Tag Archives: heavy vinyl

BOOM! Studios Reveals its “20 For 20” Slate Ahead of its Milestone Anniversary Year

BOOM! Studios

BOOM! Studios has revealed the entire “20 For 20” slate: 20 iconic titles from the publisher’s storied past, celebrating 20 years of adventure, horror, thrills, and fun!

Each of these 20 hand-picked selections will collect the entire series for the very first time in new and exclusive editions, making them the perfect introduction to these modern classics from some of comics’ greatest storytellers, or the ideal way to experience them all over again!

This legendary line-up of books will be kicked off with Harvey Award-nominated writer Justin Jordan and artist Ariela Kristantina’s conspiracy thriller, Deep State, in January; followed by Mech Cadets creator Greg Pak and illustrator Giannis Milonogiannis’s historical epic Ronin Island, and the fan-favorite Sam Humphries and Caitlin Rose Boyle beloved BOOM! Box classic Jonesy, in February.

In the following months, readers can look forward to even more acclaimed stories from Stan Lee, Mark Waid, Chad Hardin, James Tynion IV, Rian Sygh, Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, Clive Barker, Mark Alan Miller, Haemi Jang, Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Joe Abraham, Cullen Bunn, Jonas Scharf, Sina Grace, Jeremy Haun, Danny Luckert, Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Marcus To, Pamela Ribon, Veronica Fish, Carly Usdin, Nina Vakueva, Noah Hayes, Steven Grant, Mateus, Santolouco, Sina Grace, Siobhan Kennan, Academy Award-winning screenwriter Kiwi Smith, Kurt Lustgarten, Naomi Franq, BOOM! Studios’ own Matt Gagnon and Bryce Carlson, Brian Stelfreeze, Vanesa Del Rey, and many, many more!

All 20 of the books in the “20 For 20” line will be priced at $19.99, and will be available for pre-order at your local comic book store or bookstore.

JANUARY 2025

Deep State Complete Collection

There are some things the government doesn’t want you to know about. John Harrow’s one of them. Together with his partner, Agent Branch, Harrow operates missions to keep the state’s secrets exactly that—secret. From the real story behind the assassination of JFK to MK ULTRA and advanced military technology, black-book agents Harrow and Branch are determined to make sure the public only knows what it needs to know. Everything else, horrifying or innocuous, is their problem. But when your life is covering up other people’s secrets, how many must you keep from those close to you? Collects the complete series by Harvey Award-nominated writer Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, John Flood) and artist Ariela Kristantina (InSEXts, Wolverines) in a single volume for the first time! Collects Deep State #1-8.

Deep State Complete Collection

FEBRUARY 2025

Ronin Island Complete Collection

Together in strength. When the Great Wind devastated Japan, Korea, and China, survivors found refuge on what they came to known as Ronin Island. Now, too young to have known any other world, Kenichi, son of a samurai, and Hana, daughter of farmers, must work together to stop a mutant plague that’s consuming the mainland and quickly advancing on their home! In this serpentine ride through the 19th century where not all is what it seems, follow Kenichi, Hana, their friends, and their foes from Ronin Island to the mainland and back again as they search for a way to protect all that they know from the forces of the mutated byōnin and shogunate alike. Collecting the complete series from The New York Times best-selling author Greg Pak (Star Wars, Mech Cadet Yu) and artist Giannis Milonogiannis (Future State: Gotham, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe) in a single volume for the first time! Collects Ronin Island #1-12.

Ronin Island Complete Collection

Jonesy Complete Collection

Jonesy will make you fall in love! Seriously, it’s her special secret power—she can make you fall in love with anyone or anything else… except herself! But Jonesy knows what’s cool… and her power definitely is! A laugh-out-loud high school comedy with sick zines, cute ferrets, and donuts to die for! Follow Jonesy through the life of a disaffected teenager in bummer high school and all the trouble that comes with being a human cupid’s arrow! Collecting the complete series by Sam Humphries (Harley Quinn, Dial H for Hero) and Caitlin Rose Boyle (Frankie & the Creepy Cute Critters) in one volume for the first time! Collects Jonesy #1-12.

Jonesy Complete Collection

MARCH 2025

Bone Parish Complete Collection

“The Ash”, which lets you connect to the memories of the dead, is the drug du jour in New Orleans. That’s good news for the Winters family, the only ones who know how to produce it, except that it puts them in the crosshairs of much more dangerous criminal syndicates. Under siege by rivals on all sides and the dark secrets of The Ash itself, can the Winters family survive? And what does survival mean when resurrection is only a hit away? The complete run of Eisner Award-nominated writer Cullen Bunn (Harrow County, The Empty Man) and illustrator Jonas Scarf (Basilisk, Dark X-Men)’s critically-acclaimed series blends horror, crime, and family drama, collected in a single volume for the first time! Collects Bone Parish #1-12.

Bone Parish Complete Collection

APRIL 2025

Joyride Complete Collection

Steal a spaceship and leave Earth behind. A simple plan made much more complicated by the fascist World Government Alliance that has put the planet on lockdown underneath an artificial sky. Still, that won’t stop Uma Akkolyte, her best friend Dewydd, and their would-be-captor Catrin from embarking on a joyride unlike any other! Joyride is a gleeful mix of the thrill of exploration, the importance of friendship, and the fight against authoritarianism, with a cast of wild and gripping characters, human and alien alike! From writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and artist Marcus To of the Eisner award-nominated Star Trek and Guardians of the Galaxy comes the definitive, complete collection of a truly unique and adventurous love letter to science-fiction! Collects Joyride #1-12.

SLAM! Complete Collection

From Fresh Meat Orientation to becoming leaders on-and-off the track, follow Jennifer “Knockout” Chu and Maisie “Can-Can” Huff on their journey to roller derby domination! Messy lives, complicated friendships, and new romance blossom as they learn to take their hits, get back up, break some bones, take on adult responsibilities, and jam on their competing teams in the Eastside Roller Girls league! From bestselling novelist, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, actress, and former Los Angeles Derby Doll Pamela Ribon (My Boyfriend is a Bear, Why Moms Are Weird), illustrator and painter Veronica Fish (Archie, Spider-Woman) and acclaimed artist Marina Julia (Lumberjanes, Adventure Time) comes the definitive collection of the beloved derby dramedy, Slam! Collects Slam! #1-4 and Slam! The Next Jam #1-4.

MAY 2025

Hit Complete Collection

Los Angeles in the 1950s is a place of contrast. It’s home to the bright lights and movie stars of Hollywood’s golden age… and a hotbed of organized crime muscling in on Mickey Cohen’s turf. But LAPD has a plan—Harvey Slater, a detective authorized off-the-books to take care of “untouchable” criminal problems. The criminals aren’t the only untouchable thing Slater’s going after, though. When his captain’s absent daughter returns, Slater quickly finds himself entangled in the trouble she brings with her… and her ties to his other cases! From writer Bryce Carlson (Zombie Tales) and artist Vanesa Del Rey (The Creeping Below), experience the entire dark, violent, and sensual look into corruption on both sides of the law, inspired by the true history of LA and collected into one volume for the first time! Collects Hit: 1955 #1-4 and Hit: 1957 #1-4.

Avant-Guards Complete Collection

Charlie was determined to leave sports behind when she transferred to the Georgia O’Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, but perky and very cute barely-a-basketball-team captain Liv has other ideas! With a ragtag crew, a persistent streak, and the future of the whole league on the line, Charlie and the Avant-Guards must come together to figure out who they are on-and-off the court! Charming and hilarious characters with a lot of heart shoot their shots until the final buzzer in this hit series about love, teamwork, and basketball! Collects the complete series by acclaimed writer Carly Usdin (Heavy Vinyl) and artist Noah Hayes (Wet Hot American Summer) in one volume for the first time! Collects The Avant-Guards #1-8 and The Avant-Guards: Down to the Wire.

JUNE 2025

Black Badge Complete Collection

Willy was the first boy scout to get every merit badge offered… except one. The one you don’t get, the one you become: The Black Badge, a top-secret branch sent off to accomplish missions that adults never could. Kenny, Cliff, Mitz, and Willy may look like scouts who lost their tour group, but they’re actually one of the most elite teams working for the government. But there are many secrets kept from them: the location of a long-presumed dead former member, the roles of the other Rainbow Jamboree participants, and ultimately the murderer of one of their own! Intrigue abounds as the kids have to pick up a world made a mess by adults. Experience the complete series by the Eisner-Award nominated creative team of New York Times bestselling writer Matt Kindt (BRZRKR, Mind MGMT), and illustrators Tyler Jenkins and Hilary Jenkins (Peter Panzerfaust, King of Nowhere), in one volume for the first time! Collects Black Badge #1-12.

Heavy Vinyl Complete Collection

Chris has the perfect job at Vinyl Destination. Her boss and fellow employees are all super rad. They all love music, love fighting the patriarchy, and love kicking her out when they close for some reason?! When their favorite singer, Rosie Riot, mysteriously disappears, Chris is let into a secret that’ll change her world: her coworkers are a teen girl vigilante squad! With the coolest job and friends in the world, Chris spends her day selling records and making music, and her nights solving mysteries and fighting for justice! From investigating vanishing musicians like the lead singer of Stegosour to taking on the shadowy corporate masters behind a suspicious battle of the bands, and with plenty of laughs, bonding moments, and jam sessions in between, the vinyl’s never been heavier! Collects the complete series by acclaimed writer Carly Usdin (The Avant-Guards) and artists Nina Vakueva and Irene Flores in one volume for the first time! Collects Heavy Vinyl #1-8 (originally published as Hi-Fi Fight Club #1-3 and Heavy Vinyl #4-8).

JULY 2025

Zombie Tales Complete Collection

The ultimate zombie anthology has risen from the grave… and it’s still hungry! From deeply disturbing tales of terror to gut-busting laughs, this collection has something for every type of zombie fan. Featuring work from the likes of industry legends Mark Waid, Keith Giffen, Steve Niles, Joe R. Lansdale, Karl Kesel, Andy Kuhn, Tom Peyer, Ming Doyle, William Messner-Loebs, Tom Fowler, Ron Lim, J.K. Woodward, and Eisner-Award winning artist Fábio Moon among a host of other horror heavies, this new collection re-assembles the complete series in a single volume for the first time! Collects Zombie Tales, Zombie Tales: Oblivious, Zombie Tales: The Dead, and Zombie Tales: The Series #1-12

AUGUST 2025

Day Men Complete Collection

The powerful vampire covens known as the “50 Families” control the world at night. In the light of the sun however, they rely on human enforcers called Day Men to maintain their grip. David Reid is their latest fixer, but when he becomes caught in the crossfire of a war between Shakespearean rival houses… he must find a way to not only survive, but uncover who has been pulling the real strings of power all along! The complete series by writers Matt Gagnon (Freelancers) and Michael Alan Nelson (Supergirl, Hexed), and Glyph Award-winning industry legend artist Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther) is now available in a single volume for the very first time! Experience this bold reinvention of the classic vampire mythos in a story that blends the best of horror and crime. Collects Day Men #1-8.

SEPTEMBER 2025

Clive Barker’s Next Testament Complete Collection

God has returned, God help us all. The entire Harvey Award-nominated saga from visionary horror author Clive Barker is collected here for the very first time. Julian Demond, captain of industry, has left behind everything to begin a walkabout — he believes he’s on a mission from God. While in the wasteland, he comes across a figure unlike any other, who calls himself Wick…and claims to be God.  Their journey will span the globe, as neither man merely wants to make a mark on a world, but a scar…  Clive Barker, along with internationally acclaimed artist Haemi Jang (Hellraiser: The Road Below) come together to create a legendary work in the canon of one of the great writers of our era. Collects Clive Barker’s Next Testament #1-12.

The Backstagers Complete Collection

There’s magic in the theatre—when the crowd hushes, the lights go up, the curtain opens—but for Jordy and the Backstagers, the real magic’s behind-the-scenes…literally! Monsters, spirits, and an entire magical world are waiting just off-stage and the Backstagers are the only ones who know!  Join the stage crew on fantastic adventures as they deal with troublesome tool mice, fierce phantoms, and finding love and friendship despite feeling like outcasts at their all-boys school!  From GLADD, Prism, and Eisner award-winning writer James Tynion IV (WYND, Batman) and artist Rian Sygh (Adventure Time, Munchkin), plus shorts by James Tynion IV and Sam Johns with artists Brittney Williams (Goldie Vance), Caitlin Rose Boyle (Jonesy), Katy Farina (the Baby-Sitters Little Sister series), and more! Collects The Backstagers #1-8, The Backstagers: 2018 Valentine’s Intermission, The Backstagers: Halloween Intermission, and the The Backstagers story from The BOOM! Box 2016 Mix Tape.

OCTOBER 2025

The Red Mother Complete Collection

The last thing Daisy saw was her boyfriend disappearing into the darkness. The first thing Daisy saw with her new prosthetic eye was red. And she’s seeing more and more… It starts with lost love and as Daisy’s new eye shows her more of the red-hued world—people and things that aren’t otherwise there—she gets dragged into a mystery far bigger than she ever imagined. What can she do in the face of the Red Mother? A haunting series from Jeremy Haun (Haunthology, The Beauty) and Danny Luckert (Regression, Shock Shop) about the unseen horrors that surround us! Collects The Red Mother #1-12.

Hero Squared Complete Collection

In the breadth of the multiverse, you could be anything! Even Captain Valor, the legendary superhero, could be a simple slacker named Milo in our world! And is he ever?! When Valor finds himself shunted a universe over and living with his pathetic parallel, it’s a team-up for the ages! Together, can they save the world from Valor’s arch-enemy, Calignous, who just so happens to be the variant version of Milo’s girlfriend, Stephie? Maybe! A superheroic farce from the Bwa-ha-ha boys, two of the greatest writers of all cape comics, Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis with artists Joe Abraham, Nathan Watson, and more! The ultimate collection of powered hijinks, multiversal metaness, and complicated love triangles! Collects the Hero Squared X-Tra Sized Special one-shot, Hero Squared (2005) #1-3, Hero Squared (2006) #1-6, Hero Squared: Love and Death #1-3, and the Planetary Brigade spinoff series, Planetary Brigade #1-2 and Planetary Brigade: Origins #1-3.

NOVEMBER 2025

2 Guns Complete Collection

It shouldn’t be complicated, it’s just robbing a bank. Unfortunately for Trench and Steadman, neither knows that the other is working undercover. Even more unfortunately, the $50 million that they’re stealing doesn’t actually belong to the mob and has set them in the sights of an even greater threat!  The ultimate team-up between two loose cannons for the DEA and Naval Intelligence that has them blasting their way through the Southwest looking to clear their names! But when they can’t trust anyone else, can they trust each other? And what happens when it’s not just the mobs and the Feds after them, but the Russians and a mysterious Third Gun after them too? The twisty, turny, buddy-cop-gone-wrong crime romp by Steven Grant (The Punisher) and artists Mateus Santolouco (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Emilio Laiso (Star Wars: Doctor Aphra) in a complete collection for the first time! Collects 2 Guns #1-5 and 3 Guns #1-6.

Ghosted in L.A. Complete Collection

Daphne Walters’ Los Angeles story seems pretty common—she followed her high school boyfriend to college only to be immediately and unceremoniously dumped a thousand miles away from home. Her roommate doesn’t want her around either, but fortunately one heart-broken night brings her to Rycroft Manor, an apartment complex with more roommates and drama than she had ever bargained for—and they’re all ghosts! While helping out the long-lingering and new residents of Rycroft, Daphne has to deal with everything from angry spirits, the mystery ghost behind the basement door, and her college roommate Michelle trying to exorcise her new friends out of their own home! All while dealing with a complicated love life, a more complicated best friend-ship, and learning her place in LA! GLADD Award-nominated Sina Grace (Iceman, Superman: The Harvests of Youth) and illustrator Siobhan Keenan (Jem and the Holograms, KFC Presents I Love You Colonel Sanders) present a thrilling and fun tale about friendship, romance, and living your best (after) life that you won’t want to leave on read. Collects Ghosted in LA #1-12.

DECEMBER 2025

The Traveler Complete Collection

From the minds of comic book legend Stan Lee and Eisner Award-winning writer Mark Waid (Kingdom Come, Daredevil), Tom Peyer (The Wrong Earth), and artist Chad Hardin (Harley Quinn) comes the greatest hero of all-time! When quantum scientist Ronald Lessik’s experiment went wrong, he was transformed into the time-manipulating superhero, the Traveler! Now, he seeks to find his true love, herself lost in time and space, and defend the world from threats like the Split-Second Men, temporal ghosts, the time-lost planet Anachronopolis, and even comes face-to-face with fellow hero Soldier Zero! A gripping sci-fi superhero adventure by industry legends and from the mind of one of the most prolific creators in all comic history, Stan Lee! Collects The Traveler #1-12.

Misfit City Complete Collection

Everybody’s seen The Gloomies, it’s a real cult-classic from the ‘80s! Unfortunately for the residents of Cannon Cove, covered in fog 287 days of the year, things aren’t quite as exciting as the movie…or are they? When friends Wilder, Macy, Karma, Dot, and Ed end up with the map of the recently-departed Captain Denby, that may lead to real treasure from real pirate Black Mary, they’re thrust into an adventure worthy of an irresistible pop theme! But they’re not the only ones who want the treasure. Can they solve the mysteries of their formerly-dreary town and grab the booty before the baddies? The adventure worth its weight in pirate gold by award-winning screenwriter Kiwi Smith (Legally Blonde, Trinkets), Kurt Lustgarten, and illustrator Naomi Franquiz (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) in a complete collection for the first time! Collects Misfit City #1-8.

Preview: Heavy Vinyl: Y2K-O! OGN SC

Heavy Vinyl: Y2K-O! OGN SC

Publisher: BOOM! Box, an imprint of BOOM! Studios
Writer:  Carly Usdin
Artists: 
     Pencils by: Nina Vakueva
    Inks by: Irene Flores with Leo Caballero
Colorist: Natalia Nesterenko
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Cover Artist: Nina Vakueva
Price: $14.99

It’s 1999 and Chris is living her dream: working at Vinyl Destination by day and fighting for (musical) justice by night in the world’s coolest teen girl vigilante fight club, and playing in a band during her free time.

When the girls enter a Battle of The Bands, they learn that the shadowy corporate masters of the music industry plan to destroy the fledgling world of digital music and blame it on Y2K.

The critically-acclaimed team of writer Carly Usdin (The Avant-Guards) and Russ Manning Award-nominated artist Nina Vakueva (League of Legends: Ashe) reunite for a follow-up to Heavy Vinyl: Riot on The Radio.

Heavy Vinyl: Y2K-O! OGN SC

SDCC 2019: Heavy Vinyl Returns with a New Graphic Novel in 2020

BOOM! Studios continues The Road to San Diego, a ten-day, ten-announcement spotlight on the most exciting comic book and graphic novel news in advance of San Diego Comic Con in San Diego (July 17–21), with the announcement today of Heavy Vinyl: Y2K-O!. The brand new original graphic novel, available in stores March 2020, reunites the acclaimed team of filmmaker and writer Carly Usdin and artist Nina Vakueva for a brand-new adventure with the music store crew—and secret fight club—of Heavy Vinyl.

Your favorite girl gang is back and on the brink of a new millennium! It’s the summer of 1999, and while the staff of Vinyl Destination is dealing with growing up and getting out into the world, the tension over Y2K is mounting into an all-out panic! Can this group of music-loving vigilantes balance their work lives with their dating lives, prevent the total collapse of modern society, AND be home in time for dinner?! Only one way to find out! 

The Heavy Vinyl: Y2K-O! cover will feature artwork by Nina Vakueva.

Heavy Vinyl: Y2K-O!

BOOM! Studios Teams with Tapas to Bring New Heavy Vinyl from Carly Usdin and Nina Vakueva for the Mobile Experience

BOOM! Studios is teaming up with Tapas Media to bring bit-sized stories to you. Together, BOOM! Studios and Tapas will create a unique print and digital partnership around one of BOOM! Studios’ most popular original series, Heavy Vinyl.

Heavy Vinyl: Riot on the Radio, written by Carly Usdin and with art by Nina Vakueva, was originally published in print by BOOM! Studios in 2017 and amassed a global following. With this partnership, Tapas Media is teaming up with BOOM! to adapt Heavy Vinyl to a scrolling, mobile-friendly experience. Tapas will publish the mobile formatted version of Heavy Vinyl and introduce the series to a digital-native audience. Heavy Vinyl: Riot on the Radio will be available via Tapas through their website and mobile apps available for both iOS and Android, and Tapas Media will debut the new Heavy Vinyl original graphic novel exclusively on their digital platform prior to its physical release.

Tapas Media is a leader in webcomics with 50,000 creators from all over the world and 60,000 original titles published to date. They’ve published one million unique episodes and over 4 billion views.

Review: Heavy Vinyl

It’s Wednesday which means it’s new comic book day with new releases hitting shelves, both physical and digital, all across the world. This week we’ve got Empire Records meets Fight Club!

Heavy Vinyl features the four issues by Carly Usdin, Nina Vakueva, Irene Flores, Rebecca Nalty, Kieran Quigley, Walter Baiamonte, and Jim Campbell.

Get your copy in comic shops and in book stores today. To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Amazon/Kindle/comiXology or TFAW

 

 

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review
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Logan’s Favorite Comics of 2017

In 2017, I found it increasingly difficult to keep up with all the new comics releases because of personal stuff etc.. There was also the sheer hatred and bigotry of some comic book fans, who foamed at the mouth every time a character that wasn’t a straight white male starred in their own book or if female characters weren’t drawn in an early 90s Image male gaze-y way. Creators and companies weren’t exempt from this either from Howard Chaykin’s transphobia and Islamophobia in his low selling Image book Divided States of Hysteria to the revelation that new Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski lied about writing comics under the Japanese pseudonym Akira Yoshida for years and suffered little to no consequences for it.

However, there was a lot to love about the comic books of 2017, and I found solace, entertainment, and inspiration in many books from (becoming) old favorites about godly pop stars and dark knights to intriguing new titles about all girl fight clubs and young people experimented on by the government.

 

  1. Batman #14-37 (DC)

In 2017, writer Tom King and a crack team of artists including David Finch, Clay Mann, Mitch Gerads, Mikel Janin, Joelle Jones, and Jordie Bellaire explored almost every nook and cranny of the Dark Knight’s world in their work on Batman. Sure, there were epic arcs featuring one on one battles with Bane, a yearlong gang war with the Joker and Riddler, and a little family reunion in the “Button” crossover. But what Batman resonate as a comic book was the standalone and two part stories from King and Gerads showing the sweetness of the relationship between Batman and Catwoman to the emotional tale of Kite Man (Hell yes). King has a real knack for telling O. Henry-esque stories of ideas that humanize iconic characters none more so than “Superfriends” where Batman and Superman go on a double date with Catwoman and Lois Lane. An artistic highlight of the book was Joelle Jones’ beautiful, savage, and a little bit sexy depiction of Batman and Catwoman fighting for their love against the most evil of exes.

  1. Josie and the Pussycats #4-9 (Archie)

Josie and the Pussycats is a gorgeous, funny book that ended much too soon although it is nice to see artist Audrey Mok working on the main Archie title. Writers Cameron DeOrdio and Marguerite Bennett craft the rare Archie book that looks at both romantic and platonic relationships from the POV of young adults, not teenagers. They, artist Mok, and colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick imbue the title with a Saturday Morning cartoon zaniness, including high speed boat and motorcycle chases, kidnappings, and jokes about the polar bears from The Golden Compass. Yes, DeOrdio and Bennett overload all kinds of pop culture references and allusions in Josie, but it adds to the book’s energetic feel along with Mok’s fantastic fashion designs and Fitzpatrick’s bold colors. Josie and the Pussycats has some real heart to it with characters having all kinds of intense conversations about love, friendship, and fame between the over-the-top setpieces.

  1. Heavenly Blues #1-4 (Scout)

Writer Ben Kahn and artist Bruno Hidalgo’s Heavenly Blues blends the cosmology and philosophical and theological themes of Vertigo classics like Sandman and Lucifer with a quick and dirty heist thriller as a band of criminals, including a Great Depression Era thief, a girl who was sentenced to burn during the Salem Witch Trials, and a bisexual cowboy team up to break into heaven and steal something you may have heard of. Witty writing from Kahn and rhythmic art from Hidalgo that flows from the building of the Great Pyramids to the Old West and even an angel lounging in sweatpants keeps the story on its toes with flashback to each thief’s past life create an emotional connection to them. This is the perfect comic for folks who like to think about the nature of evil or the possibility of an afterlife while also watching Oceans 11 or Logan Lucky with a whiskey on the rocks.

 

  1. Shade the Changing Girl #4-12 (DC/Young Animal)

The crown jewel of DC’s Young Animal imprint, Shade: The Changing Girl is a beautiful, meditative look at identity and humanity from the perspective of a bird alien Metan girl named Loma Shade, who has possessed the body of teenage girl bully. Cecil Castellucci, Marley Zarcone, and Kelly Fitzpatrick’s story really took off when Shade decides to hit the road first for Gotham and eventually to meet her idol, Honey Rich, the aging star of a 1950s sitcom that was popular all over the galaxy. Zarcone’s artwork is extremely fluid and complements Shade’s reaction to the influx of stimulus all around her that is humanity as she begins to understand concepts like nostalgia and of course the big ones: life and death. Shade the Changing Girl is more poem than sci-fi thriller/mindbender, and Castellucci’s poetic captions, Zarcone’s sincere facial expressions, and Fitzpatrick’s, well, groovy colors bypass the critical part of the brain and go straight for the emotional center. It is an empathetic study into how humans communicate and navigate this complex world from a visitor from an equally as complex society so hence conflict.

  1. Generation Gone #1-5 (Image)

Comics’ enfant terrible Ales Kot makes his triumphant return with Generation Gone, which is one of his most accessible works that still takes shots at the kyriarchy and patriarchy through the lens of the “superhero” origin story. Artist Andre Araujo and colorist Chris O’Halloran provide equal parts majestic, disgusting, and triumphant wide screen visuals throughout the series from bodies being stripped down to bone, muscles, and organs to flying in the sunset. The way that the three main kids Elena, Baldwin, and Nick is a little bit of techno-organic body horror like Scanners filtered through 2017. Kot avoids typical superhero team up tropes and has them constantly at each other’s throats that all really boils down to toxic masculinity, especially Nick, who is like Max Landis with a healing factor. Generation Gone is an epic and visceral story with all kinds of carnage and big explosions that is ably balanced by Ales Kot’s nuanced characterization. There’s some decent world building, but it takes a backseat to Elena, Baldwin, and Nick’s journey and squabbles along the way.

  1. The Wicked + the Divine #25-33, 455 AD, Christmas Special (Image)

In its fourth year (Or “Imperial Phase”) as a title, Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, and Matthew Wilson’s The Wicked + the Divine became both more self-indulgent and introspective before the ending the year with more emotional destruction and much needed side dish of pure fanservice. The main focus is on the relationships of the Pantheon from Dionysus’ truly soulful friendship with Baphomet (They spend most of an issue talking in the dark, and it’s lovely.) to the intense connection between Persephone and Sakhmet and the older brother/little sister Baal and Minerva that takes a big turn for the disquieting. Even though McKelvie’s figures and fashion decisions are still flawless as usual, WicDiv uncovers every metaphorical wrinkle or mole on the Pantheon members by the time “Imperial Phase” ends in a truly soul crushing manner like the slow build in “In the Air Tonight” before the epic drums. And after it’s over, Gillen and a host of talented guest artists deliver a comic that is sexy, thoughtful, and filled to the brim of feels showing what the Pantheon were like when they were young and less dead. The Kris Anka and Jen Bartel Baal/Inanna short is most definitely the hottest thing I read in 2017.

 

  1. Kim and Kim: Love is A Battlefield #1-4 (Black Mask)

Shifting the focus from Kim Q to Kim D in this fantastic sequel to the Eisner nominated miniseries Kim and Kim, Mags Visaggio, Eva Cabrera, and Claudia Aguirre confidently tell the story of a woman trying to get over an ex that she really cared for, but wasn’t good for her. There are also mech suits, space battles, basses being used as a blunt instrument, and all kinds of space bounty hunter shenanigans. The rift and reunion between the Fighting Kim’s is super relatable as who hasn’t been disappointed in a friend for returning to the same, not cool ex over and over again. However, Visaggio gives the Kim’s great growth as friends and in their chosen career as bounty hunters by the time the miniseries wraps. On the visual front, Eva Cabrera can choreograph the hell out of a fight scene, and there is still plenty of pink from Claudia Aguirre. Kim and Kim: Love is a Battlefield is a smorgasbord of quips, fun sci-fi worldbuilding, and real friend talk and improves on its already pretty awesome predecessor.

 

  1. Mister Miracle #1-5 (DC)

Jack Kirby would have turned 100 in 2017, and there was arguably no better tribute to his imaginative work as an artist and writer than Tom King and Mitch Gerads’ Mister Miracle comic. I know I’m double dipping with King comics on the list, but he’s just that good. In his art, Gerads teaches the old dog of the nine panel grid some new tricks and uses it for everything from a tender love scene between Mister Miracle and Big Barda to him getting repeatedly beaten by his older brother Orion, who plays an antagonistic role in the series. The bar-like grid of the comic book he stars in is the one prison Mister Miracle can’t escape from. (Wow, that got meta.) Gerads uses a trippy, almost television fuzz effect to show Scott’s tattered psyche as he faces death with his escape artistry, goes to war against Apokolips, and is sentenced to execution. King’s gift of writing both the mundane and utterly cosmic comes in handy in Mister Miracle whose most memorable scenes are Scott and Barda cuddling and joking around, not the big battle scenes. Again, he and Mitch Gerads find the human and the epic, which is definitely something the King would be proud of. (Big Barda was patterned off his beloved wife Roz.)

  1. Giant Days #22-33, 2017 Special (BOOM!)

Although the facial expressions that Max Sarin and Liz Fleming draw are truly outrageous at times, Giant Days is a fairly naturally plotted comic with the friendships, relationships, and life statuses of Esther, Susan, and Daisy ebbing and flowing like normal university students. They begin the year as BFFs for life, but start to drift apart towards the end of the year as Susan and Daisy’s relationships with McGraw and Ingrid move onto the next level. Esther is kind of stuck in the lurch as her penchant for drama bombs starts to backfire. Giant Days nails the constantly evolving fluid thingamajig that is relationships as a young adult.  As an added bonus, we also get to see how the girls act and feel differently around their family versus friends as Susan’s way too big and complicated family makes quite the impression. And, of course, Giant Days is very funny, and John Allison, Max Sarin, and Liz Fleming mine the comedy out of everything from the deliciousness of home cooking, the grossness of nerd dorm food concoctions, and even a video game wedding. (Poor Dean.)

  1. Heavy Vinyl #1-4 (BOOM!)

Reading Carly Usdin, Nina Vakeuva, Irene Flores, and Rebecca Palty’s Heavy Vinyl is like the comic book equivalent of relaxing in a hot tub, but the hot tub is either cupcakes or adorable Corgi puppies. (Take your pick.) It’s about a teenage girl named Chris in 1998, who has just gotten her dream job at a record store and her first big crush on Maggie, her co-worker, who is drawn like a shoujo manga protagonist. But then she’s inducted into a top secret vigilante fight club and has to rescue the frontwoman of her favorite band. It’s high concept and slice of life just like Vakueva’s art is comedic, beautiful, and a little badass. Carly Usdin does a good job in just four issues of giving each member of the fight club their own distinct personalities and relationships while doubling down on the cuteness and awkwardness of Chris and Maggie’s budding romance. But what makes Heavy Vinyl  the best comic of 2017 is its belief in the power of women and music to change the world…

Review: Heavy Vinyl #4

HeavyVinyl4Cover“Have I ever really helped anybody but myself/To believe in the power of songs/To believe in the power of girls?”- Metric, “Dreams So Real”

Heavy Vinyl #4 (The comic formerly known as Hi-Fi Fight Club.) cements its legacy as one of the cutest, gayest, and riot grrl-est comics ever in this miniseries finale from writer Carly Usdin, artists Nina Vakueva and Irene Flores, and colorists Rebecca Nalty, Kieran Quigley, and Walter Baiamonte. The comic plays with the most delightful of tropes, including scrappy underdogs fighting shady corporate overlords, the adorable saying goodbye to family montage, and of course, the big damn kiss. Vakueva panel layouts are also very lively and slanted for maximum fierceness even if this comic isn’t a beat ’em up battle royale story. It rocks though.

Even though she has to wrap up the first Heavy Vinyl storyline as well as set up some threads for future stories, Usdin doesn’t skimp on character development, and Vakueva and Flores use visuals to give a glimpse into each member of the Vinyl Mayhem fight club’s personal life. Of course, the manager/team leader Irene has an adorable dog and girlfriend, and Kennedy enjoys hot chocolate with her boyfriend Logan, who has become the Chris Hemsworth to their Ghostbusters and a solid source of comic relief throughout the series. Of course, Maggie has two doting dads, who spoil her with pancakes and fresh squeezed orange juice, and Chris is just trying to keep things together as she freaks out every time her parents say “action” with some manga-influenced sweat lines.

HeavyVinyl4interior

My personal favorite intro was Dolores, who is Puerto Rican, and has a close relationship with her family to go with her computer knowledge and Goth aesthetic. Nalty uses plenty of shadows in her room and just a glimpse of sunshine to show that she’s a complex character and not just a sullen Goth. I also like how Vakueva lays out her room and uses body language to show that Dolores feels a little bit of tension in balancing work and school as well as going out of state. Even though the spotlight has mainly been on Chris and Maggie, Usdin has given her a mini arc throughout Heavy Vinyl, and she plays a big, take charge role in the final big reveal with her no-nonsense attitude and technical knowledge. However, she has a softer side too as is revealed in an epilogue that made this 90s geek kid smile.

Even if it’s extraneous to the missing rock star/mind control overarching plot of  Heavy Vinyl, the hella awkward and hella cute slow burn romance between Chris and Maggie is the book’s beating heart. And there’s plenty of pay off in Heavy Vinyl #4 beginning with the complete adorableness that is Maggie falling asleep on Chris’ shoulder during the bus ride to New York. Palty emphasizes the blue sky outside their window, which creates a hopeful vibe while Vakueva and Flores draw one of the happiest faces of all time as Chris looks out the window. They and Usdin channel these intense feelings throughout the second half of the comic culminating in the reddest blush ever when Maggie tells Chris that she obviously knows about her crush. In general, these Maggie/Chris scenes show off the tightrope of romance and humor that Heavy Vinyl ably walks.\

But Heavy Vinyl #4 isn’t all longing glances, sweet montages, and kick ass tunes. Carly Usdin, Nina Vakueva, and Irene Flores do a lot of world-building and other big picture things like making the plot of this miniseries just the tip of the iceberg for a conspiracy storyline that is similar to Josie and the Pussycats, but trades out the camp for indie rock earnestness.  Some of the lines about this plot development are super on-the-nose, but Usdin is a smart and has Chris say most of them like “Music is about expression.” Chris’ intense love for the band Stegosaur and hunger  for finding and learning about new music as part of developing her identity as a young woman is a big part of her character arc so the lines really work. Also, the first in-person appearance of Rosie Riot is quite breathtaking.

Heavy Vinyl #4 has it all:  deep character dives, well-developed romance, organic world building, and a passionate tone from Rebecca Nalty’s background colors to Nina Vakueva and Irene Flores’ design choices and fight formations to Carly Usdin taking time to show each main cast member with their family. Music is awesome, stories about that are by women are awesome, and Heavy Vinyl is one of the best comics of 2017.

Story: Carly Usdin Pencils: Nina Vakueva Inks: Irene Flores
Colors: Rebecca Nalty with Kieran Quigley and Walter Baiamonte
Story: 9.5 Art: 9.7 Overall: 9.6 Recommendation: Buy

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Preview: Heavy Vinyl #4 (of 4)

Heavy Vinyl #4 (of 4)

Publisher: BOOM! Box, an imprint of BOOM! Studios
Writer: Carly Usdin
Artist: Nina Vakueva
Colorist: Rebecca Nalty
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Cover Artist: Nina Vakueva
Price: $3.99

After Chris discovers a secret code, the girls have a new lead and renewed determination to find Rosie Riot…but what if she doesn’t want to be found?