Posts published in November 2017

Nominee for Best Artist or Colorist for a Mini-Series!

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Nominee for Best Artist or Colorist for a Mini-Series has been one of the easiest categories for me to cast a vote. I would have done it first but I wanted to release my choice for best writer on a mini before this, primarily because this particular person was a candidate for that title as well.

My nominee for Best Artist or Colorist on a mini series is Joelle Jones for her work on Lady Killer 2.  For those who have not read Lady Killer story, I suggest picking up the first mini series and then read the second. The artwork on both volumes is simply wonderful. The cover to each issue is a direct reflection of the interior, colors are appropriate and eye pleasing. I actually believe the guttering is just enough that if the balloons were gone, I still could read it. There are times in the story where I think if the television character Mary Tyler Moore was an assassin rather than a news producer, this is what she would be like.

High praise, but between Lady Killer 2 and Supergirl Being Super, there was not much to think about for this nomination. I do believe Joelle Jones has entered the realm of top comic artists for me.

Best of 2017 nominee for Best Publisher of 2017

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Ahhh Crime! Most of our customers are likely aware that I have a fondness for detective stories. This year, one publisher released a series of titles that fortify this neglected genre in the comic field. This is the primary reason I nominate Titan Comics for Best Publisher of 2017. Titan added Hard Case Crime Comics to their line card, featuring the pulp theme which represents the co-publishers book market products. The popularity of the BBC Sherlock Holmes series, combined with international stories like The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, gave quick stability to the company in Previews and space on the newsstand shelf.

Here are some of the titles released. I personally recommend Triggerman as a sample of the style and content.

  • Triggerman
  • Peepland
  • Sherlock Holmes A Study In Pink
  • The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
  • The Girl Who Played With Fire
  • Normandy Gold

I look forward to more attention grabbing mysteries from this new product line.

Nominee for Best Writer for a Mini Series

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This week I spent a little time reviewing series that I felt deserved to be recommended to new readers. This is an important question as it generally is their first taste of the comic world and often decides if that person will continue reading or not. Usually the items I choose are stories I personally would not purchase in comic form but rather opt for the graphic novel version. This is usually due to the story having a clear plot and a conclusion that does not leave a hanging story thread. Mystery stories in particular are at the top of my list as the tone of the mystery is not lost as the weeks pass. The recommendations from this year were fairly eclectic but the first entry was easy.
Therefore my nomination for Best Writer for a Mini-Series goes to Kyle Higgins for his work on Hadrian’s Wall. Many of you may have heard me talk about this story in the Saturday discussion group or to someone looking for an independent read.  This particular story starts when an astronaut is murdered on board a space station named Hadrian’s Wall. The station’s owner sends a detective named Simon Moore to investigate the ship’s crew…which includes Moore’s own ex-wife. Inter-planetary cold war and personal conflicts build the story which ends with new beginnings for the surviving members.
I enjoyed this story as there is no clear villain, no easy choice for the reader and clues which point to different potential killers. I found myself remembering movies from my youth like Blade Runner and Outland while reading the story. This is nice to have happen and I hope to feel again. Kyle Higgins first caught my attention with the 2014 release of C.O.W.L. and I am glad to award Best Writer of a Mini-Series in 2017 to him for Hadrian’s Wall.

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