by J.H. Williams III
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B E S T
G R A P H I C
N O V E L :
-NEMO: Heart Of Ice, by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill ⇧
The first of a trilogy of spin-off tales from their LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN series, starring Nemo's daughter, the formidable Janni Dakkar.
B E S T
C O M I C S :
I M A G E
-SAGA, by Fiona Staples and Brian K. Vughan
It could have just been a Space Fantasy with attitude and done just fine. But, to our benefit, it is one of the most finely made stories being created, ever-challenging and surprising at every turn.
-NOWHERE MEN, by Eric Stephenson and Nate Bellegarde _______
What if a Beatlesque quartet of scientists changed the world, and then the apple started to rot from within?
Astute Speculative Fiction underlaid with many Rock music easter eggs.
-PRETTY DEADLY, by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Emma Rios _______
DeConnick (Captain Marvel, Bitch Planet) crafts a tense Horror Western emblazoned by inspired vistas of the excellent illustrator Emma Ríos.
-FATALE, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips _______
The hardboiled/horror continues from the crime comics duo.
-SATELLITE SAM, by Matt Fractin and Howard Chaykin _______
Matt Fraction (Sex Criminals) and Howard Chaykin (American Flagg). How perfect is that?
A murder mystery in the early-'50s dawn of TV, and the sex and corruption behind it.
-ROCKET GIRL, by Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare _______
Amy's time-traveling hero in the '80s is a fast blast gas.
D A R K
H O R S E
-HELLBOY In Hell, by Mike Mignola _______
After long delay, and a fitful gestation, the ultimate saga of Hellboy comes to glowing consummation.
D C
-BATWOMAN, by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III _______
The Best of The Best.
Williams' art -clockwork layouts, chimerical styles, and graphic verve- is simply the pinnacle, without peer.
And the character, the fiercely resolute Kate Kane, is one of the best since Bill Finger defined Batman.
-WONDER WOMAN, by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang _______
A hardboiled approach to Diana seems antithetical, and yet everything here works.
Terse dialogue and grand theatre are underscored by empathy and grace, brought to balance by sharp graphics and moody colors.
- 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.
M A R V E L
-HAWKEYE, by Matt Fraction and David Aja _______
Looks like BATMAN: YEAR ONE, acts like a Richard Linklater indie comedy.
-FF, by Matt Fraction and Mike Allred _______
These substitutes for the Fantastic Four bring back all of that Lee/Kirby goodness with some postmodern flair.
-SIF: Journey Into Mystery, by Kathryn Immonen and Valerio Schiti, + _______
The Mighty Sif kicks your Asgard.
V E R T I G O
-THE UNWRITTEN, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross _______
Not merely 'an adult Harry Potter', this partycrasher to the fine tradition of magickal Euro' eccentrics has plenty of tricks within its sleeves.
-ASTRO CITY, by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson, + Alex Ross _______
Like a KINGDOM COME from a parallel dimension.
The ever-reliable excellence of this alternate twist on the Golden and Silver Age classics transmits unremittingly.
-TOM STRONG And The Planet Of Peril, by Peter Hogan, Chris Sprouse, and Karl Story _______
Another solid sequel arc for Alan Moore's iconic hero.
-TRILLIUM, by Jeff Lamire _______
B E S T
G R A P H I C
N O V E L S :
-MARCH, Book One, by Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf) _______
The Civil Rights hero steps out in the first of a trilogy of tales about his storied life, and its unending relevance.
-THE FIFTH BEATLE, by Vivek J. Tiwary and Andrew C. Robinson, with Kyle Baker (M Press) _______
The Betles' manager, Brian Epstein, gets his full due in this meticulously researched and Mod art treasure.
-HIP HOP FAMILY TREE, Vol. 1: 1970s-1981, by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics) _______
Piskor begins his herculean epic of the history of Rap with this fab fly confabulation.
-FANTASY BASKETBALL, by Sam Bosma _______
What SHAOLIN SOCCER (2001) did for movies, this throwdown hoedown does for the page.
-BATTLING BOY, by Paul Pope (Oni) _______
So it's Paul Pope, and there you go.
-THE PROPERTY, by Rutu Modan (Drawn & Quarterly) _______
The creator of EXIT WOUNDS explores family relations under trying and confusing times.
-SUNNY, by Taiyo Matsumoto (VIZ Media) _______
The poetry and chaos of life in personal glimpses.
-THE UNWRITTEN: Tommy Taylor and the Ship That Sank Twice, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo) _______
A sidebar book to the acclaimed Vertigo Comics series about the magic boy coming of age and to terms with his unwanted legacy.
-BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR (English edition), by Julie Maroh (Arsenal Pulp Press)_______
In time for the film adaption, the 2010 love story gets a timely translation.
B E S T
C O L L E C T I O N S :
-SHARAZ-DE: Tales from the Arabian Nights, by Sergio Toppi (Boom Entertainment) _______
Every page by SERGIO TOPPI is a master class.
With effortless grace, he reimagines how to use layout, negative space, texture, and pacing in seemingly unlimited new ways, making novices of everyone while challenging them to try harder.
This is how it should be done.
-DAMES, DIVAS, AND DAREDEVILS: Lost Heroines of Golden Age Comics, by Mike Madrid (Exterminating Angel Press) _______
Because comics are for everybody. Get with.
-SIMON & KIRBY LIBRARY Science Fiction, by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby (Titan) _______
The Dynamic Duo of the Golden Age of Comics get a proper spotlight series of books.
-PHANTOM LADY, Volume 2 and 3, by Matt Baker; Jack Kamen, Alex Blum, + (Dynamite) _______
Matt Baker, the first African-American comics artist, made his fine name with his work on this late '40s/early '50s series.
-GENIUS, ILLUSTRATED: The Life and Art of Alex Toth (Book 2), by Dean Mullaney and Bruce Canwell (IDW) _______
Alex Toth is an artists' artist, a versatile crafter with particular skills in graphics and clean design.
-MADWOMAN OF THE SACRED HEART, by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Moebius (Humanoids) _______
Because Jodorowsky and Moebius.
-BATMAN Black And White, Edited by Mark Chiarello (DC) _______
The finest creators doing excellent noir work.
-Co-Mix, by Art Spiegelman (Drawn & Quarterly) _______
A career retrospective of the Pulitzer-winning creator of MAUS and co-creator of RAW magazine.
-SOLO: Deluxe Edition, Edited by Mark Chiarello (DC) _______
Individual story one-shots from key creators doing whatever they wanted to do most.
WHERE WE COME FROM, Dept.
Explore the past to map the future.
Get with, get going.
-THE GOLDEN AGE OF DC COMICS, by Paul Levitz (Taschen)
-THE SILVER AGE OF DC COMICS, by Paul Levitz (Taschen)
-AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES: The 1950s, by Bill Schelly (TwoMorrows)
-AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES: 1960-64, by John Wells (TwoMorrows)
-AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES: 1965-69, by John Wells (TwoMorrows)
-AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES: The 1970s, by Jason Sacks (> 2014, TwoMorrows)
-AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES: The 1980s, by Keith Dallas (TwoMorrows)
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.
-BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
> Four Color Films review
-THOR 2: The Dark World
> Four Color Films review
-AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. 1 (TV)
See also:
> BEST MOVIES & TV: 2013
R E S T
I N
P O W E R
for DC in the late-'60s and early-'70s.
- Nick Cardy
- Carmine Infantino
- Kim Thompson
From you, we exist.
Because of you, we persist.
© Tym Stevens
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