Today brings a new month, and with it my wrap up of the month of May in comics. This edition will be a little bit different, as Matt and I split duties to a certain degree. Not because of a format change or anything, but because I honestly couldn’t think of a comic,writer or scene in a comic I didn’t enjoy this month. Even the books that fall into the “worst” categories from me aren’t that bad, they just fit the best. It has a lot to do with the fact I’ve been culling my pull list quite heavily.
Still, click after the jump for my choices for the Best and Worst in May (along with some from Matt).
Best Book of the Month
Hellboy In Mexico, or a Drunken Blur
As I said in my advance review of this book, to me, this book is pretty much perfect. It’s a one-shot snippet into the world of Hellboy, and what a wonderful view it is. Alternately hilarious, touching, terrifying, and everything in between, Hellboy in Mexico, or a Drunken Blur is the best example in comics I read in the month of May. If you’ve always been interested in trying out Hellboy but you’ve never wanted to commit to a full collection, read this to get a good feel of the series. I’m pretty sure Mike Mignola and Richard Corben will do the rest and convince you to read the rest of the series from there.
Runner up: Scalped #38
Worst Book (Matt’s choice)
Rise of Arsenal #3
As was said in the site’s review of the book, when Brightest Day came along, no one expected that everything would be puppies and sunshine. However, it was generally assumed that we had moved away from the “dark days” of super villains raping people and generally obscenely dark moments. But apparently not. No, instead we got the Rise Of Arsenal, which is an excessive example of what bad writing being allowed to go to publish. I know I’ve been one to attack Loeb for his writing, but at least in all of Loeb’s Hulk books he doesn’t go for excessive cheap shocks as is the norm for Rise of Arsenal. All I can say is that, for those who have a copy, you should consider burning it.
Runners up: Titans: Villains for Hire, Hulk #22
Best Scene
Max Lord Triumphant
How awesome was this? The last page of the first issue of Justice League: Generation Lost finds the newly resurrected Maxwell Lord triumphant, successfully having made the entirety of the world forget him save the foursome of Booster Gold, Fire, Ice and Captain Atom. Aaron Lopresti renders the page in beautiful fashion, nailing everything about the page down to the littlest of details. Much love to Keith Giffen and Judd Winick who spent the remainder of the issue setting this page up as such a momentous occasion.
Runner up: Best friends triumphant in Hellboy in Mexico, or a Drunken Blur
Worst Scene (Matt’s choice)
Arsenal and his dead kitten
Honestly, look at this scene. In this sequence, Roy – who has become so demoralized that he decides to once again take drugs – gets so high that he mistakes a dead kitten for his dead daughter and he beats up a bunch of junkies. When Batman pulls him out of his trip, he says that they all deserved it anyway, and then tries to beat Dick up. Honestly, this scene is absolutely disgusting on multiple levels, and is one of those things that should have been caught by an editor and removed. It’s not moving, it’s not appropriate, and it has killed any interest I may have ever had in Roy’s future, especially at the hands of Krul.
Runner up: Rulk revealed
Best Writer
Jason Aaron
In my mind, this is Jason Aaron’s award every month. With Scalped, Weapon X, PunisherMAX, and now Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine, Jason Aaron is writing four books of the highest caliber on a monthly basis. The former title in that list, in my mind, is the single best ongoing series in comics today (and most months it isn’t even close), while the rest of those are some of the finest examples in superhero comics today (although PunisherMAX really has little to do with superheroes). The guy captures the emotional spectrum in a package of raw storytelling power that is unmatched by any other writer, and he can even write some damn funny dialogue (see ASMW). The man is the champ, and will be until someone steps up to the plate big time.
Runners up: Brian Wood
Scott Snyder
Worst Writer (Matt’s choice)
JT Krul
Before Rise of Arsenal, I had nothing against JT Krul. I was convinced that he was, at his heart, a good writer trying to make the best of a bad situation. His work on Green Arrow, while not great, has been decent, and I was looking forward to reading the new Green Arrow title. Not anymore. At this point, after three issues of Rise of Arsenal garbage, the new issue has reached even my limit. At this point, I don’t think there is anything JT Krul could write that would really interest me, and I think he’s officially worn out any welcome I may have given him in the Arrow world.
Runners up: Eric Wallace, Jeph Loeb
Best Artist
Rebekah Isaacs
This was a surprising choice for me, given how on point Guera and Cloonan were this month. Still, I continue to be incredibly impressed by Isaacs work on DV8: Gods and Monsters, with her clean and powerful style being effortlessly meshed with a real sense of direction and storytelling prowess. Her ability to stage a shot (as seen above) is every bit as important to the book as Brian Wood’s scripts, and kicks the book up to another level than it would be in another artist’s hands.
This is kind of cheating, but additional kudos to Fiona Staples, the other drafts(wo)man in charge of art over on Team DV8. Her cover was gorgeous and acted as a storytelling device in itself, which gets big bonus points from me. Plus, I love her work dearly.
Runners up: R.M. Guera
Becky Cloonan
Luc Jacamon
Worst Artist
Kaare Andrews
I want to say, I really like Kaare Andrews’ art. His work on various Marvel covers and Spider-Man: Reign blew me away, and from what I understand he’s a really great guy too (congrats on the recent marriage as well). I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wasn’t a fan of his work on this month’s Astonishing X-Men: Xenogenesis #1, in which he turned every woman in to a caricature of a Barbie doll – especially Emma Frost. His work was so over the top cheesecake on her it really blew me away. His work wasn’t awful besides that, but I’m finding it hard to pick bad out of this month.
I do want to mention that I strongly believe that he and Warren Ellis worked out this decision together and that it’s meant to send-up Emma’s inherent cheesecake nature, and that all of this was by design. Regardless, the scripting didn’t share that nor did either creator, so until then I’m going to just call it bad. Sorry Kaare!
Runner up: Brad Walker
Most Overlooked Book of the Month
The Killer: Modus Vivendi
I’m not a scientist, but I do play one on websites, and the math of this equation is this: Matz + Luc Jacamon + the titular killer = gold mine. If you want a comic that represents all that is great about the classic French assassin films while taking us on an international jaunt of intrigue and quiet paranoia, The Killer is for you. The first issue of this new series was a brilliant standalone issue that set up the rest of the series incredibly well, constantly keeping you at the edge of your seat with the enclosing enemy and the clever moves of our (anti)hero. Highly recommended from your’s truly.
Runner up: Northlanders
