There are always tons of new comic series to debut every year, and there are even more new issues, especially since new issues carry over series from previous years! (Because that’s how new issues work). There’s a lot to read. And in reading all of this content, there will be something that jumps out at you. An issue that for some reason just really hits you, like a chapter in a book or episode of a series. Even if the whole series isn’t phenomenal, this one issue might be. Or maybe the whole series is phenomenal but this issue goes even beyond that. That’s what we decided to write about here. That one issue of 2018 that just blew all the thousands of others away.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #310
Written and Drawn by: Chip Zdarsky
Imprint: Marvel
I’ve been reading Spider-Man for nearly 20 years. It hasn’t been consistent-I’ve jumped off and back on the wagon several times in the past two decades. While I’ve normally stuck to reading only Amazing, I’ve branched off a couple of times. However, the issue featuring Spider-Man came recommended to me by two people who have written for this site (Al Mannarino and Harry Jackson), and I cannot thank them enough.
Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #310 was both written and illustrated by Chip Zdarsky, who happened to be concluding his time working on the comic. In the issue, Zdarsky tells the tale of a documentary focusing on Spider-Man, using talking heads to tell stories that actually get told (in panel form) to the reader.
Brilliantly beginning and concluding this story in one issue, Zdarsky not only reminds us of why Spider-Man/Peter is one of the best superheroes in existence, he also finds a way to showcase how he’s a great person. He’s selfless. He sacrifices his time. He’s just a really good human being trying to do what’s right. And sometimes that doesn’t always work out for him, or people associated with him.
I downloaded this issue onto my Kindle when I first heard about it, and after I read it, I raced to the local comic book store to get a physical copy. It was the last one. I knew it was fate. I got it bagged and boarded, paid the employee, and walked out, happy that I was able to have it in that format. If I am ever to meet Chip in person, I will tell him how much this issue means to me.
I’m not lying when I say that Spectacular #310 made me break down into tears while I was reading the pages.. Zdarsky highlights why people….why I…love Spider-Man. It is a phenomenal story and one of the best I’ve ever read about the wallcrawler. It is no question as to why it’s my favorite issue of the year 2018. It’s perfect.
-Logan Fowler
Mister Miracle #12
Written by: Tom King
Art by: Mitch Gerards
Imprint: DC Comics
There really aren’t a lot of words to accurately describe Mister Miracle. At once a series about death and life, depression and joy, birth and rebirth, the four-color mythology of Jack Kirby was played against the mundanity of every day life and parenthood to produce one of the best comics series in ages.
But issue 12 will stick with me because it’s such an emotional send off to this iteration of the New Gods. Darkseid having been defeated, Big Barda and Scott Free slot into their new lives as parents and as the presumptive rulers of the idyllic New Genesis, though they’d trade all that royal pomp for just one more room on that condo. King’s poignant dialogue takes Scott Free – Mister Miracle – on a journey through those who have died over the course of the series. Each one offers their own insight on just what the story is about.
Has the death-defying escape artist truly escaped death? Is he in heaven? Hell? Can he escape the living hell that is anti-life? Or is this all a dream? Or, as thinly veiled Jack Kirby pastiche Oberon seems to ask, does any of it matter so long as we exist to feel it? It’s a lot to ask from 22 pages of comic. That the issue came out just days after Stan Lee’s passing, and contains character homaging – and critiquing – the larger than life publisher, feels even more prescient. He reminds us that with great power comes great possibility – a hint that this is not the end for these characters and a message for the reader. Throughout the issue, Gerards art hovers between realistic and Kirby-esque, milking the 9 panel grid for all its design and comedic worth, as well using repetition of panels or the subtle loss of background detail to play out our characters loss of space and place. Referencing layouts and positions from previous issue makes this feel like a capper to the series. It’s not just a final issue of a series, it’s the last issue, tying the whole thing in a unique bow.
King has stated that many of his books tell the same story – Sheriff of Babylon, The Vision, Batman, Heroes in Crisis – but there’s something about the finality of this issue, the actual resolution, that feels like King, like Scott Free, may have broken out of this particular “trap” by digging deeper and facing very real pain. A master class in telling stories in the comics medium in one book.
-Brian McNamara
Skyward #7
Written by: Joe Henderson
Art by: Lee Garbett
Imprint: Image Comics
My favorite issue of the year so far comes from the beginning of Volume 2 for Skyward. Issue #7 introduced some new concepts in the Low Gravity life that I would have never predicted.
I loved every second of this issue and learning about the insane plot twist that ensued from it. Navigating earth without gravity has tons of challenges within itself. I didn’t really think of how life would be in the country for people because so much of the comic focuses on Willa in the city.
Well, Issue #7 is where we get our first taste of country life. And, it
includes terrifying large carnivorous insects. In particular this issue focused on the beautiful but deadly dragonfly. The logic behind things made sense. Insects were able to thrive and grow. Insects that are already carnivorous ended up finding humans tasty. Essentially this twist was just something that made Volume 2 even more epic.
-Sheena Fisher
Pinpricks
Written and Illustrated by: Jason Pell
Imprint: Buhhousecomics
For my choice, instead of a single issue, I picked an original graphic novel. It is a singular entity and if you’re reading this I already wrote the thing so there’s no turning back now.
Pinpricks isn’t a normal graphic novel (you can also read my review on it here). It’s a compilation of very short stories accompanied by an illustration that depicts the character or punchline or both and it doesn’t focus on one character or place. Jason Pell’s art is so eerie and yet so beautiful.
But’s it’s a weird kind of beautiful. Like, there’s this image of these shadowed people looking at the moon and it would be a pretty scene if the moon didn’t have a huge grin full of gangly teeth. Even if you don’t notice the oddity right away, Pell’s art makes you feel like something isn’t right, then you read the narrative and confirm your suspicions but also makes you chuckle, like with Andy who dresses as a bear and strikes fear in the hearts of monsters.
Each story is different and dark in its own way – some will make you laugh, some will make you laugh but also feel kind of bad for laughing, and some will just leave you with chills. But I can assure you that each and every one is worth reading. I’m a pretty big horror fan, I watch a lot of horror movies and shows, and I’ve read a lot of horror literature; I feel like I’m a decent judge of good horror. Now, this is definitely more dark humor, gothic brand of horror, but its horror nonetheless.
Ok, ok, but what makes this the best to me, right? Well, it just spoke to me. Which is a super cliché thing to say, I know, but lines like “she held on to it as long as she could, but certain things belong to the wind”, that’s a deep thought. Lines like that stayed with me. This book is just so unique. I’ve read it a few times now and I’m sure I’ll read it again and each time there’s an image or a line that just sticks with me for a while and makes me think or sometimes just continually gives me a laugh. Plus, Pinpricks is right up my alley in terms of likes and interests. I love Tim Burton and Edward Gorey and I can see both of those styles in this book. It hits multiple layers for me.
-Rachel Freeman
We all read a lot of different titles so we had a lot of options. I think for some people maybe it’s easy, for others like myself, I was back and forth and back and forth on what I wanted to choose because there really are so many options. Ultimately though, myself and my co-writers made a decision that these issues (and ogn) struck us the most and deserved to be in the “Best of 2018” spotlight.
