Top 10 Comics for the Week of 5/1/2019

With Free Comic Book Day this week, we had a lot of new series debut to hopefully take advantage of the increased traffic local comic book stores will be experiencing. A big reason why this week“s list has more #1“s than typical. So if you are looking for a week to jump on something new this is a great week to do just that.

A reminder that this list is based solely on my opinion so many differ from other reviews on the site. Now to the countdown”¦

10. Giant Days #50

Writer: John Allison

Artist: Max Sarin

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Description: In times of a disastrous norovirus outbreak in McGraw’s for-fun cricket team, Susan, Esther, and Daisy are called upon to defend McGraw’s sportly honor. Taking up the bats of his fallen mates and donning their cricket whites, it’s a sporting adventure the girls had literally never anticipated! Can Susan be genteel and sportsmanlike? Can Esther stop goofing off? Will Daisy prove the greatest cricketer of all time?

Why it Made the List: With this being Giant Day“s big fiftieth issue I was thinking that maybe it would be this momentous hallmark moment for the series, but although something major does happen at the end of the book prior to that was a rather lowkey fun story. Outside the fact that John Allison and Max Sarin were trying to do the impossible by not only explaining the rules of cricket in a straightforward way but also building a compelling story around the sport as well. Although I still could not explain what the rules of the game are the story itself was fun and full of the spirit that has made this series great since the getgo.

9. Nobody Is In Control #1

Writer: Patrick Kindlon

Artist: Paul Tucker

Publisher: Black Mask Studios

Description: When Richard sees a man run through his yard, he follows him out of concern. This deep in the woods, he must be lost… must be in trouble. Bust soon it’s Richard in peril, as this stranger drags him into a deep, twisted web of conspiracy going back hundreds of years.

Why it Made the List: To be honest this first issue was a bit of a mess, but that is a lot of what I really enjoyed about. You would think a story that centers on two strangers finding each other in the woods would not be a tale full of ambition but it was. It was full of great dialog that progressed further and further into a type of insanity. Also, Paul Tucker art was full of inspired choices from panel layouts to how it became clear what was being shown was not always reality. As indicated it was a bit messy (in a good way) but I did wonder if it will only become clear in rereads and as the series progresses. If the goal of a first issue is to get the reader intrigued to read more this greatly succeeded in that goal.

8. Justice League #23

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Jorge Jimenez

Publisher: DC Comics

Description: “The Sixth Dimension” chapter four!”‹ Our heroes have been banished to the prison planet of villains by the World Forger. Stuck with no way to escape, the team hatches a plan to defeat the World Forger and get back to their dimension with the help of a new ally, but where is Superman?!

Why it Made the List: The opening of Justice League #23 was one of the best Superman moments I have read in some time (And this is coming from a person who has enjoyed Bendis“s run on Superman for the most part) It helped that we got a flashback of Jonathan and Clark together on the farm drawn by Jorge Jimenez. That brought me back to when Rebirth first started and Superman was one of the best series to come out of it. Now it is not that the rest of the issue was not good as well. Anytime Scott Snyder gets a chance to examine the morality of what Batman would do in a new win situation it is always a good thing.

7. Spencer and Locke 2 #1

Writer: David Pepose

Artist: Jasen Smith

Publisher: Action Lab Comics

Description: Suspended by Internal Affairs, Detective Locke grapples with the demons of his past alongside his trusty partner, his childhood imaginary panther Spencer. But when Spencer and Locke face a scarred soldier named Roach Riley, will this unlikely pair finally meet their match?

Why it Made the List: Outside the world of wrestling the term gimmick tends to always have a negative connotation to it. There is no reason for it to because all a gimmick is when you think about it is a colorful premise. I bring that up because Spencer and Locke is a series that I could see many labeling as a gimmick and they would not be wrong. Telling an adult story centered on a Calvin and Hobbs analog sounds silly but it works because writer David Pepose and Jasen Smith take it seriously. There are hints of comedy but never in a way that harms the story. Some may also be wondering if this is welcoming to new readers and it is in large part because of the recognizable idea. If you ever read the Sunday Funnies you already have an idea of where this is coming from.

6. War of the Realms #3

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Russell Dauterman

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Description: North America freezes into New Jotunheim. Europe becomes New Svartalfheim. Asia goes up in flames as the new domain of Queen Sindr and her fire goblins. Ulik the Troll lays claim to Australia while Amora the Enchantress raises an army of the dead in South America. Africa falls to the Angels of Heven while Roxxon Oil drops its stakes in Antarctica. Midgard now belongs to Malekith and his allies! The Avengers“ last hope lies in a series of suicide missions across the realms, starting with the rescue of Thor””last seen surrounded by an army of Frost Giants in Jotunheim”¦

Why it Made the List: Now this is the way to do a comic event. There have been plenty of stories over the last few years that have been forcibly expanded to the point of event status. When you have a story like this that has been building for years and now has reached the point of global catastrophe the bigger challenge is keeping it contained. There has been plenty of action but the best part of this series is seeing characters that may not typically work together being forced outside their conform zone, like Spider-Man having to face off literal Ice Giants. So if you are swore-off events because of recent disappointments you may want to give this one another chance.

5. Red Sonja #4

Writer: Mark Russell

Artist: Mirko Colak

Publisher: Dynamite

Description: ‘The Brothers Of Misfortune’: The Zamoran Empire musters a fleet of war chariots to rush arms and provisions to the front line. Hyrkania would be lost, were they not led by Sonja The Red, who knows it is not enough to know one’s own strength, but to understand the strengths, and weaknesses, of one’s opponents.

Why it Made the List: Every issue of Mark Russell“s run so far on Red Sonja has centered on an element of war and conquest and fused it into the narrative in a compelling way. In issue four Mark Russell showed what strength truly is besides simplified force. It has helped made Red Sonja into a character that is more than a skimpy outfit and badass warrior. She is a leader of her people and utilizing her life of training to do the impossible. I never thought I would be this invested in a Ron Sonja story, which goes to show that subject matter is just a starting point when you get the right creators anything can work.

4. War of the Realms Strikeforce: The Dark Elf Realm #1

Writer: Bryan Hill

Artist: Leinil Francis Yu

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Description: Deep in the swamps of Svartalfheim stands the Black Bifrost, Malekith“s corrupted Rainbow Bridge and the only reliable means of travel between the realms with the true Bifrost still in pieces. If the gods are going to stop Malekith“s invasion, the Black Bridge must fall. With her son missing and husband injured, Lady Freyja must take up the challenge herself”¦but she won“t go alone. Jen Walters, the Punisher, Blade, and Ghost Rider follow the All-Mother of Asgard straight into Malekith“s home territory!

Why it Made the List: For some, it may seem odd to place an event tie-in higher on the list than the event itself. You could argue when it comes to story significance this may not be as vital as other stories. What it does have is time to tell its story without multiple teams to focus on. As someone who prefers character first stories, this was perfect for me. Bryan Hill can write one hell of a Punisher and reflecting his morals against the lifestyle of the Asgardians was fascinating. His conversation with Lady Freyja added context to a payoff that would later occur in War of the Realms #3. For me, that is exactly what you want for an event tie-in. One that is not required to read for comprehension but still strengthens the larger narrative.

3. The Green Lantern #7

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artist: Liam Sharp

Publisher: DC Comics

Description: After sacrificing himself to save the entire universe from a cosmic WMD, Hal Jordan finds himself trapped inside his own power ring! And he discovers an entire universe lies inside it, populated with souls whose lives are threatened when his ring runs out of power! Can Hal save yet another universe one issue after saving the last? Only Grant Morrison and Liam Sharp know the answer within this classic run in the making!

Why it Made the List: Grant Morrison may have found his best muse with Liam Sharp and the work he is doing with this series. This time around they worked together to create a Green Lantern story that actually takes place inside of a power ring. As indicated with Spencer and Locke sometimes gimmicks can work and again this proves that point. Reading this issue was much more akin to reading a Pros book than a normal monthly comic. Dialog did not dominate the page instead it gave enough room so that art could do the majority of the heavy lifting. Saying “You never know what to expect“ can be overdone. When it comes to this series it fits. Weird in the best of ways.

2. Paper Girls #28

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan

Artist: Cliff Chiang

Publisher: Image Comics

Description: PART THREE OF THE FINAL ARC! Experience four timelines simultaneously in this tour de force issue.

Why it Made the List: When it comes to comics it can be easy to focus on the shiny new series and overlook those that have been consistently great for years. Twenty-eight issues may not have been that many generations ago but it today“s world it is unique for a series to go beyond twelve. Paper Girls may be ending shortly but this issue shows it is not resting on its laurels. I marveled at the craft of this issue has it had four current storylines going on at the same time. By breaking the page up in four distinct panels they worked in tandem and isolated within themselves. Showing breaking the rules of time and space is not a problem for the comics medium.

1. Five Years #1

Writer/Artist: Terry Moore

Publisher: Abstract Studio

Description: Five Years weaves the many strands of the “Terryverse” into one epic saga, years in the making! A dangerous paper written by Lilith has been leaked to the nations of the world containing a formula for the ultimate weapon, and now labs around the globe are attempting to build and test the Phi Bomb. Tambi, in an all-out effort to find the labs and stop them, has enlisted the help of Ivy Raven, Julie Martin, Rachel and Zoe. Meanwhile, Katchoo and Francine have moved their household – including the kid’s new bodyguard, Samantha Locklear – to the beach where Katchoo devises her own solution to the problem…

Why it Made the List: I completely overlooked that Five Years was coming out this week so there is no doubt that pleasant surprise helped in why I enjoyed it as much as I did. Terry Moore is a breed of a comic creator that simply does not exist anymore. Not only does he do everything from the art to the story, but also publishes this series as well. This series is bringing together stories and characters from the “Terryverse”“ that has been building for years. This demonstrates the beauty of Terry Moore’s art. How he can capture the tender and the extreme. Much has evolved since this series first started as now this major world-ending threat looms in the background. Still what has made Moore“s work so remarkable is the tender way he builds characters and relationships. Despite the massive stakes that still remains. Brand new readers may not be able to fully comprehend all the nuances to what is occurring but the general premise is strong enough that you can still enjoy what works here.

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Daniel Clark

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.