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This we a big week in comics as the Eisner nominations were announced. It’s great when Comic Creators get celebrated and you will even see some of those books appear on this week’s list. As is the case with the Awards there are plenty of deserving books that did not get nominated and those will be on this week’s list as well. I also understand it though as I challenge fitting all the books I would like into this Top 10 Each week, and I am sure people are angry when their favorite doesn’t make the list. It’s the nature of the game I guess.
(Editor’s Note: Solicitions are provided by the Respected Publishers)
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Michael Avon Oeming
Publisher: Dark Horse
Solicitation: The country’s fascination with UFOs grew tremendously after the crash discovery in Roswell, New Mexico and the fervor starts to inspire hoaxes, lies, and further paranoia as the information (whether true or not) spreads across the United States of America. Also including a True Weird backup story by John Harris Dunning, John J. Pearson, and Aditya Bidikar!
Why it Made the List: Any time there is a non-fiction comic that releases in issue format I am going to try to do everything I can to support it. (Assuming I like it of course) Perhaps you could argue how non-fiction this is as it is based on stories that are pretty hard to prove, and that is part of the enjoyment of this series is trying to determine the plausibility of what is being said. True or not they are fascinating to hear and recounted in a very effective manner. Michael Avon Oeming’s style is great for this type of story as it’s able to be realistic but also be cartoony enough to provide necessary expressions.
9. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures #13
Writer: Erik Burnham
Artist: Sarah Myer
Publisher: IDW
Solicitation: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have beaten Mr. Ogg’s first game, but he’s too genre-savvy to give up that easily! With two more challenges to go, there’s still enough time for him to make a comeback. The good guys may always win, but the scheming trickster from Dimension Z has found a catch: what if the Heroes in a Half-Shell aren’t the only good guys in the room? The games continue in part two of the Ogglympics!
Why it Made the List: I have been excited to include this issue on this week’s list since I saw artist Sarah Myer share images of it on Instagram. As a big fan of Turtles in Time this issue seems to be akin to that idea as a multitude of different versions of the Turtles are coming together for one story. What is not to love about that? Hopefully, this time the Turtles from the 80/90’s cartoon are not just a giant joke and can hold their own. Yes despite my enjoyment of Turtles in Time I am still be bit bugged about now they treated that original series. Sarah Myer has also impressed me with her art including their memoir Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story, which also showed how Myer’s fandom for the turtles began so it’s great to see that fandom lead to a job drawing for the turtles. Drawing all these different styles in one comic is not easy and looking at some of the examples already released it’s going to look great on the page. What a way to celebrate 40 years of pop culture’s oldest teenagers.
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Francesco Francavilla
Publisher: DSTLRY
Solicitation: From the acclaimed team behind Detective Comics and Night of the Ghoul comes a modern horror classic! White Boats are the mega-yachts that the super-rich use to traverse the globe—floating islands where your every desire can be fulfilled. And getting invited on board one should be a dream come true…that is until the crew traps and transports you to a remote island where secret cults have existed for millennia, working on something called “The Human Project.” Does the White Boat ship you to paradise or sink you into hell on earth? WHITE BOAT reunites Scott Snyder, the visionary writer who redefined comic book dread with Wytches and introduced Batman into a terrifying, cerebral era, with modern noir master Francesco Francavilla for a white-knuckle descent into Lovecraftian maritime madness!
Why it Made the List: Love to see a great team come back together and this week Scott Snyder and Francesco Francavilla are joining forces yet again for a new series. I have said that Scott Snyder is doing the best work in his career and it amazes me the number of of quality books he is currently putting out across the landscape of comics. Feels like every major publisher has a Scott Snyder book at the moment and I can understand why. Anytime we can get some Francesco Francavilla interiors I am there. He does some quality cover work but his interiors are something else. His great detail and style are timeless in their execution as he would be popular in any era. When I see either of their names on a book I am picking it up. When both are there it’s a no-brainer.
Writer: Zac Thompson
Artist: Nicola Izzo
Publisher: Boom Studios
Solicitation: While Brynne is absolutely convinced of the murder she witnessed, the local authorities are only helpful in adding to her growing paranoia. It’s only a matter of time before the recovered frozen camera thaws, however, and the missing clues melt away the next layer to the mystery…
Why it Made the List: (Check out my Review of Issue #1) If you read my review of the first issue you will see how much I enjoyed it. It was unlike anything I read this year as it focused on the power of observation. You could also see the love of Alfred Hitchcock in the way the story played out and of course the entire concept. I do wonder how they are going to keep this story going so this second issue will tell us a lot regarding how this concept works longterm. Also, appreciate the thematic purpose of a story like this in today’s landscape. We are a world that watches and this seems to be encapsulating exactly that. Hoping the promise of the first issue will continue with the series moving forward.
6. Archie Comics: Judgment Day #1
Writer: Aubrey Sitterson
Artist: Megan Hutchison
Publisher: Archie
Solicitation: In a world overrun with demons, Archie Andrews is on a quest to cleanse Riverdale of all wicked-kind. Harnessing the destructive power of a captive fiend, he will have to destroy corrupted and possessed versions of the people closest to him. Questioning his own morality and forced to make difficult sacrifices, are Archie’s efforts truly good, or the work of pure evil? Traverse the most horrifying version of Riverdale yet in the first Archie Premium Event.
Why it Made the List: After a few weeks of these lists being swamped with new number ones this week this is the only one that cuts. Why? Well simply because I am ready to enjoy Archie comics again. For a while there Archie was going so strong with the Mark Waid relaunch and series like After Life with Archie. Recently though it’s been a bit of a challenge mainly because of delays and books ending before they have a chance to get started. With this being dubbed the first Archie Premium Event my hope is that will change. My experience with the creators attached is extremely limited but perhaps this is the book that can launch their careers into another level.
Writer: Tony Fleecs
Artist: Trish Forstner, Tone Rodriguez
Publisher: Image Comics
Solicitation: MORE ANIMAL HORROR IN THIS ONGOING SERIES FROM THE CREATORS OF STRAY DOGS! Elsie, Lord, and Patch learn the rules for survival, but will they follow them? In a forest infested with rabid monsters, the indoor cats can’t afford to make any mistakes.
But mistakes are Lord’s specialty.
Don’t get bit.
Don’t get scratched.
Don’t become…FERAL.
Why it Made the List: This series has given me everything I was hoping for since it was announced. Also excited because this is now ongoing which just opens up the possibilities. Now they can take time with the story and go in directions we may not expect. When a book is six or even twelve issues there is only so much you can do to have a satisfying story. Hard not to think of something like The Walking Dead that evolves so much over time. I am not trying to put this at that level yet but the talent is there to give us something similarly refreshing. If you were a fan of Walking Dead or zombie stories in general this is something to give a read this week.
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Daniel Sampere
Publisher: DC Comics
Solicitation: REUNITED WITH STEVE TREVOR! The ultimate test! As Sovereign’s grip on Wonder Woman’s psyche tightens, she retreats into the arms of Steve Trevor. Will their love for the ages prove victorious over the web of Amazon lies weaved in Man’s World? Plus, Trinity lets the dogs out!
Why it Made the List: Congratulations to the creators of this title as earlier this week it got some well-deserved Eisner Nominations. I have been saying for months that Daniel Sampere has been doing Eisner-level work with this book so happy to be proven right. As often is the case with Tom King’s comic this is taking a lot of chances and in my opinion has pulled most of those off. His structure is always on point and that has been the case with every issue. But as mentioned, I am just happy to see more Daniel Sampere art because this is the best-looking comic DC is putting out right now when he is drawing it. King tends to get the best out of his artists and I have no idea why that is the case. Maybe it is just a coincidence, or maybe it is because he knows how to right to their strengths. Whatever the reason I hope it never stops.
Writer: Al Ewing
Artist: Valentina Pinti
Publisher: Marvel
Solicitation: FOLLOWING UP ON THE G.O.D.S. PAGE FROM IMMORTAL THOR #1! Tyr had vanished, and there were whispers of cosmic forces at work. And so, the children of Odin gathered in their father’s name — to search for one of their own. Regal Thor, fierce Angela, brave Balder, swift Hermod, quiet Honir, strong Vidar, cunning Loki, even Laussa the youngest, all were there… and another beside. Another, whose name they feared. This is the story of THE IMMORTAL THOR… and the lost son of Odin.
Why it Made the List: When you have a week of Eisner nominees you also have a week of Eisner snubs and near the top of that list would be The Immortal Thor. I have rather loved what this series hsa been doing and the unique direction this has been taking for a Marvel book let alone a Thor tale. Based on this Solicitation I wonder if this is leading to its final arc. I hope not unless that was the plan from the design. I saw some upset regarding the addition of Valentina Pinti as an artist, but based on the preview pages thus far I do not see a major downgrade. I am looking forward to the massive amount of family drama we are about to embark on.
2. Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #6
Writer: Tim Sheridan
Artist: Cian Tormey
Publisher: DC Comics
Solicitation: THE FINAL BATTLE WITH THE RED LANTERN! Alan Scott’s final battle with the Red Lantern rages to a fever pitch! With Alan overcome with anger at his mortal enemy, will he cross a line he’s never thought he would? The explosive conclusion of one of the Green Lantern’s earliest adventures is here, and the fallout will affect Alan Scott forever!
Why it Made the List: One of the best surprises of DC comics in the past year is ending. Crazy because I feel like I just read the first page of this series a few days ago. That page remains one of my favorite moments of this run as it uses the first page of a newspaper to bring us into this world and time. Tim Sheridan and Cian Tormey clearly took the responsibility of telling Alan Scott’s story rather seriously and tried to represent the struggles and dangers gay men truthfully faced during this time. Also, they wrote a great story that was heartfelt, captivating, and purposeful in its design. The battle with the Red Lantern has been much more than just two powerful beings facing off or the stereotypical good vs evil. It’s a story of complex people living during a very complicated time.
Writer: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs
Artist: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs
Publisher: Image Comics
Solicitation: Things were bad enough for the hero formerly known as Crossjack when it was just his tiny hometown that hated his guts…now the whole world wants him dead.
Jack looks to hide out with an ally from his superhero past, but there are some things you can’t hide from.
They say you can’t go home again.
Why it Made the List: If you read my review of issue number nine you would see that I made the mistake of thinking this series was coming to an end. Based on the release of this issue that is not the case. What’s crazy though is how well that issue would have worked if it was the permanent end. Since then we have gotten a special that focused on the female characters, but now the regular series is back. Fitting as it too was nominated for an Eisner this week, which is the first time Tim Seeley has been nominated. That in itself is rather criminal. With this arc, it appears the story is opening up to focus on more than Crossjack’s small town. Based on how issue nine ended that makes sense although I do wonder if it will get away from what made this book work so well. At the same time, you simply cannot just keep doing the same thing over and over. Who knows what direction this new arc will take us, but if you are a fan of comics and haven’t jumped on this book yet I would advise changing that as soon as possible.
