Top 5 Comics of 2014

Come one come all. Step right up. Feast your eyes upon the greatest comics of the year! Feel free to leave responses and you can find every book linked to Amazon.com.

5. Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man

I love Spider-Man. The ultimate universe is a really fun alternate reality to the traditional 616 universe. I was first introduced to Miles Morales in Bendis' Spider-Men. He isn't a Peter Parker, his background and youth contribute to a read that is different than what you will find in Amazing Spider-Man. Miles has a great supporting cast of family and friends. This volume has been dealing with some fallout from the previous volumes involving Peter Parker. The great nemesis, Norman Osborn, is back and with a threat that Yrl gna brn, (You're all gonna burn.) The great responsibility that comes with great power falls on Miles and he rushes to the scene. Let's jump back a bit, Miles' story is so different than that of Peter's. That's what makes this story interesting. Miles' family situation is the complete opposite of Peter's. No longer does an orphan run the show. Miles does live and study at a boarding school which allows him to sneak around at night but still have someone to go home to on the weekends for a home cooked meal. The villains that are introduced when Miles dons the suit are fresh and fun reinventions of classic Spider-Man villains. Most notably, Scorpion makes his way up from Mexico to deal with a matter in NYC, establishing a territory and give Kingpin a run for him money. Traditional Spider-Man fans will find enough common ground here to stay for the ride that Bendis crafts for his readers. Interested readers can begin the journey with Miles at the beginning.

4. Black Science

Rick Remender handles science fiction like a milk maid handles udders. Care, expertise, and finesse are evident with everything that Remender touches. From my early reads of Uncanny X-Force to Fear Agent and his Venom book that was my doorway to comics, I have enjoyed everything that Remender has put out. Black Science is a fresh take in science fiction. Protagonist Grant Mckay leads a team of Anarchist League of Scientist through a plethora of dimensions using a machine cleverly labeled the Onion. The real story is the characters. The situations they found themselves in draws out the personality of each. There is a few tales going on in this book. Grant has his tale, Grant's kids, Nathan and Pia, and the boss Kadir. Remender's writing is fast and gripping. Each issue is packed full of glorious story and the art work is amazingly complimentary. Matteo Scalera provides detailed illustrations of these great characters, not to mention the actual sci-fi worlds these people are transported to. I love the way that Scalera draws. His characters are unique and fun. They are expressive and vibrant. Each scene is packed with detail and little things to look at. In the first issue alone I spent more time scanning the art than reading the dialogue. This tale moves fast and once Remender establishes the norm, he quickly tips the boat and leaves everything clinging to the side. Black Science is an amazing read and just keeps on getting better.

3. Nailbiter

Nailbiter fills me with such joy. Joshua Williamson blends genres together with such talent that it makes the card Polymerization obsolete. Nailbiter melts horror and mystery together with a sense of thrill to form a delicious dish that is best read in the dark. Now, I hate horror movies, I was even scared of The Mummy when I was a kid. This book totally grips me. The mystery of Buckaroo Oregon starts the story off and more is piled on each issue. Buckaroo is the town where 16 of the worlds' most vile serial killers were born. What is it about this town that causes these people to become killers? That is the mystery! Williamson's characters are fun to read and when they die, still a joy. He crafts characters that you can connect with and an environment that feels like it is straight out of a Hollywood production. I haven't had this much fun reading a comic in a long time. Each issue flows well together and carries the story along well. The art is also beautiful and not gory in the slightest, yes, there are bodies and violence, yet I do not find it upsetting. Nailbiter is a really cool book that is doing some really awesome things with this medium. If you like horror or are even up for a good mystery check this book out!

2. Invincible

Before I use my words....take a look up there ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Just look at how beautiful that is. Imagine that beauty represented in story, art, colors, EVERYTHING about this comic. I started reading Invincible two summers ago. I devoured the ultimate collections like bags of peanuts. Robert Kirkman is a master of this trade. When it comes to writing, Kirkman is a genius. The amount of threads that lay dormant to be picked up issues and issues later shocks me. The trash bag still makes me crack up! I love this book. The art is fantastic! Ryan Ottley is a beast. I love his characters and the action he draws is so engaging. I love his fight scenes; fists, blood, guts, and gore fill the pages and it looks amazing. Everything in this book is just great. The twists and turns are like a waterslide and you get swept right along with the current. Don't hold back just go with the flow. Invincible truly is the only superhero comic you will ever need. Start the adventure here.

1. East of West

Speaking of glorious writers, Jonathan Hickman, am I right? This Image crafting genius brings forth the sci-fi western that is East of West. Imagine the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and then imagine Death is really Clint Eastwood. Now, with that idea picture an alternate USA with distinct territories divided up between different parties. Now imagine that a leader of each territory is part of a group trying to bring about the end of the world. The Chosen are these leaders and make up one side of the chess board while Death and those opposed to the Chosen are on the other side. The environment is an interesting reimagining of America. Politics play a huge part in this book and can be kind of confusing until you understand who all of the players are. I like that this comic jumps back and forth between all of the parties involved. I love stories where you get small snippets of everything all jumbled together. Hickman is joined by Nick Dragotta doing pencils. The mixture of sci-fi and western is really evident in the art. The horses of the horseman are so interesting! Technology is essential to the story and it is designed so well! Whether you are into sci-fi or into westerns this books is worth the read. Try it out. I guarantee that you will find something to grab ahold of. 

Whether you are a seasoned veteran or want to start a new hobby, any one of these books is a great choice. Have fun exploring these universes! There is something to love in each. Thanks for reading and happy comics!

TSR