Comic books, the poor person’s cartoons. I am kidding; if you’re purchasing comic books, there is nothing cheap about them.
This year, for me, was the year of reading more comics than books. Sometimes allowing your eyes to focus on beautifully penciled & inked art can be soothing. When the text gets to be a lot, you can look at the images to trick your brain into getting back into the story.
She-Hulk by Dan Slott: The Complete Collection
She-Hulk is always a fun read. If you’re not a big comic book reader and need something light and funny, I’d recommend reading this. Are there times it’s a little misogynistic with a pinch of transphobia sprinkled here and there? Yes. It was published 2004, so it isn’t as open-minded as you wish it could be. Offering that as a fair warning, as I did roll my eyes a few times with the mention of dress sizes (it’s so nice she can be a size 2 from a size whatever when she transforms from She-Hulk to Jennifer! The envy!) and a few bits of white feminism inserted for good measure, but hey, besides that, it’s fun.
Saga: Compendium One by Brian K. Vaughn & Fiona Staples
I don’t think I can write anything about Saga that fans of the series haven’t already said. It is beautifully styled, has fantastic art, and is engaging to read. The characters are complex and interesting. It can break your heart and make you laugh. It makes you believe in love stories and feel betrayed when things don’t end in happily ever after.
Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire
If you love weirdness, this is it. A group of superheroes finds themselves in an isolated town in the middle of nowhere, unable to leave. As some adjust to their new reality, others mourn their prior lives and loved ones. A friend from the past comes to help, only to find the reason they were stuck there was in front of them the whole time.
Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin & Jamal Campbell
It’s kind of refreshing to have a Black writer here. I know some writers of color get tired of being forced into exclusively writing their race, understandably so. Still, many comics I’ve read have been mostly cis-het white men writing about BIPOC, and although they sometimes do well, something is missing. Far Sector feels different. You can tell with the care and love the characters are drawn and written. Sojourner “Jo” Mullein feels so cool and real, and I wanted to read more about her and what she does next.
The Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing
It’s dark and brooding. This is what the Hulk should be about, compared to the version given to us in the MCU. I love that the Hulk himself isn’t the villain, but it’s Bruce Banner. The abuse and self hatred has compounded within him and he is no longer the good guy, Hulk is.
Something Is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV
Monsters are real if you believe in them. Only children and a certain enigmatic group of people can see them. When a series of murders occur in a small American town, a mysterious young woman appears in hopes to catch and kill whatever is killing these children. It doesn’t end as hopeful as you want it to, but that’s the darkness that wraps around this story as you see for light and hope. The series is still ongoing and unfolding its very human-centered story.
PopCult Reviews 
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