Shiri’s Favorite Comics of 2014
Death Vigil by Stjepan Sejic (story and art): a Reaper named Bernie! Necromancers! Sweet magical objects! The creator’s complete vision for your eyeholes! And that art, even the monsters… absolutely gorgeous.
The Death Defying Doctor Mirage by Jan Van Meter, Roberto de la Torre, and David Baron: there’s a lot of history underlying this one I don’t know, and if I ever have time, I’m going to go back and find out what it is. Yeah, Shan is on this mission to recover her deceased husband, but she is an asskicking, depth having, individually personality-ed female main character and that alone makes this Valiant limited series worth the read. The art is a little looser, a little sketchier, than my usual, but the muted palate makes it work.
Gotham at Midnight by Ray Fawkes and Ben Templesmith: Jim Corrigan (Spectre Corrigan, not Gotham Central Corrigan), a nun, a creepy forensic scientist, and another detective I suspect may be psychic vs IAB! Also, Batman griping about having to do in person meets for giggles. Because Gotham wasn’t creepy enough already. Style is ink and water color — similar in some ways to The Undertaking of Lily Chen — that wouldn’t work with every book but certainly works with the spectral and amorphous nature of Gotham at Midnight.
The Death of Wolverine by Charles Soule, Steve McNiven, Jay Lesten, and Justin Ponsor: Will he be back? Maybe. But he definitely died. I have a very real emotional connection to Wolverine (mock me if you will); as an out of place, awkward feeling, lonely teenager, he helped me grow the adamantium skin that allowed me to become the proud geek/freak I am today. He will be missed for as long as he’s gone. I was impressed with the ways in which Marvel tied the event into other titles as well, including Nightcrawler and Ms. Marvel. Also the art… lordy be, the art…
Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson and Arthur Adams: For daring to present us with a Muslim-American main character, a girl no less, and for doing it with humor (burkini, anyone?), sensitivity and realism. DC keeps making lurches at diversity and falling off the edge of the WTF? cliff. Marvel is making it happen and, even if it has started as a publicity move, it’s slowly chipping away at the monolith of the industry.
Deadpool’s Art of War by Peter David and Scott Koblish: Deadpool goes back in time, kills Sun Tzu, steals the later’s manuscript, then sets Evil Loki (just to differentiate if you, like me, also read the very fun Loki: Agent of Asgaard book) and his horde lose on Midgaard to boost sales. Yeah, you read that right. That is all.
Late Entries
ODY-C by Matt Fraction and Christian Ward: I’m still feeling this one out. In love with the all female, space opera incarnation of the Odyssey, enjoying the psychedelic 70s, self-proclaimed Barbarella feel. Doesn’t feel super cohesive yet, but it’s only one issue in. I’m also a bit concerned that the gender-swap is more political point than story-important; if the later, yay. If the former… potentially problematic. Only potentially mind, depending on where it goes. *shrug* It’s Fraction; dude made Hawkeye doing laundry cool.
Drifter by Ivan Brandon and Nic Klein: Still miss Firefly? Throw in a pinch of Pitch Black and meet its bloodier, angrier, darker cousin. New Image book, only two issues in, so you don’t have much to catch up on. And the (so far lone) female character therein, known only as Sheriff? She’s already made herself a strong presence instead of just another female character who has some physical ability or knows how to handle a weapon.
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