The Freddie Stories
Lynda Barry
Monday, January 28, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Pick of the Week 1/23
New comics come out tomorrow! Here's my pick for what to grab at the comic shop...
MAD: Artist's Edition HC
Harvey Kurtzman, Wally Wood, Basil Wolverton & Others
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Top 20 Comics of 2012
These are my favorite comics of 2012, including manga, superheroes, graphic novels,
reprints, etc. I try to be as true to how I feel about a book as possible when
ranking them, which is why it may seem odd for some to see a superhero title
hardly anyone read rank over an acclaimed graphic novel. If I enjoyed my
experience of reading it more, it was placed higher on my list. I did feel odd
including a book like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Deluxe
Edition, since the comics are fairly recent, and it's not like people
couldn't get their hands on it, unlike something like Carl Bark's
Uncle Scrooge comics, which really needed to be collected. It
felt more like I would be ranking its new packaging more than anything, so I
left things like that off of my list (even though I enjoyed it a lot). Anyways,
these are my favorite twenty comics of the year. I hope you enjoy my list, and
hopefully check out some books that may have eluded you.
Honorable Mentions
All New X-Men (Brian Michael Bendis & Stuart Immonen)
Cat's Cradle (Book 1): The Golden Twine (Jo Rioux)
Fatale (Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips)
Glory (Joe Keatinge & Ross Campbell)
Three Thieves (Volume 3): The Captive Prince (Scott Chantler)
20. Fables (Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham & Various) - Fables had an excellent year, with superb stories unfolding surrounding the fairy tale characters. Inherit the Wind and particularly, Cubs In Toyland, were dark, edgy stories with shocking moments, cool new characters and designs, and imaginative arcs for some of the most beloved faces of the book. These two stories focused on Snow White and Bigby Wolf's brood of feisty cubs, and the creators proved that having their story brew in the background for years has pulled off as they take the book by storm.
19. Batman (Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo) - Relaunching Batman as part of DC's New 52 without one of Batman's famous villains was a bold choice for Snyder, but one that worked shockingly well, earning praise for originality and innovation. Through solid storytelling and focusing the lens on Bruce Wayne's past, Snyder created a sense of mystery and paranoia in this book that drew readers in and hasn't allowed them to leave since. Gotham City and her secrets haven't been this exciting in a long time.
18. The Underwater Welder (Jeff Lemire) - Jeff Lemire, who's been busy writing books for DC like the excellent Animal Man and Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., proves that he can create an exciting graphic novel drama just as easily as an action-packed superhero title in this slow-moving, dream-like work from Top Shelf. The story follows a young man, an underwater welder, who is starting a family, and begins to recall his own experiences with his father growing up. The edges of reality begin to blur as he works through his father's death and perhaps brushes up against some paranormal elements. Paced perfectly, this is an impressive story that's both haunting and beautifully illustrated.
17. Pippi Moves In (Astrid Lindgren & Ingrid Vang Nyman) - Astrid Lindgren's Pippi, which debuted in 1957, features a rambunctious little girl who moves into a quiet neighborhood, turning things on their head and showing the nearby children a great time with her crazy ideas. Pippi Longstocking is an odd character, but Lindgren injects her with such creativity and oddness, that you can't help but love this girl. The stories included here are adorable and the art is just fantastic.
16. The Understanding Monster (Book 1) (Theo Ellsworth) - Theo Ellsworth's Capacity was one of my favorite comics from 2008, so I'm very excited that he's begun a new project with The Understanding Monster. As people who read his previous work would expect, this new graphic novel explores a crazy imaginative world, populated by strange beings and creatures, all lovingly illustrated. Ellsworth really pours the creativity into this book by the bucket load, and works his magic with very detailed drawings and just stunning designs. This is pure eye candy wrapped around a psychodelic story.
15. The Smurfs (Peyo & Yvan Delporte) - Papercutz just keeps going on these reprints of Peyo's Smurfs comics, and I'm really happy about it because these comics are excellent. Anytime I feel blue (ha!), I seriously just have to pick up one of these little books and I'm in a good mood again. They just radiate happiness, and they're a ton of fun to read. I hope Papercutz continues putting these out for years to come.
14. Uncanny X-Force (Rick Remender, Billy Tan, Mark Brooks, Greg Tocchini & Phil Noto) - This black-ops X-Men title is
one helluva book. Remender really puts these characters through the wringer on
his run of this title, but the wealth of imagination poured into this title
really demonstrates that Remender understands the various corners of the Marvel
Universe and can use them for great show-stopping stories. He puts his own
unique twists on familiar concepts while he has this team of X-Men confront
horrible creatures, as well as their dark pasts. There's a lot of blood and
death in this book, but if you can take it, this is one crazy-fun journey.
13. Courtney Crumrin (Ted Naifeh) - I love the Gothic atmosphere and look to the characters of Ted Naifeh's comics. And while I really enjoyed his work on Polly and the Pirates and The Good Neighbors, I am really happy to see him back to work on his trademark character, Courtney Crumrin. And not only that, but we get to see her in an ongoing color series! I always point to Courtney Crumrin as one of my favorite all-ages fantasies, and Naifeh doesn't disappoint with the new stories he tells featuring the glowering, powerful little witch, and events that have been building for some time come into play in her latest adventures, making for some riveting comics.
12. Nonnonba (Shigeru Mizuki) - I love autobiographical manga, and this one, by
master Shigeru Mizuki, is a real treat, exploring his childhood in a small town
where soldiers are revered by the children, and sickness surrounds him as he
begins to explore his creativity in the form of comics. It's his relationship
with his grandmother that is really touching, however, as she relays stories of
yokai (spirit monsters) that share their world with them, setting fire to his
imagination, and shaping his youth.
11. The Voyeurs (Gabrielle Bell) - Collecting material from her series Lucky, this fantastic memoir gives us a peek into the life of an indie cartoonist, including her travels overseas, and at comic book conventions. The best parts focus on her exploits with fellow indie artists, but the whole package is great, varying from depressing self-deprecation to laugh-out-loud funny.
10. 5 Centimeters Per Second (Makoto Shinkai & Seike Yukiko) - This beautiful, cinematic story
based on the manga of the same name is an emotional powerhouse that explores the
relationship of two children who fell in love in elementary school, but moved
away from one another. They try to keep in touch, but slowly drift apart
despite great efforts to stay in one another's lives. This is a moving
portrayal of love as their lives are shaped by this early relationship, in
positive and negative ways. It reads very honestly and moves along in a breezy,
dreamy fashion, like a summer romance.
9. Message To Adolf (Osamu Tezuka) - Tezuka takes on a story pretty epic in scope with this manga, which follows the lives of three characters named Adolf, including the Nazi leader himself, around the events of World War II. Tezuka knows how to suck his readers in with this story full of mystery, suspense, intrigue and heartache. Friendships are tested and lives are ruined in this amazing story. Sometimes the story meanders a bit, but that only serves to make this seem like a much bigger story, surrounding a secret that could deal a great blow to Nazi Germany. Message To Adolf moves along at a feverish pace, and is riveting throughout as it dances between the lives of various characters, showcasing this time period from different points of view.
8. Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge: "Only a Poor Old Man" (Carl Barks) - As much as I enjoyed Fantagraphics' collection of Carl Barks' Donald Duck comics last year, "Lost In the Andes," I love these great funny action comics featuring Uncles Scrooge even more. Together with his nephew Donald and Junior Woodchucks Huey, Dewey and Louie, Scrooge devises schemes to keep his money safe from the Beagle Boys, and ways to make his money bin even larger. These are fantastic stories for the whole family, presented in a nice deserving package.
7. Angel and Faith (Christos Gage & Rebekah Isaacs) - One of the most consistently well-executed books out there currently is this spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine, and what I think is the best thing to come out of Buffy in comic form period. This book has a lot of heart and while it draws from its past, it's not bogged down by it like Buffy: Season Eight seemed to be. Angel and Faith is a focused comic, circling the death of Giles, Buffy's watcher. Angel feels guilty for his death and Faith is helping him to find a way to resurrect him, and so they are searching for ingredients and fragments of his soul to make that happen. Along the way, they meet familiar faces like Druscilla and Conner, and Faith confronts her own troubled past, but even the new characters are fresh and welcome, like Giles' family. This is just a really thoughtful character-focused work that is beautifully executed on every scale.
6. Avengers vs. X-Men (Various) - It's not very often that company-wide crossovers are executed
well. Usually many "tie-in" titles are bogged down with it for months upon
months of half-cooked stories for a semi-interesting final product. Not so for
Avengers vs. X-Men. In this thoughtful mini-series event, not
only were there great story notes that they hit along the way, from shocking
moments to great character scenes, but any books tied into the main story could
easily create a story around a pretty basic premise: battles between mutants and
Avengers. And books like Uncanny X-Men and Avengers
Academy shined amidst the chaos. But the real winner was the main
story in the mini-series that pit Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk and
friends against the likes of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Colossus, Namor and Magik. It
highlighted some epic fights people have been waiting to see, and had shocking
moments and a satisfying conclusion, with plenty of gray area left in the dust
of battle. This is perhaps the single best crossover in superhero history, as
it worked on so many levels, and so well.
5. Nao of Brown (Glyn Dillon) - Perhaps the biggest surprise for me in terms of graphic novels this year was this gem of a book from Glyn Dillon, who released this labor of love. Told through stunning jaw-dropping images, and enhanced by vibrant water color, this story of Nao, a woman with OCD, is just engrossing. This is one of those books where you to stop to just stare for minutes at a time at pages upon pages because they're just so beautiful, and the character of Nao is just fascinating, with all sorts of great secondary characters in her life. This book is very cinematic, and often strange, and is paced masterfully.
4. Young Miss Holmes (Kaoru Shintani) - This Victorian mystery series follows Christie, the young niece of Sherlock Holmes, as Shintani retells Doyle's famous stories in new and exciting ways. Christie is a bright young girl who somehow manages to worm her way into her uncle's investigations, demonstrating an intuition and skill equal to that of her uncle's. Together with her very capable maids, Christie is a force to be reckoned with, and faces danger and solves the toughest mysteries with a sweet smile and a curtsy. The art is very detailed, and the characters have a retro look to them, all of which fit nicely into this world that Shintani has created, which is often funny and ridiculously suspenseful. I love the supporting cast of this book as well as Christie, but it's that articulate, whip-smart little girl that really makes this story superb, particularly her relationships to those around her. You can really see an Osamu Tezuka influence in the art and pacing of these stories, especially in a story that focuses on Christie's maid Nora, who is taught to be a criminal by gypsies. But I can't stress enough how much fun I had reading these excellent stories, with a fantastic female protagonist at its heart.
3. Wolverine and the X-Men (Jason Aaron, Chris Bachalo & Nick Bradshaw) - In one of the more unique
superhero comics coming out currently, Jason Aaron produces a blend of action
and humor, perfectly suited by alternating artists Bachalo and Bradshaw. Even
when caught up in crossover events, Aaron manages to steer this book into high
quality territory, evolving his characters during that conflict, and producing
some great dynamics and relationships from out of it. Of course, it's best when
he's left to his own devices and is able to focus on the interesting students at
the Jean Grey School, as well as the oddball faculty. This year saw micro-Brood
invade Kitty Pryde, Wolverine venture to an intergalactic casino with Quentin
Quire, and a beloved student shot down, along with all of the Avengers vs. X-Men
craziness. But it's really the amount of character Aaron injects into subjects
like Kid Gladiator, Broo and Rachel Grey, and the artists drawing the hell out
of this book, that pushes it into the category of a "classic." It's fun,
whimsical and surprisingly moving at times, and it's easily the best superhero
title of the year in my eyes.
2. Soulless (Gail Carriger & Rem) - Adapted from the novels by Gail Carriger, by
artist Rem, Soulless follows Alexia Tarrabotti, a preternatural
in a Victorian Era London populated by vampires and werewolves, as well as
humans. Preternaturals are rare, but the gift that Alexia has makes her a
formidable opponent, as well as a target, as she has the ability to make a
supernatural being completely human for as long as she touches them. And while
that is certainly a cool part of the story, and comes in to play quite a bit,
it's really the relationship between Alexia and the sexy werewolf Lord Maccon
that is the thrust of this story. This series is action-packed, funny and sexy
- the perfect package. But it's really Rem that makes this gem of a manga shine.
She adapts this story perfectly, hitting the right notes, letting the story
unfold slowly and bringing the characters, secondary as well as primary, to
life. I haven't been this excited by a supernatural manga in a long time.
1. Building Stories (Chris Ware) - This ambitious work by master of the medium Chris Ware easily tops my list for the best comic of 2012. This box of comics comes with newspapers, a little golden book, and mini comics, as well as full books of comics. Most of the stories surround an apartment building, exploring its residents, although some side stories explore Branford, a bee outcast from a nearby hive, and continue examining the lives of characters after they've moved out of the building. It's all fascinating stuff, as Chris Ware has a knack for getting at genuine emotions through his characters, in stories that ring true and are powerful. A lot is packed in to the pages here, and I love the dense stories, and how some little moments mentioned in one comic will sort of carry over and appear in another. Reading this is an experience, and it's designed in a stunning package that does justice to its content.
Honorable Mentions
All New X-Men (Brian Michael Bendis & Stuart Immonen)
Cat's Cradle (Book 1): The Golden Twine (Jo Rioux)
Fatale (Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips)
Glory (Joe Keatinge & Ross Campbell)
Three Thieves (Volume 3): The Captive Prince (Scott Chantler)
20. Fables (Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham & Various) - Fables had an excellent year, with superb stories unfolding surrounding the fairy tale characters. Inherit the Wind and particularly, Cubs In Toyland, were dark, edgy stories with shocking moments, cool new characters and designs, and imaginative arcs for some of the most beloved faces of the book. These two stories focused on Snow White and Bigby Wolf's brood of feisty cubs, and the creators proved that having their story brew in the background for years has pulled off as they take the book by storm.19. Batman (Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo) - Relaunching Batman as part of DC's New 52 without one of Batman's famous villains was a bold choice for Snyder, but one that worked shockingly well, earning praise for originality and innovation. Through solid storytelling and focusing the lens on Bruce Wayne's past, Snyder created a sense of mystery and paranoia in this book that drew readers in and hasn't allowed them to leave since. Gotham City and her secrets haven't been this exciting in a long time.
18. The Underwater Welder (Jeff Lemire) - Jeff Lemire, who's been busy writing books for DC like the excellent Animal Man and Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E., proves that he can create an exciting graphic novel drama just as easily as an action-packed superhero title in this slow-moving, dream-like work from Top Shelf. The story follows a young man, an underwater welder, who is starting a family, and begins to recall his own experiences with his father growing up. The edges of reality begin to blur as he works through his father's death and perhaps brushes up against some paranormal elements. Paced perfectly, this is an impressive story that's both haunting and beautifully illustrated.17. Pippi Moves In (Astrid Lindgren & Ingrid Vang Nyman) - Astrid Lindgren's Pippi, which debuted in 1957, features a rambunctious little girl who moves into a quiet neighborhood, turning things on their head and showing the nearby children a great time with her crazy ideas. Pippi Longstocking is an odd character, but Lindgren injects her with such creativity and oddness, that you can't help but love this girl. The stories included here are adorable and the art is just fantastic.
16. The Understanding Monster (Book 1) (Theo Ellsworth) - Theo Ellsworth's Capacity was one of my favorite comics from 2008, so I'm very excited that he's begun a new project with The Understanding Monster. As people who read his previous work would expect, this new graphic novel explores a crazy imaginative world, populated by strange beings and creatures, all lovingly illustrated. Ellsworth really pours the creativity into this book by the bucket load, and works his magic with very detailed drawings and just stunning designs. This is pure eye candy wrapped around a psychodelic story.15. The Smurfs (Peyo & Yvan Delporte) - Papercutz just keeps going on these reprints of Peyo's Smurfs comics, and I'm really happy about it because these comics are excellent. Anytime I feel blue (ha!), I seriously just have to pick up one of these little books and I'm in a good mood again. They just radiate happiness, and they're a ton of fun to read. I hope Papercutz continues putting these out for years to come.
14. Uncanny X-Force (Rick Remender, Billy Tan, Mark Brooks, Greg Tocchini & Phil Noto) - This black-ops X-Men title is
one helluva book. Remender really puts these characters through the wringer on
his run of this title, but the wealth of imagination poured into this title
really demonstrates that Remender understands the various corners of the Marvel
Universe and can use them for great show-stopping stories. He puts his own
unique twists on familiar concepts while he has this team of X-Men confront
horrible creatures, as well as their dark pasts. There's a lot of blood and
death in this book, but if you can take it, this is one crazy-fun journey.13. Courtney Crumrin (Ted Naifeh) - I love the Gothic atmosphere and look to the characters of Ted Naifeh's comics. And while I really enjoyed his work on Polly and the Pirates and The Good Neighbors, I am really happy to see him back to work on his trademark character, Courtney Crumrin. And not only that, but we get to see her in an ongoing color series! I always point to Courtney Crumrin as one of my favorite all-ages fantasies, and Naifeh doesn't disappoint with the new stories he tells featuring the glowering, powerful little witch, and events that have been building for some time come into play in her latest adventures, making for some riveting comics.
12. Nonnonba (Shigeru Mizuki) - I love autobiographical manga, and this one, by
master Shigeru Mizuki, is a real treat, exploring his childhood in a small town
where soldiers are revered by the children, and sickness surrounds him as he
begins to explore his creativity in the form of comics. It's his relationship
with his grandmother that is really touching, however, as she relays stories of
yokai (spirit monsters) that share their world with them, setting fire to his
imagination, and shaping his youth.11. The Voyeurs (Gabrielle Bell) - Collecting material from her series Lucky, this fantastic memoir gives us a peek into the life of an indie cartoonist, including her travels overseas, and at comic book conventions. The best parts focus on her exploits with fellow indie artists, but the whole package is great, varying from depressing self-deprecation to laugh-out-loud funny.
10. 5 Centimeters Per Second (Makoto Shinkai & Seike Yukiko) - This beautiful, cinematic story
based on the manga of the same name is an emotional powerhouse that explores the
relationship of two children who fell in love in elementary school, but moved
away from one another. They try to keep in touch, but slowly drift apart
despite great efforts to stay in one another's lives. This is a moving
portrayal of love as their lives are shaped by this early relationship, in
positive and negative ways. It reads very honestly and moves along in a breezy,
dreamy fashion, like a summer romance.9. Message To Adolf (Osamu Tezuka) - Tezuka takes on a story pretty epic in scope with this manga, which follows the lives of three characters named Adolf, including the Nazi leader himself, around the events of World War II. Tezuka knows how to suck his readers in with this story full of mystery, suspense, intrigue and heartache. Friendships are tested and lives are ruined in this amazing story. Sometimes the story meanders a bit, but that only serves to make this seem like a much bigger story, surrounding a secret that could deal a great blow to Nazi Germany. Message To Adolf moves along at a feverish pace, and is riveting throughout as it dances between the lives of various characters, showcasing this time period from different points of view.
8. Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge: "Only a Poor Old Man" (Carl Barks) - As much as I enjoyed Fantagraphics' collection of Carl Barks' Donald Duck comics last year, "Lost In the Andes," I love these great funny action comics featuring Uncles Scrooge even more. Together with his nephew Donald and Junior Woodchucks Huey, Dewey and Louie, Scrooge devises schemes to keep his money safe from the Beagle Boys, and ways to make his money bin even larger. These are fantastic stories for the whole family, presented in a nice deserving package.7. Angel and Faith (Christos Gage & Rebekah Isaacs) - One of the most consistently well-executed books out there currently is this spin-off of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Nine, and what I think is the best thing to come out of Buffy in comic form period. This book has a lot of heart and while it draws from its past, it's not bogged down by it like Buffy: Season Eight seemed to be. Angel and Faith is a focused comic, circling the death of Giles, Buffy's watcher. Angel feels guilty for his death and Faith is helping him to find a way to resurrect him, and so they are searching for ingredients and fragments of his soul to make that happen. Along the way, they meet familiar faces like Druscilla and Conner, and Faith confronts her own troubled past, but even the new characters are fresh and welcome, like Giles' family. This is just a really thoughtful character-focused work that is beautifully executed on every scale.
6. Avengers vs. X-Men (Various) - It's not very often that company-wide crossovers are executed
well. Usually many "tie-in" titles are bogged down with it for months upon
months of half-cooked stories for a semi-interesting final product. Not so for
Avengers vs. X-Men. In this thoughtful mini-series event, not
only were there great story notes that they hit along the way, from shocking
moments to great character scenes, but any books tied into the main story could
easily create a story around a pretty basic premise: battles between mutants and
Avengers. And books like Uncanny X-Men and Avengers
Academy shined amidst the chaos. But the real winner was the main
story in the mini-series that pit Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hulk and
friends against the likes of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Colossus, Namor and Magik. It
highlighted some epic fights people have been waiting to see, and had shocking
moments and a satisfying conclusion, with plenty of gray area left in the dust
of battle. This is perhaps the single best crossover in superhero history, as
it worked on so many levels, and so well.
5. Nao of Brown (Glyn Dillon) - Perhaps the biggest surprise for me in terms of graphic novels this year was this gem of a book from Glyn Dillon, who released this labor of love. Told through stunning jaw-dropping images, and enhanced by vibrant water color, this story of Nao, a woman with OCD, is just engrossing. This is one of those books where you to stop to just stare for minutes at a time at pages upon pages because they're just so beautiful, and the character of Nao is just fascinating, with all sorts of great secondary characters in her life. This book is very cinematic, and often strange, and is paced masterfully.4. Young Miss Holmes (Kaoru Shintani) - This Victorian mystery series follows Christie, the young niece of Sherlock Holmes, as Shintani retells Doyle's famous stories in new and exciting ways. Christie is a bright young girl who somehow manages to worm her way into her uncle's investigations, demonstrating an intuition and skill equal to that of her uncle's. Together with her very capable maids, Christie is a force to be reckoned with, and faces danger and solves the toughest mysteries with a sweet smile and a curtsy. The art is very detailed, and the characters have a retro look to them, all of which fit nicely into this world that Shintani has created, which is often funny and ridiculously suspenseful. I love the supporting cast of this book as well as Christie, but it's that articulate, whip-smart little girl that really makes this story superb, particularly her relationships to those around her. You can really see an Osamu Tezuka influence in the art and pacing of these stories, especially in a story that focuses on Christie's maid Nora, who is taught to be a criminal by gypsies. But I can't stress enough how much fun I had reading these excellent stories, with a fantastic female protagonist at its heart.
3. Wolverine and the X-Men (Jason Aaron, Chris Bachalo & Nick Bradshaw) - In one of the more unique
superhero comics coming out currently, Jason Aaron produces a blend of action
and humor, perfectly suited by alternating artists Bachalo and Bradshaw. Even
when caught up in crossover events, Aaron manages to steer this book into high
quality territory, evolving his characters during that conflict, and producing
some great dynamics and relationships from out of it. Of course, it's best when
he's left to his own devices and is able to focus on the interesting students at
the Jean Grey School, as well as the oddball faculty. This year saw micro-Brood
invade Kitty Pryde, Wolverine venture to an intergalactic casino with Quentin
Quire, and a beloved student shot down, along with all of the Avengers vs. X-Men
craziness. But it's really the amount of character Aaron injects into subjects
like Kid Gladiator, Broo and Rachel Grey, and the artists drawing the hell out
of this book, that pushes it into the category of a "classic." It's fun,
whimsical and surprisingly moving at times, and it's easily the best superhero
title of the year in my eyes.
2. Soulless (Gail Carriger & Rem) - Adapted from the novels by Gail Carriger, by
artist Rem, Soulless follows Alexia Tarrabotti, a preternatural
in a Victorian Era London populated by vampires and werewolves, as well as
humans. Preternaturals are rare, but the gift that Alexia has makes her a
formidable opponent, as well as a target, as she has the ability to make a
supernatural being completely human for as long as she touches them. And while
that is certainly a cool part of the story, and comes in to play quite a bit,
it's really the relationship between Alexia and the sexy werewolf Lord Maccon
that is the thrust of this story. This series is action-packed, funny and sexy
- the perfect package. But it's really Rem that makes this gem of a manga shine.
She adapts this story perfectly, hitting the right notes, letting the story
unfold slowly and bringing the characters, secondary as well as primary, to
life. I haven't been this excited by a supernatural manga in a long time.
1. Building Stories (Chris Ware) - This ambitious work by master of the medium Chris Ware easily tops my list for the best comic of 2012. This box of comics comes with newspapers, a little golden book, and mini comics, as well as full books of comics. Most of the stories surround an apartment building, exploring its residents, although some side stories explore Branford, a bee outcast from a nearby hive, and continue examining the lives of characters after they've moved out of the building. It's all fascinating stuff, as Chris Ware has a knack for getting at genuine emotions through his characters, in stories that ring true and are powerful. A lot is packed in to the pages here, and I love the dense stories, and how some little moments mentioned in one comic will sort of carry over and appear in another. Reading this is an experience, and it's designed in a stunning package that does justice to its content.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Pick of the Week 1/16
Of the new books coming to comic shops tomorrow, here's my pick...
Fables (Volume 18): Cubs In Toyland TP
Bill Willingham & Mark Buckingham
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Best Single Issue/Story of 2012
I loved the following comic book issues, but none of them sustained the quality I'd have hoped as the year went along and so none of them placed in my best of the year list. I can't ignore them completely, however, because I loved the individual issues, so I decided to just give a little nod to these books in this post...
Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred #1
David Hine & Shaky Kane
Fairest #8
Lauren Beukes & Inaki Miranda
Fatale #1
Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
Mining Colony X7170
(From the pages of Kramer's Ergot 8)
Johnny Ryan
Prophet #21
Brandon Graham, Simon Roy & Richard Ballermann
Saga #1
Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Pick of the Week 1/9
Of the new books coming to comic shops on Wednesday, here's my pick...
Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow's Avengers (Volume 1) TP
Steve Gerber, Chris Claremont, Gerry Conway & Various
Saturday, January 05, 2013
Best Manga of 2012
2012 saw a lot of great manga, with fun new series debuts, and excellent volumes of ongoing titles. It's always hard to narrow down my favorites to just ten books, but I've done just that in the following list. So, in my opinion, these are the best manga that the year had to offer...
1. Soulless (Gail Carriger & Rem) - Adapted from the novels by Gail Carriger, by artist Rem, Soulless follows Alexia Tarrabotti, a preternatural in a Victorian Era London populated by vampires and werewolves,
as well as humans. Preternaturals are rare, but the gift that Alexia has makes
her a formidable opponent, as well as a target, as she has the ability to make a
supernatural being completely human for as long as she touches them. And while
that is certainly a cool part of the story, and comes in to play quite a bit,
it's really the relationship between Alexia and the sexy werewolf Lord Maccon
that is the thrust of this story. This series is action-packed, funny and sexy - the
perfect package. But it's really Rem that makes this gem of a manga shine. She adapts
this story perfectly, hitting the right notes, letting the story unfold slowly
and bringing the characters, secondary as well as primary, to life. I haven't been this excited by a superntural manga in a long time, and it has easily earned the top slot on my list of favorite manga this year.
2. Young Miss Holmes (Kaoru Shintani) - This Victorian mystery series follows Christie, the young niece of Sherlock Holmes, as Shintani retells Doyle's famous stories in new and exciting ways. Christie is a bright young girl who somehow manages to worm her way into her uncle's investigations, demonstrating an intuition and skill equal to that of her uncle's. Together with her very capable maids, Christie is a force to be reckoned with, and faces danger and solves the toughest mysteries with a sweet smile and a curtsy. The art is very detailed, and the characters have a retro look to them, all of which fit nicely into this world that Shintani has created, which is often funny and ridiculously suspenseful. I love the supporting cast of this book as well as Christie, but it's that articulate, whip-smart little girl that really makes this story superb, particularly her relationships to those around her. You can really see an Osamu Tezuka influence in the art and pacing of these stories, especially in a story that focuses on Christie's maid Nora, who is taught to be a criminal by gypsies. But I can't stress enough how much fun I had reading these excellent stories, with a fantastic female protagonist at its heart.
3. Message To Adolf (Osamu Tezuka) - Tezuka takes on a story pretty epic in scope with this manga, which follows the lives of three characters named Adolf, including the Nazi leader himself, around the events of World War II. Tezuka knows how to suck his readers in with this story full of mystery, suspense, intrigue and heartache. Friendships are tested and lives are ruined in this amazing story. Sometimes the story meanders a bit, but that only serves to make this seem like a much bigger story, surrounding a secret that could deal a great blow to Nazi Germany. Message To Adolf moves along at a feverish pace, and is riveting throughout as it dances between the lives of various characters, showcasing this time period from different points of view.
4. 5 Centimeters Per Second (Makoto Shinkai & Seike Yukiko) - This beautiful, cinematic story based on the manga of the same name is an emotional powerhouse that explores the relationship of two children who fell in love in elementary school, but moved away from one another. They try to keep in touch, but slowly drift apart despite great efforts to stay in one another's lives. This is a moving portrayal of love as their lives are shaped by this early relationship, in positive and negative ways. It reads very honestly and moves along in a breezy, dreamy fashion, like a summer romance.
5. Nonnonba (Shigeru Mizuki) - I love autobiographical manga, and this one, by master Shigeru Mizuki, is a real treat, exploring his childhood in a small town where soldiers are revered by the children, and sickness surrounds him as he begins to explore his creativity in the form of comics. It's his relationship with his grandmother that is really touching, however, as she relays stories of yokai (spirit monsters) that share their world with them, setting fire to his imagination, and shaping his youth.
6. The Earl and the Fairy (Ayuko & Mizue Tani) - I really enjoyed the hell out of the first volume of this series, and had the quality not slowly tapered off over the subsequent three volumes, this would have been a strong contender for first place. Once past that golden first volume however, the story slowly lost steam. The book follows fairy doctor Lydia, a girl with the extraordinary gift to see and communicate with fairies, as she aids a young man of questionable intentions in his quest for a sword that will authenticate his birthright, as a descendant of the Blue Knight Earl. There's mystery, romance, danger and action in this tale that is adapted beautifully from the books by Mazue Tani, by Ayuko.
7. Wandering Son (Shimura Takako) - Fantagraphics continued to publish Shimura Takako's story about two transgender children this year, showcasing Takako's elegant art in a beautiful story that is touching and riveting. Shu and Yoshino are great characters, but the supporting cast is just as interesting. This story is full of honesty and heartbreak, and is beautifully packaged by the publisher.
8. Attack on Titan (Hajime Isayama) - In the future, the world has been devastated by giants, the last remaining humans forced behind stone walls for their protection. Many young men and women serve as protectors for the general populace, learning to kill the giants in very risky operations necessary to keep the people safe. When a titan that eclipses the other giants suddenly appears to tear down the outer wall, their small world becomes even smaller, and the military, desperate to ensure the safety of the remaining people, strike a deal with Eren Jeager, who has lived among them all this time, but has terrible secrets locked in his past, ones that may have ties to the giants they fear. This is sort of a complicated book, but the world-building is excellent, and the action and ideas here are refreshing and exciting.
9. A Bride's Story (Kaoru Mori) - Only one volume of this manga came out this year, but that was more than enough to guarantee it a spot on this list. Always beautiful, this quiet, touching story of family on The Silk Road in the 19th century is often moving, and its thoughtful pacing and stories make this an instant must-read with each volume's release.
10. Barbara (Osamu Tezuka) - This strange manga about an even stranger girl is minor Tezuka, but even minor Tezuka is excellent. The dirty, ill-mannered drunk Barbara may be more than she appears, and for author Yosuke Mikura, she may be exactly what he needs to make it big, in this manga that takes on big ideas like fate and inspiration, and is drawn beautifully by a master of the medium.
Honorable Mentions
Bakuman (Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata)
Danza (Natsume Ono)
The Drops of God (Tadashi Agi & Shu Okimoto)
Fallen Words (Yoshihiro Tatsumi)
Sakuran (Moyoco Anno)
1. Soulless (Gail Carriger & Rem) - Adapted from the novels by Gail Carriger, by artist Rem, Soulless follows Alexia Tarrabotti, a preternatural in a Victorian Era London populated by vampires and werewolves,
as well as humans. Preternaturals are rare, but the gift that Alexia has makes
her a formidable opponent, as well as a target, as she has the ability to make a
supernatural being completely human for as long as she touches them. And while
that is certainly a cool part of the story, and comes in to play quite a bit,
it's really the relationship between Alexia and the sexy werewolf Lord Maccon
that is the thrust of this story. This series is action-packed, funny and sexy - the
perfect package. But it's really Rem that makes this gem of a manga shine. She adapts
this story perfectly, hitting the right notes, letting the story unfold slowly
and bringing the characters, secondary as well as primary, to life. I haven't been this excited by a superntural manga in a long time, and it has easily earned the top slot on my list of favorite manga this year.
2. Young Miss Holmes (Kaoru Shintani) - This Victorian mystery series follows Christie, the young niece of Sherlock Holmes, as Shintani retells Doyle's famous stories in new and exciting ways. Christie is a bright young girl who somehow manages to worm her way into her uncle's investigations, demonstrating an intuition and skill equal to that of her uncle's. Together with her very capable maids, Christie is a force to be reckoned with, and faces danger and solves the toughest mysteries with a sweet smile and a curtsy. The art is very detailed, and the characters have a retro look to them, all of which fit nicely into this world that Shintani has created, which is often funny and ridiculously suspenseful. I love the supporting cast of this book as well as Christie, but it's that articulate, whip-smart little girl that really makes this story superb, particularly her relationships to those around her. You can really see an Osamu Tezuka influence in the art and pacing of these stories, especially in a story that focuses on Christie's maid Nora, who is taught to be a criminal by gypsies. But I can't stress enough how much fun I had reading these excellent stories, with a fantastic female protagonist at its heart.
3. Message To Adolf (Osamu Tezuka) - Tezuka takes on a story pretty epic in scope with this manga, which follows the lives of three characters named Adolf, including the Nazi leader himself, around the events of World War II. Tezuka knows how to suck his readers in with this story full of mystery, suspense, intrigue and heartache. Friendships are tested and lives are ruined in this amazing story. Sometimes the story meanders a bit, but that only serves to make this seem like a much bigger story, surrounding a secret that could deal a great blow to Nazi Germany. Message To Adolf moves along at a feverish pace, and is riveting throughout as it dances between the lives of various characters, showcasing this time period from different points of view.4. 5 Centimeters Per Second (Makoto Shinkai & Seike Yukiko) - This beautiful, cinematic story based on the manga of the same name is an emotional powerhouse that explores the relationship of two children who fell in love in elementary school, but moved away from one another. They try to keep in touch, but slowly drift apart despite great efforts to stay in one another's lives. This is a moving portrayal of love as their lives are shaped by this early relationship, in positive and negative ways. It reads very honestly and moves along in a breezy, dreamy fashion, like a summer romance.5. Nonnonba (Shigeru Mizuki) - I love autobiographical manga, and this one, by master Shigeru Mizuki, is a real treat, exploring his childhood in a small town where soldiers are revered by the children, and sickness surrounds him as he begins to explore his creativity in the form of comics. It's his relationship with his grandmother that is really touching, however, as she relays stories of yokai (spirit monsters) that share their world with them, setting fire to his imagination, and shaping his youth.
6. The Earl and the Fairy (Ayuko & Mizue Tani) - I really enjoyed the hell out of the first volume of this series, and had the quality not slowly tapered off over the subsequent three volumes, this would have been a strong contender for first place. Once past that golden first volume however, the story slowly lost steam. The book follows fairy doctor Lydia, a girl with the extraordinary gift to see and communicate with fairies, as she aids a young man of questionable intentions in his quest for a sword that will authenticate his birthright, as a descendant of the Blue Knight Earl. There's mystery, romance, danger and action in this tale that is adapted beautifully from the books by Mazue Tani, by Ayuko.7. Wandering Son (Shimura Takako) - Fantagraphics continued to publish Shimura Takako's story about two transgender children this year, showcasing Takako's elegant art in a beautiful story that is touching and riveting. Shu and Yoshino are great characters, but the supporting cast is just as interesting. This story is full of honesty and heartbreak, and is beautifully packaged by the publisher.
8. Attack on Titan (Hajime Isayama) - In the future, the world has been devastated by giants, the last remaining humans forced behind stone walls for their protection. Many young men and women serve as protectors for the general populace, learning to kill the giants in very risky operations necessary to keep the people safe. When a titan that eclipses the other giants suddenly appears to tear down the outer wall, their small world becomes even smaller, and the military, desperate to ensure the safety of the remaining people, strike a deal with Eren Jeager, who has lived among them all this time, but has terrible secrets locked in his past, ones that may have ties to the giants they fear. This is sort of a complicated book, but the world-building is excellent, and the action and ideas here are refreshing and exciting.9. A Bride's Story (Kaoru Mori) - Only one volume of this manga came out this year, but that was more than enough to guarantee it a spot on this list. Always beautiful, this quiet, touching story of family on The Silk Road in the 19th century is often moving, and its thoughtful pacing and stories make this an instant must-read with each volume's release.
10. Barbara (Osamu Tezuka) - This strange manga about an even stranger girl is minor Tezuka, but even minor Tezuka is excellent. The dirty, ill-mannered drunk Barbara may be more than she appears, and for author Yosuke Mikura, she may be exactly what he needs to make it big, in this manga that takes on big ideas like fate and inspiration, and is drawn beautifully by a master of the medium.
Honorable Mentions
Bakuman (Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata)
Danza (Natsume Ono)
The Drops of God (Tadashi Agi & Shu Okimoto)
Fallen Words (Yoshihiro Tatsumi)
Sakuran (Moyoco Anno)
Friday, January 04, 2013
Hopeless, Maine (Volume 1)
Personal Demons
Tom & Nimue Brown
I was really looking forward to this graphic novel release from Archaia Entertainment, since I love these sort of Gothic supernatural comic books, and since the last webcomic from this genre that they chose to put into print, the excellent Gunnerkrigg Court, fast became one of my favorite series of all time. So, yes my hopes were high for this book, which is perhaps why I felt a little more let down than usual when I read this book that was frankly, unremarkable.
The story follows Salamandra, a little girl who wields powerful magic, and is brought to an orphanage, where she is lonely and finds herself caught up in the supernatural goings-on of Hopeless, Maine. Salamandra's backstory isn't fully explained, but the hints we've been given about it are rather ominous, and we get glimpses of things like demons that her parents left behind. Unfortunately, Salamandra is just sort of boring, and no other characters are really flushed out, so we're left with little to care about in this story, even if the events had been exciting.
The main plot revolves around a girl that only Salamandra can see, who becomes increasingly mean to her until Salamandra is forced to take drastic measures to protect her fellow orphans. The events play out with little imagination, and no real surprises. And on top of the bland characters and poor storytelling, the art is flat as well. Most of the time, it's just very muddy, the pages varying shades of brown, green and gray, with little of interest in the Gothic environment that we haven't seen a million times before. I think that the glossy, high quality pages that Archaia used here were actually to the detriment of the art for once, as it highlighted the lifeless coloring and made the dark pages difficult to read by lamplight. I appreciate the little touches of supernatural creatures littering the panels, and I do like some of the designs of creatures and demons that I saw, but that certainly couldn't save what is an overall forgettable book. If you're looking for a good supernatural all-ages story to get lost in, skip this one and go with Courtney Crumrin or Gunnerkrigg Court.
Tom & Nimue Brown
I was really looking forward to this graphic novel release from Archaia Entertainment, since I love these sort of Gothic supernatural comic books, and since the last webcomic from this genre that they chose to put into print, the excellent Gunnerkrigg Court, fast became one of my favorite series of all time. So, yes my hopes were high for this book, which is perhaps why I felt a little more let down than usual when I read this book that was frankly, unremarkable. The story follows Salamandra, a little girl who wields powerful magic, and is brought to an orphanage, where she is lonely and finds herself caught up in the supernatural goings-on of Hopeless, Maine. Salamandra's backstory isn't fully explained, but the hints we've been given about it are rather ominous, and we get glimpses of things like demons that her parents left behind. Unfortunately, Salamandra is just sort of boring, and no other characters are really flushed out, so we're left with little to care about in this story, even if the events had been exciting.
The main plot revolves around a girl that only Salamandra can see, who becomes increasingly mean to her until Salamandra is forced to take drastic measures to protect her fellow orphans. The events play out with little imagination, and no real surprises. And on top of the bland characters and poor storytelling, the art is flat as well. Most of the time, it's just very muddy, the pages varying shades of brown, green and gray, with little of interest in the Gothic environment that we haven't seen a million times before. I think that the glossy, high quality pages that Archaia used here were actually to the detriment of the art for once, as it highlighted the lifeless coloring and made the dark pages difficult to read by lamplight. I appreciate the little touches of supernatural creatures littering the panels, and I do like some of the designs of creatures and demons that I saw, but that certainly couldn't save what is an overall forgettable book. If you're looking for a good supernatural all-ages story to get lost in, skip this one and go with Courtney Crumrin or Gunnerkrigg Court.
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
Pick of the Week 1/2
New books come out to comic shops today. Here's my pick this week...
Fatale (Volume 2): The Devil's Business TP
Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
January Previews Picks
Going forward, I will be putting out these posts featuring my picks for each month, books I wish to highlight from Previews Catalogue. And weekly, I will only be highlighting one book. For January, these are the books that caught my attention...
Young Avengers #1 - Kieron Gillen has quickly become one of my favorite writers over the past few years, and I love Jamie McKelvie's art, so this book is kind of a big deal in my book, especially as Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung haven't given up the reins on Young Avengers since they first created it, until now. Gillen and McKelvie also created a fantastic comic together a few years ago called Suburban Glamour, so I'm happy to see them working together on this project.
Knights of Sidonia (Volume 1) - The creator of Biomega returns with a new manga series, this one a hard science fiction space comedy.
Uncanny X-Force #1 - Uncanny X-Force relaunches as Rick Remender leaves the title that propelled him to fame. Welcome new characters like Bishop, Spiral and Storm to the team, as Sam Humphries and Ron Garney take over the book.
Last Day In Vietnam: A Memory HC - Will Eisner recounts his experiences as a soldier in Vietnam.
Superior Spider-Man #1 - With the odd, and controversial ending to Amazing Spider-Man #700, the flagship title's final issue (for now), we get this new series in its wake, featuring the new Spider-Man.
The Adventures of Jodelle HC - Guy Peellaert's pop art spy adventure from the 1960s.
Savage Wolverine #1 - Frank Cho did a Shanna the She-Devil mini-series previously, with great-looking art of dinosaurs in a wild landscape, and now Cho incorporates Wolverine into the equation for what will surely be a wild read.
Dear Beloved Stranger GN - This Xeric Award-winning graphic novel by Dino Pai is being brought to us by Top Shelf.
Morbius the Living Vampire #1 - Vampires are always fun. Unless they sparkle.
Silver Surfer by Stan Lee & Moebius #1 - It's kind of sad that this is one of the few things that will be in print in the US from master cartoonist Moebius, who died this past year, but it's sure to be a great comic.
Steve Ditko's Monsters (Volume 1): Gorgo HC - The complete Gorgo by Steve Ditko.
The Unauthorized Tarzan HC - Originally printed when Tarzan was believed to have fallen into public domain, this Tarzan series had a short life and have never been reprinted, until now.
X-Women TP - I loved Milo Manara and Chris Claremont's X-Women one-shot, so I'm glad that it will be reprinted in this collection alongside other one-shots: Cloak & Dagger, Dazzler and Women of Marvel: X-23.
Star Trek: Countdown To Darkness #1 - Like the Countdown prequel comics from a few years ago, this leads into the new major motion picture.
Avengers: West Coast Omnibus (Volume 1) HC - I think this would be a lot of fun to read. Some great creators are seen in this first volume, including Roger Stern, Steve Englehart and Steve Ditko.
The High Ways #1 (of 4) - A new science fiction mini-series written and drawn by John Byrne.
Thor: The Mighty Avenger - The Complete Collection TP - Remember this little canceled-too-soon gem from a few years ago?
Young Avengers #1 - Kieron Gillen has quickly become one of my favorite writers over the past few years, and I love Jamie McKelvie's art, so this book is kind of a big deal in my book, especially as Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung haven't given up the reins on Young Avengers since they first created it, until now. Gillen and McKelvie also created a fantastic comic together a few years ago called Suburban Glamour, so I'm happy to see them working together on this project.
Knights of Sidonia (Volume 1) - The creator of Biomega returns with a new manga series, this one a hard science fiction space comedy.Uncanny X-Force #1 - Uncanny X-Force relaunches as Rick Remender leaves the title that propelled him to fame. Welcome new characters like Bishop, Spiral and Storm to the team, as Sam Humphries and Ron Garney take over the book.
Last Day In Vietnam: A Memory HC - Will Eisner recounts his experiences as a soldier in Vietnam.
Superior Spider-Man #1 - With the odd, and controversial ending to Amazing Spider-Man #700, the flagship title's final issue (for now), we get this new series in its wake, featuring the new Spider-Man.
The Adventures of Jodelle HC - Guy Peellaert's pop art spy adventure from the 1960s.Savage Wolverine #1 - Frank Cho did a Shanna the She-Devil mini-series previously, with great-looking art of dinosaurs in a wild landscape, and now Cho incorporates Wolverine into the equation for what will surely be a wild read.
Dear Beloved Stranger GN - This Xeric Award-winning graphic novel by Dino Pai is being brought to us by Top Shelf.
Morbius the Living Vampire #1 - Vampires are always fun. Unless they sparkle.
Silver Surfer by Stan Lee & Moebius #1 - It's kind of sad that this is one of the few things that will be in print in the US from master cartoonist Moebius, who died this past year, but it's sure to be a great comic.
Steve Ditko's Monsters (Volume 1): Gorgo HC - The complete Gorgo by Steve Ditko.The Unauthorized Tarzan HC - Originally printed when Tarzan was believed to have fallen into public domain, this Tarzan series had a short life and have never been reprinted, until now.
X-Women TP - I loved Milo Manara and Chris Claremont's X-Women one-shot, so I'm glad that it will be reprinted in this collection alongside other one-shots: Cloak & Dagger, Dazzler and Women of Marvel: X-23.
Star Trek: Countdown To Darkness #1 - Like the Countdown prequel comics from a few years ago, this leads into the new major motion picture.
Avengers: West Coast Omnibus (Volume 1) HC - I think this would be a lot of fun to read. Some great creators are seen in this first volume, including Roger Stern, Steve Englehart and Steve Ditko.
The High Ways #1 (of 4) - A new science fiction mini-series written and drawn by John Byrne.
Thor: The Mighty Avenger - The Complete Collection TP - Remember this little canceled-too-soon gem from a few years ago?
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