Fox Den Pull List: Our Favorite Comics

At Bishop Fox, thinking like an adversary is second nature. We look for what others miss, challenge assumptions, and operate in a space between how something was built and how it can be broken.

That same mindset shows up in a lot of the comics – stories about power, perspective, and what it means to see the world from the outside looking in.

With Alethe Denis set to speak at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 on the Inside the Hacker’s Mind panel, we asked around Bishop Fox: what comics have stuck with you, and why? The answers cover everything from brooding loners to cyberpunk chaos, but they all reflect something familiar. There is tension between intent and impact, the draw of outsider thinking, and the constant need to adapt faster than the system around you.

Here are the comics that resonate with the mindset of our offensive security experts and Foxes:

Superheroes & Antiheroes

Every security decision comes with a tradeoff. Protect one thing, and you might expose another. That’s why superhero & antihero stories hit home. They ask the same questions we do: What does it mean to wield power responsibly? And what happens when the system fails? Our top picks for this category include: 

• The Amazing Spider-Man
  Peter Parker’s story is grounded in the tension between personal responsibility and public duty; a balance most security folks know well.
• Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (Comic adaptation)
  A rare look at Bruce Wayne before the cape fully takes over when the choices are still messy and the lines aren’t so clear.
• Punisher
  Not a hero. Not trying to be. Frank Castle is a blunt force reaction to injustice and a character who raises big questions about means and ends.
• The Uncanny X-Men
  Outsiders, misfits, and morally gray mutants trying to find their place while saving the world.
• Gambit (X-Men)
  Remy LeBeau, raised by the Thieves Guild of New Orleans, uses his charm and kinetic energy powers to turn everyday objects into explosive weapons. As Gambit, he walks the line between thief and hero, seeking redemption as a member of the X-Men.
• Nightcrawler (X-Men)
  One of the more philosophical X-Men, Nightcrawler brings a sense of faith and heart to a team that often lives in the grey.
• Thunderbolts
  Former villains trying to do the right thing or at least convincing people they are. Either way, it’s complicated.
• Fantastic Four
  Not your average superhero team, more like a family of scientists who get in way over their heads.

Cyberpunk, Dystopian & Psychological Thrillers

Comics often hold up a mirror to society and to ourselves. Dystopian-esque stories show what happens when systems break and when control becomes manipulation. It’s the same kind of critical lens Red Teamers apply when modeling real-world adversaries. Here are our favorites in this category: 

• Transmetropolitan
  A future-world journalist goes to war with corrupt systems. Loud, chaotic, and just a little too real.
• Marvel Zombies
  What happens when the good guys lose control? A dark, weird twist on familiar characters that pushes the genre’s boundaries.
• Watchmen
  Less about superpowers and more about who we trust to wield them. Still one of the sharpest commentaries on power ever written.
• Death Note
  A brilliant teenager stumbles onto a tool of absolute power and uses it to redefine justice. The mental chess game that follows is legendary.
• Johnny the Homicidal Maniac / Squee!
  Pitch-black humor, surreal horror, and a peek into the absurdities of modern life – from the mind behind Invader Zim.
• 20th Century Boys
  What starts as childhood make-believe spirals into a multi-decade conspiracy. Nostalgia, paranoia, and an epic slow burn.

Horror & Occult

Hackers don’t always fit the mold and neither do characters in our Horror & Occult category. Cynical, brilliant, and not quite aligned with any one side, they reflect the mental agility and moral nuance required in the world of offensive security. These are our comic choices: 

• Hellblazer
  John Constantine is part con man, part magician and never quite on the right side of anything. Cynical, sharp, and always a step from disaster.
• The House of Secrets
  A classic horror anthology that set the tone for generations of weird fiction – mysterious, eerie, and often morally ambiguous.
• The Crow
  A dark, emotionally charged story of vengeance and grief. One man comes back from the dead to set things right or at least try.
  

Manga & Anime Favorites

Precision matters in offensive security. Comics in our Manga & Anime category showcase what it means to master a craft, to prepare obsessively and think steps ahead. It’s not about brute force; it’s about outthinking your opponent. Our favorites include: 

• Initial D
  Underground street racing, precise execution, and high-stakes performance under pressure – sound familiar?
• Dragon Ball Z
  Over-the-top action with real emotional stakes. For many, this was the gateway into manga and anime.
• Hunter x Hunter
  A richly built world where logic matters as much as power. Each arc feels like its own strategy puzzle.
• Berserk
  A violent, beautifully drawn epic about survival, trauma, and fate. Heavy and unflinching.

Humor, Heart & Slice of Life

Some comics don’t rely on superpowers or high-stakes battles to leave a mark. They resonate because they feel familiar; they are built around friendship, inside jokes, and the small moments that make a team feel like home. For a place like Bishop Fox, where collaboration runs deep and the culture feels more like a family than a company, these comfort classics hit especially close.

• Calvin & Hobbes
  One kid, one tiger, and a whole world of imagination. Smart, sincere, and often sneakily profound.
• Archie
  Timeless high school drama and small-town charm. The kind of comic you grow up with and grow nostalgic for.
• Megatokyo
  Gamers in Tokyo, caught between romance, robotics, and culture shock. A webcomic that speaks to the early internet generation.
  

Want to know how real-world hackers think? Join us at Comic-Con for Inside the Hacker’s Mind, or check out our report with SANS: Inside the Minds & Methods of Modern Adversaries.

And if you’ve got a favorite comic that reflects your hacker brain, we want to hear it.