No particular occasion — I've just been meaning to do this for a while. These are books that I always read last<\/i> in a given week (as in "saving the best for").<\/p>\n
Darth Vader<\/i><\/b> (Marvel) I've actually been enjoying most of Marvel's Star Wars books, but this is my second-favorite. You'd think you'd get tired of watching Vader carve up everyone, good guy and bad guy, who gets in his way, but Charles Soule (with Giuseppe Camuncoli on art) is giving us some fascinating story along the way.<\/p>\n
Doctor Aphra<\/i><\/b> (Marvel) Watching the mostly-amoral rogue archaeologist Aphra maneuver through the Star Wars universe, usually (but not always) one step ahead of bounty hunters, gangs, buyers, rebels, Vader, and a marvelously inverted Threepio\/Artoo pair, is just a jolly good time. Simon Spurrier on writing, Kev Walker on pencils.<\/p>\n
Doomsday Clock<\/i><\/b> (DC) Probably the most interesting thing I've read from Geoff Johns for many years (with Gary Frank providing excellent art). I remain deeply conflicted on exploiting the Watchman universe, let alone blurring it into the DCU, but Johns is actually doing it pretty well, assuming he doesn't flub the dismount.<\/p>\n
Immortal Hulk<\/i><\/b> (Marvel) Al Ewing and Lee Garbett have managed to make Banner and Hulk's journey a horror story. I'm not much for horror stories, but this is delightful stuff.<\/p>\n
Jessica Jones<\/i><\/b> (Marvel) Kelly Thompson isn't quite as good as Brian Bendis on one of Bendis' signature anti-hero characters — but she's damned close. Good art from Mattia De Iulis.<\/p>\n
Mage: The Hero Denied<\/i><\/b> (Image) Matt Wagner's long-delayed third volume in his trilogy is charming and engaging. Watching Kevin Matchstick struggle both with his Hero's Journey and having a family (and watching the family, for that matter), all in the midst of an always-fascinating magical world, is a delight.<\/p>\n
Manifest Destiny<\/i><\/b> (Image) Chris Dingess (with Tony Akins, Owen Gieni and Matthew Roberts on art) continue to tell a Lovecraftian tale of Lewis & Clark's expedition. It's creepy as hell.<\/p>\n
Mister Miracle<\/i><\/b> (DC) Tom King's surrealistic take on Scott Free and Big Barda has been fascinatingly bizarre. And funny. And disturbing. And cool. All enabled by Mitch Gerads on art.<\/p>\n
Mr. and Mrs. X<\/i><\/b> (Marvel) I am not an X-fan. I positively dislike Gambit, and his constant flirtation with Rogue. Yet Kelly Thompson (with Oscar Bazaldua on art) is making something that's just plain fun, with a wink and a nod to not take it too melodramatically seriously like so much of the X-verse.<\/p>\n
Ms. Marvel<\/i><\/b> (Marvel) Best young hero title out there, perhaps since ever. G. Willow Wilson continues to kill this, currently assisted by Nico Leon on art. Watching Kamala struggle with her personal life alongside her heroic life (and where they overlap) evokes Stan Lee's early Spider-Man, but with 2018 sensibilities.<\/p>\n
Saga<\/i><\/b> (Image) Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples's signature title can be a challenge and occasionally self-indulgent, but I usually find it interesting, amusing, and moving.<\/p>\n
Strangers in Paradise XXV<\/i><\/b> (Abstract) Terry Moore returns to Katchoo and Francine's story (and touches on all the other stuff he's done since SiP wrapped up), and it's like coming home again. Good stuff.<\/p>\n
Usagi Yojimbo<\/i><\/b> (Dark Horse) – Stan Sakai's gorgeous anthropomorphic ronin continues to be one of my favorites, even after multiple decades of enjoyment.<\/p>\n
Wayward<\/i><\/b> (Image) This modern examination of the supernatural spirits of Japan remains a favorite of mine, both Jim Zub's writing and Steven Cummings' art. It's beginning to feel like it needs to reach, if not a conclusion, then some significant plateau, but I still love every issue.<\/p>\n
The Wild Storm<\/i><\/b> (DC) And here's Warren Ellis, rebooting all the classic Wildstorm Universe stuff, and cramming it to the gills with another hundred new concepts or so each issue. As he does. Jon Davis-Hunt provides elegant, realistic artwork to complement the tale. <\/p>\n
I read a lot of other comics besides these, and I can also recommend Runaways, Domino, Daredevil, Archie, Doctor Strange, Thief of Thieves, Thor, X-23, Pearl, Scarlet,<\/i> and The Silencer.<\/i> There's still others I read because of the characters or past glory, but a number of those are on the bubble.<\/p>\n
Anyway, that's how I spend my money.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n