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.

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.

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.

Uncanny X-Men: What Maggott Can Teach Us About Toxic Fandom

November 15, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

Special note, this piece first appeared on WMQ Comics as part of a series about fans’ favorite issues of Uncanny X-Men.

By Zack Quaintance — There are comic readers with perfect stories about their first issues, lucky folks who just happened to wander into some idyllic drugstore on a brisk day in New England as a kid, later emerging with a copy of “Amazing Spider-Man” from a spinner rack, maybe written by Gerry Conway with a first appearance of a new character who later became an icon, an issue they still look back on, thinking, now THAT was good comics.

I am not one of those readers. Good god, am I not one of those readers. And, as I’ll explain in a moment, I believe I’m much better for it.

My first real exposure to comics came courtesy of “Uncanny X-Men” #345, which has Maggott on its cover. Maggott. Now, I’d seen comics before via friends’ older brothers, and I’d even gotten the Claremont/Lee X-Men #1 before that as a gift, rolled up in my stocking. But I was too young. I’d scribbled on the pages and tore the cover. “Uncanny” #345 was the first comic that came my way once I had the literacy and motor skills the medium demanded. That original sin aspect is part of the reason I’m picking it as my favorite, but there’s more to it than that. This book has also had a lasting and positive legacy with me, and today I’d like to unpack that.

It’s not a good comic, not by any traditional standards, and it’s made even worse by the five issues after it. The book is full of mysteries, including: Is Joseph really Magneto; who is this guy Maggott; and what secret is Gambit hiding that’s so dark and awful? Its writer, Scott Lobdell, fell out with editorial before paying off pretty much any of that (except the Gambit bit — turns out dude helped massacre the Morlocks), which makes this an inherently frustrating story to look back on, especially for me, who first read it under the naive assumption all comics were carefully made with precise long-term planning (hah!). This book can, from a certain perspective, represent the corporate meddling and pressure that would often hamstring “Uncanny” throughout its post-Claremont run, and arguably still does to this day, really.

So, there’s that. Taken on standalone merits, this issue isn’t great, either. Joe Madureira’s art with heavy Tim Townsend inking is pretty, to be certain, well-formed and stylish with obvious manga and anime influence, a cut above most schlock from the era. It’s still, however, bursting with impossible female anatomy — side boob and jumpsuits that make bodies look vacuum-sealed — and total beefcaking (Bishop reading in a futuristic chair wearing naught but a scant vest and banana hammock…see below).

But if you’ll permit a glance through rose-tinted nostalgia glasses, I think this comic is better than all that. “Uncanny” #345 came out in 1997, when the ’90s as we’ve come to remember them had begun to pass. The art was still very much stuck in that era, but just look at Maggott, a concept built with so much odd levity. His mutant power is two sentient slugs that can basically eat through anything. In his first appearance, the slugs gnaw on a gruesome ‘90s robot with big claws and a supernova for tonsils, thereby saving a supermodel who apparently also runs a Christian orphanage in a jungle in Guatemala, after which Maggott quips: Disgustin’, ain’t it, luv? (SPX: CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP).

And that’s all we get of him. Intellectually, I know this is all bad, but also this is one of my all-time favorite X-character introductions (even if Lobdell’s departure led to an incomplete storyline and eventual mockery and disdain for ol’ Maggott), perfectly as grandiose as it is goofy.

The lasting legacy of “Uncanny” #345 in the context of my life as a comic book fan and reader, however, is what truly endears the comic to me. This book ultimately taught me that the medium is not one built for perfection (not like the best literature, TV or movies) as much as it is for occasional moments of unrestrained bliss. It taught me that comics are a prolific and churning ecosystem, one that should be approached as low-stakes. I watch frustration and anger wash through comic fandom online, and I shake my head, largely unable to relate. My first comic starred Maggott.

Essentially, “Uncanny” #345 gave me healthy expectations for this hobby, I think, allowing me to take superhero comics at their best while avoiding the toxic disappointment of wanting to control the fiction. And I owe it to this issue about a mutant man who could eat through robots with his sentient slugs.

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Gotham Central: How Characters Like Renee Montoya Make a Story

November 15, 2018 by Jack Sharpe in Comics

Gotham Central #6 by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark starts the classic Half a Life storyline, which centers on Renee Montoya. — **Gotham Central #6** by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark starts the classic **Half a Life** storyline, which centers on Renee Montoya.

By Jack Sharpe — In December 2002, DC launched a new comic that was very different from the usual adventures of Superman or Batman or Wonder Woman. This comic would run for 40 issues, focusing not on super-powered heroes themselves, but instead on the members of the Gotham City Police Department, the everyday people working to make a living and keep the city safe. This comic is Gotham Central. Written by Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker, with art from Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano, and Kano, Gotham Central is, simply put, one of the most important comics of the 2000s.

A large part of what makes this book so important is the characters at its center. The protagonists in Gotham Central are not aliens from other planets, and its villains are not trying to take over the world. No, this comic’s story is small and personal. Gotham Central is the story of the GCPD, the story of Renee Montoya, Crispus Allen, Maggie Sawyer, Marcus Driver, and others. It is the story of Gotham City, the very same inhabited by Batman, seen here through the eyes of police officers and detectives. Seen in a way that makes Gotham City feel real. From Renee Montoya revealing a deep secret to Stacey the GCPD intern and her fantasies, Gotham Central presents a wide array of characters who are rich with relatable humanity and realism.

What I’d like to explore today is one of the stories found in Gotham Central, paying special attention to how it makes this series such an important work of superhero fiction.

Renee Montoya

Gotham Central’s unique and thought-provoking storytelling shines most clearly through the character of Renee Montoya. Renee had been a recurring character in Batman comics dating back to her introduction in 1992. First created for Batman: The Animated Series and later adapted to comics, Renee was a detective who spent most of her time partnered with Harvey Bullock.

At the start of Gotham Central, Bullock has been kicked out of the GCPD, and Renee is now partnered with Crispus Allen. The storyline Half a Life, which appears in Gotham Central #6 - #10, focuses on Renee, who experiences an emotional ride that includes everything from sadness to anger. Renee’s story is told in a way that really makes readers empathize with her, really makes them feel her pain. It is, quite frankly, one of the best stories to ever be told through superhero comics.

To understand Renee’s arc in Gotham Central, one must first understand Renee. She is a no-nonsense cop, dealing with both her police career and her family life. She is also hiding something from many of those closest to her: Renee Montoya is a lesbian, currently in a relationship with another woman. She is also a latina from a very Christian family. Renee’s struggles with her sexuality and her family’s reaction to it in Gotham Central are something many people all over the world face. She fears being disowned by her family and looked down upon in her work place. Essentially, Renee knows that being honest about who she is could be disastrous for her relationships. Sadly, Renee also has enemies in Gotham. And in Half a Life, one of those enemies discovers her secret and outs her in her workplace.

As a result, Renee’s relationships at the GCPD and with her family change. She is shunned at work by many of the officers and detectives. Perhaps worse, Renee’s parents disown her. The scene of Renee in her lover Daria’s car breaking down in a flood of tears as she tells Daria about her parents is truly heart-wrenching, written and illustrated by the creators in a way that really makes you feel her pain.

Basically, writer Greg Rucka and artist Michael Lark craft a story here that shows how we as humans all have a breaking point, no matter how tough we are. Half a Life builds to a crescendo, while also planting seeds for continued growth for Renee throughout the series. By the final arc of Gotham Central, Renee leaves the GCPD, disgusted both by her treatment and the corruption she has seen in the department. The events of Gotham Central and the story of Renee Montoya are later followed up on in 52, where Rucka again takes the character and creates wonderful stories for her.

The Importance of Gotham Central

There are other stories and character moments throughout Gotham Central that also show a real side of Big Two comics that we do not normally see. But to me, the best example of these moments and the style of storytelling that makes this book so important is still Renee Montoya. Before I read Gotham Central, Renee was a character I did not know all that much about. Now, I know who she is, and, more importantly, I know why so many readers hold her as a beloved favorite.

Her story is one of identity, sadness, anger, betrayal, and ultimately growth. In Gotham Central, Renee faces difficult circumstances and obstacles, and she faces them in a way that shows who she is: someone who can overcome challenges and feelings, who can deal with suffering and use it grow into much more. Her pain and how she responds to it is something all readers can relate to, can aspire to emulate. Renee Montoya becomes a question (more on that in 52) and an answer. She is a special character and her story makes Gotham Central a special book.

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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

R.I.P. Stan Lee

November 12, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — Stan Lee died today at the age of 95, having helped create and—perhaps more importantly—entrench in the culture nearly a dozen comic book superheroes among the most famous fictional characters on the planet today.

Stan Lee was also Marvel’s face and editor-in-chief during the company’s rise to prominence throughout the 1960s and on. He created heroes, built a universe, and found a way to market it all to the world. Here’s a list of the properties he had a hand in shaping, all of whom have now appeared in massive big budget Hollywood movies:

Spider-Man (w/Steve Ditko)
The X-Men (w/Jack Kirby)
The Fantastic Four (w/Jack Kirby)
Iron Man (w/Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby)
Black Panther (w/Jack Kirby)
Thor (w/Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby)
Doctor Strange (w/Steve Ditko)
The Hulk (w/Jack Kirby)
Daredevil (w/Bill Everett)
Ant-Man (w/Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby)

I never met Stan Lee, nor do I have anything all that pressing to add to today’s conversations about his legacy or passing. I do, however, have my own experiences with the man as an icon as well as with his work, and in the interest of shared grief and mourning, I’d like to share those with all of you now.

My own first experience with Stan Lee as a personality was likely in the page’s of a Marvel comic book I bought (or had bought for me by my mom) in the mid-90s, a random issue of Uncanny X-Men or Amazing Spider-Man, in which his old Stan’s Soapbox column still ran. It had a little cartoon version of Stan at the top, smiling with his dark glasses and big mustache at the reader as his alliterative enthusiastic text took hold below. It started with Hi, Heroes! Or, Hi, True Believers! Always. And it ended, of course, with Excelsior! I read every word, at least twice. That was just how I consumed comics in those early days, keeping them stacked in a shoebox beside my bed. Stan Lee, I soon noticed, was the same name that presented these stories at the start of the issues, the same name listed as the characters’ co-creator.

I intrinsically knew he must be important, the boss of this whole shebang. I knew it in the way that you can only ascertain certain knowledge as a youth, some mix of naive assumption and osmosis special to kids. And while I didn’t quite realize this at the time, there was something in Stan’s attitude and writing (even if he wasn’t always doing the column himself by then) that made me feel included, part of a special secret, that made me feel less alone. And more than creativity or marketing or vision, I think that was Stan’s real gift, the ability to unite disparate folks under a banner of shared enthusiasm and positivity.

Indeed, the characters Stan helped create, mold, and spread were often bearers of important and formative ethos—with great power, comes great responsibility, or discriminating against those different than you is a path toward compounding hate—foundational lessons for us all, to be sure. It was, however, Stan’s relentless enthusiasm that would shape my character more directly, lingering with me as I developed my own approach to consuming and creating media as I aged. Even today as I interact with friends and strangers online, discussing movies, books, comics, or life, I often ask myself how Stan might respond, and that little exercise does wonders to inform my tone.

Now, I realize I’m framing this all a bit solipsistically, and that many others—indeed, much of 1960s culture—feel the same way, perhaps with more direct and concrete examples of how Stan Lee and his creations informed their lives. I know too that his legacy is likely to be a complex one, controversial. I’m not here to discuss that, not even a little bit, certainly not today. Today I only want to talk about how this loss feels, independent of the contrarian or analytical.

Stan Lee is gone now and it hurts. There’s an old writing adage that says the invisible last line of any and all stories is and nothing was ever the same again...in my career I’ve done journalism and I’ve written short fiction, going back now about a decade, and I’m starting to write comic books too (hopefully with greater frequency soon). I always think about that invisible last line as I head toward endings. Because of Stan, though, I often tack on an addendum...and nothing was ever the same again. Excelsior!

R.I.P., Mr. Lee, and thank you for all that you created, all that you built, all that you’ve left to make us better.

Here are some other things I find inspirational about Stan Lee:

Stan’s major success came relatively late in life, with Fantastic Four #1 publishing when he was roughly 39.
Stan had serious literary ambitions, but he still put his all into comics, for the most part, using the medium as an outlet for real art.
Stan was as interested in public speaking as he was in writing, seeing the intrinsic connection between the two.
His positivity, his positivity, his positivity.

Top Comics to Buy for November 14, 2018

November 12, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — This week could maybe be looked at as DC Strikes Back, or something...if it weren’t for Marvel’s Uncanny X-Men #1, which in spite of its $7.99 price tag is still likely to sell more copies than any other title this week. Still, the slate of new DC and indie books is strong, with the former launching Electric Warriors, concluding Mister Miracle, and re-orienting Wonder Woman with a new creative team of G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel) and Cary Nord (The Unexpected).

The real highlight of the week, meanwhile, comes from David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene, as the team launches their long-awaited familial Harlem Renaissance monster-hunting book, Bitter Root. This was on our Most Anticipated Comics of 2018 list waaaaay back last January, and now it’s finally here. Obviously, Bitter Root lands as our featured books for the Top Comics to Buy for November 14, 2018. Oh, and look for a review later this week, but for now….

Let’s get to the comics!

Top Comics to Buy for November 14, 2018

PICK OF THE WEEK
Bitter Root #1
Writers: David F. Walker & Chuck Brown
Artist: Sanford Greene
Colorists: Rico Renzi & Sanford Greene
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
In the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance is in full swing, and only the Sangerye Family can save New York-and the world-from the supernatural forces threatening to destroy humanity. But the once-great family of monster hunters has been torn apart by tragedies and conflicting moral codes. The Sangerye Family must heal the wounds of the past and move beyond their differences... or sit back and watch a force of unimaginable evil ravage the human race.
Why It’s Cool: David F. Walker and Sanford Greene have teamed up before, specifically on a brief Power Man and Iron Fist run that if there was any justice in the corporate comics world would have run for 50+ issues. And now they’re back together! Transferring the creative alchemy they found at Marvel to the creator-owned vision described above. Simply put, this has the potential to be a MAJOR comic.

Electric Warriors #1
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Travel Foreman
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Years after the Great Disaster, the Earth has started to rebuild and rejoin the universal coalition. In order to prevent a galactic war, different worlds throughout the known cosmos have created a new system of competitive combat to give each participating planet their own voice in the intergalactic struggle. Each world has one diplomatic gladiator, chosen to possess the Electric Seed and fight for their homeland as the Electric Warrior! Each fighter forsakes their personal life in the name of peace. So what happens when Earth can't choose a single combatant and sends two instead? The bruiser War Cry represents the humans of Earth, while Deep Dweller, a shape-shifter from the Octopus Tribe, represents the animal kingdom. Can they maintain one common goal, or will they tear Earth's tenuous coexistence to shreds and destroy the rest of the universe with it? Oh, and War Cry also has a powerful relic from Earth's past: Superman's cape!
Why It’s Cool: This book features one of the wildest and most original visions we’ve seen from either of the Big 2 in sometime, especially as it pertains to Travel Foreman’s artwork. Paired with Hi-Fi’s colors, the wispy shades of neon in this book really differentiate it from any other superhero universe fare on the market. Meanwhile, writer Steve Orlando is perhaps DC’s foremost continuity explorer, fearlessly drawing from his own deep knowledge of the publisher’s history. He’s right at home here crafting a compelling narrative within Jack Kirby’s Great Disaster Era.

Lone Ranger #2
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Bob Q
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Dynamite
Price: $3.99
Tonto and the Lone Ranger go to Austin to foil a plan to cover the Texas panhandle in barbed wire. They are discovered and have to fight their way out of the city. Tonto devises a new strategy based on trick plays he learned from playing football at the Carlisle Indian School and Silver knocks a man unconscious with a wooden post.
Why It’s Cool: We’ve been heaping all kinds of praise on this book, most recently in our Best New #1 Comics of October 2017, and we’re not going to stop any time soon. This book is as smart as it is well done, and if you like great comics, you should be reading it, even if you care as little about the Lone Ranger character as I did coming into this.

Mister Miracle #12
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Mitch Gerads
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
It'll be a miracle if you can get through this mind-bending conclusion with your sanity intact! After his epic battle with Darkseid, Scott Free sees life a whole new way: he's the new Highfather of New Genesis, and he's madly in love with his wife and child. But what if it's all a lie? Did Mister Miracle really escape death way back in issue #1? No one really knows but Tom King and Mitch Gerads!
Why It’s Cool: Mister Miracle is one of the smartest and most poignant comics that DC has published in many, many years, and this issue marks its conclusion. This is, simply put, the sort of finale that not only sticks the landing but does so in a way that validates all of the creative choices that came before it, making the already-strong previous acts of this story even stronger. This was one hell of a comic.

Uncanny X-Men #1
Writers: Ed Brisson, Kelly Thompson, & Matthew Rosenberg
Artists: Mahmud A. Asrar, Mark Bagley, & Mirko Colak
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $7.99
THE CHILDREN OF THE ATOM ARE BACK! New ongoing series kicking off with a 10-part weekly epic, the flagship X-Men series that started it all is back and better than ever! Starting with a mysterious and tragic disappearance, the X-Men are drawn into what might be...their final adventure?! X-Fan favorite writers Ed Brisson (EXTERMINATION), Matthew Rosenberg (PHOENIX RESURRECTION) and Kelly Thompson (MR. & MRS. X) and all-star artists Mahmud Asrar (X-MEN RED), R.B. Silva (X-MEN BLUE), Yildiray Cinar (WEAPON X) and Pere Pérez (ROGUE AND GAMBIT) join forces to bring you...X-MEN DISASSEMBLED?!
Why It’s Cool: In one sense, Marvel is back on its old cash grabbing bull*#$@, relaunching one of its most-popular titles of all time with a $7.99 first issue. Not only that, but this is the start of a 10-part weekly series. Marvel, simply put, knows readers will get this comic regardless, and so they’re going to take them for every last penny. Capitalism! That said, in between the cash grabbing Marvel has been providing really strong stories, and—carping about the cost aside—there’s no reason to believe this one will be any different. The X-world has been on the rise as of late (now that Marvel has its film rights back...ahem) led by a group of young writers who clearly grew up fans of the comics. Brisson, Thompson, and Rosenberg are chief among them, and we can’t wait to see what they do with this series. But also, did we mention it costs $7.99??!

Wonder Woman #58
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Cary Nord
Inker: Mick Gray
Artist: Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Far below Themyscira, Ares, the God of War, has been imprisoned for generations, repenting his past sins. But his new cellmate Grail may have an unexpected effect on him...and the plan they've come up with will change Themyscira-and the world- forever! When Wonder Woman rushes to Eastern Europe to rescue Steve Trevor from a mission gone wrong, she'll find herself face-to-face with a very new, very different God of War!
Why It’s Cool: G. Willow Wilson is a big get for Wonder Woman, a smart and thoughtful writer, Wilson has built the Kamala Khan Ms. Marvel character into one of the most exciting teen concepts in comics. This is a whole other challenge altogether—building on decades of continuity within a much-loved and venerable franchise. We very much think that Wilson and her artistic collaborator Cary Nord are up for it.

Others Receiving Votes

Amazing Spider-Man #9
Avengers #10 (#700)
Cemetery Beach #3
Captain America #9
Cosmic Ghost Rider #5
Euthanauts #4
Fantastic Four #3
Friendo #2
Gideon Falls #8
Hawkman #6
Infinite Dark #2
Ms. Marvel #36
Murder Falcon #2
Oblivion Song #9
Proxima Centauri #6
Quantum Age: From the World of Black Hammer #4
Thor #7
Skyward #8
Supergirl #24
Superman #5

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

Best New #1 Comics of October 2018

November 09, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — October saw the big two sort of stepping back with their superhero stuff and either lining up new books for the months to come (DC) or pushing forward with strong titles they’d launched this summer (Marvel). As a result, our list for the best new #1 comics of October 2018 is all indie stuff, which, in truth, is our favorite kind of list.

It’s also a really smart group of books this month, featuring another killer new series from Vault Comics, the latest addition to Shelly Bond’s Black Crown imprint, and a couple of very funny writers (Kyle Starks and Mark Russell) taking a pair of licensed properties and making top-tier comics.

Anyway, on to the books!

Quick Hits

Shuri #1 by Nnedi Okorafor and Leonardo Romero caught me by surprise, at once capturing the tone of the character from the movie and making a comic all its own. I also think there’s a vague reference to what’s really happening in the main BP title, which, intriguing...

Also in Marvel #1s, I liked Shatterstar #1 (of 5) by Tim Seeley, Carlos Villa, and Gerardo Sandoval. Great art, and a concept that is basically Fraction/Aja’s Hawkeye, but with multiverse shenanigans...

Meanwhile, contributing writer Bo Stewart dug Dead Rabbit #1, and you can check out his Dead Rabbit #1 review here...

And I had a review of Blackbird #1, another notable debut this month, steeped in neon and Southern California...

Planet of the Apes: The Time of Man #1 was a nice surprise, too. I don’t usually pay attention to licensed property comics, but this one had an all-star lineup of writers (David F. Walker, Dan Abnett, and Phillip Kennedy Johnson) delivering vignettes. As it turns out, it was well worth my time...

Black Mask Studios is a publisher a like a great deal and maybe don’t talk about enough. I wrote about some of their books in our New Comics Discoveries October 2018, including last month’s Devil Within #1...

Infinite Dark #1 by Ryan Cady and Andrea Mutti was a somber adventure in deep space/melancholic tones...

While Dead Kings #1 was another entry in Steve Orlando’s growing canon of stories about revenge, with art by Matthew Dow Smith...

Meanwhile, the Marvel Zombie #1 one-shot was almost an anti-revenge story and very much a good time. Written by W. Maxwell Prince of Ice Cream Man and illustrated by Stefano Raffaele. A good book for Halloween but also just generally for fans of zombie fiction...

Last, here’s our **official** ranking of the X-Men: Black #1s from last month:
Mojo #1
Emma Frost #1
Juggernaut #1
Magneto #1
Mystique #1
On the whole, I liked X-Men: Black quite a bit and certainly more than I expected to, even if it was a little cash-grabby. I liked it in the larger context of the X-universe, because it sort of worked to rebuild the X-villains and position many of them with motives for combating the X-heroes soon, presumably in stories stemming from next week’s Uncanny X-Men #1 relaunch.

Top 5 Best New #1 Comics of October 2018

The Lodger #1
Writer: David and Maria Lapham
Artist: David Lapham
Publisher: IDW’s Black Crown Imprint
Price: $3.99
We’ve been big fans of nearly everything that veteran comic editor Shelly Bond has done with her IDW imprint Black Crown, which launched at this time last year (pre-dating our Best #1 Comics monthly series). As good as books like The Euthanuats and House Amok have been (appearing here during their own launch months), The Lodger feels like a complex and massive story all on its own. The book is the work of David and Maria Lapham, of Stray Bullets fame, and it certainly lives up to their legacy within the crime noir genre.

Simply put, The Lodger is intriguing. Previews for the title have promised a story about murder, shape shifting, transience, and travel blogging, almost as if someone pulled a set of disparate ideas out of a hat. The Laphams, however, weave it all together so well with sheer storytelling proficiency and flair, creating a world rich with mysterious characters and a forlorn tone to match the impermanence of their lives. We can’t recommend The Lodger highly enough, especially to readers who enjoy a more literary brand of comics.

Lone Ranger #1
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Bob Q
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Dynamite
Price: $3.99
Here we go, time to beat the Mark Russell is a genius at creating satire via seemingly taxed and maybe even corny old properties drum, again. Frankly, this could very well be the last time we point that all out, because what Mark Russell is doing with Lone Ranger has just become so commonplace for him. So then: what, you ask, is Russell doing with Lone Ranger?

Well, as hinted at above he’s using a seemingly-taxed and maybe even corny old property (this time, The Lone Ranger) to create a satire steeped in nuanced history and commentary on power structures, how the west was won, and oppressing others for the sake of your own gain. It’s similar thematic ground to Russell’s work on the phenomenal Flintstones series, and it’s as smartly-written and intensely character-driven as one of our favorite books of the year, Russell’s Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles. This, dear readers, is a smart and essential comic that you should be buying. Oh, and get ready to think about barbed wire more/differently than you ever have before.

Mars Attacks #1
Writer: Kyle Starks
Artist: Chris Schweizer
Colorist: Liz Trice Schweizer
Publisher: Dynamite
Price: $3.99
Whoa, what is this? Two licensed properties on our best new books list in the same month? Plus also a shout out to Planet of the Apes in the quick hits section? Yes, it’s all happening, not because we’ve stopped being such severe buzzkills, but because publishers continue to put some of our absolute favorite creators on these kinds of titles. Now, we have the hilarious Kyle Starks teaming up with Chris Schweizer on a new Mars Attacks comic.

This book is great though, rich with the humor that has made Starks’ creator-owned work—including Rock Candy Mountain and Sex Castle—such an utter joy to read. Schweizer’s art is a great fit for both Starks’ sensibilities and the world of Mars Attacks, too, giving life to fearsome aliens as well as the scripts many gags. What impressed me most about this comic was how rooted in the main characters it felt, going out of its way to make us care about the old man and his son at the center of the first issue. This book is off to a great start.

Murder Falcon #1
Writer/Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Murder Falcon #1 is the second-ever debut comic to earn our vaunted 10/10 review, joining last month’s Fearscape #1 from Vault Comics. This book is just a perfect storm of things we enjoy: the artwork of Daniel Warren Johnson, cornball jokes about rocking super hard, and a deeply personal emotive story about loss. It’s the last item that gives this book a surprising and powerful center that has us intrigued about where this story plans to go.

These Savage Shores #1
Writer: Ram V
Artist: Sumit Kumar
Colorist: Vittoria Astone
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
Last (alphabetically) but certainly not least is These Savage Shores. Earlier this year, Vault Comics announced new series from four U.K.-based writers. The first three books were all great, starting with Deep Roots, and then Fearscape and Friendo. These Savage Shores is the last of the bunch to launch...and it’s also one of the best new comics of the year.

This is a vampire story steeped in imperialistic entitled oppression, from the viewpoint of the oppressor...until it suddenly swerves and takes a different approach. We don’t want to spoil things—because we really do want all of you to check this one out—but let’s just say that right up until the final pages, These Savage Shores is not what you think it is.

Check out more of our many monthly lists here.

Tom King's Batman: Should We Keep Reading?

November 08, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — I got a call the other day from a friend, asking if I planned to keep reading Tom King’s current run on Batman. The series is currently on #58 (out this week) of what King has said will be 104 total issues. To be quite frank, before that call I hadn’t even considered quitting. So, the question caught me off guard. My friend had also previously written about King’s work, heaping praise upon it. Yet, there he was, ambivalent about continuing.

But you know what? By the end of our conversation, I could see his point. The shine has indeed faded just a little bit from this Batman series, which is why today I’d like to talk about the big question—Tom King’s Batman, should we keep reading? I think there are valid cases to be made either way, and so I’d like to look now at both sides, starting with…

The Case Against Tom King’s Batman

Something has changed with this Batman comic.

Maybe it was the wedding, hyped by many (from DC marketing to the creators) as a pivotal moment in the long history of a classic character, until...it wasn’t. But no, that’s not it, The Cold Days arc that followed (in which Bruce Wayne finagles his way onto a jury to successfully make a case that his alter ego is flawed) was one of the best Batman stories in many, many years.

Well then, maybe it was that recent KGBeast arc? After all, Nightwing was shot in the head for some reason, which I guess was maybe kind of justified by Bruce and the aforementioned Beast having liked the same gross children’s book as kids? I don’t know. The whole thing felt a little disturbing, mostly based on (excuse the pun) the execution (although I did love Batman #54, which preceded it). This shot in the head thing, however, has been worse for the current Nightwing comic (they ran off Ben Percy!), than it has been for Batman.

The gritty themes in Heroes in Crisis have some readers wondering if DC has given up on the hope that made Rebirth popular. — The gritty themes in **Heroes in Crisis** have some readers wondering if DC has given up on the hope that made **Rebirth** popular.

Or maybe the reason was and continues to be Heroes in Crisis? The mini-series has, after all, upset many fans (perhaps purposefully), brutally murdering beloved and long-tenured characters in swift and unceremonious fashion, one of which (Wally West) was a pretty literal embodiment of the hope that defined the publisher’s most recent line-wide shakeup, Rebirth.

I think that last one is having a bit of an impact on readers, so let’s talk about it. Heroes in Crisis is a 9-part series purported to be a combination of commentary on an American PTSD epidemic resulting from the war on terror, plus also a murder mystery starring superheroes. Two issues in, it’s been utterly grim and fairly cold, literally slaughtering and autopsy-ing several young characters. It also seems to be indicative of a larger grim turn for a publisher that had its biggest success this decade with Rebirth, which, again, was built on hope.

Heroes in Crisis, in other words, hasn’t been a crowd pleaser, and Tom King is the one behind it. I’m still hearing the majority of readers (both online and off) say things like This is Tom freaking King, he knows what he’s doing, but for others, confidence in King’s ability to deliver has been slightly rattled. Meanwhile, King is also a writer whose style often feels non-conventional, relying as it does on voice-heavy tricks such as repetition of key words or phrases to re-enforce meaning, novel uses of form and structure, and quotations from poems and literature. These are all things that really standout in today’s corporate superhero comics malaise, which is part of what helped King so quickly rise to prominence. The flip-side to all of that, however, is that stylistic flourishes tend to yield diminishing returns. The poetic quotations in King’s breakout 2015 series The Vision, for example, landed much harder for me than those in this week’s Batman #58. Batman, it should be noted, is a twice monthly title on a white-knuckle creative schedule, and so, really, it’s hard to fault King for going back to some of his most trusted tools here and there.

All that said, I’m not personally at the point where I’m ready to even consider dropping this title, which brings us to our other section…

The Case for Tom King’s Batman

Overall, I’ve liked King’s run, with the highlights for me being the double date issue (Clark/Lois, Bruce/Selena), the much-loved and Eisner Award-winning Batman Annual #2 (Rooftops), and the recent Cold Days arc, wherein Bruce Wayne finagles his way onto a jury and makes a case that his own alter ego is flawed (a premise so nice I rehashed it twice…sorry). And on the whole, I’m still enjoying this comic’s writing. I have a bit of Batman fatigue, but I’ve had that for at least a decade and yet still I soldier on.

Could Tom King’s Batman run be a direct play on the classic Knightfall storyline? — Could Tom King’s **Batman** run be a direct play on the classic **Knightfall** storyline?

To me, King is engaged in a deep character study, taking apart and rebuilding Batman in an in-depth way not attempted since Knightfall. In fact, my deep suspicion here is actually that what King is trying to do with his 104-issue run is craft Knightfall for a new generation, creating a sequel of sorts in which primary villain Bane takes a less-overt and more-cerebral approach to breaking The Bat. And if that’s the case, I’m there for it.

In the original early ‘90s Knightfall, Bane weaponizes Batman’s rogues gallery against him by freeing them all from Arkham and laying back as they exhaust the Cape Crusader, pushing Bruce to place of shaken weakness after he spends several sleepless days rounding them all up. Afterwards, Bane storms Wayne Manor/The Bat Cave, and literally breaks Bruce’s back over his knee. Why? Because he wanted to prove that he could and because, of course, he’s evil.

After the failed wedding, we learn Bane has returned to his old tricks and is trying to once again break The Bat, perhaps as revenge for an earlier story arc and all the other indiginities he’s suffered through the years at the hands of Batman. Here’s where this sequel idea really becomes interesting to me. Bane’s efforts are evolved, more subtle and more cerebral than the last time he gave it his all. He’s now manipulating Bat foes into having direct incentives to complicate and terrorize Batman, be it KGBeast’s assassination attempt of Nightwing, or Catwoman being guilted into leaving Bruce at the altar. My guess is that this all could lead up to another (or different) broken back scene soon.

I find this intriguing because it strikes me as an essential update on the Knightfall story for our times. Knightfall was published in the early ‘90s, when real world foes, like Bane, were more overt. The Soviet Union had just fallen, but for years prior we’d known them as our rival, our enemy. We’d watched out for their machinations. These days, however, we seem to be involved in a Cold War sequel, rife with speculation about what Russia may or may not be doing to move against us, as well as tertiary and internal actors seemingly being motivated to aid their cause. Casting Bane as a similarly-improved tactician is sharp and heady stuff.

If that kind of metaphor is what King’s engaged in here—phew, count me in, I’d like to see where it’s all going, even if Heroes in Crisis continues to land with a thud (although I’m still hopeful that there’s something larger in play there than the first two issues would suggest…). Moreover, even with King’s style becoming more familiar, it continues to stand out as a smarter approach to the work. The meaning isn’t always as powerful as it was in his early superhero books, but King is still on a marquee title and trying something new, an increasing rarity in this age of editorial oversight and careful guarding of would-be billion dollar movie franchises. I think that entitles him to a slightly longer rope, one I’m still personally happy to afford him.

Check out more of our analytical writing on comics.

October 2018 New Comic Discoveries: Black Mask Makes Complex Comics with Massive Relevance

November 06, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — First things first: today is the most important mid-term election day of our lifetimes. Go vote...and vote for Democrats. You may disagree with their positions, policies, and leadership, and that’s all fine, I suppose. Just realize, these are not normal times. Flipping the House in 2018 is about reinforcing the checks and balances our government depends on in the face of an executive branch bent on eroding them. Just go do it.

Phew. With that out of the way, let’s get to comics! This month we have a special New Discoveries, tying into today by looking at three titles from one of our favorite indie publishers: Black Mask Studios. Based out of Los Angeles, Black Mask is a hotbed of transgressive storytelling. Their titles are nuanced and complex, rooted in compulsive readability but never so much that it takes away from their relevance. We should also note Black Mask walks the walk: they were registering voters during SDCC, and each issue of Calexit, for example, included information about grassroots organizing for today’s 2018 midterms.

A look at Black Mask’s books is long overdue on our site, and we can think of no better time than this election day to fix this. Without further adieu, let’s check out three comics from Black Mask that we had the pleasure to discover in recent weeks...

Calexit

Writer: Matteo Pizzolo
Artist: Amancay Nahuelpan
Colorist: Tyler Boss
Flatter: Dee Cunniffe
Letterer: Jim Campbell

Calexit is, arguably, the title that cemented Black Mask Studios as the industry’s premier publisher of political graphic fiction. The book is about a progressive majority of Californians refusing to remain in the union after a fascist autocratic president takes power. Leveraging the vast economy of the state (sixth largest on the planet), activists launch an actual resistance. In the hands of lesser creators, this book might have read as a revenge fantasy (side note: I’m a Californian and certainly could have gotten down with that, but I digress…). Catharsis has a place in 2018 to be sure, but a story based solely on catharsis would maybe fade from public consciousness too quickly.

Calexit is all but certain to linger with those who read it. This is one of the smartest comics on the market today. Writer Matteo Pizzolo (Black Mask’s publisher and face) has put incredible thought into his story, extrapolating the ramifications of an actual exit from the union to logical and realistic extremes. This comic sugarcoats nothing, with Pizzolo’s scripts and Amancy Nahuelpan’s artwork bluntly portraying the grit, struggle, and violence inherent to breaking from the union. The character work and suspense are also well done, with massive set pieces, touches of humor, and colorful characters. The real appeal of the book, though, comes in its quiet moments, human times when people sacrifice for what’s right at the cost of their own interests, moments that stress how pivotal such times are for all of us. Simply put, Calexit is a comic that refuses to let even one American off the hook. We highly recommend both this story and concept.

Black

Writer: Kwanza Osajyefo
Designer: Tim Smith 3
Artist: Jamal Igle
Inker: Robin Riggs
Letterer: Dave Sharpe

Black is, simply put, one of the most poignant takes on superheroics ever produced. Written by Kwanza Osajyefo and illustrated by Jamal Igle, the book has a simple enough premise—what if only black people have superpowers? Much like Calexit, each issue builds a well-crafted narrative that extrapolates its core concept to thoughtful places. There’s also a level of depth to this book that eludes the vast majority of superhero takes. Just look at the story’s villains. My expectation was that the bad guys here would be the usual politicians or corrupt cops. Those folks certainly factor in, but the book is not content to stop with them.

Instead, Black pushes past the obvious, finding true villainy at a conflux of political and corporate interests, deliberately stoking racial tensions in society so as to maintain a generational grip on America’s power structures. This comic fearlessly refuses to dumb down even a bit. Another effective choice in Black is the way those with superpowers behave in order to best serve their mission and interests. They can’t be Superman, publicly launching a simple fight against crime and evildoers. They are, for obvious reasons, more like the X-Men, but even that comparison doesn’t hold, not entirely. In X-mythos, mutants manifested in large numbers in the mid-20th century. In the real world, there are hundreds of years of institutionalized racism that the superpowered characters in Black must also consider and contend with. It’s a really powerful and fresh take on this familiar concept.

Devil Within

Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Maan House
Colorist: Dee Cunniffe
Letterer: Troy Peteri

Devil Within is not so overtly rooted in the type of transgressive storytelling that powers both Calexit and Black. Devil Within (which we recently talked to writer Stephanie Phillips about) is a horror comic that tells the story of a newly-engaged couple beset by a demonic possession. As Phillips recently told us, “the main focus of the book is actually trust and relationships.” Essentially, the book asks what would it be like to suffer a loss of love while also becoming absolutely terrified of the person you’re sharing a bed with. It’s a different approach for a horror story, to be sure, and I liked it quite a bit.

The script’s use of character moments really makes the relationship between the two leads relatable—even as the artwork and coloring does its best to set an absolutely sinister tone. One technique used multiple times by the artists here is to entirely shade and obscure faces as characters speak to each other. This does a lot of tonal work, adding an almost subliminal level of visual symbolism I found quite powerful. In the end, though, the real question of Devil Within is how well can you truly know another human? And while the plot is primarily concerned with this on a micro level, the subject matter strikes me as tragically relevant amid 2018’s devastatingly unprecedented moment of extreme national discord. This is the youngest book on our list today, and I’ll definitely be following it as its story progresses.

The shaded faces in Devil Within #1 set a horror-tinged tone that emphasizes the book’s core question: how well can you ever really know another human? — The shaded faces in **Devil Within #1** set a horror-tinged tone that emphasizes the book’s core question: how well can you ever really know another human?

Oh and once more, if you’re reading this and it’s still Tuesday, November 6….go vote!

Click here to check out more than a year’s worth of monthly comics lists.

Top Comics to Buy for November 7, 2018

November 05, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — I’m not going to lie: I was so caught up with anticipation for Grant Morrison and Liam Sharp to start their run on The Green Lantern, that I kind of lost sight of the other books that were coming out this week. So, you can imagine my surprise when I sat down to look at the slate for this first Wednesday in November, and I found other highly anticipated titles waiting for me too.

I’m talking specifically here about the first issue of the new Marvel Knights 20th Anniversary, mini-series, which is being show-run by Donny Cates with future issues from Matthew Rosenberg, Tini Howard, and Vita Ayala. Also, new Immortal Hulk! That comic is so good that it’s reach a rare point where each individual issue feels like a weighty event, not unlike the best of my favorite creator-owned titles, the likes of Southern Bastards, Monstress, or Saga.

Anyway...without further adieu...let’s do it up!

Top Comics to Buy for November 7, 2018

PICK OF THE WEEK
The Green Lantern #1
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Liam Sharp
Colorist: Steve Oliff
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
In this debut issue, when Earth's space cop, Hal Jordan, encounters an alien hiding in plain sight, it sets off a chain of events that rocks the Green Lantern Corps-and quite possibly the Multiverse at large-to its very core. There's an inter-galactic conspiracy afoot, as well as a traitor in the GL Corps' ranks, so strap in for more mind-bending adventures in this masterpiece in the making.
Why It’s Cool: Well, for starters just look at it. Liam Sharp’s artwork is bringing a level of detail and psychedelic imagination we’ve never seen in DC cosmic, and it’s really something to behold. This is book is also being billed as back-to-basics approach that simultaneously expands DC’s space enforcer mythos to new and farout locales. More over, it’s Grant Morrison taking yet another DC character and teasing out the core essence of a classic character while simultaneously telling new stories in a modern context. It’s going to be a beautiful and complex thing.

Fearscape #2
Writer: Ryan O’Sullivan
Artist: Andrea Mutti
Colorist: Vladimir Popov
Letterer: Andworld Design
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
Heroic plagiarist Henry Henry faces his first trial in the Fearscape! Within The Weeping Castle, home to The Children of Prometheus, Henry Henry encounters wondrous and fanciful creatures-including The First Fear. With courage and calm, he endures the heart of darkness, refusing the easy temptation of light. No Legs can outrun-no Mind can outwit-no Heart can outlove our hero.
Why It’s Cool: Fearscape #1 earned a rare 10/10 review from us, and so we’re obviously really excited to dig into the second issue. If it grows from the foundation laid in the first chapter, this will be deeper dive into territory, a story about what it’s like to tell stories, and a razor sharp one at that. *Special Note* this comic was initially solicited last week before being delayed by one, but we’ve seen an advanced copy and like it more than enough to include it again here.

Immortal Hulk #8
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Joe Bennett
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
Bruce Banner is dead. His corpse has been dissected, his organs catalogued, and his inner workings are being studied by the scientists of Shadow Base. Bruce Banner is no longer a threat. That just leaves the IMMORTAL HULK…
Why It’s Cool: This book is a serious contender for the best superhero book today, as well as in the conversation for best monthly comic, period. We’ve been over and over this, but it really is that good. Expect to see it on our list whenever it comes out unless something major changes.

Marvel Knights 20th #1
Writer: Donny Cates
Artist: Travel Foreman
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $4.99
In celebration of the legendary imprint founded by Marvel's CCO Joe Quesada, a new crop of talent stands poised to tell a groundbreaking story across the Marvel Universe! In the cemetery, the blind man does not know who he is, or why he has come to this particular grave at this moment. He doesn't know the burly police officer with the wild story who has approached him. Or the strangely intense man who sits in the rear seat of the patrol car, his eyes flashing green. But all of that is about to change. Because Matt Murdock is beginning to remember...In a colorless world without heroes, the spark of light...must come from the dark…
Why It’s Cool: Marvel’s brightest star right now is arguably writer Donny Cates, who has a no-nonsense conversational omniscient narrative style and a keen talent for capital B, Big ideas. Now, the publisher is deploying Cates to honor the 20th birthday of its legendary (to readers in their late 20s or early 30s, anyway) Marvel Knights imprint, and it all starts here with this issue.

Sideways Annual #1
Writers: Dan DiDio & Grant Morrison
Artists: Will Conrad & Cliff Richards
Colorist: Hi-Fi
Letterer: Travis Lanham & Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
Sideways unleashes his "super" secret weapon against Perrus in an effort to free the oppressed people and escape to his home dimension. He'll get some additional help from the newly discovered Seven Soldiers, but only if someone makes a heroic ultimate sacrifice. Plus, a bonus backup story in which Sideways meets the Unseen!!
Why It’s Cool: Despite the absolutely absurd number of different fonts on this book’s cover (six? I think I see six…), this comic is actually pretty exciting. Sideways has unexpectedly been a strong series from its start, and now Grant Morrison is coming on to presumably cross the character over with his Seven Soldiers concept and probably also some multiversal shenanigans. We can’t wait.

Others Receiving Votes

Border Town #3
Crowded #4
Deathstroke #37
Death of Inhumans #5
Dreaming #3
Farmhand #5
Giant Days #44
Infinity Wars #5
Justice League #11
Leviathan #3
Redlands #8
Sparrowhawk #2
The Walking Dead #185
Wrong Earth #3
X-Men: Red #10

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

Thirsty Thursdays: October’s Hottest Comics Art

November 01, 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 October 2018

Daredevil #609 & #610 — Elektra is back in Matt’s life, and back in her classic costume!! Phil Noto draws the most beautiful Elektra since Mike Del Mundo. I guess Matt was in his own series this month, but I don’t even remember.
💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5

Domino #7 — I don’t know which is better…art nouveau Dom or cranky early morning pug-slippers wearing Dom. (DID SHE SEND TO ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES THAT WILL MAKE STUFF THAT LOOK LIKE YOUR PETS? BECAUSE… CUTE.)
💦💦💦💦 out of 5

Fine, but don’t make me pick which Dom is thirstiest.

Justice League Odyssey #2 — This was a very Starfire-centric issue, which is a glorious thing since it’s also Stjepan Sejic’s last interior work on this series. Kory’s compassion is what I love most about her, and it shines in the last few pages, really softening her face and creating some truly lovely panels. I’m really going to miss Sejic drawing her hair.
💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5

Starfire is also fluent in the language of IMPOSSIBLY LUSCIOUS hair. (Art by Stjepan Sejic.)

Extermination #4 — Mutant dudes just don’t wear shirts during X-crises, and that’s valid.
💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5 (One sweat droplet for every shirtless man.)

Clearly, mankind has evolved past its need for t-shirts. (Art by Pepe Larraz.)

Euthanauts #3 — Off the top of my head, I absolutely can not think of anyone, barring maybe Coipel, who draws the human figure (in ALL of its figures) better than Nick Robles. It’s just so marvelous to open this comic every month and see a full range of the human aesthetic. And this was a very sexy issue.
💦💦💦💦💦 out of 5

This book may be about death, but, WARNING, it’s going to do things to your pulse. (Art by Nick Robles.)

Wonder Woman #57 (The Witching Hour, part 4) — This entire event has benefitted from some great artists, but this was probably my favorite chapter. Emanuela Lupacchino and Ray McCarthy’s Constantine and Zatanna are hottttttttttttttttttt (and cute, dear Lord, this issue was sad). You don’t need dialogue to see the chemistry, which I love.
💦💦💦💦 out of 5

The end of the world has never looked so thirsty. (Art by Emanuela Lupacchino, Ray McCarthy.)

X-Men Black: Emma Frost — EMMA FROST IS BACK. IN BLACK. I screamed. I love her. She deserves this. When Miss Frost is in a comic, expect that comic to be in this feature that month. 👑 💦💦💦💦💦 👑 out of ….. what? Emma Frost is the ratings system.

Hell-ooo, indeed. (Art by Chris Bachalo.)

Bonus: Have you SEEN this Jeff Dekal Variant for Uncanny X-Men #1????? Have you had it lasered into the backs of your eyelids or transmogrified into sound and pumped into your ears? HAVE YOU?? Now thank Laura Kinney for giving us all the time of day.

Sorry in advance for November.

Check out The Thirstiest Comics of September.

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

Top Comics to Buy for October 31, 2018

October 29, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — So, there’s a fifth Wednesday in October this year, and it just so happens to fall on Halloween, which means a couple of things. First of all, it’s a fifth Wednesday so it’s kind of weird and a little sparse, depending on the publisher. Second, it means some books have planned well and have something spooky to offer!

As such, we’re getting some potentially scary comics this week, including the second title from the ongoing Vertigo Rebirth—Hex Wives—and the conclusion to a five-part Wonder Woman/Justice League Dark crossover. My own personal real fear, however, is probably best reflected by Fearscape #2, a comic about a deluded and desperate writer thrown into a fantasy dimension of sorts where his storytelling abilities must be used to defend the world. Gulp! Now, THAT is scary.

Anyway, enough rambling! Let’s get to this weeks must-buy books...

Top Comics to Buy for October 31, 2018

Fearscape #2
Writer: Ryan O’Sullivan
Artist: Andrea Mutti
Colorist: Vladimir Popov
Letterer: Andworld Design
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
Heroic plagiarist Henry Henry faces his first trial in the Fearscape! Within The Weeping Castle, home to The Children of Prometheus, Henry Henry encounters wondrous and fanciful creatures-including The First Fear. With courage and calm, he endures the heart of darkness, refusing the easy temptation of light. No Legs can outrun-no Mind can outwit-no Heart can outlove our hero.
Why It’s Cool: Fearscape #1 earned a rare 10/10 review from us, and so we’re obviously really excited to dig into the second issue. If it grows from the foundation laid in the first chapter, this will be deeper dive into territory, a story about what it’s like to tell stories, and a razor sharp one at that.

Green Lantern / Huckleberry Hound Special #1
Writer: Mark Russell
Penciler: Rick Leonardi
Inkers: Dan Green & Ande Parks
Colorist: Steve Buccellato
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
Set against the turbulent backdrop of the early 1970s, Green Lantern and Huckleberry Hound join forces to take a stand on the issues of that era. Returning from recent duty in Vietnam, veteran Marine John Stewart-now a member of the Green Lantern Corps-contemplates what, if anything, he should do about the issues tearing his country apart. Meanwhile, Huckleberry's comments against the Vietnam war have left him a celebrity outcast, and a visit back home to Mississippi puts him face to face with the Civil Rights Movement. What can one man-and one hound-do? Plus, part two of a Secret Squirrel backup story written by J.M. DeMatteis.
Why It’s Cool: This story builds on the excellent work that writer Mark Russell did in Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, which is one of our favorite series of 2018 so far. What’s changed is the time period, jumping forward to the ‘70s and the Vietnam War, from which Green Lantern John Stewart has just returned.

Ice Cream Man #8
Writer: W. Maxwell Prince
Artist: Martin Morazzo
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Good Old Neon
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
All around town, folks are in crisis. But this ambulance ain't stoppin' for no one, baby. ICE CREAM MAN continues with another dreary confection.
Why It’s Cool: This psychological (almost existential) horror anthology book is also one of our favorite comics of 2018! Every issue has been memorable, ranging from downright chilling to full-one filled with dread, and Ice Cream Man #8 is no exception. Not to spoil anything, but this single issue could be this fantastic series’ thesis statement. Highly recommend it.

The Terrifics Annual #1
Writers: Gene Luen Yang, Mark Russell, & James Asmus
Pencilers: Joe Bennett, Doc Shaner, & Jose Luis
Inkers: Matt Santorelli, Scott Hanna, Richard Friend, & Jordi Tarragona
Colorists: Hi-Fi & Nathan Fairbairn
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
It's three startling Terrifics tales, kicking off with a deadly nightmare at Stagg Manor! When a plot to steal Plastic Man's powers goes awry, the Terrifics' new home and everyone in it are at the mercy of stealthy plastic monsters. Looks like Sapphire picked the wrong day to host a Halloween dance for her Stagg Industries internship program! Next up, discover the secret origin of Java the caveman, and the secret he's keeping will shock you. Last but not least, we uncover Tom Strong's hidden adventure in the Dark Multiverse-hold on to your holy socks!
Why It’s Cool: Under the guidance of writer Jeff Lemire, The Terrifics is the stand-out book of DC’s faltering New Age of Heroes initiative. He’s just made it such a charming homage to the Fantastic Four. Now, some of our other favorite writers get to take a stab at doing the same with these characters, including Gene Luen Yang, Mark Russell, and James Asmus. It should be interesting to see what they all come up with!

Wild Storm #18
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Jon Davis-Hunt
Colorist: Steve Buccellato
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
You can never go home again, but John Lynch needs to go somewhere to begin the last act of his life. Jack Hawksmoor never really had a home, especially since he became something other than human. As the war between IO and Skywatch gets hot, Marc Slayton has somewhere for Lynch to go, and Jenny Sparks may have a new home for Jack Hawksmoor...and Angela Spica.
Why It’s Cool: This book is yet another one of our favorite comics of 2018 (this week is one of quality over quantity, to be sure), and the end of last issue has us incredibly excited for what we see as the obvious end game for the title. This, sadly, is the last issue of the book until next January, but hoo man are we here for it!

Others Receiving Votes

Black Panther #5
Bone Parish #4
Britannia: Lost Eagles of Rome #4
Doom Patrol #12
Extermination #4
Faith: Dreamside #2
Heroes in Crisis #2
Lost City Explorers #5
Man-Eaters #2
Marvel 2-in-1 #11
Shanghai Red #5
Tony Stark: Iron Man #5
Vagrant Queen #5
West Coast Avengers #3
Wytches Bad Egg Halloween Special One Shot

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

Did Marvel Comics Low-Key Launch a Prestige Imprint?

October 18, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — Take out your tinfoil hat (or whatever), because I have a theory that might sound a little absurd: I think Marvel Comics is low-key running a new prestige imprint, one where creative teams are kept largely intact and allowed to tell stories independent of constant crossovers and editorial interference.

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think Marvel is stopping those bad habits. In fact, in sections of its line, it’s maybe worse than ever. Hunt for Wolverine and Return of Wolverine, with all due respect to the talented creators putting in work on those, has a foundation that feels like a direct order from someone in marketing who ran a focus group with 10 randos from the mall who all like Wolverine. Meanwhile, a pair of creators who freely voice opinions via social media have been unceremoniously dumped by editorial in recent weeks.

Problems at Marvel Comics, however, aren’t what we’re here to talk about today. No, what we’re here to discuss is how amid corporate meddling and blatant cash grabbery, a surprisingly solid crop of titles that are concerned first and foremost with long-form narrative storytelling has begun to emerge, and—get this—it’s now been roughly six months or so and there’s nary a crossover in site. Wild.

So, join me as I lay down this theory today in three distinct sections, starting with when this first began...

Marvel’s Fresh Start

In recent years, Marvel has built a seasonal model for comics, rolling out line-wide renumberings roughly every 18 months, with new trade dress, titles, and creative teams, often announced on the same day. Earlier this year, however, the publisher tried something new. Dubbed Fresh Start, its latest initiative has been amorphous, with news of creative teams and titles trickling out slowly and with no clear start date or fancy new trade dress. In fact, I’m fairly certain the words fresh start have never appeared as a label on any Marvel Comic.

This is a strong move. As Don Draper famously noted in Mad Men, if you don’t like what they’re saying about you, change the conversation. That’s what Marvel has done. Fans were loudly complaining about the constant rebranding and new #1s. Now, however, there’s no blast of new #1s, no sensational promise they’ll change comics forever. In fact, this recent wave has been akin to a soft re-focusing, one that’s gotten fans talking with strong storytelling instead of flashy gimmickry. Which brings us to our next section...

The Books of Marvel’s Low-Key Prestige Imprint

Marvel’s low-key prestige imprint is, to be specific, a group of between eight and 12 titles. We’ll look at a list in a second, but it’s perhaps more telling to first look at which books aren’t included. Put simply, Marvel is still putting out plenty of comics feel like cash grabs, complete with insignificant crossovers and events.

This month, it’s been Infinity War one-shots, with their namesake connection to the recent hit movie. They seem to have little (if any) impact on the actual comic book event of the same name (which has been strong). These are far from an isolated incident. In the months and weeks to come, we’re getting something called Spider-Geddon (this may be going on right now), so many weekly X-Men books, and a grab bag of other weekly titles too. There are new books that seem destined to end quickly and clear cash-ins on old ideas.

None of this is unusual, but what has changed is that none of it seems to affect Marvel’s strongest and most high-profile ongoings, a list of which I’ve included below:

Amazing Spider-Man by Nick Spencer, Ryan Ottley, and Humberto Ramos: Even in the midst of Spider-Geddon, Marvel’s flagship Spider-book skates by untouched.
Avengers by Jason Aaron, David Marquez, Ed McGuinness, and more: Aaron is Marvel’s best long-form writer, and they know this, giving him space to do his thing with their flagship team.
Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates & Daniel Acuna: When you have a winner of a National Book Award willing to write your comics, give him space. That’s exactly what Marvel has done.
Captain America by Ta-Nehisi Coates & Leinil Francis Yu: While Black Panther has been hella strong, Coates writing on Captain America is his best yet. Make no mistake, though, both are fantastic. Speaking of which...
Fantastic Four by Dan Slott & Sara Pichelli: Most-telling about Marvel’s interest in getting this book right is they’ve pushed the third issue a month.
Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing and Joe Bennett: This is a runaway hit, a deeply scary and cerebral take on a long-tenured superhero character. This book is being widely praised by critics (myself included). Look for it to win Eisners next year. It’s that good.
Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson and Nico Leon: Thor aside, Ms. Marvel is Marvel’s strongest long-term ongoing, and a beast in trade sales. May it live long.
The Punisher by Matthew Rosenberg and Szymon Kudranski: I’ve been blown away by these first two issue. Rosenberg and Kudranski are a perfect pairing for Frank Castle.
Thor by Jason Aaron and Mike Del Mundo: This is, simply put, the best ongoing long-form run in all of superhero comics.
Tony Stark: Iron Man by Dan Slott and Valerio Schiti: See the above note about Fantastic Four because it applies here, too.
Venom by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman: Cates is Marvel’s fastest-rising writer. He’s had great success with brief runs on titles like Thanos and Doctor Strange, and now with Venom he’s proving to be great on a longer running book too.
X-23 by Mariko Tamaki and Juan Cabal: The X-line is super chaotic, but this book is seemingly being kept out of the fray of the main line.

Future Outlook

The thing about these titles is that except Black Panther and Thor, none existed in their current iterations six months ago, and so it remains to be seen how Marvel will handle these books long-term. A massive, presumably line-wide event—War of Realms, coming next year in Thor—has been announced, and it seems likely some of these books will participate. If that happens, fine. War of the Realms has been expertly built over the course of like half a decade— merits line-wide participation.

In terms of the future, I also see other titles likely to join this crop. Iron Heart and Miles Morales Spider-Man are both incoming and could rise, and, heck, maybe even an X-Title could emerge too. The real test of my theory, though, will be taking stock at this time next year, to check how many of these creative teams remain intact (or at least just the writers), and to see how many have had their narratives disrupted by crossovers, events, or spin-offs. Here’s hoping we can count them on one hand.

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

NYCC 2018’s 10 Coolest New Comic Announcements

October 08, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — Traditionally, New York Comic Con is where DC Comics makes big announcements, and this year their stuff was headlined by Brian Michael Bendis curating a new Wonder Comics imprint, focused on teen characters. Aside from bad optics with all dude creators, the line looks solid. It’s flagship title is Young Justice, from Bendis and superstar artist Patrick Gleason, with a squad led by a trio of fan favorites: Connor Kent, Bart Allen, and Tim Drake. The real headlining news from that announcement, in my opinion, is that Mark Russell is writing a Wonder Twins comic to be drawn by Stephen Byrne.

Given a long enough time line, I’d have probably guessed DC would do Young Justice. I could have maybe even figured out it’d be from Bendis and Gleason. But Russell and Byrne on Wonder Twins? What a delightful surprise. Marvel, meanwhile, released some new covers and clarifying details about upcoming titles and one-shots, but, as usual, the publisher seemed content to make its new series announcements by partnering with comic news sites, rather than at a show.

Annnnyway, all that said we have some cool new books coming at us following NYCC, and so that’s what we’re here to take a look at today...NYCC 2018’s 10 Coolest New Comic Announcements. Let’s do it!

NYCC 2018 New Comics

Wonder Twins by Mark Russell & Stephen Byrne
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: Early 2019
More Info: Bendis Announces Wonder Comics Imprint
Why It’s Cool: Our favorite announcement at NYCC. Writer Mark Russell has the best track record in comics of taking dated, often dismissed cartoon properties (The Flintstones and Snagglepuss, namely) and spinning stories that are compelling and also among the keenest satire today. Wonder Twins is the perfect superhero property for Russell to once again work that magic, made even richer here by the inclusion of artist Stephen Byrne, whose work we’ve missed seeing regularly since he filled in at times on Ben Percy’s run on Green Arrow.

Dial H for Hero by Sam Humphries & Joe Quinones
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: Early 2019
More Info: Bendis Announces Wonder Comics Imprint
Why It’s Cool: The Joe Quinones artwork released with this announcement, number one. Number two is that Sam Humphries is a clever character-driven writer who can really ground this fantastic (if underutilized) property in the book’s hero. His work is also a natural fit for an imprint overseen by Bendis.

The Girl in the Bay by J.M. DeMatteis & Corin Howell
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics’ Berger Books Imprint
Release Date: February 6, 2019
More Info: The Girl in the Bay
Why It’s Cool: With books like Seeds and She Could Fly to its credit, Dark Horse’s Berger Books imprint is among our favorite things in the industry. This coming-of-age miniseries set in the ‘60s seems poised to endear the imprint to us even further.

Black Widow by Jen and Sylvia Soska & Flaviano
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: January 2019
More Info: Women of Marvel Live Announces New Black Widow Title
Why It’s Cool: Black Widow books often tell great espionage with Marvel continuity, and this one is poised to do so with the help of artist Flaviano, who we’ve said for a while needs a more prominent chance to shine. It’s also nice to see Marvel giving us more of one of the most prominent heroines in all of comics, with rumors swirling that The Widow will have a movie announced officially soon.

Young Justice by Brian Michael Bendis & Patrick Gleason
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: Early 2019
More Info: Bendis Announces Wonder Comics Imprint
Why It’s Cool: Since DC’s Flashpoint story reset its universe and kicked off the New 52, many of the company’s beloved legacy characters have felt rudderless. This book could change that a bit, with a team helmed by Connor Kent, Bart Allen, and Tim Drake. Also, the more Patrick Gleason, the better.

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man by Tom Taylor & Juan Cabal
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: January 2019
More Info: Taylor, Cabal, and Woodard Swing into Friendly Neighborhood Ongoing
Why It’s Cool: On the surface, this looks like just another Spider-Man book in a market that’s waaaay saturated with Spider-Man books, but Tom Taylor has an incredible history of taking ideas that look unnecessary on their surface and turning them into absolute gold. See Injustice, see X-Men: Red. While we continue to demand that one of the Big 2 get this man a flagship title, we’ll be reading this comic while we continue to wait.

Man Without Fear by Jed MacKay & Danilo Beyruth
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: January 2019
Why It’s Cool: Although we’re admittedly unfamiliar with these creators, Daredevil has a way of teasing out great work from young creators. This is a four-part weekly series, and for all we know, it could very well do the same.

Naomi by Brian Michael Bendis and David F. Walker & Jamal Campbell
Publisher: DC Comics
Release Date: Early 2019
More Info: Bendis Announces Wonder Comics Imprint
Why It’s Cool: David F. Walker is one of our favorite writers in the industry, as we noted recently in our list of Tragically Cancelled Comics. We remain super-stoked for his new Image book Bitter Root, which is due out next month, but his return to DC is exciting news too.

Savage Sword of Conan by Gerry Duggan & Ron Garney
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: February 2019
More Info: Conan Slices into Second Ongoing Marvel Series
Why It’s Cool: Put simply, more Conan. Also, more Garney.

H1 Shared Universe from John Cassaday, Mark Waid, and More
Publisher: Humanoids
Release Date: 2019
More Info: Humanoids Announces a New Shared Universe
Why It’s Cool: Humanoids is a veteran and celebrated European publisher, and they’ve brought aboard two giants of the American comics industry as they work to broaden their footprint over here on this continent. They’ve also done well to establish a great stable of young talent for this new shared universe, including Kwanza Osajyefo and Yanick Paquette, among others.

Plus One More

Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Jordie Bellaire & Dan Mora
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Release Date: January 2019
More Info: Jordie Bellaire and Dan Mora Bring Buffy the Vampire Slayer to BOOM!
Why It’s Cool: Dan Mora is a massive talent as an artist, and he’s joined here by Jordie Bellaire, who has been a favorite colorist of ours for a long while. We’re interested to see what the duo do on this Buffy comic, which we’re totally thinking of in our heads as Buffy by BOOM!

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 October 10, 2018

October 08, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — This week is one of those recovery weeks, wherein the vast majority of the comics world was at a massive con (in this case NYCC), and many of us are still dazed and catching up on sleep (not me, I stayed home in California and slept like a baby, but I digress…). The scheduled books from the Big 2 roll on, though, while the indie offerings are strong too. It is, as has become normal for 2018, another strong week for comics.

Yes even with the NYCC hangover, there’s still quite a bit going on this week, ranging from new title debuts—Devil Within, Infinite Dark, and Murder Falcon are all well worth your time and money—to the continuations of two of my favorite superhero books right now—Hawkman and Immortal Hulk. Oh, and about NYCC: I have a separate piece coming later today about the top new comic announcements. So keep an eye out for that! But for now let’s narrow down the comics you plan to buy for this coming Wednesday.

Let’s do it!

Top Comics to Buy for October 10, 2018

Crowded #3 (Read our review of Crowded #1)
Writer: Christopher Sebela
Peniciler: Ro Stein
Inker: Ted Brandt
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Cardinal Rae
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
Circe and Trotter, two of the heaviest hitters in the private murder industry, have just landed in Los Angeles, looking for Charlie and eager to collect the almost two million dollar Reapr campaign on her life. Charlie, oblivious to the growing danger, tries to carry on her freewheeling lifestyle while under Vita's lock and key. But even their safest safehouse can't keep the fame-and-fortune-driven killers off their trail for too long.
Why It’s Cool: Through three issues, Crowded continues to be a perfect amalgamation of suspenseful plotting, clear and clever visual storytelling, and a high-concept that extrapolates our present into a logical and terrifying future. This issue continues to entertain as it builds the near-future world out and introduces some intimidating new villains that are sure to complicate our heroes’ fight for survival amid the crowd-sourced bounty on one of their heads that continues to grow.

Hot Lunch Special #3 (Read our review of Hot Lunch Special #1)
Writer: Eliot Rahal
Artist: Jorge Fornes
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Publisher: AfterShock Comics
Price: $3.99
There are no secrets now. Only bodies. It's dinner time, and Dorothy and Jordan are competing to sit at the head of the table, both forcing their family members to make hard decisions. Do the Khorys go to the cops? Or do they go to war? The Khoury criminal legacy is fully revealed. Some choices have already been made-the Irish crime lord, Big Jim Moran, is getting anxious. He's left too many loose ends, and he's forced to cut strings. The order has been given. It's time for everyone to die.
Why It’s Cool: I’ve called this book Fargo-esque in the past, but I think after three issues that’s kind of a reductive description that does it a bit of a disservice. Sure, Hot Lunch Special has crime noir and an upper Midwestern setting in common with Fargo, but it also sets itself apart with its deep interest in family dynamics. This is a deliberate and nuanced book, grissly and compelling in equal parts, and I’m absolutely all in on following it to its finish.

Immortal Hulk #7
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Lee Garbett
Colorist: Paul Mounts
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
They're the reason he died. They're the reason he came back. Now THE AVENGERS have to bring him in. But how far will even Earth's Mightiest Heroes go to cage...the IMMORTAL HULK?
Why It’s Cool: I’ve made no secret that I love Immortal Hulk, especially in my recent look at the Top 5 Marvel Comics Right Now. For me, this is squarely a MUST BUY comic until further notice. I love how writer Al Ewing has exercised restraint with incorporating pieces of the usual Hulk mythos, limiting appearances by Banner’s normally-robust supporting cast. That is slowly changing, though, and here we see Hulk poised to tangle with The Avengers, as Hulk has long been wont to do.

Murder Falcon #1
Writer/Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
From DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON, the creator of the Eisner-nominated series EXTREMITY, comes MURDER FALCON! The world is under attack by monsters, and Jake's life is falling apart: no band, no girl, no future... until he meets Murder Falcon. He was sent from The Heavy to destroy all evil, but he can't do it without Jake shredding up a storm. Now, with every chord Jake plays on his guitar, the power of metal fuels Murder Falcon into all-out kung fu fury on those that seek to conquer Earth. It’s time to shred.
Why It’s Cool: Murder Falcon #1 is brimming with the sort of self-aware over-the-top comic book cheese I love: monsters, mayhem, kung-fu fighting falcons, and metal chords so savage they can alter the physical nature of the world around them. THere is, however, a surprising amount of heart to this book as well. As entertaining as its name and cover implies with a surprising amount of thought behind it all, Murder Falcon is the best comic out this week...a MUST BUY.

Supergirl #23
Writers: Marc Andreyko & Kevin Maguire
Artist: Kevin Maguire
Inkers: Sean Parsons & Wade Von Grawbadger
Colorist: FCO Plascencia & Chris Sotomayor
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Supergirl's cosmic quest continues as she searches the galaxy for the truth about Rogol Zaar's connection to Krypton's destruction-and if there are any other culprits to be brought to justice. The library police are hot on Kara's trail after she breaks into the Green Lantern database on Mogo, but she's short on credits to pay the fine.
Why It’s Cool: One of my favorite parts of Brian Michael Bendis’ Superman run to date is the idea that Krypton was not destroyed by a natural disaster but rather a concentrated act of bigoted hate. It’s a very 2018 idea, this notion that major power structures can be manipulated by playing on base fears of the other. Anyway, in Supergirl we have Kara adventuring through space with Krypto the dog, working to solve the mystery of whether the planet’s destruction was a hate crime, who perpetrated, and—most poignantly—what powerful group of people worked to cover it up. This is, simply put, one of DC’s best comics right now.

Others Receiving Votes

Amazing Spider-Man #7
Avengers #9
Captain America #4
Crowded #3
Flash #56
Hawkman #5
Oblivion Song #8
She Could Fly #4
Suicide Squad #47
Titans #27
Unnatural #4
Venom #7
Weatherman #5
Wildstorm: Michael Cray #12
Wonder Woman #56
Wrong Earth #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.

The Saga Re-Read: Saga #9

October 05, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

Saga #9 cover by Fiona Staples. — **Saga #9** cover by Fiona Staples.

By Zack Quaintance & Cory Webber — One of the reasons that I’ve wanted to re-read Saga for some time now is that I can’t quite keep clear in my head where all the various side characters are and what happened to their stories. Having that agenda, this was a great issue to re-read, focused as it is entirely on The Will, Gwendolyn, Slave Girl, and Lying Cat. In fact, we don’t see any of our central family at all here, not even for a panel. It makes me wonder how many other issues like this we have in store.

Anyway, we’re now well into the book’s second proper arc as we enter the third month of our 54-week Saga reading project. The world is steadily expanding, as is the visual scope of Fiona Staples artwork and the size of the cast. I was probably most struck here by the sheer genius of Lying Cat as a concept, both as a franchise mascot of sorts (one that can really sell Funkos and plush toys) and as a device to reveal character and drive plot. Saga is an emotionally-complex story and having a walking lie detector to point out when a character is being disingenuous is so useful for cluing us in on priorities and aspirations, especially in the graphic sequential medium where we don’t always have easy access to thoughts and other signs of personal interiority.

So yeah, this just in: I love Lying Cat. But let’s move on now to our thoughts on this issue proper!

Saga #9

Here’s the official preview text from way back when for Saga #9, which originally came out on Jan. 16, 2013:

The Will finally has a good day.

Lying Cat from Saga #9…showing why it’s one of the best storytelling devices in all of comics. — Lying Cat from **Saga #9…**showing why it’s one of the best storytelling devices in all of comics.

Well, that’s certainly the case, although I suppose good days are relative. The Will is an interesting character to me in that he’s a sort of Boba Fett-esque cliched tough guy bounty hunter...who is unlucky in love and basically everything else. This guy—from his clothes to his mopey faces to the way he lives alone with a giant blue cat—is almost a walking manifestation of depression. It’s an interesting contrast, and one that gets explored further in this issue.

A Re-Reader’s Perspective by Zack: I feel like most of my intro this week has been heavy with my re-reader’s perspective, but onward all the same. Upon this second time through, another thing that strikes me about this issue is where it’s placed in the arc. It’s not a frivolous or irreverent issue (this is, you’ll remember, Saga after all), but it does kind of break up the emotional deep dive we’ve been doing into Marko and Alana’s now-entwined romantic pasts, plus all the stuff with the in-laws. These characters are well developed, to be sure, but an issue focusing entirely on them sort of pauses the intense emotional stakes and reminds us exterior threats are looming. Plus, that cover? Yowzers.

A New Reader’s Perspective by Cory Webber: I think that the fact that Saga can focus solely on side characters is a testament to strong world building and also to the well-developed characters that Vaughn and Staples have created. Getting to know all of these people is a pleasure, regularly filled with surprises. Gwendolyn, for example, seemed to me like a badass warrior on the last page of Saga #8, but we find out here that she’s actually a badass bureaucrat, more capable with a phone call than with a sword or a gun. I really like that all these characters have layers, which I think is one of Saga’s greatest strengths. Speaking of strengths, I am absolutely loving the humanity and emotion Staples is able to get across with her artwork, especially in her facial expressions. This issue just did so much to flesh out more of Saga’s cast, and, by extension its world, showing us why The Will is such a feared freelancer and ultimately giving us a new group to follow: the interesting trio comprised of The Will, Gwendolyn and Slave Girl.

Cory’s New Reader Predictions: Lying Cat will become my favorite side character ever created.

Cory Webber is a work-from-home entrepreneur who also reads and reviews comics for fun. Find him on Twitter at @CeeEssWebber. He lives in Lehi, Utah with his wife and three sons.

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 October 3, 2018

October 01, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance — Fall has always been the time of year that I most closely associate with reading comic books. I’m from the Midwest (Chicago suburbs, to be exact), and the weather in that part of the country turns windy and chilled in October, with the leaves changing colors and falling from the trees as winter bears down upon us. Furnaces go on, jackets and sweaters come out, and time for reading, writing, and introspection goes way up. It’s great.

It’s also (obviously) Halloween month, and it’s always fun to see what comics publishers do around that. This week, our Top Comics to Buy for October 3, 2018 certainly has some scary stuff in store for readers, from ongoing fantastic work out of IDW’s Black Crown imprint to a weekly month-long crossover that takes Wonder Woman into some of the scarier spaces in the DCU. The end result is another very strong week for comics readers in a year that’s been full of those.

Let’s check it out!

Top Comics to Buy for October 3, 201

Blackbird #1 (Read our review)
Writer: Sam Humphries
Artist: Jen Bartel
Layout Artist: Paul Reinwand
Colorists: Nayoung Wilson, Jen Bartel
Letterer: Jodi Wynne
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $3.99
In this neo-noir fantasy, Nina Rodriguez is positive that a secret magic world ruled by ruthless cabals is hiding just beneath the veneer of Los Angeles. The problem: everyone thinks she's crazy. The bigger problem: she's not crazy - she's right. Can she unravel the mystery before the Great Beast catches up with her?
Why It’s Cool: This is a gorgeous book with an aesthetic that contrasts its tone in a way that does real work for the overall mood of the story, making it feel alternately vibrant and forlorn. There’s a grandiose vision at work here, and, after a great first issue, we’re super excited to see where it goes.

Euthanauts #3
Writer: Tini Howard
Artist: Nick Robles
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: IDW - Black Crown
Price: $3.99
There's nothing worse than someone coming into your life and solving all your problems. The mess of inheritance burdens Thalia with the ghosts of Mercy's past while Indigo presents the future. Saga meets The Sandman in a series that explores death, dynasties, and psychonautic mindspaces.
Why It’s Cool: The first two issues of Euthanuats were a fantastic 1-2 punch of intriguing premise and structural composition that seemed to set this book up for a lengthy run. With fantastic Nick Robles art and Tini Howard doing her best to find poignant space between life and death, we’re so happy this book seems poised to be around for a while to come.

House Amok #2
Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: Shawn McManus
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: IDW - Black Crown
Price: $3.99
The Sandifers weren't always nuts. They were made that way, by stories, conspiracies and coincidence. As Dylan continues to recount how she spent her summer vacation full of murder, the truth behind how she and her family infected each other with madness come out. Secrets and blood run deep, but family is forever, no matter how deranged they might be.
Why It’s Cool: House Amok #1 was as dark a tale of childhood as we’ve come across in recent memory, using assured narration to examine ways that young realities are inherently shaped by parents, and what happens when those parents doing the shaping have unhinged and dangerous views. Simply put, House Amok seems to be a horror book wherein the main characters are the ones enacting the horrors, and what’s at stake is innocence.

Lone Ranger #1
Writer: Mark Russell
Artist: Bob Q.
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Publisher: Dynamite
Price: $3.99
A sparking new adventure from multiple Eisner Award nominee MARK RUSSELL (The Flintstones) and BOB Q (The Green Hornet '66 Meets The Spirit)! 1883. The advent of barbed wire is creating havoc in the Texas panhandle. A corrupted state senator conspires with dirty ranchers to make land unnavigable for open rangers and native tribes, passing new laws allowing cattlemen to kill anyone caught cutting the wire. Good people are getting hurt, and The Lone Ranger must act. But to truly stop this rampant villainy, he'll need to go all the way to the top, and rely on an old friend for help... Featuring a brilliant silver foil logo!
Why It’s Cool: Writer Mark Russell is easily one of the keenest satirists tell stories in any medium, and with his past fantastic work on licensed properties like The Flintstones and Snagglepuss, he’s shown a preternatural aptitude for taking old franchises or characters and finding new ground that’s searingly relevant for 2018. We expect no less from Lone Ranger, a franchise primed for that sort of handling if ever there was one.

Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark: Witching Hour #1
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Jesus Merino
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
Hecate, the witch-goddess of magic, always knew a day would come when the monsters she stole her magic from would return. Now she must activate the Witchmarked, humans within whom she secreted vast stores of power. And the most powerful of the Witchmarked? Wonder Woman!
Why It’s Cool: We’ve been loving all things Justice League since Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, and Josh Williamson redirected the line with the No Justice weekly event, spinning out a main Justice League title, a cosmic Justice League Odyssey book, and, our personal favorite, the mythic and magical Justice League Dark. This October, Justice League Dark and Wonder Woman will be telling a five-part Witching Hour story, and it starts here! We’re so there for this one...

Others Receiving Votes

Batman #56
Border Town #2
Cosmic Ghost Rider #4
Death of the Inhumans #4
Deep Roots #4
Eclipse #11
Green Arrow #45
Justice League #9
Magic Order #4
Nightwing #50
Paper Girls #25
Tony Stark: Iron Man #4
The Unexpected #5
Walk Through Hell #5
Walking Dead #184

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.

The Saga Re-Read: Saga #8

September 28, 2018 by Zack Quaintance in Comics

By Zack Quaintance & Cory Webber — As I’ve likely mentioned, Saga is one of my favorite things in comics, but I don’t know the series to the point that I can easily recall what happened in which issue and when (I’m bad at that kind of precise recollection anyway). This is all a means of saying that the cover of Saga #8 is one of my favorite from the entire series, and that I’d entirely forgotten it showed up this early in the book. So, what a nice surprise that was.

Anyway, this week Cory and move further into the second arc. This is the point where any book of this scope must establish itself as built for the long-term, and Saga certainly does that, building out its world quite effectively. It also continues to rely on some of the tricks that made it so relatable in the first place, lines like Hazel narrating I sometimes forget, but mom and dad had lives long before I ever came into the picture. Balancing interests is, yet again, the recipe for another strong Saga issue, plus also another killer memorable whole page splash.

Let’s take a look!

Saga #8

Here’s the official preview text from way back when for Saga #8:

Former soldier and new mom Alana has already survived lethal assassins, rampaging armies and alien monstrosities, but now she faces her greatest challenge yet: the in-laws.

As solicit copy goes, former soldier and new mom...is a great opener. It goes a little heavy on the in-laws trope in the description, even though to my mind the real appeal of this individual issue is pretty obviously learning more about how Marko and Alana improbably fell in love.

A Re-Reader’s Perspective by Zack: Everything I said about Saga #7 is applicable again here. What made Saga so compelling to me from its start was how each subsequent issue was better than the last, building suspense by throwing a long line of obstacles at the characters, both in terms of avoiding their inter-galactic hunters and in the increasingly fraught family dynamics they are made to maneuver. We get a little more mother-son time here, too, which does wonders to show us Marko’s character and why he is how he is (and who he’s attracted to).

The Marko and Alana ‘meet-cute’ from Saga #8. — The Marko and Alana ‘meet-cute’ from **Saga #8.**

A New Reader’s Perspective by Cory Webber: The harlequin novel makes a return, and it’s kind of good. Like, I kind of want to read it. Also, the splash page with Hazel’s reference to her parent’s meet-cute might be my favorite of the series. It’s funny that she likens their story to a romantic comedy while her mom is bashing her dad’s face in with an assault rifle. But I halfway suspect this is what Saga is all about...taking genre tropes and putting a unique twist on them. By far the best part of this series, however, in my opinion is the way Vaughn writes relationships. And, the relationship forming between Alana and her father-in-law is sweet, heartfelt, and genuine. As for Marko and his mother, you can tell he gets his softer persuasions from his father. Overall, I am loving the exploration of these relationships, and I can’t wait to see more pieces added to this beautifully complex, yet familiar, puzzle. Especially given who the surprise character is that Vaughan introduced us to on the final page — hoo boy!!

Cory’s New Reader Predictions: Gwendolyn will become a favorite of mine. I don’t exactly trust everything Vaughn leads me to believe here.

Cory Webber is a work-from-home entrepreneur who also reads and reviews comics for fun. Find him on Twitter at @CeeEssWebber. He lives in Lehi, Utah with his wife and three sons.

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

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