The first major New Comic Book Day of the year has arrived. But what tops the rankings?
1) The Sheriff of Babylon #2
Tom King and Mitch Gerads expand their noir thriller, set in Iraq during the war, and manage to keep a lot of plot balls in the air at once. What stands out most about this is that Gerads is a master of drawing dispassion and disappointment; much of this book is about faces and looking away, and he fills it with emotion. Not that King is any slouch, as he reveals he’s working on a huge canvas and yet makes each plotline feel honest and intimate. Two issues in, this is a complicated
2) Bitch Planet #6
Bitch Planet takes a little break from the Megaton narrative to focus on Meiko Maki and what got her sent to the Auxiliary Compliance Outpost. It’s a harrowing tale of sexual assault and violence, and also gives readers a better look at what can get you sent to Bitch Planet in the first place. While this doesn’t further the overarching narrative at all (That’ll pick up again in #7), it does add to the broader idea of noncompliance and what makes this book so extraordinary. Kelly Sue DeConnick’s anger is palpable and just, and Valentine De Landro’s pulpy art will keep your eyes glued to the page. I can’t call this a fun read by any stretch, but that doesn’t make it any less of a critical one. — Alyssa Fikse
3) Vision #3
Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta deliver the next step in their suburban noir starring the Vision and his newly manufactured family. The opening alone is worth reading, it’s a sharp deconstruction of how we view the outsider versus what we say out loud. But the rest of the book is even better; the Visions are becoming more human every day, and that’s bad news. A must-read, and a strange, compelling book from Marvel.
4) Four Eyes: Hearts of Fire #1
Joe Kelly and Max Fiumara deliver a story of a boy and his dragon, during the Depression, and while that sounds like a goofy book, in practice Fiumara and Kelly want to have a long talk with you about animal cruelty. All of it’s seen through the eyes of a child, too, making this book particularly heartbreaking… but also a must-read.
5) Giant Days #10
Ester the college party animal meets her match in Big Lindsay, a friend from school. John Allison cleverly makes you think you know just who Lindsay is before pulling an enormous switch, and paired with Max Sarin’s open, funny art makes for a slightly touching moment. Basically, if you’ve ever gone to college, it’s a comic worth reading.
6) Midnighter #8
This book takes a breather issue by reinventing perpetual DC also-ran B’wana Beast. Steve Orlando, David Messina, and Gretano Carlucci manage to keep a premise that could potentially be Silver Age wackiness pretty reasonably sensible and in tone with the book’s edgy style. Besides, who doesn’t want to see a bunch of illegal big game hunters get beaten up.
7) Archie #5
This new take on Archie continues to delight, this time with the introduction of Archie’s nemesis Reggie Mantle. Jughead and Betty are still struggling with “losing” their friend to Veronica, but Mark Waid’s tale isn’t interested in black and white. The comic continues to nail the complexities of being a teenager and how relationships are never quite what you think. Veronica Fish takes over the art for this issue, and her style flows seamlessly with the narrative and provides the background for another worthy entry. Here’s hoping this series continues for a long time, because it has been a home run so far. — Alyssa Fikse
8) The Last Contract #1
The title is cheesy, but Ed Brisson takes a durable noir premise, a retired hitman dragged back into the game, and gives it a little life. Helping matters is Lisandro Estherren’s atmospheric art. If you’re a noir fan, this is worth a read.
9) The Eighth Seal #2
James Tynion IV’s thriller about a First Lady possessed by a demon is a heck of a read. That said, Jeremy Rock’s art can be oddly flat in places, a bit of a problem in a book that’s largely meetings, and partially thanks to Nolan Woodard’s somewhat limited palette. Still, it’s a fun twist on this kind of horror story, and a must-read for horror and thriller fans.
10) Doctor Strange #4
Magic continues to be drained from the universe, and the Sorcerer Supreme is not having his best day. Strange is on the hunt for who is torturing and killing the other sorcerers, and his discovery is a disturbing one. One of the stronger threads continues to be the cost of magic – that’s rarely touched upon in other magical narratives, so it’s interesting to see that there is usually a price. Kevin Nowlan’s art continues to be some of the most striking coming out of Marvel right now, and Jason Aaron has done admirable work at making Strange accessible without losing the weird factor. — Alyssa Fikse
11) Worst X-Man Ever #1
Max Bemis and Michael Walsh deliver a story of Bailey, a mutant who, if he ever uses his powers, will explode. Hence the whole “worst ever” part, but life isn’t quite done kicking Bailey in the testicles just yet. Despite some tonal issues, Bemis’ story is actually fairly funny while giving Bailey some weight as a character and making him interesting.
12) Swamp Thing #1
Old-fashioned ’70s DC horror is back with Len Wein and Kelley Jones taking on the Guardian of the Green. Jones is of course one of the premiere horror artists, and he pairs well with Wein’s Lovecraft-inspired, if somewhat purple, script. If you love a good old fashioned monster comic, it’s a must read.
13) Mystery Girl #2
Paul Tobin and Alberto Albuquerque expand their odd little book about a woman who knows seemingly everything. It’s got a problem in the sense that Trine, our heroine, is so far just a bit impenetrable as a character, but the book is quirky enough and funny enough to be a compelling read.
14) Survivor’s Club #4
After a few issues, the basic concept of this book, that a bunch of horror trope survivors join a support group and things go wrong, is starting to click. It helps that in this issue, Lauren Bewkes and Dale Halvorsen step away from the main cast and focuses on a snarky ghost and the residents of a haunted house that have no time for his garbage. Inaki Miranda steps in as a guest artist and it helps quite a bit as well, with cleanly visuals and thoughtful layout giving the humor more punch and understating the horrific just enough to give this book a creepy feeling.
15) Toil & Trouble #5
In the second to last issue of this mini, Toil & Trouble has finally found its feet. Easily the best entry so far, the conflict between sisters Riata and Smaerta finally come to a head, with dire consequences. Anyone who has read Macbeth knows the story, but that doesn’t make the killing blow any less shocking. Kelly and Nichole Matthew’s art has always been a little too cute for my taste, but the bloody and strange conflict in this issue is handled beautifully. It’s a shame that things are finally coming together so close to the end, but that should give fans hope for a strong conclusion in issue #6. — Alyssa Fikse
16) Paper Girls #4
Brian K. Vaughan’s latest continues to be bizarre and fresh, with our sassy protagonists still on a quest to cure Erin’s wounds and avoid being taken or murdered by some unknown alien intruders. While they throw their hats in with some gay extraterrestrial teenagers, they are still no closer to finding out what the hell is going on. There is a reference to a “Calamity” so awful that it changes the course of human history, but we’ll have to wait and see how the world ends for another issue. This is such a fun comic, and it is great to see young girls given as much agency as they are in Paper Girls. Plus, the encroaching aliens are mesmerizingly grotesque. You won’t quite know which eye to stare at. — Alyssa Fikse
17) Joe Golem: Occult Detective #3
This book has a surprisingly sad ending to its first arc, with more questions than answers. It’s an interesting and atmospheric mix of noir and pulp, especially with Patric Reynolds and Dave Stewart’s moody, monochrome art. Worth a read for noir fans and pulp fans alike.
18) Spider Gwen #4
This latest issue is a heartbreaking one, as Gwen goes head to head with Harry Osborn’s Green Goblin over the death of Peter Parker. Trying to maintain her secret identity proves difficult (doesn’t it always) as she tries to avoid a direct fight with her friend, but that’s easier said than done. We get a little glimpse at more of the backstory between the three, but things still feel kind of slight. There’s certainly nothing wrong with Jason Latour’s series, but each issue leaves me wishing that it just did a little bit more. Still, Robbi Rodriguez’s rendering of the battle between Spider-Gwen and the Green Goblin is fun. I just want it to be a little more substantive. — Alyssa Fikse
19) Unfollow #3
The final twist in Rob Williams and Mike Dowling’s book is honestly fairly disappointing, dumping it straight into generic thriller territory, but the book’s vivid characters compensate for that, and one hopes Williams and Dowling are up to more than where the book seems to be heading. Dowling’s hard lines and detailed faces give this book a particularly uncomfortable, and thus perfect, vibe, and I’d still mark this book as promising. Let’s see what issue #4 holds.
Star Wars #14 and Darth Vader #15
Vader Down wraps up brilliantly, with Wookiee fights, Triple Zero being hilariously creepy, and an absolutely stunning plot hook for both books, which might be the best achievement yet. Marvel’s main Star Wars books have been consistently excellent, and the smooth narrative efficiency of this crossover underlines that. They even nod to the prequels in a clever way. Highly recommended, especially for Star Wars fans.
This Week’s Other Comics:
DC:
Action Comics #48: Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder remind us that powers or no powers, Superman’s still a good guy.
Batman & Robin Eternal #14: A delicious twist makes this one of the more fun meat-and-potatoes superhero books on the stands.
Detective Comics #48: This book goes classic Batman with a creepy villain and a strange mystery to solve.
Batman Beyond #8: A fun piece of dystopian fiction that could stand to play with the tropes of the genre a little more.
Telos #4: Stock, but entertaining, space opera.
Green Arrow #48: Green Arrow as a werewolf should be way more compelling than this.
Marvel:
Spider-Man/Deadpool #1: Why is Spidey the straight man? You never make Spidey the straight man.
Uncanny X-Men #1: Or, X-Men Villains United. An interesting concept, but I’ll want to see where it goes.
A-Force #1: Marvel’s all-female superteam gets off to an interesting, if a little generic, start.
Deadpool #5: Deadpool turns out to be kind of a drag when he’s not funny, even with well-done action scenes.
Weirdworld #2: The human protagonist is compelling, which is the only thing keeping this wacky book from being a gag strip.
Totally Awesome Hulk #2: Amadeus Cho is a fun Hulk, but this book needs to flesh out its ideas a little more.
Ultimates #3: A compelling ending hook doesn’t make up for a slow pace.
Image:
Black Science #19: Rick Remender’s neo-pulp SF remains a brilliant read, but grab a few trades to get caught up.
Dark Corridor #6: Rich Tommaso’s gorgeous isometric noir is a great read, even among Image’s strong noir stable.
Saints #4: Of all the musings on religion on the stands in comics, right now, easily the most human.
Dark Horse:
Barb Wire #7: I’m not sure you could tell the difference between this new book and reprint of the original.
Dead Vengeance #4: This zombie noir is amusingly cheesy, if that’s what you’re looking for.
Lara Croft And The Frozen Omen #4: A fun but unmemorable slice of pulp.
Lone Wolf 2100 #1: Why is this generic SF post-apocalypse book being associated with one of the best mangas of all-time?
Power Cubed #4: Aaron LoPresti’s throwback to ’90s comics comes to a funny, and hopefully temporary, end.
This Damned Band #6: This finale, about a ’70s band meeting Satan, would work a lot better if it didn’t feel like an obvious end.
Boom!:
The Woods #19: This fantasy comic remains a fun read but could stand more nuance from the villains.
Valiant:
X-O Manowar #43: Aric begrudgingly teams up with Ninjak in a change of pace for this book with spy drama and it’s a fun switch.