Let me start off with an apology as this is out later than normal. Life has been a bit hectic and in order for this list to matter, I want to read as many comics as I can. A reminder this list is based solely on my opinion so may differ from other reviews on the site.
Writer: David Pepose
Artist: Jorge Santiago, Jr.
Publisher: Action Lab Comics
Description: Hovering between life and death, Spencer and Locke must make the ultimate choice as they journey across a terrifying and otherworldly battlefield. Meanwhile, Roach Riley aims to paint the town red – that is, unless an unexpected hero has something to say about it!
Why it Made the List: When your book has people fighting Nazis and evil snowmen how could I resist putting it in the top 10? Clearly, that is not something I can ignore as someone who enjoys comics that are willing to just go for it. Also, love all the ways this series has found to incorporate different comic strips into its pages from Dilbert to now with this issue a cameo from a character inspired by Dick Tracey. This is the right way to handle parody where you are not mocking what came before but poking fun in a respectful way. If you are someone who enjoyed previous series like The Flinstones there is a similar tone with this book.
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Howard Porter
Publisher: DC Comics
Description: “The Flash Year One”“ continues! Things are not looking pretty for the Flash, who just got his scarlet butt handed to him by the Turtle. If Barry Allen thought being a hero was going to be easy, he“d better think again after this beating-””but will it be enough to detour his destiny?
Why it Made the List: Reading this year one story it feels like a giant weight has been lifted off of Joshua Williamson shoulders. He does not need to tie this into any other major plot going on in DC and can just tell a tight self-contained story about who Barry was before he became The Flash. Despite the familiar setup it has been majorly refreshing. Howard Porter has been putting together some fantastic sequences including the climax of this issue that utilized the page turn with great effect. It was a veteran move made by someone who knows the medium inside and out.Â
Writer: Jade Lagardère (Author)
Writer/Artist: Butch Guice
Publisher: IDW
Description: Amber Blake has finally found the person responsible for all of the pain in her life-and there’s no way she’s letting him get away again. But nothing is as it seems, and when the people closest to her betray her, she’ll have to use all of her skills to get out alive-and to get the vengeance she’s longed for.
Why it Made the List: The term cinematic can be overused when it comes to comics but it is fitting with this series. Much of that is due to the art of Butch Guice as his style has a much more realistic style. In this issue“s finale that style made for an exciting climax as you had two individuals jumping off the side of a building. Guice was able to place the camera in areas a movie could not without the assistance of computer graphics. By pulling back he let the scale of the moment sink in as these tiny individuals were dwarfed by these massive buildings. With this being the final issue some major answers were revealed as the tragedy Amber Blake was born into became clear. Highly recommend picking this series up in trade as its larget format gives the art room to breathe.
Writer: Robert Venditti
Artist: Will Conrad
Publisher: DC Comics
Description: This issue, it’s a story from the pages of Hawkman’s journals! Travel back in time to when Carter Hall was reincarnated as a soldier in a cosmic army, while his people were at war! But what happens when a being known for constant reincarnation ends up coming back to life as his own enemy, fighting for the other side? Does it make him a more sympathetic warrior, or give him the weapons to better destroy his enemy?
Why it Made the List: This issue marks the start of a new arc and instead of jumping into the next major story we get a one-shot about the endless war Carter Hall has seen in his many lives. I was concerned with Bryan Hitch gone this book would lose something, but so far Will Conrad is holding his own. By the nature of this story, it was a bit repetitive but it worked as it made it evident the redundancy of violence as meaningless death was the one constant through each generation. It appears the first arc has opened the door to tell stories to span both time and space that can be both massive and small in scale.Â
Writer: Magdalene Visaggio
Artist: Claudia Aguirre
Publisher: Oni Press
Description: On the last night before the end of the world, Nancy discovers a startling secret. Were Ashley’s conspiracy theories all presciently correct? And is there anything that the Sick Sisters can do about it now that they know?
Why it Made the List: I have enjoyed each issue of this series, however, this was by far the best one yet as the full premise reveals itself in an impactful way. Have to give credit to this creative team as they showed patience by giving time to all these different characters to fully define themselves. Surprisingly there is only one issue left as you get the sense things are just beginning. One thing I noticed reading the work of Magdalene Visaggio is how comfortable she is at writing extremely flawed characters. Those that can be difficult to like at times, and may not be fully capable of redeeming themselves. Within their drawbacks, some great drama has been found.
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Joe Bennett
Publisher: Marvel
Description: Â Something is coming for Bruce Banner. Something that can smell him wherever he hides. Something that will never stop hunting. It wears the face of a friend ”” but all it feels is hate and hunger, burning in the core of every cell. Ask yourself…what“s more terrifying than the IMMORTAL HULK?
Why it Made the List: When I put The Immortal Hulk on this list my first instinct is not to explain why it made the list, but rather why it is not higher when it is not number one for the week it came out. I cannot think of a time when a book, especially from Marvel, was praised to this degree. Reading this issue you can see why. Joe Bennett has a gift for crafting grotesque imagery that is captivating to look at. Throughout this series, we have seen Al Ewing take on the fluctuating aspect of personal identity as the individual is capable of being many different things even when they seemingly contradict one another. That theme has mainly been explored through the character of the Hulk but now it is being pushed even further as this issue is told through a brand new perspective.Â
Writer/Artist: Terry Moore
Publisher: Abstract Studio
Description: Ivy and Julie take Tambi to the Heitzer Institute in hopes the company will assist in tracking down Phi bomb labs. Unfortunately the new director has a plan of her own, one that may make matters much worse. Meanwhile, Rachel and Zoe follow Lilith’s trail to Egypt and Katchoo is forced to reveal everything to Francine. Can she handle the truth? Find out in issue two of Terry Moore’s new series!
Why it Made the List: Five Years is a series that should not work as well as it has for these first two issues, and of course, that is the case as Terry Moore has made of career of crafting stories with vast tones that start as one thing and end up as something very different. With Strangers and Paradise and now Five Years it would be like watching Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy where Jesse and Celine suddenly become CIA agents tasked with stopping an alien invasion yet despite the insanity of that idea somehow it all makes sense. Moore also showcases he is no slouch in constructing an effective action sequence as this issue has a thrilling moment involving a fight underwater. If you are brand new to the “Terryverse” not everything may make perfect sense as Moore puts a lot of trust in the audience as the story never looks backwards to provide major context. So if you are diving in head first as a new reader you may need to let the story find you as everything may not make perfect sense at first glance.
Writer: Donny Cates
Artist: Tradd Moore
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Description: Spinning out of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1, almost the entire galaxy“s defenders have been blown through a black hole, including the Silver Surfer! But the story doesn“t end there”¦ In order to fight back the oblivion, Surfer will have to fight to save his own soul and not lose himself to the void. Follow the Sentinel of the Spaceways on a journey that will change him forever!
Why it Made the List: Marvel has been making a lot of interesting art choices for some of their most recent mini-series. For example, putting Juan Ferreyra on Killmonger and Travel Foreman on Black Cat as their styles are very much their own. The same can be said for Tradd Moore and his work on Silver Surfer: Black. Donny Cates designed a setup where the Surfer was placed in a world where the normal laws of physics did not apply and Tradd Moore was given great freedom in putting everything together. Some fantastic page layouts were his imagination and ingenuity lead to creative storytelling. In the spirit of Jack Kirby, he did the one thing all artist should by making each page exciting. Where you are reading and have no idea what the next page turn will lead to causing your attention to be glued. It may not have the detail or look most are used to but if you can be open to what Moore is doing there is a lot to appreciate. Comics are better when chances like this are made especially when done by major publishers.Â
Writer: Ted Anderson
Artist: Nuno Plati
Publisher: Aftershock Comics
Description: Lessons on the highway. “The civilized thing.” Lies and misdirection. The wild child. Learning and teaching. What world are you living in? Which animal dies?
Why it Made the List: Orphan Age is providing something different compared to other dystopian future stories. This is a world where one day all adults died leading kids to raise themselves. Picking up years later those kids are now adults and now a resemblance of society has been restored. It is not what it once was but the life the newest generation is facing is far improved to what life was shortly before. This takes the nature vs. nurture to the greatest degree. Here that concept is played out in an extreme way where a child who has grown up with a resemblance of life sees what can happen when nature is given the full responsibility of raising a human. The loss of innocence is palpable as tragedy becomes a necessity for survival. Sometimes to see the best of humanity you need to live through the worst.Â
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Mark Bagley
Publisher: Marvel
Description: THE REAL-TIME LIFE STORY OF SPIDER-MAN CONTINUES! Spider-Man“s life enters the 1990s! The COLD WAR is no longer cold as PETER PARKER returns to a world gone MAD! But will he let that madness infect HIM and his family?
Why it Made the List: Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley did something I did not think was possible. They took elements from the infamous Spider-Man ”˜Clone Saga“ and made a story that not only made perfect sense but had a level of earned sentimentality I was not expecting. Comics often revisit the great stories everyone loves, and chances are if something was good a remake is coming shortly after no matter the medium. However, there is something more impressive about revisiting a story most wish was forgotten and improving upon what did not work and embracing what did. One of the favorite pages of the week was near the end of this issue as Peter Parker visits his family. After a loving embrace, we get a zoom in on the face of Parker and Bagley drew the hell out of that moment. Parker“s expression was euphoric with just the right tint of regret. The placement was great as well as when you follow his eyes they are looking directly at those eliciting that very emotion in the panel above.  This was one of my most anticipated series going into this year and thankfully it has not disappointed.
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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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