I read a great many comic books, but there are always a few that are above the rest. The writing is 'on' and/or the art or the dialogue...sometimes comic book teams get into 'the zone' and the results are stunning. These are books I'm reading right now I think are doing it right:
1) LEGEND OF OZ: THE WICKED WEST- This is a western take on the world of Baum's world. There is this interesting blend of the Old West and the fantasy of Oz. I have been reading this comic from issue #1 of the limited series. It is now ongoing and the book is going strong. In fact it has been the longest run of good work I've seen in a long time...the team here is just doing an amazing job. I like the way the ongoing series has focused on characters other than Dorothy, and built up this mystery of what happened to her after her battle with the Wicked Witch. The dialogue is consistently good, the story lines are subtle and different. This isn't your classic action-hero comic book. But the real reason to read this book is the art. The visuals are ridiculous, beautiful beyond words. And the colors, my friends, the colors by Nei Ruffino are just insane. It may be the best colored comic book I've ever read, with only PROMETHEA in the same class. It is simply amazing.
2) MINIATURE JESUS- I just wrote an extended review of this, so I'll not recover that ground. Sufficed to say that this limited series is now one of my favorite comic book series of all time.
3) JUSTICE LEAGUE & JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA- The New 52s JUSTICE LEAGUE has been hit or miss for me for a long time. The best part of it has been the Superman/Wonder Woman love story and the back-up stories of SHAZAAM. But recently, with the advent of The "Trinity of Sin" story line, things are getting much more consistent. The art has been consistent all along. This is the best the JL has offered in a long time. JLA is more recent for New 52 and so far, so good. I love the characters they've chosen to bring together, and the recent conflict with the Justice League is shaping up to be very entertaining.
4) JUSTICE LEAGUE: DARK- I discovered the character Dead Man shortly before the end of the pre-New 52 universe. I loved the idea of a character that lives other people's lives, which is much like the show QUANTUM LEAP which I was a big fan of. I followed Dead Man in the New 52 and at first I was a little disappointed with the direction of the character. But when he joined JUSTICE LEAGE: DARK, it was all good. A collection of magical characters from around the DC universe, including Zatanna, Madame Xanadu and Constantine, this comic has had some surprisingly consistent writing. It is rare that a comic keeps fresh for more than a year, but this has been going on for more than that with great consistency. The stories are interesting, the dialogue is way above the average, but the art is the real draw here. The colors are incredible and the inking and penciling is fantastic. I am so impressed with this book.
5) EARTH 2- Yet another offering from DC's New 52, this follows a universe alternative to the main New 52 world. It is mostly made up of characters that used to be members of the Justice Society of America, a book I was in love with before the New 52 reboot. It is one of the best things DC has to offer, and I like it even more than the JUSTICE LEAGUE books. Alan Scott remains my favorite Green Lantern and while I didn't like the character being retconned into a homosexual, everything else about him has been good, especially aesthetically. I do not like Flash's aesthetic as much here, but everything else is spot on.
6) HUNGER- This is a new book from Marvel that follows a cross-universe incursion by Galactus, who has been transformed into an even more powerful and dangerous threat. Rick Jones has been infused with near ultimate power to face this new threat, and it is Jones' monologue that really makes this book work. There is this whole comedic aspect to the whole thing, but it is done subtly and doesn't overpower the writing. Two issues in: so far, so good. This is a good one to check out now.
7) THANOS RISING- A prequal to Thanos' ongoing marvel adventures, this book tells the story of Thanos' early years as serial killer and space pirate, as he begins his sick relationship with the embodiment of death. This is a dark, dark book and not for children. The story is riveting, though the dialogue is hit and miss. The art is not great, and this book deserved better. Still, it is an exciting exploration of a very interesting character.
8) GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY- This is, in my opinion, the best thing Marvel has going right now. The dialogue is so much better than what I've read in some of the other books. The art is pretty good and the story lines have been pretty good. This "Avengers In Space" book has a lot going on, but the various threads are held in a good creative tension. Good stuff.
9) WONDERLAND: ONGOING- Some of the early WONDERLAND limited series were very, very good. More recently, those limited series have been more middle of the road. I wonder if it is because the talent went to the ongoing series. WONDERLAND is a macabre but exciting exploration of Zenescope's ALICE IN WONDERLAND vision. Dark, twisted, but always interesting, this book really does what it sets out to do. The dialogue can be weak at times, but the storylines and art are fantastic.
10: ROBYN HOOD: WANTED- This is the second ROBYN HOOD limited series. The first remains one of the best things I've read from Zenescope. This exploration of a girl broken by life but awakened to a greater destiny and a world beyond her imagination continues to entertain, though it is not as good as what came before. More than worth checking out.
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