As the year gets ready to come to an end, there are plenty of new adventures starting in the world of comics! We have adventures in alternate worlds, familial fights against space devils, and cute lil void cats protecting the universe’s fate. There was plenty to enjoy this November. Here are some of the highlights of the month! From new mysteries for Olympic-level private investigators and semi-spooky stories to get you into the holiday spirit, join us as we take a look at This Month in Comics!
Most Exciting Alternate Universe: “Dark Knights of Steel” #1
I will admit, I’m a total sucker for the swords and shields genre of fantasy, and anytime a superhero universe gives that to us, it’s exciting. “Dark Knight of Steel” #1 creates a world where Krypton explodes a little earlier than expected, and instead of Earth being a refuge of the Man of Steel, the whole family traverses the galaxy to preserve Krypton’s culture. The problem is that they land smack dab in the middle of a war between two kingdoms, one with the ability to harness magic. Much like “Marvel: 1602,” “Dark Knights of Steel” #1 presents clever reimaginings of some of our favorite DC characters. From Green Arrow being the Robin Hood thief that inspired Ollie to Batman being the bastard prince of the kingdom Jor-El and Lara took over, sworn to protect their son, each character has a fantasy reimagining that is a joy to behold. It’s an excellent introduction to the series and presents a fun conflict to keep you coming back. It’ll be exciting to see them explore their new fantasy world.
Excellent in Writing Complex Characters Without Sacrificing the Fun (Author of the Month): Jed MacKay
Jed MacKay has risen my personal ranks of authors to watch, specifically with his recent run of “Moon Knight.” MacKay does an excellent job of balancing tones, creating comics that have serious tension and explore darker impulses but have enough levity to keep you going. They can be humorous without being quippy or comical while having some real stakes. MacKay’s Marvel work has been solid, and in November, we got “The Death of Dr. Strange” #3, “Black Cat” #10, “Moon Knight” #5, and “Amazing Spider-man Beyond” #78. Of these books, “Moon Knight” #5 shows what MacKay is capable of, creating a thrilling mystery while simultaneously looking into the psyche of what makes Marc Spector tick. It’s setting up an interesting conflict for the Fist of Khonashu and made MacKay stand out this month.
Comic to Get You Into the Christmas Spirit: “Stranger Things Winter Special” #1
“Stranger Things Winter Special” #1 has stuck in my mind since I reviewed it, namely because it feels like such a perfect encapsulation of why the show works. It’s fun without sacrificing some of the tension and heart that makes the show work. “Stranger Things Winter Special” #1 is a celebration of the cheesy Holiday specials that, love em or hate em, act as a kind of backdrop to December. What makes the issue fun, though, is seeing how each of the kids takes holiday classics and creates a fractured fairy tale on that classic tale. We see glimpses of how El interprets those stories throughout the issue, using monsters and characters from the show that makes the issue light and fun. Much like the show, it’s fun to see El catch up on things like holiday traditions and learn a little more about the world. Also, in true Stranger Things fashion, there’s a bit of a mystery, but in the spirit of the season, it’s a resolution to show Eleven’s growth and showing that the true meaning of the season is kindness.
Achievement in Combining the Whimsical and the Eldritch (Artist of the Month): “Inkblot” #13 by Emma Kubert
“Inkblot” is the kind of series that reminds you of the cartoons of the 80s and 90s. It’s bright, energetic, and whimsical, filled to the brim with vibrant colors and playful character designs. But like the best cartoons, it certainly has a dark side, and “Inkblot” #13 certainly shows that off with the little cat closing voids of literal demon hands breathing through into the world. Everything about Kubert’s art shows her rising star. Her expression work is top-notch, the color choices she makes create vibrant backgrounds and help the world field fantastical, and the action of Inkblot attempting to keep the eldritch beings at bay is equal part exciting and scary. But the thing is, Emma Kubert remembers the most important part of the cartoons that “Inkblot” feels inspired by, things can get scary, but with charming characters to root for, your story will work.
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A Sendoff to a Space-fairing Family: “Sea of Stars” #11
It’s a Jason Aaron and Dennis ‘Hopeless’ Hallum comic about a blue-collar family of space truckers. That was enough to pique my interest and give this series a shot. “Sea of Stars” #11 is the wrapup of the misadventures of this space-fairing father and son duo, and it reaches into Aaron’s bag of tricks to provide an ending that is equal parts bombastic but sweet and caring. In many ways, “Sea of Stars” #11 is about watching your child grow up and helping them to see their power and value. The relationship between Kadyn and his father is what makes this final issue work, but it extends beyond that, showing the impact of the crew’s found family. They are facing a cosmic-level threat, a cosmically powerful entity hellbent on the destruction of the universe. Still, Kadyn’s kindness and friendship give the family plenty of allies in the fight against the devil. Even the host body of Monkey begins to fight back against the control because he refuses to hurt his friend. Watching this found family fight against a powerful entity is incredibly engaging, as is watching them rediscover their passion for something they’ve taken for granted, adventure. Who knows if Aaron and Hallum plan on exploring this universe further, but “Sea of Stars” #11 was a lovely sendoff to a trippy space adventure.
Best Issue of the Month: “Hawkeye: Kate Bishop” #1
While it feels mired in corporate synergy, “Hawkeye: Kate Bishop” #1 was a whole lot of fun. There’s a lot to like about Kate Bishop’s self-assured confidence. While many heroes struggle with things like secret identities or their role in the world, Kate just seems to be having fun with it. It’s a delight to see her come up with the rules of super-heroing (seemingly on the fly.) Marieke Nijkamp does an excellent job writing Kate as outwardly self-assured while being just enough of a mess to make her interesting (and a good Hawkeye.) The issue succeeds in one other big way: setting up an interesting conflict that takes advantage of Kate’s knowledge and skill set. Kate Bishop is a private investigator who also happens to have Olympic-level athleticism and archery skills. Putting her into what is essentially a live-action clue game with employees that seem to be equally skilled is a fun conflict for Kate. Making it a higher-level secret experiment just adds to the mystery to keep you coming back.
These are just some of the highlights of November, but there were plenty of other excellent comics that came out this month as well! What were some of your favorites? Let us know in the comments!
