Top Comics to Buy for January 9, 2019

January 07, 2019 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — Ah, after a few weeks with a lesser volume of new comics releases, it’s nice to get back to full strength. Yes, this week’s Top Comics to Buy for January 9, 2019 involves a far higher volume of books than the last two weekly installments, once of which fell the day after Christmas and the other a day after New Years (side note: already shaking my head about next year, when both Christmas and New Years will actually be on a Wednesday, leading to a rough two-week new comics hiatus, I reckon).

Anyway, this week was great for quality as well as quantity, especially as it pertained to creator-owned comics. I think I read more Image review previews this week than I did in the past three weeks combined. So many of the series from that publisher that launched late last year continued this week, and you’ll see many of them present on our list below, along with some of the usual mainstays.

So with all that in mind, let’s get to that list of Top Comics to Buy for January 9, 2019!

Top Comics to Buy for January 9, 2019

Batman #62
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Mitch Gerads
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Now features the Story solicited for #61 written by Tom King with art by Mitch Gerads. The Eisner-winning creative team behind MISTER MIRACLE is back together as artist Mitch Gerads rejoins the Bat team for a special issue! Professor Pyg is loose in Gotham, and you know that means things are going to get weird... and bloody!
Why It’s Cool: When this run is on, it’s one of the best long-form superhero stories in comics. This week, regular series writer Tom King is joined by his Mister Miracle/Sheriff of Babylon collaborator Mitch Gerads (one of comics biggest artistic talents right now), and you know what the result is? That’s right: this run is on. Since really catching the broader industry’s attention with a 12-issue Vision maxi-series for Marvel Comics in 2015, King has had a fast rise, powered in part by his fearlessness when it comes to experimenting with comics form. This issue sees him back at it, trying a new device (second person) that to my knowledge shows up for the first time in his work here. This Batman run aspires to humanize one of the most inscrutable characters in comics, and King’s use of second person here creates an interior familiarity that is often elusive in comics. Up there with the Cold Days arc and Batman #54, this is one of the best issues of this run.

Bitter Root #3
Writers: David F. Walker & Chuck Brown
Artist: Sanford Greene
Colorists: Rico Renzi & Sanford Greene
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
With violence erupting on the streets of Harlem and his cousin possessed by a demonic force, Cullen Sangerye reaches out for help from an estranged family member. Meanwhile, in Mississippi, Ford Sangerye fights for his life at the gateway to Hell.
Why It’s Cool: Holy cow, this is the issue where all hell breaks loose, almost literally. As we noted in our Bitter Root #1 review, this is a well-constructed comic that looks amazing. It’s also moving at a brisk pace, with this being only the third issue and so many of the conflicts that were foreshadowed early on coming to a head. It really speaks to the confidence the creative team has in this story. They know they’ve built it well, that they have the audience hooked, and so it’s time to deliver on early promises. We’ll have a Best New Image Comics of 2018 piece coming later this week, and you can damn sure expect Bitter Root to be on it.

Euthanauts #5
Writer: Tini Howard
Artist: Nick Robles
Colorist: Eva De La Cruz
Letterer: Neil Uyetake
Publisher: IDW - Black Crown
Price: $3.99
Thalia has learned that you don't get to the afterlife without breaking a few eggs and planting a few seeds. In this issue-people die. Some of them stay quiet about it. When the ego is destroyed, what remains? Find out in the final issue of our first arc, Ground Control.
Why It’s Cool: This comic has just been such a gorgeous tryst through blurred lines of life and death, and with a solicitation that promises characters will die (duh), we expect big things from the finale of this first arc. There’s been an ominous morbidity hanging over every last issue of this comic (it is called Euthanauts, after all), and if fourth issue is any indication, it’s in this chapter that the creative team will likely deliver the demise that has been foreshadowed. The only question is which member of the cast is likely to go. One last point: writer Tini Howard and artist Nick Robles both landed in our Top Comic Book Creators of 2018, and we highly recommend getting on board with their work now. There’s still time (just barely) to say you were here before they blew up.

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Juan Cabal
Colorist: Nolan Woodard
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $4.99
Spider-Man is the worst neighbor EVER! There are always crazy villains and property damage and drama and...and he CATCHES the villains. And he tries to fix the damage and he helps carry your groceries and actually that property damage keeps the rents down. You know what? Spider-Man is the best neighbor ever and this book will give you a closer look at Spider-Man's (and Peter Parker's) neighborhood than any book ever. Also, it wouldn't be a Spider-Man adventure without a threat that could destroy not only Spider-Man, but all his neighbors.
Why It’s Cool: Writer Tom Taylor keeps getting comics that are adjacent to Big 2 flagship titles (the third X-Men book, an alternate reality Superman/Batman comic, etc.), and he in turn keeps absolutely crushing them. I fully expect his localized Spider-Man comic to be yet another example of this. I also continue to call for Taylor to get a chance to write a more prominent Marvel or DC comic, bordering on outright begging at this point.

Self / Made #2
Writer: Mat Groom
Artist: Eduardo Ferigato
Colorist: Marcelo Costa
Letterer: A Larger World Studios’ Troy Peteri
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
With Amala's true nature revealed, her creator has just one night to figure out how and why this miracle occurred... before Amala is lost forever.
Why It’s Cool: Even though the debut issue came out at the end of last year, Self / Made by newcomers Mat Groom and Eduardo Ferigato (edited by Kyle Higgins) is my pick for best new title of early 2019. This book is just so good. The first issue was entertaining and high-concept, reeling readers in with a standard high fantasy war scenario that quickly gave way to something more complex: the characters were actually—hey! No spoilers! Anyway, this issue extends the surprise twist of the debut further, pushing it to a place where it questions the very nature of existence without sacrificing any forward plot momentum to do so. Yes, it’s only two issues old, but this book is rapidly becoming something special.

Others Receiving Votes

Avengers #12
Cemetery Beach #5
Deathstroke #39
Die #2
Dreaming #5
Freeze #2
The Green Lantern #3
House Amok #4
Justice League #15
LaGuardia #2
Martian Manhunter #2
Outer Darkness #3
Prodigy #2
Thor #9
Unexpected #8 (final issue)

See our past top comics to buy here, and check our our reviews archive here.

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as BatmansBookcase.

Best New #1 Comics of December 2018

January 03, 2019 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — This month naturally brings a deluge of year-end lists that can be fairly distracting when it comes to looking athe comics that actually come out in December. That’s why today we want to stick our usual practice of rehashing the Best New #1 Comics of December, because you know what? The last month of the year was actually a really great one for new series.

From new Big 2 superhero books to smaller creator-owned titles about wizards lounging in the sand and D&D, there was a great variety of new #1 comics in December. In fact, there were so many great new series this month that we had to extend our second section to include six choices rather than the usual five (it’s my site, after all, and if I don’t feel like narrowing down my selections, I can do that...this is one of the perks of having a site).

Anyway, let’s get to the new #1 comics!

Quick Hits

As the Stewart Bros. wrote in their Freeze #1 review, this new creator-owned comic has one hell of a central concept.

As I wrote in my Hardcore #1 review, this new creator-owned comic has a decent concept but impeccable execution from its creative team.

Kyle Higgins, arguably the reigning best espionage writer today, teams with Rod Reis on a new Bucky Barnes series in Winter Soldier #1, and the results are predictably great.

Wizard Beach #1 by writer Shaun Simon and artist Conor Nolan subverted expectations so well that it netted d. emerson eddy’s Comic of the Week.

Bryan Edward Hill did a great job grounding Killmonger #1 in the comic book Marvel Universe rather than the world of the movie, the real star of that show, however, was artist Juan Ferraya, one of our Top 2018 Comic Creators.

There was a lot to unpack in Batman Who Laughs #1 from writer Scott Snyder and artist Jock, but we can’t wait to see where the seemingly-madcap plot points are going.

Writer Ed Brisson is essentially the elder statesman of the current crop of X-writers, teaming with Dylan Burnett on the excellent new X-Force title (which you may have missed over the holidays).

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1 from writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Javi Garron is a thing of beauty: an exceedingly well-done comic that hits just as this character is making waves in the wider world with a new movie, (the brilliant) Into the Spider-Verse.

The Stewart Bros. also reviewed Prodigy #1, describing it as a ‘blockbuster comic, pure and simple.’ It’s a good one, to be sure, loaded with writer Mark Millar’s fantastic sense of what makes a great comics concept and artist Rafa Albuquerque’s kinetic style.

And finally, Snap Flash Hustle #1 from writer Pat Shand and artist Emily Pearson is another great comic from Black Mask Studios, featuring a great combination of creators who have separately been doing excellent work for a while now. The story they’re telling here is about a secret society of models in NYC that sells drugs. It’s very good and very stylish stuff.

Top 5 Best New #1 Comics of December 2018

Die #1
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Stephanie Hans
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics
REVIEW: Die #1

We recently wrapped up our Best Comics of 2018 list, which takes into account how many issues a given title released last year. Die, of course, released only one, making its debut in December, and so given that sparsity, it was left off our list. I for one, however, would be utterly shocked if this was the case next year once this series really gets going. Simply put, Die #1 is the start of the next big Image Comic.

I’ve used that phrase before, just once, in my review of Gideon Falls #1. And you know what? I think I was right about that one—Gideon Falls took off last year, growing into (arguably) the biggest new Image comic to hit in 2018. With writer Kieron Gillen and artist Stephanie Hans, Die has the same quality hybrid of super-talented creative team. It also has a concept that plays into the current zeitgeist by exploring tabletop role playing games...and it does it with a darker, more adult tinge, taking the idea perhaps more seriously than others who have attempted to tread similar thematic territory.

LaGuardia #1
Writer: Nnedi Okorafor
Artist: Tana Ford
Colorist: James Devlin
Letterer: Sal Cipriano
Writer Nnedi Okorafor is an award-winning sci-fi novelist who, to my knowledge, made her first forrays into comics writing last year, doing so with Shuri at Marvel Comics and LaGuardia #1 for the Berger Books imprint at Dark Horse. It’s the latter I’d like to spotlight this month, combining as it does Okorafor’s seasoned sci-fi chops with a poignant satire of current events and the incredible and vibrant artwork of artist Tana Ford and James Devlin.

LaGuardia #1 is one of those debut comics that’s so well-built and polished, that you can feel the creators powerful inspiration at work as you read it. There’s a romance angle, a familial angle, and an angle aimed at societal commentary, all working harmoniously within brisk pacing and a compelling plot. There’s also a delightfully-absurd alien race of plant lifeforms that gives Ford a chance to really show off her design chops, even in subtle moments where a certain character appears. Basically, I liked this first issue quite a bit, and I’ve marked the release date of #2 (which happens to be next week). I suggest you do the same.

Livewire #1
Writer: Vita Ayala
Artist: Raul Allen
Colorist: Patricia Martin
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Publisher: Valiant Comics
REVIEW: Livewire #1
To be blunt, it is about frigging time that a character as great as Valiant’s Livewire got a proper ongoing series. Livewire has been kicking around Valiant’s line of comics for some time, stealing entire series where she appears as one of many characters. Now, she’s not only getting the solo series treatment, but she’s getting it from one of the best creative teams in all of comics: rising star writer Vita Ayala and the absolutely stunning artist team of Raul Allen and Patricia Martin.

As contributing writer Toren Chenault wrote in his Livewire #1 review, this book stands apart from other superhero comics by putting front and center a rare thing in the genre: a character that has been under-explored. Ayala writes that character with a stunning level of depth, giving the book a moving emotional core to accompany its concept. This is the most-exciting new Valiant series in some time, and we can’t wait to see where it goes.

Martian Manhunter #1
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Riley Rossmo
Colorist: Ivan Plascencia
Letterer: Deron Bennett
Publisher: DC Comics
REVIEW: Martian Manhunter #1
Martian Manhunter was the first of two new major DC Comics to debut in December (the other being Shazam! #1...more on that in a second), with Steve Orlando writing and Riley Rossmo providing the madcap martian artwork. Powered by a murder mystery set in the present and an exploration of J’onn J’onzz’ hitherto unknown past pre-martian catastrophe as a corrupt police officer, the story aspires to be an introspective take on what makes J’onn...well, J’onn.

This is a comic that feels like a necessary experimental take on a classic superhero character. Based on the debut, this 12-part maxi-series seems bent on giving J’onn the Mister Miracle treatment, exploring the interiority of an often inscrutable character with unspeakable trauma in his past. Orlando is a writer incapable of half-efforts and Rossmo is the perfect pairing to really give this book a unique aesthetic. This is, simply put, a DC comic to watch in 2019.

Self / Made #1
Writer: Mat Groom
Artist: Eduardo Ferigato
Colorist: Marcelo Costa
Letterer: A Larger World Studios’ Troy Peteri
Self / Made #1 surprised me in the best possible way. Despite the presence of Kyle Higgins (espionage and action comics writer extraordinaire), I was unfamiliar with the creative team and adjusted my expectations accordingly. What I found when I picked up this book was an absolutely gorgeous comic that knows exactly where it’s going and is determined to be entertaining as it works its way there.

In spite of the aforementioned relatively novice creative team, this is a polished comic and a great debut issue. It orients the reader right away by establishing a sci-fi/fantasy war premise, atop layers of entitlement and classism. This would be all well and good on its own, but Self/Made also has a compelling twist it alludes to without being too blatant, leading to a powerful ending cliffhanger that simultaneously brings this story into focus and gives readers a reason to come back. I really can’t think of much else I would want from a new #1 issue.

Shazam! #1
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Dale Eaglesham & Mayo “Sen” Naito (backup story)
Colorist: Mike Atiyeh
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC Comics
REVIEW: Shazam! #1
DC’s other big debut in December was Shazam! #1. This comic, however, is a different deal than the other DC December debut, Martian Manhunter. Whereas Manhunter aspires to be an illustrative re-invention of a character readers could stand to know more about, Shazam! Seeks to tease out the core essence of these characters, re-enforcing what made Billy Batson and the rest of the Shazam family so compelling in the first place.

As I wrote in my Shazam! #1 review, writer Geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham certainly accomplish this in adorable fashion. This is a character who needs to be equal part childish enthusiasm and super-powered mystical adventuring to function property. Johns and Eaglesham go all in on the latter in the main story of this issue, with Johns then doubling down on the former with an ultra cute back-up story drawn by Mayo “Sen” Naito. With bleak stories like Heroes in Crisis agitating large portions of the DC fanbase, this comic comes across as a welcome palliative.

Check out more of our many monthly lists here.

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as BatmansBookcase.

Top Comic Book Creators of 2018

January 02, 2019 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — We’re approaching the end of our 2018 coverage, with only one more list to come (next week) after this one. As such, today we’d like to take a relatively brief look at some of the creators that made this such a special year for comics. The artists, editors, and writers below have not been chosen because they are the best at what they do, not entirely (although they are all excellent and many certainly fit that description), but instead because all of them did work that demands to be mentioned in any conversations about the past year in comics.

So, below you will find 10 favorite artists, 10 favorite writers, and six incredibly talented folks who can do it all. You will also find some names we fully expect to see on the bigger lists at this time next year, as well as a pair of editors who helped shepherd so many of our favorite 2018 books into the world. It is, simply put, an incredible time to be reading comics, and all of these lists could have been twice as long. But the hard decisions had to be made.

Without further adieu, here our the Batman’s Bookcase Top Comic Book Creators of 2018!

*SPECIAL NOTE: Deep apologies to our friends who are colorist and letterers; we didn’t have the bandwidth this year to take a deep dive into your work, but, rest assured, next year we plan to rectify this!

Top Comic Book Creators of 2018 - Artists

Bilquis Evely
Currently Drawing: The Dreaming

Fiona Staples
Currently Drawing: Saga (on hiatus)

Jon Davis-Hunt
Currently Drawing: The Wild Storm

Jorge Jimenez
Currently Drawing: Justice League

Juan Ferraya
Currently Drawing: Killmonger

Leslie Hung
Currently Drawing: Snotgirl

Mitch Gerads
Currently Drawing: Unannounced collaboration with Tom King (which is probably Sgt. Rock)

Raul Allen & Patricia Martin
Currently Drawing: Livewire

Sana Takeda
Currently Drawing: Monstress

Stephanie Hans
Currently Drawing: Die

Artists to watch in 2019: Jorge Fornes, Kate Niemczyk, Laura Braga, Lisa Sterle, Nicola Scott, Nick Robles, Ramon Villalobos, and Sean Izaaske.

Top Comic Book Creators of 2018 - Editors

Adrian Wassel of Vault Comics
Comics Edited: Deep Roots, Fearscape, Friendo, Submerged, These Savage Shores

Shelly Bond of IDW Black Crown
Comics Edited: Assassanistas, Euthanauts, House Amok, Lodger, Punks Not Dead

Top Comic Book Creators of 2018 - Writers

Al Ewing
Currently Writing: Immortal Hulk

Ann Nocenti
Currently Writing: The Seeds

Brian Michael Bendis
Currently Writing: All things Superman

Jason Aaron
Currently Writing: The Avengers, Conan the Barbarian, and Thor

Marjorie Liu
Currently Writing: Monstress

Nnedi Okorafor
Currently Writing: La Guardia, Shuri

Steve Orlando
Currently Writing: Dead Kings, Electric Warriors, Martian Manhunter

Tini Howard
Currently Writing: Age of Conan: Belit, Euthanauts, Rick and Morty

Tom Taylor
Currently Writing: Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Unannounced DC Comic

Vita Ayala
Currently Writing: Livewire, The Wilds

Writers to Watch in 2019: Alex Paknadel, Leah Williams, Mariko Tamaki, Magdalene Visaggio, Mark Russell, Michael Moreci, Stephanie Phillips, and Zac Thompson & Lonnie Nadler.

Top Writers/Artists

Daniel Warren Johnson
Work: Extremity, Murder Falcon

Joelle Jones
Work: Catwoman, Lady Killer

Jeff Lemire
Work: Black Hammer (writer only...so far), Essex County, Royal City, Sweet Tooth

Liam Sharp
Work: Brave and Bold - Batman and Wonder Woman, The Green Lantern (artist only)

Mirka Andolfo
Work: Hex Wives (artist only), Unnatural

Tillie Walden
Work: On a Sunbeam, Spinning

Check out Best Comics of 2018, #1 - #5, Best Comics of 2018, #16 - #25, and Best Comics of 2018, #6 - #15! Also, Best Single Comic Book Issues of 2018!

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as BatmansBookcase.

Best Single Comic Book Issues of 2018

January 02, 2019 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — It is, perhaps, telling that the majority of picks for our Best Single Comic Book Issues of 2018 list are essentially self-contained. Six, to be exact, with a case to be made that at least one of the others could stand on its own, too. In an industry where many creators put out installments best consumed as part of a collected trade, a truly well-done story with a real beginning, middle, end stands out.

At least, that’s definitely what we found this year in evaluating our picks. We’re pretty happy with about it too, in part because it makes re-visiting these issues all the easier. Anyway, the below list contains stories about iconic characters like Wonder Woman, the existential horrors of decisions in life, the writer’s ego, and recovering from trauma. I hope you’ll see some favorites on here and also find new comics, regardless of whether you’re caught up on a book or have plans to continue forward.

Let’s check out this year’s list!

Best Single Comic Book Issues of 2018

Action Comics #1004
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Ryan Sook
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger
Letterer: Josh Reed
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: 10/24/2018
Why It’s So Good: It’s about the most iconic romance in comics: Clark Kent and Lois Lane. It’s also the first time Bendis gives extended play to the relationship during his current (and excellent) Superman run. What Bendis is doing is breaking down Superman’s central characteristics and building them back up for 2018. That’s definitely what he does here, giving us Lois as an aspiring author and Clark as the supportive (if occasionally long distance) husband. Cards on the table: this whole thing hits close to home with me. My wife is a reporter for the LA Times, and we’ve spent roughly three months total apart due to work in recent years. The reunion in this story felt true-to-life and romantic as all get out. As such, I absolutely loved it.

Batman Annual #3
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Otto Schmidt
Letterer: A Larger World’s Troy Peteri
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: 12/12/2018
Why It’s So Good: I haven’t said this in a week or so (what with the holidays and all), so I’ll say it now: Tom Taylor is the most underrated writer of corporate superhero comics today. It continues to boggle my mind that neither DC nor Marvel has locked this massive talent up with an exclusive deal and given him the keys to a massive franchise. Not the fourth Spider-Man, third X-Men, or alternate Batman hates Superman comic, but an honest to goodness flagship comic. He really is that good, and comics like Batman Annual #3 show why. This one-off is a stand-alone story that thematically ties to an exploration of fatherhood taking place in the main title, and Taylor absolutely crushes it. There’s a re-telling of the Batman origin through Alfred’s eyes that had me in tears within three pages and an ending that depicts the Alfred-Bruce dynamic in a way that had never occurred to me, suggesting that the stubbornness of Batman’s war on crime is a byproduct of Alfred setting such a noble example of necessary servitude throughout Bruce’s childhood. Put simply, it’s brilliant heartrending stuff.

Batman: Creature of the Night #3
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: John Paul Leon
Letterer: Todd Klein
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: 4/18/2018
Why It’s So Good: This series is a spiritual and conceptual successor to Busiek’s seminal 2004 Superman: Secret Identity, in that Batman: Creature of the Night essentially tells the Batman story on our Earth, where Batman is a ubiquitous comic book character. Plot-wise, Creature of the Night is a bit trickier than Secret Identity. Superman was easy to get going, because Supes got his powers inadvertently and surprisingly. Batman’s heroics, however, were born of tragedy and an obsessive, steely response. Creature of the Night got the tragedy aspect right from its start, as well as things like the protagonist’s personality and his supporting cast, or at least Alfred. What was missing until now was a believable way to have Batman as a crime fighter. This book gives us that, dark and surprisingly, as it should be. Overall, Creature of the Night is one of the best Batman stories in years, a pure distillation from veteran creators of the lessons learned throughout august careers, specifically Busiek’s penchant for layered and complex stories, the sort more common in award-winning novels than in comics.

Fearscape #1
Writer: Ryan O’Sullivan
Artist: Andrea Mutti
Colorist: Vladimir Popov
Letterer: Andworld Design
Publisher: Vault Comics
Release Date: 9/26/2018
Why It’s So Good: Simply put, Fearscape #1 was the single best debut issue of a series I read all year. In it, writer Ryan O’Sullivan and artist Andrea Mutti use the graphic sequential medium to create a character and story that basically obsesses over the literary and genre fiction medium, thereby also reflecting back at the audience what it must feel like to be a comic book creator. It’s heady stuff, and it succeeds wildly. Perhaps the greatest strength of this debut issue is the protagonist’s narrative voice, which bounces violently from wild fits of looming ego to sobbingly insecure...as one imagines the creative process for great writers must feel like, oscillating from unchecked creation to solemn revisions.

From here, Ice Cream Man #6 splinters into three timelines, and structural comics greatness ensues. — From here, **Ice Cream Man #6** splinters into three timelines, and structural comics greatness ensues.

Ice Cream Man #6
Writer: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Martin Morazzo
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Good Old Neon
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: 8/15/2018
Why It’s So Good: This comic somehow tells three self-contained stories in a single issue, doing so with little to no dialogue in a way that not only makes sense but will almost certainly haunt the vast majority of readers for weeks (at least, that’s been my experience). The craft is so impressive that I don’t want to think about it too hard, lest I lose motivation to ever attempt anything creative of my own ever again. Moreover, I have a strong predisposition against stories steeped in cynicism—and this issue is most certainly that—yet this book is so well-done I was able to get past all that. Ice Cream Man was one of 2018’s best explorations of what’s possible with this medium in terms of form and structure, and as such, I can’t recommend it enough.

Saga #54
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Letterer: Fonografiks
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: 7/25/2018
Why It’s So Good: Because nothing will ever be the same. If you’ve read the issue, check out Why Saga #54 Hurts So Bad. If you haven’t, please read the issue and then click that link. There’s just no good way to discuss this without spoilers. Simply put, though, I’ll just note that this is the most consequential issue yet in the best series in comics (as well as our Top Comic of 2018).

Secret Weapons: Owen’s Story #0
Writer: Eric Heisserer
Artist: Raul Allen & Patricia Martin
Colorist: Patricia Martin
Letterer: Patricia Martin
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Release Date: 3/14/2018
Why It’s So Good: Secret Weapons: Owen’s Story is a tour de force of narrative craft, a tight balancing act that involves a series of complicated decisions (all of which have an emotional charge) that add up to a satisfying climax. It plays with structure and form while never losing the rightful focus on the characters at its core. The titular Owen is a Psiot who manifests seemingly-random objects, and his story here consists of vignettes based on objects he’s selling at a yard sale, objects he manifested, objects with stories telling us more about our characters. The concept is risky, but writer Eric Heisserer and the team of Raul Allen and Patricia Martin (one of the best art duos in all of comics) handle it supremely well, creating the type of book that reminds you why having a publisher like Valiant is such a benefit for the industry.

The Seeds #2
Writer: Ann Nocenti
Artist, Letterer: David Aja
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: 9/12/2018
Why It’s So Good: I wrote about this a bit in our Top Comics of 2018 list, but The Seeds second issue was so good that it elevated this book as a concept in my head, ultimately landing it (despite publishing a scant two issues last year) among my annual favorites. I found the first issue filled with promise, heavy with intriguing concepts. I wondered, however, how thoughtful the title was and worried a bit that the power would be lost if it wasn’t connected to great meaning. Those worries were dispelled and then some in a second issue that showed this book to be among the deepest near-future disaster concepts in stories today (and there are a ton of near future disaster concepts in stories today).

What If? Magik #1
Writer: Leah Williams
Artist: Filipe Andrade
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: 10/31/2018
Why It’s So Good: Writer Leah Williams and artist Filipe Andrade use the What If? concept to tell a story that sees the X-Men’s Magik tapped to be Doctor Strange’s replacement as sorcerer supreme. Her history, however, is the same: as a young girl she was kidnapped and taken to hell. To be sure, this is not handled lightly in the normal X-titles, but it also, to my knowledge, has never been extrapolated to a serious place where it reads like the supremely traumatic incident it would logically be. The villain in this story is Magik’s demonic kidnapper, cast as a manipulative human trafficker. This issue takes the character through a gauntlet of physical, mystical, and psychological tests, never discounting her trauma as the creative team shows us the Magik’s full strength, her stubborn optimism, her refusal to let a past ordeal limit or define her. That hard work and optimism (complete with expected setbacks) makes for a truly beautiful comic.

Wonder Woman #51
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Laura Braga
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: 7/25/2018
Why It’s So Good: With Wonder Woman #51, Steve Orlando and Laura Braga tell a stand-alone story with a deep and nuanced understanding of this character, one that shows exactly why she’s been relevant all these years. It’s the type of small-scale story that plays to a hero’s essence, done ad nauseum with Batman and Superman but not nearly as much with Wonder Woman. This comic, however, helps to fix that. It’s just so perfect. Aside from the adept characterization, it features an engaging and emotional narrative that speaks to Diana’s core values. It sounds cliche, but I teared up here at the drama and I smiled at the jokes. This is, to me, an issue we’ll be hearing new creators talk about on podcasts 10 years from now, citing it as an influence for the way they write/think about this character.

Check out Best Comics of 2018, #1 - #5, Best Comics of 2018, #16 - #25, and Best Comics of 2018, #6 - #15! And check back later in the week for more year-end lists, including our Top Creators of 2018!

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as BatmansBookcase.

Top Comics of 2018, #1 - #5

January 01, 2019 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — A difficult thing about a strong year for comics (like this one) is doing a retrospective Best Of list. Now, to be sure, no one mandates websites do rankings. That would be a clear violation of civil liberties. There is, however, a part of the pop culture blogger brain that goes wild for it, whispering all year long...where does this one rank...and if you don’t satisfy that beast—well, bad things happen.

So, here we our with ours, freshly formulated for 2018 by our committee of one. Before we dive into the third and final and (let’s face it) best part, which features in descending order selections #5 to #1 (Top Comics of 2018, #16 - #25 and Top Comics #6 - #15 are also up now, btw), let’s rehash our ground rules:

No trades or OGNs: Building out our OGN coverage is a priority for 2019. We’re just not there yet. So, while I absolutely loved work like Tillie Walden’s On a Sunbeam, Box Brown’s Is This Guy For Real? The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman, and Ryan Lindsay and Eric Zawadzki’s Eternal, you won’t find them here. Ideally, next year’s we’ll have an entire post dedicated to OGNs.
No webcomics, manga, or newspaper strips: Again, our site is a bit deficient covering these (if you are into these things, we’d love to chat about you writing for us!). I should, of course, mention that in 2018 someone under the pen name Olivia James took over the long-running Nancy strip and did amazing things with it (Sluggo is lit), but, again, you won’t find it on our list.
Longevity matters: New this year, you will find what I consider a key stat—how many issues were published this year. Late debut series like Die, Electric Warriors, and Bitter Root have tons of promise. They just haven’t been around enough to be a definitive comic of 2018. Ditto for comics that ended in April or earlier.

There you have it: guiding principles of our Top Comics of 2018. Now, without further adieu, let’s finish this bad hombre!

Top Comics of 2018

The Immortal Hulk by Alex Ross. — **The Immortal Hulk** by Alex Ross.

5. Immortal Hulk
Writer: Al Ewing
Artists: Joe Bennett
Inker: Ruy Jose
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Issues in 2018: 10

The first of the Big 2 titles to make my Top 5 Comics of 2018 is the Al Ewing and Joe Bennett-driven Immortal Hulk, a startlingly-blunt take on a long-time hero that reads more like a creator-owned book than a shared universe corporate story. We’re late in the superhero trajectory, with comics having constructed, deconstructed, and exported the concept to other mediums plenty. Our best modern stories are those that get closest to capturing a character’s core, and rarely has a title done this as well as Immortal Hulk.

At the same time, this book has found a darker place that was always there, taking existing elements and extrapolating them so thoroughly they feel novel. It’s found ground not possible for the sensibilities of the 1960s, Hulk’s heyday. Both artwork and audience have evolved, becoming more sophisticated and thereby allowing Ewing, Bennett, and others to push Hulk further into monster territory while at the same time making Banner the emotional blank slate he was perhaps always meant to be. In this book, Banner is backgrounded, standing in for humanity at large as darker base impulses drag him places no one wants to go (ahem, hell). The Hulk is not the hero—that honor goes to anyone who can live a contented and peaceful life.

On the surface, this comic has also benefited from consistent artwork from Bennett who has needed few guest replacements, plus early chapters that provide satisfying narratives independent of what came before or will come after. This is a bit of a lost art, but still very much welcome, and it’s something that Immortal Hulk did expertly.

This gem by Ryan Sook and Brad Anderson from Action Comics #1006 is quite possibly the comic book page of the year. — This gem by Ryan Sook and Brad Anderson from **Action Comics #1006** is quite possibly the comic book page of the year.

4. Action Comics / Man of Steel / Superman
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Patrick Gleason, Yanick Paquette, Ryan Sook, Ivan Reis, w/Doc Shaner, Steve Rude, Jay Fabok, Kevin Maguire, & Adam Hughes
Inkers: Wade Von Grawbadger, Joe Prado, & Oclair Albert
Colorists: Alejandro Sanchez, Nathan Fairbairn, Brad Anderson
Letterers: Josh Reed
Issues in 2018: 5 / 6 / 6

In 2017, Brian Michael Bendis—a leading voice at Marvel Comics for almost 20 years—announced a jump to the distinguished competition, leaving fans with questions that ranged from whether Bendis could thrive there to which titles he would take over. Some suggested this would spark a creative rejuvenation for Bendis, a chance to recapture energy from bygone days. Here’s the thing, though: Bendis had quietly been doing some of his best work at Marvel. Following the stumble that was Civil War II, his Infamous Iron Man, Jessica Jones, and Defenders titles were all excellent.

This is my way of saying I predicted Bendis at DC would be successful. He’s generally praised most for early work on Daredevil, as well as for creating Jessica Jones and Miles Morales (who’s having a moment with new film Into the Spider-Verse). What gets lost is that Bendis is likely the most prolific comic writer of a generation, consistently producing three to five monthly titles and rarely (if ever) suffering delays. As I’ve written, part of what I love about comics is the deadline-driven schedules force creators to just do the damn work, to put forth ideas without belaboring them as one must in film or prose writing. When it comes to embracing child-like excitement, love of comics history, and just doing the damn thing—Bendis is the best.

Still, even I didn’t predict what he’s doing with DC’s Superman titles. Flanked by the best artists to work on the character in decades, Bendis is telling a story that breaks this hero and his mythos down to its core before (seemingly) building it back up with slight tweaks for 2018. His Action Comics, Superman, and Man of Steel miniseries have all felt both classic and progressive as he revels in iconic stature while viscerally having a blast using the DC Universe that’s been off limits for so long. The end result is that both Action and Superman continue to rise, as satisfying as they are epic.

From Monstress #18. Artwork by Sana Takeda. — From **Monstress #18.** Artwork by Sana Takeda.

3. Monstress
Writer: Marjorie Liu
Artist: Sana Takeda
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Issues in 2018: 6

This was the year of Monstress, with Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda’s expansive creator-owned fantasy hitting big at the Eisner’s and (presumably) finding a much larger audience. For fans of the book from the start, it was incredibly rewarding to see this story get its due. Liu’s world-building is phenomenal, drawing loosely from traditions while first and foremost exploring original elements. Takeda’s artwork, meanwhile, is second to no artist keeping as regular a release schedule (save for possibly the great Fiona Staples), with an intricate manga-influenced look that makes every panel of Monstress feel like the product of months of design work.

This year saw Monstress play out its third arc, a grandiose story heavy with confidence. The world-building continues, but it’s not as noticeable as it was in earlier arcs (both of which were also phenomenal, btw). The real focus of the story now is the journey of the main character. Given this is a fantasy comic (the fantasy comic of the decade), we wouldn’t have it any other way.

What started as a revenge story in 2015, has grown into a powerful young woman reckoning with a range of life: her relationship with her history, with her mother, with the mysterious power inside her, with the most responsible way to use it, and with the repercussions for noble actions that grew out of a simple desire to escape oppression and survive.

**Black Hammer: Age of Doom, Quantum Age, Doctor Star, and Chtu-Louise.**

2. Black Hammer
Black Hammer: Age of Doom / Doctor Star and the Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows / Quantum Age: From the World of Black Hammer / Black Hammer: Cthu-Louise
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artists: Dean Ormston, Rich Tommaso, Max Fiumara, Wilfredo Torres, Emi Lenox
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Todd Klein
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Issues in 2018: 7 / 4 / 5 / 1

This past year also saw the establishing of a new superhero universe: Black Hammer. Technically, this homage-heavy universe was created back in 2016 with the advent of Black Hammer #1 from writer Jeff Lemire and artist Dean Ormston. That issue was the start of a specific story. The wider universe grew later, doing so with an adjacent miniseries that broadened the plot in 2016 (Sherlock Frankenstein and the Legion of Evil from Lemire and artist extraordinaire David Rubin).

In 2018, however, we got an even broader expansion. This past year, the Black Hammer universe continued with its main title, while adding two more miniseries and a one-shot. Add to that all kinds of rumors about what’s coming in 2019—from Lemire himself writing/drawing a 12-issue series, to a crossover between Black Hammer and DC Comics—and all signs point to this universe being here to stay. I had a chance to interview Jeff Lemire at San Diego Comic Con, and he agreed, saying as much.

I point this out as a way to note Black Hammer is so well-done that it has found a strong foothold in a market over-saturated by superhero concepts since basically 1970 (if not sooner). This is Lemire in all his brilliant Lemire-ness, following his deepest ideas and tragic lonesome sensibilities. He’s created a tone that allows him to write a few pages of funny before lapsing into full-blown meditations on the nature of generational comic book stories. Shared superhero universes function best with a strong guiding voice or perspective (see Marvel in the ‘60s). Black Hammer is doing just that, and I for one feel lucky to experience it in real time.

Saga #50 (cover by Fiona Staples) finds the family in happier times. — **Saga #50** (cover by Fiona Staples) finds the family in happier times.

1. Saga
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Fiona Staples
Letterer: Fonografiks
Publisher: Image Comics
Issues in 2018: 6

I’ve written about this often, but it’s easy to take long-running creator-owned comics for granted, forgetting what a rare thing it is to have talented writers and artists string together wholly original stories with only their keyboards and pencils. For many of us, our lifetimes have been marked with a mainstream comic selection dictated by corporations and distributors, plus whatever experimental work was on the fringes. In recent years, this has changed, and, leading that change, has been Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ familial sci-fi epic, Saga.

This year, however, was one in which we were all but forced to stop taking Saga for granted. The first reason for this was Saga’s latest story arc (which ran in issues #49 - #54, and wrapped up in July) was obscenely consequential. I don’t want to give anything away, but $@#% goes down and it’s bad, so bad I wrote about why it hurts, partially to make sense of why I was so devastated. It’s a testament to this story that it can hit such intense emotional beats so far into its run.

Second, the book announced it would be going on a year-long (minimum) hiatus. Obviously, you can’t take something for granted once it leaves you. Kind of bummer (we’re compensating with a year-long Saga re-read), made all the more bumming (is that a word? ah well) by how good the comic got before the announcement. There really is, quite simply, nothing else like Saga, not in terms of the scope of the story, the artful thematic explorations undertaken within, or the industry-best action and design graphics generated a whopping six times a year (or more!) by the massive talent that is Fiona Staples.

This site is dedicated to discussing comic books in thoughtful and analytical ways as the medium enjoys a new golden age. To us, Saga remains the leader of an ongoing renaissance, and a big part of the reason we think it’s so important to volunteer time to cover the artform. It is an absolute honor to give the book and its devastating 2018 story (kind of fitting, in sooooo many ways) our Top Comic of 2018 honor.

Check out Best Comics of 2018, #16 - #25 and Best Comics of 2018, #6 - #15! And check back later in the week for more year-end lists, including our Best Single Issues and our Top Creators of 2018!

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as BatmansBookcase.

Top Comics of 2018, #6 - #15

January 01, 2019 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — The most difficult thing about a strong year for comics (like this one) is doing a year-end Best Of list. Now, to be sure, no one mandates websites do rankings. That would be a clear violation of civil liberties. There is, however, a part of the pop culture blogger brain that goes wild for it, whispering all year long...where does this one rank...and if you don’t satisfy that beast—well, bad things happen.

So, here we our with ours, freshly formulated for 2018 by our committee of one. Before we dive into part 2, which features in descending order selections #15 to #6 (Top Comics of 2018, #16 - #25 is up now, with the Top 5 due later today), let’s rehash our ground rules:

No trades or OGNs: Building out our OGN coverage is a priority for 2019. We’re just not there yet. So, while I absolutely loved work like Tillie Walden’s On a Sunbeam, Box Brown’s Is This Guy For Real? The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman, and Ryan Lindsay and Eric Zawadzki’s Eternal, you won’t find them here. Ideally, next year’s we’ll have an entire post dedicated to OGNs.
No webcomics, manga, or newspaper strips: Again, our site is a bit deficient covering these (if you are into these things, we’d love to chat about you writing for us!). I should, of course, mention that in 2018 someone under the pen name Olivia James took over the long-running Nancy strip and did amazing things with it (Sluggo is lit), but, again, you won’t find it on our list.
Longevity matters: New this year, you will find what I consider a key stat—how many issues were published this year. Late debut series like Die, Electric Warriors, and Bitter Root have tons of promise. They just haven’t been around enough to be a definitive comic of 2018. Ditto for comics that ended in April or earlier.

There you have it: guiding principles of our Top Comics of 2018. Now, without further adieu, let’s keep this bad hombre going!

15. Seeds
Writer: Ann Nocenti
Artist, Letterer: David Aja
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Issues in 2018: 2

The second issue of this series absolutely blew my mind. So much so it was enough to land this comic in our list, and at no. 15 too! I’m going to struggle to articulate why this is not only one of the best comics out today, but also the comic with the most potential to be an all-time great series. But here goes…

Writer Ann Nocenti and artist David Aja have clearly thought hard about the state of the world, dwelling on current trends, struggles, challenges, \and even a few victories to extrapolate a future the likes of which we’ve never seen. There are (as noted in yesterday’s list) many near-future disaster stories running through comics. Many of them do admirable jobs extending a fear or concern to logical places. Seeds encompasses much more with its predictions, in a way that feels impossibly novel yet so obvious you wonder why its ideas hadn’t previously occurred to you. If you start listing story elements—failing planet, media corruption, alien love story/menace—they sound a little rote, but the way these talented creators bring them together is nothing short of remarkable. Now, if only they could get a handle on the delays...

14. Doomsday Clock
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC Comics
Issues in 2018: 6

Speaking of delays (hey! would you look at that transition), next we have Doomsday Clock. Writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank were as good as their word this year, mostly sticking to the every-other-month schedule they promised following Doomsday Clock #3. We got six new issues in 2018, and the last three were straight up killer comics. This series has, to be blunt, massive ambitions.

Indeed, the intentions of this comic are starting to crystalize, and if Johns and Frank can pull this off, they could end up with a story that speaks to the current rise of authoritarian governments across the globe, the reactions of the media and the populous, and what it means to be a public hero today, to take a strong position. It’s heady stuff, with potential to shape DC’s line and maybe even the stories the aging company does for the next decade.

13. Ice Cream Man
Writer: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Martin Morazzo
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Good Old Neon
Publisher: Image Comics
Issues in 2018: 8

As I’ve noted throughout, ranking the many many many excellent comics this year has been no easy feat. There were a ton of tough choices, but as my friend Rob from Panel Patter noted, at a certain point you have to choose, otherwise there’s no purpose to the endeavor. For me, placing Ice Cream Man was the most difficult decision. An anthology horror comic linked only by the titular (and hella creepy) ice cream man, this book has been a tour de force.

The reason it lands at #13 is twofold. No. 1, 13 is creepy and it seemed fitting, because aside from one other selection (we’ll get into that later), this is the highest-ranking horror comic on our list. No. 2, I’m trying to rank series for holistic reading experience. Ice Cream Man being made of vignettes makes that trickier. This book is easily one of the best comics of 2018, and we’ll heap more praise on it in future posts, specifically the Best Single Issues of 2018, coming later this week. For now, I’ll just note everyone should read this comic, just pick up random issues (they’re all self-contained) and go. The rate of success is high enough I’m confident you’ll all find flavors (sorry) you like.

12. The Wild Storm
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt
Colorist: Steve Buccellato
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: DC Comics
Issues in 2018: 8

It’s pretty amazing this far into a celebrated career, Warren Elllis is doing his best work, writing a slow-burning epic that strips down characters he’s handled for years before building them back into something searingly-relevant for 2018. This new The Wild Storm has a few familiar names, while remaining entirely accessible for first-time readers of this universe. And what Ellis is doing here is exploring the vast influence wielded by long-standing (and hard to comprehend) power structures.

He’s joined by Jon Davis-Hunt, one of (if not the) most underrated artists in comics. Davis-Hunt comes fresh from career work of his own on Gail Simone’s Clean Room, and as good as he was there, he’s hitting a new level, crafting graphic sequential storytelling both kinetic and real, capable of disrupting any visual laws of reality yet photorealistic and engrossing. As intellectual and nuanced a comic as we’ve seen, this is a must-read story.

11. The Mighty Thor / Thor
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artists: Russell Dauterman, Mike del Mundo, Christian Ward, Jen Bartel, Various
Colorists: Matthew Wilson, Marco D’Alfonso
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Issues in 2018: 4 / 12

Jason Aaron’s ongoing run on Thor is the best long-form story happening in superhero comics, and it’s really not even close. Aaron and Esad Ribic’s Thor: God of Thunder #1, which essentially marked the start of this current run, hit stands in November 2012, a vastly different time in the world and industry. Marvel has no other run close, with Hickman and Bendis gone from the company and Dan Slott off Amazing Spider-Man. Invincible has also ended, and DC’s main challengers—Batman and Deathstroke, for my money—date back to summer 2016, which is hardly a challenge at all.

Thor, however, keeps going strong, landing this year’s 16 issues (and a Jane Foster one-shot) at #11 overall on our list. Our committee of one suspects it will be higher next year, what with the War of the Realms coming. The Jane Foster finale was certainly a high point his year, but it felt like more of a pause than a proper finish, setting the table for what is sure to be some damn fine comics to come. In summation, 2018 was another great year for Aaron’s Thor run, but we all but guarantee 2019 will be even better, possibly the high water mark for this story.

10. X-Men Red
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artists: Mahmud Asrar, Carmen Carnero, Roge Antonio
Colorists: Ive Svorcina, Rain Beredo
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Issues in 2018: 11

What a surprise this comic was. I’d tapped out on X-Men: Blue and X-Men: Gold, deciding to wait for whatever next big X-thing. Then comes an announcement of a third color, part of the Marvel Legacy line, which, let’s face it, was dead on arrival. But here’s the thing: Tom Taylor and Mahmud Asrar’s X-Men: Red was good. Like, really really really good. Taylor’s scripting understood the franchise better than any writer I’ve read in I don’t know how long, casting the team as equal parts superhero high-flyers and common defenders of the oppressed, all with a geopolitical angle.

It made Jean Gray the face of Xavier’s continuing dream, a brilliant move given her legacy (ahem) and similar skill set, and it faced the X-Men against threats essentially derived from the messages of hate coursing through the modern media landscape, be it reportage or social posting. It was a brilliant stretch of 11 issues that ended way too soon, and, in my opinion, it was the first real hint how the X-Men can be made relevant for 2018, 2019, etc., taking them out of their long-standing continuity mire. It will be missed, and I hope this new generation of X-writers draw from its example.

9. Vault Comics: Fearscape / Friendo / These Savage Shores
Writers: Ryan O’Sullivan / Alex Paknadel / Ram V.
Artists: Andrea Mutti / Martin Simmonds / Sumit Kumar
Colorists: Vladimir Popov / Dee Cunnife / Vittorio Astone
Letterers: Andworld Design / Taylor Esposito / Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: Vault Comics
Issues in 2018: 3 / 3 / 2

Okay, so this one is cheating, but of the three new Vault Comics launched by British writers with clear literary roots in the fall, I couldn’t pick any one to elevate above the others. They’re all incredible, and so I built myself a loophole (it’s my website, afterall), and included all three on the list. I heard Vault editor Adrian Wassel on a podcast earlier this year, saying comics could swing to a literary place that incorporates both recent cinematic storytelling trends and their unique ability to synthesize words and pictures. All three of these titles reflect that viewpoint.

You can read more thoughts about each on our Reviews Page, but let me run through them quickly. Fearscape is a look at pretense, literary culture, and how the nature of creative writing often sees authors bouncing violently between bouts of outsized ego and crippling insecurity. The voice is pretentious and incredible. Friendo is a meditation on the decline of late-model capitalist countries, specifically the United States, casting apathy, ceiling-less corporate greed, and the marginalization of government checks as truly terrifying villains. These Savage Shores is a gorgeous and deep commentary on imperialism, using misdirection to to create an engaging and tone-heavy narrative. Basically, all three of these are well worth your time, and I highly recommend them all.

8. Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Mike Feehan
Inker: Sean Parsons
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics
Issues in 2018: 6

Speaking of literary comics, Mark Russell and Mike Feehan’s Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles (improbably) falls in that bin as well. Last year we highlighted Russell’s work on Flintstones. Another year and another smart take on a Hanna-Barbera property, and here we are again. In Russell’s re-imagining of this mythos, Snagglepuss is a basically closeted playwright during McCarthy-ism, trying to stay true to his values without running afoul of the federal government and staid societal interests.

Russell uses this premise to tell a sophisticated story that dances with ideas about life, art, politics, group think, and conservatism. The emotional core to this thing is the Huckleberry Hound character, whose tragic story beats brought tears to my eyes a couple of times. If reading a comic about Snagglepuss doesn’t sound appealing, don’t worry—you’re not alone in that thinking. But Russell also uses the legacy of the character to do work toward the satirical points he’s making, to help drive them home.

7. Wasted Space
Writer: Michael Moreci
Artist: Hayden Sherman
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: Vault Comics
Issues in 2018: 6 (counting the holiday special)

Phew, now we’re getting into the comics that I can’t imagine my 2018 without, the first being Michael Moreci and Hayden Sherman’s Wasted Space. I have heaped my fair share of praise on this book over the past 12 months, and I’m not alone. In fact, Nerdist has called it “easily the best new series to hit comic shops so far this year.” For my money, it’s without question the best wholly new property of 2018, and I’m going to quote myself to elaborate on why...

Wasted Space to me feels like Star Wars by way of 2018, determined to honor the hi-jinx & high adventure of space opera while fearlessly exploring the central conflict of our times: where should one’s desire for comfort end and their obligation to combat oppression begin? I’ve compared Moreci’s absurdist, idea-heavy writing to the late David Foster Wallace and I stand by that, noting that Sherman’s chaotic high-energy art style brings the world to life in a special way. This is maybe the highest compliment I can give: in a day and age where i buy fewer paper comics than ever before, I still have a pull list and on it near the top is Wasted Space.

6. Thanos Wins
Writer: Donny Cates
Artist: Geoff Shaw
Colorist: Antonio Fabela
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Issues in 2018: 6

Toward the end of 2017, Brian Michael Bendis left Marvel, dealing the publisher as significant of a writing void as I’ve seen in the past two decades, dating back to before Bendis established himself as the company’s prime writing voice. The thing about voids like that is they force publishers to take bigger risks and bring in younger, newer talent. For Marvel in 2018, that meant Donny Cates (among others).

One of Cates’ first charges at Marvel was to takeover Thanos in the wake of another essentially departing writer, Jeff Lemire, who seemed from the outside to be off to focus on the superhero universe he owned and created, Black Hammer. What Cates and past collaborator Geoff Shaw did with the final six issues of this run was absolutely remarkable, telling what is not only the best Thanos story of all-time, but the best end of the Marvel Universe tail this side of Jonathan Hickman. It’s called Thanos Wins, and it’s exactly what it sounds like.

Thanos Wins is as bold a statement as a young writer doing his first work at Marvel could have made. Aided by the out-of-this-world Geoff Shaw artwork and Antonio Fabela colors, Cates seemed to put all of comics on notice here, not being content to just decimate the very futures of these decades-old beloved characters, but insisting on doing so with wild grin viscerally affixed to his face. You might wonder, how do I know he was laughing and smiling as he wrote all of this. I think the better question, is how could anyone who’s read Thanos Wins doubt it?

Read our analysis of Thanos Wins here!

Check back later today for our Best Comics of 2018, #1 - #5! Check out Best Comics of 2018, #16 - #25! And check back later in the week for more year-end lists, including our Best Single Issues and our Top Creators of 2018!

For the history-minded readers, you can find our Top Comics of 2017, Part 1, 2 and 3 online now!

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as BatmansBookcase.

Top Comics of 2018, #16 - #25

December 31, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

So, here we our with ours, freshly formulated for 2018 by our committee of one. Before we dive into part 1, which features in descending order selections #25 to #16 (the other two parts are coming tomorrow, worry not), let’s lay down ground rules:

No trades or OGNs: Building out our OGN coverage is a priority for 2019. We’re just not there yet. So, while I absolutely loved work like Tillie Walden’s On a Sunbeam, Box Brown’s Is This Guy For Real? The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman, and Ryan Lindsay and Eric Zawadzki’s Eternal, you won’t find them here. Ideally, next year’s we’ll have an entire post dedicated to OGNs.
No webcomics, manga, or newspaper strips: Again, our site is a bit deficient covering these (if you are into these things, we’d love to chat about you writing for us!). I should, of course, mention that in 2018 someone under the pen name Olivia James took over the long-running Nancy strip and did amazing things with it (Sluggo is lit), but, again, you won’t find it on our list.
Longevity matters: New this year, you will find what I consider a key stat—how many issues were published this year. Late debut series like Die, Electric Warriors, and Bitter Root have tons of promise. They just haven’t been around enough to be a definitive comic of 2018. Ditto for comics that ended in April or earlier.

There you have it: guiding principles of our Top Comics of 2018. Now, without further adieu, let’s get this bad hombre started!

Top Comics of 2018, #16 - #25

25. Snotgirl
Writer: Bryan Lee O’Malley
Artist: Leslie Hung
Colorist: Mickey Quinn
Letterer: Mare Odomo
Publisher: Image Comics
Issues in 2018: 4

In 2018, Snotgirl returned from hiatus with an every-other-month schedule, which ended up spreading four issues over the year. Its steady publication schedule gave it a decidedly 2018 feel. We also saw the plot in this story evolve, using its Instagram-driven L.A. ego hellscape motif to dip a toe into ideas of the supernatural.

Moreover, this book has a singular look and feel. O’Malley’s scripting is satirical and biting, using our increasingly-intense desire to appear perfect online as fertile ground for true existential horror. More credit, however, is owed to the art of Leslie Hung and colors of Mickey Quinn. From Hung’s disheveled-yet-shapely men and women—all of whom are equally gorgeous and barely hanging on—to the vibrant greens Quinn lands somewhere between snotty and stylish, the visuals work in perfect harmony with the story. It’s really something special.

24. Abbott
Writer: Saladin Ahmed
Artist: Sami Kivela
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Issues in 2018: 5

Our committee of one won’t be able to sum up this book better than contributing writer Maya Kesh in our Best Comics of 2018: Contributor Picks. So, go check that out. When you’re done, I’ll be here trying to add to Maya’s excellent thoughts on this series. Like our #25 pick before it, Abbott is a singular comic in everything from its protagonist to its setting to the concerns of its characters.

It’s set in the ‘70s in Detroit—a place and time dismissed as of late by most stories in pop culture. Add a black female protagonist who works as a reporter, and you’ve got a collection of story elements that stand on their own as different and intriguing. Writer Ahmed and artist Kivela don’t, however, rest on that. The story they tell is tense and mysterious, rich with themes of oppression and the paranormal. Basically, I’m with Maya when she says she hopes we haven’t seen the last of this character.

23. Long Lost Part 2
Writer: Matthew Erman
Artist: Lisa Sterle
Publisher: Scout Comics
Issues in 2018: 5

This is, perhaps, cheating, seeing as the finale to this series is due in 2019 but I’ve already read (and loved) it. I won’t, however, let the ending slip. Long Lost is a poetic and understated story about change, the past, and family. From husband-wife team writer Matthew Erman and artist Lisa Sterle, Long Lost is a literary and confident comic with much to say about our transient generation, so bent on putting withering hometowns behind us.

And it says these things with a mix of ideas and imagery. The penultimate issue came out on 12/19, and as I wrote in my Long Lost Part 2 #5 review, it saw the creators expressing what this story is about: “Long Lost is about leaving your hometown...yet feeling a pull to return, a call home from our past. When we arrive, the place is nigh-unrecognizable. Relatives we thought we knew are so different as to be irreconcilable with who they once were in the past. They’re acting in strange ways, motivated by the hopes of enticing a magic cure for suffering, unemployment, sickness...with methods making them all uglier.” It was a great read in 2018 will be collected in trade this spring.

22. Skyward
Writer: Joe Henderson
Artist: Lee Garbett
Colorist: Antonio Fabela
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: Image Comics
Issues in 2018: 9

My reaction to Skyward #1 was: where did this comic come from and how is it so polished and fully-formed? The answer on both fronts is that this book was written by Joe Henderson—a TV veteran who most recently oversaw Lucifer—who I came to find out (via the Word Balloon podcast) has a long history of involvement with comics dating back to Bendis’ message board. He’s teamed with powerhouse artist Lee Garbett on this one.

There’s a lot to like about Skyward. It’s narrative structure is ironclad, leaving no holes or lapses to distract reader attention. The science within extrapolates a world-altering event similar to how Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra did in Y: The Last Man, and it’s characters’ tones are so earnest and hopeful that one could probably even read this comic with family. It’s also kept to a regular release schedule, which is so key for creator-owned books like this one, jockeying for attention on a crowded rack.

21. Euthanauts
Writer: Tini Howard
Artist: Nick Robles
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: IDW Black Crown
Issues in 2018: 4

This is another book that a contributor summed up so perfectly earlier this week (this time it was Allison and you can and should read it here). Yet, once again as the official committee of one, I will do my best to inject something new into this conversation. Euthanauts is, quite simply, one of the most gorgeous books on the stands. It’s the type of story you let wash over you like a poem, finding intense ideas and moments of beauty as you page through it.

Writer Tini Howard and artist Nick Robles are both powerful talents, destined for greatest things in the industry. Before they get there, however, I for one feel lucky to be around to see their beautiful book of life and death unspooling in real time. There are many great books right now on Shelly Bond’s Black Crown imprint (House Amok and Lodger both could have made our list had they published more issues), but Euthanauts is the crown jewel of that collection.

20. Royal City
Writer/Artist: Jeff Lemire
Publisher: Image Comics
Issues in 2018: 7
Royal City wrapped up in August, which I found surprising, possibly because the ever-prolific Jeff Lemire (who pulls double duty here both writing and doing art) has put out so much work since this one concluded. And while a hefty volume of that work is to be celebrated (more on that as we get closer to the top), none of his stories had the intense emotional core that Royal City did.

A spiritual and semi-direct successor to Lemire’s seminal work on Essex County, this is one of the rare comics in 2018 that moved me to tears, doing so with its story of love, loss, adolescence to adulthood, and perseverance in the face of life’s small-yet-crushing defeats. I would love to get a hardcover version of these 14 issues to keep forever on my shelf, which given the space limitations that plague my collection these days, is a high compliment indeed.

19. Submerged
Writer: Vita Ayala
Artist: Lisa Sterle
Colorist: Stelladia
Letterer: Rachel Deering
Publisher: Vault Comics
Issues in 2018: 4

The first—but certainly not the last—of the Vault Comics on our list, Submerged launched in July and concluded in December. It’s a haunting story of family discord that ultimately manifests in a tangle with mythology during one of the most dangerous storms New York City has weathered in modern history. Vita Ayala is one of the brightest rising stars in the industry, and they do incredible work with this one, expertly balancing the revelations about family backstory with the paranormal threats faced in the present by our characters.

Lisa Sterle (who you may remember early from our writeup of Long Lost) once again creates grounded-yet-disturbing imagery to go along with Ayala’s scripting. This is one of those four-part stories you’ll want to go out and get in trade, so you’ll have it to page through often at your leisure. The impression it leaves is indelible, and Ayala and Sterle are both clearly creators to watch in the coming year.

18. Cover
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Mack
Digital Coloring: Zu Orzu
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Issues in 2018: 4

I saw Brian Bendis and David Mack talk about this book during Rose City Comic Con this September in Portland. Bendis noted that most other mediums—movies, music, books, etc.—have had myriad stories told about what it’s like in their industry. Not so with comics. Cover, however, sets out to change that, detailing what it feels like to table at cons as a semi-notable pro...while also working for the CIA.

The espionage subplot is, to be sure, the engine propelling this comic further, but the emotional core has to do with artistic accomplishments and satisfaction, with finding the places where ones art ends and real life begins, with examining how much artistic achievement can wash away loneliness, solitude, and rifts between family. On top of that thematic goodness, this one is expertly rendered by Mack, who uses visual flourishes often to convey intensity of emotion.

17. Crowded
Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: Ro Stein
Inker: Ted Brandt
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Cardinal Rae
Publisher: Image Comics
Issues in 2018: 5

After what I personally perceived as somewhat of a down year for new comics in 2017, Image (our committee of one’s favorite publisher) bounced back with a vengeance in 2018, launching a dozen new series and mini-series with major staying power (more on that next week...so stay tuned!). Chief among those great new books was Crowded from writer Christopher Sebela and artists Ro Stein, Ted Brandt, and Triona Farrell.

There was no shortage of comics this year that look at terrifying near futures. What Crowded did, however, was extrapolate a startlingly-realistic idea (crowdfunded assassination bounty apps) with as taught of a buddy-drama/chase thriller narrative as we’ve seen as of late in any medium. This is a story built to elicit white knuckles, both in terms of what’s happening on the page and what it has to say about the current direction of society.

16. Gideon Falls
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Steve Wands
Publisher: Image Comics
Issues in 2018: 9

This book has a special place in our committee of one’s heart: It was the first comic we ever reviewed on this site, all the way back in January. We gave it a glowing review, predicting it would become the next big Image comic. Thankfully, time was on our side. This comic—from the well-worn creative team of Jeff Lemire and artist Andrea Sorrentino—hit the ground running and is yet to let up.

It started as what felt like an homage to Twin Peaks. The end of the first arc and the first half of the second, however, has built this story into a creepy mystery all of its own, establishing it as something different with expert use of a dual narrative. Sorrentino’s artwork is also absolutely it’s own thing, as visionary as anything on the monthly comic stands right now. It’s 100 percent a testament to the strength of comics this year that a book as good as Gideon Falls finishes #16 overall on our list, but here we are. Oh, and worry not Lemire fans...his other work will be landing higher (much higher!) on this list.

Check back tomorrow for our Best Comics of 2018, #1 - #15! And check back later in the week for more year-end lists, including our Best Single Issues and our Top Creators of 2018!

For the history-minded readers, you can find our Top Comics of 2017, Part 1, 2 and 3 online now!

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as BatmansBookcase.

Top Comics to Buy for January 2, 2019

December 31, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — Oh hey, would you look at that? We got the date for this piece right! Though, we’d be lying if we said it wasn’t a challenge. Basically, the New Year has arrived folks! Bringing with it those always-confusing date problems that take place in writer’s heads before we’ve fully adjusted.

Last week’s post-Christmas crop of comics was pretty barren (although it wasn’t without some great titles). This week’s bunch is a bit better, at least in terms of volume. What’s also great is that some of our favorite series from 2018—namely Action Comics and Immortal Hulk—have new installments! Pair that with the start of Jason Aaron’s highly-anticipated run of Conan the Barbarian, and hey, maybe this year will be starting off special.

All that said, let’s take a closer look!

Top Comics to Buy for January 2, 2019

*PICK OF THE WEEK*
Action Comics #1006
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Ryan Sook
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Josh Reed
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
The Red Cloud sets her sights on someone close to Superman, but how can the Man of Steel stop a villain he can't touch? As the invisible mafia controlling Metropolis' underworld steps more into the light, its leader finally stands revealed with a secret that will have massive implications for Superman and Clark Kent!
Why It’s Cool: At this time last year, the vast majority of comic book fandom didn’t even know which DC characters long-time Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis would be taking over when he made the jump to DC. Fast forward to now, and it’s almost hard to remember that Bendis didn’t spend all of last year writing Superman stories. His work on the character has been (in my personal opinion) fantastic, and leading the way is the Daily Planet-heavy story taking place in Action Comics. It continues to build this week with an expanded look into corners of Metropolis that have rarely been seen, setting as it does some track for more major happenings later on in the year. Also, competition is fierce, but of all the top-tier artists Bendis has collaborated with since coming over to DC, I do believe that Ryan Sook is my favorite. This may be his last issue of Action Comics for the foreseeable future, but later this year he and Bendis will be collaborating on something larger, which is definitely something to keep an eye on. Oh, and speaking of last year: can you believe some yutz suggested Bendis was taking over Green Arrow? Absurd!

Conan the Barbarian #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Mahmud Asrar
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $4.99
BY CROM, THE GREATEST SWORD-AND-SORCERY HERO RETURNS TO MARVEL!
From an age undreamed...hither came Conan the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a reaver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet...Robert E. Howard's creation returns to comics, in an epic tale as only MARVEL could bring you! Conan's travels have brought him to the far reaches of the unkown, from his birthplace in Cimmeria to the kingdom of Aquilonia and all in between. As his fighting prowess allows him to carve his way through life, so too does it attract the forces of death! The all-new ages-spanning saga begins here, by writer Jason Aaron (THE MIGHTY THOR, STAR WARS) and artist Mahmud Asrar (UNCANNY X-MEN, ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS), as Conan's destiny is forever changed!
Why It’s Cool: Jason Aaron has done absolutely incredible things with the Thor franchise, crafting what is currently the best years-long superhero run in all of comics. He just has a knack for the epic, nigh-biblical brutality inherent to norse mythology. And what, if any, comic book franchise just so happens to feel like a close cousin to norse mythology? That’s right, Conan the Barbarian. Aaron takes the keys of that book with Conan the Barbarian #1, the first in a trio of new Conan comics from Marvel, who snagged the rights for the character last year. As Thor starts to wind down with this year’s War of the Realms event, Aaron looks to start another all-time great stretch of comic book writing right here with this one.

Crowded #6
Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: Ro Stein
Inker: Ted Brandt
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Cardinal Rae
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Trapped with the psychopathic streaming superstar Trotter on one side and all of Los Angeles carrying a weapon and a two-million-dollar-dream on the other, Charlie and Vita have only each other-and a few of the secrets they've been keeping from each other-to rely on for their survival.
Why It’s Cool: There is no shortage of stories in comics right now that envision terrifying futures. Hell, there’s no shortage of stories in comics right now that envision terrifying near futures. That said, Crowded has distinguished itself as one of the best, doing so with a mixture of big ideas and seasoned pacing moves from one of the best writers of creator-owned comics in the industry today: Christopher Sebela. Of the many excellent new Image Comics launched in 2018 (more on that next week...stay tuned!), this is one of the best.

Immortal Hulk #11
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Joe Bennett
Inker: Ruy Jose
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
"HULK IN HELL" PART ONE!
Jackie McGee is in hell. Carl Creel is in hell. Walter Langkowski is in hell. Eugene Judd is in hell. Carl Burbank is in hell. Los Diablos is in hell. Shadow Base is in hell. New Mexico is in hell. Planet Earth is in hell. We are all in hell...
...and so is the IMMORTAL HULK.
Why It’s Cool: As you may or may not find out in this week’s forthcoming Best Comics of 2018, our committee of one absolutely loved Immortal Hulk last year, finding it to be a comic that both spoke to the essence of a classic character while pushing this franchise into novel new territories. This book, in other words, could do no wrong, and because of this, we’re very much excited to see where it’s all headed in the New Year. Based on preview text, that place is clearly hell, which, awesome.

The Walking Dead #187
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Charlie Adlard
Inker: Stefano Gaudiano
Gray Tones: Cliff Rathburn
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
"THE ROAD BACK"
Can Rick Grimes bring peace to the Commonwealth-or will he tear it apart?
Why It’s Cool: Although the jury is still out on whether it’s working, Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard are clearly trying to sophisticate and evolve the central metaphor at the heart of their long-running Walking Dead comic, perhaps to avoid the ironically slow death that seems to be afflicting the television show (what with the lead actor begging out, and everything). It remains to be seen, of course, whether they stick the landing, but the emotional heart of this current plotline is Michonne, and it’s pretty well-done, so much so I find the book engaging in a way it hasn’t felt since before Negan got put in that cage. There’s a weird metaphor at work here too, wherein the governor of the town where everyone is content and cared for, yet class discrepancy runs wild, looks a whole lot like Hillary Clinton, which has the lasting effect of reminding us of simpler times with more understated political problems. Kirkman et. al clearly thought like most of us that she would win and are left holding the bag...if only they could bring back Negan, who, let’s face it, is basically Trump.

Others Receiving Votes

Archie 1941 #1
Archie #701
BPRD Devil You Know #12
Detective Comics #995
Giant Days #46
Hex Wives #3
Justice League Odyssey #4
Marvel Knights 20th #5
Redneck #18
Shatterstar #4
Terrifics #11
Titans #32
Tony Stark: Iron Man #7
Unnatural #6
Winter Soldier #2

See our past top comics to buy here, and check our our reviews archive here.

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as BatmansBookcase. He also writes comics and is currently working hard to complete one.

Best Comics of 2018: Batman’s Bookcase Contributor Picks

December 28, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Various — Without our crack team of contributing writers, this site would just be one guy pretending to be furniture while churning out semi-coherent musings about comics. Yes, our super talented group of contributing writers are the lifeblood of Batman’s Bookcase, and as such, they have some pretty great takes about the Best Comics of 2018. From Allison continuing to surprise herself by riding hard for all things Thor to Taylor’s analytical impressions of the revived Wild Storm, there’s a lot to take in on this list.

So please now join our contributors on a trip through some of their favorite comics of 2018!

Allison Senecal

Euthanauts
Writer: Tini Howard
Artist: Nick Robles
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: IDW Black Crown
What can I even say about this series that hasn’t already been said by people (Scott Snyder, for one) who are way cooler than me? We already know 2019 is going to be the year of writer Tini Howard, and it sure as #$&% better be the year of artist Nick Robles too (Best Layouts of 2018 Award, not a thing...but it should be). The protagonist of this comic, Thalia, is far and away my favorite original character of the year, and she is just rendered so lovingly. What a heartfelt, at times darkly funny, and just flat-out interesting comic. With its almost cheerfully morbid (not to forget the gut-punches) fixation on death, Euthanauts is in many ways the perfect comic for 2018, but it sure has a lot of great things to tell us about living too.

Mighty Thor/Thor
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artists: Russell Dauterman, Mike del Mundo, Christian Ward, Jen Bartel, Various
Colorist: Matthew Wilson, Marco D’Alfonso
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Publisher: Marvel Comics
If you told me a decade ago that my favorite Big 2 comic would be Thor, I’d probably laugh nervously at you, but here we are, and it is. Aaron and whichever stellar artist he happens to be collaborating with month-to-month (Dauterman, Bartel, Del Mundo, Ward, Moore, to name but a handful) knock this book out of the park every single time. No hiccups, no filler, all heart and tons of action. I’ve cried with Jane Foster, I’ve wheezed with Odinson, and vice versa. I also like the prospects for this book in 2019, because buckle up, kiddos, the War of the Realms is coming, and if you haven’t caught up on this entire Aaron run, do that now before it arrives.

Read more of Allison’s thoughts about Euthanauts and Thor!

Allison buys books professionally and comics unprofessionally. You can find her chaotic neutral Twitter feed at @maliciousglee.

Jack Sharpe

The Unexpected
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Various
Colorist: Various
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Publisher: DC Comics
DC’s New Age of Heroes line produced some great comics, even if it sadly did not have sales legs. The best comic of the line for me however was The Unexpected. This book features a very personal tale while also going all out on the cosmic side of the DCU. Writer Steve Orlando crafted an amazing tale and while it’s sad this book is ending in January, there is still more greatness to come from Orlando with Martian Manhunter, which launched in December.

Read more about The Unexpected on our reviews page!

Jack Sharpe is a huge fan of history and comics. When he's not in the trenches surrounded by history, he's reading and studying comic books. You can follow him on Twitter at @JackJacksharpe5

Maya Kesh

Abbott
Writer: Saladin Ahmed
Artist: Sami Kivela
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
The ‘70s are my personal golden age of comics. The decade is when I began my journey, with Superman’s Girlfriend, Lois Lane as my gateway book. In 1972 I was 8 years old. I loved bell bottom jeans, the wider the better. I even used to buy flare jeans for my daughter until one day she told me that my loving them was no reason to force them upon her. So, when I read the solicitation for Abbott, I knew I had to add it to my pull list.

Abbott takes place at the end of 1972 and stars a black female reporter, Elena Abbott. Reading it this year, it felt as if somebody was writing a comic book just for me. I had high expectations throughout, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Writer Saladin Ahmed doesn’t flinch from including the racism and sexism of the time. Civil Rights had passed in 1964, just 8 years prior, and the Women’s Liberation (feminism) movement was starting to make waves. This is the context the story takes place within. Elena Abbott lives in a white man’s world and those around her don’t let her forget that. She’s also grieving her husband. There is a really touching flashback with Abbott listening to John Coltrane’s jazz masterpiece A Love Supreme, perfectly rendered by artist Sami Kivela.

The story mixes the supernatural with murders in Detroit, and Abbott is on the beat trying to figure out what is going on. Kivela’s art is a perfect fit, adding a texture and personality to the setting.

The supporting characters also feel alive, giving this story another important dimension. The highest compliment I can give this book, though, is that when Abbott ended, I was left wishing for more adventures with Elena as she climbed the professional ladder and began to rebuild her personal life. This was a clear highlight of 2018, and I really hope there is a second series.

Read more of Maya Kesh’s thoughts about Superman and Lois Lane!

Maya Kesh is a lifetime comic reader and a writer whose articles often focus on how women are portrayed in comics. You can follow her on Twitter at @mayak46

The Stewart Bros.

The Weather Man
Writer: Jody LeHeup
Artist: Nathan Fox
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Steve Wands
Publisher: Image Comics
The Weather Man by Jody Leheup and Nathan Fox combines sci-fi action with black comedy to spectacular effect. This book was one of the highlights of 2018. It also feels like it’s just warming up, and we can’t wait for what’s next.

Fearscape
Writer: Ryan O’Sullivan
Artist: Andrea Mutti
Colorist: Vladimir Popov
Lettering: Andworld Design
Publisher: Vault Comics
Fearscape by Ryan O’Sullivan and Andrea Mutti from Vault Comics is the best comic book story about storytelling since Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. Full stop. If you have ever embarked on a creative endeavor, this is a book that will speak to you.

Check out The Stewart Bros. Top 10 Comics of 2018!

Bo Stewart grinds for the Man by day so he can create comics by night. He is the lesser half of the Stewart Brothers writing team and can be found on Twitter and Instagram @stewart_bros

Taylor Pechter

Hawkman
Writer: Robert Venditti
Artist: Bryan Hitch
Inker: Andrew Currie
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Starkings & Comicraft
Publisher: DC Comics
This is, simply put, the sleeper hit of the year. Written by Robert Venditii (Hal Jordan and The Green Lantern Corps) and drawn by Bryan Hitch (The Authority), Hawkman explores the character of Carter Hall. It weaves a story about history and self-discovery that is intrinsic to his character. From its start back in June, this has been a must-read series. Not only is Venditti’s script immaculate in consolidating the convoluted nature of Carter’s origins, but Bryan Hitch is supplying the best artwork of his career. The art is big and cinematic, but it also contains a lot of emotion within it. I’ll be blunt: if you haven’t already, go read this series.

The Wild Storm
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt
Colorist: Steve Buccellato
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: DC Comics
A holdover from last year, Warren Ellis and Jon Davis-Hunt’s gritty, stripped-down, espionage-fueled retelling of the WildStorm Universe continued to chug along in 2018, in all its greatness. Not only did we see the formation of the proto-WildCATs and John Lynch searching down his Thunderbook agents before IO could get to them, but Ellis, like always, was a master of character interactions. His injection of dark humor also added a great edge to this book. Davis-Hunt’s art work continued to be simple yet also dynamic, featuring some of the best rendering of action in the business. The end of 2018 brought us to the end of the third of four arcs for this series. With all the pieces set in place, the final arc is sure to be a doozy, and I am all here for it.

Check out Taylor Pechter’s Top 5 Comics of 2018!

Taylor Pechter is a passionate comic book fan and nerd. Find him on Twitter @TheInspecter.

So there you have it. That concludes our contributor picks for 2018. Be sure to check back next week for more year-end lists, including Best Image Comics of 2018, Top Creators of 2018, and our official overall Best Comics of 2018!

Find more from our contributing writers on our comics analysis page, and check out our Best Comics of 2017 to see how those choices have aged!

The Batman’s Bookcase contributors are a super talented bunch, and we’re very lucky that they’ve chosen our site as a regular outlet for their thoughts and feelings about comics. Check back often in 2019 for more great pieces!

The Stewart Bros. Top 10 Comics of 2018

December 28, 2018 by Bo Stewart in Comics

By The Stewart Bros. — What a year for indie comics. Seriously, has there ever been a year packed with more stellar indie debuts? We tried our hardest to limit this list to 10, but it was just too hard. So, we’ve also included a couple bonus picks! Our list is comprised of 10 indie books (five from Image, three from Vault, and one each from BOOM! Studios and IDW - Black Crown) and two from the Big 2. Ten…yes TEN of our picks have a #1 issue that was released in 2018. The future of comics is bright, indeed.

Gideon Falls by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino (Image Comics): No story has better executed the strange people in a strange town trope, at least not since Twin Peaks. Artist, Andrea Sorrentino has crafted some of the most creative page layouts in comics for this book, and we absolutely love it.

Euthanauts by Tini Howard and Nick Robles (IDW Black Crown): A smart, stunningly-rendered trip down a mortality rabbit hole. This series makes death feel beautiful, not foreboding. No small feat.

The Weather Man by Jody Leheup and Nathan Fox (Image Comics): Combines sci-fi action with black comedy to spectacular effect. The Weather Man feels like it’s just warming up and we can’t wait for what’s next.

These Savage Shores by Ram V and Sumit Kumar (Vault Comics): Top to bottom this might be the most beautifully-realized comic on the shelves right now. Everything about it, from the story to the art, is gorgeous.

Kill or be Killed by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image Comics): I can’t remember the last time a series reached such a satisfying conclusion. This instant classic is only four volumes, so time and commitment are not reasons to skip this crime thriller. In fact, we can’t think of any reason to not read this one.

Mister Miracle by Tom King and Mitch Gerads (DC Comics): The Eisner-winning creative team concluded this masterpiece in spectacular fashion. This is an all-time great story about the humanity behind superheroes.

Bone Parish by Cullen Bunn and Jonas Scharf (BOOM Comics): This book is Breaking Bad with a horror angle set in a gorgeously-rendered New Orleans. Cullen Bunn is the king of horror comics right now, and books like this make it easy to see why.

Murder Falcon by Daniel Warren Johnson (Image Comics): This comic rocks just as hard as the title implies. No one composes better pages than Daniel Warren Johnson. Each page is a piece of art unto itself.

Fearscape by Ryan O’Sullivan and Andrea Mutti (Vault Comics): The best comic about storytelling since Sandman. Full stop. If you have ever embarked on a creative endeavor, this one will speak to you.

The Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing and Joe Bennett (Marvel Comics): This Big 2 book reads like an indie title, and we mean that as a high compliment. More creative freedom, more great comics.

BONUS PICKS!!

Isola by Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl (Image Comics): World building at it’s finest. This character driven story is immersive and heavy with gorgeous atmosphere.

Friendo by Alex Paknadel and Martin Simmonds (Vault Comics): Is modern technology sweet? Yes. Is it also subtly terrifying? Yes. No book explores this contradiction better than Friendo.

Find more writing about comics from The Stewart Bros. on our reviews page!

Taylor Pechter's Top 5 Comics of 2018

December 28, 2018 by Taylor Pechter in Comics

By Taylor Pechter

1. Hawkman
Writer: Robert Venditti
Artist: Bryan Hitch
Publisher: DC Comics

The sleeper hit of the year. Written by Robert Venditti (Hal Jordan and The Green Lantern Corps) and drawn by Bryan Hitch (The Authority), Hawkman explores the character of Carter Hall. It weaves a story about history and self-discovery that is intrinsic to his character. From its start back in June, this has been a must-read series. Not only is Venditti’s script immaculate in consolidating the convoluted nature of Carter’s origins, but Bryan Hitch is supplying the best artwork of his career. The art is big and cinematic but also contains a lot of emotion within it. Go read this series

Read more about why we like Hawkman!

2. The Wild Storm
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt
Publisher: DC Comics

A holdover from last year, Warren Ellis and Jon Davis-Hunt’s gritty, stripped-down, espionage-fueled retelling of the WildStorm Universe continued to chug along in 2018 and continue its greatness. Not only did we see the formation of the proto-WildCATs and John Lynch searching down his Thunderbook agents before IO gets a hand on them. Ellis, like always, is a master in character interactions. His injection of dark humor also adds a great edge to the book. Davis-Hunt’s art work continues to be simple, but also dynamic with some of the best rendering of action in the business. The end of 2018 brings us to the end of the third of four arcs. With all the pieces set in place, the final arc is sure to be a doozy, and I am all here for it.

3. Justice League Dark
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Alvaro Martinez Bueno
Publisher: DC Comics

Re-teaming hot creative team James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno straight off their acclaimed run of Detective Comics, Justice League Dark focuses on the mystical side of the DC Universe. Formed by Wonder Woman after the events of Justice League: No Justice, titular team works to discover something amiss in the magic community. Much like his run on Detective, Tynion is an expert in character voices and dynamics. Wonder Woman, Zatanna, Man-Bat, Detective Chimp, Swamp Thing, and many more have great interactions with each other that help add a personality to this book. Martinez Bueno’s art is astonishingly detailed and creepy paired perfectly with Brad Anderson’s moody but vibrant color palate.

4. Doomsday Clock
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank
Publisher: DC Comics

The series that never ends. Jokes about the delays aside, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s examination of the DC Universe through the eyes of Watchmen characters continues to be one of the most illuminating reads on the shelves whenever it does actually come out. How Johns expertly moves from dark and dour to hopeful and optimistic is a hallmark of his writing. His scripts are dense and complex, heavy with nuance. Gary Frank continues to be one of, if not THE, best artists in the business. He is a master of rendering and emotion, capturing both the bleak tone of Watchmen and the light tone of the DC Universe. He is also joined again here by colorist extraordinaire Brad Anderson. The release of issue eight brought this year to an end with a bang, both literally and figuratively.

5. Action Comics
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Patrick Gleason, Yanick Paquette, Ryan Sook
Publisher: DC Comics

In November 2017 it was announced that industry heavyweight Brian Michael Bendis was jumping from Marvel to DC. Speculation arose to which character he would write. In February of this year, it was announced he would write the six-issue mini series Man of Steel, a callback to the 1986 John Byrne-penned book of the same name. Bendis would then subsequently take over both Superman and Action Comics, focusing on two different aspects of the character. The main Superman book would focus on cosmic level threats and big action, while Action would be a more grounded take focusing on Clark Kent the journalist. This is an aspect that is barley touched upon in modern Superman stories, and it’s also what hooked me right away. Bendis’ main focus is on the Daily Planet. With Lois away working on writing a book, they have lost one of their premier reporters. Not only that, but a rash of unexpected fires have started popping up and a shady underground criminal organization is rising from the underbelly of Metropolis. Clark the reporter is on the case. Like most investigative journalism, there are a lot of steps to be traced. Bendis takes advantage of that by focusing on two new characters he created: fire chief Melody Moore and upstart Planet employee Robinson Goode. Intrigue is abundant as Bendis uses his signature snappy dialogue to give new life not only to the Planet newsroom but to Metropolis in general. Joining Bendis on art duties is Patrick Gleason, Yanick Paquette, and Ryan Sook. Each of them lend their unique style, adding richness to the characters and the world around them.

Taylor Pechter is a passionate comic book fan and nerd. Find him on Twitter @TheInspecter.

The ComiXology Holiday Sales Guide: Buy a Present for Yourself

December 28, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — For many of us comics fans, the holiday shopping season has come and gone now. Maybe (like me) you made it clear that you want comics, and maybe you got some comics (not to brag, but my family and friends got me two Lone Wolf & Cub omnibuses, tons of LCS gift cards, a couple of Saga Funkos, and the Becoming Andy Warhol graphic novel). You know what one of the most enticing things about this hobby is, though? With comics, there are always more.

So, why not get yourself a gift? I know I certainly did yesterday morning, taking ample advantage of comiXology’s epic holiday digital comics sales. From Marvel to Image to DC, there’s a lot to like on there at some pretty great prices. So much to like, in fact, that it can feel a little overwhelming—which is why we’re here with today’s ComiXology Holiday Sales Guide. There are literally thousands of choices to peruse, so many we surely missed some, and we, of course, don’t share your exact tastes. Still, what you’ll find below is a sampling of some of our favorites.

Let’s check it out!

*Special Note: The Marvel and DC sales will run through the early part of the New Year, while the Image sales will end tonight.*

Top Picks

If you want to be responsible (unlike me) and just buy yourself a relatively reasonable $50 worth of comics, we’ve done our best to make it easier for you with this section, highlighting what we think are some of the overall best deals on the site. Below you will find some fantastic and *mostly* self contained selections

Dark Knight: A True Batman Story - $4.99
Writer: Paul Dini
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Letterer: Todd Klein
Publisher: Vertigo Comics
This is an autobiographical Batman story, odd as that may sound. It details Paul Dini working on the classic Batman: The Animated Series cartoon, writing and contributing to many legendary episodes. During this time, Dini suffers a brutal mugging and attack, nearly losing his life. This graphic novel is the story of how his working with Batman stories helped him through the trauma, original and unique and brought to life by Eduardo Risso.

Ice Cream Man, Vol. 1 - $5.39
Writer: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Martin Morazzo
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Good Old Neon
Ice Cream Man is an incredibly well-done horror anthology comic, wherein the only throughlines are W. Maxwell Prince’s phenomenal existential horror stories, Martin Morazzo’s incredible linework, and the creepy titular Ice Cream Man. A take on Tales From the Crypt for 2018, wherein the biggest threats were supposed to be nice.

Infidel - $5.39
Writer: Pornsak Pichetshote
Artist: Aaron Campbell
Colorist: Jose Villarrubia
Letterer: Jeff Powell
Horror was a common theme this year, and Pornsak Pichetshote and Aaron Campbell’s comic Infidel was one of the best. This five-issue story sees an American Muslim woman and her multi-racial neighbors living in a building haunted by monsters that feed on xenophobia. This is an honest and unflinching look at discrimination and societal ills.

Saga of the Swamp Thing (Complete) - $29.94
Writer: Alan Moore
Artists: Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, Dan Day, Rick Veitch, Shawn McManus, Alfredo Alcala, Ron Randall, Stan Woch, Tom Mandrake, Tom Yeates, & Berni Wrightson
Colorist: Tatjana Wood
Letterer: John Costanza & Todd Klein
Arguably one of the best values this holiday season is the $30 fans can pay for the entirety of Alan Moore’s classic Saga of the Swamp Thing. The comic that paved the way for his later work on books like Watchmen, this story is a must-read for serious fans of the medium.

Thanos Wins - $3.39
Writer: Donny Cates
Artist: Geoff Shaw
Colorist: Antonio Fabela
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
In 2018, writer Donny Cates went from rising start to one of the guiding voices at Marvel Comics, and arguably his boldest statement was his work on Thanos Wins. It’s big, its brash, and it’s all kinds of ridiculous. Cates is clearly a creator with something to say, and he’s hellbent on finding the most satisfying ways to say it. Don’t miss this one.

Image Comics

We try not to play favorites here (at least not between the Big 2), but pound-for-pound, Image Comics is usually our favorite publisher, putting out new and ongoing creator-owned books from industry heavy weights every damn month. The list below is a pretty decent encapsulation of some recent favorites.

Gideon Falls Vol. 1 - $3.59
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Andrea Sorrentino
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Steve Wands
The next big Image book has arrived, and it’s Gideon Falls. The price is right for the first volume, which starts off feeling like an homage to Twin Peaks and grows into something all its own. Be ready to become unsettled.

Monstress Vol. 1, 2, & 3 - $14.37
Writer: Marjorie Liu
Artist: Sana Takeda
Letterer: Rus Wooton
This is probably the best complete comic on the stands today, this side of Saga. If you haven’t read it yet, reading all three volumes back-to-back is an incredible treat, and you shouldn’t hesitate to pick them all up now.

Rock Candy Mountain Vol 1. & Vol. 2 - $8.98
Writer/Artist: Kyle Starks
Colorist: Chris Schweizer
One of the funniest comics I’ve ever read. Rock Candy Mountain is brutally entertaining in its simplicity, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Skyward Vol. 1 - $3.59
Writer: Joe Henderson
Artist: Lee Garbett
Colorist: Antonio Fabela
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Another deceptively simple comic, Skyward is a tour de force in narrative structure and tone. The pacing in the first act is incredible, using big scientific extrapolations and ideas like a path of gold coins to lead readers through the action.

Snotgirl Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 - $3.59 & $5.39
Writer: Bryan Lee O’Malley
Artist: Leslie Hung
Colorist: Mickey Quinn
Letterer: Mare Odomo
Snotgirl reads like an Instagram fever dream violently colliding with whip smart commentary on the value system that radiates to the rest of the country from a starting point somewhere chic in LA. It’s an important and singular comic with an unmatched aesthetic. It has broad appeal and, in spite of the pretty colors, is not to be taken lightly.

DC Comics (Superheroes)

DC Comics has a line-wide $4.99 for trades sale that encompasses almost all of the publishers collections. My run is admittedly a bit backwards-looking (three of my five picks here predate the New 52), since I’ve already collected the vast majority of the more recent Rebirth trades. Still, I don’t think you can go wrong gifting any of the comics below to yourself.

Grant Morrison’s Batman Run - $40
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Various
One of my all-time favorite runs with the Bat characters is easily Grant Morrison’s, in spite of it being upended a bit by Flashpoint and the advent of the New 52. This run reads like a grand adventure through the character’s past present. A full list of the volumes you need to pick up to complete it (all of which are $4.99, btw) is below:

Batman: Batman and Son (Deluxe Edition)
Batman: R.I.P.
Batman & Robin Vol. 1, 2, & 3
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
Batman: Incorporated Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

Green Arrow/Green Lantern - $4.99
Writer: Dennis O’Neil (and Elliot Maggin)
Artist: Neal Adams
Colorists: Cory Adams & Jack Adler
Letterers: John Costanza & Joe Letterese
This is a study in comics with political messages from the past, and a particularly groundbreaking one (for that time, obviously) at that. It could also have renewed relevancy soon with Grant Morrison and Liam Sharp teasing a new Lantern/Arrow green team-up in the back of their recent The Green Lantern #1 comic.

Sideways Vol. 1 - $4.99
Writers: Dan DiDio & Justin Jordan
Artist: Kenneth Rocafort
I’m an apologist for the New Age of Heroes Line (RIP...basically), and this book is a big part of the reason why. It’s a great modern teen superhero take in the DC Universe, which checks a good many of my boxes. It’s also a somewhat uncomplicated read, for being a story of a kid who can suddenly jump through dimensions.

Superman: Secret Identity Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 - $10
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Kurt Busiek has long been one of my favorite writers in comics for the level of realism he’s able to achieve by putting himself into the minds of his characters, and this comic is one of the crowning achievements in that regard. It essentially imagines in a realistic way what it would be like to have a real Superman (who grew up reading about Superman) on Earth, and it does so without the usual cynicism that marks superhero deconstructions.

The Omega Men
Writer: Tom King
Artists: Barnaby Bagenda, Toby Cypress, & Ig Guara
This was the first in what I’ve come to call the Help me I’m silently in lots of pain ouvere popularized by Tom King within recent superhero comics. It’s also one of the most traditionally superhero-y of his work, which makes it a bit easier to read that stories like Mister Miracle or Heroes in Crisis.

DC Comics (Vertigo)

The following are my picks for the top 5 seminal Vertigo series you can get right if you’re willing to drop between $50 to $80 a piece for them. These are all among my favorite comics ever. Go with Astro City for something on the optimistic side, 100 Bullets or Scalped for gritty, Sandman for literary, and Y: The Last Man for commentary on societal gender roles and bit of human sexuality.

100 Bullets
Writer: Brian Azzarello
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Whole Series Price: $70

Astro City
Writer: Kurt Busiek
Artist: Brett Anderson
Whole Series Price: $80

Sandman
Writer: Neil Gaiman
Artist: Various
Whole Series Price: $55

Scalped
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: R. M. Guéra‎
Whole Series Price: $50

Y: The Last Man
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Pia Guerra
Whole Series Price: $50

Marvel Comics

Marvel digital sales are different, in that since their excellent Marvel Unlimited streaming service makes all comics older than six months available in perpetuity, for many of those subscribers there’s really no point in indulging in this. I, however, like to collect Marvel digital trades (the kind that are not eligible for ComiXology unlimited borrowing), and below you will find five of my recent picks.

Essential and Masterwork Marvel Volumes
The best deals in any of these sales can be found through the essential Marvel volumes, which tend to run about $5 or $6. They each include literally hundreds of pages of 1960s Marvel, an era that is to this day unparalleled in the creative fruit it bore, including the creation of a wide berth of some of the most famous pop culture IP on the planet still. This is Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and more at their best. These stories give real world characteristics to folks with fantastic powers for the first time, all while shaping what a shared universe can be. Below are some of my picks (which violate my no unlimited choices rule, but still).

Amazing Spider-Man Masterworks Vol. 1 - $5.09
Avengers Masterworks Vol. 1 - $5.09
Fantastic Four Masterworks Vol 1. - $5.09
Incredible Hulk Masterworks Vol. 1 - $3.39
Thor Masterworks Vol. 1 - $5.09

Moon Knight Vol. 1, 2, & 3 - $7.62
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Greg Smallwood and various
A trippy adventure into the most splintered psyche in all of comics. I recommend this one to both long-time fans of the character and Moon Knight neophytes.

Mutant X - $5.94
Writers: Howard Mackie, Jay Faerber, & Ben Raab
Artists: Tom Raney, Cary Nord, Pasqual Ferry, Mike S. Miller, and Javier Saltares with Yancey Labat, J.J. Kirby, Michael Kaluta, John Romita Sr., John Byrne, J.G. Jones, & Michael Gordon
Inkers: Andrew Pepoy, Pasqual Ferry & Saleem Crawford with Walden Wong, Scott Elmer, Johnny Greene, Derek Mei, Scott Koblish, Harry Candelario, Michael Wm. Kaluta, John Romita Sr., John Byrne, J.G. Jones, & Michael Gordon
Colorists: Gina Going, Joe Andreani, & Jason Wright
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulus
Wow, that’s one heck of a credits section for this book. This one is admittedly a nostalgia pick for me. My first alternate reality comic, it follows Havok as he explores an alternate dimension where the X-Men are all a bit more late ‘90s goth than in the usual continuity. I have fond memories and am looking forward to re-visiting this one now that I’ve gotten it from the holiday sale.

She-Hulk Vol. 1, 2, & 3 - $8.47
Writer: Mariko Tamaki
Artists: Various
This is a darker take on the Hulk heroine, really delving into how a psyche can be riven by rage. It’s a different sort of story for Jen Walters, whose most famous adventures have largely been lighter in tone, but it’s one that continues to have implications for the current status quo of the character. Tamaki is also a nuanced and powerful writer.

Silver Surfer Vol 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Mike Allred
This is my all-time favorite Silver Surfer story, and one of my favorite superhero runs on any character in the past decade. Dan Slott and Mike Allred craft an intergalactic and nigh-timeless love story that unfurls throughout a series of incredibly entertaining episodic vignettes. If that wasn’t enough, the creators here often push the boundaries of the form. Snag all of these volumes, and get ready to bliss out for the duration.

BOOM! Studios

With BOOM! Studios, there are a few key franchises I’d recommend checking out. The brilliant slice-of-life comedy Giant Days is consistently one of the best comics on the stands. While Grant Morrison and Dan Mora’s mythical Santa Claus re-imagining Klaus is well-worth a read. Finally, Victor LaValle’s Destroyer was one of the best Mary Shelley-influenced works I’ve ever read.

Phew. That was a lot, but irresponsible spending loves company. So in conclusion I’ll just say, I hope you’ll be joining me on this year end digital comics binge!

See our past top comics to buy here, and check our our reviews archive here.

Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as BatmansBookcase.

Superman is many things, and boring isn’t one of them

December 13, 2018 by Maya Kesh in Comics

By Maya Kesh — Superman is boring. At this point, that criticism has become so tired that it’s become boring itself. Still, I can’t help but wonder why it’s such a common attack against one of fiction’s greatest character. Why? The answer is invariably that he’s too strong, leaving no reason to fear that anything will happen to him. Never mind that realistically there also isn’t fear that something will happen to Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man and the rest—the underlying conceit of every superhero story is that good triumphs over evil.

Beyond that, however, I don’t understand why Superman’s powers translate in to him being called a boring character. I’ve been contemplating this criticism a lot lately, and in this piece I’d like to directly address it, making a case for why Superman is easily one of the most compelling characters in all of comics by looking at everything from his powers to his origin to the humanity he displays as Clark Kent.

Superman’s Powers and Origin

He doesn’t use his powers to help himself (Silver Age goofiness aside), as such, he’s not an arrogant god. As many (if not all) fans know, Superman in 1938 was far less powerful than he is now. He was a more of street level character who couldn’t yet fly. The bare bones were there. A baby from another planet. Disguised as Clark Kent. Worked with Lois Lane, etc.

As the years went by the character’s abilities grew and grew. Soon he could fly. He could move planets around. He was the most powerful character in the DC Universe.

One thing that did not change, however, was his origin. He stayed an alien even as his childhood backstory was expanded upon. Instead of nameless kindly motorists, Jonathan and Martha Kent found him and raised him as their own. He grows up to disguise himself as Clark Kent, who works as a reporter at the Daily Planet. This itself is remarkable. He could do and be anything, and he decided to be a reporter to uncover injustice as he also fought it as his alter ego.

Superman’s Values and the ‘Nice Guy’ Argument

His core goodness is another trait often pointed to as a problem. He’s too good. Where are his flaws? I’ve always felt this is a larger misinterpretation of what good means. Too often we celebrate the tortured anti hero. Something terrible must have happened to our hero to send him off to right wrongs. How could a man brought up in a stable household with two loving parents understand struggle? What is his motivation?

This brings me to some questions of my own: why does there need to be a motivation to want to help the world to be a better place? Why is a core of decency something to sneer at or dismiss as dull?

This isn’t the same thing as the “nice guy” argument, wherein people performatively act a certain way in order to get rewards. “Why won’t she go out with me…I’m such a nice guy!” That kind of talk is passive aggressive hostility, expecting the world owes one something.

That is not Superman. He is doing what he does because he cares about the planet, never expecting a return on his investment. He truly is a complex character. Just imagine being flung out as a baby in to space, crash landing on another planet, and then as time goes on you find you can do things nobody else can or ever could. You have to hide that side of yourself out of fear that the world would turn against you. You are neither human nor Kryptonian. You walk a line where you never know what it is like to truly belong.

Superman and Clark Kent, a Complex Whole

I’ve always disliked the “Superman is what I can do, Clark is who I am” line from the Lois and Clark TV show in the ‘90s. I think it is far too simplistic.

Superman is more than what he can do. Being Superman is an essential part of who he is. Meanwhile, Clark is not all that he is either, because he spent his life on the fringes. He couldn’t race to school. He couldn’t play rough games with his friends in fear of hurting them. He had to learn to control his powers, powers that are as much a part of him as our senses are a part of us.

Superman and Clark Kent are parts of a whole, a whole he can only share with a few trusted people in his life. His parents, a few childhood friends, and, later, Lois Lane.

When he first makes his debut as Superman, you’d expect the population to fear him. Writer Mark Waid and artist Leinil Francis Yu’s Birthright mini-series explores this really well. We see that as Superman our hero is really worried about how he’ll be received. As a result, his joy when Lois Lane meets him as Superman and is not in the least bit afraid is a wonderful moment.

The emotional toll it takes hiding parts of himself on a daily basis, never able to fully be himself as either Clark Kent or Superman is just so rich with storytelling possibilities.

This is a character with emotions, and a character who gets angry and jealous. Sad. Petty. All the normal emotions everyone feels. Being a fundamentally good person doesn’t negate that these emotions roil around within him, and certainly does not make him boring. However, he does have a greater burden because of his immense power, and he has to be very careful not to abuse it.

There is a scene in the movie Man of Steel where he has to endure the harassment of truckers at a truck stop where he’s working. He indulges his petty side by messing with the trucker’s truck. His momentary lapse doesn’t then mean he’s not living up to the Superman mantle. Not doing something like that is a level of perfection (which I contend is unattainable) that he himself aspires to achieve. He is not a perfect man, no matter how badly he wants to be. Ultimately, he’s flawed like everyone else.

Superman’s and misconceptions

Another misinterpretation is that he is naïve, that because he sees the best in humanity somehow means he doesn’t understand the worst. I don’t agree with this. I think he understands the worst. He understands evil. How could he not, fighting what the sort of threats he fights? That he manages to rise above the cynicism and continues to battle for justice in hopes that, to paraphrase Martin Luther King Jr., the moral arc though long will indeed bend towards justice. This isn’t willful blindness to the horrors around us but a deep belief that we and he are better than the lowest common denominator.

This, I think, sometimes gets lost. In the rush for the superficial complexity of the tortured hero driven by external forces, we lose sight of the true complexity of those doing good because of a natural internal drive. We as a society have, I think, become cynical towards this idea that people do good because it is the right thing to do. Our default mode is to wonder what the catch could be.

Superman in 2018

I don’t think Superman is boring, especially not given the nature of our modern times. In fact, I strongly believe that Superman needs to be written in the time he is living in. These days the blinders have been lifted, and many of us are seeing first hand a rising threat from global nationalism. A push back against immigrants. A fear of those who look and talk differently. It all makes me wonder: if we can’t accept each other, how would we accept a man from another planet?

The world Superman lives in today is a lot more complex because we’re globally connected in ways we’ve never been before. Communication is instantaneous. The character though doesn’t need to respond with darkness to the events around him. There will, of course, be frustration. However, not succumbing to that frustration and becoming Batman-lite, if you will, is its own challenge, and a fascinating one at that. How do you live day to day seeing all the destruction happening around you while knowing you could stop it in a second? How do you live while having immense power within and not devolve in to megalomania?

Superman does this literally every day. His core decency and honor should not be dismissed as naiveite or mocked as boy scout behavior. Instead, it should be seen for what it is: a fascinating study of what makes a hero driven by the belief that the universe is better than what he sees in front of him.

We need heroes like this, heroes who do what they do because they only want to do right. They aren’t searching for external praise or validation or even revenge. There is huge difference in my mind in understanding the challenges of the world around us in a realistic way without succumbing to the cynicism that there is no hope, that we're a doomed species.

Superman, I think, is one of the hardest of characters to get right because to do so, one has to let go of the idea people are fundamentally in it for themselves, or that believing in nobility is for the foolish. I really don’t think it is. I don’t think honor is a boring trait. I think Superman’s core of kindness, compassion, empathy and decency makes him a fascinating character. It’s easier to fall prey to despair; it’s harder to keep from falling in to cynicism. Yet he does this. Day after day.

Superman is so much more than the sum of his powers. He is a man who could control the world but instead cherishes the people around him and sees himself as one of us, not an infallible god. When we look beyond the punches? We see the true hero, and he’s one for the ages.

Maya Kesh is a lifetime comic reader and a writer whose articles often focus on how women are portrayed in comics. You can follow her on Twitter at @mayak46

Top Comics to Buy for December 5, 2018

December 03, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — This week is brimming with tough choice, so many that we actually ended up including a whopping seven total books in our top comics section, where I don’t think we’ve ever previously exceeded six. Most weeks, in fact, we keep it to five, and that’s plenty. So, what exactly happened this week?

Well, for starters DC Comics had one of its best weeks all year, with a pair of great new series launching, Doomsday Clock making its scope clearer, Deathstroke returning to form, and continued solid performers like Justice League, Batman, The Green Lantern, and Border Town all taking huge leaps forward with their plots. On top of that Marvel was no slouch and Image also launched some great new series. Simply put, this week is an embarrassment of riches, one likely to complicate holiday budgets for many comics fans.

What are we waiting for? Let’s get to the books!

Top Comics to Buy for December 5, 2018

*PICK OF THE WEEK*

Doomsday Clock #8
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
The critical and commercial hit series by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank continues following the shocking revelations of last issue. As the truth behind Dr. Manhattan's actions against the DC Universe are revealed, Ozymandias turns to the only being who can stop him: Superman.
Why It’s Cool: Before the first issue of Doomsday Clock hit, writer Geoff Johns made some oblique comments in interviews about the story being inspired by the 2016 presidential election. The unprecedented and chaotic nature of that election, and the sheer volume of societal corners it touched, made it hard to understand what he could possibly mean by that. This issue makes it a bit clearer, while still leaving the full ambitions of this story obscured in an intriguing way. It’s also a compelling comic book with clear and consequential stakes. Recommended.

Deathstroke #38
Writer: Priest
Artist: Fernando Pasarin
Inker: Jason Paz
Colorist: Jeromy Cox
Letterer: Willie Schubert
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Deathstroke finally meets his match: Arkham Asylum?! Now an inmate, Slade Wilson must prove his sanity so he can stop an alien invasion (what?). Before he can even attempt a breakout, he's got to face off against angry Arkham inmates out to get him. And what's Two-Face's role in all this mayhem? He keeps showing up in two places at once! Meanwhile, Deathstroke's daughter, Rose Wilson, is kidnapped! Can Jericho save his sister?
Why It’s Cool: For my money, Deathstroke has easily been one of the best shared universe corporate superhero comics in the past two and a half years, telling a story wherein the seeds of seemingly inconsequential moments continue to flower into consequential plot points, essentially using the long-form periodical medium’s unique strengths. The recent Batman crossover now feels like a bit of a detour, but after Deathstroke #38 I’m happy to say this book is back on its excellent track. Artist Fernando Pasarin is also doing career best work here, making this comic worth buying for the art alone.

Die #1
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Stephanie Hans
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
THE WICKED + THE DIVINE writer KIERON GILLEN teams up with artist supernova STEPHANIE HANS (THE WICKED + THE DIVINE 1831, Journey Into Mystery) for her first ongoing comic! DIE is a pitch-black fantasy where a group of forty-something adults have to deal with the returning unearthly horror they barely survived as teenage role-players. If Kieron's in a rush, he describes it as "Goth Jumanji." That only captures a sliver of what you'll find in oversized debut issue-where fantasy gets all too real.
Why It’s Cool: I’m tempted to just put Because it’s a Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans ongoing...Nuff said! here, but that’s probably a bit of a disservice and also I’m more verbose than that, although the fantastic creative team is a big part of the reason Die lands here. What’s more is that this title has a really interesting concept: it’s a black fantasy that sees grown-ass adults returning to close the loop on some magical horror they barely survived as teens, a horror they awoke essentially by playing Dungeons and Dragons. Basically, Die is just a great mix of creators, concept, and things fans will be interested in. It could very well be Image Comics next big book.

The Green Lantern #2
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Liam Sharp
Colorist: Steve Oliff
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Someone is transporting a mysterious cargo out of the Great Void, and it spells trouble for the universe at large! Hal Jordan interrogates a member of the Spider Guild for answers and uses his pheremones as an interrogation tool, but can he extract the info in time?! Meanwhile, Volgar Ro makes a play for Earth while its emerald protector is off-world!
Why It’s Cool: The Green Lantern #1 had all the trappings of a new landmark run on a long-time character (which Grant Morrison has done in the past, see Batman, specifically), and now The Green Lantern #2 keeps it going. This series is a hard-boiled psychedelic tropey police procedural in space, and so far we absolutely love it.

Immortal Hulk #10
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Joe Bennett
Inker: Ruy Jose
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
Gamma Flight was too late. Shadow Base is infiltrated. Crusher Creel is damned. And the One Below All walks upon Earth. Now, in the place he was born, the Immortal Hulk is the last thing standing between the world of the living...and the GREEN DOOR.
Why It’s Cool: Immortal Hulk is, simply put, the best superhero comic coming out right now. It makes our top comics to buy every time it comes out, and it will continue to do so barring a major and surprising shift in quality. This comic is great. It’s the combination of The Incredible Hulk, Twin Peaks, and old school horror filmmaking we didn’t know we’d been missing, and you should without question be reading it.

Martian Manhunter #1
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Riley Rossmo
Colorist: Ivan Plascencia
Letterer: Deron Bennett
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
No matter what you know about J'onn J'onnz, you're not prepared for this! The acclaimed team of writer Steve Orlando and artist Riley Rossmo (BATMAN/ THE SHADOW, BATMAN: NIGHT OF THE MONSTER MEN) reteam for a reinvention of the Manhunter from Mars in this twisted, unexpected series. Back on Mars, J'onn was about as corrupt as a law officer can be, and when a reckoning comes for his entire society, he'll get a second chance he doesn't want or deserve! One shocking murder, and an unexpected fragment of the Mars he lost, will change his life-and the course of the Earth-forever!
Why It’s Cool: Steve Orlando doesn’t write bad debut issues, and his newest comic is no exception. He does a great job with the basics here, introducing us to our cast, clueing us in on his protagonist’s deepest desires and most pressing concerns, and laying track for the mystery that will presumably move this book forward through the next 11 chapters. Oh, and Riley Rossmo’s pliant martian artwork is fittingly of another world.

Shazam #1
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Dale Eaglesham & Mayo “Sen” Naito (backup story)
Colorist: Mike Atiyeh
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
The superstar team of writer Geoff Johns and artist Dale Eaglesham reunite to launch the first all-new SHAZAM! monthly title set in the DC Universe in almost 20 years! (What took you guys so long?!) Teenager turned super-hero Billy Batson struggles to balance school and superheroics! (Guess which one is more fun?) But when Shazam unlocks a shocking secret deep within the Rock of Eternity, it challenges everything he knows about the worlds of magic and his family's future as its champions! Also, witness the bizarre team-up of Dr. Sivana and Mr. Mind as they set off to build a society all their own! Don't miss the start of an epic run in the making as "Shazam and the Seven Realms" begins!
Why It’s Cool: This is an absolutely adorable comic that captures the elements of this character and his wider family that make it so special. It’s a great debut in that it seems built to appeal to both long-time fans of the character and those reading a Shazam! comic for the first time. There’s even a fun nod to the characters bygone (and rightful) name.

Others Receiving Votes

Batman #60
Border Town #4
Crowded #5
The Dreaming #4
Her Infernal Descent #5
Justice League #13
Lodger #2
Low Road West #4
Marvel Knights 20th #3
Snotgirl #12
Unnatural #5
Venom #9
The Walking Dead #186
The Wicked + The Divine #40
Wrong Earth #4

See our past top comics to buy here, and check our our reviews archive here.

FIRST COMICS: How Amazing Spider-Man #327 created a new comics fan

November 30, 2018 by Theron Couch in Comics

By Theron Couch — One wonders if Peter Parker would be any fun at parties, following guests who don’t have napkins for their drink and insisting, With great power comes great responsibility…to not leave rings on tables. Or perhaps he’d examine each cocktail hors d’oeuvres to see if his spider sense is triggered, With great power comes great responsibility…to prevent food poisoning. Seriously—you never want to get sick off the cocktail shrimp. It sounds funny, but this is the kind of responsibility overdrive that was alive and well in the first Spider-Man comic book that came my way as a younger reader, Amazing Spider-Man #327.

As the story in this book would make clear, it turns out there’s good reason for Peter’s sense of overwhelming caution. Today I want to look at the elements that made this book so impactful for me as a reader, as well as the story and artwork’s strenghts and nuances.

Amazing Spider-Man #327

The Cover: As if Erik Larsen and Al Gordon’s dynamic art didn’t sell the idea that Spider-Man—complete with energy blast powers—is fighting Magneto, a word bubble on the cover also makes that clear. In fact, the word bubble gives away the fight’s ending, which to me reinforces that writer David Michelinie’s real story is about something else.

The First Page: A full page spread with a word balloon of exposition informs the reader that Spider-Man’s powers are expanding in new ways that he doesn’t understand. It’s a solid scene-setter. The image of Spidey looking at the molecular formula of his web fluid—as depicted by webs—is also a bizarre enough one to immediately make readers want to turn the page.

The Story: Spider-Man was a busy fellow at the end of 1989. He was swept up in Marvel’s Acts of Vengeance while also smack dab in the process of getting the power of Captain Universe. Amazing Spider-Man #327 is primarily a rumination of Peter’s sense of responsibility (the one that keeps away those invites to parties), and the ultimate vehicle for that is a fight with Magneto. The fight between Magneto and Spider-Man is never a contest. During the battle, Spider-Man uses the Captain Universe powers to successfully lift a fully-loaded barge, deploy energy blasts, transform a crane to glass just by thinking, form his web fluid into a giant bat to hit a car, and fly. Unfortunately the car Spider-Man dispatches hits a yacht—this is where the flying comes in—and if no one can rescue the passengers, they’ll drown. As Spider-Man handles that crisis, Magneto departs and the fight ends in a weird draw. Back home Peter laments that, as he’d predicted, his powers were too much to handle and others nearly paid the price.

The Heavy Hand of Michelinie: I always forget when I read comic books from the ‘80s and earlier just how much story used to be packed into a single issue. For starters, the books themselves were several pages longer. They also frequently still used third person narration and thought balloons. This is all a way of saying how much easier it was to do what writer David Michelinie did back then. Michelinie wrote this one like a dog that won’t let go of a bone. Having introduced the idea of responsibility in the opening panels, Michelinie turns it into an overt theme within just a couple of pages. Scenes with Flash Thompson and the exploration of Peter’s new powers reinforce this concern in the reader’s head to the point that when the fight with Magneto begins, Peter doesn’t need to say—or think—anything on the topic; every single one of his defensive moves leaves the reader thinking, Damn—who’d he just horrifically injure? The impact to the yacht is the exclamation point everyone was waiting for, poised as they were on the edge of their seats. Peter defeated Magneto using great power, but for a moment he also forgot his responsibility.

Larsen’s Master of Magnetism: Art wise, the standout images from Erik Larsen’s work in the issue are Magneto. Larsen gives Magneto his typical intensity and anger, but he also gives him a cape that seems to have a sycophantic mind of its own; the cape is always drawn in a way that makes it an extension of Magneto, defying gravity to give him a non-stop regal appearance. Magneto is in a relatively short chunk of the issue given his high billing on the cover, but Larsen makes him memorable.

Final Thoughts: This issue has a fun battle with an enemy Spider-Man doesn’t normally face, and Michelinie absolutely nails Magneto’s arrogance. But the fight with Magneto has never been what this issue is about to me, not even when I read it as a kid. Amazing Spider-Man #327 made me a comic book fan. Beyond that, it made me a Peter Parker fan. I like Spider-Man, but Peter is the character I connect with. To this day I measure my own life against the ideals Peter lives by. This issue illustrates, arguably with a heavy hand, that with great power comes great responsibility motto, and it also explains that being responsible isn’t just about the immediate and close at hand. Being responsible includes forethought. It includes gaining additional information and opinions. It includes choosing to do something in a more difficult way so as to avoid negatively affect others by cutting corners for yourself. The issue is, simply put, a must-read for this period in Spider-Man history.

Theron Couch is a writer, blogger, and comic book reviewer. His first novel, The Loyalty of Pawns, is available on Amazon. You can also follow him on Twitter at @theroncouch.

Thirsty Thursdays: November's Hottest Comics Art

November 29, 2018 by Allison Senecal in Comics

By Allison Senecal — Superhero comic art has evolved at a really impressive rate in recent years...so much so that sometimes it can be a lot to handle. First there’s excitement, obviously, but then that excitement turns into something else...which is why each month we’re running our Thirsty Thursday rankings, a new and different way to look at our favorite comic art. Welcome to a sporadic examination of (as the kids say) the month’s thirstiest comics.

Enjoy!

The Thirstiest Comics of November 2018

Thor #7 – I mean, Odinson obviously, but have you met my new beefy Viking girlfriend, Erika the Red? SHE’S TALLER THAN HE IS. I LOVE(D) HER. The Moore/Rauch team killed it on this. Everyone looked extra…oh no my tablet is autocorrecting “likable” to “lickable”…maybe I’ll just leave it. ANYWAY… 💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5

Rarely is a new character so instantly lickable (I should maybe do something about this autocorrect, I guess).

X-23 #6 – Laura? Undercover as a gym teacher? Marvel, did I ask you for this? Ms. Tamaki, did I ask you for this? Oh, and really all the X-artists (Duarte/O’Halloran here) are really nailing clothing right now. 💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5

Shatterstar #2 – Hot and making me emotional? In this economy? *mouths* Thank you. This series is just so smouldery, from the Yasmine Putri covers to the cheesecakey interiors by Villa, Sandoval, and Lopez. 💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5

The only thing getting shattered in this book is my heart.

Uncanny X-Men #2 – This series has been a lot for me to process. Jean and Ororo on a coffee date. Jean and Betsy holding hands (you don’t need context, just imagine them holding hands). All three of them in the cutest and most comfy-looking casual wear money (or this art team of Silva/Di Benedetto/Rosenberg) can buy. X-Men who? 💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5

Can this scene go on for 457 more pages? Thanks.

Bitter Root #1 – All I ask of indie comics is that they give me badass new comic book girlfriends and OH MY GOODNESS, I am already in love with Blink. Stay tuned for David Mack’s cover featuring her in February because WOWZA. 💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5

I’ll just put it this way: I’m looking forward to more of this character. — I’ll just put it this way: I’m looking forward to *more* of this character.

Justice League #12 – I admittedly didn’t read the Drowned Earth event in its entirety but I heard “Frazer Irving” and “Mera” and came running, which is why I’m so sweaty. I swear! 💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5

All I heard was unlike the rest, strange, and powerful. But please, tell me more… — All I heard was *unlike the rest, strange*, and *powerful*. But please, tell me more…

Daughters of the Dragon #1 – MISTY AND COLLEEN, Y’ALL. My favorite girlfriends, but not girlfriends, are back and oh my god. Oh. My. God. This series has the biggest energy. Misty in a SUIT. Colleen bringing back her tracksuit wardrobe. You’re just gonna have to read it, since there are too many stunning pages from Foreman, Gibson, and Delgado (whose letters really MADE THIS TRULY SEXY). 🐉 💦💦💦💦💦 🐉 out of 5

That’s an actual picture of my face on the bottom right.

If November was Gay Anxiety Month, December is Cosmic Gay Anxiety Month. I already know Angela is going to be in here twice. Of course, there's also the Extermination finale, and hopefully some spicy Namor content in those new Defenders one shots, so maybe the men will be back next month. Anyway, see you then!

Check out The Thirstiest Comics of October.

Allison buys books professionally and comics unprofessionally. You can find her chaotic neutral Twitter feed at @maliciousglee.

Essential Espionage: The Best Spy Comics

November 21, 2018 by Taylor Pechter in Comics

By Taylor Pechter — In comics about espionage and spying, the stories usually don’t focus on the political or personal ramifications of the craft, instead dealing in flashier things like action, intrigue, and sex. On rare occasions, however, those more realistic aspects do shine through, creating a grounded look at the world of espionage. The best spy comics find glory in the monotony of the work, using a stronger focus on the real people involved as well as how their escapades affect their lives.

While these books might be rare, they are out there, and today I’d like to look at some of the best spy comics of all time. Now let’s get into the books...

The Best Spy Comics

Queen & Country

Writer Greg Rucka, a 25-plus years veteran of the industry, wrote Queen & Country from 2001 to 2007 for Oni Press. Queen & Country follows SIS agent Tara Chace, designate Minder Two. and the book is broken into sections that follow separate operations undertaken by the organization. For example, the first story Operation: Broken Ground has Tara in Kosovo on an assassination mission trying to take down a former Russian General turned mob enforcer. She gets the job done, but in response, the Russian mob puts a bounty on her head. However, more important than the operations is Tara herself, and it’s this focus on character that makes Queen & Country so special.

Tara is a headstrong and sarcastic (if a bit in-over-her-head) agent. After the assassination, she is put into therapy. It is here Rucka plays with the psychological aspects of the profession. In therapy, Tara is jittery and untrustworthy of the doctor. As she opens up, however, you really see how important her job is to her, even though it wreaks havoc on her personal life. Another aspect Rucka focuses on is the political ramifications of the craft, whether it’s dealing with the home office (MI5) after a rocket attack or capturing a politician selling secrets to the Russians. Politics take center stage in most of the stories.

This creates intrigue, and Tara and her team of Minders (special agents) have to be sanctioned by C, the head of the service, to go on missions. On these missions there is action, but action scenes are few and far between. What readers see is the real monotony of spy work: tailing, gathering information, and reporting it back to superiors. Within this monotony is where characters shine through their interactions. All of these aspects make Rucka’s creation what I consider to be the quintessential espionage comic.

Sleeper

What happens when you are an agent left in the cold, no one to help you, and you work for a madman trying to take over the world? This is the story of Holden Carver, the lead character of the WildStorm series Sleeper, which is one of the earliest collaborations between the superstar creative team of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips.

Sleeper is a tale focused on morality. Holden Carver is an agent for International Operations, the most prominent intelligence agency in the WildStorm Universe. Carver’s mission is to infiltrate a corporation run by former Wildcat-gone-bad TAO (Tactically Augmented Organism). To complicate things, however, John Lynch, former director of IO and Carver’s handler, is stuck in a coma after an assassination attempt and having his file burned. With an expunged record and no help, Carver must find a way to make sure TAO and his men don’t discover his secret while also proving to the agency that he is actually on their side.

It’s through this dichotomy that Brubaker crafts a story of a man who has done despicable things for both sides searching for purpose. Will he be corrupted by sex and violence, or will his humanity shine through? It’s a stark contrast from TAO, who is devoid of morality. In his final confrontation with Holden, TAO exclaims, You want to know the main difference between you and me Holden? You’re like the rest of humanity, you have two people inside. One is the person we see. The other is the person you think you are. It’s a powerful idea and it brings Holden’s arc full circle. This, along with the raw and unrefined art of Sean Phillips, grounds the series in a dark and twisted, yet fantastic world. Sleeper is often overshadowed by Brubaker and Phillips’ later works, but it is one of the definitive superhero noir comics.

Checkmate

Another series penned by Rucka, Checkmate follows the exploits of the eponymous UN sanctioned organization in the wake of Infinite Crisis and the death of its former leader, Maxwell Lord. Checkmate in this story has been restructured via the Rule of Two, which states that for every powered member of the team, there must a non-powered member. Checkmate’s mission is monitoring metahuman activity and defending against metahuman threats.

Like Queen & Country before it, this book focuses heavily on political ramifications, especially when it comes to conflict between Sasha Bordeaux (the Black Queen), and Amanda Waller (the White Queen). Through this, Rucka explores themes of duty versus morality, the price of deception, and new beginnings. At the series’ start, Sasha is more carefree with her actions. During a raid on a Kobra outpost in the Gulf of Aden, she instructs Beatriz Da Costa, also known as Fire (Black King’s Knight) to set the compound ablaze, killing upwards of 50 cult members. Sasha’s own Knight, Jonah McCarthy, dies in the crossfire.

This disregard for human life contrasts with the views of Alan Scott, the White King at the time, who believes they should value human life over mission objectives. This, along with Sasha’s relationship with Mister Terrific (Alan’s Bishop) also gives Waller ammunition to drive her out of the agency. Speaking of Waller, this is her at her most deceptive, which is saying a lot. Throughout the first half of the series she conspires with her Bishop, King Faraday, to throw out the other Royals for violating Checkmate’s charter on the Rule of Two. Amanda’s deception is called out by Sasha and Terrific, and she is later dismissed. It’s all dramatic and well done.

Lastly, there is the hope for new beginnings. At the start of the series characters try to get out from under the shadow of Lord. At the halfway point, following Amana’s dismissal, they become more welcoming of outside help. At the end, after a raid on a Kobra stronghold, much like the beginning they realize the cult is engineering infants into weapons. As Batman confronts Sasha about what happened, Sasha monologues, How do you fight a bad religion? You give it a fresh start. You play the long game. But we can do that. We have time, Checkmate isn’t going anywhere.

Overall, Checkmate was one of DC’s first major modern espionage comics. Sasha Bordeaux was later reintroduced in current continuity by Rucka in his second critically-acclaimed run on Wonder Woman. Here’s to hoping we get a reunion sooner rather than later.

Velvet

Imagine your entire life was taken away by the people you trusted the most. This is the story of Velvet Templeton, secretary and former agent for ARC-7, a top-secret intelligence service. Written by Ed Brubaker, illustrated by Steve Epting, and colored by Elizabeth Breitwieser, Velvet crafts a story that deals with the burden of secrets, spy life versus regular life, and the bitterness of betrayal.

The story starts with the murder of an operative by the name of Jefferson Keller, designated X-14. This sets off a search for the answers Velvet craves, which ultimately ends in her going rogue to find them. With her on the run, the agency has to deal with her and the ongoing investigation of the murder of Keller, plus a possible mole. With this comes the burden of secrets, which is hidden beneath every layer as Velvet uncovers more. Each answer leads to more questions. Not only that, Velvet also has to accept that being a spy has forever changed her life—a life of sulking in the shadows and not trusting anyone, even the ones closest to her.

Last, she has to deal with her entire life being a lie and her closest allies in the agency setting that lie up. Whether it be the death of her husband, a supposed double agent, or the death of Keller, etc. Brubaker’s writing is sharp and at times darkly comical. Epting’s art is gorgeous in its dynamic brutality. Heavy shadows accentuate the lush colors of Breitweiser. Velvet is a brutal and realistic take on espionage that, like Sleeper, is often overlooked in Brubaker’s catalogue.

Grayson

Dick Grayson has been many things: acrobat, boy wonder, caped crusader, team leader, and now, secret agent. This exploration of identity is a key aspect of the 2014 series Grayson. Spinning out of the events of Forever Evil, Grayson is written by Tom King and Tim Seeley with art mainly by Mikel Janín with help from Stephen Mooney, plus colors by Jeromy Cox.

The story focuses on Dick after his supposed death at the hands of Lex Luthor. He is inserted as a double agent into spy organization Spyral as Agent 37. Under Batman’s orders, he is to uncover the organization’s secrets and ultimately dismantle it. Within Spyral, he is partnered with Helena Bettinelli, or Matron, who is the head of the boarding school that is Spyral’s cover. As Dick goes on missions, he discovers Spyral is stockpiling information on the secret identities of League. The heart of the series really shows through in issue 14, wherein Dick returns to Gotham. This story demonstrates how important Dick was to the Bat-family, in all of his interactions. Whether it is conversations with Alfred about Bruce, speeches to Barbara about the love they shared, or reminiscing with Damian about their Batman and Robin days, there’s a focus on the Dick’s core experiences, showing us how he became the character he is today.

Janín and Mooney’s artistic styles contrast, but they are brought together by the expert coloring of Jeromy Cox. Janín’s lines are cleaner, adding a Brosnan Bond-esque tone with high action, while Mooney has more lines and darker shadows. These art styles, along with clever writing, combine to make a fun, exciting, and introspective series that redefined Dick Grayson.

Ultimately, the spy genre is one of the most fertile in comics. Spy books are uniquely able to focus on many different aspects that readers don’t find in normal superhero comics. From the psychological aspects of Queen & Country, the moral ambiguity of Sleeper, the politics of Checkmate, the brutality of Velvet, to the journey of Grayson, these comics craft compelling stories with relatable characters. That is what makes them essential espionage material.

Taylor Pechter is a passionate comic book fan and nerd. Find him on Twitter @TheInspecter.

REVIEW: Long Lost Part 2 #4 a story of longing becomes a story of suspense

November 21, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics, Reviews

Long Lost Part 2 #4 is out 11/21. — **Long Lost Part 2 #4** is out 11/21.

By Zack Quaintance — Since Matthew Erman and Lisa Sterle began their comic Long Lost, this story has felt like one of longing for the two principal characters, sisters Frances and Piper. When we first met them, Frances lived an almost hermetic lifestyle in a relatively clean and spare apartment, seeming to have little in her life other than her dog. Her sister Piper was more outgoing yet also more reckless, often to her detriment. They were both, perhaps, equally bothered to be estranged from their mother, their aunts, and, most importantly, from each other, even if they showed it in different ways.

There were also hints all along that the two characters were being herded by some sort of supernatural force, not quite a ghost and not quite a monster, a being (or beings, plural) that was not of any origin we could understand, putting forth machinations that made both the characters on the page and us, the real life readers of the book, wonder about the nature of this story’s reality, wonder what was true and what was paranormal. For the past two issues, though, the earlier slow-burning character drama has been dispensed with as the plot heads toward its conclusion and starts to tell us (or more accurately, starts to suggest) what has been happening all along.

The action has intensified in this comic, as have the dangers faced by the two protagonists, while the clarity has remained obscured. In fact, at one point in Long Lost Part 2 #4, one of the sisters blurts out a plot point, noting that her understanding of it could be wrong. It’s leading to a story rich with suspense and tension. I’ve experienced Long Lost as a mystery from the start, and for it to turn proscriptive now would be a disservice to all the issues that came before it. Instead, the creators here are making the wise choice to give us as readers almost exactly as much information as their protagonists have about what’s happening and why.

The result is a decidedly character-driven horror-tinged suspense story, one in which tone is used well to make readers feel fear and confusion, the level of emotional investment in each other’s fates too, that is being felt by the characters on the page. This has been a great year for comics that deal in such intense feelings, and, with its understated approach, Long Lost continues to be among the best.

Will we get answers before this is all through? Well, it certainly seems to depend on what ultimately happens to the lead characters. We know more than we did at the start. We know whom to trust and whom to approach with a level of caution. We know more about the state of the family, the reasons they’ve been driven apart. Most importantly, however, we know that the longing these sisters felt at the start of the story has been altered, that they are now both acutely aware of how much they’ve always meant to each other, and it’s that relationship that remains this book’s beating heart.

Overall: Long Lost continues to be a character-driven horror-tinged mystery with one of the most compelling and realistic emotional cores in all of comics. The action is rapidly intensifying, but the creators have wisely avoided changing the tone of the story to be too explanatory. The mystery remains as compelling as ever as Long Lost approaches its conclusion. 9.0/10

Long Lost Part 2 #4
Writer: Matthew Erman
Artist: Lisa Sterle
Publisher: Scout Comics
Price: $3.99

For more comic book reviews, check out our review archives.

Uncanny X-Men 2018 Frequently Asked Questions

November 19, 2018 by Allison Senecal in Comics

By Allison Senecal — Do you have questions about the current state of the X-Men? Relax and breath. You’re not alone. I’m probably one of the biggest fans of these books (or at least the most vocal/excited) on all of comics Twitter, and, trust me, I hear questions about X-Men basically every day. It makes sense. It’s an exciting time for these great characters, but also? They’ve been through a lot as of late.

So, that’s why today I’m taking some of the most frequently asked X-questions (plus a few I added myself because they’re things we all need to remember), and I’m doing my best to get you all answers. Ready? Let’s do this!

Uncanny X-Men 2018 FAQ

Q: So, what’s this new Uncanny X-Men #1 all about?
A: It’s the most recent Marvel re-launch for this series. Honestly, it wasn’t that long ago we had Cullen Bunn’s short Uncanny X-Men run, which was pretty darn good, btw. Anyway, here are the basics for the new book:

Uncanny X-Men #1 came out last Wednesday.
Uncanny X-Men #2 - #10 are weekly through mid-January, followed by an annual.
Uncanny X-Men #11 - #12 are due in February.

Afterward, it’s business as usual from there, I’M GUESSING. At some point, I’m sure Marvel will revert to the original numbering, because well...Marvel. CYNICISM ASIDE, though, this is a really exciting re-launch. It features three wonderfully fresh co-writers (Ed Brisson, Kelly Thompson, Matthew Rosenberg) plus a slew of amazing artists and big concepts, all of which are leading into AGE OF X-MAN, which looks like an awesome fever dream I once had.

Q: Can I just jump in with the new Uncanny X-Men #1, or are there other X-series I need to read first?
A: Honestly, you can jump in here. X-fans make a lot of jokes about how complex X-continuity is, but Google is your friend here, as is the really fantastic Marvel Wiki. My advice is to just look up characters as you go, pick some favorites, and follow them to other books. Basically, just enjoy the eXperience!

But! If you do want to do some prep work, I suggest you pick up Rosenberg’s Multiple Man and New Mutants: Dead Souls. Both are five-issue miniseries, and easy to catch up on. Both also seem to maybe be relevant to the new Uncanny? X-Men Red is a good series to use to get acclimated to major characters. The recent Charles Soule and Rosenberg runs on Astonishing X-Men are also great for getting a sense of the current status quo for other popular mutants. Meanwhile, 2017’s Generation X by Christina Strain and Amilcar Pinna is a good one for getting to know some of the younger mutants who look like they will soon appear in 2019’s Age of X-Man!

Q: What’s up with Wolverine right now? Wasn’t he also dead or something? And is there a new Wolverine named Laura? Also...who’s Gabby?
A: Logan is back! Ignore the fact there may actually be TWO Logans right now (because, comics). Logan Logan is back in the Return of Wolverine miniseries, and if teasers are to be trusted, he’ll be starring in Uncanny X-Men #12 come February. Laura is his daughter (a revelation as of August), formerly thought to be his clone. She’s been going by Wolverine but has reverted now to the codename X-23, with Logan’s return to the X-Men imminent. Gabby is one of Laura’s clones, and effectively her little sister. She’s also one of the best newer Marvel characters. Don’t worry about more code name confusion, Gabby goes by Honey Badger—not Wolverine.

Q: What’s up with Professor X right now? Wasn’t he dead or something?
A: See above recommendation for Soule’s Astonishing X-Men!! Kidding, kinda, but that is a good place to go for all things Professor X. Here’s the short version, though: his astral form was trapped by the Shadow King and now he’s in Fantomex’s body! He’s around, but not around around. He’s lurking.

Q: What’s up with Cyclops? Wasn’t he also also dead or something?
A: Cyclops IS dead. But teasers for Uncanny #11 seem to imply he’ll be back! A younger version of Cyclops (and the other Original 5 X-Men) has been kicking around for a few years now, but the O5 are being sent back to their time in the current Extermination miniseries. If you wanna read about their adventures, read All-New X-Men, X-Men: Blue, and Extermination. Just know they’re going back, and probably &%$#ed up some timeline stuff! Which may be relevant to next year’s X-plans….or not.

Q: What’s the deal with Warren (Worthington III aka Angel aka Archangel) right now and didn’t his wings use to be fire/metal/able to shoot poison projectiles?
A: See above. There’s been a younger version of Angel kicking around, and he had fire (COSMIC) wings. Older Warren has been through a lot. He was manipulated, brainwashed, and warped into Archangel (metal wings, blue skin, murder!projectiles) by Apocalypse in the ‘80s. Since then, we’ve had Archangel clones, there was weird free love hippy Angel (free of Archangel) who had no memories of his earlier life, and, finally, Angel and Archangel who were reunited to the benefit of both. Thanks to events in Soule’s Astonishing X-Men (see how important that series is?) and the psychic suggestion of Professor X, Warren now seems to have control over the Archangel persona, which used to just be a mindless, ruthless, uncontrollable murder machine. So, there’s that. Regular wings, but sometimes murder!wings.

Or, Tl;dr: Jekyll & Hyde.

Q: Any X-series that aren’t so strongly tied to larger storylines right now?
A: Go try Mariko Tamaki’s X-23, Kelly Thompson’s Mr. and Mrs. X, and Tom Taylor’s X-Men Red! They’re all great reads that don’t really tie into the new Uncanny run, and are just fun on their own.

Q: Wasn’t Psylocke……not white?
A: Long story short, Marvel royally messed up decades ago in the early ‘90s (which was common during those ahem somewhat problematic times) when they mind-swapped/melded a white Englishwoman named Betsy Braddock with a Japanese woman known as Kwannon. Recently, writers rectified that fiasco in the Hunt for Wolverine mini-event, and now both women are more or less in possession of their original bodies. I think there are a lot of fans hoping Kwannon and her ordeal are revisited at some point (I would read an entire miniseries about this from a creator who can personally speak to Kwannon’s experiences).

Q: Who are the best creators to follow on Twitter for all things X-related?
A: Pretty much all of the current X-creators are a blast to follow right now. Leah Williams is the X-Men Shitpost and Playlist Queen. Rosenberg, Brisson, and Thompson are all hoots, especially when interacting with each other. Even the X-Editor eXtraordinaire, Jordan D. White, is super interactive with fans. Follow Kris Anka for some amazing X-Men redesigns and frequent cheesecake. Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson are also great.

Q: Why are the X-Men one of your favorite comics things right now?
A: I would say when aren’t the X-Men one of my favorite comics things, but we’ve had our lows. We seem to be entering some GREAT TIMES TO BE X-FANS. A lot of the writers and artists working on this wave of X-comics grew up on the same X-things I grew up on! We’re all giant ‘90s X-nerds, and it’s REALLY AWESOME. You can tell everyone loves what they’re doing—it shows in the work. I love it. I hope what’s coming is wild and weird and totally different. And I think it will be. The X-Men with their central metaphor about group treatment toward the other also remain...topical, to say the least. Essentially, these comics are a great place to explore, play with, and process our times, and they’re rapidly gaining more nuance.

Allison buys books professionally and comics unprofessionally. You can find her chaotic neutral Twitter feed at @maliciousglee.

Top Comics to Buy for November 21, 2018

November 19, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — This is a little bit of a hangover week after the deluge of titles last Wednesday. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of comics to spotlight and look forward to, with a pretty strong crop of new #1 comics set to hit shelves. We’re specifically excited this week for books like American Carnage and Middlewest, but those are far from the only worthwhile new series for curious comics fans to checkout.

Our top comics to buy for November 21 are also a strong and eclectic bunch, which is generally speaking the type of Wednesday we like best. Days after a big new Black Hammer TV and film deal was announced, that series rolls onward with Black Hammer: Age of Doom #7. Simply put, Black Hammer is the rare comic that has just gotten stronger since its debut, spinning into a new world of titles. And it wasn’t even our pick of the week! You’ll have to scroll down (just a little) to get to that.

And now, the comics!

Top Comics to Buy for November 21, 2018

*PICK OF THE WEEK*
Immortal Hulk #9
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Joe Bennett and Martin Simmonds
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
Carl Creel was just trying to live. But sometimes trying isn't enough. Now, to save the life he built for himself - and maybe everything else - Carl Creel has to do the impossible. The Absorbing Man has to kill the IMMORTAL HULK.
Why it’s cool: Immortal Hulk just keeps getting better, to the point where I can pretty confidently call it the best superhero comic coming out today. We also have a soft spot for ol’ Carl Creel after the humanizing Saladin Ahmed and Christian Ward did in their excellent Black Bolt series from last year.

Black Hammer: Age of Doom #7
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Rich Tommaso
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $3.99
As Colonial Weird tries to figure out the new world he's found himself on, the character's he's met explain not only their origins, but potentially the origins of all things. Weird's time is running out, and the events of this issue will change the way he sees the world forever!
Why it’s cool: As noted in the intro, Lemire and series co-creator Dean Ormston got the TV deal, and it’s about time! Black Hammer is such a cool concept, a shared superhero universe filled with stories being told by a singular guiding voice and a stable of unbelievable artists (kind of like early Marvel), one unbeholded to any corporate interest, which gives it the feel that anything can happen. Now it’s coming to TV! But first, you all should pick up this issue, wherein Lemire is again teaming with guest artist Rich Tommaso on the backstory (or front story?) of Colonel Weird.

Cover #3
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Mack
Essad Sinns Art: Bill Sienkiewicz
Digital Coloring: Zu Orzu
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Cover goes to Paris as Max is sent to the iconic Angoulême International Comics Festival, where he is about to receive their highest award. But did he earn it...or is it all part of an international spy cover operation? As the worlds of spycraft and comics clash in ways Max could never have imagined, his life-and more importantly, his artwork-begin to collapse around him!
Why it’s cool: This is the best comic about making comics. There aren’t many of them, unlike in other fields. Essentially, there’s plenty of fiction about making music or making movies or even running restaurants, but there isn’t much of that about what it’s like to make comics. Cover is setting out to change that by imagining what it would be like for series artist David Mack to tangled up in doing undercover work for the CIA. It’s a great book that any and all long-time fans of the medium should be reading.

Hot Lunch Special #4
Writer: Eliot Rahal
Artist: Jorge Fornes
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Publisher: AfterShock Comics
Price: $3.99
Dorothy Khoury has accidentally created two more dead bodies. The number one problem with most corpses is...they're super hard to get rid of. Now, the frightened Khoury family must cover up the trail of blood they're leaving behind, while also projecting strength. They finally have a hostage they can use to negotiate an end to the war with the Moran Family Mafia.
Why it’s cool: The plot thickens like an expertly made sandwich being sold on a cold night in the Midwest. This generational crime saga is coming to an exciting head in this penultimate issue. Basically, in Hot Lunch Special things are never as they seem. No, they’re always worse, and we love it!

Long Lost Part 2 #4
Writer: Matthew Erman
Artist: Lisa Sterle
Publisher: Scout Comics
Price: $3.99
The Mountain that looms over Hazel Patch has changed, leading to a confrontation in the woods. Piper and Frances are reunited with no time to spare as they scramble to safety. Pursued by a horror beyond their imagination, will they finally get the answer to what happened to their mother? The puzzle pieces have fallen into place and the mysteries are revealed as Long Lost hurdles towards an ending.
Why it’s cool: Long Lost is such a forlorn and welcome blast of sparse and poetic graphic sequential storytelling. We love this series, quite a bit, and it’s as good as it’s been from its start as it continues to head toward its end game. There’s no way we’d recommend quitting now.

Mars Attacks #2
Writer: Kyle Starks
Artist: Chris Schweizer
Colorist: Liz Trice Schweizer
Publisher: Dynamite Comics
Price: $3.99
After a bunch of Martians come along and ruin everyone's day (and planet), Spencer and the Major find themselves a bunch of second amendment lovin' boys who ain't afraid of no space men! But maybe safety isn't as guaranteed as one would like when flying saucers and laser pistols are involved...?
Why it’s cool: For starters, you don’t have to know a single thing about the Mars Attacks film or franchise (I didn’t) to enjoy this series. Next, this second issue does all the same great things as its predecessor with great characters and razor sharp humor...plus it throws in some plot points that have to do with America’s gun obsession. We won’t go into any of them, because spoilers, but we will note that this is a comic you should all be reading. Also, there’s a dog now!

Others Receiving Votes

Archie #700
Batman #59
Black Badge #4
Devil Within #2
Dick Tracy: Dead or Alive #2
Justice League #12
Love and Rockets #6
Low Road West #3
Marvel Knights 20th #2
Olivia Twist #3
Punisher #4
Sideways #10
Shuri #2
Tony Stark: Iron Man #6
Uncanny X-Men #2
Web of Carnage: Carnage Born #1

See our past top comics to buy here, and check our our reviews archive here.

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