comic book reviews

Comic Book Reviews

With in-depth looks at the biggest comic book titles in the world, accept no substitute to a CBR comic review.

WEBTOON Unscrolled's Third Shift Society, Volume 1 Review: A Hauntingly Good Read

Review: carnage #6 is violent & anti-climactic without a cause, review: x-men ‘97 #2 makes a simple adventure look spectacular, review: action comics #1064 spotlights superman's most personal enemy, retro review: deadly class was a flawed but sincere love letter to gen x & the ‘80s, review: fall of the house of x #3 is explosive, dynamic, & just too much, review: the amazing spider-man #45 follows the gang war with an anti-climax, review: dead x-men #3 is a twisted and unfocused trip through time, review: carnage: symbiosis necrosis part 2 #5 is a beautifully brutal crash course in venom history, review: ghost rider: final vengeance #1 is a montage of beautiful hellfire and madness, review: wolverine #45 is a chaotic and confusing romp with little wolverine, review: fetch, book two: the rescue travels to the underworld for a major twist, review: fetch, book one: the journey reinvents classic greek myths for today’s readers, review: idw's tmnt: the last ronin ii #1 is a cacophony of epic proportions, review: red hood: outlaws volume one brings the hit webcomic to print, review: storm king comics' long haul is a killer road trip, review: marvel’s scarlet witch & quicksilver #1 puts wanda & pietro to the test, review: marvel's ultimate black panther #1 brings war to t'challa, review: marvel's giant-size spider-man #1 is majorly underwhelming, review: webtoon unscrolled's age matters volume one brings beloved webtoon to print.

Major Spoilers Podcast #1072: Warning: There is a 20 minute game show / brew session for magic the gathering at the end of this podcast

Ultimate spider-man #4 review, ten (more) hostess ad villains, avengers twilight #5 review, comics portal: tired of the teases, 7174 ad #1 review, wayne’s comics podcast #637: interviews with paul cornell and rachael smith, and matt schorr, retro review: prime #1 (june 1993), latest news.

It is a general topic show, and… we go places… 

Peter Parker and Norman Osborn have dinner for the first time! Will their meeting spark a friendship, or will Spider-Man and the Green Goblin be doomed to be rivals? Find out in Ultimate Spider-Man #4 by Marvel Comics! 

Hasbro announces new Star Wars: The Vintage Collection figures

Hasbro unveiled two new figures from its Star Wars: The Vintage Collection line, and we…

FIRST LOOK: I Heart Skull-Crusher! #3

BOOM! Studios released an early look at I Heart Skull-Crusher! #3 by Josie Campbell and Alessio Zonno.

Gemstone Publishing announces graphic novel line

Gemstone Publishing will publish graphic novels, beginning with Anthony Del Col’s acclaimed series Kill Shakespeare.

Time travel one-shot ‘Backflash’ arrives in November

Dark Horse Comics announced Backflash, a new time-traveling one-shot by Mat Johnson, Steve Lieber, and Lee Loughridge.

FIRST LOOK: Blow Away #2

BOOM! Studios sent Major Spoilers a sneak peek at Blow Away #2 by Zac Thompson and Nicola Izzo.

Post Malone, Michael Bay, and Brad Fuller team with Vault Comics for all-new IP Universe…

Post Malone, Michael Bay, and Brad Fuller’s Platinum Dunes, and Vault Comics have partnered to create an all-new IP universe based on an original story by the 8x diamond recording artist.

FIRST LOOK: Roboforce #1

Preview: x-men: forever #2, preview: wolverine: madripoor knights #3, preview: wolverine #48, preview: ultimate spider-man #4, preview: superior spider-man #6, preview: star wars: darth maul – black, white, and red #1, preview: star wars: jango fett #2, preview: spider-punk #3, preview: scarlet witch and quicksilver #3, preview: predator: the last hunt #3, more previews.

Episode #637 is another excellent crowdfunding doubleheader as Wayne talks with Paul Cornell and Rachael Smith from Who Killed Nessie? on Zoop.gg, then Matt Schorr from Jesus Christ: Demon Slayer on Kickstarter!

Critical Hit #739: BIG SNAKE! (PANS01E52)

In this installment of Critical Hit – A Major Spoilers Podcast: When you go poking around in the wilderness, don’t be surprised if you uncover a snake or two… even in Winter…

Legion Clubhouse #162: The Origin of Booster Gold

This week, we learn the secret origin of Booster Gold, and his quest to save the President!

Major Spoilers Podcast #1071: The One Piece Podcast

Back to the world of manga as we explore the world of pirates in One Piece Vol. 1. We also review Dick Tracy #1 from Mad Cave Studios, Dudley Datson #1 from Dark Horse Comics, and Fantastic Four #19 from Marvel Comics.

Munchkin Land #698: Star Wars: Bounty Hunters Lands in May

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters lands in May 2024, and Dan Patriss has all the news about this and other game releases.

Wayne’s Comics Podcast #636: Interviews with Madeleine Holly-Rosing and Jordan Plosky

It’s time for a great crowdfunding doubleheader this week in Episode #636! Wayne talks with Madeleine Holly-Rosing from Boston Metaphysical Society on Kickstarter and Jordan Plosky from Zoop.gg!

Wayne’s Comics Podcast #635: Interviews with Royce Adkins and the ‘Miracle Kingdom’ Creators

This week, Episode #635 is another excellent doubleheader, so Wayne talks with Royce Adkins from Outcasts on Zoop.gg and Michael David McCarthy and Alonso Molina Gonzales from Miracle Kingdom!

Major Spoilers Podcast #1070: Do A Powerbomb Podcast

Matthew and Rodrigo are stunned by Stpehen’s vast knowledge of wrestling, as we talk Do A Powerbomb this week! We also review Red Sonja: Empire of the Damned #1 from Dynamite Entertainment, Doctor Strange #14 from Marvel Comics, and Beyond Real #3 from Vault Comics!

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Monsters Unleashed #1 Review

Gigantic monsters are attacking Earth. It's up Marvel's heroes to stop them.

Reviewed on Wednesday January 18th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Superman #14 Review

Superman is about to face a new threat from outside the Multiverse.

Reviewed on Wednesday January 4th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Moon Knight #10 Review

Moon Knight has been dealing with the different personas he's created. Turns out it goes back to when he was a kid.

A.D. After Death #2 Review

The story of how a cure for death was found continues.

Reviewed on Wednesday December 28th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Hulk #1 Review

Jennifer Walters shows getting through the events of Civil War II isn't easy for everyone.

All Star Batman #5 Review

Batman is determined to bring Two-Face to justice, but the odds are stacked against him.

Detective Comics #946 Review

Can Batman and his allies put a stop to the Victim Syndicate?

Reviewed on Wednesday December 14th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

IVX #1 Review

The tension has been building between the Inhumans and mutants. A battle is about to explode across the Marvel Universe.

Nova #1 Review

Sam Alexander used to be the last Nova around. That is no longer the case.

Reviewed on Wednesday December 7th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Thanos #1 Review

The Mad Titan returns in his own series. Lemire and Deodato begin the next stage in his story.

Reviewed on Wednesday November 16th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

All Star Batman #4 Review

Batman's current situation keeps getting worse and worse.

Reviewed on Wednesday November 9th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Invincible Iron Man #1 Review

Riri Williams gets ready for her own armored adventures.

Unworthy Thor #1 Review

The former Thunder God is on a quest to become worthy once again.

Reviewed on Wednesday November 2nd by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Vision #12 Review

The story of the Visions reaches its conclusion. It's been an amazing journey.

Reviewed on Wednesday October 26th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Infamous Iron Man #1 Review

There's a new Iron Man in town. What makes Doctor Doom feel he can take on the role?

Reviewed on Wednesday October 19th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Captain America: Steve Rogers #5 Review

Captain America's new status quo is having repercussions on Civil War II.

Reviewed on Wednesday September 28th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

The Flash #6 Review

Barry teams up with a friend to take on Godspeed.

Reviewed on Wednesday September 28th by Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring

Trinity #1 Review

With a different Superman around, how will the Trinity get along?

Reviewed on Wednesday September 21st by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Detective Comics #940 Review

The battle against Batman and his allies takes a dark turn.

Reviewed on Wednesday September 14th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Moon Knight #6 Review

Moon Knight the movie is coming to a theater near you.

Reviewed on Wednesday September 7th by Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring

Supergirl #1 Review

Supergirl continues trying to adjust to her new life on Earth with the DEO and the Danvers.

Reviewed on Wednesday September 7th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Spider-Man #7 Review

Miles deals with dreams of Hulk smashing him.

Reviewed on Wednesday August 31st by Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring

All-New Wolverine Annual #1 Review

Wolverine and Spider-Gwen team up in an unexpected way.

Reviewed on Wednesday August 31st by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

The Tick Review

Amazon's new Pilot Season show, The Tick, brings the classic comic character back to life.

Reviewed on Friday August 19th by Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring

Black Widow #6 Review

Black Widow's biggest secret has been unleashed. There will be some serious repercussions headed her way.

Reviewed on Wednesday August 17th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Supergirl: Rebirth #1 Review

Supergirl is determined to get her powers back and has gone to the D.E.O. for help.

Suicide Squad #1 Review

A team of villains comes together to complete impossible tasks.

Reviewed on Wednesday August 17th by Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring

All Star Batman #1 Review

Scott Snyder returns and teams up with John Romita Jr to bring a new load of misery upon Batman.

Reviewed on Wednesday August 10th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Jeff Steinberg: Champion of Earth #1 Review

Jeff Steinberg finds himself representing Earth after sitting on the toilet.

Reviewed on Wednesday August 3rd by Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring

Batman #4 Review

New hero, Gotham, has lost his mind.

Suicide Squad Review

They may be the worst heroes ever, but they're on their way to becoming your new favorites.

Reviewed on Tuesday August 2nd by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #1 Review

Sinestro and his Corps are ruling the universe through fear!

Reviewed on Wednesday July 27th by Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring

Titans #1 Review

With the return of Wally West, what does this mean for the Titans?

Reviewed on Wednesday July 27th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Civil War II #4 Review

A verdict is handed down, and heroes get ready to start fighting each other.

Wonder Woman #3 Review

Wonder Woman and Cheetah are on the run.

Betty and Veronica #1 Review

Get ready to see Betty and Veronica in a new light as Adam Hughes and Archie Comics launch a new series.

Reviewed on Wednesday July 20th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Detective Comics #936 Review

Batman runs into a big problem and the rest of the team gets an unexpected surprise.

Reviewed on Wednesday July 13th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Batman #2 Review

Batman works with Gotham and Gotham Girl to take down Solomon Grundy

Reviewed on Wednesday July 6th by Mat 'Inferiorego' Elfring

The Flintstones #1 Review

Get ready to "meet the Flintstones" all over again.

Reviewed on Wednesday July 6th by Tony 'G-Man' Guerrero

Justice League Rebirth #1 Review

A new Justice League comes together to take on an alien threat.

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The 10 Best Comic Books Ever, Ranked

The history of comic books have seen many iconic greats from DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, and more. These 10 are the very best of all time.

Invincible's Apocalyptic 'THE INVINCIBLE WAR' Is Impossible to Adapt Without Huge Changes

Batman was named after two real historical heroes, marvel's new ultimate ant-man is a champion for body positivity, deathstroke returns to the dcu in a terrifying new suicide squad (theory explained).

Deathstroke has been away from the DC Universe for some time now, but as Amanda Waller puts a new team together, is Slade about to make his return?

The X-Men Are Adorable in New Disney-fied Redesigns From Marvel Artist

The talented Mark Brooks has slowly been releasing art for his "Disney-fied X-Men" project, transporting the mutants into a classic Disney film.

Look Out, Superman - Dog Man Might Be the World's Most Successful Superhero, As New Book Is #1 Worldwide

Superman may be one of the greatest superheroes of all time, but Dog Man is the greatest hero right now, and it’s unlikely he’ll lose that title soon.

Morbin' Time is Over: Spider-Man Must Protect Morbius From Marvel's Vampire Army

Morbin' Time may be coming to a close as Spider-Man must save Morbius the Living Vampire from a horde of real vampires bent on killing him.

Planet of the Apes Reveals a Shock 1968 Movie Character Was a Killer

Planet of the Apes is loaded with classic, memorable characters, but now one human from the original film has been revealed to be a stone cold killer.

Scarlet Witch's Ultimate Form Just Made Her Marvel's Most Powerful Avenger

Scarlet Witch merged with the evil entities that have been trapped within her to create her ultimate form, perhaps making her the strongest Avenger.

Death Note's Original Hero Was Much More Powerful Than Light Ever Was

Taro Kagami possessed one unique ability that Light Yagami never had, making him a more powerful character in the Death Note universe.

1 Unexpected Gotham Hero Can Save the DCU from Its Next Crisis (NOT Batman)

DC is on the brink of another crisis, but a skill from one of Gotham's iconic villains-turned-heroes will save DC in ways Batman never could.

X-Men: 10 Dazzler Moments That Prove She's Marvel's Most Underrated Mutant Superstar

Despite not getting much recognition, the X-Men's Dazzler incredible history includes her great leadership and even saving the multiverse.

One-Punch Man Reveals Its Most Broken Power (And It’s Not Saitama’s)

For a series featuring an overpowered protagonist, Saitama may finally meet his match in One-Punch Man with a villain's broken technique.

Nightwing Is Bringing Back an Iconic Ally for His Darkest Moment (Not Titans OR Bat-Family)

Nightwing has accumulated several allies into his network from the Bat-Family and the Titans, but this return is of a Justice League member.

Palpatine Drew His Dark Side Power from a Very Specific (& Terrifying) Type of Hate

Emperor Palpatine is one of the strongest Sith, but where does his hatred come from? One Star Wars story finally explains the source of his power!

Kaiju No. 8 Finally Reached The Scene It Built Up to Since Its Start (And Delivered)

The reunion between Kafka and Mina that Kaiju No. 8 readers have been waiting for since the manga's beginning has finally transpired in chapter 69.

Catwoman Just Suffered One of the Most Brutal Deaths in DC History

Catwoman has suffered several deaths lately thanks to her new powers, but her most recent death has to be the most brutal in all of DC Comics history.

Batman's Strangest Villain Completely Reinvents His Cowl in New Cover

Batman has fought plenty of bizarre and weird rogues over the years, but it seems the Ten-Eyed Man is coming after Batman and has taken his cowl.

Jujutsu Kaisen Utahime Cosplay Stuns With Anime-Accurate Look

This Utahime cosplay remarkably captures her iconic outfit and appearance, as well as her caring and kind, but sometimes frustrated personality.

Star Trek Confirms an Original Series Genius Is So Smart, Even the Gods Respect Him

In Star Trek #19, fans learn a beloved crew member of the Original Series is so respected, that even the gods come to him for advice.

X-Men Just Killed Off the Ultimate Omega Mutant (Who Fans Hoped Would Stay Forever)

The Omega-level super-mutant Rasputin IV was just unceremoniously murdered by Xavier in a new preview, and the fan-favorite hero's future is murky.

Iron Man's Worst Nightmare Comes to Life in a Way the MCU Could Never Show

Forget Ultron or Thanos - while Tony Stark had some tough enemies, the MCU couldn't handle Iron Man's worst nightmare, who just showed up at his door.

A Major Snyderverse Superman Question Finally Gets Answered in Brutal New Art

Dan Mora's variant cover art for DC's upcoming Absolute Power summer event brutally answers a nearly decade-old Snyderverse Superman question

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The best comics of 2021

The best tokusatsu-subverting, superhero-interrogating, eyeball-delighting, heart-pounding comics of this year

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The world of comics exploded as never before in 2021, with top Marvel and DC creators finding new creative outlets, graphic novels thriving in bookstores , and several blockbuster series reaching their long anticipated and epic conclusions. The comics medium is a beautiful and interconnected ecosystem, and nowhere is that better represented than in Polygon’s list of the best comics of 2021.

From seminal manga available in English for the first time to the latest off the shelves of Marvel Comics, these books are all ready in paperback form for your eager hands — no worries for trade-waiters. Comics were considered eligible if they were collected for the first time, or published their final collection, in 2021.

Super Sentai: Himitsu Sentai Gorenger

By Shotaro Ishinomori

You may know of Jack Kirby, the King Of Comics. But there is another who holds that title. Shotaro Ishinomori, the apprentice of the legendary Osamu Tezuka , the mentor of the inimitable Go Nagai, and so much more. He is the undisputed King Of Comics in Japan. Heralded as a father of Tokusatsu alongside the likes of Eiji Tsuburaya ( Gojira , Ultraman ), Ishinomori is the creator of Kamen Rider , as well as Super Sentai — which would go on to spawn the iconic Power Rangers series.

A hugely under-appreciated and under-read figure in the west, Ishinomori’s done comics of every kind on every kind of subject: economics to jazz to biographies and more. This is the first time his iconic ’70’s Super Sentai comics have been collected into an English volume (published by Seven Seas Entertainment), and it’s a historic collection of an icon’s work. It’s the perfect place to begin with an artist whose entire oeuvre still remains staggering. He is an absolute giant of the form, remaining to this day one of the best action storytellers on the page. And it’s all too visible here, as you see the foundations of something that would go on to be a cultural juggernaut. It’s a master at work, depicting numerous varying iterations of the same core concepts within this collection, and it’s thrilling to read as you get to witness how different execution leads to different results. This is a comics classic. — Ritesh Babu

Cyclopedia Exotica

By Aminder Dhaliwal

Aminder Dhaliwal’s debut graphic novel Woman World should have been the first sign that the cartoonist was a hilarious but extremely on-the-ball voice for a diverse — if not entirely jaded — generation. Regardless, Dhaliwal’s new book Cyclopedia Exotica feels like a breath of fresh air among a sea of heavy-handed (and self-indulgent) inclusion narratives.

Originally serialized on her Instagram account, Cyclopedia Exotica opens with a history of cyclopses and their tumultuous relationship with the more dominant “two eye” standard. Eventually landing on the present era, the focus shifts towards loosely connected relationships between cyclopses, using each individual thread to tell stories about a world both accepting and yet somehow not always accommodating.

Helped by Dhaliwal’s playful, dynamic cartooning, the struggles of the cyclops characters stand true as metaphors for sexuality, race, disability, and a multitude of other oppressed groups while never reading as diminutive or didactic; instead using the grey areas of existing in a marginalized body as a way to connect characters, as well create a connection with the reader. Much like its opening dedication, Cyclopedia Exotica plants itself as something “for those who don’t feel seen,” with a lightness visible to just about anyone. — Chloe Maveal

The Girl From the Sea

By Molly Knox Ostertag, Maarta Laiho

When you’re rescued from drowning by a beautiful girl in the sea, what do you do? If you’re Morgan, a closeted gay teen in a tiny fishing town, you kiss her. It has to be a dream, right? Until she shows up at your home the next day saying true love’s kiss has turned her into a human. Because she’s a selkie, you see. The Girl from the Sea takes the classic Little Mermaid set-up and gives it a queer, modern spin. The book explores young gay love in all its beauty and messiness. While she can’t help but be pulled toward Keltie’s free spirit, Morgan is determined to keep her head down and keep her identity a secret until after high school. Her flaws and mistakes throughout the story will be relatable to a lot of teens out there just trying to survive. Molly Ostertag’s art is expressive, and Laiho’s colorwork here highlights the simple beauty of the setting while revealing the intensity of Morgan and Keltie’s connection. Even in its bittersweet ending, The Girl from the Sea is about love, joy, and hope for the future ... even when it seems so far away. —Katie Schenkel

[ Ed. note: Molly Ostertag has contributed to Polygon as a freelance writer in 2021.]

The Mystery of the Meanest Teacher: A Johnny Constantine Graphic Novel

By Ryan North, Derek Charm, Wes Abbot

John Constantine certainly doesn’t seem like he’d fit in a pre-teen book, but the all-star team of Ryan North and Derek Charm perform real magic in this middle grade graphic novel. In order to get himself out of a silly misunderstanding with certain vengeful British ghosts, Johnny “Kid” Constantine gets sent to a fancy boarding school in New England. Unfortunately, his new teacher might be an evil witch, his powers aren’t working right, and all his classmates think he’s a weirdo.

Like his adult counterpart, Johnny is a bit of a selfish brat, but new friendships with the rhyming demon Etrigan and fellow magic wielder “Anna” (DC fans can guess who that might be) teach him how to be a better person, and maybe even a hero! North balances humor and sincerity well in all of his books, and I particularly like how he handles Johnny and Anna’s friendship throughout the story. Charm’s art (especially his colors) are richly atmospheric and help sell the spookiness of the whole story — definitely great for kids who like scary mysteries that aren’t too scary. What a fun way to introduce kids to an iconic comic character! — KS

Ultramega Vol. 1

By James Harren, Dave Stewart

Ultramega faked out the reader with a simple, quippy hook: Three Average Joes are endowed as an Ultramega, tokusatsu-style battlers in a war against a plague that has infected every human on the globe with the possibility of sudden transformation into kaiju . Then, at the end of the first issue, every single one of them died horribly and the book jumped a decade forward into a post-kaiju-apocalypse coming-of-age story.

James Harren’s commitment to the details of his Kaiju Mad Maxterpiece setting — a crumbling human sports arena outfitted with a miniature plywood city so that diminished kaiju rulers can stage to-scale gladitorial battles with regular size humans being only one major setpiece — is matched only by his creativity in body horror. Guts bubble up with gas and explode, sphincters pucker and spew firehoses of neon acid (Dave Stewart’s colors, as always, are impeccable), limbs are detached to use as projectile weapons and a disembodied eye and severed head are, honestly, major characters.

It’s all, undeniably, gorgeous. Monsters leap right off the page while character designs tell you everything you need to know without reading a word. If nothing else, Ultramega wins the award for the book that made me start chanting its name over and over again when I saw it in the batch of that week’s press review copies, an award previously held by Gogor . — Susana Polo

By N.K. Jemisin, Jamal Campbell

While everybody on 2020 Twitter was interrogating the relationship between superheroes and copaganda, Far Sector — a book conceived and started in 2019 and finally collected in 2021 — was confronting the idea head on. Across 12 issues, N.K. Jemisin (yes, that N.K. Jemisin ) spun a murder mystery at the edge of space, grafted just so slightly to the edge of DC Comics continuity. Newly minted Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein, who just happens to look a lot like Janelle Monae, began to unravel a generational cycle of state violence against an exploited and disadvantaged underclass.

Indisputably one of the top science fiction novelists of this era, if not the top, Jemisin walks into the medium of comics as if she was born to it — which, in an era of high profile creators dipping into the comics world , is not at all a given . You would never guess this is her very first graphic novel, and not simply because she’s working with one of the best artists in the industry right now. Jamal Campbell breathes vibrant life and character into Jemisin’s intricate multi-species alien society, and their partnership leaves plenty of room for him to deliver his impeccable grasp of expression, motion, and framing. The last time Jamal Campbell drew a whole comic, it was also one of the best in its year , and with Jemisin on board it is not at all surprising that Far Sector makes the cut this year. —SP

Dreadnoughts: Breaking Ground

By John Higgins

Telling a story from the early days of the infamous Judges of the long-running Judge Dredd strip, writer Michael Carroll and artist John Higgins’ Dreadnoughts explores the presence of police brutality just 14 years into our future — only six decades before the time frame of the original Dredd story — and how it begins the descent into Dredd ’s fascist police state of Mega-City One.

Positioned as near-future fiction, Dreadnoughts paints an unsettling picture of how the justice system and democracy disintegrates — not by focusing on protests and resistance from oppressed citizens, but by placing a magnifying glass over the jackboots on the ground and the systems that give them power. Finally connecting the dots between the world we know and the world that the Judges of Mega City have been preparing us for for more than 40 years, it’s a book that forces us to reckon with just how close to a dystopian sci-fi comic we really are living.

Brutal, clever, and an intense visit into an unchecked reality, Dreadnoughts might not be the most lighthearted book to have come out this year, but the weight of its brilliance is nothing short of startling. —CM

Kaiju No. 8 Vol. 1

By Naoya Matsumoto

The rare modern Battle Shonen book that actually centers on a largely adult cast of characters, Matsumoto’s Kaiju No. 8 is a delightful action ride. We follow Kafka Hibino, a clean-up worker of Kaiju disaster sites who yearns to become a Defense Force member and take on Kaijus himself. He’s failed all his adult life, and now he has one last chance at the age of 32. Except … he ends up becoming a Kaiju himself, and thus the target of the defense force and all mankind.

As funny as it is awe-inspiring and epic, Kaiju is a comic with real heart — a book about second chances and trying to become the person you’ve always wanted to be, even after endless failure, even if it feels like it’s too late. The kaiju designs are equal parts cool and creepy, and the action spectacle of kaiju clashes are gorgeous. Beyond all that, the actual texture of systems and world-building around the Kaiju-presence and mankind’s response is an immersive treat. Where else would you get Kaiju-intenstine clean-up, but also detailed breakdowns of Anti-Kaiju weaponry?

It’s hard not to love the try-hard underdog monster hero, and Kaiju No. 8 is another great example. — RB

Beta Ray Bill: Argent Star

By Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer

Beta Ray Bill is a character who only makes sense in comics: A lover of the warrior Sif, he’s a sensitive paladin warrior in personality. In execution, he is the orange, horse-faced Chosen Hero of a dying alien race given powers similar to Thor’s by Odin. This year, Daniel Warren Johnson gave him a five-issue character study every inch worthy of the legacy of artists like Walter Simonson and Jack Kirby.

Supporting characters include Skurge the Executioner, Pip the Troll, and a talking spaceship named Scuttlebutt, but more than an exercise in obscure Marvel Comics characters, Beta Ray Bill: Argent Star is simply a gonzo adventure comic about a man taking on far too great odds to trying and make his face look pretty again while ignoring the good stuff he’s already got right under his horse nose.

Johnson and colorist Mike Spicer deliver the spectacle of it all — gods, monsters, lakes of fire, guns the size of trucks — on page after page. Great beasts are defeated. One liners pay off. Endings are bittersweet. There’s an intricate cutaway drawing of a spaceship’s dozens of rooms, including tiny cubicles for Beta Ray Bill ’s creative team to toil away at it. Simply a comic where when you finish one issue you immediately want the next. — SP

Immortal Hulk

By Al Ewing, et al.

In All of the Marvels , which would be one of the best comics of 2021 if it were not a prose book, author Douglas Wolk points out that at its start, monsters were as core to the Marvel Comics universe as crimefighting or romance. Since 2018, Al Ewing and numerous artists have been reminding us that they still are.

Beginning as a ghost story, concluding as a primal scream begging to know why a just god would allow suffering, the series seemed to reinvent itself every six issues or so. It resurrected repeatedly, as its namesake, in a froth of snapping bones and stretching skin, to snake its crushing hands onto the neck of a new monster, eventually settling, as mentioned, on God Himself.

Four years ago, it was the series that finally showed the world Ewing’s potential. Completed and collected this year, Immortal Hulk is already a classic of the Marvel Comics canon — in the literary sense, not the continuity one. It is simply among the greatest Marvel stories ever told. —SP

Polygon’s Best of 2021

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Weekly Comic Book Reviews For 7/26/23

Another week has arrived and with it another packed week of comic book releases. You can check out our reviews for Alice Never After #1 , Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #110 , and Ultimate Invasion #2 . Along with those comic book releases we had even more major releases this week. For my latest comic book review round-up I’m spotlighting Creed: The Next Round #2, What If…? Dark Spider-Gwen #1, and X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023. Check out my thoughts on these comic books below.

CREATIVE TEAM

Writer: Latoya Morgan and Jai Jamison

Artist: Wilton Santos and Joe Jaro

Inker: Maria Keane

Colorist: DJ Chavis and Joana Lafuente

Letterer: Andworld Design

One of my favorite types of stories are those centered around what it means to have and carry a legacy. It’s a reason as to why I gravitate to characters like Batman as we see not only him building his legacy but also his family carry on the legacy he has created. The concept of legacy is where Latoya Morgan and Jai Jamison continue to shine with Creed: The Next Round #2.

Throughout this second issue we see how the Apollo Creed legacy is carried on by Adonis, Amara, and Artemis. This exploration of legacy is explored most in-depth with Amara and Artemis. It was particularly important to establish Artemis, who was previous Apollo’s unnamed daughter in the movies. Unlike Adonis, Artemis grew up admiring her father. Morgan and Jamison took this fact and showed us a different angle into the impact Apollo’s death had as we see Artemis take her own route in honoring her father’s legacy.

Part of carrying that legacy is proving yourself, which we can see is easier said than done when the parent you are following in the footsteps of was seen as one of the best to ever do it. With both Amara and Artemis having similarly looked up to and followed in their respective fathers’ paths they had something that made it easy for them to quickly bond over.  Having this connection point made the bond Amara quickly gained with her aunt even stronger.

With this it placed a spotlight on the importance of a support system. We see this with how Adonis and Artemis dynamic with Amara goes in this second issue as she is a bird that feels ready to fly on her own. Which speaks to what it means to let the next generation grow beyond the protection of their parents and mentor. In the process we get a lot of strong character interactions that further dive in to the Creed legacy, with one major surprise that adds an intriguing angle the story in Creed: The Next Round can go.

Wilton Santos and Joe Jaro deliver great artwork throughout Creed: The Next Round #2. Santos carries the character interaction heavy first two-thirds of this issue as we see how important character reactions are. Jaro’s handling of the last third of the issue works well to showcase the choreography in the action for boxing matches. Artemis and Amara’s respective skill levels are well-established as their experience and style shines through.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Latoya Morgan and Jai Jamison continue to do an excellent job at exploring the concept of legacy through Creed: The Next Round #2. Expanding on the Creed legacy by including the rest of the Creed Family tree is a fantastic choice as Amara’s story continues to develop alongside her dad, Adonis. Strong artwork from Wilton Santos and Joe Jaro just adds to how this is a can’t miss comic book for Rocky and Creed fans.

Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10

Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10

Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10

Plot Writers: Gerry Conway and Jody Houser

Script Writer: Jody Houser

Artists: Ramon F. Bachs and Gil Kane

Colorist: Dee Cunniffe

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Given how often Marvel goes back to the well with “The Night Gwen Stacy Died” and the popularity of Spider-Gwen it took this long to get a What If…? one-shot. With that in mind it was smart to open What If…? Dark Spider-Gwen by using the pages from Gerry Conway and Gil Kane’s Amazing Spider-Man #121. By opening the comic in this way there was a tone set for the characterization of Gwen Stacy and others during this time period.

Taking the baton from here Jody Houser took the writing style of Conway and continued that with the changes of Gwen Stacy being the one who survived after Peter Parker as Spider-Man died in the iconic moment. Gwen, Harry Osborn, and others were written with how you expect them to sound around this era of Spider-Man’s history. This allowed Houser utilized Gwen’s history give more emotional weight to her arc, especially with how she was partnered with Harry Osborn.

Houser also made sure to know that with what the trauma Gwen has gone through that having long monologues was not the way to go. Instead, Houser made sure to keep Gwen’s dialogue to how she was written at the time and trust that Ramon Bachs artwork can help put over Gwen’s emotions as she set out to avenge Peter.

While Gwen is successful in avenging Peter’s death at the hands of Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin the way it happened did not give a full conclusion. The way What If…? Dark Spider-Gwen ended with Gwen continuing as Spider-Woman, without powers, when Harry rises up as the new Green Goblin this felt like the start of a new series. Which is not the case but ending it in this way did put a bit of a damper on the story since Gwen’s story as Spider-Woman and if she will get powers like her Spider-Gwen counterpart won’t be followed up on.

What If…? Dark Spider-Gwen delivers exactly on the potential these What If…? one-shots have. Jody Houser and Ramon Bachs did a very good job at utilizing Gerry Conway and Gil Kane’s iconic “The Night Gwen Stacy Died” to tell a different Spider-Gwen origin story. The way this story ended was a bit disappointing that this was simply a one-shot as the end isn’t as definitive as fans may hope.

Story Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10

Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10

Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10

Writer: Gerry Duggan

Artists: Adam Kubert, Luciano Cecchio, Matteo Lolli, Russell Dauterman, Javier Pina, R.B. Silva, Joshua Cassara, Kris Anka, and Pepe Larraz

Colorists: Rain Beredo, Ceci De La Cruz, Matthew Wilson, Erick Arciniega, and Marte Gracia

Letterer: Virtual Calligraphy

The 2023 Hellfire Gala is no doubt a game changer. Maybe the biggest game changer since House of X and Powers of X. Though unlike the direction Jonathan Hickman gave for the X-Men the events of Hellfire Gala is something where we are left in a “To Be Determined” state with its potential.

When it comes to plot development the 2023 Hellfire Gala does read as what the X-Men creative teams have been building towards since Hickman ended his run with the franchise. Everything with Orchis that Hickman introduced and was followed up by Gerry Duggan and other X-Men writers got to us to this point where a Mutant Massacre-like event took place at the Hellfire Gala. In terms of further building Orchis as the ultimate X-Men villain group Hellfire Gala 2023 certainly succeeded.

Where there is question marks is the X-Men returning to the status quos of being “hated and feared” and in danger of being extinct that Hickman got the franchise away from. It certainly doesn’t help on a visual standpoint that this was kicked off with what could’ve been the most diverse X-Men team we’ve had. Adding to the not so great look is that the mutants that weren’t able to resist Charles Xavier’s telepathy where unceremoniously killed off with most going unnamed.

In terms of story direction what does save the Mutant Massacre that takes place at the Hellfire Gala is the spots this leaves the likes of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Emma Frost, Wolverine, Rogue, and Synch. Each of these characters are placed in a spot where they are the Marvel characters most to watch. In particular, Firestar ends up being the character to watch most closely. The mission she is given by Jean in acting as a traitor in order to infiltrate Orchis is one of the most important storylines to how Fall Of X could ultimately turn out.

The artwork was obviously all over the place given the artwork by committee we got. Speaking to the talents of Adam Kubert, Luciano Cecchio, Matteo Lolli, Russell Dauterman, Javier Pina, R.B. Silva, Joshua Cassara, Kris Anka, and Pepe Larraz is they delivered their best artwork for their respective segments. The big moments in Hellfire Gala 2023 hit on the epic scale you expect they would. The only thing that deters things is that the art styles don’t match so it does disrupt the flow when the artwork is switched up.

Hellfire Gala 2023 will certainly go down as the biggest game changer to the X-Men franchise since House of X and Powers of X. The actions by Orchis certainly elevated them to become the ultimate X-Men villains that you hope in the end our heroes can overcome and defeat. Though the events of the Mutant Massacre that took place at this year’s Hellfire Gala will be something that it is key the X-Men creative teams fully tap into the potential of this latest direction of the franchise. If they don’t than the questions as to why Duggan and Marvel decided to do this will grow and consume the X-Men franchise.

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Ultimate Spider-Man #4 Tweet window.twttr = (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], t = window.twttr || {}; if (d.getElementById(id)) return t; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); t._e = []; t.ready = function(f) { t._e.push(f); }; return t; }(document, "script", "twitter-wjs"));

WHO IS THE GREEN GOBLIN? Peter Parker's secret life starts fraying the edges of his personal life! J. Jonah Jameson and Ben Parker's pursuit of truth - or, at least, the news - stirs unrest with the world at large... And now that Spider-Man may not have to operate alone, the real work of rebuilding this corrupt world can begin! Rated T

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Ultimate Spider-Man #4 takes us away from heroics and portrays a human conversation that entices us to love these characters. Read Full Review

In case it wasn't clear that the new Ultimate Spider-Man comic is a clinic in storytelling, writer Jonathan Hickman has no action in issue #4 and instead uses it for two sequences that are exclusively dialogue. It's captivating from the first panel and the foundation of these characters that he's developing remains all-timer stuff. Read Full Review

Not as much action or humor in this issue, but man that surprise was something else. Read Full Review

Jonathan Hickman and David Messina show their strength as comic book creators that they can make a superhero comic book that's all about character conversations compelling. That is what they accomplish with Ultimate Spider-Man #2. In the process they plant seeds that will sprout into intriguing plotlines for different combinations of the cast members of this series. Read Full Review

Ultimate Spider-Man #4 is an issue with big reveals but also an issue with a narrower view and simple approach. It's one dinner and three or four conversations that help us understand some key characters, but they are also far removed from the superheroics or the development of Peter Parker. A surprise, to be sure, but still not without its merits. Read Full Review

Ultimate Spider-Man #4 takes a bizarrely unexpected turn in the series with a subzero cooldown issue that's nothing but four people engaging in pilot conversation during a dinner date. Messina's art isperfectly good, and in fairness, Hickman's dialog talents are excellent, but this comic fits theverydefinition of pointless. Read Full Review

This has truly become something special right here. This issue could be boring, but it so quickly morphs into the single best comic book we've had all year. Amazing dialogue. Harry and Gwen are instantly memorable. And Peter learns the most important of all lessons.

Weird Science Marvel Comics can bolt.

Amazing stuff here. This is just the issue USM needed, more slower one that focuses on characters and their relationships. I loved every page and I was hooked on the dialogue. And Messina as a guest artist works really well here. I wouldn't mind seeing more of him once in a while. The only problem I have is the cover. It's a bit misleading, and since I desperately wanna see Ben's viewpoint on Spider-Man, it was a letdown

Yeah, that was a good comic. The conversations between the characters are more grey than black and white. Hope this series keeps this up

Love the detection this version is going so far, but it was completely missed story opportunity for Gwen and Peter not having a history.

This issue wasn't bad, and I liked the slower pace of Peter Parker just talking to Mary Jane, Gwen, and Harry. But it's not as good as the previous issues or as engaging. I understand not every issue needs to be action packed, but I guess the high standards of the previous issue made this issue underwhelming. Also, I have read other issues that have people just talking and no dialogue, but it was still engaging and good. So overall, it's not bad. It will be important in the long run. But It's not as good as the previous issues.

The new artstyle isn’t for me. I very much prefer Checchetto’s art. Didn’t like that almost the entire issue was spent on just one dinner. Dialogue was pretty good though.

2022 In Review:

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‘Dead Boy Detectives’ cleverly brings Neil Gaiman’s comic book sleuths to life

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In the funny, terrifying, colorful, oddly lovely, lovably odd “ Dead Boy Detectives ,” premiering Thursday on Netflix, deceased putative teenagers Edwin (George Rexstrew) and Charles (Jayden Revri) investigate what’s troubling troubled ghosts.

Created by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner for DC Comics, the eponymous team was born on the pages of “The Sandman” in 1991 and made an appearance, played by much younger actors, in the third season of “ Doom Patrol ,” the best of all superhero series. But the present show, developed by Steve Yockey, is located within “The Sandman Universe,” at least to the extent that Kirby Howell-Baptiste, who played Death in the Netflix “Sandman” adaptation , makes a brief appearance here.

Netflix’s lively, unusual adaptation makes the most of Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Sandman’

Neil Gaiman’s 20th century comic about the King of Dreams becomes a 21st century TV series — and even the changes are true to the author’s vision.

Aug. 5, 2022

Edwin, who died in 1916, is formal, reserved, repressed and orderly. Charles, who passed away in the 1980s, is comparatively a wild boy; he wears a “ska” button in his lapel and a “rude boys” patch on his shoulder, and says “brills” and “innit” and “oi!” and such. They are teenagers not in person but only in persona; the actors are well into their 20s, which allows, psychologically, for more sophisticated plotlines. (It’s sort of a sexy show, in a chaste way, driven by longing and jealousy.) Although they are friendly ghosts and walk the Earth by choice, they are not without trauma, of which Edwin has an extra measure, having spent seven decades in Hell because of a clerical error.

Over the decades since they became pals, the pair have established themselves as well-regarded sleuths for the troubled dead of London — they rent an office, with office furniture and files like any living private eyes — avoiding Death whenever she comes to town; they have no desire to pass on into the afterlife or to give up their profession. They take payment — ghost economics are sketchy, but some have money. (Though a misanthropic ghost lighthouse keeper, bedeviled by other ghosts — “If I wanted to be around people, I’d haunt a Denny’s” — offers salt water taffy and “a cursed magic 8 ball.”)

As they go along they will collect collaborators, progressing from a Hardy Boys model to a Scooby gang. (We get a “Scooby Doo” clip, to make a point, and pay tribute.) First is psychic Crystal (Kassius Nelson), from whom they exorcise her ex, a demon named David (David Iacono), and who can see dead people. Following a lead, they travel together to Port Townsend, Wash., which is to say Vancouver, B.C., for the tax breaks and production advantages. Here they’ll meet chipper, chirpy Niko (Yuyu Kitamura), whose near-death supernatural encounter allows her also to see the deceased. She has “watched hundreds of hours of detective anime and cartoons” and so feels qualified to join the gang. Crystal and Niko rent rooms above cynical tattooed butcher Jenny (Briana Cuoco), who will eventually join in.

Pressure comes from several directions. There are the particular challenges of the episodic adventures, alongside and feeding into long arcs that pit them against Esther (Jenn Lyon), a glamorous witch and their primary nemesis; the Cat King (Lukas Gage), who has trapped Edwin, who interests him strangely, under magical house arrest in Port Townsend; and the Night Nurse (Ruth Connell), an afterlife middle manager — once again, the realm of Death is portrayed as a bureaucracy, ruled by “permits and approvals” — who is out to corral the boys, whose continued presence on Earth offends her sense of order.

Supernatural physics follow whatever rules the writers make up. The ghosts of “Dead Boy Detectives” are not bound to any location; they travel by mirrors; they can physically interact with the world of things and the living, though they lack smell and taste, which makes eating unpleasant; they can put on visible human disguises when necessary. Various other mythological agents, recipes and gewgaws are crafted as desired. Talking cats, insulting sprites, a sea beast, a mushroom monster, a former walrus named Mick (Michael Beach), who runs the local (real) magic shop. You go with the paranormal flow.

We’ve seen other series in which mortal or immortal agents help unquiet souls to complete unfinished business and move on into the light or whatever — “ Ghost Whisperer ,” “ Deadbeat ,” “ Dead Like Me ,” my beloved “ Ghost Girls ,” last year’s excellent “School Spirits,” in which a high school student sets out to solve her own murder. And, of course, putting young people into supernatural situations, which lends itself especially well to humor, is as common as candy on Halloween.

But if there’s nothing groundbreaking here, it’s all uncommonly well done — cleverly written, smartly cast, sensitively played, marvelously realized. It’s disturbing at times, yet sweet at others, and comic as often as not. There is animation. You can occasionally anticipate a twisted turn, because it’s a twist long years of genre exercises have taught you to expect. But a series can feel fresh without being original. And there are surprises enough.

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Entertainment | It Came from Wisconsin: A chat with James…

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Entertainment, entertainment | it came from wisconsin: a chat with james tynion iv, the reigning king of comic book horror.

One of my favorite contemporary writers is this guy from Milwaukee named James Tynion IV. It’s a haughty name, except he writes horror comics. He writes other things, too, nothing that would suggest gravitas: Batman comics, Batman meets Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comics. That is, unless you know the finest monthly comic books these days are far from indifferently written, or as hilariously overwritten as they once were, full of characters delivering tsunamis of exposition.

So, this “IV” in your name, I asked, it’s there to compensate for writing horror comics?

It’s there, he laughed, because his father (a longtime New York lawyer who specializes in the renewable energy industry) is James Tynion III. It’s just a professional distinction.

Yet, as a gothic flourish, it lends mystery.

Especially considering that when Tynion IV appears this week at McCormick Place for the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, or C2E2, he comes as arguably the best writer in the medium right now, though not representing Batman or the Justice League but his own decade-long creations, very of-the-moment comics about federal conspiracy (“The Department of Truth”), world apocalypse (“The Nice House on the Lake”), mass disappearance (“The Woods”) and paranoia (“Something is Killing the Children”). He’s appearing at several talks on horror comics, as well as on a panel just about himself.

We spoke by phone the other day; the following was edited for length and clarity.

Q: Did Wisconsin shape your writing voice? Speaking of paranoia and conspiracy, it is the home of the John Birch Society now.

A: It’s in so many of my books. Where you spend your teen years is burned deeper than anywhere else, I think. Now that I’m in my mid to late 30s, my view is tipping toward my time in New York. But being from Milwaukee, there’s a feeling of being on the outskirts of culture. I was growing up as a young queer person during the Bush II years, and Wisconsin was a very purple state. Both sides were loud, so feeling caught in the midst of all that was formative. I was figuring out if I wanted to go to Pride Fest, for instance, even as I had classmates arguing whether or not there should be a Pride Fest. There was also a primal feeling from big dense woods. I had a ravine behind my dad’s house. Seeing it now: OK, there are houses there, and it’s not that huge. But as a child, it felt like staring into another world, and things were happening in the darkness.

Q: Conspiracy, as a theme, became your thing.

A: Yes, since horror reflects society. There’s a fear now that we are living in all these broken systems no longer intending to save us. Yet we have to use those systems. You ask yourself: What do I have to become to survive this? What am I willing to let myself become? I realized I could come at that theme from so many different angles. Right now I am doing a book called “Spectregraph,” and it’s a ghost story, and yet ghost stories are always about a fear of death. Instead, I wanted this one to be about a fear of life, partly told through the decay of capitalism. There is so much tension now in the fear of tomorrow and persisting, and I wanted to dig into that feeling, while using this genre.

Q: Starting out, did you look to classic horror comics for inspiration?

A: Honestly, I didn’t even know this was a lane to pursue. My way into comics was very much through Superheroland, but then I kept discovering the full potential of what comics could be. Neil Gaiman and “Sandman” made me want to pursue writing as a career, period. I also can’t deny the giants of pop lit. Lately, I’ve been rereading Stephen King and Agatha Christie, and what comes across is how effortlessly good they can be.

Q: The funny thing is, as a young writer out of the creative writing program at Sarah Lawrence College, you were not only going into comics — historically known for bad writing — but horror, a maligned niche of a maligned medium.

A: Absolutely, though I love that older schlockier stuff tremendously. And yet, to try to write in that voice is me trying to wear my dad’s old coat. It’s not how I write , and it doesn’t pull from my influences, and besides, there is a contemporary storytelling pace that you must work with now. And you can do that without leaning into nostalgia or the tropes of classic comic books, but I can see why older comics writers approached this material the way they did, and I can still take pointers. Especially with horror, which was always short stories, about the economy of storytelling. I still have to figure out how to squeeze something unsettling out of, say, only four or five pages. So you lean into that density. Horror is playing with tension. Yesterday and now, that’s what it is.

C2E2: The 2024 Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo runs April 26-28 at McCormick Place South, 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive; www.c2e2.com

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9 New Books We Recommend This Week

Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times.

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Our recommended books this week include two very different kinds of memoirs — RuPaul’s “The House of Hidden Meanings,” about the drag icon’s childhood and path to superstardom, and Alexandra Fuller’s “Fi,” about the death of her 21-year-old son — as well as a biography of the art collector Isabella Stewart Gardner, a study of Germany’s self-reckoning after World War II, a look at what Abraham Lincoln’s era has in common with ours and a history of baseball in New York.

In fiction, we recommend a romance novel, a twisty detective story about translators on the hunt for a missing author and a stylish story collection from Amor Towles. Happy reading. — Gregory Cowles

FI: A Memoir Alexandra Fuller

In her fifth memoir, Fuller describes the sudden death of her 21-year-old son. Devastating as this elegant and honest account may be — and it’s certainly not for the faint of heart — it also leaves the reader with a sense of having known a lovely and lively young man.

“A sublime writer. … This book is a mesmeric celebration of a boy who died too soon, a mother’s love and her resilience.”

From David Sheff’s review

Grove | $28

WAKE ME MOST WICKEDLY Felicia Grossman

The second of Grossman’s fairy-tale-inspired romances set among Jewish families in Regency London finds the saucy scion of a disgraced family falling for a raven-haired criminal pawnshop owner. Based on “Snow White,” a fairy tale all about trust and betrayal, “Wake Me Most Wickedly” thrives in the space between what people hide and what they reveal.

“Rich and complex and a little discomfiting, this book prefers difficult questions and nuanced truths to comfortable reductions.”

From Olivia Waite’s romance column

Forever | Paperback, $9.99

TABLE FOR TWO: Fictions Amor Towles

Towles, known for his wildly popular books like “A Gentleman in Moscow,” collects six short stories set in New York around the new millennium. There’s also one story set in Golden Age Hollywood, a continuation of his novel “Rules of Civility.”

“There’s more here than high gloss. … Sharp-edged satire deceptively wrapped like a box of Neuhaus chocolates, ‘Table for Two’ is a winner.”

From Hamilton Cain’s review

Viking | $32

THE NEW YORK GAME: Baseball and the Rise of a New City Kevin Baker

What makes New York baseball unique, the novelist and historian argues in this insightful, beautifully crafted narrative — which concludes with the end of World War II — is its role as chronicler of cultural change. Whatever baseball’s roots in cow pastures and small towns, it came of age as an urban game.

“Baseball grew as New York City grew. … One hopes for a second volume from Kevin Baker, every bit as good as this one.”

From David Oshinsky’s review

Knopf | $35

THE EXTINCTION OF IRENA REY Jennifer Croft

Croft is an acclaimed translator, and won the 2018 Man Booker International Prize for her English translation of Olga Tokarczuk’s “Flights.” It seems fitting that her first novel is a detective story following a troupe of translators tracking down their missing author.

“Oh my mushrooms, ‘The Extinction of Irena Rey’ is incredibly strange, savvy, sly and hard to classify. I also couldn’t put it down.”

From Fiona Maazel’s review

Bloomsbury | $28.99

THE HOUSE OF HIDDEN MEANINGS: A Memoir RuPaul

The “Drag Race” superstar has already written three books, but from its black-and-white cover photo onward, this one is serious: A study in self-creation and survival that reveals a striver high on his own supply.

“RuPaul isn’t just famous, glamorous and funny; he’s interesting. … Less a memoir than a prophecy unpacked in reverse.”

From Saeed Jones’s review

Dey Street | $29.99

CHASING BEAUTY: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner Natalie Dykstra

Isabella Stewart Gardner is best known today for the Boston museum that bears her name, but as Dykstra makes clear in her luminous new biography, the Gilded Age doyenne was herself a figure to be reckoned with. A daughter of wealth who married into more, the flamboyant Gardner quickly became the queen of haute bohemia — and in the process, one of America’s most serious collectors. A lively portrait of a moment, a woman and the power of art.

“Astutely situates her subject within Gardner’s growing web of connections. … But its deeper revelations have more to do with Gardner’s emerging attunement to the emotional affirmation to be found in art.”

From Megan O’Grady’s review

Mariner | $37.50

OUT OF THE DARKNESS: The Germans, 1942-2022 Frank Trentmann

Over the past eight decades, the public debates about guilt and suffering in the wake of World War II have structured civil society in Germany. Trentmann tracks the evolution of this moral awakening with a remarkably rich history of the country that runs from the Battle of Stalingrad to the War in Ukraine.

“Recognizes the costs and complexities of the quest for moral security. … As Trentmann captures, the post-1945 transformation has been remarkable.”

From Peter Fritzsche’s review

Knopf | $50

OUR ANCIENT FAITH: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment Allen C. Guelzo

In this beautifully written exploration of Abraham Lincoln’s thoughts on democracy, Guelzo argues that the president, who fought autocratic forces in the South while restricting civil liberties in the North, can help us figure out how to sustain a free society in the face of rising illiberalism today.

“Guelzo points out the ‘uncanny’ similarities between Lincoln’s time and ours. … Reveals the fragility of democracy in such moments. But its precarity can also be a strength.”

From Parker Henry’s review

Knopf | $30

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

Salman Rushdie’s new memoir, “Knife,” addresses the attack that maimed him  in 2022, and pays tribute to his wife who saw him through .

Recent books by Allen Bratton, Daniel Lefferts and Garrard Conley depict gay Christian characters not usually seen in queer literature.

What can fiction tell us about the apocalypse? The writer Ayana Mathis finds unexpected hope in novels of crisis by Ling Ma, Jenny Offill and Jesmyn Ward .

At 28, the poet Tayi Tibble has been hailed as the funny, fresh and immensely skilled voice of a generation in Māori writing .

Amid a surge in book bans, the most challenged books in the United States in 2023 continued to focus on the experiences of L.G.B.T.Q. people or explore themes of race.

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

Den of Geek

The Best Comics of 2022

From slice-of-life autobiographical work, to ambitious original works of fantasy and science fiction, to DC and Marvel superhero favorites, these are our picks of the best comics 2022 had to offer.

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Every year we talk about what a challenging year the real world had, and how great the comics were in response, so this year we thought we’d try something different. The comics were lousy! Just kidding, the comics were great, but it’s certainly something to pair this slate of comics with the tiny glimmers of hope the real world started to let peek through in 2022. 

And this is a truly great slate of books, too. We’ve got standard superhero fare, which seems to get bigger, weirder, and better every year. We’ve got the deeply personal, slice of life books full of self reflection and quiet moments, done in the brilliant way only the finest cartoonists can do. We’ve got high energy books that are the product of a singular vision, that could only be made by the right person telling the perfect story for them at a key point in their comics career; and we’ve got the big huge event books that are the culmination of years of work by hundreds of creators across an entire publisher. This was a damn good year for comics, and these are the best of the bunch.

25. Do A Powerbomb

Daniel Warren Johnson has created a lively, cosmic mythology based around professional wrestling . The fact that there isn’t more frequent crossover between the wrestling and comics worlds is, frankly, baffling, given the general similarities, and the potential for dynamic and even more ridiculous storytelling on the page than in the ring. Thankfully, there’s Do A Powerbomb to scratch this itch for us (which if you need more of, by the way, check out J. Gonzo’s Kirby-esque lucha libre comic La Mano del Destino , but that’s another conversation).

To say too much about Do A Powerbomb would run the risk of ruining its surprises, but we can safely say that what looks like it’s going to begin as a slice-of-life drama about fictional wrestlers swiftly becomes something much bigger, with a cosmic mythology all its own. It’s a delightful seven issue complete story, one that will thrill even those who only remember wrestling as something they watched in the distant past. It’s big, loud, action-packed, with near operatic emotional highs and lows…just like the “real” thing. – Mike Cecchini

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24. The Flash

The current run of The Flash is on track to being remembered as one of the character’s best. But it has also felt like a vindicating one because Wally West has once again taken up the mantle of the Scarlet Speedster, following years of being wiped from existence during DC’s New 52 period, and then turned into an accidental murderer in Heroes in Crisis . But Wally is back in full (speed) force thanks to a fun (and funny) book from writer Jeremy Adams, and artists Fernando Pasarin, Amancay Nahuelpan, and company.

There has been the search for his mentor Barry Allen, facing trouble in Gemworld with Justice League Dark , a pocket dream dimension, and the excellent Wrestling Across the Multiverse and its headliner Omega-Bam-Man. Along with top-notch superhero adventure, the book excels with its supporting cast of The Flash Family, and we get to spend some time with the “other” Kid Flash, Wallace/”Ace” West. – Aaron Sagers

23. Count Crowley

This is a book that just gets me, you know? Count Crowley has emerged as one of my favorite titles because it taps into my baked-in creature feature love of Universal Monsters, the joyful experience of seeing Monster Squad when I was actually a child growing up in the ’80s, the nostalgia of watching Stranger Things take on monsters in the 1980s, and my real-world experiences as an adult who has worked in a divisive media landscape and witnessed monsters wearing suits, and outsiders cast as monsters. OK, I know that’s a lot (and a lot of the word “monster” in one sentence) and it doesn’t even tap into the gruesome, blood-splattering fun of Count Crowley .

Created by actor/writer David Dastmalchian with art by Lukas Ketner, the first volume of the early 1980s-set comic debuted in 2019, as Reluctant Monster Hunter , and revolved around Jerri Bartman, an alcoholic reporter with promise who gets bumped down to the minor leagues of local broadcasting, and is then forced into the job of schlocky late-night horror host Count Crowley. Except she soon learns that supernatural forces are not relegated to the B-movies she presents, and instead, she becomes the latest in a legacy of “Appointed” monster hunters. The second four-issue volume, published by Dark Horse, picks up the tale immediately as Jerri realizes not every monster needs to be destroyed — despite what her curmudgeonly, misogynistic mentor Vincent Frights says — and as a cabal of corporate vampires take note of her monster hunting. Crowley delivers on good old-fashioned horror comic gore, and it’s fun as hell as it takes a reader’s knowledge of werewolves, bloodsuckers, and zombies — and what kills them — and upends expectations. But it’s also a clever and relevant read because Jerri’s still struggling with her own demons of alcoholism as the evil media monsters in suits are sewing the seeds of “fake news” to their own advantage at the nascency of 24-hour news. I’ve dug this comic so much that my interview with Dastmalchian is my favorite for Den of Geek this year, and my favorite episode of the Talking Strange paranormal pop culture podcast (available on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , and YouTube ).

Hopefully Dastmalchian and Ketner return for a third volume of Crowley, but as an added trick and treat, I’d also recommend the one-off Dark Horse crossover Criminal Macabre/Count Crowley: From The Pit They Came , written by Dastmalchian and Steve Niles, with art by Ketner. – AS

22. Lore Olympus

Retellings of Greek myths never go out of style, and the critically acclaimed Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe is an excellent addition to this canon. Launched on Webtoon in 2018, the ongoing online version of the comic has 224 episodes available; readers who prefer print have access to three full volumes of the comic, with more on the way in 2023. Smythe reinvents the story of Hades and Persephone, couching it in a modern setting that’s peopled with beautifully stylistic candy-colored Greek gods.

Smythe both reimagines the gods and leans into their mythological qualities, making them as absolutely messy and petty as they are in the traditional stories, while also giving them—especially Hades and Persephone—the emotional depth of human characters who deserve empathy. Smythe’s Persephone has more agency than is traditional, which grants the story the ability to make commentary on modern sexual politics and violence. – Alana Joli Abbott

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21. Where Black Stars Rise

This year Tor Nightfire released the imprint’s first graphic novel and it set a high bar. Where Black Stars Rise is a nightmarish Eldritch horror that stuns and shocks at every turn. Nadia Shammas and Marie Enger craft something that bubbles with existential dread as a young therapist tries to find out what’s happened to her seemingly disturbed and recently missing patient. 

Reimagining the lore and world of Robert Chamber’s The King in Yellow this is a rare cosmic horror story that feels contemporary and original. Like the best genre storytelling this is a tale about something greater than the terrifying figure at its center and the creative team craft a thoughtful and incisive story about mental health and diaspora. – Rosie Knight

20. Immortal X-Men

Kieron Gillen has probably had better professional years than this – he’s been nominated for Eisners and Hugos, written probably the keystone book for MCU Phase 5 in Young Avengers , and hasn’t missed with a creator owned book in…ever? But it’s hard to look at what Gillen managed to do with Eternals , Immortal X-Men , and their culmination, AXE: Judgment Day and not be very impressed.

Immortal X-Men is the flagship X-book, about the Quiet Council that governs the mutant nation-state of Krakoa. The book is in progress on spotlighting each of the twelve members of the mutant ruling council (it’s through nine of them as we write), and so far we’ve had no fewer than five essential, character defining issues: Exodus, Sebastian Shaw, Mystique, Destiny, and Mister Sinister. Among all of the plot chaos – kaiju attacks, extinction events, galas and the like – the fact that the story is passionately dedicated to doing deep character work is a brilliant touch, executed perfectly. Even in a line that has Simon Spurrier and Al Ewing trying to constantly one-up each other on Legion of X and X-Men Red ; with X-Terminators being the dumbest, funniest X-Men comic ever made; with Vita Ayala and Rod Reis turning in one of the greatest runs of mutant comics ever on New Mutants , Immortal X-Men stands out.

When writer Jonathan Hickman left the X-Men comics line that he helped revolutionize, the best a nervous X-Fanbase was hoping for was for the momentum to be kept up. Nobody could have expected that, led by Kieron Gillen, Lukas Werneck, and David Curiel, the X-books would end up being the best they’ve ever been. – Jim Dandeneau

19. Monkey Meat

Anthologies can be tricky, but Juni Ba has crafted one of the very best in Monkey Meat . A dense, idea-rich work of complete standalone stories that enrich one another in sequence, the book is a brutally fun and funny satire of capitalist enterprises, and the people caught amidst them.

Issues can move from black and white manga aesthetics and battles to evocatively illustrated folk tales, and all throughout you find a work that could only ever be a comic. In a direct market saturated by material that feels like it skews to IP-creation for Hollywood, Monkey Meat emerges as a powerful tribute to the idiosyncratic power of the comics form. – Ritesh Babu

18. Nightwing

Even as Robin, Dick Grayson has always worked best as the bright, good-natured counterpoint to the Dark Knight. He’s at his best when charming his friends and baffling his foes, hurling through the air with an acrobat’s grin. Few artists have captured that grace and physicality like Bruno Redondo. Redondo has an eye for detail, but not in the seams in a costume or textures on a wall. Rather, Redondo’s clean linework, aided by additional pencils and inks from Geraldo Borges and Caio Filipe, highlights every point of articulation in Nightwing ’s high-flying moves and heart-stealing smile.

Redondo is the perfect match for Tom Taylor , who continues to be secretly the best writer in cape comics right now. Taylor crafts Nightwing into a new and desperately needed type of superhero, one who not only fights those who use their power to abuse the weak, but also seeks true justice by using his massive inheritance from the recently deceased Alfred to create a safety-net for Blüdhaven’s lower classes. It’s that attitude that makes Nightwing one of the most beloved people in the DC Universe, a point Taylor makes by bringing in numerous guest stars. Every issue features appearances from Batgirl, the Titans, even a reality-altering imp called Nite-Mite, all illuminated by Adriano Lucas poppy colors and brought to life by Wes Abbott’s letters. – Joe George

17. Once & Future

Traditional Arthurian tales often end with the promise of an Arthur who will return, but Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora take that promise and turn it into a threat with Once & Future . When white supremacist cultists try to resurrect Arthur to take back England, they instead summon an undead version of the king, who unleashes monstrosities on the modern world. Retired monster fighter Brigitte, her adult grandson, Duncan, and Duncan’s girlfriend, Rose, take on the mantle of England’s defenders, fighting against Arthur and the undead knights of his round table.

Brigitte (in all her complicated morality and messy decisions—all suitable for an Arthurian tale) is a fantastic character—a kick-ass grandmother who is not only an action hero, but a mentor. Duncan and Rose both adjust quickly to the new, monstrous world, grasping how the power of stories now has a direct impact on their own lives. It’s a really fresh look, both in the story and in Mora’s brilliant art, at old, familiar tales (with added references to Shakespeare, Beowulf, Robin Hood, and more!) that leans into the horror genre—all while illuminating the real world horrors caused by a hatred of outsiders. – AJA

16. Spider-Punk

It’s hard to sum up just how much fun Cody Ziglar, Justin Mason, Jim Charalampidis and Travis Lanham bring to Spider-Punk . The five issue mini-series is a bombastic and brilliant entry to the Spidey canon from the mind of She-Hulk writer Ziglar and his talented cohorts. 

Following Hobie Brown, the titular Spider-Punk as he puts his heroic band (featuring fun and almost familiar multiversal variants of Marvel heroes) back together, this story is filled with unreal action, cool new iterations of characters and some of the best lettering this reviewer has seen all year (s/o Travis Lanham!). Imbued with the spirit of punk rock this is a love letter to Spider-Man , music, and the Black and brown punks who started it all. – RK

Batman gets blown out of the Watchtower, uses his grappling gun to steer, and uses his cape to parachute down from space and land on Earth safely. He immediately gets up, grabs Tim Drake, and kicks the shit out of a robot version of himself. I don’t think I need to give you more to explain why this is one of the best comics of the year, but I will. 

At some point it should stop being surprising that Chip Zdarsky is one of the best superhero comics writers out there, but it hasn’t quite hit that level yet. Zdarsky is the first person to write the main Daredevil and Batman books at the same time, and so far (he’s only been on Batman for a handful of issues now) he’s killing it on both, while clearly distinguishing two characters who can bleed together around the edges. His Batman is everything – brainy but brutal, empathic and vicious, even a little funny. Pair that with Jorge Jimenez and Tomeu Morey’s electric art and you’ve got the start of a classic Batman run. – JD

After capping the book’s first half with a heartbreaking cliffhanger in July 2018’s Issue 54, followed by a three and a half year hiatus, creator Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples kicked off Saga ’s second half at the beginning of 2022. And it continues to earn a place as a critically acclaimed, fan-favorite comic that combines elements of fantasy and sci-fi, and as a tale of people just trying to survive amidst the backdrop of an unending war.

The new story arc picks up with a time jump and a 10-year-old Hazel in the spotlight, but there are also new faces joining the space opera. (Speaking of operatic, the Game of Thrones -meets- Star Wars comparisons fall short, because Saga remains so much more than that.) Along with Vaughan’s masterful storytelling, Staples’ art is stunningly epic. – AS

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13. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest (or, as we like to call it around here, “Dan Mora Takes You on the Coolest Tour of the DC Universe You Could Ever Hope For”) is practically a manifestation of what most people think of when they think of DC Comics. Conveniently set an indeterminate amount of years in the recent past, where Dick Grayson is still the only Robin, Superman’s identity is still secret, and everyone is wearing the most iconic versions of their costumes, it makes itself immediately accessible to even the most casual fans. In fact, even if your only knowledge of the DCU is whatever you’ve picked up by watching various movies and TV shows, you can dive right into World’s Finest with confidence, and get a full dose of all the expansive, charming, hopeful, and downright weird bits of the DCU that you love.

Few writers instinctively “get” the voice and heartbeat of not just individual characters, but the DCU as a whole, as Mark Waid, and he’s clearly delighting in having a playground where just about anyone can show up right now. But ultimately, it’s Dan Mora’s art (aided by Tamara Bonvillain’s colors) that just catapult World’s Finest so high on this list. Since virtually every issue features someone other than Superman, Batman, and Robin popping in to say hello or share an adventure, Mora is basically getting to try his hand at drawing the best possible versions of everyone’s favorites. Make these looks the style guide for the whole darn line! – MC

12. AXE: Judgment Day

Earlier this year, we asked “ How the hell has Kieron Gillen never written a summer event comic before? ” Now that his first big crossover (with art partners Valerio Schitti and Marte Gracia) is in the books, we now want to grab Marvel Unlimited with both hands and shake it while yelling “WHAT TOOK SO F&#^^#% LONG???” 

AXE: Judgment Day is the culmination of two stories: Gillen’s work with Esad Ribic in Eternals , redefining Jack Kirby’s extremely weird late period high concept book for the modern Marvel Universe; and his work with Lucas Werneck and David Curiel on another of our best comics of the year, Immortal X-Men , the flagship Krakoa book. The Eternals, programmed to “correct excess deviation” by the Celestials, decide that the mutants are excess deviation and need to be corrected. The Avengers get involved, and in their efforts to try and mediate, create a new god for the Eternals to try and fix their programming. It goes exceptionally poorly for everyone involved except for us, the readers: we’re treated to an incredible plot, stunning art, and character defining moments for everyone from Sersi to Captain America to Mister Sinister to Krakoa the Island That Walks Like A Man. This series was a masterpiece, one of the best superhero crossovers of all time and certainly one of the best comics of the year. – JD

11. Daredevil

Daredevil ’s never really been an “event” kind of guy. Sure, he’ll get sucked into big events like the Infinity War or Inferno , where he’ll battle his doppelganger or a demon-possessed vacuum cleaner. Usually, even when he’s the center of an event like Shadowlands , the whole thing stays contained to Hell’s Kitchen. But with Devil’s Reign , writer Chip Zdarsky puts Matt Murdock against the Mayor of New York, and thus involves much of the Marvel Universe. The main story – drawn by Marco Checchetto, colored by Marcio Menyz, and lettered by Clayton Cowles – finds Mayor Wilson Fisk outlawing superheroes in New York as revenge against Daredevil, who used the Purple Man’s children to make the world forget his secret identity. By the end, Fisk has gone into hiding, Luke Cage has become the mayor, and the world believes Matt Murdock is dead. 

While that might sound like the setup for a new status quo, Zdarsky, Checcetto, and Cowles (now with fill-in artist Rael De Latorre and color artist Matthew Wilson) put Daredevil back where’s he’s most comfortable: in a state of divine fear. Whether dealing with the elite Stormwyn family or a super-powered former law school buddy who sees himself as the architect of Daredevil’s life, Murdock continues to question his place in God’s plan. Checetto and De Latorre’s rough pencils capture the muddy nature of Murdock’s mission, when he’s battering criminals to prevent others from suffering more. But they really shine when Murdock finds moments of peace, when Wilson splashes soft reds and yellows across the page, making us, if not Matt Murdock, believe that God’s grace even extends to the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. – JG

10. It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth

This was the most compelling and affecting book I read all year. Zoe Thorogood’s chronicle of a difficult period in her life, particularly her journey with suicidal depression is, despite its weighty subject matter, impossible to put down. It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth is an incisive, often harrowing read, but it’s also warm and funny, with Thorogood effortlessly switching gears between slice-of-life autobiographical cartooning and more surreal imagery to drive home her experiences.

I lack the artistic vocabulary to properly explain how it plays with the graphic novel format and the constraints and freedoms of comics in general, and Thorogood’s story is far too personal to do justice in an entry of this length. But some turns of phrase and illustrations ring will ring especially true for some readers, making them all the more powerful. Don’t be surprised if you read it in one sitting and revisit it again in the days and weeks after. – MC

9. The Swamp Thing

How do you walk upon the terrain that Alan Moore once made his bones upon? How do you succeed in the seat by which he defined his entire career? Ram V, Mike Perkins, and Aditya Bidikar’s take on the Avatar of The Green in DC’s The Swamp Thing has a resoundingly clear answer. Do the most Moore thing possible–something completely, utterly new. Forging their own path, the team brings us Levi Kamei, an Indian immigrant who succeeds the role of Alec Holland, and the end result is a powerful exploration of ideas, memory, trauma, and complicity in a monstrous machine of capitalist industry. – RB

8. Action Comics

Generally speaking, Superman comics have been pretty good for the last few years. But the problem is, they’ve tended to keep falling back on “big ideas” that just kind of put band-aids on the fact that Supes is so ensconced in pop culture that, at least in his ongoing series, there’s a perception that there’s only so far you can take him. So we have the “Super-Dad” elements or “the secret identity is over” stuff, but it takes a while for these things to really sink in with general audiences, and it might not really change the way people see the character (however unfair that may be). But when you say something like “Superman is off in space fighting in gladiatorial arenas, occasionally getting his ass handed to him, and stoking a revolution against a galactic despot in the process until further notice,” it might change a few minds.

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson (alongside artists like Adriana Melo, Miguel Mendonca, Francesco Francavilla, and others) has made Action Comics not only the first truly must-read regular Superman book in years, but the center of one of the best Superman stories since the famed “Death and Return” in the 1990s. The Warworld Saga began in 2021 and didn’t truly wrap up until the end of this year (making it one of the longest Superman epics I can remember), and despite taking Supes pretty far outside his usual comfort zone, spent every single issue zeroing in on what makes this character so enduring and relevant. There’s DNA from a Superman from virtually every era of the character in the way Johnson writes him, somehow blending the earnest naturalism of the post-Christopher Reeve modern era with the straight-talking, tough-as-nails “champion of the oppressed” of the 1930s and ’40s . All this plus intricate worldbuilding, making Mongul, Warworld, and these less explored areas of the DC Universe worthy of becoming household names one day. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to start reading Superman comics again, then Action Comics is the book for you. – MC

7. Wash Day Diaries

You might know Jamila Rowser as the publisher of the fantastic and award-winning Black Josei Press, or perhaps you recognize Robyn Smith’s stunning art from DC’s Nubia: Real One . Whether you’re already a fan of these two powerhouse comic book creators, you’ll fall in love with their gorgeous work in Wash Day Diaries , the slice of life comic we’ve all been waiting for. 

Expanding on their beautiful collaboration Wash Day , this graphic novel from Chronicle Books collects that original short with four new stories centering around a group of Black women in the Bronx. Each of the close knit friendship group gets an interconnected tale here, each one told through the lens of hair care. A truly unique release this year, you’ll struggle to find a more joyful, beautifully drawn, and enjoyable comic this year. – RK

6. Moon Knight

For years, Moon Knight exemplified the well-known meme, “Men will literally enlist their multiple personalities in service of an ancient Egyptian god before going to therapy.” But in the hands of writer Jed MacKay, that’s finally changed. Following the “Age of Khonshu” event in Jason Aaron’s Avengers , the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have ordered Moon Knight to see a therapist. While lesser writers would use Marc Spector’s therapy sessions as a shortcut to character depth, MacKay contrasts the hero’s conversations with his doctor to his nightly adventures, using on-the-couch confessions as a counterpoint to his brutal superheroing.

The result is a richly textured take on Moon Knight, one that finds him recognizing his many flaws and fighting for redemption. To keep things from getting too contemplative, MacKay is paired with artist Alessandro Cappuccio and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg. The duo gives a neon noir feel to Moon Knight’s adventures, with Rosenberg’s moody digital colors electrifying Cappuccio’s angular figures. Whether taking on new supervillain Zodiac or investigating the Vampire hierarchy, Moon Knight strikes the perfect balance of grounded character exploration and thrilling superhero action. – JG

5. 20th Century Men

Cut from the same cloth as the angry British sci-fi comics forged by Pat Mills, John Wagner, Alan Moore, and Warren Ellis, 20th Century Men by Deniz Camp and S. Morian is a brutal satire of how we got to where we are now. A carefully constructed alternate history, it follows the horrific impact of war, wherein imperialist American and Soviet forces fight for supremacy over Afghanistan. It’s a book preoccupied with monstrous ideas, how they’re forged into ideology, enshrined into horrific systems, and how that machinery then crushes people. It’s a work about imperialism, how we justify it, and how it eats away at and destroys people, including those profiting off it. A work about how we once had dreams that turned to ash, for actions have consequences.

Brought to life in gloriously breathtaking detail by Morian’s thunderous artwork, the book is a war story deeply obsessed with the human cost, the price of people that are fed into a machine that devours them whole. It’s angry, sad, reflective, and weirdly comforting in its grim horrific spectacle. Combine all of that with a rigorously worked out and deliberate deployment of form, with a creative team achieving prime synthesis, and you have something truly special in your hands. This is one for the ages, meant to last- a book meant to endure. – RB

4. The Good Asian

READERS’ CHOICE!

A thrilling period drama starring an Asian-American detective, The Good Asian follows Edison Hark in a noir mystery that unravels everything he thinks he knows about 1930’s San Francisco. Crafted with great attention to detail and absurd amounts of historical research, the book is an exploration of America, its poisonous White Hegemony, and how Asian identity stands in relation to that of a people who are perpetually othered but eternally exploited. Loaded with historical back-matter and research for each issue, a cavalcade of Asian artists to celebrate Asian-ness, the book reckons with the experience of the very first Americans to come of age under an immigration ban, exploring the ramifications of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which are felt to this very day, as it informed numerous American policies. The end result is something truly special, and one of the finest noir comics we’ve ever seen.

It’s a book of a special novelistic quality, as it unfolds like a great 10-episode drama, and when all is said and done, it all hangs together and holds, like any great noir mystery should. Edison Hark is set to return eventually in another sequel, once again exploring the tumultuous history of America and what it means to be Asian within it, and we couldn’t be more glad. But until that return happens, The Good Asian exists to be read, reread, and relished as a complete noir graphic novel. It’s a book worth pouring over, because there is a lot put into it that rewards the reader for doing so. – RB

Ducks will, without you noticing it, make you very angry. 

Kate Beaton is one of the best cartoonists alive, someone who made her name with Hark! A Vagrant , her wildly funny webcomic that spawned a children’s book, The Princess and the Pony , which was then turned into an Apple TV cartoon, Pinecone & Pony , which is why Ducks , her autobiographical comic about working in the Alberta oil sands for two years, sneaks up on you so well.

Ducks has flashes of her sense of humor and is overflowing with the humanity she has filled every other project with. But at its core, Ducks is a story about the horrors of an extractive industry, how much it extracts from the people working in it, and how those people are systemically driven into it. It’s a story about just how much Beaton had to pay to get rid of her student loans, about the collapse of rural communities everywhere, about isolation, loneliness, fleeting boom towns, sexual assault, and Canadian history. It’s an absolutely brilliant comic that shattered my soul while reading it. – JD

Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas launch readers into a gorgeously depicted, deeply fraught secondary fantasy world in this YA standalone graphic novel. The greatest honor in the Bayt-Sajji Empire is becoming a Knight, but the competition is fierce, and members of the Ornu minority have a disadvantage from the start. None of that matters to Aiza, who dreams of the glory that comes with Knighthood. She leaves her Ornu family, disguising her heritage to enlist in the tests; those who fail effectively become fodder for the army. As Aiza’s training continues, she begins to realize how the greater good she imagined isn’t reflected in the world she’s now seeing, and that the motives of her mentors are suspect.

Despite the themes of corruption and oppression, Squire is suffused with a sense of hope, with the idea that if people work together and step up for what is right, they can make a difference. With that underlying, uplifting message, powerful writing, and gorgeous art, Squire was a perfect read for 2022. – AJA

1. Human Target

The Human Target is the perfect Tom King subject. A weird DC property whose had a few series and even a couple live action shows, the Human Target – Christopher Chance, a guy who masquerades as a potential victim of wrongdoing to stop the perpetrators – offers King plenty of opportunity to explore existentialist themes, as he did in The Omega Men and Mister Miracle . Less germane to King’s heady style is Justice League International , the team of B-listers and C-listers that writers Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, usually teamed with artist Kevin Maguire, turned into a comedic classic.  And yet, King and artist Greg Smallwood give the JLI more respect and care than they’ve been afforded for years, even if they have a ghastly take on the infamous “one punch” with Guy Gardner.

The Human Target takes a hardboiled detective approach, with Chance learning that he has been poisoned while standing in for Lex Luthor, giving him only 12 days to find the killer. Smallwood’s mix of rough but expressive linework and moody washes lend a ’60s tone to Chance’s investigations, which point to one of the JLI as the killer. Like Maguire before him, Smallwood excels at facial expressions. Combined with King’s clean and pulpy narration and Clayton Cowles’s distinctive letters, The Human Target is simultaneously a cracking mystery, a satisfying genre piece, and a compelling character study. – JG

Honorable Mentions – The Bean 2: Into the Dark , Gordita: Built Like This , Chef’s Kiss , Crossover , Damn Them All , Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths , Detective Comics , Fox and Willow Vol. 2: To The Sea , Hellboy: The Bones of Giants , The Ice Cream Man , The Incal: Psychoverse , Junkyard Joe , Last Chance to Find Duke , Little Monarchs , Marvel’s Voices: Community , The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night , Night of the Ghoul , Northern Steele , Nubia & The Amazons , Realm of the Blue Mist: The Rema Chronicles , Silver Surfer: Rebirth , Star Wars: The High Republic , Step By Bloody Step , Strange , Thieves , TMNT: The Armageddon Game , Wingbearer , X-Terminators