10. Bug!

Source: DC Comics

DC’s Young Animal line of comics is in 2017 what Image comics was in years past — acting as the cool and alternative brand of comics that can quickly let a room know how hip you are, even if this brand is a subset of one of the Big Two. Similarly to how the US network the CW uses superhero shows to pay the bills of its less watched, more mature content, DC’s more mainstream superhero comics allow Young Animal curator Gerard Way and his band of innovative comic creators to do much the same with a punk rock and experimental aesthetic. Few comics encapsulate what makes Young Animal as enticing as it is as Bug!: The Adventures of Forager has enough psychedelic mind bending wrapped in an Andy Warhol-meets-early-80’s-heroics that it’s obvious that writer Lee Allred and artist Mike Allred have made something special.

9. Robotech

Source: Den of Geek

After Gundam, few science fiction space opera anime have more prestige, acclaim, or following than Robotech. Titan Comics’ series returning to that iconic world has been filled with strong art from Marco Turini, but it’s Brian Wood’s writing that really puts the series into the next level of comics, to the point that it no longer feels like a licensed comic and becomes closer to essential reading for fans.

8. Misfit City

Source: Comixology

We covered Misfit City back when it debuted, and the Goonies-esque charm that the series revels in has only gotten stronger with time, as the incorporation of Astoria inspiration and post-Goonies reference points has created a world that NRW readers wouldn’t be able to help being won over by. What makes this comic truly great, however, is the cast of characters, a group of, well, misfits that would make any setting or plot instantly believable.

7. The Kamandi Challenge

Source: Weird Science DC Comics

The form that The Kamandi Challenge takes and the process by which it was made is arguably more impressive than the stories or art that it contains, but the strength of the stories and images shouldn’t be overlooked. This book saw an ever-rotating buffet of artists and writers giving love to an oft-overlooked DC character, and all in honor of Jack Kirby, a man whose influence on the medium is felt in nearly every facet of the artform today.

6. Black Hammer

Source: Twitter

Ever since Watchmen laid waste to the barrier between comics as pulpy fiction and literary narratives, a lot of comics have tried to take that post-modern torch and run with it to varying degrees of success, but few felt as true of successors to Alan Moore’s savage deconstruction of caped heroes quite like Jeff Lemire’s Black Hammer. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Lemire’s work on Bloodshot Reborn and The Nobody already proved that he’s one of the best comic writers of his generation. A memorable cast of characters makes this post-hero age series on of the most exciting comics of 2017.

5. Silver Surfer

Source: My Free Wallpapers

Few titles have warrented double takes when glancing at covers quite like Dan Slott’s Silver Surfer. From the cover to the core, Silver Surfer nails its aesthetic, which takes equal inspiration from Jim Starlin’s classic Marvel cosmic stories and Jack Kirby. Slott’s tale of the former herald of Galactus has been described as a “cosmic romance”, and its hard not to get hooked by the exciting story that he started around two years ago and finished this year.

4. Big Trouble in Little China / Escape From New York

Source: Screen Rant

This comic didn’t need to be as good as it was. In many ways, it had no business being as good as it was. From #1 to #6, the team behind the Big Trouble in Little Chine / Escape From New York crossover took the ball and ran with it. The two source materials are some of John Carpenter’s most tonally different titles, but a strong comedic sensibility, kinetic art, and lush coloring made this comic make sense, where a lesser creative team would have simply made fanfiction. It’s short, it’s sweet, and, above all, its a fulfilling comic.

3. Doom Patrol

Source: DC Comics

If Bug! was the sleeper hit of the Young Animal line, Doom Patrol has been its blockbuster. Penned by Young Animal curator Gerard Way, who is quickly making his work in My Chemical Romance something of a footnote in his comic book career, delivers a story that is a more than rightful heir to the throne vacated when Grant Morrison left the title decades ago. Doom Patrol is hard to summarize as far as plot goes, but instantly understandable when you jump into any issue. The narrative jazz is accompanied perfectly by the same kind of retro aesthetic that dominates Young Animal titles, but that feels particularly appropriate in this book.

2. Mech Cadet Yu

Source: Syfy

Mech Cadet Yu is a special comic. That might sound overly sentimental, but its hard to read it and not feel like you have something rare in front of your eyes. It has the kind of timelessness and immediate immersiveness that would make most science fiction stories envious. Greg Pak write protagonists with huge amounts of relatability as rule, but with Mech Cadet Yu, he delivers his best work as a writer.

1. The Power of the Dark Crystal

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Here’s a brutally honest opinion from somebody who reads way too many liscenced comics. Most comics that act as supplements to other forms of media are garbage. The comics on this list are exceptions, and this year few comics were as exceptional as The Power of the Dark Crystal. Not only was this comic the best retro-inspired comic series of 2017, it was, like the previous three entries on this list, one of the best comics in general of the entire year. Not only has author Simon Spurrier made the world that Jim Henson created feel as real and full of intricacies and stories in a way that only Henson himself was able to with the source material, but the art team of Kelly and Nichole Matthews has created one of the most visually impressive and gorgeous looking books in recent years, and one which fans of stories in general should read.

Whilst we’re all waiting for CD Projekt Red to release more info about its Blade-Runner-ish new title Cyberpunk 2077, it’s worth remembering the greatest highlights of the last few games that sport the wonderful Retro-Synth aesthetic. Because of their unique artstyle, colour, direction and soundtracks these games have lasted the test of time, and have great replay value today.

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon (2013, Ubisoft)

(images from Steam)

Released as a spin-off DLC sized spin on Ubisoft’s earlier released title “Far Cry 3”, Blood Dragon sports everything we love. Neon lights, sexy action, references to our favourite 80’s flicks, and best of all, a retrowave soundtrack composed by Australian duo “Power Glove”.
Although short in length, Blood Dragon makes up for everything in personality. A terrific ambient soundtrack accompanies you through your conquest of a Dystopian island occupied by warlord Sloan, set during 2007 after “Vietnam War II”. The game is laden with low brow comedy, and tasteful graphics and animation that just hits every mark.

(images from Steam)

Getting passed the reliance on Far Cry 3’s release, everything in Blood Dragon is a throw to something we’ve come to love – the badass weapons, the side-quests, VHS tapes as collector’s items and a sexy heroes journey involving a crazy amount of neon lights.

This all goes without saying the terrific soundtrack Power Glove composed for this game – it sets scenes perfectly and keeps tension to an outrun-pace, almost as if you’re watching a Neo-Topian movie, but where all the explosions and death are your doing.

It’s an amazing experience, and should definitely be picked up by any lover of the aesthetic.

Hotline Miami
(2012, Devolver Digital)

(images from Steam)

Hotline Miami is a legend of indie-games. Widely acclaimed all over the world, the 2012 indie title transcends the typical mold for a game of its type.

Again, it’s everything we love. Hectic, immersive action, an art-style that reels the player in, and a soundtrack that just makes hair stand on its own, featuring artists such as M O O N, El Huervo and Perturbator. Hotline Miami is a surreal, psychedelic top-down action game, involving crazy amounts of gore and violence – if by some chance you haven’t graced this masterpiece, you need to.

Hotline Miami takes queues from drug and gore ridden movies and TV shows of the 70’s through to the 90’s. But that’s just in the creation of the aesthetic, beyond this Hotline Miami crafts its own mold of high-voltage gameplay that causes blood curdling, teeth grinding and brain frying.

The soundtrack tops it all off. If id Software’s 2016 DOOM (4) was to be praised for its action-audio synchronization, then Hotline Miami beat it to the punch. The beat-heavy, synth-ridden, guitar strumming soundtrack that plays in the background whilst you blow away at criminals and bodyguards makes you want to align every gunshot and melee strike up with the music.

This game is nothing short of a masterpiece. It’s worth your time.

VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action (2016, Sukeban Games)

(images from Steam)

Less-heard of, but definitely worth the mention, is VA-11 HALL-A, a 2016 title with a lighter tone than previous titles mentioned.

Rather than immersing the player in layers of violence, gore and chaos, VA-11 HALL-A takes a different turn, being more of a choice-based visual novel involving well drawn art, conversations, mixing drinks and a Shibe lead character. VA-11 HALL-A has a terrific immersive soundtrack, not leaning more into the Outrun scene, but functioning as a nice backdrop to the roleplay as a Cyber-Bartender. The game itself relies more on its character design and comedy, and it does both greatly.                                          

Make no mistake, VA-11 HALL-A is no outrun-heavy action thriller where you kill everything, enjoy the sounds, love the lights and move on – it has more of a chill vibe to it. Imagine yourself behind the bar of a Neo-Tokyo cocktail bar in a dystopian, comic-y world that takes queues from sci-fi, whilst keeping up a decent comedic tone, with a lineup of memorable characters. That’s essentially what you’ve got here.

The music doesn’t speed up your cocktail shaking or anything, it’s more of an ambient thing to remind you of the setting, and it’s a great listen, and really adds to the experience.

It’s a great game, and well worth its value.

 Deus Ex: Human Revolution (2011, Eidos Montreal)

(Images from Steam, game was remastered in 2013)

No list of retrowave games can go without Deus Ex: HR. Adam Jensen’s iconic line “I Never Asked For This” is enough to reel an unsuspecting gamer into the immersive universe of Deus Ex, but under the surface level of this epic game is everything we love about our aesthetic – a brilliant storyline, awesome action, and an immersive soundtrack that traps the player in the universe of this Blade Runner-inspired epic, complimented by visuals and art style.

Deus Ex takes a more serious, narrative driven approach than the other games on this list. It bends the aesthetic in its own, unique direction, picking up an orange and murky-grey hue over bright purples and pinks. It takes massive influence from the sci-fi’s of old, creating a unique dystopian storyline,

enhanced by every element of the game – needless to say the music, but also through player choices; you don’t need to kill anybody except bosses throughout the whole game, and you are often put into tense negotiation scenes.

But back to what we love – the soundtrack. It’s insane, and creates immersive, epic tension, and reaffirms the player’s choices no matter if they’re more pacifistic, ham fisted, or an action hero type.

You definitely need to pick up this masterpiece.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

(Images from Steam)

(2003, Rockstar Games)

Vice City was Rockstar Games’ love letter to the gritty, gory, drug ridden Miami-set action flicks of the 70’s and 80’s, taking major queues from Scarface and Miami Vice. It’s much more dated than the others on this this, but worthy of at least an honorable mention.

You’re in the control of Tommy Vercetti, a memorable player character within the Grand Theft Auto franchise, and a ruthless gangster in the drug-fuelled Vice City, based on Miami. You’ve got Lamborghini’s, Ferrari’s, Uzi’s and Helicopters at your disposal.

It’s an old game, in every respect of the title, but two elements of the game transcend age. Artstyle and soundtrack.

GTA Vice City used pinkish hues and eye-catching dominant fluoro-ish colours to enhance its graphics. Cutting edge in 2003, however less-so now, it can’t be denied that there is an aesthetic quality and personality to this game.

Soundtrack wise the same is true. Vice City doesn’t contain outrun and modern Retrowave and Synthwave artists – it’s a time-period piece. Video Killed The Radio Star, Billie Jean, classic songs that are intrinsically linked to our aesthetic make up the soundtrack to the game.
You might not appreciate it as much as somebody with sever nostalgia, but Vice City is a classic.

The games here are shining beacons of sound and artstyle. Insanely fun, beautiful in design, and well molded into their own directions, with unique soundtracks that fit perfectly.

Written by Zachariah Kelly

In response to unknown person opening fake account, I have had to set up a real one here to archive all material: https://t.co/okJuaqgsXD pic.twitter.com/LEP5vIXGdB

— MPM Soundtracks 1982 (@mpmsoundtracks) February 8, 2017

Listen to these gems

by Filip Galetic

Jordan F. delights with the latest record that ranks up with the best examples of Outrun Synthwave sub-genre.

Outrun fans will rejoice hearing the steaming fresh new LP by Sydney’s Jordan F. Its quintessential Rosso Corsa sound will feel right at home on your playlist that already has Lazerhawk and Miami Nights 1984 on it.

The record starts with the epic “Abandon Streets” that at the whopping 10 and a half minutes provides a mini journey of its own with flashes of gelled up hair, sleek wet-rain sports cars, neon lipstick and danger.

The track offers plenty of drama, adrenaline soaked sections alternating with quieter bridges, all coated in a rolling arpeggiated bass line.

The second track, “Take Flight” has an uplifting and emotional progression with a cinematic flair.

“Into the Night” is the first stand out track of the album with an infectious fade in and main hook that compares to such Rosso Corsa classics such as Miami Nights 1984 “Saved by the Bell” or Lost Years’ “Storm”. It only loses a bit of momentum in the middle of the track but quickly recovers.

Track nr. 4, starts off softly, aptly to its name “Space Romance”. One minute into the song, and you’re in for a pure synth bliss with a gentle but unrelenting riff carrying you through.

“Nightwave” is the fifth track and it brings back some of the thrill into the album with a heart pounding mix of deep synth bass and undulating lead.

In track nr. 6, we seem to go back into the more romantic territory. The track’s name “Hologram Rose” is a reference to the 1976 short story by William Gibson. The story tells of a man who in a bleak future uses sense-recordings of his ex-lover to be able to fall asleep. I haven’t read it but the track does convey that poignant sensibility this story might possess.

Second stand out track of the album, “So Close” immediately hits you with those haunting reverb-y synths in the background and builds up an aural image of some kind of futuristic intrigue playing out before your eyes.

The album closes by making a full circle: here we have a Part II to the opening track. The sequel takes the motifs from the filmic opener and plays around with them in new ways.

All in all, “Slipstream” delivers that signature Rosso Corsa Records sound in droves and is primarily mandatory listening for the fans of this particular subgenre of synth wave. For those looking for something new and cutting edge, this might not be the best choice but you certainly cannot deny Jordan F.’s ability to come close to the masters with his sound and provide some very striking auditory imagery.

LISTEN AND PURCHASE HERE!

<a href=”http://rossocorsarecords.bandcamp.com/album/slipstream”>Slipstream by Jordan F</a>