When most people think of comics they picture Batman and Wolverine slugging it out on an exploding aircraft carrier. Marvel and DC, or The Big Two as they are often called, have dominated the market for eight decades. Super hero comics are synonymous with the comic book medium itself, certainly, but if you are only familiar with these kinds of book then you are really missing out on what comics have to offer. Here at Bloody Disgusting, we tend to let the other guys talk about The Big Two and focus instead on the darker side of comics. Outside of the capes and cowls, story reigns supreme.

Editorial By: Epic Switzer

Creator owned work from publisher like Image give the freedom to tell the kinds of stories the team are passionate about telling. These titles are many, and cover just about every genre out there. Luckily, the biggest names at DC and Marvel also have some of the most engaging and original creator owned books. So if you haven’t yet found the courage to step outside your spandex comfort zone, then here are some of the best book from your favorite Marvel Now and New 52 creators.

Severed by Scott Snyder & Atilla Futaki

Scott Snyder has become one of the most influential writers at DC since the start of the New 52.  His run on “Batman” has been flawless for 32 issues, and he has orchestrated some of the best bat-centric crossover events in recent history.  His Vertigo book “American Vampire”  has been one of my favorite continuing horror titles for several years.  If you are a diehard DC fan, however, you may have missed a gorgeous 7-issue miniseries he did with writer Scott Tuft and artist Attila Futaki for Image called “Severed.”

“Severed” is a turn of the century serial-killer story about a young boy named Jack who runs away from home in search of his father.  Jack finds a traveling salesman to accompany him on his journey who in fact is one of the most disturbing killers in the history of comics. The story is notable for it’s expert pacing and stomach-turning suspense.  This book feels like Hitchcock at his blood-soaked best and is one of the beautiful hardcovers that I’m proud to display on my shelf.  For horror fans, “Severed” is a must read.

Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky

Matt Fraction has been one of the busiest writers at Marvel for a decade now.  He has done great runs on just about every character you can think of, and his recent Hawkeye and Fantastic Four runs have been critically acclaimed.  He wrote the main title in the Fear Itself event, and was a part of the Avengers vs. Xmen crossover event in 2012.  His writing is known for quick wit and dry humor and for his ability to ground larger-than-life characters with honest emotional weight.  If you only know his Marvel work you might not have expected what he’s doing over at Image, but I can pretty much guarantee you will love “Sex Criminals.”

If you’ve read my recent review than you already know I think Sex Criminals is one of the smartest and most socially relevant books being published today.  Fraction’s “sex comedy” may seem, in passing, as an excuse for dick jokes and cartoon nudity, but in reality this book has a ton of heart.  It follows a couple who have the ability to freeze time when they orgasm (stay with me) and they use this power to rob banks (no really) until they are caught by the secret sex police (seriously).  If that sold you than I’ve done my job, but if not you have to understand that this book is really a love story; one that addresses many of the issues with relationships, mental health, and struggling through your 20s.  I can’t imagine anyone not relating to that, so if you can handle dildo swords and the fuck word, you may just end up loving this book as much as I do.

The Manhattan Projects by Jonathan Hickman & Nick Pitarra

Some would consider Hickman’s run on Fantastic Four and FF to be the best in the series.  As the current writer of “Avengers,” Hickman continues to deliver benchmark material and epitomize the Marvel brand.  Outside of Marvel, Hickman has written a number of critically acclaimed series like the recent “East of West” and a personal favorite of mine, “The Manhattan Projects.”

“The Manhattan Projects” is somewhat esoteric in that it is an alternate history book about the physicists that developed the first atomic bombs during World War II.  Of Course you don’t need to be intimately familiar with the work of Joseph Oppenheimer, Richard Feynman, and Einstein to enjoy this book, but you do need to be the kind of person that gets excited about wormholes, evil twins, and talking dogs.  “The Manhattan Projects”  is a clever book with off the wall ideas that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  And if you know a lot about the Kennedy Administration, its just that much better.

Fatale by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips

Within The Big 2, Brubaker is probably best known for his work on Gotham Central, a book about Gotham City Police Department (and hopefully a big inspiration for the upcoming Gotham tv show) and his iconic retooling of Daredevil.  His collaboration with Sean Phillips, artist of Fatale actually began with Criminal, an Icon book (Marvel’s creator owned label).  The team continued to crank up dynamite crime books throughout the Criminal series, to Incognito, and eventually to Image with the horror-noir “Fatale.”

My recent article will tell you everything you need to know about Fatale and why you should absolutely be reading it.  This book has the best combination of style and substance you’ll ever get from a comic book.  Tons of flash, plenty of bang.  I really can’t recommend it enough.  If you get off on the hard boiled sensibilities of classic noir or have a penchant for the macabre and cosmically horrifying, this is your new favorite book.

Underwater Welder By Jeff Lemire

I’ve read everything Jeff Lemire has done and I would recommend all of it to you.  If you are a New 52 fan, you probably are familiar with his work on Animal Man, Justice League Dark, Green Arrow and the new Justice League United.  Jeff Lemire’s indie work is mired in his rural canadian upbringing.  He gives a voice to a culture that is relatively unheard from, and handles his characters with the most care and sincerity of any writer I know.  His vertigo books Sweet Tooth and Trillium are excellent, but if you really want to get to know Lemire, pick up Top Shelf books’ “The Underwater Welder.”

“The Underwater Welder” is the kind of book that will haunt you long after you finish.  It’s creeping pace and Twilight Zone-esque plotting create an atmosphere not common in mainstream comics.  The book is a psychological exploration of Jack, an oil rig worker with a pregnant wife who has some seriously unresolved issues with his father.  As things become supernatural, it is unclear if we are seeing reality or a physical manifestation of Jack’s emotional turmoil.  This kind of thematic story telling is what makes Lemire stand out, and his utilitarian art is easily digested and powerful.  You’ll breeze through this story and be ready to tackle the misleadingly dense “Essex County” trilogy.

Insufferable By Mark Waid & Peter Krause

Mark Waid has done more knockout work for DC and Marvel than I could possibly ever mention.  Currently Waid has been scripting Daredevil at Marvel for several years and personally I think it is the best book Marvel is doing right now.  Independently, Waid has become instrumental in the digital comics movement and has done a lot to help up and coming writers and artists get their work out there.  His website, Thrillbent.com is a digital subscription platform for independant comics.  For $3.99 a month you can read the entire back catalogue of Thrillbent comics from Mark Waid and other creators (like the always awesome James Tynion IV) as well as new books every week.  One of the flagship titles, and the most appropriate per our discussion, is the post-modern superhero story “Insufferable.”

“Insufferable” essentially poses “Robin” as a socialite party-boy douche bag and “Batman” as an aging, schizo, mad man.  Comedy, and a lot of intense drama, ensues. This book will be historically known as the first digital-only comic to get it right.  If you have only ever read print comics, or have had bad experiences with the way they translate to digital, you have to check out “Insufferable” and the rest of what Thrillbent.com has to offer.

That’s what the best minds at Marvel and DC have produced outside of those publishers.  What do you think of my list?  Will you be test driving any of these great books?  Let me know what I missed in the comments below!

Epic Switzer AKA Eric is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles.  His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality.  He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com.