E C H O L A N D S

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Shortcut links:

• Best Comics

• ★ All-Ages Comics!
★ Young Readers
★ Middle School

• Best Graphic Novels
• Best Collections + Reissues
• Where We Come From, Dept.
• Best Magazines
• Best Movies + TV
• Best Webcomics

• Rest In Power

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

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I M A G E

• Echolands,
by J.H. Williams and Haden Blackman _______ ⇧
Legendary from their definitive run of Batwoman, Williams and Haden have returned from exile on their own terms with their own creator-owned material.
Have your mind blown and quality standards raised with this dystopian future, in which mash-ups of all genres (and art styles) run wildly fluid.
▶ Batwoman

• The Department Of Truth,
by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds _______ ⇩
When all conspiracy stores turn out to be true, who and what can you trust?

• Monstress,
by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda _______ ⇩
Bestselling author Marjorie Liu and spectacular artist Sana Takeda take time and care to steadily unwind this epic gothic fantasy.

• Ascender,
by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen_______
The sequel to the acclaimed Descender series, about a young root struggling with survival and identity, now concludes after 18 issues.

• Gideon Falls,
by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino _______
After 27 issues, the series about the small town with dark secrets> reaches its finale.

• Compass,
by Robert Mackenzie and Dave Walker, and Justin Greenwood _______ ⇧
A 14th century Iranian adventurer kicks knowledge and ass in her journeys around the globe.

• Hey Kids! Comics!, Vol. 2,
by Howard Chaykin _______ ⇧
More trademark black comedy from Howard Chaykin (American Flagg, Black Kiss) in his tell-all/kiss-off/love-letter to the medium he still begrudgingly loves, this time with a 6-issue series hailing young creators.

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M A R V E L

• Daredevil,
by Chip Zdarsky (w), with Marco Checchetto, Mike Hawthorne, and Adriano Di Benedetto (a) _______ ⇧
For three years, artist Chip Zdarksy (Sex Criminals) has been dazzling with his writing chops, bringing a new golden era to Hell's Kitchen.

• Black Widow,
by Kelly Thompson, Elena Casagrande, and Rafael de Latorre _______ ⇧
One of the best modern writers going, Kelly Thompson redefined Captain Marvel and Hawkeye (into the versions which we now see onscreen) and now does a fresh take on Natasha Romanoff.

• Demon Days: Mariko
and Demon Days: Cursed Web,
by Peach Momoko, Zack Davisson, and Ariana Maher _______
Writer/artist Peach Momoko recasts Marvel history as Fantasy fairy tales.

• Beta Ray Bill,
by Daniel Warren Johnson _______
A 5-issue mini-series starring Thor's alien successor.


_______________
S T A R
W A R S

Marvel is doing a splendid job making movies between the movies.


• STAR WARS, Vol. II
by Charles Soule and Ramon Rosanas _______ ⇧
For 75 issues, Volume I of this series did excellent arcs filling in the mysteries between A NEW HOPE and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.
Now it has relaunched from #1, unveiling dream movies between THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI.

• DARTH VADER, Vol. II
by Greg Pak and Raffaele Ienco _______
In complete parallel with these new stories of the rebels is a relaunch telling the Dark Lord's side of the same events, and how they overlap.

• STAR WARS: Doctor Aphra, Vol. II
by Alyssa Wong, Minkyu Jung, and Victor Olazaba _______ ⇧
The misadventures of everyone's favorite anti-Indiana Jones continue during the period between A NEW HOPE and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

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D C

Forget the corporation, support the creators.>

• Far Sector,
by N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell _______
Bestselling afrofuturist author N.K. Jemisin and artist Jamal Campbell (Naomi, The Incredible Hadia Green webcomic>) spread their 12-issue Green Lantern arc across 20 months, and it was worth all the wait.

• The Other History Of The DC Universe,
by John Ridley, Giuseppe Camuncoli, and Andrea Cucchi _______
Acclaimed writer/director John Ridley (12 YEARS A SLAVE, 'American Crime' show) witnesses the DC history from the point-of-view of once marginalized characters.

• Nubia And The Amazons,
by Stephanie Williams, Vita Ayala, and Alitha Martinez _______
Wonder Woman's sister takes the arena and the spotlight.

• Justice League,
by Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez _______
Bendis almost single-handedly saved and revitalized Marvel in the the 2000s.
His mature and cinematic comics have precisely blueprinted the TV series interpretations, from 'Daredevil' and 'Jessica Jones' to 'Echo' and 'Moon Knight', and he co-invented Miles Morales along the way.
Now he's working to do the same for DC, from Superman to the premiere team.
(Already, his DC character Naomi will now helm a live-action TV series.)


• Batman: The Imposter,
by Mattson Tomlin and Andrea Sorrentino _______
A moody and intense 3 issue mini-series by the screenwriter of THE BATMAN (2022).

• Catwoman: Lonely City,
by Cliff Chiang _______
Artist Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman, Paper Girls) essentially rethinks THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012) through a scenario told from Selina Kyle's outlook.

• Future State:
Kara Zor-El: Superwoman,
by Marguerite Bennett and Marguerite Sauvage _______
During the Future State event series, this 2 issue special -with art by the always excellent Marguerite Sauvage- lets Kara soar.

• Swamp Thing,
by Ram V and Mike Perkins _______
A new host for the elemental force, taking on the storied past and a new future with fresh perspective. (10 issues)

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M I L E S T O N E

• Icon And Rocket: Season 1,
by Reginald Hudlin and Doug Braithwaite _______
Filmmaker Reginald Hudlin reinvigorates the '90s Milestone counterpart to Superman.

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D A R K
H O R S E

• Barbalien - Red Planet,
by Tate Brombal and Jeff Lemire (w), and Gabriel Hernandez Walta (a) _______
A spin-off from Jeff Lemire's superheroes series Black Hammer about a very different riposte to the Martian Manhunter.

• Black Hammer Reborn,
by Jeff Lamire, Caitlin Yarsky, and Ande Parks _______ ⇧
A new sequel series, set twenty years into a changed future.

• Black Hammer: Visions,
by various creators _______
Black Hammer, akin to similar series Kingdom Come and Astro City, has been an alternate universe deconstruction of superheroes. Fittingly, it gets deconstructed itself here in retold takes by guest-star creators Patton Oswalt, Geoff Johns, Chip Zdarksy, Mariko Tamaki, Kelly Thompson, Cecil Castellucci, and Scott Snyder.

• Colonel Weird Cosmagog,
by Jeff Lemire and Tyler Crook _______ ⇧
Perhaps the hardest working writer in the comics biz (or at least busiest), Lemire goes full-on Psyche-Fi in another Black Hammer spin-off about the origins of his cosmic adventurer.

• Finder: Chase The Lady,
by Carla Speed McNeil _______
McNeil continues to expand from her indie confessional roots with her full-tilt CyberFantasy graphic novel.

Karen Berger
----- Berger Books -----
In a just universe, Karen Berger would be the one running DC Comics instead of the Corps. She helmed the original Vertigo Comics, the standard which all current Indie companies are imitating, and now she has her own imprint of creator-owned titles.

• Post York,
by James Romberger _______
A standalone graphic novel following the daily routines of a cat owner navigating NYC after the polar ice caps have melted.

• Everything Vol. 2,
by Christopher Cantwell and I.N.J. Culbard _______
The show creator of ‘Halt And Catch Fire’ charts a small town megastore's dramas as a metaphor for American consumerism.

• She Could Fly Vol. 3,
by Christopher Cantwell and Martin Morazzo _______ ⇧
Also by Cantwell, this direct-to-graphic-novel volume finds our soaring hero getting her balance and her direction.

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I D W

• Star Trek: Year Five,
by Jackson Lanzing and Stephen Thompson _______ ⇧
IDW's take on what a Fifth season of the Original Series might have been like comes to conclusion.
➤ see also: Star Trek Continues

• Star Trek: Mirror War,
by David Tipton, Scott Tipton, and Gavin Smith _______
'Star Trek: The Next Generation' didn't get to do any Mirror Universe episodes, and this mini-series fixes that. (3 issues. There's also a single issue spin-off about mirror Data.)

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B O O M

• The Many Deaths Of Laila Star,
by Ram V and Filipe Andrade _______ ⇧
Death is sentenced to live a life as a young woman in Mumbai. (5 issues)

• Proctor Valley Road,
by Grant Morrison and Alex Child (w), and Naomi Franquiz (a) _______
A horror series from star writer Grant Morrison, where four '70s teen girls careen through a haunted backwoods byway. (5 issues)

• Firefly,
by Grek Pak, Lalit Kumar Sharma, and Daniel Bayliss _______ ⇧
The continuing all-new adventures of the beloved SciFi TV series.

• Abbott 1973,
by Saladin Ahmed and Sami Kivela _______
A journalist with a secret investigates the eldritch forces surrrounding a crucial election.

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V A U L T

• I Walk With Monsters,
by Paul Cornell and Sally Cantirino _______
A couple stalks monsters like monsters, but the past comes for them. (6 issues)

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A H O Y

• Second Coming: Only Begotten Son,
by Mark Russell, Richard Pace, and Leonard Kirk _______ ⇩
Comics' most fierce satirist Mark Russell (Prez, Billionaire Island) returns with the series Vertigo was too afraid to print; what if an ersatz Superman was roomates with a resurrected Jesus? (6 issues)

• My Bad Mark,
by James Russell and Bryce Ingman _______
A superhero spoof in the style of the Silver Age.

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B L A C K
M A S K

• Alice In Leatherland,
by Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli _______ ⇧
Two women explore sensuality, personal growth, and creative flow in San Francisco. (6 issues)

• Everfrost,
by Ryan Lindsay and Sami Kivela Van _______
Epic AfroFantasy in the DUNE style. (4 issues).

• Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes,
by Matteo Pizzolo and Anna Wieszczyk _______
The third volume in the sexy genrepunked series. (3 issues)

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D Y N A M I T E

• Barbarella,
by Sarah Hoyt and Madibek Musabekov _______
New adventures of the galaxy's foremost sex-positive> adventurer.

• VAMPIRELLA #3, Facsimile Edition,
by many, including Billy Graham, Forrest J. Ackerman, Nicola Cuti, and Tom Sutton _______
An exact reproduction of the January 1970 magazine issue, ads and all.

• VAMPIRELLA #30, Facsimile Edition
by many, including Steve Skeates, Bill DuBray, Richard Corben, and the amazing Jose González _______ ⇧
An exact reproduction of the January 1974 magazine issue, ads and all.

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M E G A S C O P E

• After The Rain,
by John Jennings and David Brame _______
An adaptation of Nnedi Okorafor's short story "On The Road", an AfroFantasy tale of magical realism and identity.

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★
A L L - A G E S
C O M I C S :
2 0 2 1

"Hey, Kids! Comics!"
From the '30s 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.

★ C O M I C S ★

I D W

IDW prints Star Wars adventures geared especially for young readers.

• Star Wars Adventures,
by various creators _______ ⇧
Short, fun tales about characters from every era of the films and TV shows.

• Star Wars: Beware Vader’s Castle,
by Cavan Scott with multiple artists _______
This graphic novel reprints all of the previous story arcs about Darth's secret castle on Mustofar.


D A R K
H O R S E
• Stranger Things: The Tomb Of Ybwen,
by Grek Pak and Diego Galindo _______ ⇧
Naturally, the '80s gang gets their own Indiana Jones/GOONIES-style adventure (3 issues).

★ G R A P H I C
N O V E L S : ★

★ ★ ★ Young Readers ★ ★ ★

R A N D O M
H O U S E

The publishing giant partnered with DC Comics for the Step Into Reading series, with entry level books for new readers. (4-6)

• Wonder Woman: Universal Kindness
by Tennant Redbank and Pernille Orum _______ ⇧
• Batman: Book Crooks,
by J J Marlee and Francesco Legramandi _______
• DC Superhero Halloween!,
by Rachel Chlebowski and Red Central Ltd. _______


• Raya And The Last Dragon:
The Graphic Novel,
by Alessandro Ferrari, with Schmidt, Florean, Parisis, and Di Lorenzo (Scholastic/Graphix) _______ ⇧
A comics adaption of the acclaimed 2021 animated film.

They also publish Screen Comix, books which combine film stills with word balloons to make comic adaptations of entire films. (8-12)

• Star Wars: The Mandalorian #1
_______ ⇧
The first four episodes of Season 1, featuring 'Baby Yoda'.


A B R A M S /
A P P L E S E E D

• Our Little Kitchen,
art by Jillian Tamaki _______ ⇧
How preparing a group feast pulls a neighborhood together.


Abrams also publishes entry level books about Marvel Comics heroes for starting readers.

• Incredible Hulk:
My Mighty Marvel First Book,
art by Sal Buscema _______

• Iron Man:
My Mighty Marvel First Book,
by art by John Romita Jr and Bob Layton _______ ⇧


S T O N E
A R C H
B O O K S

Stone Arch is partnering with DC Comics to create young reader books based on the Bruce Timm-era cartoon shows.
(They also do the "BATMAN and Scooby-Doo" mystery books and the "DC Superhero Fairy Tales" books.)

• DC Super Hero Adventures:
BATGIRL and the Queen of Green,
by Laurie S. Sutton and Leonel Castellani _______ ⇧

• DC Super Hero Adventures:
BATMAN and the Morphing Movie Star,
by Michael Steele and Gregg Schigiel _______ ⇧

• DC Super Hero Adventures:
SUPERMAN and the Big Bounty,
by Michael Steele and Leonel Castellani _______

• DC Super Hero Adventures:
SUPERGIRL and the Man of Metal,
by Laurie S. Sutton and Gregg Schigiel _______


D R A W N
A N D
Q U A R T E R L Y

• Little Lulu Vol. 3,
by John Stanley _______
Reprints of the timeless series.


N O B R O W
P R E S S

• HILDA:
The Wilderness Stories, Vol. 1,
by Luke Pearson ____ ⇧
In synch with the hit Netflix cartoon adaption, a reprint of the first two HILDA books, "Hilda and the Troll!" and "Hilda and the Midnight Giant!", in one volume.


• HICOTEA:
A Nightlights Story,
by Lorena Alvarez _______ ⇧
(Middle School)
The sequel to Nightlights, described as "Raina Telgemeier meets Miyazaki with a Latin American twist". Win win win.


Other
Publishers:

• Super Sleepy Bedtime Stories,
by Ursula Burton and Jeff Shultz
(Binge Books) _______ ⇧
Done in the classic Harvey Comics style, Super Sleepy lullibies kids to dreamland with her tales.

• Where Are You, Leopold,
by Michel-Yves Schmitt and Vincent Caut
(Humanoids) _______
When Leo learns he can turn invisible, his friends' world goes inside-out.

• Young Leonardo,
by William Augel and Benjamin Croze
(Humanoids) _______
A funny 'history' of Leonardo Da Vinci as a kid.

• Barb The Last Berzerker,
by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson
(Simon And Schuster) _______ ⇧
Sword And Sorcery-style comedy for kids. Who says Conan and Red Sonja should have all the fun?


B O O M !
S T U D I O S

• PEANUTS,
by Charles Schulz _______ ⇧
Collections of classic "Peanuts" comics strips, grouped by character: Charlie Brown, Linus, Snoopy, and Lucy.

★ ★ ★ Middle School ★ ★ ★

S C H O L A S T I C

• The Girl From The Sea,
by Molly Ostertag _______ ⇧
The celebrated author/artist (the "Witch Boy" trilogy) brings us an island teen and the mermaid she falls for.

Scholastic has partnered with Marvel Comics to create Young Adult entry books for some of their young modern heroes.

• Miles Morales: Shock Waves,
by Justin A. Reynolds and Pablo Leon and Geoffo _______ ⇧
The star of the universally-loved SPIDER-VERSE (2018) animated movie solves a geopolitical mystery.

• Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin,
by Nadia Shammas And Nabi H Ali _______ ⇧
Soon to have her own live-action show, everyone's favorite stretchy teen braves New Jersey and High School.

• Shuri: The Vanished,
by Nic Stone _______ ⇧
Black Panther's sister brings the brains and the bravery.


D A R K
H O R S E

• Gert And The Sacred Stones,
by Marco Rocchi and Francesca Carita _______ ⇧
A Fantasy tale where a teen girl becomes a brave adventurer and a deeper person.


S P A R K N O T E S

The “No Fear Shakespeare” series matches the Bard’s words to comics panels (ages 12-15).

➤ SparkNotes site


O N I
P R E S S

• Dragon Racer,
by Joey Weiser _______
In this sequel to the book Ghost Hog, animal race car drivers team together to compete with a dragon for the finish line.

• Pax Sampson: The Cookout,
by Rashad Doucet and Jason Reeves _______ ⇧
His family on a Fantasy planet are all superheroes, but Pax just wants to become an excellent chef.

• Star Beasts,
by Stephanie Young and Allyson Lassiter _______
A funny animal parallel to GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, where a puppy joins a motley space crew to save the planet.

• Cheer Up: Love And Pompoms,
by Crystal Frasier and Val Wise _______ ⇧
A lesbian teen and a trans girl brave High School with their friendship in this upbeat tale.


F I R S T
S E C O N D

• Adventure Zone, Vol. 4
by Clint McElroy and Carey Pietsch _______
The bestselling series continues as our Relic rescuers search for a magic stone that causes calamity.

• Astronaut Academy, Vol. 3: Splashdown!
by Dave Roman _______
Summer vacation finds the space schoolers on Beach Planet.

• Jukebox,
by Nidhi Chanani _______ ⇧
Chanani ("Pashmina") crafts a time-traveling journey through music history when two girls find a magic jukebox.

• Lucy In The Sky,
by Kiara Brinkman and Sean Chiki _______ ⇧
Inspired by classic Beatles albums, Lucy forms her own band.

➤ BEATLESQUE Songs: 1967-esque, with Massive Music Player!

• No One Returns From The Forest,
by Robin Robinson _______
Two unlike goblin sisters learn to meet each other in the middle during a rescue quest.

• SCIENCE COMICS:
Rocks And Minerals: Geology From Caverns To The Cosmos,
by Andy Hirsch _______
The ongoing Science Comics cover different subjects with wit and exploits.


LITTLE
B R O W N
and C o .

• GOLDIE VANCE:
The Hocus-Pocus Hoax,
by Lilliam Rivera and Elle Power _______ ⇩
The High School sleuth scouts through her second mystery.

• HARRIET TUBMAN:
Toward Freedom,
by Whit Taylor and Kazimir Lee _______ ⇩
The true story of how Harriett escaped slavery, and then formed the Underground Railroad system to liberate others.



Resources:
• Comic Shop Locator
• BookShop.org

• Kidscomics.com
• School Library Journal: Good Comics For Kids
• 50 Best Comics + Graphic Novels For Kids
• The Big Blog Of Kids' Comics!
• European Comics For Children
• 13 Great Webcomics For Kids and Teens

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

• RUN, Vol. 1
by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin (w), and Nate Powell and L Fury (a)
(Abrams ComicArts) _______ ⇧
Following the globally acclaimed MARCH trilogy, this sequel (written before Lewis' death) continues the true story of the Civil Rights activist who became a Congressman.



• WAKE:
The Hidden History Of Women-Led Slave Revolts,
by Rebecca Hall and Hugo Martinez
(Particular) _______ ⇩
Hall corrects history, with new research detailing the many revolts against slavery led by women.

• BETTER ANGELS,
by Jeff Jensen and George Schall
(Boom) _______ ⇩
The true story of the first female detective, who foiled the first attempt on President Lincoln's life.

• ACROSS THE TRACKS:
Remembering Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre,
by Alverne Ball and Stacey Robinson
(Abrams ComicArts) _______ ⇧
When the African-Americans in a 1921 Oklahoma town began to prosper, the forces of bigotry wiped them out. An expose of the infamous true event.

• THE BLACK PANTHER PARTY:
A Graphic Novel History,
by David Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson
(Ten Speed Press) _______ ⇧
An overview through the '60s and '70s of the legendary activist group.

• MUHAMMAD ALI,
Kinshasa 1974,
by Jean-Davide Morvan, Abbas, and Rafael Ortiz
(Titan Comics) _______
The Ali-Frazier fight brought the focus of the world to the African nation of Zaire.


• ORWELL,
by Pierre Christin and Sebastien Verdier
(SelfMadeHero) _______
A biography of the fascinating life of iconclast author George Orwell.
➤ SelfMadeHero.com

• 1984:
The Graphic Novel,
by George Orwell and Fido Nesti
(Mariner Books) _______ ⇩
An adapatation of Orwell's timeless book, the most important dystopian warning and anti-Fascist allegory ever written.

• INCREDIBLE NELLIE BLY,
by Luciana Cimino and Sergio Algozzino
(Abrams ComicArts) _______ ⇧
The true story of the pioneering feminist activist and investigator.

• FOR JUSTICE:
The Serge And Beate Klarsfeld Story,
by Pascal Bresson and Sylvain Dorange
(Humanoids) _______
The French couple who have hunted down Nazis across five decades.

• ON TYRANNY:
20 Lessons From The Twentieth Century,
by Timothy Snyder and Nora King
(Ten Speed Press) _______ ⇧
A New York Times bestseller, this vital book used history to warn us of all present dangers of social oppression.

• BILLIONAIRES:
The Lives Of The Rich And Powerful,
by Darryl Cunningham
(Drawn And Quarterly) _______
A journalistic expose of how Bezos, Murdoch, and the Koch brothers misuse their wealth to corrupt political power.


• FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION,
by Cynthia Levinson and Sanford Levinson
(First Second/World Citizen Comics) _______ ⇧
The Constitution has flaws that still presently endanger democracy, such as allowing gerrymandering or gaming the Electoral College over the actual popular vote.

• WHAT UNITES US:
The Graphic Novel,
by Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner (w), and Tim Foley (a)
(First Second/World Citizen Comics) _______ ⇧
A visual adaptation of journalist Dan Rather's bestselling book of essays on American unity.

• FREE SPEECH HANDBOOK,
by Ian Rosenberg and Michael Cavallaro
(First Second/World Citizen Comics) _______ ⇧
Using ten Supreme Court cases, the authors define what free speech actually means, and how crucial it is to maintain true freedom.

• THE WAITING,
by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
(Drawn And Quarterly) _______
Gendry-Kim (Grass) dramatizes the schism caused to families by the imposed division of post-War Korea.

• THE SECRET TO SUPERHUMAN STRENGTH,
by Alison Bechdel
(Mariner Books) _______ ⇧
Bechdel (Fun House, Are You My Mother?) resolves her life-long fitness mania with her realizations about true fortitude.

• GIRLSPLAINING:
A (Sorta) memoir ,
by Katja Klengel
(Archaia Studios) _______
Klengel (Kid Gloves, Waves) tackles all the mixed messages and earned wisdoms about sexual identity.

• RED ROCK BABY CANDY,
by Shira Spector
(Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
Spector recalls a decade of pregnancy attempts and family loss conveyed in cascading emotional styles from ink drawings to vivid painting.

• ARTEMISIA,
by Nathalie Ferlut and Tamia Baudoin
(Beehive Books) _______ ⇧
Women weren't allowed to paint during the Renaissance, or to legally fight back against assailants, but Artemisia Gentileschi did. And won the test of time.

• BRONTE,
by Manuela Santoni
(Graphic Universe) _______
How the three Bronte sisters, using male pseudonyms, upended and integrated literature.

• BUNUEL
In The Labyrinth Of Turtles,
by Fermin Solis
(Selfmadehero) _______
In a creative crisis, Bunuel finds his way intuitively to become the major filmmaker we remember.

• DIEGO RIVERA,
by Francisco de la Mora and Jose Luis Pescador
(SelfMadeHero) _______
SelfMadeHero creates comics biographies of timeless creators, told in their own creative styles and methods.

• The Strange Death Of ALEX RAYMOND,
by Dave Sim and Carson Grubaugh
(Living The Line) _______ ⇧
A metatextual masterwork or mess? Yes, and worth the trip.
Sim (Cerebus) traces the evolution of naturalistic art in comics using many of its greatest artists along the way, while also exploring every richochet rabbit hole and surreal tangent in an almost cubist narrative.

• WOMEN DISCOVERERS:
Top Women In Science,
by Christell Pecout and Marie Moinard
(NBM) _______
Bios of 20 great scientists across all branches who advanced our knowledge.

• TWILIGHT MAN:
Rod Serling and the Birth of Television,
by Koren Shadmi
(Life Drawn) _______ ⇧
Serling was the original Angry Young Man playwright who challenged all the social boundaries of early Television with truth, humanity, and imagination, and bore the scars for it.

• BEATNIK BUENOS AIRES,
by Diego Arandojo and Facundo Percio
(Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
How the cultural scene exploded open by the legendary Beat authors transformed 1963 Argentina.

• MORRISON HOTEL
by Leah Moore and Danijel Zezelj
(Fantagraphics) _______
Leah Moore (Albion, Sherlock Holmes) and 11 guest artists tell stories about the band The Doors in this mosaic anthology.

• MPLS Sound,
by Joseph Illidge and Hannibal Tabu
(Humanoids) _______
Prince's global success with the "1999" and "Purple Rain" albums opened up the 'Minneapolis Sound' of synthfunk to all, and this fictional band's tale personifies it.

• DJELIYA,
by Juni Ba
(TKO Presents) _______ ⇧
A Fantasy adventure based on West African folklore from a Senagal creator.

• MALIKA, Warrior Queen,
by Roye Okupe and Chima Kalu
(Dark Horse) _______ ⇧
An historical fantasy by an all-Nigerian creative team.

• CYCLOPEDIA EXOTICA,
by Aminder Dhaliwal
(Drawn And Quarterly) _______
Dhaliwal (Woman World) weaves metaphors about 'otherness' in a dominant society, and how it is programmed and exploited.

• LAST BORN,
by Patrick Meaney and Eric Zawadzki
(Black Mask) _______
She crosses all of time, trying to save humanity.

• SUPERSTATE,
by Graham Coxon and Hellen Mullane (w), and Alex Lakanadel (a)
(Z2/Simon And Schuster) _______ ⇧
An anthology of tales about a classist planet-state, and the hopes of those who want to topple it.
Co-writer Graham Coxon (guitarist for Blur) has created a companion soundtrack album for the book.

• GRASS OF PARNASSUS,
by Kathryn Immonen and Stuart Immonen
(Adhouse Books) _______ ⇧
When a space colony starts malfunctioning, a crazed potpourri of characters goes ballistic. Very Metal Hurlant.

• CELESTIA,
by Manuele Fior
(Fantagraphics) _______
Two telepaths from a remote island trek to the mysterious mainland, eking out a future for all.

• MONSTERS,
by Barry Windsor-Smith
(Fantagraphics) _______ ⇧
The lauded illustrator returns with a monstrous confectionary of etching-esque cartooning, somewhere between EC Comics and Sergius Hruby.

• Tono Monogatari,
by Shigeru Mizuki
(Drawn And Quarterly) _______
The Japanese ghost folklore tome interpreted through graphic storytelling.


• BLADE RUNNER: Origins, Vol. 1 and 2,
by K. Perkins, Mellow Brown, and Mike Johnson
(Titan Comics) _______
An origin story for the 'Blade Runners', a task force enlisted to hunt down rogue replicants.

• BUCKAROO BANZAI
Against The World Crime League,
by Earl Mac Rauch
(Dark Horse) _______ ⇧
The end of the cult film BUCKAROO BANZAI Across The Eighth Dimension (1984) promised a sequel. It finally arrives in this prose novel follow-up by the original screenwriter, a Doc Savage-meets-Samurai cyber-pulp adventure.

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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 1

• EC ARCHIVES:

The remastered Hardcover reprints of EC Comics began winding up, printing the final titles of the line.

Frontline Combat, Vol. 3
Shock Illustrated, Vol. 1
Crime Illustrated
M D
by Multiple Creators
(Dark Horse) _______
EC Comics invented comics for adults in the early-'50s, and were crucified for it.>
After the censorship kicked in, EC bowed out with these final comics titles, retrenching into the smash success of Mad Magazine.
Stories by Feldstein, Crandell, Krigstein, Davis, Orlando, Kamen, Craig, and more.

Note: The ShockSuspenstories cover
is for a progressive anti-KKK story.
Meanwhile, the remastered EC Comics Hardcovers are now being re-released as affordable Softcover editions, starting from the beginning.

The Haunt Of Fear, Vol. 1
Tales From The Crypt, Vol. 1
Shock SuspenStories, Vol. 1
The Vault Of Horror, Vol. 1,
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"

• EC Covers Artists Edition, by Various Creators (IDW) _______
IDW tracks down all the original artwork for the covers, and prints it in photographic form at full size.


• FANTASTIC FOUR #1 Panel By Panel,
by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, edited by Chip Kidd (orig. 1961)
(Abrams ComicArts) _______
Noted graphic designer Chip Kidd examines and deconstructs every panel of the first FF adventure.

• Steranko:
NICK FURY, Agent Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Artisan Edition,
by Jim Steranko (1967-'68)
(IDW) _______ ⇧
Jim Steranko's legendarily innovative run changed and advanced comics, and still informs the Marvel films and TV shows today.
(This is the previous 'Artist's Edition' reissued in softcover at a moderate price.)

• PRINCE VALIANT, Vol. 23 and 24,
by John Cullen Murphy and Cullen Murphy (1981-'82)
(Fantagraphics) _______
The reprint campaign focuses on Hal Foster's underrated successors, the Murphys.

• The Moorcock Library:
ELRIC The Eternal Champion,
by Michael Moorcock and Phillippe Druillet (1972)
(Titan Comics) _______ ⇧
New Wave Of Science Fiction/Sword And Sorcery meets Metal Hurlant.

• LONE SLOANE: Delirius, Vol. 2,
by Jacques Lob and Benjamin Legrand (w), and Philippe Druillet (a) (1973)
(Titan Comics) _______ ⇧
Druillet co-founded Metal Hurlant magazine with Moebius. Marvel at his grand psychedelic cathedrals.


• Complete Crepax, Vol. 6:
Dangerous Liaisons,
by Guido Crepax (1977-'89)
(Fantagraphics) _______
Crepax's photographer Valentina grows ever more erotic in these cinematic exploits.

• Frank Thorne’s Complete GHITA,
by Frank Thorne (1978)
(Hermes Press) _______
Thorne recast his success with Red Sonja into a more bawdy, less censored surrogate for Warren magazines.

• The Collected TOPPI: Vol. 6, Japan,
by Sergio Toppi
(Magnetic Press) _______ ⇧
One of the best illustrators and graphic designers of the 20th century. A master class in every page, every volume.

• Jodorowsky Library, Vol. 1,
by Alejandro Jodorowsky + (2014-'15)
(Humanoids) _______
Malcontent director Jodorowsky (EL TOPO, THE HOLY MOUNTAIN, SANTA SANGRE) continues spinning out complex DUNE-esque mind-movies of kink, polity, and mayhem on the page.



• MADMAN:
The Madmaniverse,
by Michael Allred (1990 to ’96)
(Dark Horse) _______
An omnibus of Allred's original character, like an indie film rethinking of "Frankenstein" and Silver Age comics.

• ENIGMA:
The Definitive Edition,
by Peter Milligan and Duncan Fegredo (1993)
(Berger Books) _______ ⇧
In the midst of Vertigo Comics' '90s dark surrealism titles, this neglected gem snuck out. A Lynch-ian metaphor for coming out, galvanized by the astounding art of Duncan Fegredo (Hellboy).

• Art Of Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess’ STARDUST,
by Charles Vess
(Titan Comics) _______
A coffee table overview of the Fantasy series by the bestselling author and the celebrated illustrator, from its origins to rarities.

• CINEMA PURGATORIO:
This Is Sinerama,
by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill
(Avatar) _______ ⇧
The peerless creators of The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen series now dissect cinema history and its unepected backstories in a prism of varied styles.

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WHERE WE
COME FROM,
Dept.

• REED CRANDALL:
Illustrator Of The Comics,
by Roger Hill
(TwoMorrows) _______
The EC Comics great, who got his start with Will Eisner and Lou Fine at Quality Comics.

• JACK KIRBY Collector #80:
Old Gods And New,
by Jack Kirby, and various creators
(TwoMorrows) _______ ⇧
'A Companion To Jack Kirby's Fourth World', this double-length trade dedicated to comic's greatest idea machine explores his '70s celestial pantheon in depth.

• MOEBIUS:
In Search Of Time,
by Jean 'Moebius' Giraud
(National Museum Of Archeology, Naples) _______
An Italian exhibition catalog showcasing the visionary artist's illustrations.

• ALAN MOORE:
A Critical Guide,
by Jackson Ayres
(Bloomsbury) _______
An acedemic review of the greatest writer in comics history.


• River Of Ink,
by Etienne Appert and Edmond Baudoin
(Humanoids) _______ ⇩
An overview of the history of illustration told in comics form, from Lascaux to now, examining why we delineate the world and our thoughts.

• Drawing Words And Writing Pictures,
by Jessica Able and Matt Madden
(First Second) _______
A reissue of the 2008 guide on how to create effective comics.


• American Comics:
A History,
by Jeremy Dauber
(W.W. Norton and Co.) _______ ⇩
A Columbia professor concisely and insghtfully tells the entire history, from early comics strips to today's cinema revolution.

• All Of The Marvels:
A Journey to the Ends of the Biggest Story Ever Told,
by Douglas Wolk
(Penguin Press) _______ ⇩
He read every Marvel comic in order, every single one, to congeal for you the overarching themes, patterns, and meanings of it all.

• The Comic Book History of Animation,
by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey
(IDW) _______
Following their history of Comics told in comics form, the duo frames the winding evolution of Animation on the screen, uh, on the page.

• History Of Science Fiction,
by Xavier Dollo and Djibril Morrisette-Phan
(Humanoids) _______
The big shebang, from early authors to pulps to movements to the screen, and how it has literally recreated our future the whole way.

• STAR WARS Archives:
Episodes IV-VI 1977-1983,
by various
(Taschen) _______
The best art book company in the world compiles a treasure trove of photos, posters, props, and paraphernalia of the original Star Wars trilogy.

• STAR WARS:
Age Of Resistance,
by various
(Titan Comics) _______ ⇧
A chronicle of the making of the Star Wars sequel trilogy films (2015-'19).

(Note: not to be confused with the same-titled 2019 Marvel comics saga, "STAR WARS: Age Of Resistance".)

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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 renaissance.
➤ Back Issue

• ILLUSTRATION
(The Illustrated Press) _______
The best illustrators celebrated by the smartest illustration mag.
➤ Illustration

• RETROFAN
(TwoMorrows) _______
Everything pop cultural from the '60s through the '80s.
➤ Retrofan

• THE COMICS JOURNAL
(Fantagraphics) _______
The premiere scholastic graphic arts forum, now printed in an annual volume.
➤ The Comics Journal

• STAR TREK Explorer
(Titan) _______ ⇧
"These are the voyages..."
➤ Star Trek Explorer

• STAR WARS INSIDER
(Titan) _______ ⇧
"An energy field created by all living things..."
➤ Star Wars Insider

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B E S T
M O V I E S

• SHANG CHI And The Legend of the Ten Rings

• BLACK WIDOW

• ETERNALS

• SPIDER-MAN: No Way Home


➤ BEST MOVIES & TV: 2021


See Also:
➤ > Four Color Films,
THE Comic Movies Review Site!

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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 pseudonym, someone is upgrading the classic strip's mindtricks for the digital age.

• PRINCE VALIANT,
by Mark Schultz and Thomas Yeates _______
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.

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R E S T
I N
P O W E R

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


• S. Clay Wilson
• Frank Thorne
• Joye Hummel

by S. Clay Wilson; Joye Hummel;
John Paul Leon; Richard Donner
• John Paul Leon
• David Anthony Kraft
• Richard Donner
• Takao Saito


• Mitsutoshi Furuya
• Hiroshi Hirata

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Nuff said, pilgrim. Excelsior!


© Tym Stevens

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See also:

▶ FourColorFilms: THE Comics Film Review Site!


· 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 MOVIES + TV: 2020
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• BEST COMICS: 2020

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

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2018
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2017
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2016
• BEST MUSIC: 2016
• BEST COMICS: 2016

• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2015
• BEST MUSIC: 2015
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2014
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• BEST MOVIES + TV: 2012
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• 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!

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• 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

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