Wayne Markley

by Wayne Markley

Since it is the beginning of a new year (well, due to timing of posting this blog it is week three of the new year), I thought I would take some time to discuss what I have liked in the past year and what I look forward to in 2013, and what I hope comes to pass. Of course, all of this will only pertain to the comic book world, but after all that is why you read this blog.

Looking back over 2012, it was not a bad year. It started out with DC’s New 52 being fresh and the hot topic with the original 52 titles still being published. Over the course of 2012, around 20 or so titles from the new 52 were cancelled and new titles were launched to replace the cancelled titles. Marvel chugged along with a wide variety of titles both good and bad. They followed DCs lead (sort of) by launching Marvel NOW!, which unlike DC’s New 52, was not a complete trashing of their history, but was a re-launching of the majority of their books with new creative teams and new number ones. Also, Marvel seems to have put a lot more thought in to the books they have relaunched. Unlike the New 52, I have actually enjoyed the majority of the Marvel NOW! titles.

One of the things I am most looking forward to in 2013 is the continuation of some of my new favorite titles. To be fair, when I say my favorite title this tends to change week to week depending on what I have recently read. However, there are a few books I cannot wait to read each month as they are almost guaranteed to be a great combination of storytelling and art. The titles that come rushing to mind are a small group, but I would highly recommend any of these titles without a second thought and almost all of these are recently launched or are available in collections.

Daredevil #24

Daredevil. Mark Waid has taken a character that has had a number of high points and low points over the years and brought a fresh and fascinating new take on Matt Murdock and friends. Every month when this title comes out I think, “Cool, a new DD, but it will not top last month story,” and I am always wrong. It gets better every issue. Tight storytelling that is very well thought out and great stylish art make this book a must read.

Indestructible Hulk #4

Another title I cannot wait to read is also by Mark Waid, and that is the Indestructible Hulk. Yes, Hulk. When I first read that the premise of this was Hulk – Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., I thought this is going to bomb. I could not have been more wrong. Just like Waid’s Daredevil, this book is extremely entertaining, well thought out, and a joy to read. The stories are complex and playful, and like DD, Waid has put a lot of thought into the characters and their motivations. It is only three issues in, but if this current quality continues this run may rival the amazing run by Peter David. (Now if Marvel would only finish collecting Peter David’s run on the Hulk).

All-New X-Men #8

A third Marvel NOW! title I find a joy to read is the All-New X-Men. I find this book to be Brian Michael Bendis at his finest. I know (as I have this discussion a lot at the store) that Bendis is not everyone’s favorite writer, but with the All-New X-Men, he has been able to take a unique idea and create a very entertaining book that is both very current and uses the old (as in the 1960s) history of the characters in a very significant way. (Note: you do not have to have read any of the old books to appreciate or understand what is going on in the All-New X-Men. But if you are a longtime fan, there is an added layer of enjoyment).

Wolverine and the X-Men

The final Marvel book I am looking forward to is Wolverine and the X-Men. This book has been going for over a year now, but it has risen to the top of my must read list. Month after month it is a mix of everything that made the X-Men great over the years. There is adventure, interesting characters, great art, humor, and most of all, a mix of single standalone stories and more complex story arcs. Whether it is a gag about the school grounds burping (you have to read the book to get the joke) or intergalactic gambling, this book is a joy to read.

Batman and Robin #18

These four books lead into something else I would like to see in 2013. Better storytelling. I point the finger directly at DC on this one. The New 52 has become a mess over the last year. There are still a few books worth reading (Batman and Robin comes to mind), but the most of the books are a mess. The stories are constantly changing as the creative teams keep being shuffled. You have major storylines with the same characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman are prime examples) all going in different directions at the same time. If Superman is having “Hell on Earth,” he should not be in the Rotworld storyline. After all, how many times can the whole world be in peril at the same time? Same is true with Batman in both the Death of the Family and the Rotworld story at the same time. They could at least make a reference that the Rotworld story just happened or Death of the Family just concluded without giving anything away in terms of storyline. It is like each group of books has their own separate world which ignores the rest of the DC Universe. I clearly remember when they launched the New 52 one of the goals was to have this new coherent universe, which in less than a year, they have completely butchered.

Gasoline Alley

I am also looking forward to more classic newspaper strip collections. The last few years have seen some amazing collections from IDW, Fantagraphics, and others. They have brought into print such long forgotten classics as Alex Raymond’s Rip Kirby, Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson’s amazing Secret Agent Corrigan, Walt Kelly’s Pogo, Floyd Gottfredson’s Mickey Mouse, Dick Moore’s Gasoline Alley, and much more. In 2013 they have already announced future volumes of all of these ongoing collections, but also announced is the complete Crocket Johnson’s Barnaby (Joy, Joy!). All I could hope for now is the previously announced (as in years ago) but never came out collections of Neal Adam’s Ben Casey newspaper strip and Cary Bates and Russ Heath’s Lone Ranger strip. I doubt I will ever see these collections, but I can hope.

The Massive

One final thing I am looking forward to in 2013 is new and creative visions by any number of creators. Most of these books have been coming out of Image as of late, but there are some great titles from a number of publishers. Some of the current crop that I do enjoy reading is Harvest, Colder, Infinite Vacation, Manhattan Projects, The Massive, Shadow (and the Spider), Great Pacific, and a number of other titles. These books show there is a broad spectrum of storytelling out there about any number of subjects with well told stories and great art. I admit I never know what I am going to come across most of the time as the advance listings do not do these titles justice and until I had read them I would have had no idea they are as good as they are.

There are many other things I am looking forward to, such as more European collection from Humanoids, Cinebooks, and others; the ongoing reprints of the classic 2000AD library from Rebellion; the continuing mining of the Archie Archives of classic material in a wide variety of formats; and so much more. I do think 2013 looks to be a very good year for comic reading. I just hope the business end can continue to expand and find new readers to enjoy all this wealth of material. As always, everything in this column is my opinion and does not reflect the thoughts of opinions of Westfield Comics or their employees. Please feel free to send comments or review copies or hate mail to MFBWAY@aol.com.

Thank you.