Monday, January 28, 2013

BEST COMICS: 2012


S A G A,
by Vaughan and Staples



Shortcut links:
Best Graphic Novel
Best Comics
•• Worst Comics
Graphic Novels
Best Collections/ Reissues
Movies And TV
•• "V For Vindication"
Best Media Sites

Rest In Power






B E S T
G R A P H I C
N O V E L :
2 0 1 2




STARSTRUCK Deluxe Edition, by Elaine Lee, Michael Wm. Kaluta, and Lee Moyer
(softcover)



"I was, and am, a huge fan of STARSTRUCK, which I think was one of the most brave and elegant experiments in comic book story-telling."
-CLIVE BARKER

"Favorite comic of all time: STARSTRUCK, by Lee and Kaluta."
-MIKE CAREY

"Pick up this book, because not having read it is sort of like not having read POGO, or listened to "Trout Mask Replica", or seen a Hayao Miyazaki film."
-John Hilgart, THE COMICS JOURNAL

"STARSTRUCK could be both silly and smart, was progressive but unpretentious, and clever but not so impressed with itself that it ever forgot to entertain. IDW’s reprint of the series is a service to fans of science fiction, aficionados of comics as an art form, and anyone who loves a good story."
-W. Andrew Shephard, THE NEW INQUIRY


Buy from IDW

STARSTRUCK Strikes Back!
The Roots And Branches Of STARSTRUCK






B E S T
C O M I C S :
2 0 1 2



- - - - I N D I E S - - - -



LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN: 2009,
by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill (Top Shelf)

It was always about the extraordinary woman.



SAGA,
by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)

Space Fantasy gets a challenging and adult rethink.
Excellent.



FASHION BEAST,
by Alan Moore and Malcolm McClaren with Antony Johnston (Avatar)

In the late-'80s, Alan Moore wrote a script for a Malcolm McLaren film that didn't get made. Now the screenplay has been adapted into a 12-issue maxi-series by Antony Johnston.



BLACK KISS II,
by Howard Chaykin (Image)

In the late-'80s Chaykin's gothic noir was so raunchy that it was sold sealed in black plastic bags. This new sequel was too much for European distributers, who refused to import it.>



FRANKENSTEIN ALIVE, ALIVE,
by Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson (IDW)

Wrightson. Frankenstein.


STAR TREK,
by Mike Johnson, with Stephen Molnar, etc. (IDW)

J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK films rebooted the original series in a different timeline. Johnson's underrated follow-up comic fills out their 5-year-mission by taking classic episode stories into new directions.


FATALE,
by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)

Like a jam session between Chandler and Lovecraft.






W O R S T
C O M I C S




- - - - - D C - - - - -

The modern comics landscape was recreated by Alan Moore.

When corporations betray> great creators>> for a buck>, they don't get my money or support.


- - - - - M A R V E L - - - - -

The vast marvel landscape was blueprinted by Jack Kirby.

When corporations betray> great creators> for a buck>>, they don't get my money or support.

Support creators over corporations.






B E S T
G R A P H I C
N O V E L S :
2 0 1 2





ARE YOU MY MOTHER?,
by Alison Bechdel (Mariner Books) _______
The companion to the phenomenal FUN HOME (2006), which was TIME's Best Book of the Year.

THE HIVE,
by Charles Burns (Pantheon) _______
The second book in Burn's trilogy about a postpunk Tintin.

THE COMIC BOOK HISTORY OF COMICS: Birth Of A Medium,
by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey (IDW)
Why not tell the history of comics in its own unique style?

Harvey Pekar's CLEVELAND,
by Harvey Pekar and Joseph Remnant (Z2 Comics)
Harvey Pekar turned Underground Comix into Indie Comics with his real-life confessionals.

BABY'S IN BLACK: Astrid Kirchherr, Stuart Sutcliffe, and The Beatles in Hamburg,
by Arne Bellstorf (First Second)
Photographer Astrid Kirchherr and bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, artists and lovers, were a crucial catalyst for the early Beatles.• >






B E S T
C O L L E C T I O N S
+ R E I S S U E S :
2 0 1 2






Walt Disney’s DONALD DUCK: A Christmas For Shacktown, by Carl Barks (Fantagraphics)
Another master class from the maestro Barks.

The Complete POGO, volume 2, by Walt Kelly (Fantagraphics)
Kelly's sly slapstick brought critical acclaim and literary validation from the mainstream media for the comic strip medium.

CRIME DOES NOT PAY, by Various (Dark Horse)
A collection of the notorious anti-Crime comics that right wing zealots misused to maim the comics industry.>

JACK DAVIS: Drawing American Pop Culture - A Career Retrospective, by Jack Davis (Fantagraphics)
Davis catapulted out of Mad Magazine to become the premiere cartoonist for magazine and album covers.



OUT OF THE SHADOWS (retrospective of Mort Meskin), by Mort Meskin (Fantagraphics)
The underrated artist's use of light and shadow influenced many of the best creators in comics history.

SPACEHAWK, by Basil Wolverton (Fantagraphics)
Actual stories by the most belovedly grotesque artist of all.

CORTO MALTESE: The Ballad of the Salt Sea, by Hugo Pratt (Universe)
Mature adventure tales with cinematic eye and literary tongue.

MATT BAKER: The Art of Glamour, by Matt Baker (TwoMorrows)
Matt Baker was one of the pioneer African-American artists, who deserves all the spotlight he can get.



OBSERVED WHILE FALLING: Bill Burroughs, Ah Pook, and Me, by Malcolm McNeill (Fantagraphics)
The story of how author William S. Burroughs and artist Malcolm McNeill attempted to create an avant-garde precursor to graphic novels.

ALIEN: The Illustrated Story, by Archie Goodwin, Walter Simonson (Titan)
The classic comics adaptation of the 1979 film, at last re-released.

MICHAEL WM KALUTA Sketchbook, Vol.1, 2, and 3, by Michael Wm Kaluta (IDW)
Collections of the concept sketches of one of the finest and most versatile illustrators.

ANGEL CLAWS, by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Moebius (Humanoids)
The filmmaker (El Topo, Santa Sangre) and the illustrator (Arzach, Airtight Garage) collude in a portfolio of erotic surrealism.



The Adventures of ADELE BLANC-SEC: Vol. 2, by Jaques Tardi (Fantagraphics)
The continuing misadventures of the grumpy investigator of the fantastic.

FLEX MENTALLO: Man of Muscle Mystery, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (Vertigo)
The mini-series of The Doom Patrol's most unexpected character, remastered.

SCOTT PILGRIM Color Edition Vol. 1 & 2, by Bryan Lee O'Malley, with Nathan Fairbairn (Oni)
1-2-3-4 BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTT!

OCCUPY COMICS,
by various creators>
People are citizens, corporations are plagues.






B E S T
M O V I E S
+ T V :
2 0 1 2



I write and illustrate reviews of all comics-sourced films at the
Four Color Films site.




THE AVENGERS
> Four Color Films review

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
> Four Color Films review

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
> Four Color Films review


JOHN CARTER

SKYFALL

ALTER EGOS


CHRONICLE

COMIC-CON Episode 4: A Fan's Hope

ARGO
(For the Jack Kirby connection.)



MISFITS, fourth season


Better Things: The Life and Decisions of Jeffrey Catherine Jones
A fine documentary about the excellent unsung artist, featuring Gaiman, Moebius, Kaluta, Wrightson, McKean, Pope, Mignola, and Sienkiewicz.

Sex In The Comix: The History of Erotic Content in Sequential Art
A fun documentary overview of international erotic graphix.

See also:
BEST MOVIES & TV: 2012






V For Vindication, Dept.:


or, "Alan Moore knows the score."



Who cares about Hollywood adaptions when you can make your own films?

Alan Moore has teamed with filmmaker Mitch Jenkins to create a unified continuity of short films about a cabaret purgatory.

UPDATE: The short chapters were collected into a total film under the title SHOW PIECES.
Available here.






BEST MEDIA SITES






io9
Under the mentorship of famed authors and founders Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz, this site has continually presented the best genre media analysis around.

The Mary Sue

The Afro Futurist Affair






R E S T
I N
P O W E R




M O E B I U S
Our father, whose art is heaven...


Jean Giraud, a.k.a. Moebius
John Severin
Sheldon Moldoff
Joe Kubert

From you, we exist.
Because of you, we persist.




Nuff said, pilgrim. Excelsior!


© Tym Stevens



See also:


· BEST MOVIES + TV: 2023
BEST MUSIC: 2023
BEST COMICS: 2023

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2022
BEST MUSIC: 2022
BEST COMICS: 2022

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2021
BEST MUSIC: 2021
BEST COMICS: 2021

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2020
BEST MUSIC: 2020
BEST COMICS: 2020

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2019
BEST MUSIC: 2019
BEST COMICS: 2019

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2018
BEST MUSIC: 2018
BEST COMICS: 2018

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2017
BEST MUSIC: 2017
BEST COMICS: 2017

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2016
BEST MUSIC: 2016
BEST COMICS: 2016

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2015
BEST MUSIC: 2015
BEST COMICS: 2015

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2014
BEST MUSIC: 2014
BEST COMICS: 2014

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2013
BEST MUSIC: 2013
BEST COMICS: 2013

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2012
BEST MUSIC: 2012

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2011
BEST MUSIC: 2011
BEST COMICS: 2011

BEST MOVIES + TV: 2000-2010
BEST MUSIC: 2000-2010
BEST COMICS: 2000-2010


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