UPROXX’s Top 25 Comics For December 9

Comics publishers are delivering a lot of Christmas goodies this month, but only one comic could take the top spot. Which was it?

1) The Violent #1

Ed Brisson and Adam Gorham start up the story of Mason and Becky, two ex-cons who are trying to stay clean, keep it together for their kid, and put their mistakes behind them in Vancouver. The book works so well because the challenges they’re struggling with aren’t epic threats: They’re depressed, they’re broke, and the struggle is about not falling back into bad habits. An excellent start to a new Image noir, and a must-read.

2) The Twilight Children #3

Gilbert Hernandez and Darwyn Cooke once again deliver an off-kilter and often very funny take on a Mexican village suffering a strange alien invasion. It’s as much about how these people deal with adversity, or don’t deal, as it is about strange women and glowing bubbles, and it makes for a fun, rich read.

3) Star Wars Annual #1

Marvel takes an unusually gutsy step here by taking the focus off the core cast of the original movies and focusing instead on a Rebel spy on Coruscant. Kieron Gillen and Angel Unzueta deliver a smart, dark and ultimately melancholy story about how spies do important work… but ultimately, they’re not heroes.

4) Lantern City #8

This book abandons its oddball twist from last issue to focus back on the messy political realities and moral greys that make it stand out as a steampunk society begins to collapse with a fascist rising from below and a madman ruling from above. If you haven’t been reading, it’s a smart, complex drama as much about how there’s a difference between revolution and a simple changing of the guard as it is about the family drama. A lot of fun, and a superb book.

5) Scarlet Witch #1

In the first issue of the new Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff is living life as a bit of a recluse in a moldering castle in New York (I guess they have those in this timeline). A part of the Avengers, but still separate for her past misuse of magic, James Robinson sets the stage for a redemption arc for one superhuman who hasn’t always handled her power with grace. When magic itself appears to be broken, Wanda sets off on a quest to fix it, because who doesn’t love a good quest? The art alone makes it worth picking up. Vanesa Del Rey’s old fashioned style matches the noir vibe of the series, and makes this one to pick up. — Alyssa Fikse

6) Saints #3

Sean Lewis and Benjamin Mackey mix the traditional outcast-teen superhero story with the Catholic saints to… interesting results, let’s say. Mackey’s angular, woodcut-esque art compliments Lewis’ script well, and in all it’s a more interesting take on the whole “modern religion” fantasy subgenre than you might at first think.

7) Harrow County #8

Kammi and Emmy have their ultimate showdown in Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook’s lush, literary horror comic. Crook especially gets to show off here; it’s his work with faces and creature design that gives this book such an impact. A beautiful, scary comic and one of the best on the stands this week.

8) Snow Blind #1

The new crime miniseries from Ollie Masters is an intriguing read, focusing on a teen outcast who just wants to break into the library and be left alone. Misunderstood by his parents (what teen isn’t?) and stuck in an Alaskan suburb, Teddy is pretty dissatisfied with his life. That is until he posts a picture of his dad to Facebook and the FBI shows up. Tyler Jenkins’ art is as sparse as the harsh Alaskan landscape, and the book is intriguing enough to make me interested in the next few issues. — Alyssa Fikse

9) No Mercy #5

Alex de Campi and Carla Speed McNeil continue to mercilessly f*ck with a bunch of bratty kids too smart for their own good, trapped in a Central America that couldn’t care less about their good intentions. It’s a bit cynical, as you might expect, but mixing Conrad with a modern thriller is a smart touch on their part, and it gives this book a smart, knowing edge.

10) The Eighth Seal #1

James Tynion IV and Jeremy Rock focus on a busy woman who has a lot on her plate… and who increasingly is hallucinating that she’s a demon. Tynion smartly paces the reveals, here, albeit Rock’s art enjoys the monsters more than the mundane, and Nolan Woodward’s colors are a bit dull and pastel. Still, a clever read worth paying attention to.

11) Rebels #9

Brian Wood and Andrea Mutti step away from the American Revolution to explore the French and Indian War… and not from the American side. The story of Stone Hoof and the fort he’s inextricably tied to is oddly touching in some ways, and painful in others: Stone Hoof’s observations about the land and how the British treat it have curious modern echoes. A highly recommended bit of historical fiction.

12) Constantine: The Hellblazer #7

John Constantine is trying, these days, to be a slightly better person. It doesn’t entirely work out, like when Swamp Thing crashes his morning after and drags him off to Central Park on a mission. It’s really John’s smart-ass commentary and what he puts Swamp Thing through. I never thought I’d read Swamp Thing calling Constantine an @$$hole, uncensored, but hey, if the shoe fits… Riley Rossmo really delivers with art here, and Ming Doyle’s hilarious script gives us the Constantine we know and love. Definitely worth a read for fans.

13) Giant Days #9

This romantic comedy shifts to Ed Gemmell and his attempts to both develop some sexual experience and get rid of the entitled twit running his college’s government. The plot shift from John Allison, kind of a low-key All The President’s Men, is a bit weird, but it’s funny and Allison doesn’t shy away from being honest about how people who try to do the right thing often get screwed. Or not, as the case may be. Hilarious and highly recommended.

14) Hercules #2

Hercules is tired of being a joke, and Dan Abnett explores just how a demigod might clean up his act and become something other than a has-been. Luke Ross’s art is surprising at its best when he’s rendering the domestic, like the hapless Gilgamesh getting his balls busted by Herc’s landlady, but the action is great as well, and in all this book is an entertainingly thoughtful take on the meat-and-potatoes superhero book.

15) Ninjak #10

Valiant’s amazing action book starts a new arc, sending the greatest ninja the world has ever known to the one place he can get in real trouble: The land of the Dead. The deadpan comedy fits well with the somewhat out-there proceedings, although Doug Braithwaite is a bit staid in his depiction of the afterlife. Nonetheless, a fun read.

16) All-New Hawkeye #2

Jeff Lemire’s All-New Hawkeye continues to keep an older Clint and Kate at odds, although it looks like the band may be getting back together sooner rather than later. As we shift between the current rift between the Hawkeyes and the extended estrangement 30 years in the future, you can’t help but hope that something changes and alters the timeline. Both stubborn as can be, it’s clear that the Hawkeyes just work better together. Still, Old Man Clint’s ridiculous ponytail never disappoints. After a face off with the Mandarin, they are off to vanquish an even worse foe. If they somehow manage to heal the hurts of yesteryear, all the better. Clint Barton may be the lamest Avenger in the MCU, but the Hawkeyes of the comics continue to demand your attention. — Alyssa Fikse

17) Alabaster: The Good, The Bad, and The Bird #1

Dancy Flammarion is dead. Completely dead. So dead she’s in Hell, dead. But that doesn’t mean she’ll stay dead. Daniel Warren Johnson’s work with negative space is some interesting abstract art, which helps as Caitlin R. Kiernan’s script is a bit impenetrable if you haven’t followed Alabaster so far. An interesting start to a new miniseries, however.

18) Unity #25

Valiant’s heavy, complex team book sees itself off with this 48 page comedy special that more or less rips on every trope the book deploys. It’s all in good fun, though, and a hoot to read for Valiant fans.

19) Spider-Gwen #3

Between a visit to Earth 616 and a slew of familiar faces, this issue of Spider-Gwen finally brings a bit more to the table than the previous two issues. Jason Latour has gotten a handle on what plagues Gwen; between the death of Peter Parker and Earth 616 Gwen, the bodies are piling up, and it’s leaving a deep scar on our heroine’s psyche. Still, with a new and unexpected threat arising, there is still plenty of ass-kicking to happen alongside the angst. While the series is still a little shaky on characterization, it seems to be finding its feet. — Alyssa Fikse

20) The Massive: Ninth Wave #1

Brian Wood’s The Massive started on a strong note with some particularly good world-building and interesting questions. What do you do as an environmental activist when the Earth itself seems to be turning on you, when there’s no natural status quo to protect? Unfortunately, the series kind of lost its way halfway through, and wound its way around to a strange mystical, fantasy-tinged ending. Now The Massive is back for a series of one-shot prequels, showing some of the adventures Callum Israel and his Ninth Wave environmental group got into before the global collapse. This issue details Ninth Wave’s first run-in with Bors Bergsen, one of the more memorable villains from The Massive‘s first run. It’s a entertaining-enough little caper, but ultimately it feels inessential, as we know all this is going to be rendered meaningless by the eventual global collapse. For dedicated The Massive fans only. — Nathan Birch

21) Justice League: Darkseid War: Lex Luthor

These one-shots have proven to be more interesting than the story that spawned them, and Francis Manapul and Bong Dazo’s take on Superman’s most prideful foe is no exception. Once again, front and center are the very human frailties that anchor heroes and villains… or, in Lex’s case, weigh him down, whether he realizes it or not, as he slowly becomes… well, Darkseid. Of a sort. Worth reading for DC fans and anybody who wants to know what makes Luthor tick.

22) Limbo #2

Dan Watters’ script is little more than an excuse for Caspar Wijngaard to play around with layouts and art styles, all depicted in an oversaturated ’80s palette. It doesn’t make a ton of sense, but it’s sure pretty!

23) Stray Bullets: Sunshine And Roses #10

David Lapham continues to fill in the story gaps in his seminal noir series, but the fundamental point of this book rings through even if you’ve never touched an issue: Sometimes, bad choices stack until you’re out of options. As always, Lapham’s crisp art and unflinching writing gives this book teeth, and makes it a must-read.

24) Slash and Burn #2

Si Spencer and Max Dunbar’s story of a pyromaniac struggling to keep it together while hunting down a fellow pyro is pretty fun, but it needs a little more focus. Is it a detective story, a mystical story, or both? If nothing else, though, it’s utterly unique and a stand-out in Vertigo’s relaunch.

25) Monstress #2

Marjorie Liu’s lush tale continues to excite in the second issue, as the struggle between the Arcanics and the humans rages on. The Warlord continues to search for her stolen mask, and Maika keeps accidentally sucking the life out of people, so things could be going better. Monstress continues to be violent and beautiful; seriously, Sana Takeda’s steampunk influenced art is worth the purchase alone. Here’s hoping that in future issues, the narrative gets a sharper focus, but for now, there’s enough good to keep reading. — Alyssa Fikse

This Week’s Other Books:

DC:

Robin War (Grayson #15, Detective Comics #47, Gotham Academy #13, Red Hood/Arsenal #7): Robin War is kind of thin as a plot; you’ve got to wonder what the Constitution is like in the DCU that kids can be arrested for wearing red and green. At Christmas, no less. Unfortunately, between distracting tie-ins that don’t do much and a plot that leans more on the gimmick of Robins fighting Owls than actual construction, Robin War just comes off as kind of tone-deaf.
Batman #47: Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo cap off a solid issue in an overlong arc with one hell of an “oh sh*t” moment in the last page.
Catwoman #47: A generic Catwoman story. Come on, after the superb run that just wrapped, surely we can do better than yet another score gone wrong.
Green Arrow #47: The villain’s backstory is more interesting than the actual plot of this book.
New Romancer #1: Lord Byron is back! As a zombie with an AI in it! Somehow this isn’t quite as interesting as it sounds, albeit this book can be hilarious in places.

Marvel:

Gwenpool Special: Pretty much Marvel’s holiday annual. Funny, especially for Marvel fans, and with some great art, but really only worth the price for the Ms. Marvel story, which lingers on what it’s like to be told a cultural holiday isn’t for you.
Black Knight #2: There are zero surprises here, alas, but it’s a fun superhero fight at least.
Deadpool #3: The various side stories of the various Deadpools as they realize their paychecks bounce is a lot of fun, and something this book needs more of.
Ultimates #2: How do you solve a problem like Galactus? Let’s just say this book has an… interesting solution and leave it at that.

Image:

Symmetry #1: There isn’t much new in this utopian sci-fi. In an effort to find peace, mankind has eradicated ambition, diversity, creativity, and the possession of personal goods in an effort to create a more symbiotic society with the help of machines called the RAINA. As you’ve probably guessed, this synthetic peace comes tumbling down in this first issue, setting up a chain reaction that will shake up the preserved order. Like I said, there isn’t much that hasn’t already been seen in Matt Hawkins book. It’s interesting enough, but it will have to bring more to the table in future issues to transcend the well-worn tropes of the genre. — Alyssa Fikse
Birthright #12: This clever inversion of fantasy tropes is perhaps too far along for new readers to pick up, but it’s a great book worth reading from the beginning.
Codename Baboushka #3: An amusing little action book that could use a little more depth.
Faster Than Light #4: Brian Haberlin’s tribute to the subgenre of Alien knock-offs remains a fun, breezy, cheesy horror read.
Headlopper #2: Andrew MacLean’s elaborate fantasy comic isn’t breaking new ground, but it’s got a fun pulpy atmosphere reminiscent of Hellboy comics that makes it worth reading.

Dark Horse:

Mirror’s Edge: Exordium #4: This game adaptation hits something of a wall in its plot, spending more time setting up the last two issues than making us interested in what happens in them.

IDW:

Back to the Future #3: The ’80s classic is now a goofy, entertaining anthology book that’s ultimately a bit too slight to really recommend in single-issue form.

Dynamite:

The Precinct #1: Most steampunk books are about the design, not the story and this one is sadly no exception. Uneven inking and somewhat murky colors don’t help make the case for this book, either.
Pathfinder: Hollow Mountain #2: Dynamite serves up an agreeably cheesy fantasy comic.
The Misadventures of Grumpy Cat #3: More recycled Garfield jokes, ahoy!

Titan:

The Troop #1: A fairly generic mix of superhero tropes, although still a fun read.

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