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Michel Fiffe’s Copra Heads to Image

Posted on February 22, 2019 by Brett

Michel Fiffe‘s Copra has found a new home at Image Comics. The series was previously published by Bergen Street Press. In January it was announced the comic series was heading to a new publisher.

All five volumes of the series will be available at once, allowing comic fans to catch up on the critically acclaimed series.

Each trade paperback collects six issues of the series.

Copra, Vol. 1-5 trade paperbacks will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, May 1. The final order cutoff deadline for comic shop retailers is Monday, April 8. They’ll be available at bookstores on Tuesday, May 7.

About Copra, Vol. 1 (ISBN: 978-1-5343-1391-0, Diamond Code MAR190056):
They’re ugly. They’re mean. But up until today, they’ve always been loyal. So when one of their own betrays them, COPRA has no choice but to turn their nightmarish skills back on everyone who ever even looked at them funny. Collects Copra #1-6.

About Copra, Vol. 2 (ISBN: 978-1-5343-1392-7, Diamond Code MAR190057):
Genocide ain’t a pretty thing to see, but there’s no time to mourn when your face is at the edge of the abyss. Scarred, desperate, and alone, COPRA will clear their name in a brutal reckoning with the forces that screwed them over and sold them out in Michel Fiffe’s unmatched juggernaut of violence. Collects Copra #7-12.

About Copra, Vol. 3 (ISBN: 978-1-5343-1393-4, Diamond Code MAR190058):
Old friends and older habits, cell blocks and beaches. Grandma’s homemade recipes and a cartel slaughterhouse. This is what the men and women of COPRA call downtime. Their habit is vengeance, and they couldn’t stop if they wanted to. It’s the third volume of Michel Fiffe’s overpowering superhero sidewinder. Collects Copra #13-18.

About Copra, Vol. 4 (ISBN: 978-1-5343-1394-1, Diamond Code MAR190059):
The return of the world’s favorite revenge team is marked by back-to-back brutality and psychedelic suspense. Our team gets served the same penalties they’ve dished out in the wake of a prison break, an unstoppable assassin, and a seminal showdown. Keep up as COPRA’s kill list gets checked off at the peak of their mondo bizarro bloodlust. Collects Copra #19-24.

About Copra, Vol. 5 (ISBN: 978-1-5343-1395-8, Diamond Code MAR190060):
How do you measure loyalty in a treacherous world? In the latest collection of Michel Fiffe’s wildly popular superhero action masterpiece, the answer is found at the end of a fist, the blade of a sword, and the mouth of a gun. Crush or be crushed. The place is anywhere. The time is now. Collects Copra #26-31.

Michel Fiffe’s COPRA and Charles Forsman’s Revenger Find New Publishers

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Brett

Bergen Street Press has announced that COPRA and Revenger will no longer be published by them and each have found new publishers.

COPRA by Michel Fiffe and Revenger by Charles Forsman are praised indie comics and the move is so each will reach the “wider audience they deserve.”

The creators haven’t announced their new plans but both series are hot properties and can easily land at numerous publishers.

Fiffe took to Twitter to praise the publisher calling himself “lucky to have such compatriots” in his corner.

Bergen Street Press followed up saying they “have lots of plans” for the future but they are still figuring out their next moves.

Review: Copra Round One

Posted on June 11, 2017 by pharoahmiles

The Suicide Squad, for better or worse is one of the most beleaguered teams in all of comics. As they are basically a rag tag tram of assassins, killers and criminals who have gotten mostly in Batman’s way. The enigmatic Amanda Waller handles them with an iron fist and pulls no punches where it matters. The most intriguing part of the team is that they are supposed to be DC Comics Dirty Dozen.

The recent movie tried to emulate their competitor’s success by using some familiar tropes and catchy music to dull results. I am saying all this because, for the most part, especially in the most recent series, these characters are far more interesting and the stories within the comics realm far outshines what the public feels about the movie and the genre. The most intriguing things in the comics are the interactions between the characters, something that gets lost on celluloid. This fact, and the original inspirations for said team, are not lost Michel Fiffe as he does his own spin on a super villain team that is forced to work for the government in Copra.

Within the first few pages, the reader falls right into a scene that seems more like Ghostbusters than government clean up team. That is what they are, a bunch of former bad buys, and who all “pain in the asses” to each other and especially to the Team Leader, Marty, who is a cross between Hannibal from A-Team and Max Cherry from Jackie Brown. The team gets into hijinks between each other but spring into action when most needed, which leads to them getting framed for the massacre of a bunch of civilians. By the end of the first volume, the team finds out who is behind their framing and although they sustain casualties, they ow have answers followed by more questions.

Overall, an entertaining take on the “Dirty Dozen” concept, one which never loses momentum, and keeps the reader invested in these characters. The story by Fiffe is laced with intrigue, snappy dialogue, and relevant characters. The art by Fiffe has shadows of Frank Miller and Neal Adams. Altogether, a great book which reminds me of Lethal Weapon but in a world filled with villains.

Story: Michel Fiffe Art: Michel Fiffe
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

The Best Comics of 2016 – Brett’s List

Posted on January 1, 2017 by Brett

It’s the first day of a new year and so that means I’m posting my “best of” listing of the top comic books for 2016. Generally these are comic books that came out in 2016, though some are from earlier times and I got around to reading them, or limited series that continued. Keep in mind, this is what I have read (and does not reflect what other contributors to this site might think, they’ll hopefully have their own lists). If it’s not on here, I just might not have read it.

This was a particularly tough year of choices with some categories easily having their own top ten or twenty-five and some I struggled to even come up with one. 2016 was a year that ongoing, maxi-series, and limited floppies seemed to blend more and more and for me as a reader I found myself shifting away from one publisher to another and as a whole enjoying graphic novels and indie comics a hell of a lot more than I have in the past.

What stood out to me? Check out below what made the cut!

Best Super Hero Comic – The Paybacks

A new publisher, but still absolutely amazing. The Paybacks by Donny Cates, Eliot Rahal, Geoff Shaw moved from Dark Horse to Heavy Metal for its second volume, but it didn’t lose any steam in doing so continuing to deliver hilarity and upping the action.

The concept of the comic is that there’s a repo crew who have to deal with all the superheroes who can’t pay back the loans they take for all of their fancy gadgets. To pay off their debts those heroes then join the ragtag team.

A send-up of so many familiar characters and lets face it creators too, the comic has more jokes in each panel than some series have their entire run. It’s funny, action packed, and in this volume actually is somewhat timely with news with a focus on a data breach.

My biggest wish in comics for 2017 is someone is smart enough to invest in this series because I know it’ll pay off in the log run. Everyone who I’ve turned on to it falls in love and whole there were some issues with the second volume, it still is the one “superhero” comic I devoured as soon as possible.

Runners Up:

COPRA – There’s some arguments to be made that Michel Fiffe‘s indie series about a group of raftag characters should be the top pick, and there was long thought about if it should, it’s that good. Out of all of the series I read this year, this is one that delivered with every single issue. This is a comic that shows that superheroes aren’t the domain of just two companies anymore, especially due to how many issues have been released. I said this exact same thing in 2015 and it applies here.
The Legend of Wonder Woman – An absolutely brilliant max-series that went from digital to print. Renae De Liz and Ray Dillon delivered a Wonder Woman story that stands out in a year of solid Wonder Woman output. Fun to read. Beautiful to look at. Unfortunately, it looks like we’ll just get this one volume.
The Omega Men – Writer Tom King took this ragtag group of characters and has given us a maxiseries that explores revolution/terrorism in so many ways. This is one to read once collected and the ruminate on. It began in 2015 but wrapped up in 2016.
Tomboy – This series published by Action Lab: Danger Zone and by M. Goodwin is a comic that’s not on enough people’s radar. A mix of manga, Japanese horror, western vigilante stories, it’s a strange, creepy, haunting series featuring a teenage girl out for revenge against the people who killed her friend.

Best Non-Super Hero Comic – The Sheriff of Babylon

I said above that 2016 was the year of Tom King, and guess who wrote this one! Tom King! The Sheriff of Babylon is another max-series that wrapped up, but we’ll get a second volume some time in 2017.

The comic is based on King’s experiences working for the CIA in Iraq taking place in the Green Zone after the recent Iraq war. The comic is brutally honest showing a world where there’s so little right and so much wrong and it all comes together in a muddied brown and gray.

That dirtiness of it all is helped by Mitch Gerads‘ art and the smart use of colors. The detail, every body movement, the framing of the panels, Gerads’ art adds so much to every issue. That’s saying something considering how amazing King’s scripts are!

This is a comic series that shows comics are political and can question the world we currently live.

Runners Ups:

Descender- Jeff Lemire has had a hell of year in general in comics and is one of my favorite writers of the year. This series features the stunning art of Dustin Nguyen. The sci-fi series is so hard to describe revolving around an android that looks like a little boy. Every issue is a treat to read, and Nguyen’s art helps with beautiful visuals. Seriously the art alone is a reason to pick up the series. We didn’t get an issue every month, but what we did get was fantastic.
The Fix – Two fuck up cops who are corrupt and get mixed up in a drug smuggling scam. The comic is absolutely hilarious. Written by Nick Spencer with art by Steve Lieber the comic is one of the funniest books on the market.
The Flintstones – Written by Mark Russell this series is some of the smartest and subtle political and social commentary in any writing going on today. The comic covers everything from religion to consumerism to the 2016 election. And like his writing in Prez no one is safe, the right and the left are equal fodder. Entertaining, smart, and elevating the classic characters to a whole new level.
Invisible Republic – A reporter investigates the truth of an uprising on a planet discovering fact from fiction in a series that bounces back and forth between the past and present. Each issue reminds us about the power of journalism and the need for good reporting. Myth can easily be twisted into fact and lies can replace reality. The comic series seems prescient in so many ways.

Best Limited Series or One Shot – 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank

We got three issues of this series in 2016 and holy crap do I wish we got more. In those three issues we did get some of the best storytelling in any comics. I’m assuming this is a limited series since it is a “crime caper in five parts” but hopefully we get more after this volume wraps up.

The series involves a bunch of kids that find out one of their dads is possibly a criminal and has some buddies who plan to rob a bank. Their idea is to rob the bank before them.

But, it’s not the heist that’s the drawn it’s the kids themselves. Each one feels so real with so many quirks their personalities jump off the page. Everyone is relatable and each feels like real people we knew growing up. It’s absolutely amazing.

The art by Tyler Boss is top notch and the writing is why Matthew Rosenberg is one of the hottest writers in comics right now.

More please!

Runners Up:

Black – This series was a Kickstarter phenomenon and the concept is what if only Black people had superpowers? Political. Daring. In your face. The comic is layered and will leave you debating what it’s trying to say.
Love is Love – A charity comic to benefit the victims of the Pulse nightclub attack, this comic is a prime example of what the comic industry can do when profits aren’t at the forefront. Bringing together publishers and hundreds of creators it’s a touching tribute.
Refugees Book One – A hell of a find at Small Press Expo, the comic is haunting taking us into the world of refugees as they attempt to find a better life. There’s definite issues with the comic as far as some of the writing, but the message is clear and brutally honest.
Superman: American Alien – Featuring a bunch of different artists, this maxi-series by writer Max Landis explored a different time in Superman’s life with a different take on the character. It’s a fun and fantastic read and somehow actually gives us something that feels fresh for a character that’s been around for over 75 years.

Best Graphic Novel/Trade Paperback – March Book Three

The best thing to be released in 2016 for comics. This is an absolutely amazing finish to the award winning trilogy. The winner of the National Book Award among other things the graphic novel focuses on Congressman John Lewis’ experiences during the Civil Rights movement.

Written by Lewis, Andrew Aydin, with art by Nate Powell this is the crown jewel of comics showing that they’re more than tights and has been adopted by schools to teach about this time in American history.

As I read the graphic novel from cover to cover, I found myself filled with emotions, as Lewis’ life was there in print for those to see and read. The story is a complicated one, but it’s presented in a way that feels honest and open, both good and bad. This is an inside look at one of the most important, and turbulent times in American history from not just someone that was there, but a leader of the movement. And that’s a fascinating part of this third book, is its focus on Lewis’ role as a leader.

This third volume somehow leapfrogs the other two. Whether it’s due to learning or the material within, something about it created an emotional reaction I haven’t felt by any media in quite some time. And most importantly it got me to think about where we as a people and nation have been, where we are, and where we’re going.

Runners Up:

The Attack – A man’s wife winds up being a suicide bomber. This story is about his attempt to find out why and discovering he knew so little about the woman he called his wife. A spiral into despair and madness the end will leave you speechless and heartbroken.
Rolling Blackouts: Dispatches From Turkey, Syria, and Iraq – By Sarah Glidden this graphic novel is her experiences as she researches potential stories on the effects of the Iraq War on the Middle East, especially refugees. Beautiful to look at, the graphic novel is the second best thing I’ve read this year (behind March).
Soviet Daughter – Adapting her great grandmother’s journal Julia Alekseyeva provides an interesting look at someone who lived in Russia from 1910 to emigrating to the US in the 90s. The Revolution, WWII, the Holocaust, it’s all presented as Alekseyeva illustrates what is a diary. Between each chapter, Julia reflects on her own life and her closeness with her great grandmother. It’s an amazing piece examining women finding their place in the world. It’s also a reason you wait until the first of the year for your list, as this came out the last week of the year.
Tetris: The Games People Play – Box Brown takes what should be a boring story about the history of the video game Tetris and makes it really interesting! A fun graphic novel published by First Second that makes corporate maneuvering a bad business deals engaging.

Best Genre of the Year – Indie Comics/Small Publishers

Is it a “genre”? We can argue about that, but lets face it, 2016 was a year we saw major creators continue to shrug off the big two, instead launching creator-owned series at other publishers, digitally or through Kickstarter. We saw more comics, in more varieties, on more subjects and more ways to consume them, than any time before. It really wasn’t the year of the Big Two, this was a year that we as consumers could continue to find something that would fit our varied tastes.

With more channels for distribution and more ways to produce comics, we’re in a golden age where the old ways of publishing no longer hold back the creativity that abounds.

I named Indie Comics “it” in 2013, 2014, and 2015 and nothing changed in 2016. There’s a massive opening for someone to step in and be a mainstream breakout, maybe 2017 will be the year we see it.

Best Surprise of the Year – DC Comics

2016 was a year that had everyone shaking their head when they heard DC was shaking things up again and “rebooting.” Except, their reboot was anything but.

In “Rebirth” the publisher blended the old with the new bringing back legacy characters and also pushing forward some of the newer ones too. They even moved away from grimm and gritty and gave us a bit of hope and fun in it all!

While Batman has always been strong for the company, Superman, Wonder Woman, and more all all returned to greatness with a new positive energy about them that could be felt.

But even better, sales increased and while they’ve leveled off and dropped quite a bit from the initial launch, the publisher is stronger and in a better position than it has been in a long time.

The company continued to expand upon its digital first program, and has begun to look towards expanding its market with its DC Super Hero Girls line.

They also did this as their movie output was mixed and television output strong. Now to get everything to line-up and the DC brand as a whole could be unstoppable.

The dots are all there, now we’ll see if the company has the vision to connect them all.

Biggest Disappointment of the Year – Kickstarter

Last year’s disappointment continued to be so, as projects were delayed, vapor ware, or not as advertised. Also add in issues on the creator end of folks pledging high amounts and then disputing the charges, at times getting the goods. Add in the platform’s unwillingness to step in to deal with either situation and you get a tech company showing off it’s greed. What was once the toast of the town has shown its cracks which will only get worse.

The crowdfunding platform became a way for creators to raise funds for projects, only to get picked up by publishers, at times delaying projects and leaving bad tastes in the mouths of fans. If all creators were held to the standards of some of the best users of the system, there’d be no issue, but over 90% of the projects I’ve pledged to have been delayed or non-existent only creating angry backers and fans.

These issues have lead this site to rethink what we promote and how we do so, no longer choosing comics to promote, as we feel some responsibility for things gone wrong and your dollars being held hostage.

Kickstarter continues to be tone-deaf, and it’s only a matter of time before someone stands up and challenges the platform with a system that’s fair to creators, and protects those who pledge.

Oh how the mighty continue to fall.

Publisher of the Year – None of the Above

This one I’ve thought about the most out of all of the categories on the list. I keep going back and forth between Image, BOOM! Studios, Valiant, Action Lab, IDW, First Second, and so many more. For each strength one brings to the table, they also have major weaknesses. Whether it’s a focus on a genre, pigeonholing themselves with adults, failure in digital, a mix of quality of comics, none of them are at least good everywhere. But, the comic industry has really grown in 2016 with no one breaking out as THE publisher to rival the big two. Partially that’s because so many have stood out with some of what they’ve done, but none have stood out for their whole.

Of the big two Marvel has stumbled… a lot. Entire articles can be written in that department, but the company is not the juggernaut its been in quite some time and I’d expect their to be some big shake-ups in 2017.

DC on the other hand came really close to being named for this. They’ve done some amazing stuff in the year with Rebirth being a smash hit. There’s still something slightly off, but out of every publisher, they’ve gotten most improved.

Image has become of the home of amazing indie comics by big name creators, but they generally lack a kids line that gets the next generation of readers and the sales just aren’t their in floppies. BOOM! has had a great mix of comics, but they’re missing that ongoing series that goes on for 30 to 50 issues. Valiant is quality all around and have tried some interesting market tactics, but you have to like superhero comics, Action Lab is a solid up and comer with good consistent releases. IDW has shown its possible to do great licensed comics, while First Second has fantastic graphic novels of all sorts. Aftershock has quality and so has Black Mak Studios.

Out of all of that, where’s the standout above everyone else? They’re all good in their own ways, but each have some flaws, with some of those flaws being pretty big. After a lot of deliberation, I couldn’t decide on one, so I chose none.

Each publisher is close to going huge, it’s just taking someone to connect those dots. Or maybe no one will, and it’ll be up to the individual creators to fill up the gap.

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

Posted on November 29, 2016 by Graphic Policy Team

Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Joe

Top Pick: Seven to Eternity #3 (Image) – The first two issues told a lot of story in such a short time. More comics could learn from this. The first issue set up the legacy of the family name and the big bad, and the second introduced us to him and then a whole new band of characters. Let’s see what Remender has planned for the third issue! So far this series has been awesome.IVX #0 (Marvel) – Death of X did not fully satisfy me, but the surprise ending did. Let’s hope this series is a lot better, as it is leading us into the new Inhuman and X-Men titles coming this spring. I am hopeful that Lemire and Soule come through big here for this event and get people excited for what’s to come.

IVX #0 (Marvel) – Death of X did not fully satisfy me, but the surprise ending did. Let’s hope this series is a lot better, as it is leading us into the new Inhuman and X-Men titles coming this spring. I am hopeful that Lemire and Soule come through big here for this event and get people excited for what’s to come.

Great Lakes Avengers #2 (Marvel) – The first issue was so fun and goofy, and I loved it. The art by Robson is fantastic, and the jokes by Gorman worked well. The entire premise is ridiculous and it just makes it better. This isn’t even a b level team of Marvel heroes, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable of a premise. I highly recommend this if you’re looking for something light and fun.

Batman Annual #1 (DC Comics) – DC is bringing in all of the bat writers on the annual. I usually don’t get very excited for annuals, but I am for both this and Superman hitting the same day. This book will have Snyder, King, Dini, Orlando, and Scott Wilson writing with Riley Rossmo and Neal Adams on art. I am hyped!

Saga #40 (Image) – If you haven’t read Saga yet, please go start. This is what is arguably the best comic out today. I am eager to see where Vaughn and Staples takes us this issue, as we follow these incredible characters on their wild adventures. This book can make you laugh, cry, and smile all in one issue.

Alex

Top Pick: Savage #1 (Valiant) – I can sum up why this is awesome in three words: Tarzan meets dinosaurs. It also looks savagely brilliant.

Batman Annual #1 (DC Comics) – Paul Dini and Scott Snyder writing Batman all in one book? Sounds ideal.

Conan The Slayer #5 (Dark Horse) – A consistent story that not enough people are talking about. If you’re a fan of sword and sorcery then you owe it to yourself to check this out.

Old Man Logan #14 (Marvel) – It’s been awhile since I enjoyed a solo Wolverine series as much as I have been enjoying this. A new arc starts this issue, and I’m pretty excited to dig in.

Revolution #5 (IDW Publishing) – A left field surprise for me; I can’t wait to see how this epic crossover ends.

Brett

COPRA Round Four (Bergen Street Press) – If you haven’t been reading Michel Fiffe’s series you’re missing out on some of the best comics out there. The indie series is collected here in the fourth trade and it’s worth every penny. The series is best described as an indie Suicide Squad and it’s absolutely awesome. This is the only series I buy single issues and the trades.

Fish Eye #1 (Scout Comics) – The publisher has been putting out some fantastic comics and this new series is well worth checking out. The concept is about a cop who is on a reality show whose ratings are slipping and he has to protect his family from a group of killers. Sounds interesting!

The Skeptics #2 (Black Mask Studios) – The first issue was solid taking place during the Cold War and featuring con-men pretending to be psychics to fool the US government. It’s a crazy concept but the style and characters have me coming back and been looking forward to this one.

Inhumans vs X-Men #0 (Marvel) – I’m a sucker for Marvel’s events and this first issue is pretty solid. It catches up new readers while also setting up some new stuff as well.

The Revisionist #6 (Aftershock Comics) – Time traveling entertainment and I seriously have no idea where it’s all going. With an 80s action film flair, this is one to read from the beginning, it’s so good.

Charles Forsman Talks Revenger TPB

Posted on April 2, 2016 by

For a period of about four or five months I kept seeing Charles Forsman name in my social media streams, talking about his new series called Revenger. So I looked over the previews and I liked that it had a look and feel similar to a few other cartoonists whose work I enjoy, namely Benjamin Marra and Michel Fiffe. Mainly what drew me in were the pages where Revenger is in a white background, nothing more than emptiness, no definition, her just killing clowns that are trying to attack and kill her with a baseball bats. There is no description of with the depicted action, we just have Revenger telling us what happened to her son, and why she’s doing this.

From there it goes into the story of a couple of teens who are in love, and of course the girlfriend is kidnapped and the boyfriend is upset and wants to get her back. So like any responsible boyfriend listens to rumors about a vigilante travels America righting wrongs and the number to call is… 1-800-Revenger! He calls and leaves a message and a few days later Revenger shows up in his town. Here we find out that it’s a bad Town town where girlfriends can be kidnapped and racism is dripping off the local officials.

Now I don’t want to give away the rest because it really is great, but I do want to say that Forsman has got some really interesting tricks he uses in telling the story. For example, alot of times something will happen off panel, not necessarily violence, but sometimes violence. Often times it made me laugh, in the same way I laugh when I watch Rambo or the first Predator movie. Violence is something just woven into the fabric of America, and how we understand that is reflected in so much of our entertainment and national dialogue, I think Revenger is tapping into that, much the same way that the Punisher comics do. Helping us face questions about the how and why of justifiable violence. Not to get too deep on everybody, but just stating the obvious here.

Also I have to say that the physical comics themselves are perfect, the quality of paper and colors are just exactly what I want out of a comic. They are not printed on the high gloss paper generally found in big two books, but not on flimsy newsprint either, these things are solid, they feel like heirlooms.

Now since I didn’t want to review each individual issue, cause the collection of the first five issues just came out, I thought to do something a little more and managed to get Chuck Forsman to answer some questions through the e-mail. Here for your consideration are his responses, potentially incriminating I might add…

Graphic Policy: What inspired the choice to make the latest Revenger series take place at a different point in her history, and will we see more issues like this?

Chuck Forsman: I think it comes from just that I am always fascinated to learn about characters in different points in their lives. Originally I had imagined to keep going in a linear direction but I would need to be selling a ton of comics to keep that sort of momentum up. So that also influenced the decision. I figured it would be easier to get people to pick up the comics if they were more separated as opposed to one long narrative.

GP: Do you have a grand finale in mind or is Revenger more of an open ended story?

CF: Ummmm. a little bit of both. I don’t want to ruin any surprises but at the same time, I do enjoy keeping things a bit open. For me, that is the most fun about making comic books is that often you end up in unexpected places. A lot of my past work was much more open ended. I really enjoyed an improvised approach. I liken it to playing a game. You set up the rules and boundaries and set your characters off and see where things take you.

GP: What sort of non comics art influences you? (movies, paintings, books etc)

CF: Right, now it’s movies. The last few years I have really embraced that place where genre meets art. Directors like John Carpenter, Cronenberg, Kathryn Bigelow, Brian DePalma. People who worked in or on the cusp of Hollywood but are complete visionaries. I think those movies really brought me over to doing Revenger. My past work is for lack of a better term, decidedly more “indie.” My obsession with action, horror movies wasn’t waning and also my renewed interest of comics from the 70s-90s helped fuel the fire. Trying to find the art within industrial comics is an obsession that won’t go away for me anytime soon. So I guess doing an action comic book like Revenger…I saw it as a bit of a challenge for myself. It’s very different from my other work and I was curious to see how I would handle it.

GP: If you could have a cross-over with any comic character and Revenger, who would it be? (example, like Revenger vs. Daredevil or Batman or Bloodshot or whoever)

CF: Oh jeez, I would probably pick someone a bit more obscure. One of my favorite comics was this 1986 5-issue series from Marvel called Dakota North. North was billed as a late-80’s fashion icon that was a sort of investigator for hire. It was written by Martha Thomases and drawn by Tony Salmons. I encourage anyone to find those comics. They are very common in dollar bins. Salmons is just incredible. A very adept action cartoonist. But anyway, I could see Revenger and Dakota teaming up to taking down a corporate goon and maybe not getting along very well.

GP: What books are you reading now that excite you about comics? (regular old pictureless books are acceptable too of course)

CF: At the moment I am obsessed with collecting comics garbage, as my friends and I call it. I love going into the dollar bins at a convention or shops and flea markets and looking for stuff from the 80s mainstream. I always buy Klaus Janson comics when I see his stuff. Especially when he is working on his own doing pencils, inks, and colors. I especially like his 5 issues of the first Punisher ongoing and he did a small run on a comic called St. George from Epic. I’ve been looking at the layouts in St. George a lot for inspiration. Michel Fiffe turned me onto Trevor Von Eeden and I just read the first issue of his Green Arrow mini from the late 80s. Again, I just marvel at every page. Von Eeden is a master as graphic decision making.A lot of that stuff is unreadable but there were amazing artists that work doing incredible things that I love to surround myself with.

I also love to find self-published comics from the 80’s black and white boom. I kind of see it as garage rock from the 60s. After the beatles every teenager in every small town started a band and some of them even cut records. I feel like this happened in the 80s for a time. A lot of young people made these comics that most people would laugh at but I see something magical in them. Benjamin Marra likes to call it “the passion.” And I think that is a perfect description for the stuff I look for in these bins. Just finding people who made comics in their bedrooms and they were putting their all into it. Just giving it all they had. I think I see myself in this work. I don’t consider myself a very good artist so I think I am attracted to the idea of making what I do have work. I’ll try to name some titles off the top of my head. New York City Outlaws with the art of Ken Landgraf is a great comic. I just read the first issue of Dog by Joe Vigil. That book is incredible. It’s about a tough dude who stumbles upon a tortured gay kid who spends his last moments talking to Dog. Then Dog gets angry and helps free the kids friends and kill the bikers responsible for torturing them. It is a visceral and satisfying read to be sure.

GP: Alright folks that’s it, go check out the official Revenger website where there is links to buy the comics direct from the creator, or get them digitally or demand your local shop get them!

MYFAKEHEAD is the online version of Benjamin Anthony, a former chef, janitor, lunatic, prisoner, cultist, clerk, tow motor operator (smooth) and currently an artist and writer. He is also morally and legally responsible for Super Awesome Comics. You can find him online at myfakehead.com and all your favorite social media internets.

Brett’s Best Comics of 2015

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Brett

It’s the first day of a new year and so that means I’m posting my “best of” listing of the top comic books for 2015. Generally these are comic books that came out in 2015, though some are from earlier times and I got around to reading them, or limited series that continued. Keep in mind, this is what I have read (and does not reflect what other contributors to this site might think). If it’s not on here, I just might not have read it.

This was a particularly tough year of choices with some categories easily having their own top ten or twenty-five. Check out below what made the cut!

Best Super Hero Comic – Captain Canuck

2015 continued the diversification of the comic industry and we saw an explosion of new comic characters and series that looked a lot more like us, the readers. But, for all of that, many of those series brought with them over the top violence or were aimed at specific audiences. That’s why Chapter House Comics‘ relaunch of Captain Canuck was such a fresh series and hero in 2015.

The comic series and character seem to embody Canadian ideals well and the series is a perfect example of a superhero series that can be enjoyed by both adults and kids alike.

Within its pages, there’s action and fighting, but what’s shown isn’t over the top, taking on a more PG/PG-13 tone compared to a lot of what else is out there. The series also celebrates the diversity that is Canada with characters from numerous backgrounds, including First Nations, and regularly uses French (without translation) to great affect. Plus that design is badass.

Each issue also gives you two-for-one, with a back-up story of equally high quality and fun. A retro tale of a Captain Canuck of the past, I’ve enjoyed these stories so much, I’m hoping Chapter House spins them out in to their own sister series or a regular anthology.

This is a series where the hero is one who not only wants to stop the bad guy, but also won’t put innocents at risk and go out of his way to protect them. Add on to the fact that he’s surrounded by a diverse cast, with actual depth, and we have a comic that can be enjoyed by all. This is a series to watch in 2016.

Runners Up:

COPRA – There’s some arguments to be made that Michel Fiffe‘s indie series about a group of raftag characters should be the top pick, and there was long thought about if it should, it’s that good. Out of all of the series I read this year, this is one that delivered with every single issue. This is a comic that shows that superheroes aren’t the domain of just two companies anymore.
Midnighter – Writer Steve Orlando‘s series has gotten me interested in a character I seriously had little interest in before. He’s take a one note character and added tons of depth showing that superheroes can be more than just punching.
The Omega Men – Writer Tom King took this ragtag group of characters and has given us a maxiseries that explores revolution/terrorism in so many ways. This is one to read once collected if you haven’t started yet.
Plutona – Is it a superhero comic? So far I’d say yes. Jeff Lemire is a master writer and Emi Lenox‘s art is fantastic. This is basically Stand By Me with superheroes and it’s a series that I want to see what happens next. With just a few issues so far, it has completely sucked me in.

Best Non-Super Hero Comic – Southern Bastards

Welcome to Craw County, Alabama, home of Boss BBQ, the state champion Runnin’ Rebs football team…and more bastards than you’ve ever seen.

Jason Aaron and Jason Latour have created a Southern gothic noir series that once you think you’ve got it down, pulls the rug right out from under you.

This series was my top pick last year, and it has continued to show with each issue why it deserves to continue to be so praised. Each volume has given us a new twist and new perspective on the greater world they’ve put together and Aaron and Latour aren’t afraid to bring the violence and make us wince.

It’s a brilliant exploration of the Southern community, especially its focus on sports and football. This is one of my first reads with each issue that comes out, and I have never known where it was going next. An original in every way.

Runners Ups:

Archie – I care about an Archie comic!? Archie took a gutsy chance and reworked their entire line. While it has failed with two other relaunches this year, this series (as well as Jughead) has been a standout for it’s new take on the classic character.
Bitch Planet- The series continues to explore tough topics and continues to entertain while doing so. This is a comic with a message, and it pulls it off with every single issue.
Descender- Jeff Lemire makes it on the list again, but this time with art by Dustin Nguyen. This sci-fi series is so hard to describe revolving around an android that looks like a little boy. Every issue is a treat to read, and Nguyen’s art helps with beautiful visuals.
Fresh Romance – Romance comics are dead! Who’d read them?! Well Janelle Asselin (a some times contributor to this site) proved folks wrong Kickstarting this line of comics that’s a romance anthology. Every issue has delivered with fantastic stories and extras like advice columns. Expect this series to be copied (poorly) in 2016.

Best Limited Series or One Shot – Secret Wars: Secret Love

Marvel’s Secret Wars as a whole was an event that started off strong and then sputtered along the way. However it did give us at least one highlight, and that’s Secret Wars: Secret Love.

Four stories that vary in tone and look, this comic is a spotlight on so many creators that should have been at the forefront of the All-New, All-Different Marvel.

Secret Wars: Secret Love was so good, with so many varied talented creators, it was a reminder how much Marvel dropped the ball with its relaunch just a few months. Whitley not on a Misty Knight series? Cmon! Michel Fiffe not being given something! Marguerite Bennet, Katie Cook, Felipe Smith, Gurihiru, Kris Anka, this comic was filled with folks who are comic stars. This is the type of creative line-up I’d be building a line around.

It was just a one shot, but when I was done it was clear I want more of this!

Runners Up:

The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage – Valiant cranked out so many good series this year, their miniseries especially were good. This one took on the new Doctor Mirage in a series that had her going to the other side and exploring her own past. This was a miniseries that in a short time gave us lots of depth, entertained, looked so good, and did it all in a short period of time.
Justice League: Darkseid War: Green Lantern – DC Comics released a series of one-shots for “Darkseid War,” and one stood above all others. The comics were supposed to explore what happens when regular humans get godlike powers, and this one did an amazing job as Hal Jordan was presented withed difficult choices. A great read all on its own.
Lady Killer – A suburban housewife is actually a contract killer. The comics was entertaining with a kick-ass female lead. The miniseries was fantastic playing with so many stereotypes and genres. This is Mrs. Smith, without the Mr.
The Paybacks – Mixing superheroes and comedy this miniseries has delivered. This comic has gotten me to laugh with every single issue and one of the downer moments of the year was the fact this wasn’t an ongoing series.

Best Graphic Novel/Trade Paperback – Mike’s Place

There was one graphic novel that haunted me for a good chunk of 2015, and that’d be Mike’s Place: A True Story of Love, Blues, and Terror in Tel Aviv.

Written by Jack Baxter and Joshua Faudem, Mike’s Place is a graphic novel spun out of their experience that you can see in the documentary Blues by the Beach. What was supposed to be a movie celebrating Israeli life, and the peace found between Israelis, Palestinians, folks of all different backgrounds, who come together in a bar, instead it captures tragedy, and perseverance.

The graphic novel grips and effects you at a personal level. Part of that is due to the fact it’s both tragic and uplifting. The lead up, and post event accounting of what happened shows strength in tragedy, it’s a mesmerizing, and in ways uplifting, story.

Beautifully haunting, Mike’s Place is a graphic novel that sticks with you for days and weeks.

Runners Up:

The Arab of the Future – A biography of Riad Sattouf’s life as he navigates between Libya, France, and Syria. The graphic novel originally came out in French in 2014 and was released in English in 2015. The graphic novel is absolutely fascinating, and makes Sattouf’s life entertaining.
The Fall of the House of West – The latest entry in Paul Pope‘s Battling Boy line of comics, this has the early years of the West family and everything from its pint sized hero to pint sized format is a win. This is fun pulp comics.
March: Book Two – The second volume of Congressman Lewis‘ biography recounting his life in the Civil Rights movement. Much like the first, the second volume will be taught in classes for decades to come.
The Sculptor – Scott McCloud‘s latest graphic novel has its fans and haters. The graphic novel follows an artist who makes a deal with death and has a finite time to live. The story is haunting and one that’ll have you debating with your book club.

Best New Series – Monstress

Monstress kicked off with a triple-sized first issue (60 pages!), and even when you got to that last page, it didn’t feel like enough. The series is a magical world (pun intended) that mixes so many genres that there’s a little something for so many. Fantasy, steampunk, Kaiju, anime, it’s all here mixed together in an amazing combination that seamlessly flows together.

I think what’s more impressive is the inclusion of political and societal commentary within, and doing so in a way that doesn’t come of as preachy, and is almost not noticeable. The story at it’s core is about a woman, a minority, fighting against the oppressive majority. Choices to have what seems like a matriarchal society changes that context into something more than a woman fighting the patriarchy which the series could have easily been (and it still would have been great I’m sure). Instead it gives us women who are good, evil, and somewhere in between painting a broad swath that can be debated for hours on end. It’s this type of layering of ideas, themes, and concepts that has created one of the richest debuts of the year.

In two issues Monstress feels like a thought out world with a history that goes back decades. Battles are referenced, events mentioned, it all feels like its been thought out and meticulously put together. Add on top of that women (well character really) of all types, shapes, sizes, skin color, and you have what is a diverse, in many ways, debut. All of that together creates the best debut of the year.

Best Single Issue – Batman #44

Batman has gone through a fascinating shift this year as Bruce Wayne lost his memory and James Gordon stepped in as the iconic hero in a new mechanized suit that’s more anime fighting robot than the great detective we’ve known.

The series has also brought us a new villain in Mr. Bloom who is a great addition to Batman’s rogues and feels like a worthy adversary.

Through all of that, this comic, which focuses on Bruce Wayne’s Batman, is the best single issue of the year of any comic as it shows us something we’ve never seen before in comics, a Batman who actually focuses on the interplay between institutional racism and economic injustice.

Titled “A Simple Case,” the issue was written by regular series writer Scott Snyder who was joined by Brian Azzarello, we find out the issues Batman faces here are anything but simple and more complicated than any villain he’s faced.

For an issue we see how superhero comics can address actual social and economic issues we face today such as gentrification, institutional racism and bank’s disinvestment in communities. But, more importantly, addressing those issues and entertain at the same time.

Add on top of that the usual beautiful art, this time by Jock, and you have a comic you can read on its own, and the best single issue this year.

Best Event of the Year – Book of Death

Who has the best superhero universe out there today? That’s not the big two, the answer actually is Valiant who continued in 2015 to show off quality comics filled with quality writing and art.

Not only does the publisher put out great comics every month, but they also have figured out how to weave in major events in to their universe and make it new reader friendly.

Book of Death saw the Eternal Warrior with the newest Geomancer from the future on the run trying to both dodge and take on a great evil pursuing them. Along with the main series, we got a glimpse in to Valiant’s future along with the end of many of its heroes.

The battles felt epic, the use of characters were great, the story progressed at a nice pace with each issue being vital. Add on top a series of one-shots all of which were at least good, and you have the making of an epic tale.

But, what’s even more impressive is the fact that Valiant has figured out the outro in many ways with their events leading in to natural changes for their line of comics and characters.

They’ve consistently put out quality, and continue to do so with their events. I usually shudder when I hear some major comic event is coming, but with Valiant, I look forward to it in anticipation.

Runners Up:

Darkseid War – A good event should be epic, and DC’s storyline event currently running through Justice League qualifies. The story has been building for some time, but the Anti-Monitor has arrived to battle Darkseid, and many of the issues have left us with imagery that feels massive in scale. Hopefully the second half delivers as much as the first.
Secret Wars – So much good, and so much bad here. Delays and the second half that hasn’t quite delivered as much as the first has tarnished what started off as Marvel’s best event in some time. Still, there’s absolutely this world changing event hasn’t been absolutely huge touching every corner of the Marvel Universe. With one issue to go, the series isn’t perfect, but it does deliver a game changing event.
Transformers: Combiner Wars – This was a story that hit so much nostalgia, but what I think as really impressive was the synergy across platforms. Comics, toys, video games, they were all in sync and it all worked together very well.
The Valiant – Did you read about Book of Death above? Everything there can be applied here in what is the prequel that eventually led in to Book of Death.

Best Genre of the Year – Indie Comics/Small Publishers

Is it a “genre”? We can argue about that, but lets face it, 2015 was a year we saw major creators continue to shrug off the big two, instead launching creator owned series at other publishers, digitally or through Kickstarter. We saw more comics, in more varieties, on more subjects and more ways to consume them, than any time before. It really wasn’t the year of the Big Two, this was a year that we as consumers could continue to find something that would fit our varied tastes.

With more channels for distribution and more ways to produce comics, we’re in a golden age where the old ways of publishing no longer hold back the creativity that abounds.

We named Indie Comics “it” in 2013 and 2014, and nothing changed in 2015. There’s a massive opening for someone to step in and be a mainstream breakout, maybe 2016 will be the year we see it.

Best Surprise of the Year – DC Comics

2015 was a year that it was cool to shit on DC Comics. But, for the bad, their best is some of the best. Batman, Batgirl, The Omega Men, Justice League, Midnighter, Prez, Bizarro, Doctor Fate, We Are Robin, Grayson, Black Canary, Constantine the Hellblazer, Cyborg, DC Comics Bombshells, Martian Manhunter, and lots more hit the shelves each week and show off the new quality of a publisher that has been in second place for so long. Add on top of that a resurgence and reinvigoration of Vertigo.

After sputtering for some time, the company shook up their line of comics with Convergence which saw the recreation of the multiverse and opened up the possibilities to tell stories out of continuity and with numerous versions of classic characters.

The company also decided to expand of the success they saw with Gotham Academy and Batgirl, trying new things with new series many receiving critical praise though middling sales.

The company continued to expand upon its digital first program, and has begun to look towards expanding its market with its DC Super Hero Girls line. 2016 sees the real launch of their new movie universe after dominating on television.

The company has really turned the ship around and 2015 was a stellar year that you can see them right the ship while continuing to be faced with criticism from armchair experts.

The dots are all there, now we’ll see if the company has the vision to connect them all.

Biggest Disappointment of the Year – Kickstarter

Kickstarter continues to be tone-deaf, and it’s only a matter of time before someone stands up and challenges the platform with a system that’s fair to creators, and protects those who pledge.

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Publisher of the Year – None of the Above

This one I’ve thought about the most out of all of the categories on the list. I keep going back and forth between Image, BOOM! Studios, Valiant, Action Lab, IDW, First Second, and so many more. For each strength one brings to the table, they also have major weaknesses. Whether it’s a focus on a genre, pigeonholing themselves with adults, failure in digital, a mix of quality of comics, none of them are at least good everywhere. But, the comic industry has really grown in 2015 with no one breaking out as THE publisher to rival the big two. Partially that’s because so many have stood out with some of what they’ve done.

Both DC and Marvel have stumbled in 2015 (though DC has shown improvement in many ways, see above), and it’s everyone else that has stepped up in an attempt to fill the gap left by the big two.

Image has become of the home of amazing indie comics by big name creators, but they generally lack a kids line that gets the next generation of readers. BOOM! has had a great mix of comics, but they’re missing that ongoing series that goes on for 30 to 50 issues. Valiant is quality all around and have tried some interesting market tactics, but you have to like superhero comics, Action Lab is a solid up and comer with good consistent releases. IDW has shown its possible to do great licensed comics, while First Second has fantastic graphic novels of all sorts. The year also saw newcomers like 451 Media, Aftershock, and Double Take, but each are having issues getting the word out.

Much like I said about DC, each publisher is close to going huge, it’s just taking someone to connect those dots. Or maybe no one will, and it’ll be up to the individual creators to fill up the gap.

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Graphic Policy Team

Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Alex

Top Pick: Howard The Duck #3 (Marvel) – This series is probably my most anticipated comic every month because it doesn’t take itself even remotely seriously. It’s like a shining beacon in the sea of dark and gritty comics that I otherwise read.

Lobster Johnson: Glass Mantis (Dark Horse) – It’s only the second comic I’ve read featuring the Lobster, but he’s a character I’d love to learn more about, and what better way than this one-shot?

Seduction Of The Innocent #2 (Dynamite) – I’m liking the feel of this comic, and the cover is a fantastic homage to the crime comics of old.

Brett

COPRA Round Three (Bergen Street Comics) – The best superhero comic on the market right now. This indie comic has delivered with every single issue. It’s so good I buy them in singles and trades. Just has to be read to really be appreciated, no words will do it justice.

Giant Robot Warrior Maintenance Crew (Cosmic Times) – I loved this when it was in single issues. It focuses on the folks who help make those giant robots actually function when the pilots go into battle. You won’t look at giant robots the same way again after reading this twistedly funny comic.

The Omega Men #7 (DC Comics) – Tom King consistently deliver in this critically praised series.

Squadron Supreme #2 (Marvel) – This “dark” Avengers comic brings all of these characters into the regular Marvel Universe, and their brand of justice isn’t going over well. Should be fascinating to see where it goes.

Star Wars: Obi-Wan and Anakin #1 (Marvel) – Marvel has been knocking it out of the park with their Star Wars comics and I expect no less from this one.

Elana

Top Pick: Black Canary #6 (DC Comics) – In the words of Led Zeppelin “It’s been a long time, been a long time, Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time since issue 5”. Are the members of Black Canary the Queens of Noise or will they be shot through the heart by their former singer? Like Alice Cooper I Love it to Death.

Top Pick: All-New Wolverine #3 (Marvel) – The best it is what it does: being a superhero comic that’s actually All New All Different. Laura Kinny is Wolverine.

Black Magick #3 (Image Comics) – We were promised a witch noir and a witch noir we have! Artist Nicola Scott’s best drawn and moodiest work to date coupled with Greg Rucka who’s always an awesome writer.

Jughead #3 (Archie) – Genuine and tongue in cheek humor at the same time. My favorite Archie series gets better with each issue. I love the character’s voice now. I’m a total Archie newbie and I’ve fallen for it.

Ringside #2 (Image Comics) – Do ya like wrestling, kid? Seedy backstage wrastling drama. General grittiness and industry weary eyes. Big cliffhanger at the end of last issue.

Javier

Top Pick: East of West #23 (Image Comics) – I didn’t read #22 … oh wait … I didn’t have to. There was no dialogue. After that epic failure in the last ish all that Image hints at in the next installment is that “Revelations and Retribution abound.” Can’t wait to find out what exactly that means.

Last Sons Of America #2 (BOOM! Studios) – Another dark and dystopian sci-fi-ish BOOM! title by a relatively unknown writer (Philip Kennedy Johnson). This one centers on human trafficking, and the monetization and exploitation of children. Dark and bleak it is, infused with kidnappings, drug cartels, and guns.

Ragnarok #7 (IDW Publishing) – I’ve been a fan of Walt’s work since the 80s. After forty odd years in the industry, he still has the magic touch. Thor (totally unrelated to Marvel’s Thor) is the Last God Standing about to do battle against Regn, the Black Elf Assassin.

Six #2 (451 Media) – Written by the team of George Pelecanos (of HBO’s The Wire fame) and Andrew Ewington, this title pits Mercs versus Drug Cartels. Another guns and action title, if that’s your thing.

Welcome Back #4 (BOOM! Studios) – I jumped on this one late in the middle of issue #3. Glad I did; I was able to snag first print copies of #1 and #2. I doubt I could find these now. Originally this one was slated to be a mini-series, but Boom has now extended it as an ongoing title due to its well-deserved popularity. Word of mouth spread quickly on this violent story of battling reincarnated assassins, so first printings are now a rarity; but you can probably snag some second or third printings to catch up (by the way I was enjoying Sebela’s run on Dead Letters too, but for some reason after #9, subsequent issues have been released digitally but not in print; what’s up with that).

Around the Tubes

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Graphic Policy Team

It was new comic book day yesterday. What got everyone excited? What’d you enjoy reading? What didn’t you enjoy?

While you decide, here’s some news and reviews from around the web you might enjoy.

Around the Tubes

Nothing But Comics – Bergen St Comics Is Closing It’s Store – A shame, it’s a fantastic store.

The Outhousers – Report: School Bans Wonder Woman Lunchbox for Violence – There is the debate that superheroes are nothing but glorified fascist vigilantes.

Kotaku – YouTube’s Approach To Copyright Claims Could Scare Off Streamers – Good thing to keep in mind.

Around the Tubes Reviews

ICv2 – Andre the Giant: Closer to Heaven

Nothing But Comics – The Paybacks #1

Around the Tubes

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Brett

Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Top Pick: Rebels #1 (Dark Horse) – Brian Wood takes us to the past, the American Revolutionary War, in a new series that might be historical, but has some solid themes and points that reverberate today. Having read the first issue, it’s beyond fantastic and well worth checking out.

Convergence: The Questions #1 (DC Comics) – It’s written by Greg Rucka and art by Cully Hammer. Do you need any more reason to check out this comic? Out of everything to spin out of DC’s Convergence event, this one has me the most excited.

Copra Round Two (Bergen Street Comics) – Michel Fiffe’s Copra might seem like a knock-off of the Suicide Squad at first, but the series has evolved into a voice all its own. You probably can’t get individual issues in your store, but this trade collects what you’ve been missing out on.

Evil Empire #12 (BOOM! Studios) – I swear when I interviewed writer Max Bemis before the series launched it was going to be longer. But this is it in an oversized final issue. The series has focused on a President whose take over and brought pure chaos to the US. No idea how it’ll all wrap up in one final issue.

Imperium #3 (Valiant) – Speaking of crazy world leaders…. Valiant has taken on the concept of super human beings living in the real world head-on with this series which focuses on Toyo Harada attempting to bring about a Utopia, even if he has to fight and kill for it.

Edward

Top Pick: Grimm Fairy Tales White Queen #3 (Zenescope) – This miniseries has been compact and entertaining while also revealing some interesting bits of Calie’s past. The promised White Queen versus Trickster battle looks pretty cool too.

Deep State #5 (BOOM! Studios) – The unexpected success of the first story arc drew many in and didn’t let them go. It will be interesting to see what the creative time has lined up for an encore.

Jungle Girl Season 3 #1 (Dynamite Entertainment) – A modern take on the jungle girl genre of the golden age. This series doesn’t hold anything back in making the genre relevant to today’s readers.

Rebels #1 (Dark Horse) – This is a strange time and place for a comic book story to be set in (the American Revolutionary Wars), but it tells the first part of what seems like a compelling story.

Spider-Woman #6 (Marvel) – The reboot within a reboot was impressive enough. It will be interesting to see where they take Jessica from here.

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