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Happy Year Article Anniversary to me. This week marks one year I have been doing these lists for Nerd Initiative. I do not know how much people have been enjoying them (Or not enjoying them) but it has pushed me as a comic reader because I try to force myself to try everything to give it a fair shot. My hope was just to find a way to celebrate comics and hopefully, along the way, some people discover some great comics to read.
With that, let’s get to this week’s list.
(Editor’s Note: Solicitations provided by the Respected Publishers)
10. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers / Usagi Yojimbo #1
Writer: Ryan Parrott
Artist: Shawn Daley
Publisher: Boom! Studios / Dark Horse
Solicitation: During a routine Rita Repulsa attack, the Rangers’ morphers do something unexpected… send them back to the Edo era of Japan!
Using the Morphin Grid’s power, the mysterious Ogasawara pulls the Rangers through time and begs for help, but when the enemy they face isn’t what they expect, our heroes will face a painful revelation!
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo, discover the crossover between the Rabbit Ronin and the teenagers with attitude that fans have been waiting for!
Why it Made the List: Well this is unexpected. Usagi Yojimbo and the Power Rangers have been a part of many different comic book crossovers so it is not strange for them to invade other universes. Still, they are not two properties I would have ever put together, but often those crossovers can be the most fun. Now this is not written or drawn by Stan Sakai, which I understand but wish Sakai had more to do even if it was just a backup story. Ryan Parrott has a ton of history with Power Rangers so that should bold well, and maybe this can get some Power Rangers to try some Usagi Yojimbo comics which would be a win for everyone. Also, can we get Usagi his own Zord? It would all be worth it for that.
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: David Marquez
Publisher: Marvel
Solicitation: CATCH THE ELF! When new, lethally powerful and completely untrained young mutants show up on Rogue’s doorstep with no knowledge of how they got there, a grieving Rogue seeks to take Xavier’s place in guiding them to the light… while darkness from the past returns to destroy the X-Men, one at a time!
Why it Made the List: I am a simple man. I see Nightcrawler on a cover and you have my interest. You put a sword in his hand. Now you have my attention. Only two issues into this run and there are a few things I have noticed. Both David Marquez and Matt Wilson have leveled up their work with this run, and it’s not like they were not great to begin with. Wilson especially seems like he is trying new or different techniques with his coloring that I have not seen before. Also when I look at how these narratives have been built it feels familiar to old school comics where issues have that Soap Opera model of an A, B, and C plot where the A changes but the B and C carry over. I get the sense this run is bringing that method back rather than just the six-issue arcs that have been the norm since trade sales exploded. Also introducing a bunch of new characters in a short time span is a bold move, but when you think about it that’s exactly how the X-Men got here with Giant-Sized X-Men #1. Now I am not saying this is just rinse and repeating what came before, but rather trying to find that recipe that works with the X-Men while offering something new. So far it’s been working for me.
8. Batman: The Long Halloween – The Last Halloween #1
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Eduardo Risso
Publisher: DC Comics
Solicitation: Gotham City learns to fear Halloween once more as a terrible event threatens to destroy Jim Gordon’s life and puts Batman and Robin’s teamwork to the test more than ever before. In a city of liars, masked vigilantes, and criminals… can anyone be trusted?
Why it Made the List: I was not expecting that cover to hit as hard as it did when I saw it. Tim Sale is one of my All-Time Favorite artists so seeing a new book with his work on it is a bit surreal. For a second I wondered if there was some secret stash of unreleased work he had that was finally seeing the light of day. Sadly there is not, but perhaps his legacy can continue by introducing even more fans to his greatness. Now with the Compact Comics, it is easier than ever to pick up one of the best Batman comics ever. Eduardo Risso is a great artist in his own right, and I am sure he does not take the responsibility of taking on art duties for this book lightly. I do not think it will be possible to capture the magic of the original Batman: The Long Halloween no matter who was working on this. Maybe they can get close though? If you just get halalfway there and you still have a good book.
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Publisher: Marvel
Solicitation: The Sinister Six make their first strike! But who are the Sinister Six? The first member throws down with Spider-Man and Green Goblin in this action-packed issue! Plus, with Tony Stark’s return, Peter must also explore the limitations of his new suit…
Why it Made the List: Ultimate Spider-Man has made this list a great number of times, and I have often mentioned how despite my enjoyment it felt like it was missing something. In a way it took the concept of decompressed storytelling even further with the lack of urgency the story had. That has changed with this second arc in a big way. Now the world of Spider-Man feels like it has exploded with development without losing what has made this series work since the beginning. This series is also at its best when Marco Checchetto is on Art Duties so that is a major plus. Matt Wilson also gets to show how deep his range is with his work on this book and Uncanny X-Men all in one week. I was not sure about the Ultimate Universe when it was announced but it is becoming some of the best work at Marvel right now.
Writer: Zack Kaplan
Artist: Fico Ossio
Publisher: Dark Horse
Solicitation: A Viking indulges in life’s feast like a king, but hardens their heart to those mortals beneath them. As Frey travels to the mystic artic to unlock the family’s supernatural origins, she realizes there is more at stake than her romance and freedom, but how far will she go to overthrow her family’s reign?
Why it Made the List: The first issue of Kill All Immortals did a good job of lightly introducing us to this world, and then the second issue dropped us in with full force. Very Viking-like of them to take that approach. It did not take long for this series long to live up to its name. Now where does it go with the third issue? This week I have talking a lot about colorists so let that continue with some love for Jordie Bellaire. Similar to Matt Wilson she’s been great forever yet is finding ways to get even better. Read this series and Bird of Prey back to back and show the intangibles she brings to a book. Then when you add one of the best Letterers in the game with Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou you get great craftsmanship from top to bottom. Beyond that, the meshing of concept and genre just works. Vikings in the present day operate in a corporate structure, but in their way is a ton of gruesome fun. Meetings at work would be such much better if there were some Vikings to spice things up.
5. Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #2
Writer/Artist: Michael Walsh
Publisher: Image Comics
Solicitation: THE BRAIN OF A KILLER
Dr. Frankenstein’s assistant Fritz has one mission—find the supplies to make a new human being.
However, a chance encounter between a police officer and a murderer may ruin even the best laid plans…
Why it Made the List: How do you bring something fresh to a story that has been told countless times over generations? This ties back to the original Frankenstein story, but also one of the most classic Universal Monsters movies of all time. It’s often said do not fix what is not broken so do you just stick to what was done before? Michael Walsh found quite an answer by just slightly changing the perspective of this tale. We are now seeing the story through the eyes of a young boy who thinks this Monster has the hands of his dead beloved father. That changes layers on top of the themes that are already there and gives you something new without throwing away what works. Including one of the most iconic scenes in Cinema history that Walsh illustrated to perfection. Of all the Universal Monsters comics thus far this has been the most impressive. Now the only question is if he can keep it going. Have faith that will be the case with this series.
Writer: Gail Simone
Artist: Eddy Barrows
Publisher: DC Comics
Solicitation: IT’S INTERGALACTIC WAR AS THE SUPERMAN SUPERSTARS ERA CONTINUES!
THE CHALLENGES CONTINUE as Superman finds himself an UNWILLING GLADIATOR in a war of a thousand worlds! Either he completes the challenges, or we lose the cities of Paris, Chicago, and KANDOR! Join us on a wild tale of adventure and inter-galactic WAR!
Plus, is there a way for Lois and Clark to keep working together without compromising their values — and their relationship?
Why it Made the List: With Uncanny X-Men I mentioned how it felt like it was bringing back a more classic type of storytelling. That is even more the case with this series. Timeless is a word that gets tossed around a lot, but that really fits this current arc. If you were to put this in a Time Machine and send it back to the 70’s or 80’s it would fit right in without issue. This also had one of my favorite Superman moments in some time. Superman drops into the water due to exhaustion and then is helped by the citizens he just saved. When I saw that I literally said, “Now that’s Superman” out loud. My wife may have looked at me weird but it’s also the truth. This is exactly why Action Comics exists. To tell Superman stories that can be their own thing and allow creators to represent Superman in his truest form. I am sad to see this arc end, but the next issue has Mark Waid so hopefully, this great era of Superman we have been in continues.
3. Resident Alien: The Book of Life #4
Writer: Peter Hogan
Artist: Steve Parkhouse
Publisher: Dark Horse
Solicitation: As the alien explorer Harry and human nurse Asta adjust to having daughter Clover in their lives, some friends of Harry’s decide to drop in. Is this the visitation of the century-or an old mistake coming back to haunt Harry?! Our favorite alien-in-hiding protagonist may not be getting the quaint, small-town family life he was hoping for!
Why it Made the List: The most human story in comics right now is back for another issue. Issue three was one of my favorite single issues of the year as you have this couple going through the process of raising a child-just one of the parents happens to be an Alien. That was a smart move because it gave us an idea of what a regular life could look like for these characters. We see the happiness these characters have earned and now they get to enjoy it. Now a threat is being introduced that can jeopardize that peace. It is an issue I am looking forward to reading but also worried about it because I do worry something bad is on its way. It’s a good type of worry.
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Bilquis Evely
Publisher: Dark Horse
Solicitation: In this penultimate issue, Helen’s frustrations continue to exacerbate as her drinking worsens and her longing for the ways of the other fantasy world continue to plague the house of Wyndhorn.
Why it Made the List: I had to double-check this a couple of times to make sure this was coming out this week. Considering the length between issue three and issue four I thought that was going to be the norm. When you see how intricate the art is I could see why. Take whatever time you need to make it the best it can be. This continues to be in the conversation as one of the best-looking books on the shelf right now. Now that we only have two issues left I do wonder how exactly they will be wrapping up this story. In a way I feel like this has just gotten going so there is a good amount to bring to a conclusion. This is unlike anything Tom King has done especially from a genre standpoint. It has the keen eye for structure he is known for, but the fantasy elements are a different type of approach. So maybe if you do not typically like his work you might actually enjoy this.
Writer: Jordan Thomas
Artist: Chris Matthews
Publisher: Mad Cave
Solicitation: Adnan is gathering his soldiers. John is reeling from the revelation about why Grace may have been kidnapped. Harry is facing dissension in his ranks. As time ticks by, the pressure is building, and John may just have a plan to end the whole thing now… or else put a target on all of their backs.
Why it Made the List: One of my favorite books of the year is coming back for the third issue. Jordan Thomas continues to impress me with his work from Frank at Home on the Farm to Weird Work to The Man From Maybe and now this series. All those book have a very distinct voice but the styles vary impressively. As a fan of the Crime and Noir genre, this series gives me everything I could hope for. Chris Matthews has burst onto the scene with this book, especially his use of color and white space. The word that comes to mind is slick with how well everything works together. His art is dripping with style. Right now there are not a lot of crime books on the shelves so I am happy any time one shows up. When they are this good it makes up for it because quality always wins over quantity. Thomas and Matthews work so well together that I would not be surprised if this was the start of a wonderful Comic Creator team that goes on to do countless great books together. Do not know if that is in their plan but I would support it.
