10. Justice League Dark (DC Comics)

If you read reviews of Justice League Dark, and in particular those by reviewers who haven’t been following the magic-themed team-up from DC, you’ll read about people being surprised or impressed by what may be an otherwise lower profile title. The truth is that there may not be a more consistently enjoyable comic from the publisher, with very little fluff and filler throughout 2020. While the book may have most recently been tied up in the Endless Winter event, it served that story nicely and seems primed to take readers into interesting arcs in 2021. 

9. Vision (Fantagraphics)

A secret of mine is that as I get older I find that I prefer fully collected graphic novels to single issue floppies. With COVID-19 making traveling to my local comic shop equal parts time consuming and anxiety inducing, I spent more attention than usual to the graphic novel scene, and it definitely paid off. Fantagraphics has some really great books with really unique art styles. Vision creator Julia Gfrörer first landed on my radar with the incredible 2016 book Laid Waste, and Vision shows her unique style and distinctly gothic voice on full display. This is the kind of comic that non-comic fans would love, because more than anything else it feels different. 

8. Killadephia (Image Comics)

It’s the 90’s again! Not really. We’re more of an 80’s crowd here at NewRetroWave, but it’s hard not to see the Vertigo-esque streak in several books from all kinds of different publishers in the past year. Killadelphia is one such book. With writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander at both of their peaks, this comic is a dark and sometimes nightmarish look at vampires in the city of brotherly love. And while that description is very elevator-pitch high concept, the story itself is anything but a novelty. It’s a unique and gripping comic. 

7. Don’t Go Without Me (Shortbox)

Let it be known that there are no better book covers in all of 2020, or possibly even the last half decade, than Rosemary Valero-O’Connell’s breathtaking cover of Don’t Go Without Me. I had never read any of her previous work and knew nothing of the book but purchased it immediately upon seeing it, and I was not disappointed. While different from the other books here in that this is an anthology and not a serialized or complete story, and it has some work that actually appeared initially a few years ago (albeit, in slightly different form). Don’t Go Without Me is a great book with a singularly fantastic visual style. 

6. Immortal Hulk (Marvel Comics)

Fun fact time: I have never liked The Hulk. Perhaps even more so than some other superheroes I have a disdain for, Hulk stories always bored me. Immortal Hulk was what I always needed. This is not a superhero story in the way that you might initially believe. With an art style that verges on body horror at times, Immortal Hulk grounds everything to the ultra-personal, to create a comic that is often gut wrenching and distressing, but always great. Writer Al Ewing and artist Joe Bennett delivered in 2020 with this series. 

5. The Department of Truth (Image Comics)

The Department of Truth rests on a simple premise: what if every conspiracy theory was true? This is not a new idea, as I can think of at least three comics off the top of my head that start or go through the same or similar premise. What sets this comic apart is just how good James Tynion IV is at telling this story. This comic premiered in September of this year and had easily the best debut issue of a comic in all of 2020. With strong art from Martin Simmonds accompanying the great writing, I cannot wait to follow this story through 2021. 

4. X-Men (Marvel Comics)

The absolute state of X-Men in 2020 compared to, like, three years ago is astounding. Jonathan Hickman has not only revitalized so many of the beloved characters from the X-line (it’s finally nice to be a Cyclops fan), but has revitalized the line itself. Hickman’s ability to make the mutants of the 616 feel like they live in a living, breathing world can’t be overstated. X of Swords was, personally, a little hit or miss for me, but it’s hard to argue against the high points of a series that already demands high expectations. 

3. Excellence (Image Comics)

It’s a cliche at this point to say that Excellence lives up to its namesake in some capacity when talking about the critically acclaimed fantasy story from writer Brandon Thomas and artists Khary Randolph and Emilio Lopez. But how can you blame such reviewers? The book is called Excellence and it has been one of the best books every week that it came out since it debuted in 2019. While I love and appreciate this book as a comic, there are no other books that have come out this year that I have read and thought “Make this an animated series or a movie or something right now” quite as much as Excellence. 

2. John Contantine: Hellblazer (DC Comics)

I’ve got to level with you. I didn’t read any of this series until I saw some friends upset about its premature ending from DC, one which by all accounts the story was able to pull off anyways. I didn’t read through any other entire series this quickly in 2020. John Constantine: Hellblazer was a downright special book from Simon Spurrier and a changing cast of artists. While it had spectacle and truly stand-out artwork, this comic truly excelled at making the titular character feel more alive than he has in years. 

1. The Dollhouse Family (DC Comics)

Expectations were high for The Dollhouse Family, as it had a strong creative team and would be the first of Joe Hill’s DC Comics imprint Hill House. It feels kind of surreal that this is a book put out by DC Comics. Not because of the quality, while this was my favorite book of the year you can clearly see I was a fan of what DC brought to 2020, but rather because it feels like the first time I found out that DC owned Vertigo. It just feels so different from what someone would expect from a comic, let alone a mainstream comic. It’s spooky and full of simultaneously heart and venom, and an easy recommendation for anybody. 

There’s a new sovereign in Thra and a new creative team at the helm of BOOM! Studio’s latest arc of

For as much as I bemoan Big Two comics for their wiki-over-purpose storytelling, it would be perhaps too generous to say that the Dark Crystal as a franchise is the most welcoming to new readers. Sure, you might remember broad strokes from the source material, but how much of that sweet, sweet lore do you have at the front of your mind? Henson’s worlds are so enormously inventive and lived-in that this lore is a bit of an albatross around the neck of comic continuations like this or the Labyrinth comics. There are exceptions: the Smith / Huntington run on Beneath the Dark Crystal laid out everything you needed to follow along early and was propelled with such an emotional depth to the character work that I’d recommend that book to any fantasy fans. But more often than not, they end up like the enjoyable but sometimes difficult to immediately pick-up prior two Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance arcs, even though the teams of Andelfinger / Balsa and Cesare / Carlomagno made very enjoyable books in the process. 

It’s refreshing, then, that Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance #9 feels more first-time-reader friendly, and more akin to the Smith / Huntington book than either of the latter. There’s certainly a substantial bit of lore at play, but this feels less like an anchor and more like traditional fantasy story worldbuilding. The book focuses on Mayrin, the recently ascended All-Maudra (think Queen / Empress). The prior sovereign, her mother, seems to have been respected even if we are given hints that she may not have been the kindest ruler. Mayrin finds herself overwhelmed by both the expectations she still feels beating down on her from her late mother and by the competing interests she must now juggle as a Muppet-adjacent head of state. One of the more pressing issues is that a seafaring gefling Sifan clan has been openly antagonistic to the new leadership. To win favor with this clan, Mayrin embarks on a voyage with Sifan Captain Kam’Lu. The leader of the Sifan’s, Fenth, in the meantime is making a potentially nefarious deal with the Skeksis. A large ocean monster attacks the ship and Mayrin saves Kam’Lu as the latter’s ship sinks below the depths. 

What’s particularly unique is that all of that plot summary really obfuscates just how whimsical the book feels at times. A lot of that is due to Erman’s grasp on character-centric writing, a consistent strength in his work. It’s tough to write characters so clearly earmarked to arc in terms of maturity and not make them insufferable. Mayrin’s character is a make-it-or-break-it element of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance #9. In a lot of ways, she is bratty at the comic’s onset, but the book makes it clear that while her outbursts might be self-centered, she isn’t selfish. While this story doesn’t at this point seem too concerned with interrogating the monarchy of Thra on a conceptual level in any noticeable extent, the amount of sympathy it generates for its protagonist, and interest it builds in learning more about what will likely be its secondary protagonist, is impressive. It will be interesting after the remaining three issues of this arc come out just how much of a connection you can draw between Erman and Migyeong’s creative input on a long running much-beloved franchise and Mayrin’s own feelings towards her inherited throne.

On the subject of Jo Migyeong, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how good this comic looks. While Migyeong’s scenes of crowds often feel spacious to a fault, the facial work on the closeups and the action shots give this comic a sense of emotion and urgency. A large amount of the sense of wonder in this book comes with Fabiana Mascolo’s work. There’s a use of blues and purples that, while aiding in the mysterious quality of the night time scenes, makes the daylight scenes seem alien, which is fitting given just how weird the Dark Crystal world really is. Readers are only offered a brief glimpse of a skeksis, but it’s enough to be excited to see them interact with this story.

It’s hard to recommend this to someone with zero familiarity with the source material, but if you enjoyed the movie, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance #9 is worth your time. Without relying too heavily on prior arcs or even the Netflix series, the issue is way more new-reader friendly than it has any right to be. It’s a visual treat with a non-stop focus on characterization in its storytelling.

10. Fallen World (Valiant Comics)

It doesn’t take long into one’s journey through the criminally underappreciated Valiant universe to notice the parallels between Rai, the mainstay of Valiant’s future timeline, and Bloodshot, the popular character with an upcoming feature length-film. Fallen World could have been a simple conflict story between the two characters, but the way that it weaves in characters like the Geomancer and War Mother, and the delicate attention that writer Dan Abnett gives to the world of the story elevates it significantly.

9. Usagi Yojimbo (IDW Comics)

If you listen to the NewRetroWave comic book podcast, you know that the IDW relaunch of Stan Sakai’s longrunning series is a monthly favorite. It knows exactly what it wants to be and executes its stories well along those lines. It may not always have the loftiest ambitions in terms of art or storytelling, but at the end of the day being able to tell a compelling story with a compelling lead for over two decades is a greater ambition than most books and creators can hope for. The relaunch has been one of the most consistent and entertaining books of the year.

8. Sonata (Image Comics)

When I read Monstress for the first time I was overwhelmed by the world within its pages in a way that I hadn’t by other comics before. The first comic to captivate me with its world since has been Image Comics’ Sonata. While this comic could have sat comfortably on the creativity of its world and the strength in the art depicting that world, it ramped up significantly by making a level of intrigue between its characters that each issue has been hard to put down.

7. Ruby Falls (Dark Horse Comics)

Another title that shouldn’t be a surprise to NRW Comic Podcast listeners. Series writer Ann Nocenti shows her considerable skill at both characterization and strong thematic storytelling in equal measure with this mini-series. All of the characters in this story are memorable and likable, but Lana is one of the most relatable protagonists of 2019. She manages to have obvious and apparant flaws that the readers are usually able to find in some measure within themselves, and to see her attempt to solve the mystery of a decades-old murder in a town that seems stuck in the past makes for some great reading.

6. Blossoms 666 (Archie Comics)

If there was ever a time to strike while the iron is hot for Archie Comics, and for the Archie Horror imprint in particular, its 2019. With outstanding art and a killer story from Cullen Bunn, Blossoms 666 delivered up devilish fun in 2019 with its story of Jason and Cheryl (and even a mystery third Blossom heir) and their quests to become Riverdale’s own Anti-Christ. The Archie Horror imprint has some of the best comics of the past decade at their helm, and Blossoms 666 is right at home.

5. The Plot (Vault Comics)

Oh look, another book raved about on NRW’s Comic Book Podcast. (Please listen to it) The Plot managed to be not just the best book from a publisher who drastically has delivered quality titles for the past two years, but one of the five best books of the year. Its gothic sensibilities married to its 70;s horror aesthetic makes this easily the most atmospheric book of the year. It might be wrapping up it’s initial run now, but this is going to be the kind of trade paperback that people who don’t typically like comics are going to love.

4. Ascender (Image Comics)

The Jeff Lemire-written and Dustin Nguyen-drawn series Descender was consistently one of the best books on shelves during its 32 issue run starting in 2015. How could the team follow such a beloved, original, and stylish sci-fi series? By bringing several of the series’ beloved characters into an equally original and stylish sequel, but one which shifts genres toward fantasy. The results are compelling in a way that few books are, and the unique identity between the original and sequel manage to be significant while not feeling wholly disjointed.

3. Going to the Chapel (Action Lab Comics)

Another favorite here at NRW. As you could tell from our review of the debut issue, this comic started with a bang. If you listened to the recent NRW Comic Podcast interview with Going to the Chapel writer David Pepose, then you know that the series has maintained that level of energy and has spent four issues endearing readers to its robust cast of characters. Balancing something as intense as a hostage situation with jokes and levity is no easy task, but Pepose and the art team of artist Gavin Guidry and colorist Elizabeth Kramer deliver.

2. Excellence (Image Comics)

Has there ever been a book so perfectly titled? Writer Brandon Thomas and artist Khary Randolph deliver a world that is as fascinating as it is thematically rich. Main character Spencer Dale navigates a world where he experiences pressures from his society and his family, and his conflicts in this world get heightened with artist Khary Randolph’s incredibly fluid and stylish panels. Colorist Emilio Lopez rounds out the team and makes this book one of the most can’t-miss titles of 2019, and of all the titles on this list, this is the one that feels most likely to jump to other mediums.

1. House of X / Powers of X (Marvel Comics)

For a publisher that’s pretty egregious with their use of large-scale events, House of X and Powers of X is the first time in my life as a reader that a comic story has lived up to the name ‘event’. There really is no writer better suited to injecting the X line up with new energy and new ideas than Jonathan Hickman, and this two-as-one series showed exactly why. These books were electric with an energy rarely found, and following each book was the mountain of discourse from the rabid X-fan community who seemed to finally all agree that something huge was here for their favorite heroes. Whether Hickman’s relaunch lives up to this hype remains to be seen, but HoXPoX is some of the best that this medium can produce.

Ain’t Love Grand?

Or at least it could be for Jesse Moore, the architect engaged to heiress Emily Anderson, the main protagonist of Going to the Chapel. The comic, written by Spencer & Locke writer David Pepose, drawn by Gavin Guidry, and colored by Liz Kramer blends heist tropes with a cold-footed wedding to create something that feels fresh from the first couple pages. 

Going to the Chapel is more grounded than Pepose’s prior work Spencer & Locke 1 & 2, of which the second collection is now available for purchase. It would be easy to call this lighter than that book, but that isn’t entirely fair. Sure, there’s no explicit history child abuse or police violence (yet), but the threat and fear for both the wedding guests from the robbers is palpable. That isn’t even mentioning the fear the robbers have from authorities. This is a comic that wastes no time in establishing its characters and its stakes. While Pepose’s writing is characteristically strong at immediately grounding Emily and her fiance Jesse as relatable and distinct characters, Gavin Guidry’s art marries story to visuals. 

Emily is introduced completely alone,and while that framing emphasizes her feelings of not wanting to get married, the facial depiction shows her as earnest and sincere in her emotions. Jesse, by contrast, is also introduced alone,  but his panel is filled with other characters. He isn’t as lonely, and this is reflected in the character work by him being less apprehensive about his upcoming wedding. His face is telling as well. Unlike the more upfront reading of Emily’s anxiety, Jesse has a smile that looks more like an affect. While the full extent of his dynamic with Emily isn’t revealed in Going to the Chapel #1, it wouldn’t surprise me if things are not always copacetic.

After all, who goes to a bar an hour before their wedding? 

Readers jump from Emily and her dysfunctional family at the chapel and Jesse drinking with his groom party at a local bar. Jesse meets a friendly stranger named Tom and the two share drinks. When the comic catches up with its in medias res opening, the Bad Elvis Gang, some robbers in Elvis masks, interrupts the pending nuptials. The leader of the gang takes Emily to a secluded room to steal her priceless necklace. There it is revealed that he is Tom, the stranger that Jesse met at the bar. And not just that, but that he and Emily used to be together. 

It would have been too easy to make this black and white. A lesser comic would make Jesse a jerk and Tom a completely charming rogue. Pepose does such a good job in endearing readers to his characters, that we don’t see anything particularly wrong with Jesse, and Tom hitting him with the butt of his gun further engages the reader’s sympathy while clueing us to the idea that, despite the generally lighthearted tone of the comic, Tom is a dangerous individual. If wedding nerves are often the result of reality in conflict with an ideal, it’s interesting to see this mirrored in a microcosm when Tom hijacks the wedding. 

As mentioned, the art is terrific throughout. While Guidry is clearly skilled at conveying emotion through character facials and body language, there’s also an incredible flow throughout the panels. Readers are never stuck with a particular angle or perspective for too long, but never whipped around to the extent that anything feels jarring. The panel compositions are solid. Colorist Liz Kramer likewise strikes a balance between variations for interest and consistency for identity. The entire comic has a real preference towards purples, browns, and blues, and those colors look fantastic whenever they appear on-panel. 

Going to the Chapel #1 is strong debut issue of a series that will immediately endear readers to it. This comic is full of characters that live and breathe in a way that most comics wish they would, and its balance of characters you want to follow and a plot that zips around at an exciting pace makes it a hard one to pass up. 

As a quick refresher, Locke is a detective in what looks like Los Angeles, laying low in the aftermath of killing his crime syndicate-leader father who was using his childhood sweetheart / mother of his child as a drug courier in the school where she worked as a teacher. This world is pretty grim. But it’s okay, Locke’s childhood plush panther Spencer is there to help him through it. His troubled childhood is typically rendered in a Calvin and Hobbes pastiche. That childhood led to Locke being a person informed by his trauma, but his visualization of Spencer as a 7-foot tall anthropomorphic panther helps him navigate his duties as a detective, and also appears to his similarly traumatized daughter, Hero. Hero has been taken from Locke following the violent conclusion of the previous arc.

Spencer & Locke 2 #1 wastes little time in establishing Locke’s antagonist this time around in Roach Riley. There is immediate paralleling in the narrative between Locke and Riley. Riley’s past is also presented via highly referential comic strips, with Beetle Bailey being the comic referenced. Just like how Locke’s stylistic flashbacks highlight some of the unspoken sadness Bill Waterson imbued with Calvin, these Roach Riley flashbacks call into question how gross the central conceit of Beetle Bailey as a light military boot camp comedy really is. Within moments of meeting Riley, he murders a city councilman, with an implication a few pages later that this is his second murder of a public official.

Locke is called to privately investigate this matter, with the implication that if he does he will be reunited with his daughter. He refuses, because skirting the law like this is exactly why he is having a hard time getting custody of his daughter in the first place. Spencer protests, and before Locke realizes it they are already at the crime scene.

Spencer, during the first arc, seemed to be a primarily comforting entity to Locke. In fact, his appearance to Hero more or less confirms that. Spencer & Locke 2 #1 twists that idea in an interesting way. Series writer David Pepose manages to show that dynamic as something darker and more intrinsic to Locke’s problems, but does so in a way that is gracefully in-line with how he wrote the two previously.

Spencer during the first arc seemed more like a comforting entity to Locke, but Spencer & Locke 2 #1 shows a darker side to this dynamic. Spencer might keep Locke safe, but to an extent he encourages some of Locke’s more violent tendencies. He wants the two of them to investigate the councilman’s death, and the implication is that it isn’t necessarily to get Hero back. He wants to hunt.  It’s during Spencer and Locke’s argument that the two wind up at the crime scene despite the latter having no recollection of it. His dissociation is a nice touch and reinforces just how much of a manifestation of Locke’s inner life the panther is.

Pepose also seems keen to the fact that the immediate assumption is that Roach Riley is just an alter ego for Locke, given the similarities between the two, the fact that they both see Spencer, and Santiago Jr.’s depiction of the villain. This is immediately dispelled as Roach Riley gets arrested and is clearly shown as a separate individual. It’s a nice narrative touch that shows readers immediately that they don’t need to worry about a cheap Fight Club situation.

Just as Pepose’s writing has gotten more sprawling and ambitious in the sequel, artist Jorge Sanitago Jr. delivers an equally strong performance. Spencer & Locke’s first series had a distinct and visually pleasing style, but Santiago Jr. really doubles down on the noir and the environment of the story. The angles are more noticeable, the shadows more pronounced, and the facial expressions of everybody more varied. Delightfully, the blues and purples that littered the pages of the previous arc are in full display here. One interesting consequence of this color choice is just how unique Roach Riley looks by comparison. Spencer is a 7-foot talking panther, but his color scheme makes him look like a part of this world in a way that Roach Riley’s ugly military green does not.

As far as highly anticipated returns go, they don’t land much better than Spencer & Locke 2. You’re going to want to add this to your pull lists. It does a good enough job of on-boarding new readers that you don’t need to worry too much about the context of the previous 4 issues, though they do help in appreciating the subtle developments that this new series makes. When a creative team is at their best and a book is this good cover to cover, comics can be really great.

JE: The Weatherman has one of the best conceptual hooks I’ve read in years, that of a weatherman amnesiac on Mars being accused of wiping out the most of the population of Earth. Would you mind telling us how this comic came about?

JL: Where ideas come from is always a difficult question to answer. At least for me because there are so many pieces that pull from so many places. But years ago I was first starting to write and I was working on these kind of crime fiction short stories and I had this idea about a weatherman that was all smiles and finger guns on camera but then off camera was suffering in some way. I never really figured it out though and I put it down and went on about my life. I went on to become an editor in comics where I had to work on million projects at once–many with different tones and playing with different genre elements. So when it came time to go back to the writing desk my brain was just buzzing with ideas. I rediscovered this kernel of a weatherman character, started to build, and here we are. Soon this little crime fiction idea was this massive and totally wild science fiction epic where I get to play with genre fiction. And also work through some trauma in my past so there’s a very real emotional attachment to this story for me.

JE: Total Recall seems to be in the DNA of the series with both the terraformed Mars setting and the amnesiac protagonist. But where Verhoeven seemed concerned with a grimey and sleazy aesthetic, The Weatherman has a real depth to its characters and world that it’s easy to imagine it existing even when you finish an issue. Was there a conscious choice to incorporate inspiration from that film while also distancing the comic from it?

JL: No, not at all. WM is similar to Total Recall in that Mars is involved (though our version is completely different) and our protagonist has memory problems (though we’re going to a completely different place with it) but the similarities end there. WM is very much its own thing. Having said that there are definitely some influences from Verhoeven in terms of tone. Like him, we’re big fans of over-the-top violence and social satire.

JE: Nathan Fox’s artwork throughout the first six issues has been incredible. What has it been like to work with him on the series?

JL: It’s an absolute dream. For my money, Nathan’s one of the best artists of his generation. He’s a true genius not just with illustration but…storytelling, world building, character development, acting, big moments, small moments… There isn’t anything he can’t do and at the highest level. I really couldn’t ask for a better co-creator, artist collaborator, and friend. I’m the luckiest writer in comics as far as I’m concerned.

JE: As I mentioned earlier, your characterization and world building are some of the best aspects of The Weatherman. Did you come up with Nathan Bright first or the world he inhabits?

JL: The Nathan Bright character came first and then we built the world and characters around him.

JE: The soundtrack for The Weatherman is filled with heavy hitters from the synthwave scene each with stand out tracks. There isn’t much crossover between the worlds of music and comics, at least not in this capacity. How did that come about?

JL: Nathan Fox, Tom Muller (our brilliant designer), and I are all big fans of music in general and synthwave specifically. I often listen to it when I write. In fact much of WM Vol. 1 was written to music from the bands featured on our soundtrack. And bands like them. The pulp sci-fi and 80’s cinematic vibe puts me in my happy place…back in the R-rated, practical special effects days…and I’m able to focus better. There’s a lot of energy to it. I also like how synthwave sort embraces both the serious aspects of genre but the not-so-serious sides as well. It’s able to laugh at itself at times which is fun. We do the same thing with THE WEATHERMAN. There’s obviously some deadly serious moments in our book but it’s funny in spots as well.

As far as how our collaboration with synthwave bands came about…it all started with MAGIC SWORD. I knew just from being a fan that MS was into comics because they make their own based on the band’s music. (It’s fantastic by the way. Check it out on their website.) So on a whim I decided to reach out and see if they’d be up for collaborating. Fortunately they responded and I was able to get a foot in the door long enough to explain what we were doing and how the collaboration could work in a way that benefited everyone. Once they heard what we had planned and took a look at the book they were in. And we just went from there. MS helped us get in contact with the other bands and we worked it out. Now THE WEATHERMAN has an original synthwave soundtrack from some of the best to ever do it including MAGIC SWORD, MAKEUP & VANITY SET, POWER GLOVE, OGRE, BETAMAXX, LAZERHAWK, and LE MATOS. It’s amazing.

JE: Lazerhawk’s contribution to the soundtrack, “Sword of God”, has a real paranoid energy to it, which seems fitting considering it is named after the shadowy group that seem to be the series’ primary antagonists. Will the next volume of the comic explore the group more?

JL: I won’t get into when and where we’ll next see the Sword of God but I will say that they play a major role in the series. We’ll see them again for sure. And even when they aren’t on camera, they have a way of making their presence felt.

And yeah, Lazerhawk did a fantastic job with his track. Everyone did. And they’re all big fans of the book.

JE: Do you plan on releasing another soundtrack for the next volume of the comic?

JL: We’d love to. We had a blast doing it for Vol. 1. If any bands out there are interested hit us up at th****************@***il.com. I know some of the folks from Vol. 1 are up for returning as well.

JE: As far as coloring goes, Dave Stewart contributes a lot to the unique feel of the comic. The range of colors used seems very wide, and yet nothing seems haphazard or clashing. What has it been like working with him?

JL: Dave Stewart’s pretty much a legend at this point. Every artist in the industry wants to be colored by Dave because he’s just such a pro. And as you point out his palette choices are pitch perfect. He has a way of picking the exact right tones for any given scene so everything is balanced and beautiful to look at. One misstep and it could end up a complicated mess with elements being hard to parse out. But Dave is a master at his craft so that’s never an issue. So it’s been a dream to work with him as well.

Really though, it’s like that with the whole team. That’s what makes working on this book so special. I might go my whole life and never work with this many talented folks again. Vol. 2 colorist Moreno Dinisio, our letterer Steve Wands, designer Tom Muller, editors Josh Johns and Sebastian Girner, all of our cover artists…they’re all stone-cold elite ninja assassin comics badasses. You couldn’t create a better team in a lab. They’re the best in comics full stop. I feel the same way about our music collaborators.

JE: What are some of the movies, TV shows, or music that inspired you while creating this comic?

JL: So many influences. Too many to name them all for sure but Nathan Fox and I are huge fans of anime like Shinichirō Watanabe’s COWBOY BEBOP and SPACE DANDY and Takeshi Koike’s REDLINE.

I also love smart TV dramas like BETTER CALL SAUL, BREAKING BAD, and MADMEN. Those have less influence in terms of genre but the quality of writing in shows like that is inspiring.

Music-wise aside from synthwave I listen to a lot of metal and punk. Queen. Also hip-hop and post-rock. But that’s just in general.

JE: Are there any final thoughts you would like our readers to know?

JL: THE WEATHERMAN Vol. 1 collection is on sale now and we’re hard at work on THE WEATHERMAN Vol. 2 which is somehow even bigger and more insane than Vol. 1. That’s out this June but you can pre-order issue #1 at your local comic shop now. Pre-Orders help in a major way so if you’re interested in checking out the book let your local retailer know today. For the readers and retailers that have supported our book so far. THANK YOU.

Also check out our collaboration with the synthwave legends mentioned above on Soundcloud. And listen to the rest of their music! It’s amazing!

Finally you can follow our official account @WM_Comic on Twitter and Instagram for updates, killer art, and exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at THE WEATHERMAN.

See you in June!

You can follow Jody LeHeup on Twitter here and Nathan Fox on Twitter here.

You can follow Image Comics on Twitter here.

JE: How did you get into making comics? What’s your origin story?

AM: As a child I was always drawing comics. As far back as I remember, if I had a blank page I would turn it into a grid and tell sequential stories with various original characters. So it’s something I always remember doing and always wanting to continue with. My grandmother would buy my weekly copy of the Beano and the Dandy which were popular British children’s comics, so I think I got a lot of inspiration from those at a young age.

JE: Speaking of origins, what is the origin of Reality Hackers as a comic? When did it come to you?

AM: Reality Hackers has been the result of piecing together ideas and characters that I’ve developed over several years, taken from a lot of different areas of thought. I knew I wanted to make a science fiction/fantasy comic pretty early on as I was always drawn to that type of artwork and fiction. Over time I realised my favourite aesthetic was cyberpunk, as I found myself consistently drawing characters with wires and various bodily mods. I’ve also always been interested in reading about a wide range of philosophical subjects and researching into different areas, so I wanted to write a story attempting to integrate my understanding of these subjects.

Three major areas that influenced me are psychedelic culture, transhumanism and the occult. These themes appear in the comic, with the main premise of ‘reality hacking’ being a form of ritual magic spliced with computer hacking. You might notice there are no guns or other weapons in the comic, which kind of sets it apart from other cyberpunk titles. This isn’t a comment on guns or gun violence but more representative of the fact that the struggle the characters face is of a spiritual and psychological nature rather than a physical one. The message I wanted to express with the story has changed over time as I’ve worked on it, and as my own viewpoints and studies have progressed, but it is ultimately an exploration on the effects of transhumanism and how this can impact human identity on a philosophical, spiritual and psychological level.

JE: What other artists are your inspirations?

AM: In terms of comic art, I was heavily influenced by Darick Robertson’s work on Transmetropolitan. It’s a great expression of political cyberpunk, and since it was drawn a few decades ago, it also has a kind of nostalgic feeling to read it now. I also love that Spider Jerusalem’s character was based on Hunter S. Thompson, and I’d say his writings had a big influence on me as a teenager as well. I definitely like to include elements of psychedelic aesthetic and culture in my work even if I don’t necessarily place myself within that world. Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles is another example of a psychedelic and occult-inspired comic which I really like the vibe of. Sam Keith’s The Maxx was another huge influence on me, as I grew up watching the trailer for the animated series on my VHS of Beavis and Butthead Do America. As soon as I got access to the internet I discovered the full series, and that it was based on a comic, and when I read those I was hooked. It’s my favourite comic series to this day. Keith’s art style is unique, weird and technically skilled all in one, which is something I try to emulate. I love the fact that it starts off as quite an unconventional superhero story with a big purple guy, but deepens into a complex interaction of each character’s psychologies. Aside from comics, I’m heavily influenced by late ‘80s/early ‘90s cyberpunk anime, ‘90s children’s cartoons like Thundercats and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the works of H.R. Giger, Hieronymus Bosch and classic airbrushed fantasy art.

JE: As an experienced visual artist, what was your approach to narrative like? Did you come up with story first or character design and worldbuilding? Or did the two happen in tandem?

AM: I’d say it has definitely always been a co-constitution of the two in my process. I created the base designs of the characters first while doodling, and then built a story and world up around them while simultaneously developing their design in line with this. For a few years I worked in a carpet factory where I would listen to podcasts most of the day, in the subject areas mentioned earlier, and I would get tons of ideas for scenes, dialogue and main events in the story while doing that. So I’d take notes on my phone and then when I got home I’d put them into my file of ideas. Then I’d spend time going through all of it and piecing together a story. This never happened linearly, it was always like putting together a jigsaw puzzle of ideas and concepts and how I wanted to express these through the characters and their interactions. A lot of them time I’d experience synchronicities, where a random idea would seemingly fit seamlessly into a slot of the story which wasn’t yet filled and make perfect sense in alignment with both earlier and later parts of the story. That was an interesting process and always made me feel like I was on the right track.

JE: With this being a 3 issue mini, do you already know how everything ends?

AM: Yes – it will culminate in a direct confrontation between the hackers and the AI, but I won’t give away how that ends. Actually, while this first volume of 3 issues will be a mini-series which can stand on its own, I’ve also drafted the script for a longer running story as well – about 24 issues in total. I started drawing these a few years ago, but I sort of see that as a practice run as I don’t think they are really at a publishable level, and I want to rework and redraw them. This mini series is based on some of the same characters, using it as a chance to develop them a bit more, with some tighter world-building, creating a shorter form story which can stand alone but which can also form the basis for reformulating and continuing the main story. So it’s kind of part of a bigger project which I hope to continue in the near future. and hopefully create something which people can get more invested in if these first few issues are successful.

JE: Synthwave artist Vosto created the theme song for the comic. What was that collaboration like?

AM: I knew Vosto had already made a soundtrack for another comic called Death Sworn by Karl O’Rowe, and that he had done a really good job on that. So I thought it would be a cool idea to ask him for the same, which I could then also give away as a reward on the project’s Kickstarter campaign. Vosto has a lot of similar tastes to me in terms of art and aesthetics and he has a good understanding of how to create soundscapes which complement those visual styles. I sent over a copy of the unfinished comic and asked him to create something based off of that, something which would capture the overall vibe of the comic. Within a few days he had come up with a really interesting basis of a track! He worked on it some more and I only had a few suggestions on how to change it, resulting in what I think is a really strong piece of audio reflecting the various elements of my story – the dystopia, the cyberpunkiness, but also a sliver of hope.

JE: What’s the meaning behind the volume’s title of “Heritage”?

AM: The first issue explores one of the main characters back stories and his relationship to the technological overlords in the society, and how he stands out from others in this world. I don’t want to give too many spoilers away but I think it will be pretty clear to people when reading the first issue why I chose this name.

JE: The aesthetic is of Reality Hackers is unique, and seems to feel like it has a little bit of everything — the 90’s, 80’s, and present comic visual styles all seem at home in the world of the comic. Was any of that a deliberate choice or is it the way you naturally approach artwork?

AM: That’s interesting – I don’t think I necessarily tried to do that on purpose. My conscious influences are definitely from the ‘80s and ‘90s but I haven’t thought much about how more contemporary styles present themselves in my work. I do look at a lot of modern cyberpunk art so that could be why, although I also try not to emulate it too much as sometimes I think that, even though it’s all really cool, it can all become quite similar looking. I’d love to be able to do those highly detailed digital cyberpunk paintings and concept art, but at the same time I’m glad I’m doing something a bit more unique and personalised.

JE: Are there any comics that you are currently reading that you really love?

AM: I’ll admit that I’m not the sort of comic reader that religiously keeps up to date with all the newly released titles. However, the last few titles I did check out were Jason Shawn Alexander’s Empty Zone, and Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s Descender. These were both really cool, interesting stories and both have unique, traditional art styles, with Alexander’s rough and messy inks and Nguyen’s beautiful watercolours. I find myself staring at each panel for a long time in works like these and it inspires me to try doing more traditional-based work in the future as I’ve been working entirely digitally for this present issue.

JE: Did any movies, TV shows, or music inspire you while creating this comic?

AM: I’ve talked about my love for old-school cyberpunk anime and ‘90s kids cartoons – those will always be close to my art and inspire my style on some level. In terms of other TV shows, I loved the Mr. Robot series and although it’s not technically futuristic I’d still call it cyberpunk. With music, the synthwave genre has played a huge role in influencing me and I often work while listening to synthwave radio or mixes. The ‘80s retro vibe probably plays well with my other influences. I do believe it has been the sole contributor to my choice of colour scheme as well. Alongside that I also find that ambient soundscapes and video game soundtracks have helped the process of this comic along quite well.

JE: Do you have any comics or characters that you want to draw one day? Or do you see yourself ideally sticking with the creator-owned route?

AL: Aside from doing fan art I will probably stick to developing my own characters and story lines. I’ve never really been all that interested in the big name publishers or long-running stories, never been into superheroes or anything like that. I always preferred indie titles which tend to be shorter runs. Saying that, maybe it would be cool to draw something like Sandman one day.

JE: Are there any final thoughts you would like our readers to know?

I suppose I’d just like to say I hope people enjoy the first issue, and that this will hopefully be the beginning of a really fun and interesting journey which will take on some of the most important topics which are increasingly relevant in our technological society today.If there’s anything I want to achieve it’s giving people food for thought about our status as human beings and what that means in a rapidly changing world.

Be sure to support Reality Hackers on Kickstarter here. You can follow it on Facebook here.

You can find Aimée McLernon on Twitter and their website.

10. Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack (BOOM! Studios)

While the story of the second and final arc of Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack was underwhelming, the artwork on display throughout the BOOM! Studios series makes it an easy start to our list of the 10 best retro-themed comics of 2018. Series artist Jorge Corona translates Carpenter’s Jack Burton perfectly into visual storytelling and the hero’s luck-based bumbling is always bristling with a striking amount of kinetic energy.

9. Doomsday Clock (DC Comics)

It’s 2018 and there is an honest-to-goodness Watchmen sequel. DC Comics veteran Geoff Johns delivers in what is largely a thankless task. Following up arguably the greatest comic of all time written by debatably the greatest comic writer is, to put it lightly, difficult. While not as cerebral as its predecessor, Doomsday Clock delivers as a page-turning superhero thriller. This has been more and more apparent as the series has progressed, with issue #8 out of 12 dropping just a few weeks ago. There’s no doubt that this will end with a sense of bombast that only Geoff Johns can deliver.

8. Black Hammer (Dark Horse Comics)

If Doomsday Clock is Watchmen’s successor in a literal sense, Black Hammer is it’s successor in a thematic sense. Jeff Lemire has always been an incredibly talented writer, but until Black Hammer it was hard to say what his definitive series would be. There is no question, Black Hammer is one of the best writers today writing at his best, and the results show. With the recent string of spin-off comics in 2018, Black Hammer is poised to be publisher Dark Horse’s next Hellboy.

7. Blackbird (Image Comics)

If you’ve been to a comic shop, you’ve seen Jen Bartel’s work. If a comic has any traction or hype, it’ll usually boast a cover from Bartel at some point. While Blackbird, a series in which she serves as artist, is still in its infancy, it has had one of the most impressive debut issues in recent years. The world that writer Sam Humphries has created is both noir and fantasy portrayed with a sense of realism that makes everything feel immediately relatable. Couple this with Bartel’s art and this is easily the series to watch in the upcoming year.

6. Misfit City (Image Comics)

Misfit City’s first arc was solid, and we wrote about the debut issue of the Kirstin Smith-written and Naomi Franquiz-drawn series back in 2017. While that was good in its own right, the series has really found its voice in 2018 and has quickly become one to pick up. The premise is interesting enough for fans of retro media — the town is very clearly modeled after Astoria, OR, and the movie filmed in the town in the 80’s is very clearly supposed to be The Goonies. On that backdrop, though, this is one of the best stories of the year, and the back half of the series has been a rollercoaster.

5. Robocop: Citizens Arrest (BOOM! Comics)

Writer Brian Wood’s take on Robocop is a little more restrained than Frank Miller. It’s in the microcosm of the universe that he writes that his series really shines. The anti-consumerist, anti-corporate bend of the original Robocop film is more relevant in 2018 than when it was released, and Wood never lets the citizen-consumers of his dystopia off the hook. Jorge Coelho’s highly stylistic art lends itself to the feeling of unease and dread that permeates a series that ran for a tight six issues in 2018.

4. Mister Miracle (DC Comics)

Tom King built his series on the idea of ambiguity. It’s hard to build a story around an unreliable narrator without readers feeling betrayed, but King affirms his status as one of the best writers around today by sticking that landing throughout. This is no doubt assisted by Mitch Gerads incredible artwork. Gerads relentless and retro-inspired nine panel layout really nails King’s depression-laden story and makes the whole experience feel as unique as it does melancholy.

3. Robotech (Titan Comics)

I was taken aback by how good Robotech was last year when it was added to NRW’s end-of-year list in 2017. Even with those raised expectations, Titan Books’ revival of the cult 80’s show that admittedly I hadn’t heard of before this series has continued to be one of the most consistently well-written, well-drawn, and interesting books of 2018. It’s wild to think of how much is crammed into this series, from the espionage plots, to the grand war narratives, to the subtle moments of romance. All of it is given equal room to breathe.

2. Labyrinth: Coronation (BOOM! Comics)

Few people understood storytelling better than Jim Henson. With the BOOM! Studios spin-off Labyrinth: Coronation, it’s clear that writer Simon Spurrier understands the appeal that Henson’s fantastic imagination had, and exactly why it was so foundational to multiple generations of kids and teens watching Bowie sing “Dance Magic Dance”.

1. X-Men Grand Design (Marvel Comics)

The X-Men comic franchise has been, if we’re being frank, a mess in recent years. There will be moments of promise, like the Jean Grey solo series or X-Men Blue’s earlier arcs, but the House of Ideas can never settle on what it wants to do with its mutants for more than a year at a time. As a result, it’s been very stop-start. For new fans, it makes the books seem less important and confusing. For longterm fans, they feel disheartened when the series fail to meet expectations. Grand Design aims to fix that issue for both fans, and the success with which it accomplishes that is nothing short of uncanny. In some respects, Grand Design acts as cliff notes for the often convoluted superhero soap opera that is the X-Men. While those old X-Men comics are worth reading in their own right, it is a huge undertaking to do so. Grand Design has you covered, but for returning fans, it acts as a love letter to a series and a mythos that rivals that of Superman and Batman. The X-Men have always been extremely important to me, and were my gateway into this kind of storytelling. It’s glorious to see what this series is doing for it.

It’s another solid showing for Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Coronation, as the nearly flawless second issue of the series from BOOM! Studios’ Archaia imprint places comic in contention as the best of the Henson spinoffs. Simon Spurrier’s skill in crafting deeply compelling characters that never feel out of place in Henson’s universe gives this comic a beating heart that could pull even the most cynical of readers. Combining this with artist Daniel Bayliss’ skill for crafting the fantastical elements of the titular Labyrinth and colorist Dan Jackson’s visually striking choices gives readers a comic that seeks to be memorable, and largely achieves that goal.

The second issue continues the frame narrative of the first with Jareth narrating the comic as a tale he is telling the baby he kidnapped. This frame allows Spurrier to parallel the journeys between the original film’s Sarah and his own original character of Countess Maria. While we see a lot of the same passion at the heart of both characters, Spurrier takes care in ensuring that Maria is not simply a Victorian-era Jennifer Connelly, with Bayliss giving her enough visual distinction that she already feels at home in Henson’s universe. The medium allows for Spurrier and the art team to play with a lot of ideas and turns in storytelling that the special effects of the time of the film wouldn’t allow for, such as a mechanical puppet mermaid the lures Maria into a false sense of security before the kappa-esque monster controlling it seizes her and drags her to his lair.




Time for a brief tangent about why mediums work the way that they do and how that benefits Labyrinth: Coronation. Despite all the time and money that goes into them, a lot of film fans groan at CGI-fests in movies and tend to speak fondly of films laden with practical effects, such as The Thing or every 80’s Henson production. This is because even though it might not look 100% real, it still exists in the same space as everything else. It might not look real in isolation, but in context, it still looks like it belongs. Comics are an excellent medium for exploring elaborate, difficult-to-recreate sequences because it all happens within the same medium. Everything else exists in the comic, so whatever outlandish thing you see never takes you out of the fiction itself.

Rant over.

Readers will no doubt find themselves fawning over just how visually enjoyable this comic is courtesy of Bayliss and Jackson. Bayliss’ strength comes in two forms. His character design work is exemplary and gives the already charming comic one more layer of likability. The second is the way in which he is able to balance the more straightforward panels with the spectacle-filled set piece panels that will likely be some of the best comic art you’ve seen all month. There is no better example of this than the splash of Jareth looking into his crystal ball into the Owl King looking into his crystal ball to Maria navigating the labyrinth.

This layering of panels and frames gives an extra bit of gravitas to Jareth’s overall narration of the story and also makes everything seem like a rabbit hole. The Labyrinth is surreal and often has one foot placed squarely in the absurd, and Spurrier, Bayliss, and Jackson ensure that this already foreign world seems that much more unfamiliar. You could have watched the original film a thousand times and still have no idea what is in store for Maria, and for any comic that is a good sign. For a comic based on an existing story, that’s above and beyond.

Our Rating: 5/5

While Buffy the Vampire Slayer plays a little more into 90’s nostalgia than our preferred brand of 80’s nostalgia, there’s no denying the streak of quality that the comic continuation has been on since the Season 11 comics started. If you haven’t been following the comics but loved the series, then Buffy Season 11: Giles Vol. 1 will be a perfect jumping on point for you! Giles is a great character and getting a glimpse of his teenage years is every bit a joy as it sounds.

9. Paradiso Vol. 1: Essential Singularity (Image Comics – Release Date: May 22, 2018)

Paradiso is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story that owes a lot to 80’s and 90’s anime and manga, drawing influences from Battle Angel Alita and Akira, two titles that we love here at NRW. While Ram V’s writing is definitely an exciting part of the story and gives everything a very grand feel, the art team of Dev Pramanik and Dearbhla Kelly deserves special mention. Every inch of the world in Paradiso is stylishly drawn and feels immersive. 

8. The Way of Tank Girl (Titan Comics – Release Date: April 17, 2018)

If you aren’t familiar with Tank Girl, you might immediately recognize how much the cover of The Way of Tank Girl evokes Gorillaz album artwork. That would be because Tank Girl co-creator and illustrator Jamie Hewlett is responsible for the image of Gorillaz. Tank Girl’s other co-creator, writer Alan Martin, is sometimes not given the credit he deserves.

That’s a shame because Martin is very funny. The comedy in Tank Girl is not only funny on its own merits, but does so while utilizing the medium of comics to the fullest extent. It does to comics as a medium what Watchmen does, but does so without taking itself as obnoxiously seriously as that series, and as comedy it doesn’t garner the kind of acclaim. While The Way of Tank Girl is best suited for fans of the series, the collection of rarities will make a fun introduction and coffee table book for anybody.

7. Bloodshot Salvation Vol. 2: The Book of the Dead (Valiant Entertainment – Release Date: Sept. 25, 2018)

What Valiant does better than perhaps any comic book publisher is making jumping on points for their ongoing characters. Few publishers are as new-reader-friendly, and Valiant stands far above Marvel and DC in that regard. Their comics are consistently high quality. Each year brings at least one title that stands clear above the rest,  like 2017 with Secret Weapons. In 2018, it seems to be Jeff Lemire’s Bloodshot Salvation is primed for that spot. The second arc of the title has only just begun, but it was such a strong opening that it’s hard to not seriously consider pre-ordering The Book of the Dead this far in advance.

6. Cult Classic: Return to Whisper Vol. 1 (Vault Comics – Release Date: TBD 2018)

Vault Comics Cult Classic metaseries has kicked off with a tremendous start on the back of Return to Whisper. It has a kind of Fright Night aesthetic and energy infused with a Stephen King influenced plot that balances its humor and horror in equal measure. It is one of the most fun comics currently running. This is an easy recommendation for most comic fans. Time will tell, but this bodes well for the future of the Cult Classic line.

5. Long Lost Vol. 1 (Scout Comics – Release Date: June 27, 2018)

Long Lost has been promoted as Stranger Things meets Ghost World, but that doesn’t really do the series justice. It has been one of the most visually and narratively unique comics of 2017/2018. The series is the perfect example of the kinds of stories that indie publishers tell when at their best. It’s strange, it’s heartfelt, and it’s often haunting. Writer Matthew Erman and artist Lisa Sterle compliment one another perfectly. This story of two sisters reconciling the mysteries about their mother and their own childhood damage make for a stand out Southern gothic tale. 

4. Deathbed (Vertigo [[DC Comics]] – Release Date: TBD 2018)

This might seem premature, but the relaunch of the Vertigo line warrants deserved hype. Vertigo in decades past was like Young Animal is today, but somehow more unexpected and more trailblazing. Some of the best stories told in comic form came from the imprint, and Deathbed seems poised to vie for similar acclaim. Some of the violence so far has been over-the-top, but in a way that makes sense for the story being told.

3. The Ballad of Sang (Oni Press – Release Date TBD 2018)

The Ballad of Sang is, in no uncertain terms, awesome. It’s bombastic, hyperviolent, highly stylized storytelling. The first issue was one of the best comics of 2018 and the series should be on your radar. This is an easy recommendation for comic fans and non-comic fans alike. If you like 70’s yakuza films or Kill Bill then this is a kitana-sliced no-brainer, and a quick flip through the pages would let you know instantly if it is the kind of thing for you.

2. The Power of the Dark Crystal Vol. 2 (Archaia [BOOM! Comics] – April 24, 2018)

Surprising nobody, the conclusion to The Power of the Dark Crystal is an easy pick for a graphic novel to keep on your radar. The art and storytelling in this series is some of the best in all of comics during its year-long run.  The conclusion has been every bit as satisfying as the set-up, but you can read all about that in our review here!

1. DC/Young Animal: Milk Wars (Young Animal [DC Comics] – June 19, 2018)

Young Animal is the best thing happening in comics for two years running. Most of the titles that the Gerard Way-led imprint produces will be the comics that create comic fans for years to come. Comic book events are, almost as a rule, the worst. There are exceptions, as Hickman’s Secret Wars was an example of a straightforward event done right, as was DC’s Rebirth. That said, the endless tie-ins and events set to coincide with film releases leave readers drained. It doesn’t help the industry, and short-term rewards betray long-term reader investment.

Milk Wars is different. For starters, the event only really requires a knowledge of two or three of the involved titles, but also sets the stage for Young Animal’s 2018, which proves to be stranger and more isolated from the DC Universe. There’s a lot that could be written about Milk Wars, but it is probably best experienced blind. The quality and strangeness of its pages can’t be denied, and it earns the top recommendation from NRW.

The Jim Henson-verse of comics published by BOOM! Studios’ Archaia imprint have quietly become one of the most consistent string of series to follow after the remarkable showing that The Power of the Dark Crystal had in 2017 and that Labyrinth: Coronation #1 aims to continue. Si Spurrier, the writer of both series, is proving his position as one of the most reliable voices in comics for transporting readers to far off worlds to an extent that it’s hard to imagine these extensions of Jim Henson’s original groundbreaking work being written any other way. With art from the always great Daniel Bayliss, it’s hard to not to feel overly excited for this peek into the history of the Goblin King. Fortunately, this comic lives up to the hype that die-hard fans of the cult classic will undoubtedly bring.

Rather than beginning in Jareth’s past, Spurrier opts to begin midway through the plot of the film, which acts as a frame for him to recount his story to the infant Toby. This works for a few reasons. For one, it gives a readers something familiar to latch onto before diving into the brand new material, while also paying narrative homage to the story that made everything possible. It also gives Bayliss an opportunity to illustrate some of the incredible scenes that Henson so brilliantly envisioned, with the opening panel of the Oubliette being a prime example.

When Spurrier takes us back to Victorian Europe, it’s astonishing just how quickly he makes the Goblin King relatable and tragic. Jareth wasn’t born the Goblin King, and just like the original film used the iconic and fourth wall leaning audience of Goblins to relate to the audience that Sarah needs to wish Toby away, the goblins huddling around the panels of the comic and crouched in the page margins inform readers that Jareth, who is actually Albert, needs to wish to be the Goblin King for it to be so, and has been plagued by visions of the goblins and their world. It’s fascinating given the lines are drawn between Jareth and Sarah in the film, but also because it furthers the thematic idea that escapism and wish fulfillment have their limits. We know that this wish is bad for Jareth, but we also know it is inevitable. Of note, the scene also gives us some early interactions between Albert/Jareth and his love, the lower class Maria. These interactions so Albert being challenged by a strong-willed woman and the extent of his power over her being tested, as the movie takes to a greater length between Jareth and Sarah. It also immediately addresses the idea of rank and class. Jareth is of a higher social class of humans, and before long will be at the top of the caste of goblins.

Bayliss illustrates this all wonderfully, and his marriage of the elaborate world of the goblins with that of Victorian Venice is truly impressive. Also worth mentioning is Dan Jackson’s colors, which are strong in both their vibrancy and in the way he plays with lighting sources in a few scenes throughout. Overall, this is a comic that is an easy recommendation for fans of the movie, regardless of if they are typical comic readers. Its well-written and well-drawn, but best of all it is interesting. It takes full advantage of the medium in a way that many superhero comics often fail, and it is definitely a comic to have your eye on in the coming months.

4.5/5

Spencer & Locke #4 comes out July 19th, 2017.

Spencer & Locke #4 provides an emotional conclusion to the four-issue series and one thing is for certain — Augustus Locke will most definitely be harmed. The David Pepose-written and Jorge Santiago Jr.-drawn series has been the most consistent comic of the year and is a shoe-in for top three comics of 2017. With this final issue, the team, along with colorist Jasen Smith, deliver a satisfying conclusion with a second act that’s among the best comic moments of the year.

After the best Waterson-inspired cold open of the entire series, Locke and his anthropomorphized and by now largely explained panther Spencer pick up with their hunt for Locke’s father, Augustus Locke, in connection to the murder of Locke’s childhood sweetheart. The scenes that occupy the first two thirds of the book, and especially the middle third, are the peak of a series that continues to surprise and impress, even when its fourth issue already has high expectations. Thematically and tonally this issue has a lot in common with arguably Cowboy Bebop’s best episode “Ballad of Fallen Angels”. Like that episode, this comic balances excitingly between moody noir and action that wouldn’t seem out of place in a John Wu film. Pepose’s weaving of narration with dialogue and action is nothing short of masterful throughout the comic, and Santiago Jr. and Smith’s art is at the best that it has been for the entire series. The best art comes in the form of a splash of a wounded Locke walking into what seems to be a suicide mission and an individual panel of Hero, Sophie Jenkins’ daughter, holding stuffed-animal Spencer in one hand, a gun in the other, with a calm look on her blood-splattered face. The panel, despite being devoid of Locke and of an anthropomorphized Spencer, is probably the single most indicative of the atmosphere that has permeated the series.  

The series has never had a reliable narrator as Pepose has put us squarely in Locke’s POV from the first page. This biased perspective reaches a subtle peak as the comic concludes. Locke, fresh from murdering his drug lord father, finds himself confronting Principal Scabtree over the murder of Sophie Jenkins. There’s a lot to unpack in this resolution. For one, Sophie is no longer the embodiment of purity in Locke’s world. She was in cahoots with his father to sell drugs at the school where she worked. Locke, who has killed his mother, has just killed his father. The text implies that both parents deserved this fate, although the psychological toll on Locke is apparent. He gets away with both murders in a legal sense, but the mental damage he endures from it makes it clear that this is not necessarily ideal. He never turns himself in. He does, however, find it appropriate to apprehend Principal Scabtree for the murder of someone who was dealing drugs to children. There is an uneasy tone to the last few pages that seems to indicate that this is an intentional dissonance — with Scabtree’s condemnation that Locke is a “self-righteous prick” and that she was “doing what needed to be done” almost feeling justified to the reader. With the tone that Spencer & Locke has been imbued with since the first pages of Spencer & Locke #1, there was never going to be a conventionally happy ending to this story. In short, nothing could fix Locke. The ending does see Locke being, for lack of a better word, fine, and that’s enough for the kid who opens the issue with the heart wrenching “Everything hurts, Spencer. Everything hurts so much.”

Good comic series can be enjoyed on either an intellectual or an emotional level, with great comics being able to do both. It’s rare that a comic can do both so well and with such a laser-guided focus. The biggest drawback to this series has, from the onset, been the four-issue constraint. A lot of ground was covered in these four issues, and I don’t think readers are going to be ready to move on once they’ve finished this stellar conclusion.   

Spencer & Locke #4 – 4.5/5