10 Comics Read at Least Twice in 2017

2017 has been a year of divisive behavior and overwhelming anger. Touchstone issues that have been festering beneath society’s surface for decades came to a head. Abrasive attitudes and child-like etiquette became commonplace even in the highest and most formal echelons. And, in so doing, examining superficial material developed into persistent fodder for many comic artists. In making this year’s list, I noticed that the often-oppressive negative energy felt in so many quarters forced me to seek out materials to read unlike former years. I looked frequently at the past to make sense of the present. So, unlike previous annual compilations, my selections may appear a bit baffling to some. Yes, there are traditional comics created in 2017 included, but one will also find a couple oversized artist’s editions with materials dating from the 1950s to the 1980s, and a curious webcomic that is reminiscent of the Sunday strips presented in newspapers of the 1990s. I should note, this summary is not intended to be a “Best of 2017”. These books reflect what I found interesting enough to read in full on more than one occasion during the past 12 months. Also, I need to point out that the selections are not listed in any specific order. All works are of the highest quality (in concept and art), and certainly desirable enough for a thorough thoughtful gander. Perhaps, after inspection, you’ll agree that these books are worthy of a second look too. So, ENJOY! Lets put 2017 safely to bed, and see if we can locate an environment with a little less drama in 2018. A place which provides a healthy atmosphere for exhanging ideas and time to focus upon, think about, and read the most engaging books on multiple occasions!

Bernie Wrightson Artifact Edition, IDW Publishing, 2017 (originally published 1969 through 1988)

Bernie Wrightson Artifact Edition, IDW Publishing, 2017
(materials originally published in 1969 through 1988)

Bernie Wrightson Artifact Edition
IDW Publishing
2017 (materials originally published in 1969 through 1988)

Berni Wrightson is one of my heroes. Known as a compassionate and welcoming spirit by colleagues and fans, I was fortunate to have met him at C2E2 here in Chicago some time ago. An incredible artist noted for his work in the horror comic genre, Wrightson is best remembered as the co-creator of Swamp Thing with Len Wein. Reading this book reminded how Wein’s stories and Wrightson’s art came to define my youth. Scanned from original art at scale, this oversized book measures 12×17 inches with three foldouts. You get to hold House of Secrets #92 (the first appearance of Swamp Thing) in your hands and view the art at the same size the artist created this masterpiece. IDW Publishing has produced nearly 60 of these beautiful tomes (I’ve been fortunate to collect all to date). I can honestly say that this book is a personal treasure that I plan to revisit a number of times in the future.

Link to book: https://www.idwpublishing.com/product/bernie-wrightson-artifact-edition/

Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing is Monster, Fantagraphics, 2017

Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Fantagraphics, 2017

Emil Ferris
My Favorite Thing is Monsters
Fantagraphics
2017

My Favorite Thing is Monsters caught the comic’s world by storm in 2017. Set in 1960s Chicago, a time known for its’ volatile political tone that is quite similar in some ways to that seen today. Here, Ferris weaves a diaristic story via 10-year-old Karen Reyes in her attempt to solve the murder of Anka Silverberg, a holocaust survivor. B-movie horror and pulp monster magazine iconography is contrasted with a drawing style inspired by Maurice Sendak. Ferris is a gem. Her unique vision and work ethic reminds me of what I see in many other important Chicago artists (Henry Darger, Lee Godie, Vivian Maier) who toiled outside of the limelight for years to produce something truly special. The plus here is that Ferris has found success in life, and looks to be producing a new book that is set to release in 2018!

Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Favorite-Thing-Monsters-Emil-Ferris/dp/1606999591

Mike Norton, Lil’ Donnie, Webcomic, 2017

Mike Norton, Lil’ Donnie, Webcomic, 2017

Mike Norton
Lil’ Donnie
Webcomic
2017

One of the few art history lectures I recall from the late ’80s is that on the work of Honoré Daumier (I was generally nodding off in these lecture-based classes). Daumier’s political works and caricatures focused upon 19th c. French elite were engrossing. What made them so fascinating was the irreverent honesty achieved through satire and a skillfulness in understanding and portraying critical acts and ideas that impacted the masses. In Mike Norton’s Lil’ Donnie I have found just this. I read each strip multiple times frequently. Norton is a smart guy. He is also one of the best comic artists working today. Combine this with the antics of a President who’s behavior is unequalled in the past, you’ll find a comic strip that is being created at the same level as all-time greats like Bloom County, Doonesbury, Pogo, and the Far Side.

Link to site: http://www.gocomics.com/lil-donnie

Tom King (writer) and Mitch Gerads (artist), Mister Miracle, DC Comics, 2017

Tom King (writer) and Mitch Gerads (artist)
Mister Miracle
DC Comics
2017

Tom King has been on fire over the past couple years. And with artist, Mitch Gerads, their portrayal of Jack Kirby’s most beloved New Gods character, Mister Miracle, gold was struck once again. You meet Scott Free, the greatest escape artist in the universe who’s alter ego is Mister Miracle. Finding his way to earth after escaping Granny Goodness’ hideous orphanage and the dangers of Apokolips, Mister Miracle, with wife Big Barda, set up a new life. King’s narrative explores complex issues with nuance similar to that found in Sheriff of Babylon and the Vision. If the the first 5 issues are any indication on the trajectory of this title, DC Comics could become a hub of revitalized entities with another unfamiliar voice taking center stage in the New Year.

Link to book: http://www.dccomics.com/comics/mister-miracle-2017/mister-miracle-1

Mike Mignola, Scott Allie, and John Arcudi (writers) , Dave Stewart, Max Fiumara and Sebastian Fiumara (artists), Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible Volume 1, Dark Horse Books, 2017 (originally published 2013 through 2016)

Mike Mignola, Scott Allie, and John Arcudi (writers),
Dave Stewart, Max Fiumara and Sebastian Fiumara (artists),
Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible Volume 1, Dark Horse Books, 2017
(materials originally published in 2013 through 2016)

Mike Mignola, Scott Allie, and John Arcudi (writers)
Dave Stewart, Max Fiumara and Sebastian Fiumara (artists)
Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible Volume 1
Dark Horse Books
2017 (materials originally published in 2013 through 2016)

There’s been something about amphibian men this holiday season. Guillermo Del Toro’s Shape of Water and the Mignolaverse’s Abe Sapien may come to define this season for me in this year. Both are insightful looks at human interactions by way of a story who’s protagonist is a cold-bloooded sentient creature. Firstly, go see the movie…then read Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible Volume 1 or vice versa. Abe Sapien has left the B.P.R.D. in search of his origin and soul. In a post-apocalyptic landscape filled with skyscraper-sized monsters, you experience Sapien’s journey as an ancient necromancer as he traverses a world literally going to hell. In addition to an adept team of artists (Stewart and the Fiumara brothers) the idea of the beast being more humane than the humans is a timely question that seems to be surfacing in a number of cultural dialogues at present.

Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Abe-Sapien-Dark-Terrible-1/dp/1506705383

Daniel Warren Johnson, Extremity, Volume 1, Image Comics, 2017

Daniel Warren Johnson, Extremity, Volume 1, Image Comics, 2017

Daniel Warren Johnson (Artist/Writer) and Mike Spicer (colorist)
Extremity, Volume 1
Image Comics
2017

Noted as a rising talent, Daniel Warren Johnson holds an enigmatic ability to merge seemingly disparate aesthetic styles. Consider the ingenuity of Studio Ghibli cross-fertilized with the drawing style of Paul Pope landing in an intense sci-fi landscape with characters like those seen in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Yes, this is the stuff I live for! Thea wants revenge on the clan that ruined her family. Explosive action is balanced through a narrative that is mature and contemplative. Hard questions addressing family ties and ethics are explored into dark terrain. This is an epic book that looks set to unfold over time. If you do not have this on your reading list, I strongly encourage checking out Extremity. This is your opportunity to see a young talent develop into a skillful artist that will most certainly define the next generation of comic creators.

Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Extremity-Artist-Daniel-Warren-Johnson/dp/1534302425/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1514569465&sr=1-1&keywords=Extremity%2C+Volume+1

Kieron Gillen (Writer), Andrea Broccardo, Edgar Delgado, Marc Deering, Kev Walker (artists) Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Marvel Comics 2016-2017

Kieron Gillen (Writer), Andrea Broccardo, Edgar Delgado, Marc Deering,
Kev Walker (artists), Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, Marvel Comics, 2016-2017

Kieron Gillen (Writer), Andrea Broccardo, Edgar Delgado, Marc Deering, and Kev Walker (artists)
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra
Marvel Comics
2016-2017

In this oversaturated Star Wars era, there is one title that seems to remain fresh. Introduced in Darth Vader #3 in 2016, Doctor Aphra has grown into that disputatious voice with highly flawed attributes rarely encountered in the Disney-owned IP. Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra is an unscrupulous archeologist and treasure hunter. Along with her assassin droids, 0-0-0 (Triple Zero) and BT-1 (BeeTee), she traverses various universes in search of bounty. After a stint where she completed a number of missions for the best-known Sith, Lord Vader, Dr. Aphra has evolved into a central character. Gillen’s yarns are playful even when inserting awkward exchanges about abandonment, murder, and sexuality. And, at times, Doctor Aphra’s dysfunctional demeanor could be compared to another interesting Marvel character, Jessica Jones, yet with a PG-13 ratings filter applied.

Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Doctor-Aphra-Vol/dp/1302906771

Reed Crandell’s EC Stories Artist’s Edition, IDW Publishing, 2017 (originally published 1950 through 1955)

Reed Crandell’s EC Stories Artist’s Edition, IDW Publishing, 2017
(materials originally published in 1950 through 1955)

Reed Crandell’s EC Stories Artist’s Edition
IDW Publishing
2017 (materials originally published in 1950 through 1955)

One of the greatest artists of comic’s Golden Age, Reed Crandall appears to have finally received the attention he is worthy of. At 15×22 inches and containing more than 20 stories, Crandall’s EC Stories Artist’s Edition is massive in terms of physical size and depth of content. Best known for his work on Quality Comics’ Blackhawk in the 1940s and his work at EC Comics in the 1950s, he is considered by many to be the quintessential ‘Artist’s Artist’. Here, you are rewarded with a plethora of looks at seminal EC titles, including Crime Suspenstories, Haunt of Fear, Piracy, Shock Suspenstories, Tales From the Crypt, Two-Fisted Tales, and Vault of Horror. In 2009, Crandall was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame. This Artist’s Edition is just testimony to the importance he had in defining mid-20th c. graphic sensibilities. I anticipate when this book makes its way to a younger audience Crandall’s influence will be widely seen.

Link to book: https://www.idwpublishing.com/product/reed-crandalls-ec-stories-artists-edition-hc/

Jonathan Hickman (writer) and Tomm Coker (artist), Black Monday Murders, Image Comics, 2017

Jonathan Hickman (writer) and Tomm Coker (artist),
Black Monday Murders, Image Comics, 2017

Jonathan Hickman (writer) and Tomm Coker (artist)
Black Monday Murders
Image Comics
2016-2017

I’m really hoping that Jonathan Hickman and Tomm Coker fully realize Black Monday Murders at the same level for which I have become accustom to through the initial 7 issues. For me, Hickman has started strong and faded on a number of titles in recent time. At times, I wonder if he is just trying to write to many books simultaneously? In Black Monday Murders you encounter a classic occult narrative where magic, power, and control intersect. What makes this book standout is the layering of the aforementioned with mysterious vampires, Russian oligarchs, American aristocrats, and a hitman who does jobs for the International Monetary Fund. In entirety, it’s truly insane. In addition, like other Hickman books, there are actual events (e.g., a summary of stock market crashes) that function as a backdrop for the characters, offering a sense of realism. Coker is at his best. Hickman has proven he knows how to tell a solid story, lets hope he’s able to finish this one in 2018.

Link to book: https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/the-black-monday-murders

Tom King (Writer), David Finch, and Mikel Janin (Artists), Batman (Rebirth), DC Comics, 2017

Tom King (Writer), David Finch, and Mikel Janin (Artists),
Batman (Rebirth), DC Comics, 2017

Tom King (Writer), David Finch, and Mikel Janin (Artists)
Batman (Rebirth)
DC Comics
2017

I’ve been having a blast reading Batman. After the Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo run, I anticipated having to wait a good decade to encounter another insightful take on the Dark Knight. Generally, when I see terms like “rebirth” used in comic’s marketing, I sense vacuous money-grabbing is at hand. That is not the case here. In King, Finch, and Janin’s book there is a consistency in the dissecting of the flagship character in a manner not previously encountered. The artistic team embraces the weirdness of Batman while posing points that question Batman’s humanity. On occasion, one may even wonder why Batman even bothers to do good for a city that does not reciprocate his gestures. As previously noted, King is in chorus with a number of ideas that seem to be resonating currently. This is due to the sensitivity and daring in his approach. It’s just to bad that DC has not been able to locate a directorial visionary for their films like that which is found here in print.

Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Batman-Vol-Am-Gotham-Rebirth/dp/1401267777/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1514570518&sr=1-2&keywords=Tom+King+Batman

In closing I want to note the assistance I have received in staying current with what’s up in comics. For some time I have had the luxury of listening to the best comics podcast, 11 O’clock Comics, on the planet. VinceB, David Price, and Jason Wood are passionate beyond description and their engagement is on par with even the most obsessed historians. Their insight has prompted numerous purchases, lightening my wallet, and filling my home with many books. If you are reading this, you should be listening to their show. They are much more versed than myself. And, if you have time, go back and listen to the initial 500 episodes. Your time spent will certainly be worth it.

Check out 11 O’clock Comics: http://11oclockcomics.com/

Review by Chester Alamo-Costello