Whadda month. There were a bunch of great comics, some bad ones, a good deal of #1s (not as much as there will be September, though), and a veritable storm of SDCC news. Let’s focus on the actual comics, though, shall we? Follow the cut for what I considered the best and worst of July, and be sure to leave your own opinions in the comments. Let’s talk comics, people.
Best Book of the Month – Detective Comics #879
Oh my. I already gave ‘Tec #879 a heap of praise in my review, but I suppose a little more can’t hurt. Writer Scott Snyder and artist Francesco Francavilla were almost perfectly in sync with this issue, and they used that synergy to keep me on the edge of my seat from when I opened the issue until when I closed it. I cannot remember the last time a comic had me so tense with anxiety, and I loved every second of it. #880 was great, but #879? Outstanding. Between this and their upcoming work on Swamp Thing, Snyder and Francavilla are going to be one of those writer/artist combos that will be remembered and praised for decades to come – and with good reason.
Runner up: Criminal – Last of the Innocent #2
Worst Book of the Month – Flashpoint: Legion of Doom #2
I’m tired of superhero comics that try too hard to be “edgy.” Well, I have been for a while. There are some writers and artists that can pull it off, but fumbling the attempt is typically a lot more embarrassing than failing to make a “standard” superhero comic. Adam Glass’s Legion of Doom falls in the embarrassing category. There are just too many scenes that attempt to make us go “Holy shit, that’s hardcore!” but left me thinking “Really? That’s just unnecessary.” The puns aren’t helping.
Runner up: Avengelyne #1
Best Scene of the Month – Secret Warriors #28: “I won.”
Well, I suppose that this was more a “moment” than a scene, but it still sticks out to me more than any other moment in any other comic that came out this month. This scene just sums up Jonathan Hickman’s super-spy thriller so well, and the simplicity of the line combined with Alessandro Vitti’s great use of simple yet effective body language ensures a two-panel sequence that can be permanently burned into memory with ease. Secret Warriors was the first ongoing series that I collected entirely in singles. Thanks, Hickman and Vitti, for making sure I’ll never forget it.
Runner up: Jim Gordon discovers James’s box of “mementos.”
Worst Scene of the Month – Teen Titans #98: Superboys?
This isn’t so much bad as it is silly. But since it wasn’t supposed to be silly, I guess that makes it bad… right? Whatever. All that I know is that this is clearly supposed to be a scene that makes the reader go “Whaaa?” but instead made me go “Pffffft.” I would welcome this kind of scene in the comic, if it weren’t for writer J.T. Krul taking everything so seriously. It’s hard to continue following along with the pretense that this is a “serious” comic when this is the sort of thing it uses for its cliffhanger.
Runner up: Heat Wave pops The Atom in Legion of Doom #2.
Best Writer of the Month – Scott Snyder
Scott Snyder really kicked all kinds of ass this month. Two issues of ‘Tec, an issue of the American Vampire ongoing, an issue of the accompanying mini (Survival of the Fittest), and a co-written issue of Gates of Gotham. Each issue was great. One is a current contender for my issue of the year pick. In a short amount of time, Snyder has gone from being the writer of the little Vertigo book that could to one of DC’s greatest assets. Batman and Swamp Thing are in excellent hands.
Continued belowRunner up: Ed Brubaker
Worst Writer of the Month – Adam Glass
Normally, I think the worst writer of the month should be saved for someone who had a few crap books out, not just one. Unfortunately for Glass, there just weren’t many terrible books out (though there were quite a few that were very mediocre). And, of course, Legion of Doom was really bad. That’s not all, though! At the SDCC New 52 panel (I believe), Glass ripped on one of the things that made Ostrander’s Suicide Squad so great. I suppose I shouldn’t count it against him as a writer, but I’m going to anyway. I fear for the book under his pen.
Best Artist of the Month – Francesco Francavilla
Much like his partner in crime on ‘Tec, Francesco Francavilla doesn’t just win this because of being involved with my favorite issue of the month, but because he has put out a solid amount of work all around, with the aforementioned Detective Comics, Black Panther, and a few assorted covers. Of course, this is much more impressive with an artist than a writer, especially since Francavilla is a one-man art-making machine, goes from sketch to finished product without any other artists at his side. If Francavilla doesn’t get at least one Eisner and one Harvey this year, I will be shocked and appalled.
Runner up: Nick Pitarra
Worst/Least Favorite Artist of the Month – Greg Tocchini
I hate using words like “worst” to describe Tocchini, because I just don’t care for his style. To me, it just makes the comic hard to read. Now, both issues of FF this month would be pretty difficult to read no matter who was writing them, but Batman & Robin? Come on. Still, of all the “worst” choices, this one is definitely the one that’s just a matter of personal preference (they all are, really, but you know what I mean).
Runner up: Greg Land (though he seems to have better synergy with Gillen than with Fraction!)
Best New Book(s) of the Month – Tie! The Red Wing and Daredevil
Do you love comics that make you think while still maintaining a sense of excitement? Check out Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra’s new Image series The Red Wing. Do you want to have a ton of fun, with a nice load of action tossed in as well? Read Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin’s new volume of Daredevil. Do you just love great comics with solid writing and truly outstanding art? Get both.
