Last Week's Comics Today - 10/04/2016

Pick of the Week, Pick of the Month, Pick of Whatever-since-the-last-Deadly-Class came out should go to Velvet vol. 3, but it came out a couple weeks back.  Instead, I'm giving it to Frostbite.  There were several great books this week, but only one was a new #1 and first issues need all the help they can get.

Pick of the Week

Frostbite #1 - Great first issue.  Lots of world-building and great character work.  Basically, a new ice age has set in and everyone is struggling for heat.  On top of that, a new disease called Frostbite has emerged that's both fast-acting and fatal, further devastating a population fraught with hardship.  It's well written with art that perfectly suits its bleakness.  Recommended.  

Honorable Mention

Saga #38 - This feels like the Saga of old.  A character dies and agendas are revealed to be at cross-purposes.  It makes me remember that the last few issues have seen the cast working together, which is probably why they felt weird at the time, but I couldn't figure out why.  Surprise appearance by The Will, which is always nice.  And another, brief, time jump.  I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait to see what happens next.

Transformers More Than Meets the Eye #57 - The letters page may have been the best part of this stellar ending.  The Sentinel plotline seems (?) to have wrapped up quickly, though I know we haven't seen the end of one element of his plan, and wouldn't be surprised with another returns down the line as well.  All-in-all, it's a nice end, even as it acknowledges there's still a lot left unresolved that will carry over to the new Lost Light title.  I can't wait!  Ordinarily, opening with "the letters page is the best part" would be an insult, but it's not meant to be here.  It's just a really good letter from the writer to the readers about endings and beginnings and things left undone.

Paybacks #3 - Best cover of the week.  I get the feeling the series is ending next issue, but can't find confirmation of that anywhere, just an old comment by the creators about wanting to do the series as a series of mini series, like Hellboy.  Anyway, events came to multiple heads this issue, so things should be rather explosive for the conclusion... aaand I'm hoping that comment about a series of mini series still stands because I'm not ready to let this go yet.  The art is amazing and writing phenomenal.  I really can't even vaguely reference events of the issue as everything would be a) a spoiler, or b) you wouldn't understand it anyway unless you're already reading.  Let me just say this issue felt a bit like Invincible.  If you like Invincible, check this out.

Velvet vol. 3 - "Brilliant" is really the only word I can use to describe this.  Due to both story twists and the amount of time it took this volume to be released, I want to go back and re-read the series from the beginning.  The writing is exceptional and Epting makes everything look fantastic.  Velvet has been a favorite of mine (both the series and the character), but this is starting to top Queen & Country, which is one of my all-time favorites and a title I frequently recommend to everyone.  The way everything unfolded and wrapped up here cements this among my shortlist of favorites.  Seriously looking forward to more.

Everything else

Aliens Defiance #5 - Tristan Jones is back on art, but if it hadn't been pointed out to me, I wouldn't have even noticed.  Burchielli was a good match for Jones, but there was something missing from those issues that's definitely back here.  Mostly it's the sense of creeping dread.  Horror can be hard to do in comics, but Wood and Jones pull it off.  This book is an Aliens movie on taking place on paper.

Atomic Robo vol. 9 - Atomic Robo in the Old West!  Which is a spoiler for the end of the previous arc, but the kind of spoiler that entices non-readers to learn more.  Plus this volume's been out for over a year, and the previous one for even longer.  My point is: Atomic Robo in the Old West!  All the usual action and humor, completely new setting.  It's great, and I'm suffering a minor panic attack because I want more but vol. 10 isn't out yet.

Lake Of Fire #2 - This is like Aliens, only set during the crusades.  And with far more emphasis put on the religious crusade angle than the aliens.  At least so far.  The preview pages in Image+ with a giant spaceship crashing into the countryside is what sold me on this book.  I'm still waiting for that book to emerge.  It's not bad, it's just not the book I thought I'd be getting based on those pages. 

Descender #15 - A very nice flashback issue going over Effie and Andy's history.  There's a lot of good material here about why they were together and why that's no longer the case.  As always, the book is well written and beautifully drawn, and you should be reading it if you're not already.

Lady Mechanika: La Dama De La Muerte #1 - Lady Mechanika tries to take a vacation, and things naturally go awry.  What's interesting is this issue is more a cultural lesson than the usual steampunk mystery.  As the title suggests, this has to do with a grieving Lady Mechanika taking a trip down south and inadvertently running into a small town celebration for Dia de los Muertos.  A conflict gets setup, but hasn't begun by the end of the issue, so things will have to move quickly in the remainder of this shorter-than-usual series.

Ultimates #11 - I'm just waiting for this to end.  The art is a clash of styles, likely stemming from Rocafort getting tapped for the IVX 0 issue.  He draws a seemingly random assortment of pages while Morissette draws the remainder.  The clash reflects the story as well, as Anti-Man, Thanos, and the Ultimates fight amongst themselves.  This title is no longer the tight, well done book it once was, and I won't be continuing once it renumbers.

Wonder Woman #7 - This ended better than I expected.  Which isn't to say expectations were low, but that this pulled out some good surprises.  I'm pumped to see where this goes next.  Also: Doomsday Swamp Thing.  Not really, but that's totally what it looked like.

Best Comics of 2014

Similar to my Best Audiobooks list, this is a collection of some of the best comics I've read this year, not necessarily ones that were released in the last year.  I've tried to note that where appropriate.

In no particular order:

Wytches

Wytches
This is making the list based on the strength of the second issue.  Only two issues have come out.  The first issue set up a family trying to start over.  The second unleashed the horror.

Sex Criminals
I read the solicts and thought, "That sounds idiotic."  But the Internet kept talking about how great the first issue was, so I bought a copy the next week.  Far from idiotic, it is deeply personal and honest in a way I've rarely, if ever, seen in comics.

Saga
I'm paying Vaughan and Staples to break my heart a little bit each month.  I just hope they can put it back together again next year.

By Chance Or Providence

By Chance or Providence
Three mini comics written and drawn by Becky Cloonan, collected into a hardcover.  If you're familiar with Becky's work, the preceeding sentence should sell the book alone.  If you're not, get this and discover her.

Southern Bastards
Much like Sex Criminals, this book feels so authentic it could be autobiographical.  Except you really don't want that because terrible terrible things happen.

Trees
People (frequently me) say very little happens in this book.  Yet it's on my list because the characters are all so brilliant and the art is fantastic.  Oh, and things happened in a big way in the most recent issue.

Spread

Spread
Does Lone Wolf and Cub meets Walking Dead sound like something you'd be interested in?  A total badass that barely speaks protects a baby from horrifying monsters and humans alike.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
This series takes the best bits from every incarnation of Turtles and throws them all together in a way that makes them more than the sum of their parts.  Any fan of the Turtles should be reading this.

Ghostbusters
There's a quote on the back of the book from Geeks of Doom! calling this series the third Ghostbusters movie everyone wanted.  I find myself hard pressed to think of a better description.

Predator vs Judge Dredd vs Aliens

Predator vs Judge Dredd vs Aliens
The title should tell you everything you need to know.  It is as awesome as you expect it to be.

The Abominable Charles Christopher
I just discovered this, so it's on the list!  Page one has the titular Charles getting caught in the rain.  Six panels and I fell in love.  Everything after is equally amazing.

Seconds
I just talked about this a couple weeks ago.  Bryan Lee O'Malley, you know that guy, right?  This is his new book, and it's really good.  One story, one book, no waiting.

Deadly Class

Deadly Class
Saying what this book is about doesn't convey its essence.  Like so many other titles on this list, Deadly Class combines great art and writing with humor and drama to tell a fictional story about characters that could very well be real.

Six Gun Gorilla
The trade came out in June; I'm including it!  I don't recall how or why I picked up the first issue, but I feel like I owe someone thanks.  It could have very easily concluded without me noticing, so I praise it every chance I get in the hope someone else takes notice.

Hit
Another series that came out at the tail-end of last year, but the trade came out a few weeks ago, so it's on the list!  1950s, LA, crime fiction.  It was everything I wanted and more.

Velvet

Velvet
What if Miss Moneypenny was a better spy than James Bond?  I read issue one and knew I'd been waiting my whole life for this book.

B.P.R.D.
Reign of the Black Flame was off-the-charts awesome.  So far beyond what I expected and thought I wanted.  The series has always been great but this was a new high-water mark.

Moon Knight
I have never cared about Moon Knight.  With Warren Ellis writing, I was interested enough to pick up the first issue.  I'm so glad I did, because this is one of the best superhero books going.

Gotham Academy

Gotham Acadamy
This series has only put out three issues and it's already my new favorite DC book.  Which isn't meant to be a slight on Batman (Capullo and Synder are great), but Zero Year isn't making the list.

Thor
Jason Aaron writing the new female Thor is amazing.  She's only had three issues so far, and as of this writing I've only read two of them, and she STILL makes the list.  It's that good.

Ghost Rider
Felipe Smith writes, Tradd Moore draws.  And it was good.  Sales were never great on this title, but seemingly everyone that read it loved it.  I hope Smith is able to roll that into more work because, Robbie Reyes IS Ghost Rider.

Honorable mentions:

The first half of Batgirl 35
Loved it... right up until she put the suit on.  Then I was like, "Oh yeah, this is still fucking heroes."  To get the same feeling for an entire issue, read Gotham Acadmey.

Rasputin
I love it, but am struggling to explain why.  One might think that should disqualify it from the list, but it's my list, so it remains.  See previous posts for details.

Ghost Fleet
Another book with only two issues out.  But they're a strong two issues.

Men of Wrath
Issues one and two were insane, both in terms of content and quality.  Issue three was okay, but didn't meet the same high standard set by the first two.

Ragnarok
I read issue one and thought, "Oh, so THIS is how you write a comic!"  Issue two was one long fight, but if it had had more story, this book would have made the Best Of list and not the Honorable Mentions.

Multiversity
Society of Super Heroes surprised the hell out of me, and then Pax Americana blew it out of the water.  The other two issues are okay, which is why this title is down here.

Forever Evil
Black Adam and Sinestro.  Lex and Bizarro.  I will overlook the dumber moments of this miniseries to focus on the ridiculously fun ones.  There, I said it, and I don't care who knows.