Top 10 Comics for the Week of 5/27/2020

Moving forward for the next few weeks this list is going to be a bit weird to do as Marvel has these on and off week when it comes to new single issues. It was nice to have a fuller week of books as things slowly get back to normal. A reminder that this list is based just on my opinion and may differ from other reviews on the site.Â Â

10. Marauders #10

Writer: Gerry Duggan, Jonathan Hickman

Artist: Stefano Casselli

Publisher: MarvelÂ

Description: LEAVE NONE TO TELL THE TALE A SHOW OF POWER! The Marauders set their sights on the power-dampening technology that seems to have made its way into far too many hands””most notably, the Russian Army. The Hellfire“s wrath with be swift and harsh.

Why it Made the List: Since House of X and Power of X have concluded Marauders has been my personal favorite X-Men title. It may be a little lighter compared to the rest of the X-Men line but that is also a big reason it stands out. Plus it is generally a fun set of characters. This issue caused a bit of controversy due to something Emma Frost did to get the upper hand on a few random goons. For a character that wore lingerie like they were her Sunday sweats and loves to just mess with people, it seemed like it fit her character well to me.Â

9. Dead Day #1

Writer: Ryan Parrott

Artist: Evgeniy Bornyakov

Publisher: Aftershock ComicsÂ

Description:Â If the dead could come back for just one night, would we want them to? Meet the Haskins, a seemingly normal suburban family, as they prepare for the annual macabre holiday known as “Dead Day” – when the deceased rise from the grave from sunset to sunrise. Some come back to reunite with family and friends, others for one last night of debauchery, still others with only one thing on their decomposing mind: revenge.

Why it Made the List: Dead Day #1 is a good example of why less can be more when it comes to the first issue of a comic. Sometimes the urge to cram everything into a first issue so the reader understands every little detail can bog down a story, or the flip side of just having action upon action can give you little to latch onto. This issue feeds you in small bits as the concept starts to settle. Is Dead Day a moment of major danger or a joyous occasion? By placing the story mostly with this one family we not only get hints about what is to come but what the world is like in general. A great way to organically build this narrative without walls upon walls of text, and the other benefit is giving us characters to actually invest into. There are a plethora of mysteries established making the potential for this book moving forward quite high.Â

8. Basketful of Heads #7

Writer: Joe Hill, Dan McDaid

Artist: Leomacs

Publisher: DC Comics/Hill HouseÂ

Description:Â It“s time for a final swing of the axe. In the darkest, coldest hours of the night, June Branch finds herself up against the deadeyed killer who abducted her lover…and comes face to face with some truths even more horrifying than a basketful of heads.

Why it Made the List: There is a sense that horror needs to be scary in order to go good. Where quality is determined based on your level of fright more so than anything else. I feel that unfairly limits the genre as a lot of quality horror stories are not primarily about the scares. Basketful full of Heads has illustrated that point as the scares are deep down on the list of what has made this comic work. This being the last issue mysteries are revealed and answered in a satisfying and emotionally fueled way. One of Hill House“s strongest attributes has been its variety within the genre. When you story is solid everything else gets elevated along with it. It also helps to have a literal basket full of heads as well.Â

7. Suicide Squad #5

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist: Bruno Redondo

Publisher: DC ComicsÂ

Description:Â They say loose lips sink ships””and Captain Boomerang has the biggest mouth on Earth! That“s why Lok commands Task Force X to bring him in and shut him up for good! The hunt is on, but nothing ever goes according to plan in the Suicide Squad””at least, not if Osita and her mutinous Revolutionaries can help it. Will Deathstroke and Harley finally turn against Lok when ordered to kill their old Squad-mate? One way or another, the bodies keep dropping”¦

Why it Made the List: Apparently Tom Taylor books should come with a type of warning label that the issue just might break your heart. Last week it was with DCeased: Unkillables and this week with Suicide Squad. Not that this is a one moment issue as even the opening battle that is a ton of fun. Artist Bruno Redondo staged quite a scene as Boomerang and Task Force X go toe to toe.Â His work is super kinetic and pitch-perfect for this type of issue and when you need that emotional beat he can nail that as well.Â

6. King of Nowhere #2

Writer: Maxwell Prince

Artist: Tyler Jenkins

Publisher: Boom! StudiosÂ

Description: Now an honorary citizen of Nowhere, Denis joins one of the locals on a doomed-to-fail money-making scheme at the outskirts of town, while John Doe’s mysterious killer continues to leave bodies in his wake…

Why it Made the List: King of Nowhere is quite the oddity of a series Imagine taking a framework of a Cormac Mccarthy novel with the surreal nature of a David Lynch and creatures that look like the acid-induced versions of Saturday morning cartoons. What has made this book work so far early in its run is not trying to do too much. Instead of massive amounts of exposition to explain this world nothing is explained making the reader play catch up as the story progresses. As a fan of artist Tyler Jenkins, his art style here is much more akin to his previous work Grass Kings than his most recent comic Black Badge. His style is looser to exhibit a surreal tone. Similar to Black Badge, Hilary Jenkins is once again coloring and adds a more pronounced definition than when he colors himself. Having a story keep you at arm“s length can be aggravating due to the lack of comprehension of what exactly is happening. By having a straightforward conflict at the center of everything you at least have a basic foundation to invest in so when the abusidty occurs you are able to enjoy it without apprehension. By having this insane killing leaving a pile of bodies as he makes his way to the main antagonist there is plenty of tension and it rises to another level as this issue closes.Â

5. The Amazing Spider-Man #43

Writer: Nick Spencer

Artist: Ryan Ottley

Publisher: MarvelÂ

Description: TRUE COMPANIONS, PART THREE DO NOT MISS THIS ISSUE! Peter Parker“s life will change”¦ possibly forever

Why it Made the List: Although it does not impact where a comic lands on this list, I did want to point out how much I love the cover for this issue. It is a great use of scale that catches your eye and creates interest wondering how exactly Spider-Man is going to solve a dilemma of this size. I bring it up because I have been up and honestly mostly down on Nick Spencer“s run on Spider-Man. Ever since the start of the Hunted storyline, it has not been unable to sustain any momentum. This cover helped remind me that this latest arc has been the strongest the series has been since the start. Ryan Ottley“s art is a big reason why as it is a joy to watch him draw the world of Spider-Man. Last year Nick Spencer wrote one of my favorite single issues of the year as he delved into the tragic history of one of the most obscure Spider-Man villains Gibbon, and with this arc utilizes a similar idea. Taking a monstrous creature and making you care about it. Having Boomerang around to does not hurt. The dynamic between him and Spider-Man is made up of the stuff all good Marvel Team-Ups are made from.Â

4. Farmhand #15

Writer/Artist: Rob Guillory

Colorist: Taylor Wells

Publisher: Image ComicsÂ

Description:Â END OF STORY ARC! Season three of FARMHAND comes to a cataclysmic conclusion. Jedidiah’s greatest secret is revealed, and the Jenkins Family may not survive it.

Why it Made the List: With each passing issue Farmhand is getting better and better as a story. With issue number fifteen we learn a major missing piece of what really happened in the past to get us to our current state. It is the type of change that recontextualizes what came before, which is nice since the book is going on a bit of a hiatus. It gives you even more of a reason to go back and reread what came before. The selling point of this series may be the supernatural concept, however, the core strength is the family dynamic. Families are messy and within that mess is a lot of complex emotion especially when the truth finally sees the light. Sometimes the more you try to keep things together the more you end up pushing people away.Â Case and point-this story.Â

3. Youth #3

Writer: Curt Pires

Artist: Alex Diotto

Publisher: Comixology

Description: The kids decide to Rob a bank. What could possibly go wrong?

Why it Made the List: Well that was brutal wasn“t it? I am usually not a big fan when a story takes a lot of time with some characters to only do away with them in a very swift manner. When executed right though it can be used to give weight to what would have been a meaningless death. In this case, it causes you to reflect on the carelessness of these characters and how majorly over their head they all are. If you are the type of person who needs to like the characters in a story you might have some challenge reading this. They are characters who constantly make the wrong choices. On the bright side is the fact that wrong choices lead to great drama. I am somewhat concerned as the next issue is supposedly the last because this seems just like the beginning of a much longer story. My hope is the last issue does not try to cram too much in to find a satisfying conclusion.Â

2. Alienated #3

Writer: Simon Spurrier

Artist: Christian Wildgoose

Publisher: Boom! StudiosÂ

Description: It’s Samantha’s turn with Chip-the dangerous alien-but everything starts to go wrong when she instigates a confrontation with her ex-boyfriend. Scared and angry, Samantha struggles with the decision to use Chip’s powers for her own benefit. But not even she knows what the true consequences will be…

Why it Made the List: As a man of a certain age I have no authority in saying this but this feels like a type of story that would actually appeal to the teenagers of today. Often when writers try to write teenagers the dialog can feel hooky and overly forced. If you write them as people first you get issues like this one. Samantha“s character takes center stage as we learn what has driven her to the point where she simply cannot wait until school has ended. In my own ignorance, I thought was going to be something superficial when in reality it was brutal emotionally devastating. Anger, devastation, and an overwhelming wave of emotions were present throughout.Â

1.The Butcher of Paris #5

Writer: Stephanie Phillips

Artist: Dean Kotz

Publisher: Dark HorseÂ

Description:Â Behind bars, Petiot proclaims himself a resistance fighter and patriot. As the trial begins, a new spectacle presents itself. With the magnitude of the murders coming to light, what possible justice can be served?

Why it Made the List: My favorite weeks are those when my pick for number one comes out of nowhere. The Butcher of Paris #5 was not head and shoulders above everything this week I was simply impressed with the amount of sheer energy that was packed within this issue. A lot is covered within this single issue–so much so this could have made for another new volume or comic itself. The courtroom drama is not as commonplace for comics as it is with film or television. Static dialog filled drama does not always translate well to the comic medium. Artist Dean Kotz nails this issue and draws in such a frenetic manner the courtroom comes alive. Perhaps seeing someone truly evil come to justice certainly hit the right chord this week.Â

Author Profile

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.