Showing posts with label March John Lewis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label March John Lewis. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

BEST COMICS: 2016


PAPER GIRLS,
by Vaughan and Chiang



Shortcut links:
> Best Graphic Novel
> Best Comics
> Best Novel
> Best Graphic Novels
> Best Collections/ Reissues
> Best Movies And TV
> Best Websites

> Rest In Power






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





-MARCH: Book Three, by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf) ⇧

Congressman John Lewis concludes his trilogy tracing his path through Civil Rights history.

Crucial and timeless reading.






B E S T
C O M I C S :





I M A G E




-SAGA, by Fiona Staples and Brian K. Vaughan ⇧ _______

Staples and Vaughan are creating a Space Fantasy for the ages. Their trademark blend of hilarity, surprises, heartbreak, and snark only gets better with expansion.


-PAPER GIRLS, by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang ⇧ _______

Proving himself one of the most invaluable writers working, Vaughan teams with artist Chiang (coming off his acclaimed run on WONDER WOMAN) for this psychoactive time puzzle. Started well before the debut of STRANGER THINGS, they navigate the emprises of four paper delivery girls from 1988 colliding sideways into gods, the universe, and everything.

Heady stories, crack timing, bold color, and slippery text.


______________



Image Comics continues its startling and unlikely renaissance with excellent titles like these.:


-ODY-C, by Matt Fraction and Christian Ward _______
The female Odyssey in cosmidelic galactiscope.

-MONSTRESS, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda _______
Steampunk matriarchy.

-THE AUTUMNLANDS, by Kurt Busiek, Benjamin Dewey, and Jordie Bellaire _______
Sharp Fantasy with great characters and art.

-THE WICKED AND THE DIVINE, by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie _______
The premise of gods as doomed rock stars gets deeper, louder.



-NOWHERE MEN, by Eric Stephenson and Nate Bellegarde ⇧ _______
After a four-year delay, Volume 2 arrives with more of the repercussions of a Beatlesque quartet of inventors on the world.

-DESCENDER, by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen _______
Android Pinocchio.

-BLACK SCIENCE, by Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera, and Dean White _______
Alter native realty with alternate realities.

-INVISIBLE REPUBLIC, by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman _______
Galactic revolution or false crusade?



-SEX CRIMINALS, by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky ⇧ _______
Sex-Positive and positively sexy.
Also more intimate and explorative.

-SOUTHERN CROSS, by Becky Cloonan and Andy Belanger _______
In space no one can hear you scream.

-LAZARUS, by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark _______
LA FEMME NIKITA meets THE GODFATHER.

-PRETTY DEADLY, by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Emma Rios ⇧ _______
Spaghetti Western gothadelic.





M A R V E L



Cover art by Gene Ha



-MIRACLEMAN: The Golden Age #4-6, by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham

With MIRACLEMAN, Alan Moore created the postmodern deconstructed hero.

After completely transforming and elevating the comics medium across the '80s, he then handed the pivotal series over to his friend Neil Gaiman to usher in the '90s. Gaiman and artist Mark Buckingham completed one arc, "The Golden Age", before legal fiascos put everything on hold for two decades.

Thankfully, Marvel Comics has ended this cultural crime by restoring comics' greatest lost masterpiece. Over the last two years, they have reprinted the entire series with remastered art, new color and lettering, and guest-artist covers. Having restored Moore's work in MIRACLEMAN #1-16 (2015), they culminate with this 6-issue run of Gaiman's work.

Cross your fingers and let's hope that Gaiman and Buckingham can at last create and release their long-planned Second and Third Arcs which will finish the character's ultimate journey.

_______________


Cinemascope version here

-THE MIGHTY THOR, by Jason Aaron And Russell Dauterman ⇧ _______
Lady Jane fights cosmic and internal struggles bigger than comprehension, and proves worthy every time.

-THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson _______
She has the powers of both squirrel and girl. She can't be beat.

-MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR, by Amy Reeder, Brandon Montclare, and Natacha Bustos _______
A delightful rethink of Kirby concepts from the duo behind ROCKET GIRL (Image).

-BLACK WIDOW, by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee _______
This is Marvel's second recent attempt to give the superspy Natasha spotlight.
Another fine Fleming/Ludlum-esque thriller that reads like the great film we keep waiting for.



-MS. MARVEL, by G. Willow Wilson, Takeshi Miyazawa, and Adrian Alphona ⇧ _______
Kamala Khan is one of the best characters of this decade.

-SPIDER-GWEN, by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez _______
The plots are as loose as the art, held together mainly by the strong concept and by inspired additions like the alternate universe Captain America.

-PATSY WALKER, a.k.a., Hellcat!, by Kate Leth and Brittney L. Williams _______
Patsy Walker started out as a '40s Timely Comics response to ARCHIE, before becoming a superhero in '76.
This whimsical series bring back all the charms of the classic Archie style with all the forward thinking of recent Archie comics.



BLACK PANTHER, by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze ⇧ _______
Coates, the award-winning author and social critic for The Atlantic, restores clarity, vision, and overview to the king of Wakanda.

THE VISION, by Tom King and Gabriel Hernández _______
An acclaimed 12-issue run that challenges what it is to be human or normal, as a slow-burn boils to conflagration.

DOCTOR STRANGE, by Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo, + _______
The ubiquitous Jason Aaron is one of the most varied and interesting writers in current comics.

HOWARD THE DUCK, by Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones, + _______
With the brother book to SQUIRREL GIRL, Zdarsky (Sex Criminals) channels that classic Steve Gerber smartass sass.



SCARLET WITCH, by James Robinson and Vanesa Del Rey, Marco Rudy, + _______
A contemplative and stylish restoration of Wanda, akin to Azzarello and Chiang's Wonder Woman run.

-SILVER SURFER, by Dan Slott, Michael Allred, and Laura Allred _______
Rolling on a superlative Lee/Kirby wave.

_______________


S T A R
W A R S


Marvel is making brilliant STAR WARS comics that read like movies between the movies.

Set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, the STAR WARS book follows the rebel side while the DARTH VADER book counter-charts the Imperial side concurrently.

Note: At issues #13-14 for each, they converged into a cross-over event called VADER DOWN before diverging back into their own title arcs.



-STAR WARS, by Jason Aaron and John Cassaday

Everything fun about STAR WARS; heists, dogfights, curveballs, vistas, carping, duels, absurdity, family.

Plus Sana Starros, Han Solo's other half.



-DARTH VADER, by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca

Everything edgy about STAR WARS; schemes, melees, treachery, dominion, discord, duels, tragedy, dysfunction.

Plus the terrific Doctor Aphra (above, left).



There are also excellent supplementary mini-series and one-shots, including these standouts.:

-STAR WARS: Han Solo, by Marjorie Liu and Mark Brooks _______
A mini-series by novelist Marjorie Liu so spot-on and fun that George Lucas reportedly loved it.

-STAR WARS: Poe Dameron, by Charles Soule and Phil Noto _______
The least-developed character of The Force Awakens somehow takes on full-life here in this twisty and lively series.
The dialogue nails Oscar Issac's gung-ho swagger, and Noto's art is typically excellent.

See also:

-EMPRESS, by Mark Millar and Stuart Immonen _______
A STAR WARS-esque romp focused around a rebellious queen escaping an insidious empire.





D C



-SUPERMAN: American Alien, by Max Landis, Nick Dragotta, Tommy Lee Edwards, and Evan Shaner

The upbringing of Clark Kent has been covered in many variations over the decades.

Writer Max Landis (the DIRK GENTLY tv series showrunner) brings a fresh perspective with these incisive short stories across his growing years, backed up by a cadre of artists.




Timely Reminder, Dept.
  • WATCHMEN (1986) is a graphic novel by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, with color by John Higgins.
  • They are the sole creators of this original saga, despite a copyright swindle by the publisher.
  • This is a self-contained story, period.
  • Any other "before" or "after" supplements are a complete fraud perpetrated by the greedy and supported by the foolish.





V E R T I G O




THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON, by Tom King and Mitch Gerads ⇧ _______
A murder mystery during the aftermath of the Iraq War.

-ASTRO CITY, by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson, + Alex Ross _______
Stellar and expansive, true to its name.
The alternate universe of everything great about the varied Ages of Comics.





Y O U N G
A N I M A L


Young Animal is the new imprint of rock star/writer Gerard Way, carrying on the mantle of mid-'90s Vertigo Comics.


SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL, by Cecil Castellucci and Marley Zarcone _______
The more things change the more they stay insane.
Loma Shade is a puckish delight. Castellucci's wit is sharp and Zarcone's clean graphics flow.

-DOOM PATROL, by Gerard Way and Nick Derington _______
Gerard Way does a sterling job of channeling the spirit of his mentor, Grant Morrison, in this great reboot. Derington's art makes it a candy store of the senses.





D A R K
H O R S E




-HOUSE OF PENANCE, by Peter J. Tomasi and Ian Bertram ⇧ _______
It's true that the Winchester rifles widow built an endless mansion for twenty years to stave off death.
This horror fantasy imagines why, with spectacular graphics by Ian Bertram.

-HELLBOY IN HELL, by Mike Mignola _______
After a sprawl of years, the final saga of Hellboy at last comes to pass.





B O O M


Boom Studios is making a wide range of excellent All Ages and Teen+ comics that everyone should check out.




Roy Thomas once said, "The Golden Age of Comics is 8."

But what happens when youngsters have no way in? The Direct Market of the early-'80s, in which comic books shifted from newstands to private shops, was the best thing and the worst thing that ever happened to the medium: The best, because it liberated the creators to try every innovation in works geared for a mature audience; The worst, because it all left kids behind with no entry point. (This is why the new movies, reflecting the adult-oriented comics, are too rough for kids.) So where were kids and young teens to go for the last 30 years but to video games, cartoon channels, YA books, and tweenie TV?

Thankfully, some publishers like Boom, Oni, First Second, and Scholastic are starting to change that by bringing back smart all-ages comics and graphic novels for new minds to enjoy.


-JONESY, by Sam Humphries and Caitlin Rose Boyle ⇧ _______
The hip rocker and covert matchmaker for her school.

-GIANT DAYS, by John Allison, Max Sarin, Caanan Grall, and Lissa Treiman _______
Three young women in their first year of college.

-LUMBERJANES, by Kat Leyh, Shannon Watters, Carey Pietsch, Ayme Sotuyo, and Carolyn Nowak _______
The all-female scout troop comedy that everyone loves.

-STEVEN UNIVERSE & THE CRYSTAL GEMS, by Josceline Fenton and Chrystin Garland _______
Besides an array of original creator-owned series, Boom Studios has continuing original comics based on popular TV series like ADVENTURE TIME, THE DARK CRYSTAL, MIGHTY MORPHIN' POWER RANGERS, RUGRATS, and STEVEN UNIVERSE, including this graphic novel.





V A L I A N T




-FAITH, by Jody Houser and Pere Perez, + Marguerite Sauvage ⇧ _______

Faith is fandom itself if we ever got the chance to be a superhero. Whedon-esque fun for all.





I D W




-STAR TREK, by Mike Johnson and Tony Shasteen ⇧ _______

Since 2011, this sorely underrated TREK series helmed by Mike Johnson has rewritten the Original Series episodes in new outcomes with the Kelvin Universe/STAR TREK-Abrams crew.
Always reverential while fresh, with a clean and accurate art approach that blueprinted Marvel's current STAR WARS comics.





A V A T A R



-PROVIDENCE #7-12, by Alan Moore, Jacen Burrows, and Juan Rodriguez _______

Alan Moore completes his maxi-series prequel to NEONOMICON, his subversion and inversion of Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos.






B E S T
N O V E L :





-JERUSALEM, by Alan Moore ⇧ _______

Like Tolkien, Alan Moore's magnum opus -one of the 10 longest books in the English language- was ultimately published as three volumes.

The eclectic narrative uses the historied locale of Northhampton as a prism to refract all the odd angles of the universe, macro to micro. Plugging the mundane into the transcendental has been the underlying theme of Moore's career, from Miracleman and Swamp Thing and Watchmen to Big Numbers and Top 10 and Promethea. This intricate mosaic, which took a decade to write, is his ultimate statement.

All'n more.







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





-PROVIDENCE, Act 1, by Alan Moore, Jacen Burrows, and Juan Rodriguez (Avatar) ⇧ _______
The first of three volumes compiling Alan Moore's maxi-series prequel to NEONOMICON.



-ROLLING BLACKOUTS: Dispatches From Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, by Sarah Glidden (Drawn & Quarterly) _______
Like Joe Sacco, Sarah Giddens is pioneering a new form of smart, sensitive, humane journalism probing the real world around us.

-5000 km PER SECOND, by Manuele Fior (Fantagraphics) _______
The brackets of a love affair, in lovely watercolors.

-THE ART OF CHARLIE CHAN HOCK CHYE, by Sonny Liew (Pantheon) _______
What seems like a retrospective of the varied art career of the subject is actually a masterful fiction by the talanted Liew.

-HIPHOP FAMILY TREE, Vol. 4: 1984-1985, by Ed Piskor (Pantheon) _______
"The rhymes we say shall set a trend/
Because a devastating rap is what we send!"



-WONDER WOMAN: The True Amazon, by Jill Thompson (DC) _______
Jill Thompson does some of the best watercolor art of her fine career in this take on Diana's origins and motivations.

-WONDER WOMAN: Earth One, by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette (DC) _______
Grant Morrison tangos his own angle about 'loving submission', frescoed by the stunning art of Yanick Paquette (Swamp Thing).

-DARK NIGHT: A True Batman Story , by Paul Dini and Eduardo Risso (DC) _______
The true story of how Paul Dini, famed writer for the lauded Batman animated series, recovered from a devestating assault.

-THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL Beats Up The Marvel Universe, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson (Marvel) _______
The monthly comic wasn't enough unconquerable goodness for you, so here's some more in this all-new graphic novel!



-GHOSTS, by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic Graphix) _______
The bestselling author of SMILE and SISTERS spins another autobio' yarn for all ages.

-HILDA And The Stone Forest, by Luke Pearson (Flying Eye) ⇧ _______
The commended HILDA series stays on the case.

-THE SECRET LOVES OF GEEK GIRLS, by Various Artists (Dark Horse) _______
An anthology of female comics creators taking on all aspects of genre fandom from the angle of romance/heartbreak/connection.
Great work, and fun for all.>



-SERENITY: No Power in the Verse, by Chris Roberson and Georges Jeanty (Dark Horse) ⇧ _______
Following "Leaves On The Wind", this volume continues the winning streak of capturing the chemistry and dialogue of the FIREFLY/SERENITY series.

-ONE HUNDRED NIGHTS OF HERO, by Isabel Greenberg (Little, Brown) _______
The follow-up to the widely hailed "The Encyclopedia of Early Earth" expands here charm, wit, and craft.
A cleaver spin on Scheherazade with parables for the present.

-CARPET SWEEPER TALES, by Julie Doucet (Drawn and Quarterly) _______
Turning to collage, Doucet mashes up '70s fumetti and womens magazines into a critique of social norms with cut-up dialogue.
Like a wicked tryst between Barbara Kruger, William S. Burroughs, and Good Housekeeping.



-BLACK DOG: The Dreams of Paul Nash, by Dave McKean (Dark Horse) ⇧ _______
Dave McKean is one of the finest and most versatile artists in comics history, and every new work is an event.






B E S T
C O L L E C T I O N S /
R E I S S U E S :





-MIRACLEMAN: The Golden Age, by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham ⇧ _______
The commended HILDA series stays on the case.

The most essential and influencial modern supergod is at last back in print, better than ever.

All four volumes are crucial must-haves for any serious supporter of the graphics stories medium.:
- Book 1: A Dream Of Flying
- Book 2: The Red King Gambit
- Book 3: Olympus

- Book 4: The Golden Age



-TURN LOOSE OUR DEATH RAYS AND KILL THEM ALL: The Complete Works Of Fletcher Hanks, by Fletcher Hanks (Fantagraphics) _______
Fantagraphics combines their previous two collections of Hanks' surreal and unprecedented '40s comics into one vibrating strangeness.

-THE EC ARCHIVES: The Haunt of Fear, The Vault of Horror, Shock SuspenStories, Tales From The Crypt, Weird Fantasy, Weird Science, Two-Fisted Tales, Panic, by various geniuses (Dark Horse) _______
EC Comics were the adult revolution in comics in the early-'50s, the punk rock root of all the ones that followed.

-The Life and Legend of WALLACE WOOD, Vol. 1, by Wally Wood (Fantagraphics) _______
Wally Wood was one of the greatest EC artists, as well as the unacknowledged definer of Marvel's Daredevil.



-BATMAN OMNIBUS By Neal Adams, by Neal Adams (IDW) ⇧ _______

Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams brought adult relevancy to comics with Green Lantern/Green Arrow in the early-'70s.

Then they completely redefined The Batman for the modern era with hardboiled edge, moody darkness, and spectacular naturalistic art.

It's influence is incalculable: without these essential stories, the Miller or Bendis/Maleev Daredevil, the Moench/Sienkiewicz Moon Knight, the Rucka/Williams Batwoman, and the DARK KNIGHT films wouldn't exist.





-WONDER WOMAN: The Golden Age Omnibus, Vol. 1, by Charles Mounton and H.G. Peter (DC) _______
Like the clean-line fun of Captain Marvel, the original Wonder Woman stories were an alternate, better antidote to the '40s boy bash-ups.
Forward feminism and art nouveau style.

-PREZ: The First Teenage President, by Joe Simon and Jerry Grandanetti, + (DC) ⇧ _______
This late-coming and still timely volume collects every appearance of Prez, from his 1973 activist comic to cameos in Supergirl, The Dark Knight Returns, The Sandman, and more.

-PREZ: Corndog-In-Chief, by Mark Russell and Ben Caldwell (DC) ⇧ _______
The recent reboot of Prez with the first female teen president was the riotous satire of corporate tyranny, corrupt politics, and social media stupidity that we desperately needed.
Like the 1973 original, it was cancelled from public inattention.
Catch up here, now.

-KINGDOM COME: 20th Anniversary, by Mark Waid and Alex Ross (DC) _______
When Image Comics destroyed every last ethic and skill level of comics in the early-'90s, this epic and gorgeous direct riposte reset the standards for both, higher.
Essential.




-The Complete WIMMIN'S COMIX, by Various Artists (Fantagraphics) _______
Underground Comix needed more co-mix, and this series was the female retaliation.
Trina Robbins, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Lee Marrs, Melinda Gebbie, Phoebe Gloeckner, Carol Lay, and Dori Seda ignited their careers here.

-AL WILLIAMSON'S EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Artist's Edition, by Archie Goodwin, Al Williamson, and Carlos Garzon (IDW) ⇧ _______
This adaptation, led by EC artist Al Williamson, is legendarily brilliant, and was followed by similarly essential versions of BLADE RUNNER and RETURN OF THE JEDI.

-MOEBIUS Library: The World of Edena, by Moebius (Dark Horse) _______
All of Moebius' sprawling '80s saga, in which he moved from hyper-hatching to clean-line, in one handsome volume.

-THE INCAL, by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Moebius (Humands) _______
Jodorowsky and Moebius. Insanity ensues.



-CAGES (Second Edition), by Dave McKean (Dark Horse) _______
Dave McKean' timeless '90s masterwork, in one remastered volume.

-WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT: The New Adventures (Second Edition), by Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons + (Dark Horse) _______
In 1998, the finest creators in graphic stories did their heartfelt homages to "The CITIZEN KANE of comics", and every one was a winner.

-AMERICA'S BEST COMICS Artist's Edition, by Alan Moore, J.H Williams III, Kevin Nowlan, Chris Sprouse, Gene Ha, + (IDW) ⇧ _______
This reproduciton of the actual art pages at full size reveals all the naked glory of PROMETHEA, TOP 10, TOM STRONG, and TOMORROW STORIES.

-WALKING THROUGH THE LANDSCAPE OF FAERIE, by Charles Vess (Faerie Magazine) _______
This retrospective honors Fantasy artist Charles Vess, one the best modern heirs to the Golden Age Of Illustration.



-CHEAP NOVELTIES: The Pleasures Of Urban Decay, by Ben Katchor (Drawn & Quarterly) _______
The 1991 classic reprinted in all its sketchy precision and caustic scrutiny.

-R CRUMB'S KAFKA, by Robert Crumb (Fantagraphics) _______
1993 blend of bio, story adaption, and assessment of Kafta's work and influence.

-LAST LOOK: X-ed Out, The Hive, Sugar Skull, by Charles Burns (Pantheon) _______
Charles Burns' entire X-ED trilogy in one huge edition.



-PRINCE OF CATS, by Ronald Wimberly (Image) _______
The hiphop samurai gloss on "Romeo And Juliet" returns, verily.

-BAND FOR LIFE, by Anya Davidson (Fantagraphics) ⇧ _______
Hilarious street art about a punk band with no chance and all the attitude.

-MEAT CAKE BIBLE, by Dame Darcy (Fantagraphics) _______
All of Darcy's scandelous and berserk Meat Cake comics (1993-2008) in one unholy trove.

-SUNSTONE, Vol. 4, by Stjepan Sejic (Image/Top Cow) _______
Tightening the bonds of desire and romance.


______________



WHERE WE COME FROM, Dept.

Explore the past to map the future.
Get with, get going.


-WONDER WOMAN: A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS, by Various Artists (DC)

All hail the queen.


-WE TOLD YOU SO: Comics As Art, by Various (Fantagraphics)

Fantagraphics is the Oxford of comics, knocking the dumb out of comicdom, with scholarly critiques of the entire medium in the pages of The Comics Journal.
This overview clues everyone in on how, since the '70s, they have sheparded the maturity movement into public awareness.

-THE 10¢ WAR: Comic Books, Propaganda, and World War II, essays by Various Authors (University Press of Mississippi)
An academic lens on the tropes, stereotypes, methods, and motives of American WWII comics.






B E S T
M O V I E S
a n d
T V:



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


Graphic art by Tym Stevens


-DOCTOR STRANGE
> Four Color Films review

-CAPTAIN AMERICA 3: CIVIL WAR
> Four Color Films review


-DAREDEVIL, season 2

-LUKE CAGE, season 2

-AGENT CARTER, season 2


See also:
> BEST MOVIES & TV: 2016






B E S T
W E B C O M I C S



- On A Sunbeam

- The Nib

- Strong Female Protagonist






R E S T
I N
P O W E R





  • Darwyn Cooke


  • Jack Davis

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





Nuff said, pilgrim. Excelsior!


© Tym Stevens



See also:


BEST MOVIES + TV: 2024
BEST MUSIC: 2024
BEST COMICS: 2024

· 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 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 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


_______________


THE CANON 1: 50 Books That Created Modern Culture, with Music Player

THE CANON 2: 50 More Books That Created Modern Pop Culture, with Music Player

THE CANON 3: 50 Recent Books That Created Modern Culture, with Music Player



Friday, December 1, 2017

BEST COMICS: 2015


M I R A C L E M A N,
The Only Band That Matters



Shortcut links:
> Best Graphic Novel
> Best Comics
> > "Altered IMAGE"
> > "MULTIVERSITY"
> > "MIRACLEMAN"
> > "STAR WARS Reawakens"
> Best Graphic Novels
> Best Collections/ Reissues
> Best Movies And TV
> Best Webcomics

> Rest In Power






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





-MIRACLEMAN, Book 3: OLYMPUS, by Alan Moore and John Totleben (Marvel)

OLYMPUS is an essential text, perhaps the ultimate statement on how far superheroism can -or should- go.

And it inspired everything for the last three decades.

Learn more below.






B E S T
C O M I C S :





I M A G E




-SAGA, by Fiona Staples and Brian K. Vaughan

Space Fantasy more genre-bending and heart-rending as any made.

-PAPER GIRLS, by Cliff Chiang and Brian K. Vaughan

As if SAGA wasn't brilliant enough, this heady and complex series joins it in pure quality.
Puzzle out the surreal misadventures of four girls from 1988 overlapped through time and space.

__________



A l t e r e d
I M A G E


In the 1990s, Image Comics was the cancer of comics.
In the 2010s, it is the antitoxin saving them.


In 1992, Image was everything wrong about comics.

A comics renaissance had exploded through the indie publishers in the early-'80s, bringing a new maturity and mastery to the medium. DC quickly grabbed many of those creators and rode the quality wave through the decade. But meanwhile Marvel was adrift, coasting on ghosts of itself with a raft of hack artists on steroids. Perversely, and tragically, this stuff actually sold really well to the rote crowd who lacked quality control.

"Ain't even gonna call out your names,
'cause you're so wack."

-Beastie Boys, 1992

The seven artists jumped ship and created Image Comics in 1992, co-opting the momentum of the quality wave with their bilge: amateur figures, spastic hatching, swiped concepts, thug writing, and endless splash pages were bad enough, but their tidal wave of teen-aggro violence was completely toxic.

And yet it sold, in bigger amounts than were even conceivable. While the real revolution was cresting down, these froth dogs made bank. And then squandered it in egos, in-fighting, blown deadlines, and the resultant backlash. But the damage was done; the infantile aggro-virus lateralized to infect like-minded publishers, and ultimately has infected the leadership of one of the two majors for the last few years.

In 2015, Image is everything best about comics.

Due to the recent leadership of Eric Stephenson, Image has now come full-circle to what it should have been in the first place: an indie haven for the best talent to continue the renaissance with first-quality creator-owned series. They have gone from being the worst comics company to the best, even in a era of excellent work from all competitors. It's like seeing Darth redeem.

Here's just a sample of the fine work that they are producing...



-MONSTRESS, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda _______
Goth of Thrones.

-THE AUTUMNLANDS, by Kurt Busiek, Benjamin Dewey, and Jordie Bellaire _______
Smart and layered political Fantasy.

-THE WICKED AND THE DIVINE, by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie _______
Tune Gods, Turn Rockstar, Burn Out.

-ODY-C, by Matt Fraction and Christian Ward _______
A female overwrite of THE ODYSSEY as a pyschedelic SciFi epic.



-DESCENDER, by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen _______
Robot lives matter.

-SHUTTER, by Joe Keatinge and Leila Del Duca _______
Venture into alternate adventuring.

-INVISIBLE REPUBLIC, by Corinna Bechko and Gabriel Hardman _______
Galactic regime change.

-BLACK SCIENCE, by Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera, and Dean White _______
Cross-dimensional interstices.



-SEX CRIMINALS, by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky ⇧ _______
Sex Positive, sarcastic, sacrilegious, sappy, surprising, slapstick.

-MATERIAL, by Ales Kot and Will Tempest _______
The personal is political, and also metaphysical, in this anthology approach to modern life.

-ROCKET GIRL, by Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare _______
Catch her quick, because her cameos are elusive.



-THE FADE-OUT, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips _______
A hardboiled mini-series by the crime stalwarts.

-SOUTHERN CROSS, by Becky Cloonan and Andy Belanger _______
Creepy mystery on a cosmic scale

-COPPERHEAD, by Jay Faerber and Scott Godlewski _______
A backwater world's sheriff, and her battles to survive the plain.

-LAZARUS, by Greg Rucka And Michael Lark _______
Surviving dystopian political struggles and family betrayals.





D C



Earth 5, art: Cameron Stewart;
Earth 23, art: Gene Ha


-MULTIVERSITY, by Grant Morrison, with Frank Quitely, Chris Sprouse, Cameron Stewart, etc.


- Or, How Grant Morrison
Saved The Universe.
-


In 1987, the Scottish scribe sparked his career with the series ZENITH for 2000 AD magazine, a punk rewrite of the DC multiverse and its cosmic crises. DC Comics had just collapsed all of its alternate universes into one with their CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS maxi-series (1986). But the attempt to streamline the line lost much of the diverse magic for fans by throwing the history under the bus. ZENITH was the first salvo by a Silver Age fan to put it right.

He continued to write that ever better ever since. Making his name at DC in the '90s, Morrison went against the company mandate in a stealth campaign to resurrect the DC multiverse. You can follow the pattern through ANIMAL MAN (1988), FLEX MENTALLO (1995), and JLA: Earth 2 (2000); the cumulative affect of this convinced DC to return the Multiverse in their INFINITE CRISIS event (2005), and Morrison refined this through the sequels 52 (2006) and FINAL CRISIS (2008).

His ultimate intent was to restore/revamp the new 52-world Multiverse and, after a crisis of infinite delays, did so this year with 9 one-shots, each focusing on unique angles of the new/old cosmology; Classics like the Marvel Family get revitalized, the 'Dark' trend in comics is symbolically rejected, and Morrison even satirizes WATCHMEN with their original Charleton Comics sources. (Ironically, Grant's deathless grudge against Alan Moore challenged him here to create one of the most focused and innovative works he's ever made.) Clever stories, a roster of fine guest artists, and a thoroughly wondrous Guidebook of the new/old worlds make this especially satisfying book a crucial classic.


__________



-PREZ, by Mark Russell, Ben Caldwell, and Dominike Stanton

In 1973, classic Golden Age writer Joe Simon -with artist Jerry Grandenetti- gave an unexpected voice to the counterculture with PREZ, a rollicking social satire comic starring the first 18-year-old President of the United States. With admirable wit, it took on political corruption, corporate interests, and media sensationalism. Naturally, it didn't last as long as it should, but had a seismic influence across time, with callbacks from THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS to THE SANDMAN.

This new reboot about the first teen/female Prez is critical, both in outlook and timing. The relentless satire of political cowards, corporate tyranny, and social media idiocy is precisely as hilarious and cutting as we need in the fight against Regression, and a perfect successor to the original.

Hell Yeah to the Chief!





M A R V E L




Cover by Mark Buckingham.



-MIRACLEMAN #14-16, by Alan Moore and John Totleben

-MIRACLEMAN: The Golden Age #1-3, by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham



Art by John Totleben.



M I R A C L E M A N


MIRACLEMAN revolutionized the entire comics industry.
And then did it again.

It is the source of most everything you love in mature comics, but most folks don't know that... because here's what went wrong.


I

In 1982, writer Alan Moore made his seismic debut turning MARVELMAN, a '50s British clone of Captain Marvel, from kid fun into the first truly adult superhero. The mature complexity that Moore brought to the postmodern prometheus, with artists Garry Leach and Alan Davis, completely challenged and upended comics' conventions, and escalated the '80s adult comics renaissance. Becoming a supernova at DC by 1985, Alan expanded this with an ambitious second arc of the hero, who by now was renamed as MIRACLEMAN. But it was the third arc that ignited revolution again.


WATCHMEN (1986) had laced themes of how superbeings may actually be a detriment to social progress as much as a deliverance. Moore brought his ideas to higher fruition afterward in the third arc of MIRACLEMAN, a six-issue span called "Olympus" (1987-'89).

Elevated by the impossible architectures, epic layouts, and obsessive Virgil Finlay-esque detail of artist John Totleben, he unleashed the real impact of supergods on society, from the horror of unchecked hyperviolence, to the interior crisis of human frailty, to the subtler dangers of benign fascism. Free of any constrictions and on fire with advanced ideas, "Olympus" was like an Oxford post-grad thesis that made all other superhero comics on the market look like they were permanently stuck in Junior High. (Most were. Many still are.)


II

Alan ended on that high note and quietly bowed out of comics for awhile, handing the series to his hand-picked successors in 1990, two talanted neophytes named Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham.


Gaiman complemented Moore's macro approach by dealing in the micro, the social repercussions of "Olympus" on different people. Planning to do three story arcs of their own, the duo had finished the first one -"The Golden Age"- and started the second when disaster struck.


III

Imagine if The Beatles had done all their revolutions in the '60s, but it was then erased in 1970 from public memory for 25 years; and that all the following music people enjoyed was actually a reflection of a phenomenon they were unaware had occurred. This is what happened to MIRACLEMAN.

Essential 1980s classics written by Alan Moore like SWAMP THING, WATCHMEN, THE KILLING JOKE, and V FOR VENDETTA all enjoyed the publishing support of DC's parent, Time-Warner, keeping them clearly visible in all bookstores, comic stores, and libraries with a wave of graphic novel/trade paperbacks. But MIRACLEMAN came from the indie publisher Eclipse Comics, off the radar of many fans. Hampered by continuous publication gaps from backstage delays, the series was pulled under when Eclipse went belly-up with bankruptcy.

For over two decades, MIRACLEMAN has been out-of-print because of a maelstrom of legal chicanery. (Looking at you, Todd.>)


Nevertheless, MIRACLEMAN was the gift that kept getting taken. Creators great or awful reflected all of its innovations, core themes, and wrenching events during the last 25 years without many fans recognizing the absent source.

Here are only a few of countless examples.:

  • Its optimism and olympian godhood, coupled with the effects on human society, was extended in MARVELS, KINGDOM COME, ASTRO CITY, and THE NEW FRONTIER.
  • Its themes thread Grant Morrison's career, from ZENITH to ALL-STAR SUPERMAN.
  • The conscience and legacy of the messianic superman also reflects in series like SUPREME, SUPERMAN: Red Son, INVINCIBLE, and JUPITER'S CHILDREN; and films like UNBREAKABLE, SUPERMAN RETURNS, and HANCOCK.
  • The general gravity of godbeings on humanity continue in series like PLANETARY, THE AUTHORITY, TOP 10, and BLACK HAMMER.
  • "Olympus" has the most heinous villain ever known. His actions have been swiped ever since, for far lesser effect, from the idiot ultraviolence of early Image Comics to DC's use of Black Adam in the WWIII event series.
  • The movies have also borrowed out from that crucial finale showdown, from THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS to MAN OF STEEL and BATMAN v. SUPERMAN.
  • Miraclewoman is the exact template for Carol Danvers' emergence as Captain Marvel.

But, finally, this cultural amnesia has been corrected.

Now Marvel Comics has rectified the grievous error of his absence by reprinting the MIRACLEMAN series, with remastered art, new color and lettering, and all-star covers. MIRACLEMAN #14-16 culminated Alan Moore's run with the latter half of "Olympus" this year, followed by Gaiman and Buckingham's "The Golden Age" arc. (Now it remains for that duo to at last create and release their final two arcs.)

All three of Moore's arcs are now in hardback volumes:
- Book 1: A Dream Of Flying
- Book 2: The Red King Gambit
- Book 3: Olympus

May miracles never cease.


__________



-SPIDER-GWEN, by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez ⇧ _______
The two best concepts in Spider-Man since 1973 are Miles Morales and the alternate Gwen Stacy. Get into the swing of why.

-THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL (Vol. 1 and 2), by Ryan North and Erica Henderson ⇧ _______
Marvel's most chipper and dale superhero is all charm and no harm in this hilarious series.

-MS. MARVEL, by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona, Takeshi Miyazawa, and Ian Herring _______
New Jersey's finest, Ms. Kamala Khan.

-THOR, by Jason Aaron And Russell Dauterman _______
She who is the most worthy possesses the power.



-BLACK WIDOW, by Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto _______
Ludlum wiles with graphic style.

-HOWARD THE DUCK, by Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones _______
The artist of SEX CRIMINALS proves just as worthy a scribe with this admirable return of the foul-mouthed fowl.

-SILVER SURFER, by Dan Slott, Michael Allred, and Laura Allred _______
Cresting on that Lee/Kirby magic.

-WEIRDWORLD, by Jason Aaron and Mike Del Mundo _______
A crisis of infinite Fantasy characters, with dazzling art.


_______________





S T A R
W A R S

R e a w a k e n s


STAR WARS is having three renaissances right now: on the screen, on television, and on the page.

The spirit of the original trilogy is all-pervasive now: STAR WARS: The Force Awakens vivified the theaters, STAR WARS: Rebels reanimated animation, and Marvel's superior Star Wars comics revitalized the page.

When Marvel Comics adapted STAR WARS in 1977, the cash bonanza literally saved the company. But they were operating for the next nine years of the series with three disadvantages: the monthly grind wore out creative teams; the creators were more versed in the Marvel Method than being faithful; and their stories were guessing wild in the three years between films.

Now that has changed completely: Marvel phases rotating art teams around short, planned-out story arcs by singular writers; the writers and artists are lifelong SW fans riveted over every detail; and they all now know the first six films inside out. (It should be noted that Dark Horse also did many fine series with the franchise in the '90s and '00s.)

The result is that Marvel is crafting first-rate stories that look and read like movies between the movies. They capture the framing, the lighting, the pace, the dialogue, the sharp details. But most importantly, they match the quality of the films with stories that reveal the surprising events and motivations between each movie.

Presently, they are telling the three years between 'A NEW HOPE' and 'THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK' in two titles that happen concurrently, the Rebel side of events with STAR WARS and the Imperial side with DARTH VADER.



-STAR WARS, by Jason Aaron and John Cassaday

This series captures all of the repartee of the lead trio -Luke, Leia, and Han- amid all the gallavanting and dive-bombing. Along the way it weaves in elements of the total narrative while clearing up unresolved continuity mysteries.



-DARTH VADER, by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca

Running parallel to it, this series does the amazing feat of tying together the totality of Vader. With almost zen elegance it creates a complex composite of his younger self resonant within the emergent Sith Lord, and his motivations for the future because of, all by implication and subtlety. Here, silences speak volumes. If the companion comic's 'movie' seems directed by Whedon, this one would be by Kurasawa.


Vader is abetted by two genuinely unnerving death droids and by Dr. Aphra, a young woman reflecting Leia and Han at their least ethical, a breakout character just as valuable as Rey in the new films.



There are also excellent supplementary mini-series and one-shots, including these standouts.:

-STAR WARS: Princess Leia, by Mark Waid, Terry Dodson, and Rachel Dodson _______
A nouvue-esque escapade that quietly ties Leia to her mother.

-STAR WARS: Lando, by Charles Soule and Alex Maleev _______
The best heist story with Lando Calrissian you could ever hope to be filmed.




V E R T I G O




-ASTRO CITY, by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson, + Alex Ross ⇧ _______
The great thing about KINGDOM COME is that it kept going, albiet in the sideways alternate dimension of this great series.

-THE UNWRITTEN Apocalypse, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross _______
The sequel maxi-series reaches its conclusion.





B O O M


-GIANT DAYS, by John Allison and Lissa Treiman _______
Three college mates and life.

-LUMBERJANES, by Various _______
Earns its merit badge every time.





A D H O U S E


-POPE HATS #4, by Ethan Rilly _______
Short incisive tales of daily lives.>





A V A T A R


-PROVIDENCE #1-6, by Alan Moore, Jacen Burrows, and Juan Rodriguez _______
Alan Moore's prequel series to his NEONOMICON graphic novel, a dissection and refraction of Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos.







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





-MARCH Book Two, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf) ⇧

The second volume of Congressman John Lewis' storied history in the Civil Rights Movement.
Required reading in all times.




-THE SANDMAN: Overture, by Neil Gaiman and JH Williams III (Vertigo) ⇧

A timeless classic and essential read, THE SANDMAN series (1989-1996) launched Neil Gaiman, brought literary acclaim to comics from the mainstream, and jolted countless misfit dreams beyond boundaries.

High goals to match, but this astounding new prequel is exalted by the peerless art of J.H. Williams III (Promethea, Batwoman), who continually pushes the boundaries of layout, panel shapes, mixed styles, and graphics better and farther than anyone else.



-NEMO: River of Ghosts, by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill (Top Shelf) _______
The third volume in a trilogy focusing on Janni Dakkar, the daughter of Nemo from THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN.

-GHETTO BROTHER: Warrior to Peacemaker, by Julian Voloj and Claudia Ahlering (NBM) _______
The true story of a Bronx gangleader turned peacemaker.

-NANJING: The Burning City, by Ethan Young (Dark Horse) _______
Survival on all levels amidst the ruin of war.

-THE DIVINE, by Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, and Boaz Lavie (First Second Books, Dargaud) _______
APOCALYPSE NOW meets Lord Of The Flies by way of UGETSU. Lyrical, unnsettling.



-SPACE DUMPLINS, by Craig Thompson (Scholastic) _______
After BLANKETS and HABIBI, Thompson is still just as epic while now having some great fun with this space girl's adventures.

-APOCALYPTIGIRL, by Andrew MacLean (Dark Horse) _______
Adroit twist on surviving dystopia, with marvelous clean-line art.

-STEP ASIDE, POPS, by Kate Beaton (Drawn & Quarterly) _______
Beaton follows up the lauded HARK, A VAGRANT with more snark and snap.

-HIPHOP FAMILY TREE, VOL. 3: 1983-1984, by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics) _______
Piskor keeps extollin' with the rhythm rhyme rollin'.



-UNFLATTENING, by Nick Sousanis (Harvard Press) ⇧ _______
A metaphysical parallel to McCloud's UNDERSTANDING COMICS.
Sousanis argues that perception is best expanded by multiple views, and proves it using a questing narrative of visual collages to open up multi-dimensional thinking.>

-GIRL IN DIOR, by Annie Goetzinger (NBM) _______
Annie Goetzinger got her start in the her-etical AH! NANA magazine, and she's still kicking your butts today.

-SAM ZABEL AND HIS MAGIC PEN, by Dylan Horrocks (Fantagraphics) _______
A semi-autobiographical meditation on escaping writers block through fantasy and reflection.

-SACRED HEART, by Liz Suburbia (Fantagraphics) _______
Teens in a town and the unwinding mystery of something very off.
Check out the webcomic!



-WUVABLE OAF, by Ed Luce (Fantagraphics) ⇧ _______
This fun book about a lonely wrestler's quest for love is the bear hug you deserve.>

-SOPPY: A Love Story, by Philippa Rice (Dark Horse) _______
All the goofball little pleasures of love in cartoon moments.

-KILLING AND DYING, by Adrian Tomine (Drawn & Quarterly) _______
Quietly, Tomine is making the best indie character movies on the page, one fine book at a time.

-THE SCULPTOR, by Scott McCloud (First Second) _______
He showed you how to understand/make/reinvent comics, and now he does all three to prove it.






B E S T
C O L L E C T I O N S /
R E I S S U E S :





-MIRACLEMAN Artifact Edition, by Alan Moore, Garry Leach, Alan Davis, and John Totleben (IDW) ⇧

Did I tell you already that MIRACLEMAN is the best thing ever? Oh yeah, that's right.

Here's more proof: this new testament to the legendary art of Leach, Davis, and the astonishing Totleben compiles the actual art pages photographed at their full size.


-ZENITH: Phase 3; and Phase 4, by Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell (2000 AD) _______
In 1989, Alan Moore picked Neil Gaiman over Grant Morrison to take over MIRACLEMAN. Grant grudged ever since. But they all did great work going forward and we all won, so bygones begone, move on.

Grant's ZENITH series, essentially his parallel of MIRACLEMAN, finally gets a deluxe 4-volume reprinting here. Enjoy the mindtrip as Grant wraps up his first Multiversal crisis (see DC spiel above).



-WONDER WOMAN: The War Years 1941-1945, by William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter (IDW) _______
Marston's feminist tales and Peter's art nouveau cartooning are required reading for any serious comic fan or activist.

-ALEX RAYMOND: An Artistic Journey Adventure Intrigue & Romance, by Ron Goulart (IDW) _______
Raymond brought the elegant sophisication of the Golden Age of Illustration (see: Franklin Booth, Joseph Clement Coll, Charles D. Gibson) to the comic strip page with his brilliant penwork for the Flash Gordon strip.

-WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT: Artist's Edition, Volume 2, by Will Eisner (IDW) ⇧ _______
"The CITIZEN KANE of comics" proves its acclaim with this volume of real art pages photographed at actual size.

-THE SPIRIT: A Celebration of 75 Years, by Will Eisner; plus Wally Wood, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell, and Darwyn Cooke (DC) _______
With his Sunday newspaper series "The Spirit", Will Eisner invented and lifted the vocabulary of comics for everyone to follow after.



-SHOWA: A History of Japan 1953-1989, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly) _______
Mizuki's autobio' series reaches fruition spanning his war service to his rise as a Manga innovator.

-WALLY WOOD EC Comics Artisan Edition, by Wally Wood (IDW) _______
EC Comics was the adult revolution of comics in the '50s, and Wood was one of its finest artisans.

-THE EC ARCHIVES: The Haunt of Fear, The Vault of Horror, Shock SuspenStories, Tales From The Crypt, Weird Fantasy, Weird Science, Two-Fisted Tales, Panic, by various (Dark Horse) ⇧ _______
EC Comics was so far ahead of the curve that in 1954 the repressive politicians wiped it out of existence.>
Flip them off as you read these marvelously reprinted tales that blueprinted all horror, fantasy, space opera, and satire to come.

-CREEPY Presents Alex Toth, by Alex Toth (Dark Horse) _______
A spiritual successor to EC, Warren Publications mags like CREEPY and EERIE were an escape forum for innovators like Alex Toth.



-The 6 Voyages of Lone Sloane, Vol. 1, by Philippe Druillet (Titan Comics) ⇧ _______
These hallucinatory epics from 1971 grafted Kirby cosmic spectacle and infinite cathedral architectures to Moorcock acid journeys. Still as stunning as ever.

-The 6 Voyages of Lone Sloane, Vol. 2, by Philippe Druillet (Titan Comics) _______
Following the noteriety of this series, Philippe Druillet teamed with Inki Bilal and Moebius to found METAL HURLANT, a French adult fantasy art magazine that was reprinted in the USA as HEAVY METAL.



-JEFFREY JONES: Idyll / I'm Age, by Jeffrey Jones (Grant) ⇧ _______
This volume finally compiles "I'm Age", the sorely unsung illustrator Jeffrey Catherine Jones' monthly page for HEAVY METAL. Poetic pen and ink meditations.

-THE ROCKETEER: The Complete Adventures, by Dave Stevens (IDW) _______
Dave Stevens made a timeless character with ageless grace, and you're lucky enough to bask in it.

-NIMONA, by Noelle Stevenson (HarperCollins) _______
Stevenson's early webcomic before she wrote LUMBERJANES, a quirky fantasy with a lot of heart.>

-MELODY: Story of a Nude Dancer, by Sylvie Rancourt (Drawn & Quarterly) _______
An artist who lived the life and tells the tale, these unassuming stories strip away all preconceptions with honesty and warmth.


_____________



WHERE WE COME FROM, Dept.

Explore the past to map the future.
Get with, get going.



-THE SECRET HISTORY OF WONDER WOMAN, by Jill Lepore (Vintage) ⇧

It's become fashionable to speculate on the polyamory of William Marston's private life, but this book focuses on what really matters.

With new scholarship, Lepore -a history professor from Harvard- uncovers how deeply rooted the creators of Wonder Woman -writer Marston (and partners Elizabeth Holloway and Olive Byrne) and artist H.G. Peter- were into the original Feminist movement, by marriage, outlook, and output.

The real truth is that Wonder Woman is the direct distillation of all Feminist hopes in pure form to inspire the children of the future.


-THE BRONZE AGE OF DC COMICS, by Paul Levitz (Taschen)

The naming of the eras of comics -the Golden Age (the '30s/'40s), the Silver Age (the '50s/'60s), and the Bronze Age (the '70s/'80s)- gives the impression that the medium devalues with time.

In truth, it's the exact opposite. Each era only increases in exponential sophistication, and the 1970s are where the comics medium first came into adulthood. From 'the New Relevancy' on up, it is a revolution of outlook and craft, which was mirrored and amplified in the '80s.

The diversity, skill, and prestige of current comics and graphic novels exists primarily because of this era's bold innovations.






B E S T
M O V I E S
a n d
T V :



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

"The Diary of a Teenage Girl",
art by Tym Stevens


-THE DIARY OF A TEENAGE GIRL
> Four Color Films review

-AVENGERS 2: AGE OF ULTRON
> Four Color Films review

-ANT-MAN
> Four Color Films review



-DAREDEVIL, Season 1

-JESSICA JONES, Season 2

-AGENT CARTER, Season 1


See also:
> BEST MOVIES & TV: 2015






B E S T
W E B C O M I C S




- The Nib

- Strong Female Protagonist






R E S T
I N
P O W E R




SUPERMAN #220 (Oct, 1969),
pencils Curt Swan, inks Murphy Anderson

  • Herb Trimpe
  • Murphy Anderson

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





Nuff said, pilgrim. Excelsior!


© Tym Stevens



See also:


BEST MOVIES + TV: 2024
BEST MUSIC: 2024
BEST COMICS: 2024

· 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 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 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


_______________


THE CANON 1: 50 Books That Created Modern Culture, with Music Player

THE CANON 2: 50 More Books That Created Modern Pop Culture, with Music Player

THE CANON 3: 50 Recent Books That Created Modern Culture, with Music Player