Ian: What’s up, y’all? That lazy goat Nuv & I have been sent to our seperate corners by the lovely Miss Teen USSR until we learn to play nice. So, today we’ll be separately presenting our columns. I wouldn’t bother, but if you want to read Nuv’s junko list, click here. If you prefer quality comics to kitchen-sink-crossover-mega-event nonsense, read on…
9. Wednesday Comics: Kamandi #1-12 (Dave Gibbons, Ryan Sook)
Gibbons and Sook understood the theme of the Wednesday Comics project better than any of the other creators who worked on the book and crafted a great tale that really did feel like the old comic strips (see Prince Valiant). The art was gorgeous and dynamic, and in my opinion the story was more fun than any other. This was, by far, the one I looked forward to the most every week of the run.
8. Jonah Hex #50 (Justin Grey, Jimmy Palmiotti, Darwyn Cooke)
Nuv and I already reviewed this shit, sons! Take your ass here.
7. Detective Comics #854 (Greg Rucka, J.H. Williams III)
Holy sweet jumping Jesus Christ! Just when you think you’ve seen everything art-wise and layout-wise possible in a comic book, along comes J.H. Williams III who produces a work of art so beautiful that it almost makes every other artist look like CLOWN SHOES. Greg Rucka’s writing is so good that he should be given full credit for the character Batwoman, REGARDLESS of who actually created her. I’m going to bawl my eyes out when the book gets handed back to Batman.
6. Hellboy: The Wild Hunt #6 (Mike Mignola, Duncan Fegredo)
In a story arc that’s been getting heavier and heavier, Hellboy ends up standing in front of Excalibur (yes, that one) after being told that his destiny is to wear the crown. Will it be the fiery crown of the destroyer Anung Un Rama or the man-made crown of King Arthur? Only Mignola could make this story NOT stupid. Artist Duncan Fegredo is the best (and really only) substitute for Mike Mignola himself. Great stuff!
5. Daredevil #500 (Ed Brubaker, Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano, Klaus Janson, Chris Samnee, Paul Azaceta)
Daredevil (Volume 2) is my favourite book of all-time and I was super anxious to see how Brubaker was going to end his 40-issue run. Would he throw the next guy under the bus, like Bendis did to him three and a half years ago? You bet he does! In this final issue, Matt Murdock says his goodbyes to everyone, kicks some asses all the way to the top, screws The Kingpin over roy-ALE, and leaves his former life to lead his sworn enemies The Hand. You can’t beat that for a sayonara! Bru, ya done good!
4. Northlanders #18-19 (Brian Wood, Danijel Zezelj)
‘The Shield Maidens’ is a two-issue arc wherein three women (whose husbands have been murdered) have fled from their pursuers and find themselves under siege in a busted-ass stronghold. The only thing keeping the gang of soldiers from easily taking them is the fact that the tide is in. Once it goes out, you know the women are going to die because Wood has never shied away from the violence and harsh conditions of Viking life. So what makes this issue so great? Well I’ll tell you! Wood lets all three of them escape their predicament, completely unmolested. How in the hell?! You’ll have to get a copy of the back-issue or buy it in trade when it comes out!
3. Fables #81 (Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham)
This is a story full of “lasts” and it’s a real heartbreaker. Fabletown is completely destroyed, an evil motherfucker takes up residence in the rubble (making it uninhabitable) and murdered heroes are turned into walking dead slaves. A major character dies and another loses their mind. Oh, and this issue was the last issue featuring James Jean’s art on the covers. And what a great send-off cover it is! Read in the context of the rest of the series, you could make a strong case for this being the most emotionally charged book of the year.
2. Scalped #29 (Jason Aaron, R.M. Guera)
Nobody, I would argue, creates a narrative storm like Jason Aaron. What do I mean by that? Well, anyone who has been following Scalped from its beginning knows that things start off bad for FBI undercover agent Dashiell Bad Horse and get gradually worse and worse until something terrible happens. And in issue #29, the final story in the High Lonesome arc, something TERRIBLE happens. The quick version goes as follows: Dash gets jacked on heroin (unwise), and gets forced to rob the casino where he’s undercover (really bad) by a hustler who knows Dash is an FBI agent (god damn!). Now, I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll just say the end scene is harrowing like you can’t believe. Writing like this is why Scalped has remained on my pull-list for so long.
1. Northlanders #20 (Brian Wood, Davide Gianfelice)
Brian Wood and his old pal Davide head back to the story of Sven the Returned, his central character from the first 8-issue arc of the series. Several years after the original story, a band of young arseholes head up north to murder Sven the Immortal, but find that the old man is still worthy of his legend. The art, as always, is as perfect as a comic book can possibly be. Whenever I get asked about my top-five artists, Davide Gianfelice almost always comes to mind first. Furthermore, Brian Wood is as great as he has ever been in this one-shot. Perfect!
NEXT UP: NUV’S STUPID LIST. IT’S PROBABLY FULL OF FAMILY CIRCUS COLLECTIONS AND TENTACLE PORN. AVAILABLE NOW HERE.
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