Love That? Try This!

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip-hop broadway musical Hamilton is one of the biggest crossover success stories in recent memory, and everyone’s going crazy for its stunning music, compelling narrative, and diverse cast. The musical is about the rise of founding father Alexander Hamilton, from impoverished immigrant, to George Washington’s right hand man, to his downfall following America’s first major sex scandal. If you’ve spun that record a million times already --- or, I guess, streamed it on Spotify a bunch --- and you’re still not satisfied, we’ve got five of the best independent comics that can meet your cravings for more great entertainment in the Hamilton mold.

Captain America: Civil War is in cinemas now, and everyone’s raving about its impressive set-pieces, complex themes and snappy banter. Marvel Studios and the Russo Brothers not only managed to make possibly the best Captain America film (and the best Avengers film) so far, but they told an awesome, tightly-plotted story that never felt bloated despite the number of characters demanding the spotlight. The Captain America franchise has always skewed somewhat more toward espionage thrillers than your average superhero series, similar in tone to the Jason Bourne series or the modern day James Bond films. If you loved Civil War and want to try some comics in a similar vein --- but you’ve already read Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting’s Captain America run --- we’ve compiled a list of five of the best independent comics to try next.

Star Wars is more popular than ever after the release of last years' seventh installment The Force Awakens rekindled everyone's love for stories set a long time ago in a galaxy far away, and the trailer for this year's Rogue One has that excitement rolling right along. Comics and sci-fi have a long history together going way back to serialised comic strips of the '30s such as Flash Gordon, and they've only grown in size and scope since then. Star Wars itself has experienced a comics renaissance at Marvel Comics thanks to the likes of Jason Aaron, John Cassaday, Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca, but once you've caught up on those, we've assembled a list of some of the best contemporary independent sci-fi comics on the stands.

Game of Thrones has returned, and though now in its sixth season, it remains one of the most riveting and talked about shows on television. Even after all this time and all this death, we’re still tuning in, hoping against hope that our faves don’t get brutally murdered, and maybe that someone rides on a dragon. Fantasy stories have been appearing in comics since near the very beginning of the medium, and there are so many great stories and series to choose from for fans looking for more of a fantasy fix. We’ve picked out five of the best independent and creator-owned comics to keep you going through the week as you wait for more episodes of Game of Thrones.

CBS' Supergirl adaptation proved to be one of the highlights of the past year's season of television, packed with action, drama, excitement and a whole lot of heart. One of the best things about the show was that in a time where so many superhero adaptations are grim morality plays that pit friend against friend, Supergirl was a bright ray of sunshine that focused on the power of teamwork and the hidden strength in us all. Last night saw the final episode of Supergirl's first season, and if you're still reeling and can't for season two, we've assembled a list of five of the best independent comics for you to try next that are fun, strong and powerful, just like Supergirl.

WrestleMania was this past weekend, and outside of perhaps the infamous "Attitude Era" of the late-'90s, it's never been more socially acceptable to proudly admit that you love the King of Sports, professional wrestling. The Rock is the biggest star in Hollywood, the Total Divas are taking over E, and John Cena is viral meme superstar; wrestling has officially broken through to the mainstream again. It's also never been a better time for comics about professional wrestling, a far cry from the days of the old WCW comic or the weird one where Chyna is a bodyguard in her spare time. We've assembled a list of five of the best independent comics about wrestling, if you're still in the mood for some pro-graps after watching The Granddaddy of Them All.

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is in theaters worldwide right now, and whether you loved or hated it, it's certainly an interesting take on The Caped Crusader and The Man of Tomorrow. A great many independent comics have taken the core ideas of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and other iconic characters and given them a unique spin that could only be explored outside the confines of DC Comics mainstream continuity. If you're looking for superhero stories with a bit of an edge, we've got five of the best to recommend to you.

If, like us, you've spent the past weekend binging on Netflix's second season of Daredevil and reveling in all the superhero exploits, ninja action and all-around punishment, you probably still haven't had your fill. While there are great Daredevil runs from the likes of Frank Miller and Mark Waid that you could read to get more of a hornhead fix, what are you supposed to do if you've read all of them too? We've got five of the best independent comics to try next if you can't get enough of the Man Without Fear.

Zootopia is currently rocking theaters around the world with its mix of charming animal comedy, classic buddy movie tropes, and a level of rich social allegory not usually seen in a big-budget Disney Animation feature. If you loved Zootopia and want to read comics with similar smart humor and all-ages appeal, the medium has a rich history of funny animal comics going right the way back to the genesis of the newspaper comic strip; Jimmy Swinnerton's Mr. Jack, about a caddish young tiger, debuted all the way back in 1890. We're currently enjoying a new golden age for all-ages comics, so we've compiled a list of some of the best books available today for you to check out if Zootopia left you hungry for more.

Gotham was certainly an interesting prospect when it was first announced, and many Batman fans were unsure whether a TV show about a rookie Jim Gordon and a child Bruce Wayne could work. Now we’re halfway through season 2, and the show continues to surprise with how weird and wonderful it can be, while providing interesting and unique takes on classic Batman tropes. If watching Gotham has inspired you to try out some more noir crime comics, we have some suggestions. We're going to look beyond the obvious choices of Batman, Detective Comics, and the comic that most directly inspired Gotham, Gotham Central. Instead, we’ve picked out five of the best independent crime and detective books for you to check out