Comics of the Year

Best Comic Series of the Year

*Tie* Sweet Tooth and Chew


When I got to thinking about which comic series has stood out the most to me this pat year, my thoughts were instantly drawn to Chew and Sweet Tooth. I feel indecisive in saying that these two comics tie, but I really cant say that one stands above the other. It is a special week when I have an issue of Chew or Sweet Tooth waiting for me in my pull box. If they ever happen to come out on the same Wednesday, I might just keel over from excitement. Aside from being totally awesome, the two comics share some common traits: Both comics are consistently entertaining. Both feature fantastic writing a great art. Both follow a consistent publication schedule, (when reading a story in small episodes, it is really nice to not have to wait too long to see what happens next). On top of all that, they consistently leave me wanting more.


Aside from the adherence to high quality that both titles share, the two comics are quite different from one another.

Sweet Tooth takes place in a post apocalyptic world where most everyone is dead and the newborn children are born as human/animal hybrids. The story follows Gus, a hybrid child and Jeppard, a man trying to survive in the changed world. I don't want to give too much away for people who haven't read the series, but I will say that Writer/Artist Jeff Lemire manages to make his characters unforgettable, the story deeply moving and emotional, and the art moody and cinematic. Sweet Tooth is a dramatic, tense story that unfolds slowly and always leaves me wanting more.

Chew on the other hand, is a comedy at heart. The story takes place in a world where an avian flu has killed millions, causing a chicken prohibition. (Some food lovers could argue that a world without chicken dinner is also apocalyptic...) Our hero Tony Chu, is an FDA agent with a secret. He's cibopathic, meaning he gets psychic impressions from the foods he eats, which makes him a damn fine detective. Too bad his FDA boss hates his ass and sticks him on the strangest, most bizzare cases. This comic features the talented creative team of writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory. Keeping the story fresh, and fun seems to be their priority, oh yeah, that and putting poor Tony through the wringer whenever possible. I always get a good laugh out of each issue, but this ain't no one trick pony. Chew features some solid mystery and sci-fi elements as well, and Layman certainly seems to have a good idea as to where he wants the series to go. Excellent stuff.

I can't say enough good things about these two comics. I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both of these titles in the same spot next year.


Best Single Issue of the Year

The Unwritten #17


Yep, I flippin' loved to read Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid. I would read one of those bad boys until I had achieved nearly every possible scenario the book offered, then read it again. When I heard that the folks behind The Unwritten were going to make a comic in the Choose Your Own Adventure style, I knew I'd have to own it. Keep in mind I don't read The Unwritten, and wasn't a fan of the first trade. So a single issue from a comic series I've ruled out has to be pretty special, but this one had the power of nostalgia backing it up. Of course, the issue could have totally sucked, and they could have flubbed the concept. But they didn't. The creative team really made this issue amazing. Not only do they pull off the CYOA concept but they also manage to include a great story in the process. This one was lots of fun, and hands down my best single issue of the year.

Honorable Mention:

Neonomicon #2: I'm still having nightmares from that one.

The Sixth Gun #6: The most awesomeness packed into one issue.

Comic Quickies

American Vampire #6: The sixth issue of American Vampire is the first issue without the writing skills of Stephen King. King was only around for the opening run of five issues, and now it is up to Scott Snyder to merge the two story lines of Skinnner Sweet and Pearl Jones. This issue introduces a new character, Las Vegas chief of Police, Cash McCoogan. The whole issue essentially sets up this new character, and you get the sense that He'll be directly opposed to whatever kind of things the vampires have planned for Vegas.

Though the comic features some absolutely beautiful art drawn by Raphael Albuquerque, and some solid writing as well, I officially dropped this series following this issue. I think I am just sick of vampires, even ones that are bad-ass, and not sparkly. I never felt that feeling of being sucked in by this comic. A fair shot was given, but alas, no more for me.



Nemesis #3: Nemesis is another title I am sort of on the fence as to whether or not I'm in love with it. The difference though is this one is a 4 issue miniseries. Like most Mark Millar projects I've experienced, the focus seems to be more on style and glitz than form and substance. But damn does this book look good! McNiven is a great artist, and his work is greatly complimented by the great color work done by Dave McCaig. (It seems like whenever I notice how nice the colors are in a comic, they are done my McCaig.) Nemesis is truly a sight to behold. The prison fight in particular is fucking amazing.

Each one of these issues has left me excited for the next, and I'm particularly piqued for the final issue. I cant really predict where all the pieces will lie when it is all said and done, but chances are it will be a bloody, brutal gut wrenching finale.



The Unwritten #17: I'm not a regular reader of The Unwritten but there is no way in hell I can pass up the chance to read a Choose Your Own Adventure style comic! Without a doubt, this is the coolest single issue of a comic I've read so far this year. When I was a kid, I loved the Choose Your Own Adventure books. The concept is simple, yet pretty brilliant, and it is pulled of perfectly here.

On my initial read, I tried to make decisions that would lead the story in the most interesting direction, though not necessarily the decisions I would personally make given similar circumstances. By this decision making method, I felt like I read the story line that was meant to be delivered by the writers, Mike Carey and Peter Gross. I did finish up on the final page of comic after it was all said and done, which is a win in my book.

The great thing about this comic is that it could be read and re-read over and over, with different possible outcomes. Not a bad deal for $3.99. Worth checking out even if you don't read the comic regularly.



Skull Kickers #1: First off, great title for a comic! Not only that, but there is literally a Skull Kicking on the second page! The basis for this one is two mercenaries, their names haven't been mentioned yet, don't get paid for a job they did, and while attempting to make some money on a smash-and-grab job get tied up in something bigger than they expected.

The mercenary duo comprise of a hack first, ask questions later dwarf, and a tank-like human with a gun. Though it takes place in a medieval setting, no one seems to notice the oddness of that particular item. Skull Kickers is a fantasy-action comic through and through with a nice touch of spicy sassyness added to the mix. They managed to sneak in a penciler switcheroo mid-comic, but it is tough to notice as the art styles are quite similar. Solid debut overall, and one I'll likely continue to follow for a bit.

Review: The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity

The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity is the first volume of a comic series written by Mike Carey and drawn by Peter Gross.

Tommy Taylor is the star of a Harry Potter-esque fantasy series that has become a major cultural phenomenon. Fans of the series gather at conventions, online message boards, even join cults to celebrate the series. All the fans hope that the writer, Wilson Taylor, who has gone missing for a few years, will return and write another book. In the meantime, Tom Taylor, son of the author, and inspirado for the fictional Tommy, signs autographs at conventions, and makes money off his connection to the beloved series.

However, word gets out that Tom may just be some kid that Wilson Taylor hired away from a Bosnian refugee family in order to help promote his books. Then he gets abducted and nearly blown to bits by a villain from his father's books. As the lines between Tom's life and the books written by his father begin to blur, Tom gets caught up in events that seem to way over his head.

Let me start by saying that I was not a fan of The Unwritten. The first problem was that I never found myself invested in the characters. Tom Taylor is douche. He looks like a young Charlie Sheen, and even wears the same shitty shirts Sheen wears on that show Two and a Half Men. I instantly had no respect for the guy. I mean, he makes a living signing autographs and making paid appearances thanks to the fact that his Dad wrote a bunch of really popular books, and has the same name as the main character. Zero talent and zero integrity. The other characters in the book are barely there, and are completely forgettable.

The second problem was that I never was able to get invested in the plot. On the surface it sounds interesting...it was why I bought the book in the first place, but the writing never drew me in. There was nothing there to capture me. No hook. Usually a good graphic novel will have something that makes me crave more, but there was none of that here. Instead I found myself wearily plodding along, waiting for the moment where I would fall into the world Carey had created. That moment never came.


The third problem I had was that the artwork was pretty underwhelming. The art is very plain and untextured. Many of the panels were very bland without much to look at, and the more interesting drawings I would consider mediocre for other graphic novels. The thing that really bugged me was how lame the bad guys looked. I could never take them very seriously thanks to the fact that they looked so damn cheesy. Art is an integral part of the graphic novel format, and it totally fell flat for me in this one.

To put it in a nutshell, The Unwritten failed on all accounts for me. Bad characters, uninteresting plot, and poor art. I will not be returning to this series again.

I realize that this review may sound overly harsh, but unfortunately, I don't have anything positive to say about this graphic novel. I am also aware that my opinion is most definitely in the minority, as this comic has been a critical success, and is extremely popular among the comic buying crowd. It also is up for multiple Eisner Awards, which means somebody out there likes it. So maybe I'm just crazy...but I'm sticking to my opinion.

Grade: D-