Roger’s Comic Ramblings: Roger’s Best of 2012

Roger Ash

Roger Ash


by Roger Ash

It’s that time of year when we’re inundated by “Best of” lists. This is actually something I enjoy as often I’ll learn about books, comics, movies, etc. that I’m unfamiliar with and it gives me something new to try. So, in that spirit, I present my favorite comics and books/collections from this past year. As I did last year, I’ve divided these lists into two top fives; one for comics and one for books and collections. Also, I’ve kept the list to books I’ve actually read. I haven’t even come close to reading all the comics material that came out last year, including some that I’m really looking forward to like Fanatagraphics’ new Pogo collection and IDW/The Library of American Comics’ Opus collection, as it’s only fair to rate what I’ve actually read. With that in mind, let the countdown begin!

Comics

Roger Langridge's Snarked!

Roger Langridge’s Snarked!


5) Roger Langridge’s Snarked! (BOOM!/kaBOOM!)

Creator Roger Langridge takes classic Lewis Carroll characters and gives them his own spin in this rousing adventure. Wilburforce J. Walrus and Carpenter Clyde McDunk join forces with Queen Scarlett and Prince Rusty to find their father, the Red King, who has been missing for six months and may be a victim of foul play. Along the way they encounter scheming royal advisors, the Gryphon, pirates, and maybe even a Snark (who could be a Boojum). The story didn’t grab me right away, but as it progressed I grew attached to our band of heroes, especially Wilburforce and Queen Scarlett who both really developed as characters. As always, I find Langridge’s art to be a real pleasure to view. This is a great all-ages book that I have no problem recommending to anyone. Even though the initial story has come to a close, I hope Langridge gets an opportunity to spin more tales of the Walrus and the Carpenter.

Infernal Man-Thing

Infernal Man-Thing


4) The Infernal Man-Thing (Marvel Comics)

Years ago, there were plans to publish a Man-Thing graphic novel by writer Steve Gerber and artist Kevin Nowlan. I was really looking forward to this as I’m a huge fan of Gerber’s work on Man-Thing. When the graphic novel was still unpublished when Gerber passed away in 2008, I figured it was one of those projects I’d look back on and wonder what might have been. Imagine my surprise when the story was published this year as The Infernal Man-Thing. The story was fun and a solid offering from Gerber, though I kept wondering if he might have tweaked it were he still alive. The art by Nowlan was just outstanding. All around, this was a very pleasant surprise.

Hypernaturals

Hypernaturals


3) Hypernaturals (BOOM!)

I’m a big fan of what writers Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning did with Marvel’s cosmic heroes, so I was really looking forward to seeing what they did with a universe of their own creation. So far I’ve really been enjoying the ride. Set in the future, The Hypernaturals are the official superhero team of the Quantinuum, with new teams put into place every few years. They take on the menaces no one else can. At the start of the series, something has gone horribly wrong and the current team has disappeared. Former Hypernaturals members come together to learn what has happened, and to say it isn’t good is a vast understatement. It’s clear Abnett & Lanning have put a lot of effort into creating this new world as readers see as the layers of history unravel. And with art by creators including Brad Walker, Tom Derenick, and Andres Guinaldo, it looks pretty darn good, too. If you’re a fan of cosmic superheroes like The Legion of Super-Heroes or the Guardians of the Galaxy, this book is right up your alley.

Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four


2) Fantastic Four/FF (Marvel Comics)

I’ve enjoyed Jonathan Hickman’s work on Fantastic Four (and later, FF), since I first read it near the beginning of his run. I think he really has a handle on the character’s personalities and he kept the series focused on them as a family, which is one of the big reasons they’re so special. Unfortunately, his run on Fantastic Four and FF has ended but I liked how he wrapped up all the various plots threads that he’d been weaving through the books, some of them for quite some time. It made for a satisfying conclusion to an excellent run on the series. I look forward to seeing what he does with the Avengers and where Matt Fraction takes Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four.

Popeye

Popeye


1) Popeye (IDW)

While I’ve always enjoyed Popeye, I’ve never been a huge Popeye fan. However, I love this book! A big reason for that is the writing of Roger Langridge who has a great feel for E.C. Segar’s classic characters and storytelling. He takes that and gives it a slightly modern spin and the result is one heck of an enjoyable comic. Langridge’s writing is the constant in the book which has featured art by Bruce Ozella, Tom Neely, Ken Wheaton, and Langridge himself, among others. So join Popeye, Olive, Wimpy, Sappo, Prof. Wotasnozzle, and all the rest for some of the most fun and excitement you’ll ever have reading a comic! And while you’re at it, check out Classic Popeye for more great Popeye tales!

The Zaucer of Zilk

The Zaucer of Zilk


Honorable mention: The Zaucer of Zilk (IDW). I always enjoy Bredndan McCarthy’s trippy comic stories and here he and co-writer Al Ewing deliver in spades. This is a really fun read.

Books

Frazetta - Funny Stuff

Frazetta – Funny Stuff


5) Frazetta – Funny Stuff (IDW/Yoe Books)

Frank Frazetta is probably best known to fans for his fantasy paintings featuring muscled warriors, buxom women, and all manner of fantastical beasts. What you’ll see in this book is the Frazetta who drew some great funny animal comics and some starring funny humans as well. If you’re a Frazetta fan, you should definitely check out this little-seen side of his work. If you’re a fan of great comic art and fun stories, there’s plenty for you here, too. Simply put, this is really an enjoyable book. If you want to know more, you can check out my full review of the book here.

Outland: The Complete Library

Outland: The Complete Library


4) Outland: The Complete Library (IDW/The Library of American Comics)

I’m a huge fan of Berkeley Breathed’s Bloom County, so when he decided to end the strip and instead do a Sunday-only strip called Outland, I was more than ready to go along for the ride. This volume collects every Outland comic from its beginning in 1989 to its end in 1995. The reproduction of the strips is amazing and like the previous Bloom County volumes, the book contains an introduction and notes by Breathed. Bloom County fans will recognize many characters from the earlier strip, including Opus, Bill the Cat, Ronald Ann, Steve Dallas, and Oliver Wendel Jones, along with new characters including Mortimer Mouse and Tim W. 40, who disappears not long after the comic begins. This volume also contains what may be Breathed’s most famous strip which is referenced on the front cover as the men of the Men’s Kouch Club look at the thing that gives their lives meaning. While I enjoy Outland, it never grabbed me the way Bloom County did, I think mainly due to the fact that the 80s are when I did a lot of my growing up and Bloom County is very much tied into that. That being said, reading Outland as a whole gave me a greater appreciation of the strip. This is a wonderful collection and well worth your time.

Cartoon Monarch: Otto Soglow and the Little King

Cartoon Monarch: Otto Soglow and the Little King


3) Cartoon Monarch: Otto Soglow & The Little King (IDW/Library of American Comics)

I was only vaguely familiar with The Little King prior to reading this book and found it to be an excellent look at Otto Soglow and his most famous creation. The strips are a whole lot of fun, often downright silly, and the art is a real joy to look at. If you want to know more about this volume, check out the review I wrote of the book here.

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse

Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse


2) Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Vol. 3 & 4 (Fantagraphics)

The first two volumes in this series made my “Best Of” list last year and the two new volumes collecting Floyd Gottfredson’s Mickey Mouse comic strips follow suit. These volumes are even better though, as Gottfredson really comes into his own as a storyteller and they include some of his best known stories including The Pirate Submarine in Vol. 3 and The Seven Ghosts, Island in the Sky, and Monarch of Medioka (which got the strip banned in Yugoslavia) in Vol. 4. While the comic strips are the highlights of the volumes, they also include a wealth of supplementary material about the comics, the characters, and Gottfredson himself. These are beautiful collections that I highly recommend. If you’re a Disney fan or a comic strip fan, you need these books in your collection.

Judas Coin

Judas Coin


1) The Judas Coin (DC Comics)

Hands down my favorite comic or book I read all year. Walter Simonson weaves an epic tale of a coin that was paid to Judas to betray Jesus as it is discovered at various points in the history of the DC Universe. This book kinda got lost in all the hoopla surrounding DC’s New 52, but it shouldn’t have. The writing and art are both top notch and make for great reading. If you want a closer look at The Judas Coin, take a gander at a review of the book I wrote here.

Alien: The Illustrated Story Original Art Edition

Alien: The Illustrated Story Original Art Edition


Honorable Mention: Alien: The Illustrated Story Original Art Edition (Titan) and Skippy Vol. 1: Daily Comics 1925-1927 (IDW/The Library of American Comics). Archie Goodwin & Walter Simonson’s adaptation of Alien is one of the best film adaptations ever in comics and this oversized volume lets you see Simonson’s in all its glory, scanned from the original art. There are even a few bonus features that are the icing on the cake.

Skippy Vol. 1: Daily Comics 1925-1927

Skippy Vol. 1: Daily Comics 1925-1927


I was unfamiliar with Percy Crosby’s Skippy, but when I interviewed Jared Gardner about this collection (which you can read here), I was intrigued enough to give the book a try. I’m glad I did. Gardner’s introduction, which features a look at Crosby’s early life and work, is fascinating and really sets the stage for the strips. The comics themselves are a lot of fun, though as with most comic strips from this period there are the occasional ones that I just don’t get. Sometimes that’s due to references I don’t understand and other times I think it’s that humor changes and something that was funny then just doesn’t make sense to a modern reader. Be that as it may, in general this is a fun strip and I’m on board for the ride to see how Skippy develops over the years.

Those are my choices. How about you? What were your favorites of 2012? Comment below and let me know!

Now, go read a comic!

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