It’s hard to believe January has already wrapped, but it has (and then some). Here are my thoughts on this past month in comics, about the books that made it great and the creators that made those. Also, some spoilers below, so beware!
Best Book of the Month: Sweet Tooth #40
While the issues that led up to this one let me down a little bit, the ending of Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth was nothing short of outstanding, and one of my favorite conclusions to any series I’ve ever read. Lemire blended together all of the art styles he experimented with throughout the series, bringing partner-in-crime Jose Villarubia in as he needed him to dramatic effect, and managed to give everyone fitting conclusions. The best part though was just how poetic the ending itself was. “This is a story” is one of the more hauntingly beautiful four word phrases in comic history now in my mind.
Runners up: Wolverine and the X-Men #24, Thor: God of Thunder #4
Writer of the Month: Jason Aaron
While Jeff Lemire wrote my favorite comic of the month, Jason Aaron wrote my second and third favorites, and he managed to perfectly nail my favorite branch of the superhero world – the X-Men – while also completely capturing the scope and scale that Thor comics should aim for in Thor: God of Thunder #4. They’re both hugely different from one another, which makes it all the more impressive what Aaron did. Sprawling, interpersonal centric soap opera? Time spanning, mythical space opera? Doesn’t matter, Jason Aaron’s got it.
Runner up: Matt Fraction
Best Artist: Esad Ribic
Of course, it helps when you have Esad Ribic. This guy is the perfect Thor artist. The perfect. His work is naturally mythical, and captures the godliness and power of the character and his world. If you don’t believe me, look at the next category. But honestly, if they ever plan on rotating another artist in on this book, I hope they don’t: I’d rather wait and have Ribic do everything on this book. That would be doing it justice.
Runner up: Nate Bellegarde
Best scene: Thor arrives in the future
The last page of Thor: God of Thunder #4 was so spectacular and just completely nailed everything Aaron and Ribic’s book was about, there was nothing else I could have highlighted (besides the ending of Sweet Tooth, but that would be TOO spoiler heavy). No moment from a comic blew me away like this one, and it’s thanks to the rare synergy that is happening between these two hugely gifted creators.
Best new series: Young Avengers
This book got a lot of hype upon release, and it earned it: it was so much fun. Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie reteam for this book, and it captures all of the fun and imagination we’ve come to expect from their work together. Filled with great moments and hugely satisfying character moments (I personally love Noh-Varr being into, effectively, female led Motown groups), this book is already one of the most exciting books on the market, and I can’t wait for more from them.
Book shops should be ordering more of: Nowhere Men
First off, I just have to say this book is fantastic. Eric Stephenson’s concept and execution couldn’t be much better, and Nate Bellegarde alongside colorist Jordie Bellaire are the perfect art team for this title. But, on top of that, every single scrap of this book is story. There are no ads. The front and back covers are even utilized for story. In this day and age of fan rage over double shipping and $3.99 cover prices, no book has better value than this one. Coming from someone whose shop orders 4 copies of it, with two other shops in town ordering a combined 0 for a population of nearly 300,000, it’s clear this book needs to see increased orders.
Most fun in comics: FF
Matt Fraction and Mike Allred’s FF is the most fun book on the market. I’ve said it. This book is such a blast to read, and it’s thanks to the brilliant, mad genius of both of these creators. Allred’s art (with his wife Laura’s colors enhancing it) is near all-time great levels for him, making the more out there ideas in here work and, on top of that, making simple exchanges like Wyatt Wingfoot examining John Storm a highlight of the entire month. Then, you have Matt Fraction taking a rag tag Fantastic Four squad and their charges in the form of the Future Foundation and making them some of the characters I’m most excited to read about monthly. This is just a ton of fun, and something everyone should be reading.
