No disrespect to the comics on this list as I enjoyed each one and would recommend them all, but overall this was another light week. It is the eves and flows of the comic book world I guess. A reminder that this list is based solely on my opinion so may differ from other reviews on this site. Now to the countdown…
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Giannis Milonogiannis
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Description: Under threat from a mutated horde, the island is forced the cede control to General Sato-and Hana and Kenichi have a choice to make. Torn between protecting their home or standing against a threat to all of humanity, the two warriors find that their differences may divide them yet again.
Why It Made the List: One of Greg Pak“s greatest abilities as a writer is how he is able to incorporate different ethnicities and cultures in a way that feels authentic and different than most writers. That“s because he is able to showcase the subtle differences between people that are often glossed over. Sure Ronin Island is a book that involves Samurai fighting monsters. What“s not to love with that? But what is making it more than just another take on an end of the world story is the strong characterization.
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artist: Ibrahim Moustafa
Publisher: Dynamite
Description: Captured by the Russians, Lieutenant Bond meets the beautiful Oksana, who may be his ticket to safety, or lead to his doom. But it’s quite difficult to know ally from foe, when you’ve been drugged. The epic World War 2 tale continues
Why It Made the List: Dynamite is quietly having a great year in comics. Not only that they have been putting out some fantastic James Bond books for the last few years. Jeff Parker“s current run on James Bond: Origin continues both of those trends. Seeing James Bond face off against the Russians is nothing new, but here things are even more complicated than the Cold War is this is when they were an ally. It“s an interesting dynamic and Parker“s characterization of Bond is perfect. He“s not quite the suave ultimate spy he will eventually become, but the seeds are clearly there. This gives him more room to make mistakes, and then the opportunity to find ways to overcome those errors. Even if you are not a Bond fan this can be enjoyed for just being a great spy story amidst the chaos of World War II.
Writer: Robert Venditti
Artist: Bryan Hitch
Publisher: DC Comics
Description: The Deathbringers don’t know what hit them when all of Carter Hall’s past lives descend on the streets of London to defend the planet. With an army of hundreds at his back, Hawkman starts to turn the tide of battle. It’s a war for the fate of the universe as these two armies clash!
Why It Made the List: They are doing it, they are actually doing it. They have found a way to make Hawkman work as a character. I thought the only way to deal with his convoluted backstory was to ignore all of it and start a new, but Robert Venditti and Bryan Hitch have instead chosen to lean into it in order to tell this massive scope of a story. Seeing an endless array of Carter Hall“s descent upon a group of Deathbringers made for such a great comic book moment. Bryan Hitch is also reminding the world why he was such a groundbreaking artist a decade ago as he depicts this massive battle of hawk creatures amidst a city landscape. Who knows if this can stick the landing but for now there is no reason not to enjoy the ride.
Writer: Ted Anderson
Artist: Nuno Plati
Publisher: Aftershock
Description: One day all the adults died, all over the world, at the same time. Now it’s twenty years later, and the children – all grown up – are still rebuilding the world. Horses and caravans are the only thin lines connecting tiny, scattered settlements – little sparks in the great dark night. Gasoline is gone, phones long-dead, television a memory. The only power in America is the New Church, the religion of the angry children, that blames the destruction of the old world on the dead adults.
Why It Made the List: I have a lot of respect for Aftershock comics and feel they put out some great content. However, looking at the end of last year and start of this year their new series were not quite hitting the same level as books like Hot Lunch Special or Her Infernal Decent. Orphan Age #1 though is the strongest first issue they have published in quite some time. For one it had a strong balance of setting up its concept but more importantly giving you a sense of who some of these major characters will be. Ted Anderson let much of Nuno Plati“s art fill in the finer details, which allowed the issue to breathe and not feel overstuffed. It is great to be this optimistic about an Aftershock book once again.
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist:Â Stephen Byrne
Publisher: Wonder Comics
Description: Exiled from their homeworld and still trying to adjust to life on Earth as normal teenage high school students and interns for the Justice League, Zan and Jayna find themselves attacked in their own home by the League of Annoyance. Now separated and unable to use their amazing powers of transformation, the twins find themselves forced to rely on Zan’s new pet monkey Gleek for help-but does the plucky purple primate even like his new owner enough to give a monkey’s butt about these young heroes?
Why It Made the List: When Mark Russell wrote The Flintstones comics he made a bowling ball and vacuum cleaner into two of the most compelling and heartbreaking characters. So, of course, he will do something similar with Gleek by giving him a backstory that makes him so much more than just a generic monkey mascot. There“s also a great moment with Superman as he explains what it means to be truly heroic and how it ties into the importance of empathy and kindness that plays a key role throughout.
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Jesus Hervas
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Description: As the cults around The Empty Man virus gain more power, there may be nowhere that’s safe for the Kerry family anymore.
Why It Made the List: I would not want to be inside Cullen Bunn“s head considering the twisted things that have occurred within The Empty Man series. If you ever wanted to watch dread personified to its greatest degree this is a book to experience. With this issue, everything seems lost. The world has gone to literal hell as The Empty Man is taking hold of all of society. However, not all are giving up so easily. And based on the final image of this issue things are only going to get weirder. This second volume of Empty Man is proving to be even better than the first.Â
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Carlos Magno
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Description: Everything you know about the KING OF ATLANTIS is WRONG! This issue: THE SECRET HISTORY OF NAMOR!
Why It Made the List: I have never been the type of reader that cares much about continuity. So when a story links back to something that occurred long ago or answered a mystery that started decades earlier it does little to increase my enjoyment. With Invaders #4 Chip Zdarsky does dive deep into the history of Namor but there is a bigger and better reason than creating a retcon. It is an analysis of the complexity of Namor and his history. From the implied implications to past relationships to him feeling like a man lost between worlds. Namor is one of Marvel’s best characters when used right as this series shows.Â
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Yıldıray Çınar
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Description: A bomb drops on Peter“s world when Aunt May finally fesses up to Peter about what“s happening. Don“t miss this special issue!
Why It Made the List: Â Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #5 comes off as one of those evergreen issues that Spider-Man fans will go back to as a key moment in the character“s history. Tom Taylor greatest strength as a writer is his ability to get to the essence of what makes a character work and make stories that represent that essence without feeling redundant. Peter Parker learning the truth regarding what his happening for Aunt May could have been full of melodrama, instead, it chooses to utilize that drama to make a grander point about working through unjust tragedy. Part of me wants to complain about how many Spider-Man books are being made right now, but the truth is so many of them are so good I cannot blame them.
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Jock
Publisher: DC Comics
Description: Batman is on a desperate hunt through Gotham City, tracking down the dark version of himself known as the Grim Knight. But the serum Batman’s been self-administering has started to transform his mind, making him into something much darker…something amoral…something like the Batman Who Laughs-and he’s starting to lose his grip on reality. Toeing the line between vengeance and justice, Batman must struggle to keep his moral code as the Grim Knight gains control of the Batcave, sending all of his vehicles and weapons on a collision course with Gotham City. The Grim Knight, the Batman Who Laughs, even allies like Jim Gordon and his son force Batman to pull the trigger…and activate the Last Laugh. Will Batman be the savior of Gotham City once more? Or is he the kill shot?
Why It Made the List: I was hesitant in reading Batman Who Laughs because I was not a big fan of the Metal event. It was easy to see the love and passion that was in that story and I understand why many did enjoy it, but I simply could not connect with it on any level. Still, with Batman Who Laughs being smaller in scope to focus more on Batman and his new extended family I was hoping this time would be different. So far it has. What worked with this issue is how Scott Snyder and Jock continue to look into the evolved relationship between Batman and Joker. Things are convoluted for sure but it has made for some intriguing dynamic. A scene that specifically stood out was a shared laugh that was truly chilling.
Writer/Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Publisher: Image Comics
Description: To save the world, Jake and Murder Falcon must find the fabled Horn of the Dead. How metal is that?!
Why It Made the List: Issue #7 of Murder Falcon was truly amazing in every way. A story about so much that shows how art in any form can allow us to approach our greatest fears and insecurities with wilful courage.The chaotic fun works in tandem with the earnest approach to some truly grounded tragedy. Love how it showcases the desolation one can feel when faced with your own mortality and the journey to acceptance and the impossible struggle that can occur to find a reason to move forward. I am not being hyperbolic when I state reading the final pages was a challenge due to the water building in my eyes, and as I realized a book that consisted of a giant samurai fighting a monster from another dimension was leading me to tears it made me remember why I love comics.
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- A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.
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