10 Comics Read at Least Twice in 2017

Berni Wrightson is one of my heroes. Known as a compassionate and welcoming spirit by colleagues and fans, I was fortunate to have met him at C2E2 here in Chicago some time ago. An incredible artist noted for his work in the horror comic genre, Wrightson is best remembered as the co-creator of Swamp Thing with Len Wein. Reading this book reminded how Wein’s stories and Wrightson’s art came to define my youth. Scanned from original art at scale, this oversized book measures 12×17 inches with three foldouts. You get to hold House of Secrets #92 (the first appearance of Swamp Thing) in your hands and view the art at the same size the artist created this masterpiece. IDW Publishing has produced nearly 60 of these beautiful tomes (I’ve been fortunate to collect all to date). I can honestly say that this book is a personal treasure that I plan to revisit a number of times in the future.

My Favorite Thing is Monsters caught the comic’s world by storm in 2017. Set in 1960s Chicago, a time known for its’ volatile political tone that is quite similar in some ways to that seen today. Here, Ferris weaves a diaristic story via 10-year-old Karen Reyes in her attempt to solve the murder of Anka Silverberg, a holocaust survivor. B-movie horror and pulp monster magazine iconography is contrasted with a drawing style inspired by Maurice Sendak. Ferris is a gem. Her unique vision and work ethic reminds me of what I see in many other important Chicago artists (Henry Darger, Lee Godie, Vivian Maier) who toiled outside of the limelight for years to produce something truly special. The plus here is that Ferris has found success in life, and looks to be producing a new book that is set to release in 2018!

One of the few art history lectures I recall from the late ’80s is that on the work of Honoré Daumier (I was generally nodding off in these lecture-based classes). Daumier’s political works and caricatures focused upon 19th c. French elite were engrossing. What made them so fascinating was the irreverent honesty achieved through satire and a skillfulness in understanding and portraying critical acts and ideas that impacted the masses. In Mike Norton’s Lil’ Donnie I have found just this. I read each strip multiple times frequently. Norton is a smart guy. He is also one of the best comic artists working today. Combine this with the antics of a President who’s behavior is unequalled in the past, you’ll find a comic strip that is being created at the same level as all-time greats like Bloom County, Doonesbury, Pogo, and the Far Side.

Tom King has been on fire over the past couple years. And with artist, Mitch Gerads, their portrayal of Jack Kirby’s most beloved New Gods character, Mister Miracle, gold was struck once again. You meet Scott Free, the greatest escape artist in the universe who’s alter ego is Mister Miracle. Finding his way to earth after escaping Granny Goodness’ hideous orphanage and the dangers of Apokolips, Mister Miracle, with wife Big Barda, set up a new life. King’s narrative explores complex issues with nuance similar to that found in Sheriff of Babylon and the Vision. If the the first 5 issues are any indication on the trajectory of this title, DC Comics could become a hub of revitalized entities with another unfamiliar voice taking center stage in the New Year.

There’s been something about amphibian men this holiday season. Guillermo Del Toro’s Shape of Water and the Mignolaverse’s Abe Sapien may come to define this season for me in this year. Both are insightful looks at human interactions by way of a story who’s protagonist is a cold-bloooded sentient creature. Firstly, go see the movie…then read Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible Volume 1 or vice versa. Abe Sapien has left the B.P.R.D. in search of his origin and soul. In a post-apocalyptic landscape filled with skyscraper-sized monsters, you experience Sapien’s journey as an ancient necromancer as he traverses a world literally going to hell. In addition to an adept team of artists (Stewart and the Fiumara brothers) the idea of the beast being more humane than the humans is a timely question that seems to be surfacing in a number of cultural dialogues at present.

Noted as a rising talent, Daniel Warren Johnson holds an enigmatic ability to merge seemingly disparate aesthetic styles. Consider the ingenuity of Studio Ghibli cross-fertilized with the drawing style of Paul Pope landing in an intense sci-fi landscape with characters like those seen in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Yes, this is the stuff I live for! Thea wants revenge on the clan that ruined her family. Explosive action is balanced through a narrative that is mature and contemplative. Hard questions addressing family ties and ethics are explored into dark terrain. This is an epic book that looks set to unfold over time. If you do not have this on your reading list, I strongly encourage checking out Extremity. This is your opportunity to see a young talent develop into a skillful artist that will most certainly define the next generation of comic creators.

In this oversaturated Star Wars era, there is one title that seems to remain fresh. Introduced in Darth Vader #3 in 2016, Doctor Aphra has grown into that disputatious voice with highly flawed attributes rarely encountered in the Disney-owned IP. Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra is an unscrupulous archeologist and treasure hunter. Along with her assassin droids, 0-0-0 (Triple Zero) and BT-1 (BeeTee), she traverses various universes in search of bounty. After a stint where she completed a number of missions for the best-known Sith, Lord Vader, Dr. Aphra has evolved into a central character. Gillen’s yarns are playful even when inserting awkward exchanges about abandonment, murder, and sexuality. And, at times, Doctor Aphra’s dysfunctional demeanor could be compared to another interesting Marvel character, Jessica Jones, yet with a PG-13 ratings filter applied.

One of the greatest artists of comic’s Golden Age, Reed Crandall appears to have finally received the attention he is worthy of. At 15×22 inches and containing more than 20 stories, Crandall’s EC Stories Artist’s Edition is massive in terms of physical size and depth of content. Best known for his work on Quality Comics’ Blackhawk in the 1940s and his work at EC Comics in the 1950s, he is considered by many to be the quintessential ‘Artist’s Artist’. Here, you are rewarded with a plethora of looks at seminal EC titles, including Crime Suspenstories, Haunt of Fear, Piracy, Shock Suspenstories, Tales From the Crypt, Two-Fisted Tales, and Vault of Horror. In 2009, Crandall was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame. This Artist’s Edition is just testimony to the importance he had in defining mid-20th c. graphic sensibilities. I anticipate when this book makes its way to a younger audience Crandall’s influence will be widely seen.

I’m really hoping that Jonathan Hickman and Tomm Coker fully realize Black Monday Murders at the same level for which I have become accustom to through the initial 7 issues. For me, Hickman has started strong and faded on a number of titles in recent time. At times, I wonder if he is just trying to write to many books simultaneously? In Black Monday Murders you encounter a classic occult narrative where magic, power, and control intersect. What makes this book standout is the layering of the aforementioned with mysterious vampires, Russian oligarchs, American aristocrats, and a hitman who does jobs for the International Monetary Fund. In entirety, it’s truly insane. In addition, like other Hickman books, there are actual events (e.g., a summary of stock market crashes) that function as a backdrop for the characters, offering a sense of realism. Coker is at his best. Hickman has proven he knows how to tell a solid story, lets hope he’s able to finish this one in 2018.

I’ve been having a blast reading Batman. After the Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo run, I anticipated having to wait a good decade to encounter another insightful take on the Dark Knight. Generally, when I see terms like “rebirth” used in comic’s marketing, I sense vacuous money-grabbing is at hand. That is not the case here. In King, Finch, and Janin’s book there is a consistency in the dissecting of the flagship character in a manner not previously encountered. The artistic team embraces the weirdness of Batman while posing points that question Batman’s humanity. On occasion, one may even wonder why Batman even bothers to do good for a city that does not reciprocate his gestures. As previously noted, King is in chorus with a number of ideas that seem to be resonating currently. This is due to the sensitivity and daring in his approach. It’s just to bad that DC has not been able to locate a directorial visionary for their films like that which is found here in print.