The year is nearly over, and you know what that means! Time to look back and see what comics 2023 had to offer, and which ones were my personal favs! Here are ten books (in no particular order) that you should check out from the past year!
Black Cloak Volume 01 by Kelly Thompson and Meredith McClaren
I am a huge fan of both Kelly Thompson (West Coast Avengers, Deadpool) and Meredith McClaren (Hinges, Heart in a Box) separately, but them coming together on this book was a dream come true! Set in the last city on earth; magic, science, and a monarchy are the only things stopping chaos from tearing through the streets. The story follows Essex and Pax, two Black Cloak investigators as they search for the murderer of the prince. In the wake of the investigation, dark secrets are revealed about the ruling class and their court that Essex and Pax must deal with while keeping some secrets of their own. If you’re a fan of sci-fi/fantasy, mystery, and royal drama, definitely check out Black Cloak!
Minor Threats Volume 01 by Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, and Scott Hepburn
What initially piqued my interest about this book was the fact that comedian/actor Patton Oswalt (M.O.D.O.K., Ratatouille) was writing a comic. I’m usually skeptical about celebrity written comic projects as they’re usually pretty hit or miss, but Minor Threats was a home run! The story revolves around C-list super villain Playtime trying to get her life back together after a stint in prison. This is quickly derailed however, as the Stick Man kills the beloved sidekick of a prominent superhero, the Insomniac. This causes the Continuum (this universe’s version of the Justice League) to start tearing apart the city looking for any clues they can find about the Stick Man’s whereabouts, before the Insomniac can kill him. With a reward out for the capture of the Stick Man, Playtime gathers up her fellow C-Lister villains and puts together a team to track down the Stick Man before anyone else is hurt (or collects the reward). Comedic, dark, and philosophical, this is a fantastic read for people who love non-traditional superhero stories.
Where Monsters Lie by Kyle Starks and Piotr Kowalski
What do your favorite slasher movie monsters do when they aren’t out terrorizing teens? Why, they stay at the secluded and picturesque community of Wilmhurst of course! Equal parts comedy and horror, this colorful cast of slasher flick stereotypes are having a pleasant time in the offseason. That is until one of their victims escapes and tells the police the location of their sleepy little hamlet. Madness ensues, and saying any more about the book would just spoil the fun! If you like horror, slashers, comedy, and cheesy 80’s one liners, you won’t be disappointed that you picked up this book.
Zatanna and the Ripper Book 01 by Sarah Dealy, Rachel Koo, and Syro
I love Zatanna as a character, and the number of comics focusing on her in recent years has been sorely lacking. Originally released on Webtoons, Zatanna and the Ripper follows a young Zatanna just coming to grips with her magical abilities. After a performance on her 21st birthday with her father, Giovani Zatarra, she stumbles upon him fighting a mysterious sorceress and is flung into a portal when their magic clashes. This portal sends Zatanna to Whitechapel London in the year 1888, right smack dab in the middle of the Jack the Ripper killing spree! But there’s something going on with Zatanna’s magic, and the Ripper might have something to do with it. Navigating the streets of Victorian London, Zatanna must fix her magic and find her way home. If you like Zatanna, and have been starving for more of her comics like I have, you’ll love this fresh look at DC’s favorite sorceress!
The Forged Volume 01 by Greg Rucka, Eric Trautmann, and Mike Henderson
Do you like space operas, genetically modified clone marines, and deep lore that keeps getting deeper? Then you’ll love The Forged! Beautiful art, expertly crafted story-telling, and badass space marines, this book has it all! The book takes place in an ever expanding Eternal Empire, spreading its way out across the galaxy as the only intelligent life around. The Forged are a highly skilled, expertly trained group of exo-suit wearing super-soldiers cloned from the genetic material of the Eternal Empress herself tasked with special missions in service to the empire. When a group of Forged are dispatched on a recovery mission into uncharted space, things go from bad to worse. On top of a gripping plot, every issue has expansive lore following the story in the form of military documents, news articles, and scholarly readings set in the universe. A perfect blend of intrigue and information leaves you wanting more!
Unstoppable Doom Patrol by Dennis Culver, Chris Burnham, and David Lafuente
It’s no secret that the Doom Patrol are my favorite superhero team of all time, and this book lives up to all of my expectations as a super-fan! In the wake of the Lazarus rain (from the Lazarus Planet DC event), people around the world are getting powers, and organizations are popping up to exploit them. Enter the Doom Patrol! An old yet fresh iteration of the team led by Crazy Jane’s new personality, Chief, the Doom Patrol’s mission is to find these new meta-human’s and give them a safe place to harness their abilities. Robotman, Elastiwoman, and Negative Man are joined by newcomers, Beast Girl (who has the ability to control people’s emotions through pheromones), and Degenerate (the more rude and obnoxious he gets the stronger he is). Fighting enemies new and old, the Doom Patrol want to make a place for the weirdos of the world to feel safe. With enough background for new readers and references for old fans, Unstoppable Doom Patrol is the perfect weird superhero romp that you’d come to expect out of DC’s strangest team.
Spider-Man 2099 Dark Genesis by Steve Orlando, and Justin Mason
The 2099 universe has been expanding in the last few years, and with the edition of Dark Genesis comes new heroes and villains in Nueva York! Spider-Man has taken down the tyrannical upper-crust black cards, but in the power vacuum that’s been created rises a new kind of terror. Enter Carnage 2099! Fueling the civil unrest that was already present, Carnage wants chaos. Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Venom, and Moon Knight all band together to help stop this menace before Nueva York goes up in flames. Bright lights, corrupt corporations, and neo-futuristic lingo, this book has everything that made the original 2099 great, and continues to expand on the mythos of the Marvels of the future.
Chainsaw Man Volumes 13 & 14 by Tatsuki Fujimoto
Chainsaw Man is back with two fantastic new volumes! Volume 11 of the series ended the first arc, and could’ve been a nice ending to the story as a whole, but I’m glad Fujimoto decided to continue the series! New devils, interesting characters, plenty of action, and a healthy helping of emotions, make this an explosive start to a new arc! Denji is his usual loveable dumb self, and we even get a new main character in the form of Asa Mitaka, a student who hates Chainsaw Man and wants to become a devil hunter to kill him. If you enjoyed the last arc, you’re going to love the new direction these volumes take!
It’s Jeff and It’s Jeff Jeff-verse by Kelly Thompson, and Gurihiru
Everyone’s favorite loveable land-shark makes his solo debut with 2 fantastic issues! Originally presented online as mini-comics, these print editions collect over 24 stories of adorable goodness. Perfect for all ages, follow Jeff as he trounces across the Marvel universe, eats snacks, and saves the day!
Deadpool Volumes 01 & 02 by Alyssa Wong, Martin Coccolo, Geoff Shaw, Javier Pina, and Luigi Zagaria
Marvel’s merc with a mouth wants to make a name for himself, and what better way to do that then to try out for a secret elite assassin organization! The Atelier want Wade to take out a target in order to be accepted into their ranks, and it’s none other than Otto Octavius! But things don’t quite go the way they’re meant to, and Wade ends up in the hands of an evil scientist that seeds him with a fragment of the Carnage symbiote. On top of everything, Wade falls head over heels for one of the Atelier, Valentine Vuong, and they fall right back for him! A tale of love, blood, and assassins, this Deadpool series is the best in ages!
There you have it! Another year in the books, and plenty of reading material to catch up on. There’s plenty to look forward to, but it’s also nice to look back. So snuggle up by the fire, and crack open a comic book!
