Oh heck yes—there are some absolute legends in the indie comic world that started as self-published or creator-owned projects and blew everyone’s expectations out of the water. Here’s a quick list of successful independent comics that weren’t initially backed by a major publisher, and a few that were straight-up surprise hits:
🦸♂️ 1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT)
- Created by: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird
- First Published: 1984, self-published under Mirage Studios
- Why it’s legendary: It started as a black-and-white parody comic printed with borrowed money—and turned into a multibillion-dollar franchise. We’re talking cartoons, movies, action figures, the whole pizza-lovin’ package.
- Surprise factor: 🐢🐢🐢🐢 off the charts.
💥 2. Cerebus the Aardvark
- Created by: Dave Sim
- First Published: 1977
- Why it’s important: Ran for 300 issues—that’s insane for an indie comic. Sim self-published the whole thing through his own company, Aardvark-Vanaheim.
- Surprise factor: Nobody expected a weird, sword-wielding aardvark to have such staying power.
👑 3. Bone
- Created by: Jeff Smith
- First Published: 1991, self-published under Cartoon Books
- Why it rocks: Whimsical and kid-friendly on the outside, but with deep fantasy storytelling that hooked adults too. Scholastic eventually picked it up, and it sold millions.
- Surprise factor: A cartoony comic with Tolkien-level epic vibes? Yes please.
👁️ 4. The Walking Dead
- Created by: Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore
- First Published: 2003 (Image Comics—but with creator control)
- Why it exploded: A slow burn into a global phenomenon. Nobody thought a black-and-white zombie comic would spawn a mega TV franchise and redefine horror in pop culture.
- Surprise factor: From niche to Netflix-level fame.
🧠 5. Invincible
- Created by: Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker
- First Published: 2003 (Image Comics, but with full creator ownership)
- Why it blew up: Superhero fatigue? Not here. This one mixed ultraviolence with real emotional depth. And once the Amazon Prime series dropped? Boom.
- Surprise factor: It went from comic shop gem to “holy crap, everyone’s talking about this show.”
🪐 6. Saga
- Created by: Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
- First Published: 2012 (Image Comics, creator-owned)
- Why it’s revered: Think Romeo and Juliet in space, with talking cats, ghost babysitters, and political allegory. One of the most critically acclaimed indie comics ever.
- Surprise factor: It’s weird, wild, and it works—and fans treat new issues like treasure.
🎩 7. Hellboy
- Created by: Mike Mignola
- First Published: 1993 (Dark Horse Comics, creator-owned)
- Why it succeeded: Gothic horror and mythology with a sarcastic demon as the hero? Sign us up. Spawned films, spinoffs, and a cult following.
- Surprise factor: It’s not every day a red demon with a stone hand becomes a cultural icon.
💀 8. Spawn
- Created by: Todd McFarlane
- First Published: 1992 (Image Comics, co-founded by McFarlane)
- Why it’s a beast: Sold millions of copies and still going strong. Spawn was one of the first comics to prove that creators could go toe-to-toe with Marvel and DC.
- Surprise factor: A dark, violent anti-hero becomes one of the best-selling indie titles of all time? Yep.
⚔️ 9. ElfQuest
- Created by: Wendy and Richard Pini
- First Published: 1978, self-published through WaRP Graphics
- Why it’s a trailblazer: Way ahead of its time with its rich fantasy lore, matriarchal vibes, and killer art.
- Surprise factor: It built a cult following without a giant publisher machine behind it.
🧛 10. Vampirella (Reboot and Indie Revival Era)
- Original by: Warren Publishing
- Reinvigorated by: Various indie imprints like Dynamite
- Why it came back: She went from pulp cheesecake to feminist icon with darker, smarter storytelling in indie runs.
- Surprise factor: A cult classic turned indie queen—comeback story of the century.