Artist: J. Calafiore | 6' 7" & Green Comics

Yes, the time has come to say goodbye to (aka light on fire) 2016 and ring in 2017. Here’s a look back at the Best and the Worst of 2016* Comic Books.

I reviewed 265 pieces of individual media on this blog this year. Giant Days, Jem and the Holograms, and Lumberjanes had the most individual issue reviews at 12 issues each. Technically, I reviewed 16 Wonder Woman comics; but the New 52 and Rebirth comics are vastly different stories and one was close to the top 5 and the other at the bottom rating-wise.

I changed the format a bit as some stories start off or end strong, which might be my only reviews. But for series where I reviewed many issues, I can be tough even on series that I love, and I wanted this list to reflect consistency in storytelling.

The Best Series (reviewing 6+ issues)

26 different series eligible in this category.

1. Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
Average rating: 5/5

This book is gorgeous with its fantasy, art deco, and manga influences in Takeda’s pencils. It’s horrifying with plots of a post-war world and a land of broken people. Mostly women, it’s full of women and their stories. It’s a challenge read for the soul. But also for the mind, as Liu’s world building and plots build bit-by-bit. You are immersed in them. Your hand isn’t held. You figure out how to use your feet while running just like the characters.

Read all my reviews for Monstress. Continue reading “The Best and the Worst of 2016 Comic Books”

Erica Gives This Comic Four Stars Leaving Megalopolis by Gail Simone
Art: Jim Calafiore

I backed this Kickstarter since I’m a fan of both Simone’s work and Calafiore’s work, especially their collaboration on Secret Six. I expected Leaving Megalopolis to be extremely violent and dark, and this book didn’t let me down.

The volume’s a nice hardcover quality and around 100 pages, which means it’s about 4-5 single issue lengths (if you were curious). I heard a few folks grumbling that it wasn’t longer for a graphic novel, but I’ve definitely bought other graphic novels of the same size.

Mina’s characterization carries the book from beginning to end. I loved how Simone worked in Mina’s earlier story with her current situation. I didn’t see the twist coming that Continue reading “Leaving Megalopolis Graphic Novel Review”