Tag Archives: best of

Pharoahmiles’ Best of 2023

Posted on by
Local Man #1

It has been a few years since I have done one of these, but here are a few of my favorite things, Enjoy!

BEST ONGOING COMICS SERIES

Birds Of Prey – Kelly Thompson has ben on a tear with these characters , rather than put them in familiar situations, she capitalizes on what makes each of the core team members so magnetic, leaving fans wanting more.

Killadelphia – Rodney Barnes seems to top himself with every new story arc on this rewriting of history as we know it.

Mask of Haliya – this independent comic book which I had the pleasure of reviewing, is one which many Filipino American will see themselves in, while noticing how the series uses our collective belief in everything supernatural.

Enfield Gang Massacre – an old school Western which delves into the “ man on a run” genre, while showing readers exactly why this genre was so beloved in literature and film

Peacemaker Tries Hard! – this otherwise forgotten character got new life because of James Gunn and this series proves why he has staying power, leaning into all the 80s tropes which makes him so lovable.

Star Wars: Dark Droids – a story which uses the otherwise background characters in Star Wars in what would slowly become the rumblings a revolution.

Phantom Road– a different take on zombies while adding another chapter to the lone drifter genre.

Green Lantern – probably my favorite run of this series, where all the creators are at the top of their game, giving a Hal Jordan we have not seen until now.

Miracleman: The Silver Age – Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham create a masterpiece in storytelling, while blazing new roads within the context of the era.

Barnstormers – in anticipation of the upcoming Masters Of The Air, this series serves as an excellent primer, but with female protagonists in a stirring story.

Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham -In a different vision of the Caped Crusader, one that remixes him for a different generation and jumps on the fanfare of  the latest Batman film.

Somna – an effectively creepy story which touches on the fear of witchcraft while serving the reader, a strong female protagonist.

Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville – an entertaining book which taps on the teenage energy of its main characters.

Immortal Thor – a story which masterfully blends the comic book and classic Nordic origins of this iconic character, while remembering to tell a great story.

W0rldtr33 – there is nothing like this book from Image and James Tynion IV,, as it massively creepy while giving readers scare jumps at every page turn

Avengers Inc – I can say I normally don’t like any of the Avengers comics, but this one by Al Ewing and Leonard Kirk, has given this franchise new blood in ways we will convert new readers.

Kill Your Darlings – another universe jumping story which reminds me of Kindred, but with witches.

Local Man – a story about what happens when superheroes get cancelled and what happens next.

Wonder Woman – Tom King and Daniel Sampere, do some fine work with Diana, offering reader a fresh view of this icon.

The Incredible Hulk – this series feels like what the 1st Rambo movie felt like, true horror.

BEST GRAPHIC NOVELS

We Are Not Strangers – I had to the pleasure of reviewing this book and interviewing the creator, a true story that is best viewed through the prism of of comics and Tuininga is in rare form here.

Blacula: Return Of The King – a new story of a Blaxploitation icon, not only rewrites what we know of him but reinvigorates the character and show why Rodney Barnes is a master storyteller.

Carmilla: The First Vampire – Amy Chu nd Soo Lee is in rare form as they dives into the dngers of gentrification while adding a different type of vampire into the canon.

Where The Body Was – Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips do not disappoint inanother potboiler thatshows they do crime noir better than most.

The Talk – Darrin Bell gibes in great detail his history of what is to be Black man and how the outside world sees him and people like him.

Roaming – Jillian and Mariko Tamaki offer an interesting tale of visitng New York City in a brilliant outsider view.

Mexikid – this book shows how it is to belong to more than one culture and how ften those of us live in it , find joy and pain within it.

Bonding – a love story which involves two broken people and a society where slugs determine compatibility, offers a fresh take on the romance.

The Sea In You – this twist on the  Little Mermaid is a must read for everyone.

Hungry Ghost – a sobering tale of one woman’s fight  with bulimia.

Queenie: Godmother Of Harlem – a fascinating true story of one of the first gangsters who endured hell and high water to becoming one of the powerful women in Harlem

BEST COLLECTED STORY ARCS

Wonder Woman Historia:  The Amazons –  one of the first titles announced when the DC Black Label imprint was revealed,  it has become a standard bearer for the rest of the line, showing exactly why DC diehards are right to believe in the brand.

Monarch – in another yarn by Rodney Barnes, we get the American version of Attack The Block, this time in Compton, in a gripping tale.

The Department Of Truth;:The Comp Conspiracy Deluxe HC Volume1 – this collection has the first 3 arcs of this secret organization in charge of blurring the liens between truth and fiction when it comes to conspiracy theories

IZombie: The Complete Series Omnibus – this collection houses every single issue, and show just how different the show was from the comic book.

Giga: The Complete Series – a dystopian story which centers around fallen gods and people ravaged by war.

BEST TV SHOWS

RoboDoc – an excellent examination of why the Robocop franchise has lasying power, and just jow ahead of its time it was

What If – one of the best shows in the MCU returned in one of its best seasons yet, giving long time fans of the orginal comic book series, a season worth savoring, as there has not one dud in the bunch .

Loki – the show returned to bookend the main character’s story arc in heartbreaking fashion, leaving fans with their hearts full in a collective gasp of what is to come with next MCU Phase.

One Piece(live action) – as a casual fan of the anime I was skeptical of the adaptation since Netflix has a low bating record in this regard, but they found the magic formula with this one, as it got he heart of the story in spades.

The Fall Of The House Of Usher – ever since Flanagan did Gerald’s Game , I have been a huge fan of his work, and this latest and sadly, last for Netflix, does not disappoint, as not only is the story is hitting on all cylinders but the cast is just as stellar.

Warrior – having been a fan since it was on Cinemax, this latest seasons dwarf the first two, even pulling in martial arts legend, Mark Dacascos into the mix. and although it ultimately got canceled by Max, it will see new life on syndication Netflix, hopefully we can get a 4th season .

Invincible– the show returned a few weeks ago to deliver its first half of its second season, one that has gone where most superhero shows have not gone before, the moral complexity of family politics.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – simply the best of the Star Trek franchise hows on air right now, as it bridges the gap between old school and new school fans, to deliver something both nostalgic and refreshing.

Shrinking – a brilliant Chuck Lorre show which maximizes the comedic talents of Jason Segal, Jessica Williams and Harrison Ford, who shows his versatility as an actor

Slow Horses – the best spy show on TV, possibly ever, as it does not take itself too seriously but has real world stakes and offers some very relatable characters , offering all the suspense of the Bond films without all the gloss.

Changeling – a frightening retelling of a Lovecraftian tale told through the prism of whom it was not intended for, as the narrator fo the show just so happens to be the author

Black Cake – a family drama that examines race, secrets, hidden lives and self-discovery through generations of one family and their repeating of of the original sin.

What We Do In The Shadows – this satirical Office like show about vampires nd their world, dives deeper into what made the film such a delight, sadly it will end its run with upcoming sixth season.

Reservation Dogs – this show was debasingly under watched and underrated, as it had a lot to say, whilst through the voice of comedy

Beef – a show which gets clss divide and race in a way most shows could not in a community that rarely get this microscope, Asian America.

Gen V – one of the best shows Amazon has ever done, as it was no mere spinoff of The Boys, but a whole new story that connects to the bigger Boys universe.

Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters – a show  that more than delivers , as it puts on a master class on world building, giving viewers another side of the organization who defends Earth against these monsters.

The Other Black Girl – a show based on the book that is somewhere between get Out and Single White Female, that is funny, contemplative and full of horror tropes

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off – a show that no only returned the original cast but expanded the sotry, as I have a friends who read the manga that spoke to how this series was the truest to the orginal story.

Blue Eye Samurai – a TV show that combines what fans love about anime while examining race, class and colonialism

BEST MOVIES

Shin Kamen Rider( titled in the US-Shin Masked Rider) – a superhero movie that upgraded the genre , as it truly gets the sinner turmoil that most of the big budgets don’t seem to convey as well as this film, with the action to match.

They Cloned Tyrone – in a movie that would have easily fell into stereotypical tropes , this one went even further than Get Out did in examining societal ills and the class divide.

Polite Society – A movie that combines fantasy with real life, we get something  between Regency romances and Bollywood dramas, an action packed movie from beginning to end, a must see.

Suitable Flesh – a frightening horror movie that will remind many of Denzel Washington’s Fallen, but will leave viewers even more disturbed than that seminal film.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem – as a lifelong fan of TMNT, this movie is the ultimate fanboy love letter, as it gets why people love this franchise.

John Wick Chapter 4 – in a franchise that seems to not die, to the delight of move fans, this action movie more than delivers on th e story and action ends.

Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse – this movie is why comic book fans love alternate universes, the endless possibilities that a character(s) may go and this is the closest we have ever seen on screen.

Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny – a fine farewell from Harrison Ford as the titular character and probably the most contemplative examination of age.

M3GAN – this movie was not only scary but it fused the fear of AI and toy dolls into an effective horror film.

Evil Dead Rise – an Evil Dead movie without Bruce Campbell? I was not sure of this one but it worked so well, as it was at times funny, but mostly, it did what horror movies should always do, scare.

Scream VI –  this is the best movie of the franchise so far, as it digs into what makes so good, the moral complexity of the villain.

Totally Killer – definitely one of the most entertaining films of the year , combining sci-fi and horror into a movie which will remind viewers of Back To The Future  but with a serial killer

Still: A  Michael J.Fox Movie – a movie that is meta and conversational, it gives a rare view of its subject.

A Million Miles Away – the true story the first “migrant farmer to go to space” Jose Hernandez, is both affecting and hopeful. 

Air– the true story of how Nike landed Michael Jordan is surprisingly thrilling and will open your eyes to just cutthroat their business is.

Extraction II – Chris Hemsworth returns in this Netflix franchise feels like if the 24 TV show and Crank movies had a baby, and it never disappoints the viewer

The Burial – another true story which gets into another industry that robs millions of people, funeral homes.

Guardian Of the Galaxy Volume 3 – James Gunn’s swan song to the MCU, is the best of the 3 films and gives a sendoff that will have fans choking back tears.

Cocaine Bear – a true story, which was funny, scary and action packed while also delivering one of Ray Liotta’s finest final performances

No Hard Feelings – a throwback to raunchy teen movies where Jennifer Lawrence gets to flex her comedic chops while  delivering a true protagonist evolution

Brett’s Favorite Comics of 2023

Posted on by
Traveling to Mars #1

Usually to kick off the year I put together a list of my favorite comics from the previous year as well as a reflection of that year. Well, 2023 was just… odd. So much so, I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all and figuring out what I want to say. So, I’ll save the reflection for another day. Instead, let’s focus on what stood out in comics for 2023.

Below is broken down into two sections. There’s the comics I enjoyed and then the comics that really stood out and shouldn’t be missed. While I read a lot this past year (60+ comics, graphic novels, and manga a month), I didn’t read everything released, so this is based on what I read. Something not included doesn’t mean it wasn’t good, it’s possible I didn’t read it.

You’ll notice a lot of manga on this year’s list. I read a lot of manga, that’s why, and let me tell you, it’s amazing. There’s so much and so much variety, really something for everyone.

But, before we get to the comics of the year, I want to talk about two publishers that stood out.

IZE Press/Yen Press – Notice, there’s a lot of manga and manhwa on the list and it’s mostly from these two publishers. Yen Press knocked it out of the park with so much quality (and some stinkers) and IZE Press was damn near perfect in its releases.

Skybound – Normally when I think of Skybound, I think The Walking Dead and Invincible. I think 2023 was the year the publisher really broke out and showed it’s so much more. Yes, there’s been solid releases before 2023 that weren’t those two comics, but 2023 is when the publishers took over Transformers and G.I. Joe breathing new life into those properties as well as releasing comics for younger readers with Skybound Comet and some amazing releases on top fo that.

Now, on to what stood out in 2023 (in alpha order)….

  • A Business Proposal (Yen Press)
  • Astrobots (Massive Publishing)
  • The Beginning After the End (Yen Press)
  • Batman/Santa Claus: Silent Knight (DC Comics)
  • Birds of Prey (DC Comics)
  • Conan the Barbarian (Titan Comics)
  • Coquí (Chido Comics)
  • Count Dante: The Unauthorized (But Sort of True) Story of the Deadliest Man Who Ever Lived (Scout Comics)
  • Dark Ride (Skybound)
  • Darkwing Duck (Dynamite Entertainment)
  • Daughter of the Emperor (Yen Press)
  • The Deviant (Image Comics)
  • The Devil That Wears My Face (Mad Cave Studios)
  • Duke (Skybound)
  • Edel Rodriguez’s Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey (Metropolitan Books)
  • Fist of the North Star (VIZ Media)
  • Green Lantern: War Journal (DC Comics)
  • The Hard Switch (Avery Hill Publishing)
  • Harrower (BOOM Studios)
  • Holy Roller (Image Comics)
  • I May Be a Guild Receptionist but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock out on Time (Yen Press)
  • Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong (DC Comics)
  • Kaiju No. 8 (Yen Press)
  • Maniac of New York: Don’t Call it a Comeback (Aftershock)
  • Maple Terrace (Uncivilized Comics)
  • Masterpiece (Dark Horse)
  • Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom (Yen Press)
  • Oshi No Ko (Yen Press)
  • Petrol Head (Image Comics)
  • Punisher (Marvel)
  • The Reformation of the World as Overseen by a Realist Demon King (Yen Press)
  • Spy Superb (Dark Horse)
  • Tomb Raider King (IZE Press)
  • Transformers (Skybound)
  • Zawa + The Belly of the Beast (BOOM! Studios)

And now what really stood out in 2023 (in alphabetical order):

  • A First Time for Everything (First Second) – The graphic novel has won some awards and for good reason. The story is the author’s experience traveling to Europe for school.
  • Animal Castle (Ablaze) – An adaptation of the classic Animal Farm, the story will get you to think with every issue and the art is amazing.
  • Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (IDW Publishing) – A twisted murder mystery where the characters are bipedal animals. Take all those cute books you read as a kid but add in Silence of the Lambs.
  • The Boxer (IZE Press) – My favorite manga/manhwa of the year? Each volume focuses on one character and adds so much depth mixed with great art and it leaving you guessing who the “hero” really is.
  • Homicide: The Graphic Novel (First Second) – An adaptation of the amazing book. Two volumes of near perfection.
  • Local Man (Image Comics) – A superhero universe at Image that really works. It is its own thing while also teasing a connection to what has come before. Just fantastic all around.
  • The Night Eaters Book 2 Her Little Reapers (Abrams Comicarts) – The second volume adds so much to this world and the art is amazing.
  • The Penguin (DC Comics) – This has brought life to the classic character making him one to fear and sympathize with.
  • Rooster Fighter (VIZ Media) – It’s a rooster fighting giant demon kaiju. Nuff said.
  • Scurry (Skybound Comet) – Amazing art with a tale that feels like an all-ages classic. How this wasn’t discussed more is beyond me.
  • So What’s Wrong With Getting Reborn as a Goblin? (Yen Press) – The reincarnated genre was overdone but this one took a methodical take on building a society with knowledge from another world.
  • Solo Leveling (IZE Press) – Fantastic dungeon crawling-type series that brought some amazing action and twists with every volume.
  • Space Job (Dark Horse) – The Office in space and I laughed with every issue.
  • Traveling to Mars (Ablaze) – The best series on the shelf right now. It is fantastic sci-fi with laughs, satire, action, a lot of heart, and will get you thinking long after you’re done reading each issue.
  • Universal Monsters: Dracula (Skybound) – Amazing art for the latest adaptation of the classic novel.
  • UnOrdinary (Harper Alley) – Interesting superhero-ish manga set in a school with a nice twist to it. The powered use their ability for their own gain and using them to help others is heretical.
  • Where Monsters Lie (Dark Horse) – Where do the killers go after their sprees? This twisted community. The series was laugh out loud wrongness.

Don’t Worry, Mommy’s Here: 5 of the best moms in horror cinema

Posted on by

When I was just a wee baby (as in barely a few months old), my mom decided to take me to the movie theater with her to see The Lost Boys (released in July, 1987). Jerry Rees’s The Brave Little Toaster was also playing. My mom apparently weighed her options and decided The Lost Boys would have more of an impact in my early development than a toaster with a smile.

I cried during the entire movie. If you’ve never seen it (and if you haven’t, you should), the vampire make-up effects by artist Greg Cannom were terrifying. The vamps kept their human forms, but their faces transformed into something resembling very angry bats. And then there’s the vamp feeding scene at a punk bonfire. Fangs sunk into skulls and blood flew over the fire as the bikers went into a frenzy.

mother

Years later, still a kid, I watched the movie again and managed to get through it without crying out of pure fear, but what stood out this time was how important the movie’s mother figure, Diane Weist‘s Lucy Emerson, was to the story and how much tension and terror the movie extracts from her as we watch one of her sons worry over her safety thinking she was dating a vampire. It left an impression. What if my mom got targeted by a vampire all of a sudden? Could I kill it on my own or did I need my own Frog Brothers to stake the bloodsucker?

It was easy to empathize with Lucy. She was a single parent moving in with her father at a time when her two kids were at their most rebellious in a new place she later learns is infested with vampires. She becomes a calming presence that could’ve helped more if her kids had let her in on the troubles of Santa Carla and the people they hung out with. One thing I admired was how brave she came off as in a place director Joel Schumacher went lengths to portray as dirty, dangerous, and forgotten. She was strong and she proved it in the final moments of the film, taking a decision for the sake of her family’s safety that jeopardized hers. All of this to say, Lucy Emerson was my first horror mom and she’s remained a favorite ever since.

It goes without saying by now, but my appreciation of horror, and The Lost Boys in particular, started getting nurtured the moment my mom decided to lightly traumatize me as a baby by taking me to the movies to see biker vampires on a big screen. So, in honor of the work mothers do from the moment we’re born, here’s a list of 5 horror movie moms that either scare, take care, or bring chaos to their kids. In other words, the kind of moms that keep steering future generations into horror.

Enjoy, and Happy (belated) Mother’s Day!

mother

1. Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil in The Exorcist (dir. William Friedkin, 1975)

As frightening as the possessed Regan MacNeil is, none of it would’ve worked to the extent it did if the audience couldn’t channel their horror through her mom. Ellen Burstyn made this possible with a spectacular performance as Chris MacNeil, a mom that embodied both the fear of living with a child tormented by something unfathomable and the strength that’s required to fight a battle that initially looked unwinnable.

Burstyn dug deep to portray a mother that had her entire reality flung out the window and yet still managed to hold out hope as a demon tore apart her kid from the inside. Her facial expressions should be studied by anyone interested in capturing what true fear looks like, but also what anger and frustration look like in a supernatural setting. Each one of Chris MacNeil’s screams is a gut punch that makes you reel, heightening the horror of the possession and the idea of what it means to share a household with a sinister entity hellbent on corrupting an innocent soul.

mother

2. Hitomi Kuroki as Yoshimi Matsubara in Dark Water (dir. Hideo Nakata, 2002)

Mothers have a strange and complicated relationship with child ghosts in horror. In movies where the mother is grieving the loss of a daughter, for instance, the ghost becomes a metaphor for loss and denial in the face of death.

In Hideo Nakata’s Dark Water, though, the connection becomes something different. The story’s mother character, Yoshimi Matsubara, isn’t mourning the loss of a child. She’s getting consumed by the fear of losing hers, all of which stems from the ghost of a little girl that died in the apartment building they live in.

Actress Hitomi Kuroki plays Yoshimi like a tragic beacon of light that lonely ghosts can find a mother in. Her performance captures both the terrors that motherhood brings to the fore and what being a parent represents in the grander scheme of things. Kuroki channels the energy of a haunted house in human form, reluctantly accepting her role despite the consequences of potentially becoming mom to a ghost.

mother

3. Essie Davis as Amelia in The Babadook (dir. Jennifer Kent, 2014)

Perhaps the most influential horror mom in recent times, Essie Davis’ Amelia landed on the scene with a force that reminded viewers how brutal the experience of motherhood can be. The Babadook runs on her intensity, on her up-close and uncomfortably personal pain.

Amelia is a single mom taking care of her high-energy kid, called Samuel. Her life has essentially halted, fully, just because Samuel and his behavior take up so much of her existence, every inch of it, in fact. When the titular demon comes into their home, it finds Amelia ripe for murderous possession.

Director Jennifer Kent managed to paint a rage-filled portrait of a mother that was dealt an extremely bad hand. Essie Davis leans into Amelia’s frustrations and makes a compelling argument against becoming a mom, but only in certain moments. At others, she manages to flip the horror of the Babadook to show how incredibly beautiful it can be to take care of a life you created.

Bates Motel

4. Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates in Bates Motel (TV series developed by Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano, 2013-2017)

I’m going to cheat here really quick and go for a horror TV series instead of a movie because this example is just too good, and it should be discussed more as a whole. Vera Farmiga’s interpretation of the iconic Norma Bates in Bates Motel is one of the most fascinating takes on the role in the history of the moms in horror.

The series modernizes the Norman Bates story by making the motel he shares with his mother part of a larger ecosystem and by having Norma be very much alive. Drugs, late night rendezvous, and dangerous relationships form in their place of business, and Norma has a hand in everything in one shape or another. And yet, nothing with her is predictable. She can turn a bad situation worse or offer comfort in times when those closest to her are in need.

What’s impressive is how the show interweaves outside influences with the peculiar intricacies of Norma’s relationship and outright manipulation of Norman. Farmiga switches with ease between scheming and selfish to loving and nurturing. She’s a source of torment one episode and a pillar of stability in another. She’s both what Norman needs as a mother and what he desperately needs to run away from. Farmiga puts on a show for the ages as Norma Bates. Her contribution to horror should not be overlooked.

huesera

5. Natalia Solán as Valeria in Huesera: The Bone Woman (dir. Michelle Garza Cervera, 2022)

A baby can be a terrifying thing, especially as it grows inside you. It can either be a great source of happiness or a force of existential oppression that can shatter a parent’s identity. Add the fear of some foreign entity shaping and corrupting the life you’re carrying and things can get scarier fast.

Michelle Garza Cervera’s Huesera indulges in this kind of fear, asking what a child is supposed to mean to a mother and whether they should submit to whatever the answer is. It places the mom-to-be, Natalia Solán’s Valeria, at the center of the story as a kind of victim of pregnancy, someone who went along with social expectations only to open the doors for something sinister to latch onto her baby.

Solán approaches Valeria as a ticking time bomb-type of character that suffers quietly at first, but is then forced to face the entity and the prospect of becoming a mother in the worst ways possible. Watching Valeria unravel is tough, but it comes with the development of a different point of view regarding a mother’s obligations and whether it’s okay to resist them. The very meaning of personal sacrifice is explored here, and it leads to an urgent question more people should ask themselves: is the parent’s life, their dreams and desires, less important than that of the child’s? The answer, Huesera would argue, is not so simple.

Logan’s Favorite Comics of 2022

Posted on by

If you’ve followed my writing this year, you can definitely tell that 2022 was the year I had serious issues keeping up with new comics even though I opened up my first pull list in six years (Shout out to Rick’s Comic City!) However, I still believe it’s the greatest storytelling medium, and the stray moments I had re-reading old favorites or finding new works were some of the best I had in 2022. I don’t really have the attention span to keep up with crossovers or sprawling shared universes any more, but I love my five issue minis or soft, queer OGNs.

So, without further ado, here are my ten favorite comics of 2022.

10. One-Star Squadron (DC)

Mark Russell and Steve Lieber’s One-Star Squadron follows a group of C and D-list superheroes who are part of an organization called Heroz4U that tries to help find heroes “meaningful” work whether that’s sales for the company, personal appearances, or even actual search and rescue work. The comic satirizes all aspects of modern employment culture, including corporate restructuring, gig work/side hustles, and the cavalier/cutthroat nature of hiring/laying off folks. NFTs and “girlboss culture” even come into play with the Russell’s take on Power Girl. There’s plenty of jokes and comedic beats and visuals from Lieber, but One-Star Squadron also has a strong emotional throughline in the relationship between Red Tornado and his employees as he tries to go to bat for characters like Minuteman and Gangbuster while trying to provide for his family and make the higher-ups at Heroz4U happy. One-Star Squadron is a must-read for fans of David Graeber’s Bullshit Jobs, r/antiwork, and obscure DC heroes.

9. Rockstar and Softboy (Image)

Rockstar and Softboy is a breezy, fun one-shot ode to queer friendship from cartoonist Sina Grace and also acts as his triumphant return to doing interior art. Even though they have completely opposite personalities, Rockstar and Softboy have a lovely friendship that survives the ups and downs of the increasingly surreal house party that is the main setpiece of the comic. Beneath the super sentai battles and dick jokes, Grace also explores the nature of creativity, collaboration, and friendship through his two lead characters as the real motivation for the house party is creating great music and video games as well as getting laid. Rockstar and Softboy is definitely one of the more fun and chaotic comics I read in 2022.

8. Sabretooth (Marvel)

As mentioned earlier, I’m a bit behind on the current X-books, but enjoyed a lot of what I read from them in 2022, including the first arcs of X-Men Red and Immortal X-Men. However, my favorite comic from that editorial group was the Sabretooth miniseries from Victor LaValle and Leonard Kirk. It’s basically Paradise Lost with Sabretooth playing the role of Milton’s Satan and trying to make a heaven of hell with his fellow Krakoans that were thrown in the Pit for various reasons. LaValle and Kirk fully explore the dark side of a utopian society and also provide social commentary on the prison system in the United States using various B and C-list mutants. Plus it ends on a killer sequel hook that enhances Victor Creed’s role in the X-books.

7. Doughnuts and Doom (Top Shelf)

Doughnuts and Doom is a (literally at times) sweet and magical queer romance graphic novel by cartoonist Balazs Lorinczi. It’s full of all the fun, relatable tropes like missed signals, enemies to lovers, and most importantly, slow burn with Lorinczi using most of the story to shape the relationship between witch/online potion seller Margot and musician/donut shop employee Elena. I also like how Lorinczi focuses on Margot and Elena’s lives outside their relationship, like Margot struggling to get her magic license, or Elena’s conflict with a local Visually, Doughnuts and Doom has a bubblegum punk aesthetics with plenty of pastels and spot blacks and different panel layouts any time magic, music, or romance happens that makes the comic even more immersive and heartwarming.

6. Spider-Punk (Marvel)

Spider-Verse denizen Hobie Brown aka Spider-Punk gets his first solo miniseries in five issues of anticapitalism, antifascism, antiracism, and head cracking from writer Cody Ziglar and artist Justin Mason. Ziglar and Mason’s passion for classic punk music shines in characters like a Devilock-sporting alternate version of Taskmaster, and they also create memorable riffs on other Marvel characters like Daredevil being a female punk drummer from Philadelphia or Captain America (Renamed Anarchy, of course) being a queer and indigenous man. Mason’s energetic art and Jim Charalamapidis’ colors create spectacular fight scenes as Hobie and his makeshift band cross the United States in a quest to take out the relatably fascist president of the United States. Spider-Punk shows that superhero comics can be subversive and call out the status quo while still being fun as hell, and it’s always interesting to see anti-corporate art being put out by one of the world’s biggest and most smothering corporations.

5. Joe Hill’s Rain (IDW)

Rain is a post-apocalyptic comic miniseries adapted from one of Joe Hill’s short stories in his 2017 Strange Weather collected and is scripted by David Booher with art by Zoe Thorogood. Though originally written years before the COVID-19 pandemic, it captures some of the feelings of fear, terror, and in some cases, coming together as found family of this time period as protagonist Honeysuckle tries to survive and eventually figure out why crystal nails are raining down from the sky. Rain is part road story, part tragic queer romance and a showcase for Thorogood’s skill at conveying character acting and emotions in life and death situations. Rain is definitely a dark read, but has several great moments where humanity shines even at the end of the world.

4. DC Pride 2022 (DC)

DC Pride 2022 was one of my favorite reads of this year, and the most memorable story in the volume was by the late Kevin Conroy and J. Bone that explores Conroy’s life as a gay man in the 1970s and 1980s, how he dealt with discrimination while trying to break into the acting business, and how getting the role of Batman in Batman: The Animated Series changes his life and the lives of millions of folks who enjoyed the show. In addition to this lovely short story, DC Pride 2022 serves as a showcase for interesting LGBTQ+ comic book characters, and more importantly, LGBTQ+ comics creators. There’s Jon Kent’s first Pride done in a beautiful (and sassy when Damian Wayne is involved) way by Devin Grayson and Nick Robles, a Jo Mullein story from Tini Howard and Evan Cagle that explores the nuances of bisexuality in a space detective story, an action-packed Connor Hawke story from Ro Stein and Ted Brandt that digs into his experience as an asexual man, and much more. These big Pride one-shots are starting to be a nice tradition from DC and hope they continue indefinitely.

3. Catwoman: Lonely City (DC)

Cliff Chiang writes, draws, colors, and letters the definitive Selina Kyle story in Catwoman: Lonely City, a Black Label miniseries that wrapped up in 2022. Catwoman: Lonely City is a touching, suspenseful story about legacy, resisting authoritarianism, and finding family in unexpected places that explores an aging Kyle pulling off one last heist in a Batman-less Gotham. It has a colorful cast of supporting characters from all over the DC Universe and is one of the most gorgeous books of 2022 with Chiang nailing everything from romantic banter between Catwoman and Riddler to a color palette that straddles neon and noir as well as some very acrobatic fight choreography. It’s truly the Catwoman book you can recommend to anyone who’s remotely interested in the character and is Cliff Chiang’s magnum opus up to this point.

2. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands (Drawn and Quarterly)

Ducks is a graphic memoir about cartoonist Kate Beaton’s (Of Hark! A Vagrant fame) experience working various jobs in the oil fields of Alberta to pay back her student loans from art school. Beaton doesn’t shy away from showing the difficult work conditions there and the terrible treatment of women, especially in the work camps and later explores how the oil fields affect the wild life and the indigenous people who originally owned the land. Ducks unpacks the trauma that comes from trying to make money under capitalism and being woman in a field where reports of untoward behavior and even sexual assault get a blind eye. All of this is done in Kate Beaton’s trademark cartooning that punctuates the difficult moments with bits of dark humor and insights into her upbringing in Cape Breton, Canada although she uses a more detailed style for establishing shots and the inner workings of the tool area she works at . Personally, I feel like I learned a lot more about other parts of Canada beyond Ontario and the Vancouver area, and that the country isn’t some kind of Great Northern utopia even though it feels like that some time living in a right to work state where healthcare is dependent on your employer.

1. It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth (Image)

Zoe Thorogood is easily one of the most exciting writer/artists working in comics, and her experimental, brutally honest graphic memoir It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth was my favorite comic of 2022. Thorogood effectively uses anthropomorphization to visually represent different parts of her personality as well as her friends and folks she comes in contact with throughout the memoir and gives an unfiltered look about how she feels about being a comic book artist, the response to her previous comic The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott, and her relationship with her friends, family, and an ex-lover. It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth can definitely be a difficult read at times, especially when Thorogood brings up her inability to connect with other people and negative self-talk. But it’s a masterpiece because it uses the tools and tricks of the comics medium and page to bring her inner world to life and ends with a powerful call to the reader that their existence matters as she dances in the streets of London to a nine panel grid.

Brett’s Favorite Comics of 2022 and a Reflection on the Past Year

Posted on by
Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

Much like 2021 and 2022, It feels weird writing a “best of” list for the past year since it’s been so difficult and so strange for so many. Comics, and entertainment as a whole, continued to be an escape from the rough reality of the previous year that was. Things struggled to get back to normal, whether you think it was too soon or not. There was some return to normality as comic conventions returned and movie blockbusters begin to populate screens. For me, I mostly stayed at home again venturing out very little, attending no conventions, and my one trip resulted in the exact result I expected… COVID. Maybe I explore things a bit more in 2023 but the reality is, things won’t ever be back to normal and enjoyment like conventions and movie theaters come with a risk. But, there’s still the escape of comics.

Comics have been exactly that for me as I myself remained mostly holed up at home, forgoing movie theaters and generally the public as a whole. 2022 saw me writing over 613 reviews and I read far more comics (probably closer to 700).

To pick one that stood out above all the rest doesn’t quite feel right as there was so much that was fun and entertaining.

The comic industry continued to shift in massive ways as creators continued to figured out new ways to become independent or were lured by the promise of big paydays by flashy new technology like NFTs. The end of the year looked so much different as numerous publishers revealed their financial struggles and the grift that is NFTs collapsed. Publishers got bought out and some struggled to stay open. Stores opened. Stores closed. Distribution continues to shift. The government even stepped in at one point in what would have had seismic repercussions for the comic and boo industry. The industry continues to be disrupted in many ways. Some ways for the better. Some for the worse. 2023 will likely continue to see this as more creators look to go directly to consumers.

Things shifted for everyone.

Publishers canceled projects, shifted schedules, and continued to look to go directly to the consumer themselves. Publishers faced distribution issues as ports backed up and then cleared up. The cost of doing business increased across the board. Creators looked for new ways to earn money and also go directly to the consumer.

Consumers and readers had more choices than ever before that made it easier to escape the world that at times felt like it was burning around them and find enjoyment in make-believe worlds where justice prevails in the end. It felt like there were more choices in comics to read and more choices in the types of comics to read.

In the end, 2022 looked like a mix of bleak and hope. There’s many challenges for the industry but also many more options for it to succeed. It feels so close to cracking a new model.

It feels weird doing this “best of” but at the same time I feel like I want to “honor” and spotlight the comics that got me through the year and had me excited to read the next issues. This is what I’ve read so if you don’t see something mentioned it’s not that I didn’t enjoy it, I just might not have read it. Sorry, I can’t read everything (there was a massive glut in webcomics but more manga for me).

All of these are listed in no particular order (hell it’ll probably just be in alphabetical). Enough with the rambling… lets get on with some comics!

The comics that had me excited in 2022 and have me excited for 2023. There’s so many more I could probably add to the list that I enjoyed but this is what really stood out as the ones that stuck with me through the year and beyond.

  • 007 (Dynamite Entertainment) – James Bond returned with a brand new series that felt like a solid return of the character. A straight forward story that leaves readers not knowing who to trust, it’s a Bond story fans will appreciate it and enjoy.
  • Accidental Czar: The Life and Lies of Vladimir Putin (First Second) – The graphic novel is a fantastic exploration of Putin’s rise to power. But, it’s the admission of failures of those who engaged him that makes it feel like an honest recounting of history.
  • Blue, Barry & Pancakes (First Second) – We got multiple volumes of this graphic novel series for kids and each was a lot of fun. It’s hard to not read these and walk away with a smile if you’re kid or an adult.
  • The Boxer (Yen Press) – The first volume was an interesting one that left us questioning who the real center of the story was as it bounced around three kids and their boxing ability.
  • Bunnicula: The Graphic Novel (Atheneum Books for Young Readers) – A graphic novel adaptation of the classic book. It took us right back to our childhood. We hope we get more in the series. Nostalgia for adults and fun for kids.
  • A Calculated Man (AfterShock) – A man brilliant at math as turned witness against the mob and uses his ability in math to take out the mobsters who are after him. There’s a Rube Goldberg aspect to the series that keeps it entertaining.
  • DC vs. Vampires (DC Comics) – Each issue and its spin-offs kept us on our toes guessing who was next to get turned, who was going to die, and how the heroes might win. By the end, we want more in this world.
  • Devil’s Reign (Marvel) – One of Marvel’s best events in some time. The story kept things focused and tight as the heroes had to deal with Wilson Fisk’s reelection attempt and his tightening grip on New York City. This was an example of less is more.
  • Do a Powerbomb (Image Comics) – Wrestling in comics is back in vogue but this series stands out for it’s amazing art as well as the fantastic family drama.
  • Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands (Drawn & Quarterly) – Kate Beaton shines a light on her difficult time working in the Alberta tar sands. At times a tough read, it’s educational in so many ways.
  • Eight Billion Genies (Image Comics) – The series has succeeded by keeping things focused. With a concept where everyone on the planet gets a wish, the series has generally kept it tight on a small group of survivors and how they deal with the insanity that spins out of it all.
  • Fist of the North Star (VIZ Media) – The classic series continued its reprints in a beautiful hardcover. If you’ve never read this “kung-fu Mad Max”, this is a perfect edition to pick up.
  • GCPD: The Blue Wall (DC Comics) – John Ridley delivers an interesting take on the Gotham police department with a focus on three rookies as Commissioner Montoya. There’s been highs and lows as Ridley continues to show how muddied reality is.
  • Ginseng Roots (Uncivilized Books) – The release schedule was erratic but Craig Thompson’s autobiography about his growing up around ginseng and the world of its farming has been eye opening and education. Add in beautiful art and Thompson continued to show off his talents.
  • Hakim’s Odyssey (Dead Reckoning) – What does it mean to be a refugee? This series wrapped up its final two volumes in 2022 chronicling Hakim’s journey from Syria to safety. It’s hard to read this series and not come away with wanting to see how we treat refugees and immigration changed.
  • I’m a Terminal Cancer Patient But I’m Fine (Seven Seas Entertainment) – Hilnama’s autobiography about her struggle with colon cancer. The graphic novel is not as sad and ominous as the title would seem, instead it’s full of humor and tips. Sadly, Hilnama passed away not long after the manga’s release.
  • Justice Warriors (AHOY Comics) – Fantastic satire that skewers policing, politicians, celebrity, consumerism, and society as a whole.
  • Let’s Go Karaoke (Yen Press) – A mobster needs a kid’s help to get good at karaoke. It’s such a bizarre concept but a lot of fun.
  • Maniac of New York: The Bronx is Burning (AfterShock) – I’m not the biggest horror fan but love this series. In between all of the kills, there’s some smart commentary within, just like horror should.
  • Metal Society (Image Comics) – In this future, robots rule. Humans are grown to do menial tasks for them but eventually the want of choice and freedom rises leading to a mixed martial arts battle between two warriors. The action packed comic had solid themes underneath and interesting discussions within.
  • Neverlanders (Razorbill) – A new take on the story of Peter Pan, the graphic novel took us the Neverland and by the end I wanted to see what other adventures awaited. Great art, solid action, colors that popped, and fantastic characters and twists. I want more adventures in the magical world.
  • Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball (First Second) – I’m a big fan of pinball and this graphic novel not only goes through the history of the game but also some of the nuances about the game itself showing it’s far more than just pushing buttons to hit a ball.
  • Plush (Image Comics) – Two issues were released in 2022 and they were bonkers. Cannibal furries. Nuff said.
  • Radical: My Year With a Socialist Senator (IDW Publishing/Top Shelf) – The graphic novel followed an election and first year of a “radical” elected official in New York State. It’s an eye-opening look at the reality of politics.
  • Rooster Fighter (VIZ Media) – The concept might seem silly, a rooster fighting kaiju/demons, but it works so well. The series is a solid ronin/western type story with hero of little words attempting to defeat villains and save the locals. By playing it straight and serious, the series nails it.
  • Smahtguy: The Life and Times of Barney Frank (Metropolitan Books) – The biography of Barney Frank is touching and at times heartbreaking as it focuses on the firebrand politician who had no problem taking on the establishment while he struggled with his sexuality.
  • So What’s Wrong With Getting Reborn as a Goblin? Vol. 1 (Yen Press) – The debut volume was a nice take on the “reincarnation in a different world genre”. What stood out was it’s spin that focused on using intelligence to build society instead of the usual leveling up through battle we see.
  • Solo Leveling (Yen Press) – The series keeps getting better with some fantastic action, nice ominous teasing, and amazing art with colors that pop. It’s such a fun spin on the dungeon crawler genre and the series feels like it has spun out it’s own imitators.
  • A Vicious Circle (BOOM! Studios) – While we only got the debut issue, the time travel story kept things entertaining but it was the art that made our jaw drop. We immediately wanted more and can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store.
  • Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons (DC Comics) – The first issue debuted at the end of 2021 and made the list and we got the final two issues in 2022. While it was a four month, then eight month gap, it was well worth it as each featured an engaging story and career defining artwork.

Underrated: The Best Comics of 2021

Posted on by

This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: the Best Comics of 2021 .

I didn’t do a Best Of List for 2021 because I thought my sampling of comics wasn’t as wide as it had been in years past because I’d been reading a lot more graphic novels and books than I had been typical comics. While this is a fantastic way to catch an entire story in one go – or a few if you’re reading one of Marvel’s Epic Collections that contains comics from the 60’s and early 70’s – it did mean that I typically wouldn’t pick up a floppy comic before either my current book or tpb I had on the go.

But as I was filing away the books I had read this year, I realized I’d still read more than I expected – and as luck would have it, almost all of the books I’d enjoyed the most weren’t from the Big Two (Daredevil being a notable exception to that), and so here we are at an Underrated Best of 2021 list. I didn’t realize until I’d made the list that for the most part there’s only one book from each publisher – that wasn’t intentional, unlike me choosing to avoid a traditional top five/ten, just a happy coincidence.

By The Horns (Scout) Markisan Naso, Jason Muhr and Andrei Tabacaru aren’t one of the more well known creative teams in comics, but they’re certainly one of the best. By The Horns is a story set in a lusciously vibrant fantasy world with technology not unlike what you’d see in the Star Wars franchise. It’s a beautifully illustrated and written series that should be on every person’s pull list.

This series was hands down one of the very best from 2021 from any publisher. For my money, only Daredevil came close to matching the excitement I had to read each issue. Easily the best of the year.

Shadowman (Valiant) Valiant have had some ups and downs this year, but the unequalled high point for the publisher was this book from Cullen Bunn and Jon Davis Hunt. In what is probably my favourite take on the character, we get four issues that are essentially stand alone comics with an overarching theme. It’s a brilliant story so far, and one that leads into what’s promising to be an epic event in the Valiant universe.

Once And Future (Boom) It’s almost cheating to include this given the buzz that surrounds the comic on a consistent basis, but here we are. Once And Future brings fairytales, myths and legends from Europe into a more modern setting. The series has been consistently brilliant with the stakes escalating in an organic and believable way – there’s no out of the blue or unexpected twist when it comes to villains, but rather a genuine progression from where the series has progressed from the first issue to the current. Keiran Gillen, Dan Mora and Tamra Bonvillain have never produced any less than a good comic book month after month.

Wrong Earth: Night and Day (Ahoy) The best way to describe the premise of Wrong Earth is that the Batman from the 1960’s TV show switched places with Ben Affleck’s version of Batman; one, an idealistic man with gadgets not unlike the Bat-Shark Repellant, and the other, a vigilante who’s far more violent (and deadly) in his approach. The two men have to adapt and survive in the other’s world, and the actions they take are often hilarious. The series takes jabs at the innocence of the Silver Age and the grimdark comics we have now all while extolling the virtues of each. You’ll come away from the series on a meta level even more confused about why one era is more beloved than the other, but there’s no doubt about the fact that what you’ve read is absolutely top tier stuff.

Two Moons (Image) A supernatural comic set in the late 1800’s staring a Native American soldier in the titular role, the series deals with identity, the erasure of native culture and the freedom of self. It’s dark, atmospheric stuff, but it was the sleeper hit of the year for me because I picked the series up in one chunk based on the cover art more than anything having completely missed anything to do with the solicitations.

Eniac (Bad Idea) Bad Idea have been an interesting experiment. The publisher has had so many off the wall ideas when it comes to marketing, appealing to fans and even releasing their books into stores. So much so, that the quality of the books is often overlooked when it comes to the discussion of the publisher. I haven’t read a bad comic from Bad Idea yet, but the best of the bunch has remained the very first series to be released. A tale about an evil computer that has decided to take the world into a peaceful direction… at any cost. If you can find the issues for a reasonable price, it’s worth checking out.

Home (Image) A story about a mother and son being separated at the border as they try to find a better life in the states, the first issue was utterly heart breaking. I had no expectation of what would follow, and so as the book’s world expands and we see how the son is part of a legacy of people with powers, the book becomes a coming of age tale with the protagonist constantly on the run from immigration enforcement. Maybe the book impacted me because I am an immigrant (albeit with a much different story), but Home is a comic that everyone should read.

Join us next week where there will doubtless be another movie, series, comic or comic related thing discussed that is, for whatever reason, Underrated.

The Best Comics of 2021

Posted on by

2021 was another strange year for the comic industry which saw a lot of changes in almost too many ways to count.

But, despite all of those changes, there were some amazing comics released.

Here’s 10 that stood out to me from the year.

The full list of everything that stood out from the year!

Graphic Policy’s team’s “best of” lists!

The 10 from the video:

Blue, Barry & Pancakes (First Second)
Story/Art: Daniel Rajai Abdo, Jason Linwood Patterson

Glamorella’s Daughter (Literati Press)
Concept: Jerry Bennett Story: Charles J. Martin
Art: Jerry Bennett Letterer: Charles J. Martin Sensitivity Editor: Brandy Williams

BRZRKR (BOOM! Studios)
Story: Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt Art: Ron Garney
Color: Bill Crabtree Letterer: Clem Robins

Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? (Albatross Funnybooks)
Story: Harold Schechter, Eric Powell Art: Eric Powell

The Other History of the DC Universe (DC Comics)
Story: John Ridley Layouts: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Finishes: Andrea Cucchi Color: José Villarrubia Letterer: Steve Wands

Robin & Batman (DC Comics)
Story: Jeff Lemire Art: Dustin Nguyen
Color: Dustin Nguyen Letterer: Steve Wands

The Recount (Scout Comics)
Story: Jonathan Hedrick Art: Joe Bocardo
Color: Sunil Ghagre Letterer: Christian Docolomansky

Shadow Doctor (AfterShock)
Story: Peter Calloway Art: George Jeanty
Color: Juancho! Letterer/Backmatter: Charles Pritchett

Solo Leveling (Yen Press)
Original Story: Chugong Translation: Hye Young Im
Rewrite: J. Torres Letterer: Abigail Blackman

Stray Dogs (Image Comics)
Story: Tony Fleecs Art: Trish Forstner
Color: Brad Simpson Layouts: Tone Rodrigeuz, Chris Burnham Flatter: Lauren Perry

We Were Scared: Horror in the year 2021

Posted on by

I’m not one to look back on a year and say the horror produced in it was a reflection of how bad things were. Every year finds its sources of fear, be it war or global pandemics or even economic strife. There’s no shortage of things that inspire terror.

What’s been a constant throughout time is how we turn to stories to work through our collective fears. This year saw no shortage of them, and so we recognize them.

Ahead you’ll find a list of horror across media that stands as some of the most impressive, surprising, disturbing, and downright scary that came out in 2021. It’s not meant to be a comprehensive or a definitive list nor is it in any particular order. It’s a look at the stories that got us to confront the horrors of everyday life, for that is what horror does best: create monsters and specters to helps us sift through the madness of reality. Oh, and it’s entirely subjective, as every list is.

Without further ado, the list for some of the most compelling things in horror in 2021.

1. Resident Evil 8: Village (PS/Xbox/PC/Stadia)

The Resident Evil franchise went through a legitimate transformation with the arrival of RE7, the entry that shifted from the third-person perspective into the first-person. It got the series to reconsider the places it could extract fear from. RE8 builds upon this by taking a more action-heavy approach, but like the classic Resident Evil 4 before it, the faster pace allowed the game to be infused with a more violent and visceral sense of horror, turning each encounter into a nerve-shattering experience. We once again follow Ethan Winters as his family drama extends into a village bursting at the seams with grotesque creatures and insidious conspiracies. The new werewolf villagers Ethan faces are superbly designed and they carry themselves with the same degree of doom and maliciousness as The Ganado did in RE4, but deadlier. It’s one of the best horror games in recent years and it foretells of an indulgingly dark and exciting future for the franchise.

2. Red Room (Fantagraphics)

Ed Piskor has the most macabre and twisted book to have come out in recent years in comics, period. Red Room is not for the faint of heart. It’s for those who don’t mind watching cruel individuals tearing those hearts out. The comic centers on an on-going dark web streaming show, supported by cryptocurrency, called The Red Room where serial killers dismember, disembowel, torture, and kill in the most creative ways imaginable, building a fanbase in the process. The more gruesome the kill, the more crypto tips the killer gets. In a sense, it’s a story about the depravity of creativity in things considered evil, but it’s also about how dangerous something like the dark web can be and how crypto figures into something like this. Piskor said he didn’t base the story on an actual red room-like website he knows about, but that he wouldn’t be surprised if such a place already exists. The thought of that alone is frightening enough and the comic pulls on the same strings. There’s nothing like Red Room on the stands. Nothing.

3. The Night House (TSG Entertainment/Dir. by David Bruckner)

Some of the best horror movies manage to find that well-worn formulas never truly reach a point in which everything is said and done with them. The Night House is one such movie. Beth (played by Rebecca Hall) is dealing with the sudden and unexpected death of her husband, a man whose departure hints at something darker lurking in his backstory. Beth notices her lake house is behaving strangely, possibly haunted, and that her husband might be back for a visit. The movie excels at making the house seem labyrinthian, a place where memories are dangerous and the architecture itself contains hidden images if looked at from certain angles. Rebecca Hall plays Beth with a sense of sadness and anger that sets her apart from the usual haunted protagonist, more of an active participant in her grief rather than a victim to it. All of the elements of a haunted house story are also there, but then the movie pushes every expectation down a different route to come out the other end as a more disquieting experience. It deserves to be talked about more.

4. Evil Dead Trap (Unearthed Classics 2021 Blu-Ray edition, originally released in 1988)

Okay, I’m cheating a bit on this one—being that it’s the Blu-Ray edition of a Japanese giallo-inspired horror movie from 1988—but that Unearthed Classics restored this gem and made it available for gore hounds in 2021 was one of the year’s most pleasant surprises. Evil Dead Trap follows a TV reporter that sets off with her team to an abandoned factory where a mysterious snuff filmed was shot. As they search for answers, the video’s creator starts in on the killing, one team member at a time. The movie’s director, Toshiharu Ikeda, who started out in the industry directing pink films (movies with risqué or explicit sexual content), takes a lot of inspiration from the Italian slasher genre and manages to craft some truly memorable death scenes. Unlike giallo films, though, Evil Dead Trap opts to pay more attention to story and character motivations. It all adds up to a brutal experience that’s unafraid to go far beyond concept to push the envelope on genre conventions.

5. Two Moons (Image Comics)

Given the controversies surrounding anything related to the American Civil War in today’s political climate, I found John Arcudi and Valerio Giangiordano’s Two Moons to be quite the surprise. It’s a Civil War horror comic about a Pawnee soldier fighting for the North and the procession of creatures and monsters that he meets along the way. Whether these beings are real or imagined is part of the story’s mysteries, but what’s certain is that Giangiordano’s designs are nightmarish and worthy of mention. Arcudi treats the subject matter in a very clever way, avoiding moralistic pitfalls for a more complex narrative that explores hatred, myth, and the types of violence war inspires. It’s an impressive example of horror storytelling.

Midnight Mass

6. Midnight Mass (Netflix, dir. by Mike Flanagan)

Religion and horror together is like a highly dysfunctional marriage that still manages to work. It gets at the root of some of the darkest aspects of faith and how people try to keep it even when that darkness starts seeping through. Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass is precisely about that, but then it also throws a terrifying creature into the mix. The story follows a small town with a waning sense of religious devotion with a few key personalities ready to turn that around. In comes a new priest that holds a terrible secret that he thinks comes with good intentions but is actually entirely the opposite. Hamish Linklater as Father Paul Hill keeps the tension on a razors edge, going from approachable spiritual guide to fire and brimstone orator. The promise of hope and salvation religion provides proves to be dangerous when it asks for blind devotion and Flanagan makes sure the sentiment comes across without it being overbearing. It’s thought-provoking horror with a creature that will haunt you long after you’re done with it.

7. Nothing But Blackened Teeth (Tor Nightfire)

Cassandra Khaw’s Nothing But Blackened Teeth finds that haunted houses and destination weddings are pure horror gold, especially when the house is a Heian-era Japanese mansion with the bones of a dead bride in it. A group of thrill-seekers make their way to a mansion for their friends’ wedding and very quickly discover the ghosts that inhabit it like to torture their victims by bringing their past mistakes and personal misgivings come to the fore. Each character is confronted with themselves all the while a bride with black teeth roams the halls of the mansion. For such a short novel, the narrative feels dense and quite heavy tone-wise, but never to its detriment. Khaw gives readers enough information to get them acquainted with cast so that the haunting hits harder with each twist and turn. The book also invites repeated reading as it reveals layers upon layers of meaning the more time you spend between its tight and superbly crafted sentences. Truly a standout book you’ll want to keep on your permanent collection.

8. Magic: The Gathering- Innistrad Midnight Hunt/Crimson Vow (Wizards of the Coast)

MTG has had an impressive set of expansions in recent years despite the hardships of running a competitive card game during a global pandemic. Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Crimson Vow stand as two of its best, both parts of a whole centered on werewolves (Midnight Hunt) and vampires (Crimson Vow). Wizards of the Coast made a great decision in bringing back the day/night cycle for its werewolf cards, which allows for dual-identity creatures on double-sided cards. They play differently based on whether the sun is out or the full moon is up. The mechanic is simple and fair and adds another layer of strategy that directly affects deck building in surprising ways. Crimson Vow is set in a decadent vampire wedding and its spells are based on that concept. Zombie waiters and vampiric guests of honor grace its cards, giving the game a touch of celebratory gruesomeness that’s also playful with its elements. The day and night cycle doesn’t impact the vampires as much is it does the werewolves, but they complement each other well and make for a very story-driven affair. The Crimson Vow bundle comes with a collectible invitation to the wedding that is worth the price of it alone.

9. The Nice House on the Lake (DC Black Label)

James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno’s The Nice House on the Lake is set to become one of the best horror comics of the decade. No surprise, then, that it makes the list. The story unravels like an apocalyptic puzzle box horror mystery with an exceptional cast of characters and an overall visual design that gives everything a hazy vibe not unlike the kind found in dreams. An odd man called Walter brings a select group of friends to a very well-stocked house that’s just outside the fiery apocalypse’s reach. Each entry in the series peels back a few layers, but what they really like to sink their teeth into is individual backstories that explain how each person made it to the house and how Walter figures into their lives. Each character houses volumes of story and not one reveal is wasted as their personalities clash and lean on each other as they try to figure out what’s going on. This year saw the first half of the series run its course, making 2022 the year we finally get to see what the nice house on the lake truly is.

10. The Amusement Park (Communicator’s Pittsburg, dir. by George Romero)

George Romero left behind a vast collection of scripts, posters, props, and unreleased movies when he passed away back in 2017. It’s so extensive, in fact, that the George A. Romero Foundation (who possess the majority of the legendary filmmaker’s collection) is still uncovering new material. Back in 2018, the GARF discovered a feature-length film called The Amusement Park, a movie about how people treat their older population and how they get left behind and forgotten. It’s presented in a kind of surrealist way that leans on psychological horror as we witness the mistreatment of older folk in a strange amusement park that is not only indifferent to them but also hostile. The movie has a dystopic feel to it that isn’t all-encompassing. Instead, it’s an imposed way of life dictated by age. The older you get, the more life starts to resemble a dystopia. It hits hard and there’s a sadness coursing through it that separates it from the traditional psychological horror fare. The iconic horror elements Romero is known for make it into the film in a variety of ways, especially in terms of how regular people can become monsters. It’s necessary viewing and I hope it continues to promote discussion.

And there you have it, a look at what Horror was in 2021. Here’s to making monsters out of the things 2022 will definitely give us to scream at, and then confront them.

Logan’s Favorite Comics of 2021

Posted on by

Even though it was a shitty year overall, I found some great comics to enjoy in 2021, both old and new. Beginning with its “Future State” event, DC easily shot up to become my favorite mainstream publisher thanks to its renewed focus on different visual styles instead of a Jim Lee-esque art style and its emphasis on LGBTQ+ characters even after Pride Month. Vault and Image continued to be the homes of both my favorite creators and SF stories, and AWA, Dark Horse and even Black Mask and Archie had titles that surprised me even if they didn’t make the cut on this list. Finally, continuing a trend that I jumped on in 2020, I continued to read or revisit classic comics (Both old and new) in 2021, like Copra, Invincible, The Umbrella Academy, Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing, Wonder Woman: True Amazon, The Invisibles, Peter Milligan and Mike Allred’s X-Force, Hawkeye, and Black Bolt among others.

So, without further ado, here are my ten favorite comics of 2021

10. Alice in Leatherland (Black Mask)

Alice in Leatherland is a wholesome, sexy, and hyper-stylized slice of life romance comic from the creative team of Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli. The book is about Alice, a children’s book writer, who leaves her small town for San Francisco when her girlfriend cheats on her and captures the fear and adrenaline of taking a big step in your life. The series explores sex and love through an expansive cast of LGBTQ+ characters that I wanted to spend more than five issues with. Romboli uses fairy tale style visuals as a metaphor to examine Alice’s feelings and self-growth throughout the series, and she excels at depicting both the hilarious and erotic. Alice in Leatherland is an emotional, funny read with well-developed queer characters and made me immediately add Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli to the list of creators I’ll read anything by.

9. The Autumnal (Vault)

The Autumnal by Daniel Kraus, Chris Shehan, and Jason Wordie was the most unsettling comic I read in 2021. The book follows Kat Somerville and her daughter Sybil as they leave Chicago for the town of Comfort Notch, New Hampshire. However, this town isn’t a rural oasis, but incredibly creepy. Kraus’ script unravels the foundation of blood that the town is built on while Shehan and Wordie create tension with the fall of the leaf or a crackle of a branch. I also love how fleshed out Kat is as she deals with being an outsider in what turns out to be an unfriendly space with her parenting style and approach to life being critiqued by her neighbors. Finally, The Autumnal is the finest of slow burns beginning with NIMBY/Karen-like behavior and then going full-on death cult. It’s a must read for anyone who has lived or experienced a place where time seems to stand still, or who thinks a NextDoor app post could be the basis of a good horror story.

8. The Joker (DC)

Contrary to its title, James Tynion, Guillem March, Steffano Rafaele, Arif Prianto, and others’ The Joker isn’t a comic looking at the Clown Prince of Crime’s inner psyche, but is a globe-trotting P.I. type story featuring Jim Gordon trying to capture the Joker for some folks that looks shadier and shadier as the story progresses. Tynion and (predominantly) March show the effect Joker has had on Gordon’s life and his family while also showing him discover himself outside the bounds of Gotham and its police department. As the series progresses, The Joker shows the impact that Batman and his rogue’s gallery have had on the rest of the world, and the ways governments, intelligence agencies, and more nefarious organizations deal with threats of their ilk. Along with a crime novel set in present time, James Tynion, Matthew Rosenberg, and the virtuosic Francesco Francavilla created several flashback comics showing the development of Jim Gordon’s relationship with the Joker over the years, and how it effected his family life and career almost acting as a “Year One” for Gordon as Francavilla’s art style shifts based on the era the story is set in. Plus most issues of Joker feature colorful backup stories with Harper Row trying to bring Joker’s newest ally Punchline to justice in and out of prison from Tynion, Sam Johns, Sweeney Boo, Rosi Kampe, and others.

7. Kane and Able (Image)

Kane and Able is a dual-cartoonist anthology featuring work by British cartoonists Shaky Kane and Krent Able. Kane’s stories flow together in a Jack Kirby-meets-David Lynch kind of way blurring the lines between fiction and metafiction, reality and unreality while also acting as an opportunity for him to draw cool things like dinosaurs, space women, aliens, the King of Comics, and even himself. Able’s stories have more of a grindhouse, body horror quality to him as a chainsaw-wielding Bear Fur battles a boom box wielding cockroach woman, who flesh bonds everyone in a listless, major city. Both creators have delightful, distinctive styles and put their own spin on genres like sci-fi, exploitation, and superhero. Kane and Able is free-flowing, clever, and most of all, fun and is tailor made for the larger page format of treasury editions.

6. Static Season One (DC/Milestone)

As far as pure visuals go, Static Season One by Vita Ayala, Nikolas Draper-Ivey, and ChrisCross was easily one of the best looking books on the stands in 2021. This was in addition to reinventing the iconic Black superhero through the lens of contemporary social movements, like Black Lives Matter and protests against police brutality in summer of 2020. Static Season One doesn’t merely pay homage to the classic Milestone series, but brings it into 2021 with fight sequences straight out of the best shonen manga and a three dimensional supporting cast that holistically explore the Black experience in the United States while also being a coming of age and superhero origin tale. Draper-Ivey’s character designs are sleek as hell, and his high energy approach to color palette adds intensity to fight and chase scenes. I’m excited to see what the talented creative duo of Ayala and Nikolas Draper-Ivey bring to Static’s journey as Season One wraps up and Season Two (hopefully) begins in 2022.

5. Renegade Rule (Dark Horse)

Renegade Rule is an original graphic novel from Ben Kahn, Rachel Silverstein, and Sam Beck that is a perfect fusion of a sports manga and a queer romance story set in the world of competitive video games. Even if you’re like me and have only attempted to play Overwatch a single time, Renegade Rule and its world are quite accessible via things like hypercompetitiveness, sexual tension, and breathtaking fight choreography. The in-game sequences are almost like musical numbers and use shooting, sniping, and various acrobatics to make characters’ unspoken thoughts real. Renegade Rule is like if your favorite sports movie and romantic comedy had a gay baby who loved kicking ass at video games, and I pumped my fist every time the Manhattan Mist overcame adversity or overwhelming odds and smiled when certain characters ended up with each other…

4. Echolands (Image)

After a four year absence from interior art, co-writer/artist J.H. Williams III didn’t mess around with Echolands, a love letter to both genre fiction and double page spreads. Done in collaboration with co-writer Haden Blackman and colorist Dave Stewart, Echolands is an epic fantasy quest loaded up with all kinds of genres and art styles leaking off the page and was one of the most immersive comics I read in 2021. It has a sprawling cast and world, but Blackman and Williams know when to slow down and dig into Hope Redhood and her allies and antagonists’ motivations and when to drop in a multi-page underwater or underground chase sequence. With its unique landscape layouts and all the details in J.H. Williams and Stewart’s visuals, Echolands is definitely a book worth picking up in physical format and has backmatter that both humorously and seriously adds to the worldbuilding.

3. DC Pride (DC)

In honor of Pride Month, DC Comics put some of its most talented LGBTQ+ creators on its most iconic LGBTQ+ characters in a super-sized celebration of overcoming adversity, being yourself, and loving whoever you want to love. DC Pride covered a spectrum of sexual and gender identities from a fast-paced date night story featuring the non-binary Flash, Jess Chambers, to James Tynion and Trung Le Nguyen’s fairy tale influenced story of Batwoman’s younger days and even the first appearance of transgender superhero Dreamer (From the Supergirl TV show) in the comics. Depending on the character or creative team, the different stories could be adventurous and flirtatious, heartfelt and emotional, or a bit of both. This book shows that superhero comics have come a long way since the stereotypes of the 1980s and 1990s, but there’s still room for improvement as many of the characters featured in this anthology are relegated to backup stories or are supporting cast members of cisgender, heterosexual heroes.

2. Barbalien: Red Planet (Dark Horse)

Barbalien: Red Planet is a masterfully crafted, queer rage infused superhero/sci-fi comic from Jeff Lemire, Tate Brombal, Gabriel Walta, and Jordie Bellaire. It understands subtext is for cowards and draws parallels between Barbalien coming out as gay and a Martian with his new friend/potential lover Miguel, who is a Latino activist fighting for the US government to do something about the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. Barbalien: Red Planet pays homage to the Black and Latinx activists who fought for queer liberation and is also an emotionally honest character study for Barbalien, who is easily my favorite character in the Black Hammer universe. Lemire, Brombal, and Walta use the superhero and sword and planet genres to explore the conflict between queer folks and power structures as Barbalien struggles with trying to fit into Spiral City as a white cop or being his true, gay Martian self. And to get personal for a second, Barbalien: Red Planet inspired me to speak out against my city’s Pride organization’s open support of police even though it led to me resigning as chairperson of my work’s LGBTQ+ employee affinity group. It’s both a damn good superhero book and a story that had a huge impact on my life in 2020-2021.

1. Die (Image)

My favorite comic of 2021 was Die by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans that wrapped up with the mother of all quest arcs. But beyond having cool fantasy landscapes and wrapping up each party member’s arc, Die nailed the importance of stories, whether games, comics, films, prose, TV shows etc., to change how we view and interact with the world in both a heightened and realistic manner. Most of the realism came in Die #20 where the main characters escape the world of the game into our reality with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing and have emotional reunions with loved ones or just hang out by themselves. However, the final arc of Die also is full of existential nightmares courtesy of Hans’ visuals as well as awakenings and self-realization, especially in Die #19 where Ash comes out as non-binary and discusses how games and fiction shaped their identity. The final issues of Die is a double-edged look at the power of narrative and games to shape us done in both glorious and surprisingly intimate fashion, and I felt I really knew Ash, Matt, Angela, Isabelle, Matt, Chuck, and Sol in the end.

Honorable Mentions: Casual Fling (AWA), Nightwing (DC), Made in Korea (Image), Barbaric (Vault), Superman and the Authority (DC), Catwoman: Lonely City (DC/Black Label)

Brett’s Favorite Comics of 2021 and a Reflection on the Past Year

Posted on by
The Recount #1

Much like 2021, It feels weird writing a “best of” list for the past year since it’s been so difficult for so many. Comics, and entertainment as a whole, continued to be an escape from the rough reality of the year that was. Things struggled to get back to normal, whether you think it was too soon or not.

Comics have been an escape for me as I myself remained holed up at home, forgoing movie theaters and generally the public as a whole.

To pick one that stood out above all the rest doesn’t quite feel right as there was so much that was fun and entertaining.

The comic industry continued to shift in massive ways as creators figured out new ways to become independent or were lured by the promise of big paydays by venture capital. Publishers got bought out and some struggled to stay open. Stores opened. Stores closed. Distribution continues to shift. The industry continues to be disrupted in many ways. Some ways for the better. Some for the worse.

Things shifted for everyone.

Publishers canceled projects, shifted schedules, and continued to look to go directly to the consumer. Publishers faced distribution issues as ports backedd up and printing issues as paper became scarce. Creators looked for new ways to earn money and also go directly to the consumer. Consumers had more choices than ever before that made it easier to escape the world burning around them and find enjoyment in make-believe worlds where justice prevails in the end.

In the end, though 2021 continued to look bleak, it left the comic industry as a whole stronger than ever before with many challenges ahead and many answers yet to come.

It feels weird doing this “best of” but at the same time I feel like I want to “honor” and spotlight the comics that got me through the year and had me excited to read the next issues. This is what I’ve read so if you don’t see something mentioned it’s not that I didn’t enjoy it, I just might not have read it. Sorry, I can’t read everything (there was a massive glut in webcomics but more manga for me).

All of these are listed in no particular order (hell it’ll probably just be in alphabetical). Enough with the rambling… lets get on with some comics!

The comics that had me excited in 2021 and have me excited for 2022. It turns out maybe I enjoy horror more than I know?

  • Barbaric (Vault Comics) – The series caught me off guard with a classic fantasy barbarian story with a twist. I don’t want to go into it too much but if you haven’t read this one, definitely check it out. I can’t wait for more to come.
  • Black Panther (Marvel) – John Ridley taking over Black Panther, nuff said. The series has grounded the character in political paranoia and assassination attempts on undercover agents.
  • Blue, Barry & Pancakes (First Second) – I’ve been loving the releases focused on kids and this series about a trio of friends is one I enjoy reading each release over and over with my daughter. They’re goofy fun.
  • BRZRKR (BOOM! Studios) – I’ll admit I went into this series rolling my eyes as it felt like a pitch for a movie/television series for Keanu Reeves. But, while the series has a lot of action its focus on its main character of B and what makes him tick has been a welcome surprise. It’s surprisingly deep and more about the character than the action.
  • Dark Ages (Marvel) – In a year with so many “alternate takes” on classic characters this one of a world where technology is nerfed and the heroes and villains must bring it together is an interesting one. Here’s hoping we get more of these stand-alone miniseries from Marvel as this works so well.
  • DC vs. Vampires (DC Comics) – The premise of vampires rising up and attacking the DC Universe sounds simple enough. But, the series so far has eschewed simple fights instead going for paranoia where you don’t know who is a vampire and who will get killed.
  • Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? (Albatross Funnybooks) – The true story about Eddie Gein is haunting with art that walks the line of crossing over to gross out levels.
  • Fear State (DC Comics) – I wasn’t the biggest fan of the start of James Tynion IV’s run on Batman but when “Fear State” got rolling things quickly shifted. The story was intense and did an amazing job of folding in “Future State” as well. Speaking of which…
  • Fist of the North Star (VIZ Media) – The classic manga is back and being reprinted in beautiful hardback versions as part of VIZ Signature. Yeah, it’s martial arts Mad Max but it’s so good.
  • Future State (DC Comics) – A two-month event that took us to a possible future DC, the comics were mostly great with the glimpses of the future being used when the series returned. It was a great use of an event to breathe new life into a line and drive the narrative for months to come.
  • Glamorella’s Daughter (Literati Press) – A fun series about the daughter of the world’s superhero that has such a great sense of itself with great humor and fun characters.
  • Impossible Jones (Scout Comics) – A blast in every way introducing us to a new world of superheroes and villains and leaves us wanting more.
  • Karate Survivor in Another World (Seven Seas) – In a year that felt like every other manga was about someone getting killed and reincarnated in another world with some hook, this one stood out. With a grounded premise, the story is about Nozaki Hitoshi who is sent to another world where his only skill is karate. But, there’s a twist that’s teased out and works so well.
  • Kraken Me Up (Holiday House Publishing) – In a year where I read lots of comics geared towards kids I loved the art in this one and it had such a cute story about a pet Kraken and the girl who loved it.
  • Maniac of New York (AfterShock) – I’m not a fan of horror films but this take on the slasher genre had me hooked as it felt like an homage to the genre and something all its own.
  • The Other History of the DC Universe (DC Comics) – John Ridley delivers a blunt history lesson about DC from the perspective of characters who rarely get the spotlight. Amazing art added to the enjoyment in what felt like a college course in comics.
  • Robin & Batman (DC Comics) – Dick Grayson’s early years as Robin is explored with beautiful artwork.
  • The Recount (Scout Comics) – Talk about a series that was too close to home. The series focused on a nation split due to a corrupt government and an uprising after the assassination of the President. Coming out around January 6 made the first issue hit even more.
  • Serial (Abstract Studio) – The series has gotten better and better with every issue with a serial killer at the center of it all. It’s really done an amazing job of serialized storytelling and has my on the edge of my seat more and more to see what happens next.
  • Shadow Doctor (AfterShock) – The true story about a African American Doctor who can’t get money to open a practice and has to turn to Al Capone for funding. The story is just a great mob story but the fact it’s true makes it all the more amazing.
  • Solo Leveling (Yen Press) – 2021 saw me getting more into manga and manhwa and this series saw three volumes released. It’s about a world where dungeon crawling is an actual profession and the world’s worst, who actually has something a bit special about him. It’s just a great mix of comics and video game nostalgia with solid art.
  • Stray Dogs (Image Comics) – The miniseries was a murder mystery from the perspective of dogs. Did their master kill their former owners? Will the dogs make it to safety? Mix in amazing art and this was a miniseries that had everyone talking.
  • Task Force Z (DC Comics) – Red Hood has to lead zombie versions of Batman villains in a Suicide Squad like team. The concept is silly but works so well with a focus on the ethical aspect of it all and an amazing team dynamic. Mr. Bloom? Really!?
  • Timeless #1 (Marvel) – When it comes to end of year one-shots, Timeless is the best Marvel has put out. Its focus on a character and a real focus on him as a person. There’s some solid teases of what’s to come but it’s the story of Kang front and center that’s the real draw. It might be a tease of what’s to come but beside that, it’s a good one-shot anyway.
  • Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar (Marvel) – The series shook up the character’s history in major ways and as a fan of Warhammer 40K I was all into it. It definitely pissed off “fans”, so bonus?
  • We Live (AfterShock) – The series has been an amazing apocalyptic adventure as kids attempt to make it to get to a ship to get off the planet. The series was a gut punch over and over and had me in tears.
  • Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #1 (DC Comics) – We just got one issue from Kelly Sue Deconnick and Phil Jimenez but this look at the history of the Amazons is amazing. The art was jaw dropping with the only flaw being the pages having a middle seam.
  • Yasmeen (Scout Comics) – The comic series about horrible events in Iraq and a young girl’s experience was an emotional punch with every issue. It shows the power of comics.
« Older Entries