Best comic of the month -- December 2007

[DennisMM]

Just what it says. Your pick for best comic of the previous month (or current, if we're at least halfway into the new month).

For August 2006:

Gumby #1, written by Bob Burden, art by Rick Geary.

Burden, best known as the drunken creator of Flaming Carrot, wrote two Gumby specials for Dark Horse many years ago. With art by Arthur Adams, they recreated the tone of Gumby if not the physical reality. They were fantastic. Now Burden is writing an ongoing book with art by Rick Geary, one of the most talented comics creators ever. It's all about being a ten year old boy who happens to be made out of green clay and lives in a fantasy town where evil clowns might rob a liquor store without warning.

GET THIS BOOK! Burden brings his trademark bent humor to an entirely different kind of story. Geary's work is beautiful. It's oversized and costs a bit, but it's well worth your money.

[doglips]

Well at the moment I'd say Runaways 18, but I have not read my copy of Wasteland 1 yet, which is getting rave reviews and I have not got Agents of Atlas 1 yet ( I get a monthly subscription and this came out too late in July, I will get it in August. ) which I think I'm going to love. So I will have to wait to decide.

I'm going to check out Gumby, Dennis - it sounds very interesting.

[DennisMM]

I never got into Runaways; it was just one more interesting-looking title that I couldn't afford. Maybe I should see if I can get TPs through interlibrary loan.

ETA: Just ordered it, though it could be a while. God, I love working in a library, except for the actual job.

ETA: Just ordered Y: The Last Man v. 1, too. Gotta give Vaughan some love.

[doglips]

Y1 is a great book, I love Pia Guerra's artwork.

Maybe I should get a job in the local library one morning a week.......

[Leckomaniac]

Favorite book of July?

The Escapists #1

Frank Miller cover, Brian K. Vaughan, only $1.

Unbeatable price and stellar writing make this my book of the month.

Honorary mention goes to Runaways #18, Detective Comics #821, and Fables #51.

[doglips]

Favorite book of July?

The Escapists #1

Frank Miller cover, Brian K. Vaughan, only $1.

Unbeatable price and stellar writing make this my book of the month.

Honorary mention goes to Runaways #18, Detective Comics #821, and Fables #51.

Having finally read this today, I am dittoing your post. Runaways 18 & Wasteland come close, but not close enough. The Escapists takes it.

[doglips]

August Bump!

There's no contest for me this month, Escapists 2 was a totally perfect read. Fucking brilliant script, and two great artists putting down some quality visuals.

I LOVE this book!

If the next 4 issues carry on in the same vein, this is mini-series of the year, no question!

[DennisMM]

So far it's Escapists #2 for me also, but I really should take a look August's purchases when I get home and confirm my choice.

[Leckomaniac]

I must say that Escapists #2 gets my vote for August as well.

Honorable mention goes to All-Star Superman #5, JLA #1 (a lot of talking heads...but it made me love the Red Tornado for the first time), Fell #6 (one-shot stories need to make a comeback...and Warren Ellis packs more story into 16 pages than most comics do in 23 pages...not to mention the price!), and then Batman #656 (NINJA MAN-BATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! its the new Snakes on a Plane!).

[doglips]

OMG! Phonogram 1 takes the title ( for me ) at the last minute. Totally brilliant, I'll review it later.

Yes, it is better than Escapists 2 - unbelievable!

[silentbobafett]

Wasteland!!!!

Hey could anyone tell me what Escapist is about? No spoilers please!

[DennisMM]

Escapists is a spin-off from Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, a Dark Horse title that folded early this iyear/late last (don't remember). Amazing Adventures was, in turn, inspired by Michael Chabon's Pulitzer Prize novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, a book about 25 years in the lives of two cousins who create a fitfully popular comic about an escape artist/crime fighter known as the Escapist.

The novel covers the cousins' creation of the chraracter, loss of control, replacement by hired hands and the directions in which each's life takes. Throughout the book, the Escapist character moves through various genres and approaches, which are mentioned briefly. All of this is inspired loosely by the experiences of a number of writers and artists of the Golden and Silver Ages of comics, including Siegel and Shuster, Simon and Kirby and Stan Lee.

Amazing Adventures treated the novel as if it were nonfiction. Various creators wrote and drew Escapist stories from the 25-plus years of the character's publishing history. The stories were presented under false names, some taken directly from the novel, as if the "actual" writers and artists had created them. The genuine writers and artists were credited at the back of each issue.

The Escapists pushes the idea onto yet another level of reality. It is fiction that pretends the novel was nonfiction and the Escapist comics were published in the world of the comic (which is, essentially, ours). A young man whose father was devoted to the Escapist purchases the rights to the character and gathers a creative team around him. Lots of emotional material involved.

The first issue appeared as a story in the final issue of Amazing Adventures, and the story was meant to run there I believe.

Pick it up.

[silentbobafett]

Confused but well written. Thank you very much

[DennisMM]

I'd recommend picking up the comic. Then, very quickly, get yourself a copy of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay for perspective. It's an astoundingly good novel.

[DennisMM]

BUMP

Time to start nominating your Best Comic of the Month for September! Only one ship week left!

[silentbobafett]

New Comic Wednesday day... whats going to be in the pile to change it all around! I'm going to the comic book store today hopefully, so see you in the comic reviews thread for an update on what I've got!

[Leckomaniac]

New Comic Wednesday day... whats going to be in the pile to change it all around! I'm going to the comic book store today hopefully, so see you in the comic reviews thread for an update on what I've got!

Did you perhaps post this in the wrong thread?

Perhaps this one

[silentbobafett]

Nope, was just in here and got excited and wrote down what I was thinking. Hence the reason why I said I'ld be popping over to the Comic Reviews THread...

[Fried Gold]

My comic pick from the last month is "The Boys" by Garth Ennis. It's the return of a CIA team who keep watch on the world's superheroes and keep them in check. Usually with extreme violence.

[silentbobafett]

Nice!

I was totally impressed with the Star Wars releases! They ain't known for decent comics! But at least there could be two out there! Legacy and Knights of the Old Republic!

The BOys does sound good though! Oh and not forgetting my new love for Wasteland! The start of a three issue arc got me going as well!

[Fried Gold]

The Wildstorm comics are impressing me at the moment. Battler Britton is another I'd recommend.

[silentbobafett]

Union Jack, out last week, was one of the worst comics I've ever read and a total let down! Avoid!

[DennisMM]

This thread is for your thoughts on the best comic of the month, not loose recommendations and definitely not for pans. Tell us what you thought was the best comic you bought in September and spend at least a few sentences writing about it.

Thank you.

[silentbobafett]

Wow - you really are moody today! Seesh... Didn't I do that with the above.

I should explain to everyone on the ZOne that I get carried away sometimes! If you met me in real life you'd see what I meant - I get easily excited about geek stuff and I talk where and whenever I can - that translates on here about write, write, write! I try to stick to the correct thread, but if Ihappen to write 1 line about a bad comic when above I wrote my thoughts on a great comic with a bit on why so - I think thats fair enough. I know you're moody today so I shan't take the piss... but for the love of the internet god, please don't be too strick - this is after all, meant to be fun...

[DennisMM]

It was the pan that concerned me. And I'm not moody today; I'm just crushing your freewheeling treatment like the fascist I am.

[silentbobafett]

He heh - I was referring to the thing under your name!

Tis cool my fascist friend! BUt if you read Union Jack you would understand!

[Pacino86845]

I nominate Pride of Baghdad. I read a few cool things this month, though probably not nearly as much as most of you, but that's top of the list in terms of graphic novel. I guess it has an unfair advantage, being a large piece of work, then I reckon my nomination would go to All-Star Superman #5 in terms of a standard single issue.

[unikrunk]

I never get to read things when they are released (except for the last Doc Frankenstein, which was awesome, thank you very much BurlyMan Press!), so I will nominate the best comic I read this month - Marvel Zombies. A very fun read, and the art, albeit “borrowedâ€

[DennisMM]

He heh - I was referring to the thing under your name!

Tis cool my fascist friend! BUt if you read Union Jack you would understand!

It may be hard to believe, but I can be that unobservant, especially in the morning.

[doglips]

Nearly Phonogram 2, but BKV can do no wrong!

Runaways & Escapists were characteristically great, but Ex-Machina takes it for me this month, fabulous artwork, excellent dialogue and a really twisting plot makes Smoke Smoke part 3 my favourite.

[Leckomaniac]

Time to change the title of this thread.

As for the October Comic of the Month...nothing really jumped out at me.

Wildcats #1 really started to grow on me...but since we have to wait about 5 months until the next one will come out my enjoyment has diminished. Furthermore, Deathblow #1 was a nice little intro and it had the edge that we have come to expect from Azzarello.

Planetary #26 is always a contender. As is USM since the start of the Clone Saga.

Any of you folks have a suggestion?

[doglips]

I'm going for The Otherside 1, totally brilliant.

[banthafodderUK]

2000ad - featuring: judge dredd: origins.

its weekly, so that means it has four chances of winning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drokk!

; )

[Leckomaniac]

This thread has not been updated in a bit so I figured I would try and breathe some life back into it.

My nominees for best comic of the month of December are:

JLA #4
Ultimate Spider-Man #102
Fables #56

Anyone else have some suggestions for best comic of the month of December? There have been many solid efforts as of late and as a result several possibilities.

[Fried Gold]

The Boys #5

[Adam Balm]

Just updated the thread title.

[Leckomaniac]

Thanks very much AB.

[doglips]

Crossing Midnight 1 ( didn't come out here till Dec )
Escapists 6
Cross Bronx 4

All excellent.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Desolation Jones #8.

yeah, the artwork's not to my tastes, but it matches what the story is trying to tell very nicely.

but you know, I'm a sucker of Philip K's Dick, and Ellis, Brit that he is, dropping some astute baseball arcana (Tinkers to Evers to Chance!) was merely the icing on this Cold, dark tale.

can't wait to see where he's going with this...

[Leckomaniac]

Desolation Jones #8.

yeah, the artwork's not to my tastes, but it matches what the story is trying to tell very nicely.

but you know, I'm a sucker of Philip K's Dick, and Ellis, Brit that he is, dropping some astute baseball arcana (Tinkers to Evers to Chance!) was merely the icing on this Cold, dark tale.

can't wait to see where he's going with this...

Totally dig what Ellis is doing with Desolation Jones. #8 was another solid issue. I am with KCBC in regards to the art. It is difficult to go from Williams to this. Such a drastic change. Between Desolation Jones and Fell...Ellis is keeping me thoroughly entertained.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

Escapists 6

that was a nifty conclusion to a series I never wanted end.

I admit, I was suckered into thinking Denny was still in a coma and that Case 'n Max wouldn't hook up, but that was just my own pussified heart bleeding teh menstrual juices.

and call me a Cheese-Eater, but that final panel really worked for me...

[doglips]

BEST. FINAL. PANEL. OF. DECEMBER.

I thought it would have had a little too much weak sauce poured over it for you......

[Keepcoolbutcare]

BEST. FINAL. PANEL. OF. DECEMBER.

I thought it would have had a little too much weak sauce poured over it for you......

almost. I guess the world hasn't beaten all the feeling out of me yet...

[Leckomaniac]

I have been keeping track of my "Book of the Week". Here are all of them from the Month of January:

1/3 - All-Star Superman #6
1/10 - JSA #2
1/17 - Ultimate Spidey #104/52 #37
1/24 - DMZ #15
1/31 - Ex Machina #26

My vote for best comic released in the month of January is:

All-Star Superman #6!

[doglips]

At the moment it's Criminal 4, but I have got to read Ex-Machina........

[doglips]

I just finished reading my comic of the month - Wonderlost 1.

CB Cebulski's high school years ( 1 of 3 issues, all dealing with his teenage loves and losses ), as written by him. 6 stories, 6 artists ( all great but Alina Urusov's and Jonathan Luna's are extra fantastic )

Awkwardly familiar, funny and heartwarming - a great read.

[Leckomaniac]

I just finished reading my comic of the month - Wonderlost 1.

CB Cebulski's high school years ( 1 of 3 issues, all dealing with his teenage loves and losses ), as written by him. 6 stories, 6 artists ( all great but Alina Urusov's and Jonathan Luna's are extra fantastic )

Awkwardly familiar, funny and heartwarming - a great read.

I heard that was a great comic. I didn't pick it up...I am going to have to check that out!

[doglips]

I suspect you will love it. You read 10 Reasons Why I Love Her yet?

[Leckomaniac]

I have my nominees for best book for the month of February:

2/7 - Shazam! and the Monster Men #1/ Fell #7/ Action Comics Annual #10
2/14 - Batman #663
2/21 - The Brave and the Bold #1
2/28 - TBD

[doglips]

So? I'm gonna have to look back through my March issues.