Tariq Geiger, who many refer to him as the "Glowing Man" due to his intense radioactive glow he emits due to both his exposure to radiation and to when he uses his strength to dispense justice on those hurting the innocent. Due to this dynamic, there's an obvious blending of the post-apocalyptic and superhero themes. A dynamic which has been well received amongst comic book fans and collectors alike.
Tariq's world is marked by tragedy, just like all good superheroes, because despite surviving the Nuclear fallout. His wife and child certainly didn't and this consumes his every waking thought when he's not trying to help people. There's even a grim scene where you see their skeletons which is absolutely brutal and will tug at your heart-strings!
Lola XOXO: The Journey Home
In Lola XOXO: The Journey Home, Siya Oum crafts a post-apocalyptic odyssey dripping in raw survival and emotional depth. The world has crumbled under nuclear fire, leaving behind a ruthless wasteland where only the strongest—and the most cunning—make it through the day.
Enter Lola, a fierce, resourceful young woman who’s been scraping by since childhood. Torn from her parents during the chaos, she’s raised by Conrad, a hardened but kind-hearted survivor who becomes her protector. But Lola isn’t the type to sit back and accept fate. Fueled by a relentless drive, she sets off on a treacherous journey to find her long-lost family.
Her path is anything but easy. She crosses paths with warring factions, power-hungry warlords, and scavengers who’d sooner slit your throat than share a meal. This isn’t just a road trip—it’s a gauntlet of brutality, where every choice could be her last. Yet, even in the darkness, Lola refuses to let the world break her spirit.
Siya Oum’s signature artwork brings the grit and desperation of this wasteland to life, painting a picture of a world that’s both hauntingly beautiful and utterly unforgiving. Lola XOXO: The Journey Home is a high-stakes adventure that blends action, heart, and the sheer will to survive into one gripping ride.
Wolverine: Old Man Logan
Published by Marvel Comics, Wolverine: Old Man Logan is grim dystopian alternate future to the Marvel Comics 616 Universe. It’s written by Mark Millar and illustrated by Steve McNiven. The story follows a Marvel Universe in a timeline where all the villains have won and the heroes are either dead, dying or broken.
As the series progresses we learn the heroes died after the villains launched a coordinated attack and wiped out almost all of the heroes with the exception of Wolverine, Hawkeye and a few others. Trauma and post traumatic stress play big parts of this comic book series when we learn Wolverine was unable to save his friends and has vowed never to use his claws again.
Hinterkind
Published by Vertigo Comics, Hinterkind is a post-apocalyptic fantasy written by Ian Edginton and art is by Francesco Trifogli. The series is based in a world where humanity has been almost entirely wiped out by a mysterious plague, civilization has crumbled, and nature has reclaimed the cities. In this new wilderness, mythical creatures—referred that become known as "Hinterkind" have resurfaced. With the majority of humanity almost extinct, these creatures of myth, legend and fairytales now dominate the Earth.
Hinterkind begins in a human settlement where its small population are struggling to survive. Prosper and Angus embark on a journey to find Prosper’s missing grandfather, venturing into the wild, Hinterkind-dominated world. As they travel, they uncover the truth about the plague that wiped out human civilisation, Angus's heritage as a fae, and the power struggles that exist within the Hinterkind government. Although a fantasy element is at play, Hinterkind is a dystopian story at heart that tackles issues of mythology, environmentalism and the science versus nature debate.
Future Imperfect
Future Imperfect throws the Hulk into his worst nightmare—one where he’s the villain. In this twisted, nuclear-ravaged future, the world’s been crushed under the weight of its own destruction, and the last scraps of humanity cower under the rule of the Maestro. This isn’t just Hulk with a few extra years on him. No, this is a version of him that’s absorbed more radiation, gotten even stronger, and kept Banner’s intellect—only now it’s warped by decades of power. The resistance, led by the fierce Janis, pulls the modern-day Hulk into their broken timeline, hoping he’ll be the one to bring Maestro down. What he finds is a graveyard of fallen heroes and an aging Rick Jones clutching onto the ghosts of the past.
Hulk vs. Maestro should be a no-brainer—green fists collide, end of story, right? Wrong. Maestro is smarter, meaner, and plays the long game. He snaps Hulk’s neck, keeps him captive, and tries to bring him over to his side. But Hulk isn’t one to stay down. He fights back, not just with brute strength but with a strategy of his own. In a poetic bit of irony, he rigs the time machine and sends Maestro hurtling back to the exact moment of the gamma bomb explosion—the birth of the Hulk and his own fiery demise. Future Imperfect is more than a brutal throwdown; it’s a gut-punch of a story about unchecked power, identity, and what happens when the strongest there is turns into the very thing he’s always fought against.
Post Americana
Published by Image Comics, Post Americana is a post-apocalyptic comic book series written and illustrated by Steve Skroce, colored by Dave Stewart and lettered by Fonografiks. A comic book which blends grim dystopia with satire, Post Americana takes place in a future that has torn apart by war, corruption and the collapse of civilisation.
The series focuses on main character, Janey, who is on a mission to avenge her family who were killed in a raiders attack. Her quest, however, is chaotic. Often running into warlords, dangerous mercenaries and treacherous humans who have their own agendas - which usually include killing her. Despite this, Post Americana is a road-trip of sorts littered with dark humour and danger at every turn as Janey gets closer to avenging her family.
It's grotesquely enjoyable thanks to Steve Skroce's distinctive artwork which displays his razor sharp wit, satirical leanings and gratuitous amounts of gore. While Skroce worked on storyboards for The Matrix, this comic book series is anything but. In fact, you're probably more to enjoy Post Americana if you're a fan of Judge Dredd or Mad Max - because this is one messy post-apocalyptic comic book tale.
ApocalyptiGirl
ApocalyptiGirl: An Aria for the End Times throws us into a world where civilization has crumbled, and survival is a lonely, bloody grind. Aria, a no-nonsense scavenger, roams the ruins with her only companion — Jelly Beans, a cat with zero interest in the apocalypse. She’s got one mission: find an ancient relic that could change everything. But until then? She fights off rival clans, tinkers with a broken-down robot named Gus, and belts out opera to fill the emptiness. Her so-called home? A few gutted subway cars barely holding together. The world is a wasteland, and Aria’s just one more soul trying to carve out meaning from the wreckage.
Then everything flips. A chance run-in with a stranger puts Aria in the crosshairs of the brutal factions that rule what’s left of the world, and suddenly, survival isn’t just about scavenging scraps — it’s about war. Blood gets spilled, alliances are tested, and Aria is forced to face the truth: she’s not just looking for a relic. She’s looking for a reason to keep fighting. Andrew MacLean’s kinetic, sharp-edged art style rips through the pages, making ApocalyptiGirl more than just another dystopian romp—it’s a punchy, high-energy meditation on purpose, violence, and the stubborn will to keep going when everything else is ash.
We Stand on Guard (2015)
We Stand On Guard imagines a near-future dystopia where the U.S. launches a brutal invasion of Canada to seize control of its water supply. The spark for the conflict comes when the U.S. president is assassinated in a false-flag operation blamed on Canada, kicking off an all-out war. Amber, a young woman whose family is killed in the invasion, is thrust into the chaos. She eventually joins the Two-Four, a ragtag Canadian militia that fights back against America’s overwhelming military might, wielding advanced weapons and massive combat mechs in their guerrilla struggle for freedom.
At its core, We Stand On Guard is a tale of survival, loss, and the relentless pursuit of independence. As Amber fights her way through the horrors of war, she discovers what it means to lose everything—and what it takes to fight for something worth living for. Vaughan’s storytelling and Skroce’s explosive art deliver a gripping mix of heart and action, making this series a hard-hitting exploration of what happens when the fight for freedom becomes a matter of life or death.
X-Men 2099 (1993-1996)
X-Men 2099 is a comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 1993 until 1996. It’s set in a alternate dystopian future where the X-Men we knew and grew up with are nothing but a distant memory, leaving a new generation of mutants to take up the mantle left by Professor Xavier and his team.
X-Men 2099 isn’t just another mutant story—it’s a glimpse into a future where society’s been gutted by corporate greed, and mutants are fighting to survive in a world that sees them as little more than disposable assets. The team, inspired by the legend of Charles Xavier, is made up of outcasts and survivors, each with their own brutal past and powerful abilities. Led by Xi’an Chi Xan, a former gang member with the ability to both heal and harm, the X-Men of 2099 face off against everything from corporate enforcers to rival mutant factions, all while trying to keep the dream of peaceful coexistence alive in a world that wants nothing to do with it.
But it’s not just about kicking ass and taking names—internal tension brews as Xi’an struggles with his violent past and the weight of leadership, causing cracks in the team’s unity. As they battle the Theatre of Pain and other powerful foes, the X-Men 2099 have to reckon with the harsh realities of their era. The odds are stacked against them, but they continue to fight for Xavier’s dream, determined to prove that even in a future this bleak, hope can still survive.
Black River (2015)
Black River is a bleak and unsettling post-apocalyptic graphic novel that follows a small group of survivors navigating a ruined world. It mostly revolves around a group of women, led by a hardened leader named Seka, as they move through desolate landscapes filled with violence, madness, and despair.
Black River drags you kicking and screaming into a world where hope is a myth and survival is a cruel joke. Seka and her ragtag crew of mostly women trudge through the ashes of civilization, dodging sadistic raiders and the creeping madness that comes with existing in a dead world. With each grim encounter, their numbers shrink, and the weight of survival presses down harder. Josh Simmons doesn’t just show the violence—he makes you feel it, raw and unfiltered, as the group’s journey spirals into a nightmare with no exit.
This isn’t your typical post-apocalyptic thrill ride — it’s a gut-wrenching dive into nihilism, where every step forward feels like another nail in the coffin. Black River strips away any illusion of redemption, leaving only cold, hard survival and the psychological decay that comes with it. Simmons’ stark, unforgiving art style makes sure there’s no escape from the misery, hammering home a bleakness that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page. If you’re looking for a feel-good apocalypse, look elsewhere — this one will leave scars.
Resonant
Resonant is Vault Comics swinging for the fences and absolutely nailing that sweet spot between post-apocalyptic dread and gut-punching family drama. Written by David Andry, with Alejandro Aragon throwing down some gloriously raw, scratchy visuals, and Jason Wordie splashing it all in colours that bleed tension, this book is not here to hold your hand.
The world’s gone to hell in a grimy, blood-splattered handbasket thanks to these mysterious, sinister Waves. What’s a Wave, you ask? Imagine every buried anxiety, every angry impulse, every simmering piece of human nastiness bubbling to the surface — then exploding in a frenzy of violence. And they hit at random, because of course they do. It’s chaos with a pulse.
At the heart of this madness is Paxton, a dad just trying to keep his kids alive in a world that has gone full tilt insane. He leaves the relative safety of their hideout to scavenge for medicine, all while hoping he doesn’t end up as someone’s next chew toy. Meanwhile, his kids — brave but fragile — are stuck fending for themselves, praying they survive the next Wave without turning on each other like rabid wolves.
Resonant thrives on tension. It’s a ticking time bomb of emotional horror, dressed up in post-collapse aesthetics that’ll make your skin crawl in the best way. Think The Walking Dead meets 28 Days Later, but with a cruel psychological twist that asks: how much of your humanity can you really hold onto when the world demands you lose it?
And let’s not undersell it — Aragon’s art? It’s a visceral gut-punch, the kind of gritty, unpolished beauty that makes every page feel dangerous. Add Wordie’s dread-soaked palette and you’ve got a comic that doesn’t just read like a nightmare — it feels like one.
If you're chasing a story that bleeds tension and lives somewhere between survival horror and a family drama on the brink of collapse, Resonant is a must-read. Trust me: this one lingers.
The Loving Dead
Published by Humanoids, The Loving Dead is a post apocalyptic graphic novel originally released in Italian, but has since been published in English, which was created by Stefano Raffaele and colored by Dave Stewart. As the title suggests, it’s a play on "The Living Dead" and incorporates themes of romance into a story set in the zombie apocalypse.
The story is about two zombies, Alan and Lynn, who still remember who they were before they were turned. As well as having a capacity for emotion which shows them display love and empathy for one another. But despite all that a zombie’s gotta eat, right?
The Wake
The Wake is Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy basically saying: "Hey, what if your thalassophobia had babies with your end-of-the-world nightmares?" And you know what? It works. It really works.
This Vertigo banger kicks off like your standard-issue deep-sea horror yarn, but Snyder doesn't play it safe. No, he drives this thing straight into the Mariana Trench, then lights a fuse and waits for you to freak out.
We open with Dr. Lee Archer - marine biologist, deep-sea expert, and professional “I-don’t-want-to-be-here” energy - getting strong-armed by Homeland Security to check out a mysterious sonar signal. Surprise: it’s not a whale. It's not dolphins. It’s mers - prehistoric, Lovecraftian sea monsters with murder in their eyes and serrated teeth ready to turn humans into sashimi.
The first half of the book plays out like a claustrophobic survival horror classic. Think: The Abyss meets Alien but with saltwater and extra teeth. Archer and the ragtag crew are trapped in an underwater base, while these aquatic nightmares tear through steel like tissue paper. Snyder dials up the tension to “suffocating,” and Murphy’s art? Sharp enough to make your eyeballs flinch.
But wait — there’s a twist.
Just when you think you’ve got this beast pinned down, The Wake flips the table. Hard. Suddenly, we’re centuries in the future, smack in the middle of a waterlogged, post-apocalyptic Earth. Civilization is dead in the water (literally), and humanity’s last gasps are bubbling up from beneath the waves. Snyder goes full cosmic horror meets eco-apocalypse, while still keeping it personal, tying everything back to Archer’s story and the mers’ haunting legacy.
It's bold. It's bonkers. It’s exactly the kind of high-concept madness that has you flipping pages at 2 AM whispering what the hell is happening?
And let’s give flowers where they’re due: Sean Murphy’s frenetic, razor-edged art combined with Matt Hollingsworth’s moody, swampy colour palette turns every panel into a pressure cooker. It feels like the pages are going to leak seawater if you hold them too tight.
The Wake isn’t just a comic — it’s an immersive descent into madness that refuses to be just one thing. It’s horror. It’s sci-fi. It’s action-thriller. It’s a "hey, maybe humans are the real monsters" environmental cautionary tale. But mostly? It’s an absolute rollercoaster of deep-sea dread and future-shock spectacle.
Final word: dive in, but don’t expect to come up for air.
Death Orb
Death Orb is the kind of comic that doesn’t knock politely at the door. Nah, it kicks it off the hinges, guns blazing, skulls cracking, and screams, “We’re doing this the hard way!” - and you better believe it means it.
Cooked up by Ryan Ferrier with art from the gloriously chaotic Alejandro Aragon, Death Orb is a full-throttle, middle-finger-to-the-sky wasteland romp. Imagine Mad Max got blackout drunk with Fist of the North Star, woke up hungover in a radioactive desert, and decided to raise hell anyway. That’s the energy we’re working with here.
At the greasy, blood-spattered heart of the story is Rider - a lone, leather-clad anti-hero on a vengeful tear across the apocalypse. His mission? Simple: find his kidnapped wife and unborn child. But of course, nothing’s ever simple in a world carved up by psychotic cults and ruled by a lunatic called The Father. This guy makes your average doomsday preacher look like a kid at Bible camp. He’s all about cleansing the earth, playing god, and turning anyone with a pulse into worm food.
What follows is a brutal, unrelenting chase through scorched wastelands, overflowing with mutant freaks, cult fanatics, and enough ultraviolence to make a Tarantino film blush. It’s pedal-to-the-metal chaos, and Rider is our shotgun-blasting tour guide through the carnage.
Alejandro Aragon’s art is absolute punk rock madness. His jagged, kinetic lines slash across the page like they’re trying to escape, while Chris O’Halloran’s neon-baked colour palette burns hotter than a post-nuke sunset. Every panel feels like it’s one guitar riff away from combusting.
But buried under the blood, guts, and spiked shoulder pads, there’s actually a surprising amount of heart. Death Orb isn’t just about wrecking everything in sight (though, to be fair, it does that spectacularly). It’s about love, loss, and the stubborn, fire-breathing hope that even in a world circling the drain, you’ve still got something worth fighting for.
Bottom line? Death Orb doesn’t ask for your attention - it demands it, chews it up, and spits it back out in a haze of radioactive dust. It’s a savage, stylish, and unapologetically brutal slice of dystopian punk pulp. Buckle up, because this beast rides fast and hard, and it doesn’t stop for survivors.
Join the Future
Join the Future is Zack Kaplan flipping the bird at Big Tech dystopias and asking: "Hey, how much of your soul are you willing to sell for free WiFi and unlimited snacks?" Spoiler: the answer better be none, or you’re already screwed.
This is the comic that crashes a dusty frontier Western straight into a chrome-plated cyberpunk nightmare - and leaves the wreckage smouldering in your brain. Picture this: mega-cities that promise you paradise. Endless comfort, health care that’ll keep you ticking forever, entertainment on tap 24/7. Sounds sweet, right? Wrong. Because the fine print says you’ve gotta trade your freedom, your privacy, and probably your dignity to get it.
Out in the wilds, beyond the reach of this neon utopia, there’s still a spark of rebellion. There are folks who’d rather eat dust and chew grit than be leashed to corporate overlords. Enter Clementine Libbey - a teenage gunslinger with fire in her veins and absolutely zero time for your dystopian sales pitch.
When Clem’s hometown gets steamrolled by the Future’s jackbooted thugs, she doesn’t just get mad - she gets even. What starts as a good old-fashioned revenge tale morphs into a high-calibre war cry against techno-fascism. Clem’s the kind of hero you feel in your bones: stubborn, scrappy, and ready to bite down on the bullet if it means flipping off the system.
Piotr Kowalski’s art is utterly filthy in the best way possible. He blends sun-baked Western grit with slick, menacing future tech that makes every panel feel like a showdown at the digital OK Corral. Brad Simpson’s colours bring the heat too, flipping between searing desert palettes and sterile neon glow like they’re loading shotgun shells.
Join the Future isn’t just another dystopian cautionary tale. It’s a full-throttle rebellion wrapped in leather, dust, and righteous fury. It’s about that flicker of fire in your gut that says, I don’t care how shiny your future is - I’ll carve my own damn path.
Final word? If you like your sci-fi with a side of six-shooters and your social commentary with bite marks, Join the Future deserves a permanent spot on your shelf. Saddle up - this one rides hard.
Memetic
Memetic is James Tynion IV and Eryk Donovan flipping the bird at social media culture and asking: “What if your favourite meme wasn’t just annoying - it was actively melting your brain and ending civilization?” Spoiler alert: it is. And it does.
The whole thing kicks off with the most innocent, dumb-as-hell image you’ve ever seen. A sloth. Smiling. Chill vibes. Caption? “This is a Good Meme. Share the Good Times.”
Cute? Maybe.
Harmless? Absolutely not.
This meme spreads faster than your last bad decision at an open bar. People are sharing it, reposting it, basking in the warm fuzzy glow - right up until they start screaming bloody murder, their brains liquefy, and they become human air raid sirens with a taste for carnage. Yeah. The internet literally breaks humanity.
What follows is a 72-hour, pedal-to-the-floor apocalypse. We’re talking full system collapse, blood in the streets, end-of-days chaos - and all because people couldn’t stop hitting "share."
Front and centre, you’ve got Aaron: deaf, resilient, and one of the few people not getting sucker-punched by the meme's deadly audio triggers. He’s fighting like hell to find his boyfriend in the middle of a digital Armageddon. Then there’s Marcus, the hardened ex-military guy, dragging the weight of the world (and his past) on his back, trying to make sense of the senseless. And let’s not forget Barbara Xiang, the scientist who almost saw this freight train coming before it smashed through civilisation’s front door.
Tynion writes this thing like he’s got a bone to pick with viral culture, and honestly? Respect. It’s sharp, furious, and a little too close to reality for comfort. Donovan’s art matches the energy blow for blow - frantic, ugly-beautiful, and positively dripping with panic. The screamers? Straight-up nightmare fuel. The tension? Thicker than the algorithm that keeps feeding you cat videos at 2am.
But beneath the carnage, Memetic has something to say. It’s a brutal take-down of our obsession with connection at any cost. It’s about how fast the things we love can turn on us — and how sometimes, staring too long into the glow of the screen means the screen stares right back.
Memetic doesn’t pull punches. It throws haymakers. It’s violent, it’s horrifying, and it’s so damn good you’ll feel guilty for loving it.
Trust me: you’ll never look at your Twitter feed the same way again.
Trees
Trees is Warren Ellis and Jason Howard asking the question: “What if they landed... and just didn’t give a damn about us?”
Forget lasers, forget War of the Worlds - these aliens don’t even bother to notice humanity. They just show up one day, drop these colossal black pillars all over the globe, and then straight-up ghost us like a bad Tinder date. They stand there. Unmoving. Unfeeling. Untouchable.
They’re not here to conquer. They’re not here to negotiate. They’re here to exist.
And that’s way more terrifying.
For ten years, these skyscraper-sized alien monoliths - nicknamed the Trees - have been looming over cities and wilderness alike, leaking God-knows-what kind of toxic sludge into the earth, twisting ecosystems, and quietly wrecking everything we thought we controlled. Humans, being humans, are left to scrabble in the dirt under their shadow, trying to make sense of the senseless while the world comes apart at the seams.
Ellis plays this one cool and lethal, weaving together a global cast of characters all trapped under the silent judgment of these cosmic giants:
A hardcore mayor in Somalia building power in the shadow of a Tree.
Arctic Circle scientists poking the bear and regretting it fast.
A young artist in a post-collapse Chinese city chasing freedom and bumping straight into terror.
Oh, and fascists. Because of course, if the world’s ending, they’re always first in line to pick the bones clean.
Jason Howard’s art is dirty, gritty, and soaked in atmospheric dread. His pages crackle with this tension that makes you feel like something’s about to snap any second now - and it usually does.
You can almost smell the ozone burning off the panels.
What makes Trees so damn sharp is its cold, brutal honesty: these aliens don’t care about us. They don’t even see us. Humanity? We’re just background noise to them. And that existential punch to the gut hits harder than any space laser ever could.
Trees is a slow-burn apocalypse with its claws in your brain and its boot on your throat. It’s about power, survival, and the creeping horror of realizing you’re not even a footnote in the universe’s story. Bleak, brilliant, and utterly unmissable.
Suiciders
Suiciders drops you headfirst into a nightmare version of Los Angeles - reborn as New Angeles after a city-flattening earthquake turned paradise into a post-apocalyptic hellhole. Now, it’s a neon-splattered warzone where the rich hide behind luxury walls and the poor rot in the rubble. And because humanity is nothing if not addicted to blood and fireworks, society keeps itself entertained with the Suiciders: cybernetic gladiators smashing each other to bits in televised deathmatches that make Mad Max look like a warm-up act. It’s savage, it’s sexy, and it’s as subtle as a boot to the face.
At the top of this violent food chain is the Saint of Suicides, a walking tank with the soul of a burnt-out poet. Once just another desperate kid named Johnny crawling out of the wreckage, he’s now the poster boy for survival by any means necessary. His body’s half metal, his fists are weapons of mass destruction, but under all that chrome is a haunted man choking on his own legend. He’s been sold to the masses as a god of the arena, but every win tastes more like ash in his mouth. He’s not fighting opponents anymore - he’s fighting his past, and it’s a past that hits harder than any cyborg brawler.
Meanwhile, in the sewer pipe of society, we’ve got Trix - a street-smart hustler who’s elbow-deep in the black-market chaos that keeps the underclass alive. Smuggling, human trafficking, dodging gangsters - it’s all in a day’s work if it keeps her and her sister breathing. Trix is the eyes and ears of the gutter, and through her, we see the true filth beneath New Angeles’s glossy surface. Her journey drags us into the back alleys and shadow deals that fuel the city’s cruelty, reminding us that while the Suiciders kill for sport, the streets kill for survival.
Naturally, fate’s got a cruel sense of humor, and these two broken souls - Johnny and Trix - find their fates knotted together as the walls of New Angeles start to buckle under their own filth. Johnny’s hitting the end of his blood-soaked road, and Trix is tangled in schemes that could topple the whole rotten circus. As they claw for escape, the city itself feels like it’s about to explode, and every punch, every betrayal, every drop of blood feels like fuel for the fire. This isn’t a redemption story - it’s a survival horror dressed in chrome and scars.
Suiciders is a grimy, gorgeous bullet to the brain of dystopian sci-fi. Lee Bermejo’s art is feral and fierce, with Matt Hollingsworth’s moody colors bathing the whole mess in neon blood. It’s a wild ride through themes of survival, fame, trauma, and what happens when society turns into a meat grinder for the soul. If you’re here for polished superheroes and moral victories, turn back now. But if you’re craving a savage spectacle with a beating, bloodied heart beneath the carnage - this is your poison. Drink up.
After Dark
Xenozoic Tales
28 Days Later (2009-2011)
Published by Boom Studios, 28 Days Later is a comic book adaptation that is set between the events of the first film, 28 Days Later, and the second film, 28 Weeks Later. It's written by Michael Alan Nelson, illustrated by Declan Shalvey, colored by Nick Filardi and lettered by Ed Dukeshire. With everyone in the UK having turned into hyper-aggressive killers, the entire region has been designated a “no-go” zone.
This 28 Days Later adaptation follows Selene, one of the original characters of the first film, as she’s living in Norway and struggling to deal with the trauma she experienced (as depicted in the original film). She is then convinced by Clint, a journalist, to return to the UK to document what’s happened so the whole world knows the truth about the rage virus.
Weapon Brown (2002)
Wildcats: World's End
Afterlife with Archie
Age of Ultron
The Snowpiercer
Wacky Raceland
Alpha Girl (2012)
Age of the Wolf
Bloodquest
Published in Warhammer Monthly between 1999 and 2003, Bloodquest was written by Gordon Rennie and illustrated by Colin MacNeil. Based on the Warhammer 40,000 lore and tabletop game, Bloodquest which follows Blood Angels Captain Leonatos, who is exiled for losing the Blade Encarmine (a powerful relic), during a battle with Orks. He would only be allowed back into the Blood Angels chapter if he is able to retrieve the relic, so begins his epic quest.
Joining him on this quest are eight loyal Blood Angel Space Marines. On this holy quest, Leonatos and is group of space marines encounter betrayal, endless warfare and the threat of corruption. There's also internal struggles within the characters which test their fealty, not only to the God-Emperor, but also to each other.
Fans of the Warhammer 40,000 are treated to smorgasbord of intense grimdark action as the space marine clash with enemies across the galaxy including Chaos Cultists, Orks, Daemons and they even encounter Fabius Bile (well, sort of). Highly recommended for fans of 2nd and 3rd edition Warhammer 40,000 or just about anyone who enjoys epic futuristic warfare. Thankfully, it's since been collected into three volumes of work so Bloodquest might be hard to track down but certainly not impossible.
Tank Girl (1991)
Loaded Bible (2006)
The Last of Us: American Dreams (2013)
Crossed (2008-2010)
Published by Avatar Press, Crossed is an ultra violent post-apocalyptic comic book series written by Garth Ennis, illustrated by Jacen Burrows and colored by Juanmar. The story focuses on an infection which turns people into homicidal killers. Unlike zombies, however, those who contract this infection retain a twisted form of intelligence which is sadistic in nature. The infected are visually marked by a cross-shaped rash which forms on their heads.
Eventually, as the infection spreads, society begins to collapse and the “Crossed” take over, spreading their depravity and using their twisted intelligence to inflict maximum carnage.
The Resistance (2002-2003)
Jericho: Season 3 & Season 4 (2012-2014)
Judge Dredd Megazine (1990-Now)
The Last American
The Punisher: The End (2004)
X-Men: Age of Apocalypse
Transmetropolitan (1997-2002)
Published by DC Comics, Transmetropolitan is a cyberpunk comic book series which ran from 1997 to 2002. It follows the story of Spider Jerusalem, a foul-mouthed, politically charged journalist in a chaotic, dystopian post-apocalyptic future. Set in a hyper-urbanized world full of corruption, greed, and technological excess, Transmetropolitan combines dark humour, brutal satire, and sharp social commentary.
After a long, self-imposed exile in the mountains, Spider’s dragged back to the city to write a few articles — and what a mess he comes back to. Corrupt politicians, corporate overlords, and media control are all fair game as Spider goes to town with his sharp tongue, exposing the ugly underbelly of a world drowning in excess and decay.
Transmetropolitan isn’t just a comic — it’s a savage, hilarious jab at the messed-up state of society. It dives headfirst into themes of corruption, political apathy, and the media’s stranglehold on reality, all wrapped in dark humor and razor-sharp satire.
Spider Jerusalem, the ultimate antihero, became a symbol of rebellious frustration in a world gone mad, and Transmetropolitan set the bar for cyberpunk comics. It’s an explosive mix of blistering social commentary and chaotic action that’s influenced everything from comics to broader media, and it’s as relevant today as it was when it first hit the page.
What do you think of these Post-Apocalyptic comics?
What do you think of these Post-Apocalyptic comics? Have you read any of them?
Let us know in the comments.