As many readers and listeners know I manage a comic book store. So, I read a lot of comics throughout the year. And most are pretty darn good, but sometimes I come across a comic series that is so good I have to talk about it. Here are 10 great comics from this past year that are worth your time in checking out.
Catwoman
written and drawn by Joelle Jones
Now that Batman and Catwoman didn’t get married, Selina is on her own and going on a walkabout to forget her pain and troubles. She accidentally falls into the path of a corrupt mayor’s wife who is wanting to rule the city for her own needs and tries to gets Selina’s involvement. Well that doesn’t go over very well at all with Selina: enemies of the mob, the cops, and herself, it’s a fantastic look into a life of Catwoman without Batman by her side. Add the most amazing artwork by Jones, this is a winner for sure.
Man-Eaters
by Chelsea Cain and artwork by Kate Niemczyk
Imagine a world where adolescent girls can turn into panthers and eat their own families. In this world females before a certain age have had a bad reaction to cat feces which turns them into man-eating panthers. We pick up the story 10 years after the world has changed to deal with this outbreak of cat attacks. The allegory of governments controlling woman’s bodies is apparent and well masked in the subtle plot of this great comic. Wonderful writing, very funny and drawn in a wonderful style that adds greatness to the comic.
Mister Miracle
by Tom King and artwork by Mitch Gerads
Scott Free is the greatest escape artist who ever lived: he escaped Granny Goodness’ gruesome orphanage and the dangers of Apokolips to travel across galaxies and set up a new life on Earth with his wife, Big Barda. Stunningly illustrated from start to finish, King and Gerads’ comic was honest, suspenseful and romantic all at once. This is one of the best reads. It’s no wonder why it’s on all the best of 2018 lists.
Batman: White Knight
written and drawn by Sean Murphy
What if the Joker was cured and become the hero where Batman became the villain? Murphy explores that question with his amazing art and story. Everyone is out for Batman’s blood after some damning news is uncovered. The Joker sets up his greatest plot yet against the dark knight and he falls for it hook, line and sinker. Some of the darkest Harley and Joker themes that have never been seen before. If you love Batman and Joker stories this is a great one.
X-Men: Red
by Tom Taylor, artwork by Mahmud Asrar
This is a refreshing and defiant story that places the X-Men allegory right at the heart of their core, X-Men: Red combines action, suspense and a massive dose of social commentary to remind everyone why Xavier’s group of mutants are such an essential component of the Marvel Universe, with Jean Grey assembling a new team to found a brand new ‘Mutant Nation’, to rally the oppressed from everywhere across the globe. Best X book in years. A new team of new and old mutants for fans. A major highlight is Gabby’s Honey Badger. It’s simply brilliant.
Batman
by Tom King and multiple artists
When King started Batman a few years ago I was skeptical. It just wasn’t interesting. But what he was doing was planting seeds along the way for his big story which begin to take shape this year in the best way possible. Batman almost got married, saw Bruce’s relationship with Clark, Superman, in a whole new way, and learned things over at Arkham aren’t at all what they seem. A major villain has been playing the long game just like King’s writing. I can’t wait to see how this all plays out in the coming year.
Immortal Hulk
by Al Ewing artwork by Joe Bennett
Now that Bruce Banner is back from the dead, we get to learn the hows and whys. It’s the horror of being the Hulk that makes this book so enduring. It’s wonderfully illustrated, and is a look into the Hulk we’ve never seen before: dark, edgy and horrific. Bruce walks by day but the Hulk walks at night dealing with all his inner demons. A hard book to describe but worth your reading time for sure. No matter how hard villains and the government try, the Hulk can never die. He is immortal.
Magic Order
by Mark Millar, artwork by Olivier Coipel
Magic meets the Mob in The Magic Order, as five families of magicians, sworn to protect our world for generations, must battle an enemy who’s picking them off one by one. By day, they live among us as our neighbors, friends and co-workers, but by night they are the sorcerers, magicians and wizards that protect us from the forces of darkness. Think dirty Harry Potter with a little light S&M. It’s totally worth it. Some of the best art Coipel has ever done.
Die
by Kieron Gillen and artist Stephanie Hans
Dungeons and Dragons meet goth Jumanji as a group of teenage role-player are sucked into their game: only to return years later changed for the worse. The story picks up 25 years later as the past has come back to haunt them. Only two issues in and it’s already fantastic. A great time to jump into this one!
Justice League
by Scott Snyder and artwork by Jorge Jimenez and Jim Cheung
The Justice League hasn’t been this good in a long time. Picking up right where Dark Knights Metal and No Justice left off, it’s a classic JL vs Legion of Doom! That’s right, Luthor has the most powerful weapon in the universe and he wants to use it create the world as it should be. It becomes a cat and mouse game between the two teams as they try to gain the power and stop the oncoming evil both teams are scared of. Jimenez’s work is the best it’s ever been, and he makes all the heroes look as powerful and the villains look as evil as they can be. This has been an amazing run so far.
