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.
