Recent comics I have enjoyed!
Aug. 26th, 2014 07:29 pm![[personal profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gretcheningI have been reading a mess of comics lately. Here are a few I've recently enjoyed.
Midas Flesh written by Ryan North, art by Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, 8-issue complete series from Boom! Studios. I LOVE THIS. READ IT PLEASE. The premise is super weirdo (it's basically the story of King Midas where the entire Earth got changed to gold, then centuries in the future a small ship of outlaw heroes discovers the planet and a space-wide war for the ultimate weapon--Miads's flesh--ensues). The true joy of this series is the quirky humor of the characters and a diverse cast. I laughed out loud several times and gasped out loud several more times. SO GREAT. The trade comes out in December.
Supreme: Blue Rose written by Warren Ellis, art by Tula Lotay 2 issues out in an ongoing series from Image. So far the storyline is a bit confusing, though I'm into it, but the ART. Oh wow Tula Lotay where have you been all my life?! I actually dropped more money than I should have to order her art book from the UK. A dreamlike, blurry sketchy style that gets incorporated into the story beautifully. I'm looking forward to going along for the ride on this one.
Ms. Marvel written by G. Willow Wilson, art by Adrian Alphona, ongoing series from Marvel. Kamala is DELIGHTFUL, an unapologetic fangirl, her family and problems are real and fun. I'm loving Wilson's take on Kamala as a superhero and the depth with which she grounds her in this young woman's confusion and stress about fitting in with her family AND with mainstrema American culture. She's tough and headstrong and she makes mistakes, but she does it so spunkily that even Wolverine grudgingly admits she's something special. This is probably my favorite current ongoing series at the moment, even if I felt like the last couple of installments were a bit filler.
The Wicked & the Divine, written by Kieron Gillen, art by Jamie McKelvie, 3rd issue in on an ongoing series from Image. I feel like this series is going to take a couple of installments to find its feet in its mythology (if it ever does), but meanwhile I'm delighted by the characters and McKelvie is continuing some great character design and a few layouts that have had me cheering, while Gillen is bringing some indulgently resonant musing on what it means to be a fan, mortality, and of course, the nihilism of it all. Laura is a relatable protagonist, though I'm hoping she gets more actual development as a character. Right now she feels just like a vehicle for Gillen's feelings about music. Flaws aside, though, I'm fascinated by the series and I have a lot of time for it to get where it's going, if only for the joy of McKelvie's art.
Rat Queens, written by Kurtis J. Wiebe, art by Roc Upchurch ongoing series from Image. I am a couple of issues behind since I've just read the first trade, but WOW. Foul, mouthy, sexy, snarky, hilarious, and giving no fucks, the four women who make up the Rat Queens--a mercenary band of warriors, elves, mages, etc who on teh surface appear to heave stepped right out of a D&D manual--these characters are delightfully well-rounded. If you like diverse characters and rollicking adventures that care about backstories, characters' history and diverse sexuality, and cynical yet real team-ness and found family, this is the one. SUCH a pleasant surprise. I have no idea how much they'd be bastardizing it adapting it to television as is rumored, but I guess we'll see.
The Legend of Bold Riley, written by Leia Weathington, drawn by Various Artists, from Northwest Press. I read the trade of Bold Riley several months ago, before WisCon and LOOOOOOVED it. Queer southeast Asian protagonist goes a-questing! Falls in love! Faces strange, wonderful, terrifying situations! I love the installment-ness of this, though sometimes it's a weakness. I have enjoyed some stories more than others, and some artists more than others, though on the whole it's a winning character and a really refreshing change to have self-contained stories from trying to follow the thread of the arc in an ongoing series. I am enjoying it as a showcase of independent artists, too.
I am also eagerly awaiting Fraction's upcoming ODY-C even though it looks totally fucked up and frenetic, and also DeConnick's Bitch Planet because PLEASE.
I'm also still reading Captain Marvel and Hawkeye and a few other titles. I am enjoying the recent run of Captain Marvel! I think DeConnick gave Carol an interesting setting there. I tried She-Hulk but I just dislike Pulido's art and the story was a bit meh, though I really like Jessica Jones as a character! I am waiting for me proper ~moment to finish Pretty Deadly. I'm worried it'll just be confusing to me. I'm getting kind of tired of Sex Criminals. I have Ellis's Trees on tap but I think I'm going to sit on it a while and read it all at once. I read the first three issues of Shutter and while the world could be interesting and I like the protagonist (a woman of color! Her BFF is a trans woman! Wacky fantasyworld shenanigans!) I find the writing too lackluster/derivative to keep up with it. I have a few issues of Dead Letters but I need to be in the right place for that I think. I have been similarly sitting on Revival for several issues. I am reading Elfquest out of delighted nostalgia. I have the trade of Watson & Holmes which I'm excited for! I've been meaning to finally read O Human Star and whatever Melanie Gilman has created (starting with As the Crow Flies), so I may seek those out soon.
Any other comics to rec me?
Midas Flesh written by Ryan North, art by Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, 8-issue complete series from Boom! Studios. I LOVE THIS. READ IT PLEASE. The premise is super weirdo (it's basically the story of King Midas where the entire Earth got changed to gold, then centuries in the future a small ship of outlaw heroes discovers the planet and a space-wide war for the ultimate weapon--Miads's flesh--ensues). The true joy of this series is the quirky humor of the characters and a diverse cast. I laughed out loud several times and gasped out loud several more times. SO GREAT. The trade comes out in December.
Supreme: Blue Rose written by Warren Ellis, art by Tula Lotay 2 issues out in an ongoing series from Image. So far the storyline is a bit confusing, though I'm into it, but the ART. Oh wow Tula Lotay where have you been all my life?! I actually dropped more money than I should have to order her art book from the UK. A dreamlike, blurry sketchy style that gets incorporated into the story beautifully. I'm looking forward to going along for the ride on this one.
Ms. Marvel written by G. Willow Wilson, art by Adrian Alphona, ongoing series from Marvel. Kamala is DELIGHTFUL, an unapologetic fangirl, her family and problems are real and fun. I'm loving Wilson's take on Kamala as a superhero and the depth with which she grounds her in this young woman's confusion and stress about fitting in with her family AND with mainstrema American culture. She's tough and headstrong and she makes mistakes, but she does it so spunkily that even Wolverine grudgingly admits she's something special. This is probably my favorite current ongoing series at the moment, even if I felt like the last couple of installments were a bit filler.
The Wicked & the Divine, written by Kieron Gillen, art by Jamie McKelvie, 3rd issue in on an ongoing series from Image. I feel like this series is going to take a couple of installments to find its feet in its mythology (if it ever does), but meanwhile I'm delighted by the characters and McKelvie is continuing some great character design and a few layouts that have had me cheering, while Gillen is bringing some indulgently resonant musing on what it means to be a fan, mortality, and of course, the nihilism of it all. Laura is a relatable protagonist, though I'm hoping she gets more actual development as a character. Right now she feels just like a vehicle for Gillen's feelings about music. Flaws aside, though, I'm fascinated by the series and I have a lot of time for it to get where it's going, if only for the joy of McKelvie's art.
Rat Queens, written by Kurtis J. Wiebe, art by Roc Upchurch ongoing series from Image. I am a couple of issues behind since I've just read the first trade, but WOW. Foul, mouthy, sexy, snarky, hilarious, and giving no fucks, the four women who make up the Rat Queens--a mercenary band of warriors, elves, mages, etc who on teh surface appear to heave stepped right out of a D&D manual--these characters are delightfully well-rounded. If you like diverse characters and rollicking adventures that care about backstories, characters' history and diverse sexuality, and cynical yet real team-ness and found family, this is the one. SUCH a pleasant surprise. I have no idea how much they'd be bastardizing it adapting it to television as is rumored, but I guess we'll see.
The Legend of Bold Riley, written by Leia Weathington, drawn by Various Artists, from Northwest Press. I read the trade of Bold Riley several months ago, before WisCon and LOOOOOOVED it. Queer southeast Asian protagonist goes a-questing! Falls in love! Faces strange, wonderful, terrifying situations! I love the installment-ness of this, though sometimes it's a weakness. I have enjoyed some stories more than others, and some artists more than others, though on the whole it's a winning character and a really refreshing change to have self-contained stories from trying to follow the thread of the arc in an ongoing series. I am enjoying it as a showcase of independent artists, too.
I am also eagerly awaiting Fraction's upcoming ODY-C even though it looks totally fucked up and frenetic, and also DeConnick's Bitch Planet because PLEASE.
I'm also still reading Captain Marvel and Hawkeye and a few other titles. I am enjoying the recent run of Captain Marvel! I think DeConnick gave Carol an interesting setting there. I tried She-Hulk but I just dislike Pulido's art and the story was a bit meh, though I really like Jessica Jones as a character! I am waiting for me proper ~moment to finish Pretty Deadly. I'm worried it'll just be confusing to me. I'm getting kind of tired of Sex Criminals. I have Ellis's Trees on tap but I think I'm going to sit on it a while and read it all at once. I read the first three issues of Shutter and while the world could be interesting and I like the protagonist (a woman of color! Her BFF is a trans woman! Wacky fantasyworld shenanigans!) I find the writing too lackluster/derivative to keep up with it. I have a few issues of Dead Letters but I need to be in the right place for that I think. I have been similarly sitting on Revival for several issues. I am reading Elfquest out of delighted nostalgia. I have the trade of Watson & Holmes which I'm excited for! I've been meaning to finally read O Human Star and whatever Melanie Gilman has created (starting with As the Crow Flies), so I may seek those out soon.
Any other comics to rec me?
