The Silver Age
C H A P T E R L I N K S :
• Best Comics
• ★ All-Ages Comics!
★ Early Readers: 4-6
★ Young Readers: 7-12
★ Young Adult: 13-18
• Best Graphic Novels
• Best Collections + Reissues
•• MICRONAUTS
•• MIRACLEMAN
• Where We Come From, Dept.
• Best Magazines
• Best TV
• Best Webcomics
• Rest In Power
B E S T
C O M I C S :
2 0 2 4
M A R V E L
• Miracleman: The Silver Age #7
by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham _______ ⇧
Cross your fingers. We might actually get the future this time.
The semi-short version: Alan Moore created postmodern, adult superheroes with the British hero, "Marvelman" (1982); in the USA, this climaxed in the unmatchable 'Book 3' of the renamed "Miracleman" (1988); Moore's chosen successor, Neil Gaiman, had barely started the second of his intended three follow-up arcs when the indie publisher went bankrupt (1993); after decades of legal wrangling, Marvel is letting Gaiman finish. This second arc of the three, with new art and expanded story, is at last in your grasp.
Don't miss out this time. Miracles don't happen every day.
• Fantastic Four,
by Ryan North (w) and various artists _______
Mostly known for his whacky humor, writer Ryan North (Squirrel Girl, Star Trek: Lower Decks) stretches out into phantasmic adventure, bringing that Lee/Kirby magic to this relaunch of Marvel’s flagship hero team.
Facsimile editions:
Marvel reprinted facsimile editions of classic comics issues.
• The X-Men #4, (March 1964)
by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby _______ ⇧
The debut of Magneto and 'The Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants'.
• Captain America #117, (Sept 1969)
by Stan Lee and Gene Colan _______ ⇧
The introduction of Sam Wilson as The Falcon.
See Sam as the star of new film, CAPTAIN AMERICA: Brave New World (2025).
W A R S
Marvel is doing a splendid job making movies between the movies.
• STAR WARS, Vol. 2
by Charles Soule (w) and various artists _______
This year concluded a 50-issue volume detailing the events between Episode 5: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) and Episode 6: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983); this series showed the Rebels' side of the story.
• DARTH VADER, Vol. 2
by Greg Pak (w) and various artists _______
This year concluded a 50-issue volume detailing the events between Episode 5: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) and Episode 6: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983); this series showed the Empire's side of the story.
• DOCTOR APHRA, Vol. 2
by Alyssa Wong (w) and various artists _______
This year concluded a 40-issue volume detailing the events between Episode 5: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) and Episode 6: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983); this series showed the mercenary raider's side of the story.
• Star Wars Visions:
Takashi Okazaki,
by Takashi Okazaki _______ ⇧
The breakout hit of the animated anthology TV series, 'Star Wars Visions' Season 1, was Okazaki's homage to Kurosawa samurai films, "The Duel".
This one-shot comic expands on that story.
D C
Facsimile editions:
DC reprinted facsimile editions of classic comics issues.
• Detective Comics #27, (May 1939)
by Bill Finger and Bob Kane _______ ⇧
The debut of Batman.
• Tales Calculated To Drive You MAD #1, (1952)
by the usual gang of idiots: Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Bill Elder, and John Severin _______ ⇧
The first issue of the satirical comic that would eventually (be forced to) become MAD magazine.
• Showcase #22, (Oct 1959)
by John Broome (w), Gil Kane (p), and Joe Giella (i) _______ ⇧
The debut of the (Silver Age) Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.
• Justice League Of America #1, (Nov 1960)
by Gardner Fox (w), Mike Sekowsky (p), and Bernard Sachs (i) _______ ⇧
The greatest super-team of them all.
• The Flash #123, (Sept 1961)
by Gardner Fox (w), Carmine Infantino (p), and Joe Giella (i) _______ ⇩
"Flash Of Two Worlds!", in which DC Comics invents and unleashes the Multiverse, long before everyone else.
• Hawkman #4, (Nov 1964)
by Gardner Fox (w) and Murphy Anderson (a) _______
The (poof!) premiere of Zatanna the magician.
• Detective Comics #400, (June 1970)
by Frank Robbins and Denny O’Neil (w), Neil Adams and Gil Kane (a) _______
First appearance of Man-Bat.
• House Of Secrets #92, (July 1971)
by various _______ ⇩
This anthology comic featured the proto-origin story of the Swamp Thing by his esteemed creators, Len Wein (w) and Berni Wrightson (a).
• Batman #237, (Dec 1971)
by Dennis O’Neil (w), Neil Adams (p), and Dick Giordano (i) _______
The classic story, "Night Of The Reaper".
• Green Lantern/Green Arrow #87, (Jan 1972)
by Dennis O’Neil (w), Neil Adams (p), and Dick Giordano (i) _______ ⇧
The bum-rush of John Stewart, in your face and sticking it to The Man.
• The New Teen Titans #1, (Nov 1980)
by Marv Wolfman (w), George Perez (p), and Romeo Tanghal (i) _______
In response to the phenomenal success of Marvel's 'The X-Men', two former Marvel stalwarts reinvented DC for the future.
• Batman #405, #406, #407, (March, April, May, 1987)
by Frank Miller (w) and David Mazzucchelli (a) _______ ⇧
The original printing of "Batman: Year One", a prequel to Miller's prestige series, 'The Dark Knight Returns' (1986).
This is where the now common media term 'Year One' comes from.
(see also:
directly inspired BATMAN BEGINS (2005) and THE BATMAN (2022).)
• Crisis On Infinite Earths #1 through #8, (1985-’86)
by Marv Wolfman (w) and George Perez (a) _______ ⇧
Since 1961, DC Comics owned the Multiverse. For 25 years they expanded it until its sheer complexity became overwhelming.
In 1985, in a bid to reboot for new readers, they pared it all down to one world. This year-long event, with appearances by everyone ever, distilled their entire history in 'the crossover event to end all crossover events'.
(Instead, crossover event series became an annual industry stunt ever since; all the changes have been rolled back and forth, to everyone's confusion and irritation; and every upstart from the MCU to the Spider-verse to EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE to 'Adventure Time' ran off with the Multiverse concept.)
The original is still the greatest. It is a symphony of comics history.
Note: issues #9 through 12 will be reprinted in 2025.
I M A G E
• Saga,
by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples _______ ⇧
The Space Fantasy that breaks all molds, winning hearts and awards.
• Kaya,
by Wes Craig _______
The girl with the magic arm rides lizards in the Poison Lands. Nuff said.
• Monstress,
by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda _______
The bestselling author and the Goth Nouveau Manga artist continue to spellbind us with their complex Fantasy epic.
• Public Domain,
by Chip Zdarsky _______ ⇧
The sly Zdarsky continues his satire of the corporate comics/movie industry machine with unbridled wit, standing up for creators.
• The Power Fantasy,
by Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard _______
Six superpowered people could destroy the world. How do you keep their clashes from ending us?
Facsimile editions:
Image reprinted facsimile editions of classic comics issues for $1 each.
• Image Firsts: Sex Criminals #1, (Sept 2013)
by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky _______
The acclaimed spoof of human sexuality and the oppression thereof.
• Image Firsts: Paper Girls #1, (Oct 2015)
by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang _______ ⇩
Four newspaper-delivery girls bike through time in a bid to save everything.
D A R K
H O R S E
• Black Hammer: Spiral City,
by Jeff Lemire and Teddy Kristiansen _______
What do you do after you ended your entire superhero unverse?
You reboot it anew in this seven-issue mini-series.
• Helen Of Wyndhorn,
by Tom King and Bilquis Evely _______ ⇩
Like 'Conan meets Wizard Of Oz', from the team who gave us the stellar ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ (source of the upcoming feature film).
• Masterpiece,
by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev _______
Skater grrrl meets crime epic.
I D W
• Star Trek: Lower Decks,
by Ryan North and Derek Charm _______
Ryan North was such a perfect writing choice for the first mini-series (smart/whacky/cosmic) that they did another one.
• Star Trek Celebrations,
by various creators _______ ⇧
A one-shot issue celebrating the LGBTQIA+ characters of all versions of Star Trek.
T I T A N
• Doctor Who: The Fifteenth Doctor,
by Kelsey Ramsay and Artgerm _______ ⇧
A four-issue mini spotlighting the latest iteration of the Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa.
★
A L L - A G E S
C O M I C S :
2 0 2 4
From the 1930s to the '80s, comics unified all of the kids in the world.
Comics spinner racks were omnipresent in every grocery, newstand, and drugstore, a world of dreams in color for small change. But after 50 years, this changed.
As the fans grew older, comics grew more mature (and gradually more expensive). In the early-'80s, comics disappeared from common spaces to be sold only in individual comic stores. This was the best and worst thing that could have happened: the select stores became a lab for the medium to grow up with adult fans, but this Comics Renaissance left all the kids behind with no entry point. Now that three decades have passed, the young have moved on to games and streaming, seeing superheroes nowadays only in films that are meant for those longtime adult readers.
Roy Thomas once said, "The Golden Age of Comics is 8."
Comics should still be a fun spark for kids. Now, with the spectacular success of Raina Telgemeier's books, various publishers are finally figuring this out. A wide movement to provide more all-ages comics has risen. From single comics to trade paperbacks, there are many new entry points for young readers to join in and open up their imaginations.
Early
R e a d e r s :
3 - 6
Each section is organized by themes.
• Sesame Street,
by various creators (Oni Press) _______ ⇧
A monthly comic of everyone's favorite road.
• Sleep, Little Batman,
by Keith Negley (Random House) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 3.
It's the ultimate showdown... putting a little one to bed.
• Batman:
Tales From The Batcave
3 Books In 1,
by various creators (Random House) _______
✔ Age: 3 to 7.
Featuring the stories, "King Shark Takes a Bite", "Swamped by Croc", and "Secrets of the Batcave".
• The Falcon:
A My Mighty Marvel First Book,
by Jack Kirby (Abrams Books) _______
✔ Age: 1+.
A picture book of classic art about the origins of Sam Wilson.
• Captain America: Sam Wilson,
A Little Golden Book,
by Frank Berrios and Anthony Conley (Golden Books) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 2 to 5.
Sam Wilson goes from being The Falcon to becoming the next Captain America.
• Riri Williams: Ironheart,
A Little Golden Book,
by Lois Evans and Jethro Unom (Golden Books) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 2 to 5.
Meet the young genius as she takes on the legacy of Iron Man.
(Note: 'Ironheart' will be a new live-action Disney+ TV series in 2025.)
• Giant-Size Little Marvels #1,
by Skottie Young and Dax Gordine (Marvel) _______ ⇧
All of the great Marvel heroes portrayed as little kids.
• Marvel Beginnings:
Spider-Man Goes To The Farm
A Touch And Feel Book,
by Derek Elmer and Shane Clester (Marvel Press) _______
✔ Age: Baby to 3.
A board book with tactile areas for kids to touch and learn from.
• Marvel:
Spidey And His Amazing Friends
Teamwork Saves The Day!,
by various creators (Marvel Press) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 4 to 6.
Three Spider heroes -Peter, Gwen, and Miles- work together to win.
• Marvel:
Spidey And His Amazing Friends
5 Minute Stories#1,
by Steve Behling (w) + (Marvel Press) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 3 to 5.
Twelve stories which can each be read aloud in five minutes.
• Spider-Ham #3:
A Pig In Time,
by Steve Foxe and Shadia Amin (Scholastic) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 6 to 8.
Peter Porker takes a time travel trip to stop two bad guys.
• Star Wars:
The Empire Strikes Back,
by Al Williamson (p) and Carlos Garzon (i) (Abrams Appleseed) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 4+.
An easy-to-read board book adaption of the film.
• Disney WISH:
Star Leads the Way,
A Little Golden Book,
by Luna Chi (Golden Books) _______
✔ Age: 2 to 5.
This new story reveals a hidden moment not seen in the 2023 Disney animated film.
• Hilda And Twig:
Hide From The Rain,
by Luke Pearson (Nobrow) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 5 to 7.
A brand-new story of everyone's favorite woodland adventurer, known from the popular Netflix cartoon series.
• Juniper Mae:
Secrets of The Guardian Knights,
by Sarah Soh (Flying Eye) _______
✔ Age: 5 to 7.
In this sequel to "Juniper Mae: Knight Of Tykotech City" (2023), two friends from opposing sides must work together to stop the energy crisis.
• National Geographic:
Little Kids,
by various creators _______ ⇧
✔ Age: for 2 to 6.
Fun photos teach kids about the world and nature.
▶ Website here
• Highlights: High Five,
by various creators _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 3 to 6.
Picture-driven stories, poems, projects, and recipes for early readers.
▶ Website here
• Kazoo Magazine,
by various creators _______ ⇧
✔ Age: for girls 5 to 12.
"We pack every ad-free issue with science, art, comics, games, crafts, recipes, stories, and inspiration."
▶ Website here
• Jack And Jill,
by various creators _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 6 to 12.
"For cool kids", an array of stories, games, comics, jokes, interviews, recipes, and crafts.
▶ Website here
Y o u n g
R e a d e r s :
7 - 12
This section is organized by themes.
S T R I P S
• Here’s To You, Charlie Brown
Facsimile Edition,
by Charles Schultz (Titan Comics) _______
A replica of the 1960 compilation book.
• Peanuts For Everybody
A Peanusts Collection,
by Charles Schultz (Titan Comics) _______
A collection of classic strips from 1958-1964.
• You’re The Greatest, Charlie Brown
A Peanusts Collection,
by Charles Schultz (Titan Comics) _______
A collection of classic strips from 1963 and 1964.
• Snoopy:
Beagle Scout Adventures,
by Charles Schultz (Andrews McMeel) _______ ⇧
An assortment of strips about Snoopy's Scout troupe.
• The Calvin And Hobbes
Portable Compendium,
by Bill Watterson (Andrews McMeel) _______ ⇧
1988-’89.
A treasury of timeless trips from the middle run of the essential comic strip.
• Art Club:
Dare To Create!,
by Rashad Doucet (Little Brown) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
When the school won't support an art class, all of the teen artists form their own after school.
• Club Microbe,
by Elise Gravel (Drawn And Quarterly) _______ ⇧
Actually, most germs help you, as you'll learn by accident while laughing through this fun book.
• Lion Dancers,
by Cai Tse (Simon And Shuster) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
Former friends compete to be the best lion dance performer.
• Call Me Iggy,
by Jorge Aquirre and Rafael Rosado (First Second) _______
✔ Age: 10 +.
Iggy isn't impressing the young woman he adores, and his ghost grandfather isn't making things better.
• Lunar New Year Love Story,
by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (First Second) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 11+.
She's unlucky at love, but a pair of lion dancers give her new hope.
• Athletes Who Made A Difference:
Muhammad Ali,
by Josh Anderson and Kristel Becares (Graphic Universe) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
The greatest boxer of all time, activist, man of faith, role model, legend.
• Athletes Who Made A Difference:
Simone Biles,
by Josh Anderson and Casey Ella Fredrick (Graphic Universe) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
The most decorated gymnast in history.
• Mia And Friends,
by Karlin Gray and Micheline Hess (First Second) _______
✔ Age: 7 to 10.
The true story of soccor star Mia Hamm and her team's run at the 1999 Women's World Cup.
• Pizza And Taco, vol.7:
Wrestling Mania
by Stephen Shaskan (Random House) _______ ⇩
✔ Age: 5 to 8.
Who doesn't love pizza wrestling a taco?
• The Unpetables, vol. 2:
Unpetable In The City
by Dennis Messner (IDW) _______
✔ Age: 9 to 12.
The pig and the iguana forsake the petting zoo and hit the big city.
• InvestiGators:
Class Action #1,
by John Patrick Green (First Second) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 7 to 10.
The private investigator alligators go undercover in middle school.
• Surfside Girls:
The Clue In The Reef,
by Kim Dwinell (IDW) _______ ⇧
Now a live-action Apple+ TV show.
In their new third adventure, the two surfing sleuths riptide into another island mystery.
• The Other Side Of Tomorrow,
by Tina Cho and Deb JJ Lee (HarperAlley) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
A girl and boy ally together to escape the oppression of North Korea for a better life.
• Powerpuff Girls #1-6,
by Kelley Thompson and Paulina Ganucheu (Dynamite) _______
A monthly comic about everyone's favorite cartoon power trio.
• Leon #2,
Worst Friends Forever
by Jamar Nicholas (Scholastic) _______ ⇩
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
The new gadget-savvy superhero finds new challenges at school and at home after his debut.
• Takio,
by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming (Dark Horse) _______ ⇩
✔ Age: 12+.
Can two bickering sisters gain superpowers and learn the right things to do?
• Batman And Robin And Howard #1 through 4,
by Jeffrey Brown (DC) _______
✔ Age: 8+.
A four-issue monthly comic, where young Robin contends with a scrappy rival at his new school.
• Blue Stars: Mission One:
The Vice Principle Problem,
by Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich (Candlewick) _______
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
Two native American cousins use their special abilities and activism to expose a corrupt school official.
• Kira
And The (Maybe) Space Princess,
by Megan Brennan (Random House) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
Of course Kira is destined to be a great Magical Girl, so who is this perfect upstart named Catacorn ruining her plans?
• Captain Marvel:
Born To Fly, Destined For The Stars
A Marvel Origin Novel,
by Sharon Gosling (Marvel Press) _______
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
* text only.
An easy-to-read origin story of how Carol Danvers became a superhero.
• Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur:
Wreck And Roll,
by Stephanie Williams and Asia Simone (Scholastic) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
Now a Disney+ cartoon series.
A science genius and her dinosaur bestie will always save the day.
• Mini Marvels:
Spidey-Sense,
by Chris Giarrusso, Sean McKeever, Marc Sumerak (w); Chris Giarrusso (a) (Marvel) _______
✔ Age: 10 to 14.
Goofy humor with young versions of all the Marvel heroes.
• The Mythmakers:
The Remarkable Fellowship Of
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien,
by John Hendrix (Harry N. Abrams) _______ ⇩
✔ Age: 11+.
A comics bio about two friends who changed literature and popular culture.
Lewis wrote the 'Chronicles of Narnia' books, and Tolkien wrote 'The Lord Of The Rings', from which all modern Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and alternative epics draw from.
• TIARA
And The Magic Of Harlem,
by Disney (Random House) _______
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
The star of Disney’s THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (2009) studies under a celebrated Harlem chef in this all-new sequel.
• Disney MOANA:
The Graphic Novel,
by Aleesandro Ferrari + (Random House) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 6 to 8.
An adaptation of the first film (2016).
• Disney WISH:
The Graphic Novel,
by Tea Orsi (w), and Emilia Urbano, Marco Forcelioni, and Sara Storino (a) (Random House) _______
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
An adaptation of the 2023 film.
• Afro Unicorn:
The Land Of Afronia, vol. 1,
by April Showers and Terrance Crawford (w), Ronaldo Barata and Anthony Conley (a) (Andrews McMeel) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 6 to 9.
The colorful land of unicorns is in danger from those who would drain all color away.
• Frankie Fairy
And The Beastly Bog,
by Caitlin Rose Boyle (Oni Press) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 7 to 11.
In her second adventure, the bat-fairy embraces 'creepy' critters and her own uniqueness.
• Unicorn Boy,
by Dave Roman (First Second) _______ ⇩
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
It's easier to accept that you have a sudden unicorn horn with a best friend by your side.
• Wolfpitch #1,
by Balazs Lorinczi (IDW) _______ ⇩
A supernatural all-girl rock trio just has to win the battle of the bands.
• Adventure Zone #6:
The Suffering Game
by Clint McElroy (w), Griffin McElroy (w), and Carey Pietsch (w/a) (First Second) _______
Based on the popular podcast: the relic-hunters are close to finding all seven deadly artifacts, but will the tides turn?
• Adventure Time:
Fionna And Cake Compendium,
by various creators (Oni Press) _______ ⇧
The HBO series 'Adventure Time: Fionna And Cake' flipped the script on the original show, gifting us with this multiversal duo.
• Rune:
The Tale Of A Thousand Faces,
by Carlos Sanchez (Flying Eye) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 7 to 11.
The two forest chefs find a secret realm of 'monster' friends and stealth danger.
• Jonna
And The Impossible Monsters,
by Chris Samnee and Laura Samnee (Oni Press) _______
✔ Age: 11+.
Two unlike sisters travel the monstrous badlands to reunite their family.
• Star Wars Visions:
Screen Comix,
(Random House) _______ ⇧
episodes 4 and 9.
Screen Comix combines film stills with word balloons to make comic adaptations of two episodes of the popular Disney+ animated series.
Features the great dreadlocked bunny adventurer of "Aau's Song"!
• Flash Gordon Adventures,
by Art Baltazar and Franco (Papercutz) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 7 to 12.
The newly adorable adventures of the classic space adventurer.
• Lunar Boy,
by Jes and Cin Wibowo (HarperAlley) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
The boy from the moon feels like an outcast at school, but are things about to change?
• Lilo And Stitch #1-8,
by Greg Pak and Guilia Giacomino (Dynamite) _______ ⇧
A monthy comic with new adventures of the animated film stars.
• First Cat In Space
And The Soup Of Doom,
by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris (HarperCollins) _______
✔ Age: 8 to 12.
Moon Queen, the cat, and the robot return, sussing out the soup poisoner amid crazed antics.
• Cricket,
by various creators _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 9 to 14.
"...only the highest quality fiction and classic literature and nonfiction stories on culture, history, science, and the arts", with cartoons and illustrations.
▶ Website here
• Honest History,
by various creators _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 8 to 14.
Loved by educators for its thoroughly researched articles and interviews and stories about topical issues; plus comics, maps, and more.
▶ Website here
Y o u n g
A d u l t :
13 - 18
This section is organized by themes.
• New Adventures In Disney-Pixar:
INSIDE OUT 2 #1,
by Sloane Leong and Sergio Algozzino (Papercutz) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 13+.
Teen Riley sorts out her new feelings during surprises at a summer camp, a pool party, picture day, and more.
• New Adventures In Disney-Pixar:
TURNING RED #1 and 2,
by Sloane Leong and Sergio Algozzino (Papercutz) _______
✔ Age: 13+.
Turning into a monthly panda has its challenges, but 13-year-old Meilin and her best friends are up for everything.
• New Adventures In Disney-Pixar:
ENCANTO #1:
Time To Shine
by Amparo Ortiz and Andrea Greppi (Papercutz) _______ ⇧
Four all-new tales about everyone's favorite Columbian musical family.
• Halfway There:
A Graphic Memoir of Self-Discovery,
by Christine Mari (Little Brown) _______ ⇩
✔ Age: 13 to 18.
Christine is conflicted about her dual heritage in Japan and the US, and works through the physical and personal journey to her own identity.
• I Run To Make My Heart Beat,
by Aude Massott (Fairsquare Comics) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 15 to 18.
With roots in Gambia and Poland, Nina is told she is in 'conflict', but by running track she finds her own path.
• This Land Is Our Land:
A Blue Beetle Story,
by Jacoby Salcedo (DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 13+.
Can a young hero living on the Texas border expose the anti-immigrant bigotry in time to stop the actual alien invasion?
• Hovergirls,
by Geneva Bowers (Bloomsbury) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 12+.
The Vasquez cousins find that gaining superpowers doesn't make their city lives supereasy.
• Wonder Woman:
The Adventures Of Young Diana,
by Jordi Bellaire and Paulina Ganucheau (DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 13+.
Teen Diana quests to find the missing texts, but what secrets will the stolen tomes reveal about her island's history?
• Barda,
by Ngozi Ukazu (DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults) _______
✔ Age: 13+.
From the world of Jack Kirby's 'New Gods': Barda the ultimate warrior is sent from her hellish world to defeat the man she may be falling in love with.
• Storm:
Dawn Of A Goddess,
A Novel,
by Tiffany D. Jackson (Random House) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 13+.
*text only.
Discover the origin of young Ororo before joining 'The X-Men', a poor Cairo child with the power to control the weather.
• Phenomena, vol. 2:
Matilde's Quest
by Brian Michael Bendis and André Lima Araújo (Abrams) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 13+.
What if Moebius had done a Studio Ghibli movie?
In this second book of the trilogy, the backstory of the mysterious Mathilde unveils as the trio explores the wildlands.
• Lost Letters,
by Jim Bishop (Magnetic Press) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 13+.
In the land where fish and people live together, Iodine finds that his missing letters may lead to a startling revelation.
• The Fox Maidens,
by Robin Ha (Balzer + Bray) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 13+.
The Korean myth is reimagined in a queer feminist update, as warrior Kai has to confront her hidden past and her budding love.
• Tiffany’s Garden,
by Magnolia Porter Siddell and Maddi Gonzalez (First Second) _______ ⇧
✔ Age: 13+.
Tiffany finds out her favorite Fantasy book series is real, but that her spoiled rival is destined to be the Chosen One, what?!
• Science Comics:
Human Spaceflight,
by Andy Hirsch (First Second) _______ ⇧
This smart book canvases our real spaceflight history along with all the surprises of what that entails.
• Star Wars:
Hyperspace Stories #2 and 3,
by with Cecil Castellucci (w) + (Dark Horse) _______ ⇧
Two trade paperbacks collecing issues #5 through 12 of the ongoing monthly comic.
• Time Traveler Tales,
by Karl Jacobs and David Scheidt (w), Kelly and Nichole Matthews (a) (Dark Horse) _______
Oliver is bouncing through time, pursued by a shadow that wants his abilities.
Resources:
• Comic Shop Locator
• BookShop.org
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B E S T
G R A P H I C
N O V E L S :
2 0 2 4
• THE MOON AND SERPENT
BUMPER BOOK OF MAGIC, (Top Shelf)
by Alan Moore and Steve Moore _______ ⇧
Many of us have wanted to master the eldritch energies of the ether to transform reality or simply run from it when this gets out of control. And this book will teach you how ✶maybe.
Laypeeps and gentlefolk, presenting to you a splendrous cyclopedia of the history of magic and how to apply it, rendered in impish texts and whimsical serial picture stories. Messrs. Moore and Moore (no relation), experts if they say so, are abetted in this diabolism by such lunar-trick luminaries as Kevin O'Neill, Rick Veitch, and Melinda Gebbie, fine artisans and fugitives all.
How has mystic thinking (creative extrapolation) been a guiding force in the advancement of all civilizations? How can you implement your newfound bewitchery to unscrew the inscrutable or simply annoy the spirit realm? This wondrous tome will pretend to answer these questions by courting your cortex and stirring your humours. Come one, come all, with sufficent funds!
◼ Adulting.
• SINGLE MOTHERING
by Anna Harmala (Nobrow) _______ ⇧
Based on the author's own experiences, a seriocomic gauntlet of trying to restart your life while guiding another's start.
• THE GULF
by Adam de Souza (Tundra) _______ ⇧
Four fractured friends leave it all behind on a spontaneous trip to a mysterious island commune, disclosing themselves as they go.
• FOOD SCHOOL
by Jade Armstrong (Conundrum Press) _______ ⇧
Olive navigates the highs and lows of food disorder recovery, with the help of their partner and their friend.
• SELF-ESTEEM
AND THE END OF THE WORLD
by Luke Healy (Drawn And Quarterly) _______ ⇧
The writer has lost all stability, in a cross-tost world and career, and looks for how to put himself back together again.
◼ Detection.
• MARY TYLER MOOREHAWK
by Dave Baker (IDW) _______ ⇧
Like a postmodern detective story and surrealist epic quilted by Thomas Pynchon, this tale of a journalist researching a mysterious comic icon turns reality inside out with outtasight insight.
• NEWBURN, Vol. 2
by Chip Zdarsky (w) and Jacob Phillips (a) (Image) _______ ⇧
The conclusion of the crime series, where a freelance detective for rival mobs burns every bridge on the way.
◼ Burns.
• KOMMIX
by Charles Burns (Pantheon) _______ ⇧
Burns created 80 comic covers for an unsettling splay of 1950s-'60s-style issues that never existed, a puzzle book of possibilities.
• FINAL CUT
by Charles Burns (Pantheon) _______ ⇧
Brian and friends go to a cabin in the woods to shoot an indie horror film, but his intended vision is blurring into distorted fantasies.
◼ Monstrous.
• MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS, Book Two
by Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
Drawn with ballpoint pens in elaborate crosshatching on notebook paper, this sprawling saga about a murder mystery, counterculture activism, kid lycanthropy, and art museums is like none other.
• FEEDING GHOSTS:
A Graphic Memoir
by Tessa Hull (MCD Books) _______ ⇧
A deep examination of three generations of Chinese women, haunted by their pasts beyond borders or time.
◼ Author, Author.
• GEORGE SAND:
True Genius, True Woman
by Kim Consigny (SelfMadeHero) _______ ⇧
Not just a muse for famous creative men, she redefined herself as a full person and successful writer against all the pressures of a patriarchal society.
• LORD OF THE FLIES:
The Graphic Novel
by William Golding / Aimee de Jongh (Faber) _______ ⇧
A visual adaptation of Golding's 1953 novel, where British children lost at sea resort to primeval survival on an island.
• EINSTEIN IN KAFKALAND
How Albert Fell Down The Rabbit Hole
And Came Up With The Universe
by Ken Krimstein (Bloomsbury) _______ ⇧
By chance both men were in Prague the same two years, where the crux of modernity pushed each into their full fruiton simultaneously.
◼ Artisan.
• DELIGHTS:
A Story Of Hieronymus Bosch
by Guy Colwell (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
Comix Underground maverick Colwell returns from the unknown to imagine a life for the mysterious Bosch.
• CARAVAGGIO:
The Paletter And The Sword, Vol. 1
by Milo Manara (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
The brash and ingenius painter Caravaggio; painter, lover, killer, fugitive.
The first of two parts, this is the most ambitious Manara work in decades, sumptuously painted in the manner of its irascible subject.
• DEGAS AND CASSATT:
A Solitary Dance
by Salva Rubio and Efa (NBM) _______ ⇧
The aloof/ostracized Edgar Degas loved Mary Cassatt from afar as she quietly changed how we see.
• BETRAYAL OF THE MIND:
The Surreal Life Of Unica Zürn
by Celine Wagner (Humanoids) _______ ⇧
A neglected but pivotal figure in the Surrealist movement, Zürn wound her way around Hitler's regime, sexist dismissal, and mental illness in pursuit of creative expression.
◼ Music.
• PUNK ROCK KARAOKE
by Bianca Xunise (Viking) _______
The band Baby Hares might break big if they can keep from breaking themselves.
• BLONDIE:
Against The Odds
by Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti (w), Montos (a) (Z2 Comics) _______
A pictorial oral history of the band, along with visual interpretations of ten classic songs.
◼ Speculative Fiction.
• MY TIME MACHINE
by Carol Lay (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
With Carol Lay, you know you're always going to get cleanline artistry, brisk and clever stories, and a wry kick in the pants sidelong.
• NO FUTURE
by Eric Corberyan (Magnetic Press) _______ ⇧
What if a Blade Runner actually investigated the 'Off World Colonies'?
It would play out like this anti-corruption noir in the mode of 'Metal Hurlant/Heavy Metal' magazine.
• HEXAGON BRIDGE
by Richard Blake (IDW) _______ ⇧
Lost in a parallel reality, a couple finds a stranger answer than they could have imagined.
• ANZUELO
by Emma Rios (IDW) _______ ⇧
A poetic watercolor fable, in which the sea overruns the world and begins to cleanse us of our sin.
◼ Fantastic.
• VERA BUSHWACK
by Sig Burwash (Drawn And Quarterly) _______ ⇧
You could just sort out your issues in boring reality or you could slide into a surreal Nova Scotia fantasyland while doing it.
• THE LIBRARY MULE OF CORDOBA
by Wilfred Lupano (Ablaze) _______ ⇧
The despots want to destroy the world's greatest library, but will the knowledge escape on the back of the world's worst mule?
• SUNNY-LUNA TRAVELLING ORACLE,
by Warren Pleece (Berger Books) _______ ⇧
Esta discovers that the revival show traveling through this dustbowl dystopia may be out to destroy the planet.
• ASIRI,
by Roye Okupa (w) and Samuel Iwnze (a) (Dark Horse) _______ ⇧
Afrofuturism superheroes based on African mythology.
◼ Outlook.
• AND MANKIND CREATED THE GODS
by Joseph Behe (Graphic Mundi) _______ ⇧
A visual narrative translating Pascal Boyer’s “Religion Explained” (2001) breaks down each global faith and why they are followed.
• EVENTUALLY EVERYTHING CONNECTS:
Eight Essays On Uncertainty
by Sarah Firth (Graphic Mundi) _______ ⇧
How to feel and behave better in a complex and overwehelming world.
• SAPIENS:
A Graphic History, vol. 3:
The Masters Of History
by Yuval Noah Harari (w), David Vandermeulen and Daniel Casanave (a) (HarperCollins) _______
In this volume, the smart and funny series essays the pros and cons of money, faith, and empire in human history.
◼ R e s i s t .
• ARE YOU WILLING TO DIE FOR THE CAUSE?
by Chris Oiveros (Drawn And Quarterly) _______
A thoughtful dissection of a '60s movement for Quebec independence that lost its way doing all of the wrong moves.
• A FIREHOSE OF FALSEHOOD
by Teri Kanesfield (World Citizen) _______ ⇧
Oppressors always use the Big Lie to steal power and abuse the people.
Here are numerous examples through history that teach us how to sort out the truth better.
• WOMAN, LIFE, FREEDOM
by Marjane Satrapi + (Seven Stories Press) _______ ⇧
In 2022, a young woman was killed in Iran for not wearing a headscarf, igniting a brave revolution of protests in the streets.
Satrapi ("Persepolis") and fellow activists challenge the oppression of fundamentalist martial law in this vital and important book.
▶ watch also: THE SEED OF A SACRED FIG (Iran, 2024)
• ADVOCATE:
A Graphic Memoir of Family, Community, and the Fight for Environmental Justice
by Eddie Ahn (Ten Speed Press) _______ ⇧
A national bestseller and Washington Post's 'Graphic Novel Of The Year'.
As an activist lawyer definding the environment and the poor, Eddie fights corruption and apathy while trying to change the conservative outlooks and expectations of his family.
• WON’T BACK DOWN:
An Anthology of Pro-Choice Comics
edited by Trina Robbins (Last Gasp) _______ ⇧
The Supreme Court betrayed women by taking away their rights.
These 30 creaive contributers refuse to yield.
◼ Make war no more.
• Mark Twain’s WAR PRAYER,
by Mark Twain / Seymour Chwast (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
Published posthumously, Twain's withering psalm against the violent and the stupid is interpreted visually by Chwast.
• CARTOONISTS AGAINST RACISM:
The Secret Jewish War On Bigotry,
by Rafael Medoff and Craig Yoe (w), + various artists (Dark Horse) _______ ⇧
When the Nazis rose in the 1930s, American writers and cartoonists fought back in democratic fervor with a wave of anti-racist editorial cartoons and comics stories to inform the public and beat down the lies of the thugs and the fools.
• PALESTINE,
by Joe Sacco (Fantagraphics) _______
A reissue of illustrator/journalist Sacco's essential 1993 book, exactly on time to inform your mind and activate your conscience.
• WAR ON GAZA,
by Joe Sacco (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
A new book of illustrated journalism, exposing the real genocide of a country by the latest megalomaniac.
• HOW WAR BEGINS,
by Igort (Fantagraphics) _______
Illustrated journalism of the Russian assault on Ukraine by a cartoonist on the scene and under seige.
• BORN IN THE USA:
The Story of Immigration And Belonging,
by Lawrence Goldstone (First Second) _______ ⇧
America is where the world goes to be free... in theory.
This reveals the history of US immigration, and the rich/thugs/hicks who always try to stop it.
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 2 4
◯ 1940s
• FLASH GORDON Classic Collection:
The Complete Sunday Strips,
Vol. 2 1937-’1941,
by Alex Raymond (Mad Cave Studios) _______ ⇧
Alex Raymond (+ Hal Foster and Milton Canniff) brought fine illustration and mature storytelling to the comic strips, creating the templates which comic books would follow.
• TERRY AND THE PIRATES:
The Master Collection, Vol. 7, (1941)
by Milton Caniff (Clover Press LLC) _______
Canniff's finest strip, a master class in storytelling and brushwork.
• DC Finest:
SUPERMAN, The First Superhero, (1938-’40)
by Jerry Siegal and Joe Shuster (DC) _______ ⇧
The first two years of the greatest hero of all.
• Golden Age Classics Softee:
THE SPIRIT #1 and 2, (1944)
by Will Eisner (w) and Lou Fine (a) (PS Artbooks) _______ ⇧
The first 8 issues of the comic book, now in an affordable softcover edition.
(While Will Eisner created the classic weekly supplement series for Sunday newspapers, the character also had a monthly comic for a time, drawn by the fabled Lou Fine.)
• THE NANCY SHOW:
Celebrating The Art Of Ernie Bushmiller,
by Ernie Bushmiller + (Fantagraphics) _______
A catalog of the ‘The Nancy Show’ 2024 museum exhibition, celebrating the loopy and absurdist comic strip "Nancy".
• PLASTIC MAN,
Vols. 4 through 7, (1948-’51)
by Jack Cole (PS Artbooks) _______ ⇧
Cole was a master of slapstick lunacy.
◯ 1950s
• PS Artbooks Softee:
CLASSIC SCIENCE FICTION COMICS, vol. 7 (1951)
by Basil Wolverton (PS Artbooks) _______
This softcover edition spotlights the bizarrity of Basil Wolverton's cartoon art.
• EC ARCHIVES:
The remastered EC Comics Hardcovers are now being re-released as affordable Softcover editions, proceeding in order.
HAUNT OF FEAR, Vol. 4
TALES FROM THE CRYPT, Vols. 3 and 4
VAULT OF HORROR, Vol. 5
CRIME SUSPENSTORIES, Vol. 1 and 2
WEIRD FANTASY, Vols. 3 and 4
WEIRD SCIENCE, Vol. 3 and 4,
by Multiple Creators
(Dark Horse) _______ ⇧
These early-'50s comics redefined maturity in the medium, launched great writers and artists, electrified readers, and terrified conservatives. Essential.
▶ see also: "The Ten Cent Plague"
• FOUL PLAY
and Other Stories, (early-1950s)
by Jack Davis + (Fantagraphics) _______
A collection of Jack Davis's essential EC Comics works.
• EC Fan-Addict Fanzine #1,
by Multiple Creators (Fantagraphics) _______
An appreciation of EC Comics from all angles by diehard fans and pros.
◯ 1960s
• Marvel Comics Library:
SPIDER-MAN 1962-1964,
by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (Taschen) _______
The first 21 issues of webhead, in the deluxe pricey version.
• Marvel Comics Library:
SPIDER-MAN 1965-1966,
by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (Taschen) _______
The next wave of issues, in the deluxe pricey version.
• Marvel Comics Library:
AVENGERS, Vol. 1 1963-1965,
by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Taschen) _______ ⇧
The first 20 issues, in this smaller, cheaper edition of the previous pricey version.
• Marvel Comics Library:
AVENGERS, Vol. 2 1965-1967,
by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (Taschen) _______
The next wave of issues, in the deluxe pricey version.
• DC’s Finest:
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA:
The Bridge Between Earths, (1966-’69)
by Gardner Fox (w), Mike Sekowsky (p), and Murphy Anderson, Joe Giella, and Sid Greene (i) (DC) _______ ⇧
The Flash discovered the Multiverse in 1961.
The Justice League and the Justice Society teamed up annually to defend against threats from parallel universe Earths.
This set the stage for comics continuity, super team-ups, cross-company team-ups, the epochal "Crisis On Infinite Earths" (1985), annual stunt events, and all multiverses in popular culture.
• Wally Wood From WITZEND:
Complete Collection, (1966-’85)
by Wallace Wood and various creators (Vanguard) _______ ⇧
Celebrated artist Wallace Wood did the crazy thing of printing his own independent magazine, with uncensored comics for adults. It fortold the future.
• IRIS:
A Novel For Viewers, (1968)
by Lo Hartog Van Banda and Thé Tjong-Khing (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
A rarity now remastered, this early experiment in mature graphic novels was told in a psychedelic pop style parallel to Pellaert's "Jodelle" and "Pravda".
◯ 1970s
• THE FABULOUS FURRY FREAK BROTHERS,
vol. 5: High Times And Misdemeanors,
by Gilbert Shelton and Dave Sheridan (Fantagraphics) _______
Because of course three stoners would go on a bus trip across the country to find
(Just to derange you, the entire strip is being collected across seven volumes, but the volumes are being released in random order. Yep.)
• GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW:
Hard-Traveling Heroes Omnibus, The Complete Saga, (1971-'72)
by Dennis O’Neil, Neil Adams and Dick Giordano (DC) _______ ⇧
Just as the counterculture unleashed the maturation of American cinema with EASY RIDER (1969),> they did the same with mainstream comics.
O'Neil's topical maturity and Adams' naturalistic illustration raised the bar that everyone has been trying to reach ever since.
• BATMAN #C-51A
DC Treasury Edition Facsimile Edition, (1974)
by Dennis O’Neil (w), Neal Adams and Dick Giordano (a) (DC) _______ ⇧
An exact replica of the 11x14 comic, which featured a contemporary story along with classic reprints.
• SUPERMAN vs. WONDER WOMAN #C-54
DC Treasury Edition Facsimile Edition, (Jan 1978)
by Gerry Conway (w) and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (a) (DC) _______
In the wake of the seismic 'Superman vs. Spider-Man' (1976), DC continued the cinematic possibilities of tabloid sized comics with the excellent draftwork of Garcia-Lopez, one of the greatest Superman artists.
• SUPERMAN vs. MUHAMMAD ALI
DC Treasury Edition Facsimile Edition, (1978)
by Dennis O’Neil (w) and Neal Adams(a), + (DC) _______ ⇧
What could seem like a silly premise is actually one of the greatest comics of all time.
On paper it sounded foolish: mix the ultimate super-fight with STAR WARS. In print, it is a decisive winner.
O'Neil grounded the cosmic story in character and humanity, while Adams proved he was the greatest illustrator in comics with his finest work.
• DC vs. MARVEL
Omnibus #1, (1976-2000)
by various creators (DC/Marvel) _______
In 1976, the impossible happened: DC teamed up with their arch-rival Marvel, and Superman went up against (and then alongside) Spider-Man.
After a couple more team-ups in the early-'80s, a cooling off between them defrosted in the '90s for a slew of more.
This 1100-page tome collects almost everything in one impossible cinder block.
* Note: not included are the Amalgam Comics run (1996) or JLA/Avengers (2003), which perhaps a second volume would complete.
◯ 1980s
• THE MICRONAUTS:
The Original Marvel Years Omnibus, Vol. 1 (1979-1981)
by Bill Mantlo and Michael Golden, + (Marvel) _______ ⇧
The first 12 issues of THE MICRONAUTS (1978-'79) were the STAR WARS of comics.
The seismic success of that 1977 film rewrote the film industry, Science Fiction in the mainstream, SFX production, and creative potential overnight. While many scrambled to answer that challenge across the next decade, maybe none succceeded more spectacularly than the most unlikely and overlooked of sources.
(see also: STARSTRUCK)
While Marvel Comics was being saved from bankruptcy by their fortunate licensing of STAR WARS, Takara's Microman toyline was doing solid success in the USA repackaged as the Micronauts line by Mego. Shrewdly, Marvel licensed the action figures with the mandate of a Lucas-esque space opera. They got more than they could have hoped for.
Panel art by Michael Golden (p),
(i) Josef Rubinstein, 1-4;
Neal Adams, 5;
Al Milgrom, 6-12
Veteran writer Bill Mantlo and upcoming artist Michael Golden went for glory, turning toys into arthouse through a complex stellar saga with intricate world-building, overarched by wonder and underlined by mystery. The heady brew cauldroned elements of Flash Gordon, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, NASA, The New Wave Of Science Fiction, Herbert's "Dune", Zelazny's "Lord Of Light", von Däniken's "Chariots Of The Gods", Lee and Kirby's FANTASTIC FOUR, Gerber's MAN-THING, Ditko's DOCTOR STRANGE, Starlin's CAPTAIN MARVEL, DC's DIAL "H" FOR HERO, Steranko's NICK FURY, and -subliminally- 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, along with cyborgs, dystopia, revolution, spirituality, and family drama.
Mantlo (like Lee) fired off the sprawling scope, ricochet plotting, and stentorian melodrama. Golden (like Kirby and Ditko) built the impossible worlds, micro and macro: Homeworld, the molecular chain wrapped in cities; their sanscrit alphabet; the consistent, blueprinted architecture of the Body Banks and H.E.L.L; the quiet visual clues leading to the climactic big reveal. Along the way, Golden found his signature style (issue #8) and cult status. The brave experiment crescendoed with the stunning MICRONAUTS #11, one of the greatest comics ever made.
In retrospect, THE MICRONAUTS should have been a 12-issue maxi-series and stopped. After Golden left, everything diminished by degrees. Though Mantlo steered the course, the series continually stalemated itself with inconsistent art (often pairing A-list pencillers with incompatable inkers for deadlines) and devolved through plot repetitions of its first year. This omnibus covers the first 29 issues and two annuals, glossing across the better end of that gradual diminuation. It's still worth the trip, but becomes less so in the following two omnibus volumes.
That caveat aside, this omnibus is a dream come true, with The Micronauts returning to print at Marvel, and remastered in such grand form. The only thing that could be even better is to print a single volume of the first year, remastered and large.
So why all the fuss? Because THE MICRONAUTS is the best comic that too many have missed out on. And the innovations and impact of Mantlo and Golden's MICRONAUTS resonate to this day, from the continuous comics stories of the polymorphous Captain Universe, to the subatomic Microverse (as the Quantum Realm) seen in ANT-MAN and AVENGERS films, to Mantlo's sidebar character Rocket Raccoon in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. There's even a sly reference to the microship Endeavor on STAR TREK: Lower Decks (S05E03, 2024).
You know the branches, now learn the roots.
(This section readapts text from the 2020 review for 'Michael Golden's MICRONAUTS Artist’s Edition'.)
• BRIAN BOLLAND:
The Killing Joke
Gallery Edition, (1980s)
by Brian Bolland + (DC) _______ ⇩
Despite the specific title, this is actually a career overview of Bolland's work beyond just 'The Killing Joke' (1988), with the original art photographed at actual size.
• David Mazzucchelli’s
BATMAN: Year One
Artist’s Edition, (1987) ⇩
by Frank Miller (w) and David Mazzucchelli (a) (IDW) _______
Mazzucchelli’s original art pages are photographed at actual size.
• BATMAN:
Gotham By Gaslight, (1989)
by Brian Augustyn (w) and Michael Mignola (a) (DC) _______ ⇧
What if The Batman began in Victorian London, in pursuit of Jack The Ripper?
This acclaimed first 'Elseworlds' story, where non-canon alternate histories unfold, was the breakthrough moment for Mignola (leading toward his own 'Hellboy' series).
• The Collected TOPPI:
Vol. 11, War Stories,
by Sergio Toppi (Lion Forge) _______ ⇧
Every volume in this series is a master class in fine illustration, inking and hatching, and composition.
• The Fantastic Worlds Of
FRANK FRAZETTA,
40th Anniversary,
(Taschen) _______ ⇧
A smaller and more affordable edition of the previous pricey reissue.
◯ 1990s
• MADMAN:
The Madmaniverse #6,
by Mike Allred (Dark Horse) _______
These volumes collect all of Allred's fan-favorite series together.
• PRINCE VALIANT,
Vol. 28: 1991-1992, (1997)
by Cullen Murphy (w) and John Cullen Murphy (a) (Fantagraphics) _______
A father-son team continued the strip in the high tradition of Hal Foster for 24 years.
• U.S.
[a.k.a., Uncle Sam], (DC Black Label)
by Steve Darnell and Alex Ross (Abrams ComicArts) _______
Originally a two-part Vertigo prestige one-shot, this legendary broadside against corruption and fascism has only become more relevant with time.
• MOEBIUS Library:
The Major, (1997-2009)
by Jean 'Moebius' Giraud (Dark Horse) _______ ⇧
All of Moebius' stories starring 'The Major' remastered in one volume.
◯ 2000s
• ULTRA HEAVEN, Vol. 1(2001+)
by Keiichi Koike (Last Gasp) _______
Mind-altering and disturbing manga, collected together.
• DESOLATION JONES:
The Biohazard Edition, (2005)
by Warren Ellis (w) and J.H. Williams III (a) (IDW) _______
A disturbed former spy shills as a PI in a state-run Los Angeles dystopia.
• MARK SCHULTZ:
Portfolio, (2005-’12)
by Mark Schultz (Flesk) _______
A prime run of artwork by the creator of 'Xenozoic Tales' (a.k.a., 'Cadillacs And Dinosaurs').
• The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen:
KEVIN O’NEILL
Gallery Edition,
by Alan Moore (w) and Kevin O’Neill (a) (ABC/DC) _______ ⇧
In honor of his passing, his masterpiece is represented with the original art shot at actual size.
• The Marvel Art Of:
ALEX MALEEV,
by Alex Maleev + (Clover Press) _______ ⇧
Maleev's stunningly realist and cinematic artwork for 'Daredevil' (with writer Brian Michael Bendis) templated the entire adult television show that followed, down to the framing, lighting, tone, and opening credits.
• The Marvel Art Of:
DAVID MACK,
by David Mack + (Clover Press) _______ ⇧
Mack is a watercolor fine artist who experiments with layout and text. He co-created the Native American hero Echo, who became a Disney+/MCU TV show (2024).
• Hell, Ink, And Water:
The Art Of MIKE MIGNOLA, ()
by Mike Mignola (IDW) _______
A catalog of the recent gallery exhibition show.
• BATWOMAN:
Elegy, (2009)
by Greg Rucka (w) and J.H. Williams III (w/a) (DC) _______ ⇧
A third printing for the essential classic.
Williams is peerless, gliding through all art styles on the most cutting-edge layouts.
◯ 2010s
• PAYING FOR IT:
A Comic Strip Memoir About Being A John, (2011)
by Chester Brown (Drawn And Quarterly) _______
This second edition is a tie-in with the 2024 movie release.
• SWORDS OF GLASS,
Oversized Edition, (2016)
by Sylviane Corgiat (w) and Laura Zuccheri (a) (Humanoids) _______ ⇧
The four-volume Fantasy series was a stunner, from Corgiat's intricate and warm saga to Zuccheri's arresting details and art vistas.
This collects books 1 and 2 of the series, now enlarged to 9 1/2" x 12" for everyone to marvel at anew.
• PREZ:
Setting A Dangerous President, (2016)
by Mark Russell (w) and Ben Caldwell (a) (DC) _______ ⇧
This brutal satire of social media, disposable idols, and political corruption is just a timely as every.
Almost as if DC should never have canceled it, cough.
• I, Rene Tardi, P.O.W., (2018-’24)
by Rene Tardi (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
All three volumes of Tardi's true bio about his time before, during, and after WWII collected in one slipcase edition.
◯ 2020s
• MIRACLEMAN:
The Silver Age, (1992/2024)
by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham (Marvel) _______ ⇧
The future was a long time in coming.
The short version: This seven-issue arc took 32 years to finish, and you should thank all heavens you have it.
The long version:
• Captain Marvel (the original one, who you're brainwashed to think is called Shazam) was Superman's fiercest rival in the 1940s.
• Cap outsold Supes, so DC sued him out of existence in 1953.
(They'll bring him back in 1973.)
• England was miffed to lose that lucrative reprint supply so they replaced Cap with their own pastiche, Marvelman, across the 1950s.
• In 1982, an upstart writer named Alan Moore resurrected Marvelman with the shocking idea of portraying him with postpunk realism. This invented the postmodern/deconstructed superhero and ignited the Comics Renaissance of the 1980s.
• By the late-'80s, Alan was the Shakespeare of comics: 'Swamp Thing', 'Watchmen', 'V For Vendetta', 'The Killing Joke', etc. During this he rethought Marvelman as Miracleman, writing three arcs that changed mature comics completely. 'Book Three: Olympus' -graced by the stunning art of John Totleben- reached a pinnacle for where the superhero concept can go that few have come remotely near to since.
• In 1988, Alan handed over ownership and stewardship of Miracleman to his acolyte, an aspiring unknown named Neil Gaiman. Neil and novice artist Mark Buckingham then created the six-issue arc of 'Book 4: The Golden Age'.
• The publisher Eclipse Comics was going bankrupt and issues were hopelessly delayed. Two issues into their 'Book 5: The Silver Age', the company went under in the early-'90s.
• For nearly two decades, everybody sued everybody. Then Marvel bought the rights in 2010.
• After reprinting all of Alan's three arcs (who took his name off over an old dispute), Neil's first arc was reprinted in 2015.
• Still more perfunctory delays, and then (the very busy and famous) Neil and Mark returned in 2022 to finish the second arc. They redid the first two issues entirely and turned the six issues into seven.
• It's collected in this book.
• [This is the short long version.
I skipped the whole side rip-offs thing of other Captain Marvels (like Thor, Captain Mar-Vell, Carol Danvers, Adam Warlock, Elvis' jumpsuit, etc.);
or how Book 3 has been swiped from by absolutely everyone (like DC's 'World War III', THE MATRIX: Revolutions, 'Misfits', CHRONICLE, 'The Boys', 'Invincible', etc;
or how there is supposed to be a 'Book 6: The Dark Age' someday to finish everything off, somewhere over the rainbow.]
Sometimes everything you take for granted was invented by the thing you never heard of. Miracleman is like an artist's artist, known to all the industry vets but lost on decades of readers from lack of awareness/availability. By the time it comes around again, all of its innovations have been absorbed/overdone/degraded by all the glommers already. Maybe a new reader would just shrug at it from familiarity. Don't make that mistake.
Quality is timeless, and smart craft lasts the long. Some imitators may have robbed from it on the way but the best is always better. The Renaissance era was high art and the Rococo era was just flashy trash swirling around. Discern the difference between true art and processed glop.
Miracleman was the revolution, and he still is.
• PROJECT MK-ULTRA:
The Complete Edition, (2021)
by Scott Sampila and Brandon Beckner / Stewart Moore (Clover Press LLC) _______
Based on the screenplay by Scott Sampila and Brandon Beckner, adapted by Stewart Moore, this exposes the true story of how the US government used drugs on test subjects for torture and brainwashing.
• Peach Momoko’s DEMON SAGA, vol. 1:
Demon Days, (2021-’22)
by Peach Momoko (Marvel) _______
The popular Manga artist reimagines the icons of Marvel as feudal Japanese myths.
• Peach Momoko’s DEMON SAGA, vol. 2:
Demon War, (2021-’22)
by Peach Momoko (Marvel) _______ ⇩
The other half of her saga.
• FANTASTIC FOUR:
Full Circle Expanded Edition, (2023)
by Alex Ross (Abrams ComicArts) _______ ⇧
Ross' loving and visually grandiose tribute to the '60s heyday of Lee and Kirby in an oversized 10.5" x 13.5" edition, expanded with supplements.
• THE BATMAN:
First Knight , (2024)
by Dan Jurgens (w) and Mike Perkins (a) (DC) _______
A three-issue series that imagined a 'year one' for the original 1939 Batman.
• DC PRIDE, (2024)
by various creators (DC) _______
A glamtastic annual spotlight on the LGBTQA+ stars of DC.
• THE SONS OF EL TOPO
Omnibus, (2018, 2019, 2023)
by Alexandro Jodorowsky (w) and Jose Ladrönn (a) (Archaia) _______ ⇧
All three books of Jodorowsky's sequel to his acid-western film classic EL TOPO (1970), interpreted in full cinematic
• RARE FLAVOURS, (2024)
by Ram V (w) and Filipe Andrade (a) (Boom Studios) _______ ⇧
Can an Indian demon just become a world-famous chef without all the judgement? From the duo behind the acclaimed 'The Many Deaths of Laila Starr'.
• ERIC POWELL:
Drawings, Sketches, and such 2024,
by Eric Powell (Albatross) _______
The bastard grandson of EC Comics, at large.
• ACME NOVELTY DATEBOOK, Vol. 3
by Chris Ware (Drawn And Quarterly) _______
The first new volume in 16 years, still as timeless as ever.
WHERE WE
COME FROM,
Dept.
• KATE CAREW:
America’s First Great Woman Cartoonist,
by Eddie Campbell (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
In the first twenty years of Sunday newspaper color funnies, Carew did a freeform comic strip interviewing celebrities while commenting (as herself) about society along the way.
• TELL ME A STORY WHERE THE BAD GIRL WINS:
The Life And Art Of Barbara Shermund, (1920s-’60s)
by Caitlin McGurk (Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
Shermund's cartoons for The New Yorker and others followed the modern American woman at her ease on all her sprees.
• GEORGE PEREZ,
by Patrick L. Hamilton (University Press of Mississippi) _______
A text biography with some illustrations. Perez was universally admired for his balance of the dense with the dynamic on complex team books, including the JLA, The Avengers, and The Teen Titans.
• American Comic Book Chronicles:
1945-1949,
by Richard J. Arndt and Kurt F. Mitchell (TwoMorrows) _______
Like all other media, comics began to grow up in the aftermath of WWII.
This chronicles the rise of crime, romance, and western trends, as well as the birth of EC Comics, and Siegal and Shuster's first fight for the ownership rights to Superman.
• ORIGINS OF MARVEL COMICS, (1974)
by Stan Lee (Marvel) _______ ⇧
You might get the impression from the media that Stan Lee invented everything at Marvel Comics. And that's because he seemed to say so himself in this 1974 book.
This influential book's true value lay in remastering classic '60s stories for a mainstream bestseller, helping to further the validation of comics in the wider world. It also taught a lot of new readers where everything had come from. Its success is why every reissue book is on a list like this today.
But Marvel Comics wasn't a scripted movie faithfully rendered, it was all an improv session jammed out by artists first and captioned afterward. The new cover painting by Alex Ross (a tribute to John Romita's original) adds in the hands of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko illustrating their characters to balance out Lee's typing hands.
• COMIC BOOK IMPLOSION:
An Oral History Of DC Comics Circa 1978,
by Keith Dallas and John Wells (TwoMorrows) _______
The flip narrative is that DC launched a huge 'Explosion!' of new titles in 1978, only for a quick implosion from market problems to take it all down. Failure is the go-to for hack narratives.
But the short is overruled by the long. The truer story is that all of the concepts were valid and have continued on for decades since: Shade The Changing Man, Firestorm, Steel, Vixen, Black Lightning, Madame Xanadu, the return of the New Gods, etc., all of whom have rotated through page and screen iterations ever since. DC's timing might have been off, but their timeless creativity has proven out.
• INDIGENOUS COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS,
by James J. Donahue (University Press of Mississippi) _______
A welcome and necessary overview of Native American comics and creators.
• THE STAR WARS ARCHIVES:
Episodes IV-VI 1977-1983,
by Paul Duncan (Taschen) _______
The Big Bang of modern screen culture.
• STUDIO GHIBLI:
Architecture In Animation,
(VIZ Media) _______ ⇧
A coffe table appreciation of the design and painted artistry in Studio Ghibli film settings and backgrounds.
• GHIBLIVERSE:
Studio Ghibli Beyond The films,
by Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham (Welbeck) _______ ⇧
Beyond the films, Studio Ghibli is a pop phenomena with many roots and branches: manga and book sources, TV cartoons, stage shows, soundtracks, and theme parks.
MAGAZINES
• ALTER EGO
(TwoMorrows) _______ ⇧
The original '60s comics fanzine that pioneered all of modern fandom, with deep stories on the Golden and Silver Age creators, is an ongoing mag still edited by Roy Thomas.
➤ Alter Ego
• BACK ISSUE!
(TwoMorrows) _______ ⇧
Dedicated to the '70s and '80s comics renaissances.
➤ Back Issue
• CRYPTOLOGY
(TwoMorrows) _______ ⇧
Dedicated to the history of classic Horror comics.
➤ Cryptology
• JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR
(TwoMorrows) _______ ⇧
A treasury-sized magazine covering all things Kirby, from rare art to new tributes.
➤ Jack Kirby Collector
• RETROFAN
(TwoMorrows) _______ ⇧
Everything pop cultural from the '60s through the '80s.
➤ Retrofan
• COMIC BOOK CREATOR
(TwoMorrows) _______ ⇧
Interviews and overviews of all the great Comics creators, past and present.
➤ Comic Book Creator
• THE COMICS JOURNAL
(Fantagraphics) _______
The premiere scholastic graphic arts forum, now printed in an annual volume.
➤ The Comics Journal
• MAD Magazine
(EC/DC) _______ ⇧
More carefully curated cultural caricatures, from the usual gang of idiots!
➤ MAD Magazine
• STAR TREK Explorer
(Titan) _______
"These are the voyages..."
Note: the 30-year-old mag ended in December 2024.
• STAR WARS INSIDER
(Titan) _______ ⇧
"An energy field created by all living things..."
➤ Star Wars Insider
B E S T
T V
• Echo 1 ⇧
• Dead Boy Detectives
• The Umbrella Academy 4
• Agatha All Along
• The Penguin 1 ⇧
• Supacell 1
• Batman: Caped Crusader 1 ⇧
• What If?, Season 3
• Arkane 2 ⇧
➤ Coming soon: BEST MOVIES + TV: 2024
B E S T
W E B C O M I C S :
• SARA'S SCRIBBLES,
by Sara Andersen _______
Absurdist doodles in four panels with brainy zing.
• TOM TOMORROW,
by Tom Tomorrow _______
A kind of digital love-child of Trudeau and Breathed, this long-running satire of political insanity is a panacea.
• NANCY,
by 'Olympia Jaimes' _______
Under a psuedonym, someone is upgrading the classic strip's mindtricks for the digital age.
★ Find many classic and current comic strips at GO Comics!
• PRINCE VALIANT,
by Mark Schultz (w) and Thomas Yeates (a) _______ ⇧
Schultz (Xenozoic Tales) and Yeates (Timespirits) are doing excellent work continuing Hal Foster's masterwork into the 21st century.
• The Nib _______
RESIST!
The best of contemporary editorial satire, from an array of talents.
R E S T
I N
P O W E R
From you, we exist.
Because of you, we persist.
• Ramona Fradon
• Ed Piskor
• Trina Robbins
Joyce Brabner; John Cassaday
• Peter B. Gillis
• Michael Zulli
• Joyce Brabner
• John Cassaday
© 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 MUSIC: 2014
• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2014
• BEST COMICS: 2014
• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2013
• BEST MUSIC: 2013
• BEST COMICS: 2013
• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2012
• BEST MUSIC: 2012
• BEST COMICS: 2012
• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2011
• BEST MUSIC: 2011
• BEST COMICS: 2011
• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2000-2010
• BEST MUSIC: 2000-2010
• BEST COMICS: 2000-2010
• How STAR WARS Is Changing Everything!
• 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - Its Transcendent Influence on all Pop Culture, with Music Player!
• How SPAGHETTI WESTERNS Revolutionized Rock Music!, with 3 Music Players!
• TWIN PEAKS: Its Influence on 30 Years of Film, TV, and Music!, with 5 Music Players!
• The Real History of ROCK AND SOUL!: The Music Player Checklist
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