Thanksgiving was yesterday and while the spirit of the holiday generally directs us to give thanks for our families and various loved ones, we all know that the real thing to be thankful for is comic books. 2014 has been a damn fine year for comics with publishers releasing a slew of excellent books including some fairly brilliant newcomers. Rather than conversing about the comic series of 2014 however, we thought we’d use the Thanksgiving holiday as an excuse to explore some of the best single issues to come out this year. Have a look at what I picked and then feel free to let me know just how wrong I am.
Thor: God of Thunder #21
Intentionally starting things off with a (hammer) bang, God of Thunder 21 was easily the years most epic single issue. Taking place smack dab in the middle of Jason Aaron’s summarily excellent Last Days of Midgard storyline, it focused primarily on a one-on-one fight between an elderly Thor and Galactus who had come to consume the now wasted Earth. While it also follows a concurrent storyline taking place in the present, the best parts are the many pages focused on the aging God of Thunder and his hopeless battle against the Destroyer of Worlds. It doesn’t hurt, of course, that the illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous or that Aaron has an almost uncanny talent for writing epic mid-battle dialogue. From start to finish God of Thunder‘s twenty-first issue is just a fantastic read.
Batman #34
The big Batman event for this year was Scott Snyder’s multi-issue Year Zero event. And while I liked that story well enough, I’ve always preferred Batman when he’s been focused on smaller criminals and more grounded threats. The Cape Crusader battling the Riddler might be epic, but it’s just not as interesting to me as bats on the tail of a small-time killer or crook. You can imagine my delight then, when Snyder followed up on Year Zero with the single issue story The Meek. Following Bats as he pursues a new Gotham-based serial killer, it’s brief but satisfying story that nonetheless manages to be atmospheric in that way that only Batman can do best.
The Fade Out #1
Since its launch The Fade Out has been a consistently excellent and well-crafted comic painting a powerful mystery rooted in the sleaze and depravity of the post-WW2 film industry. The first issue, in turn, does a masterful job of transporting players back to that era while, more importantly, establishing the books players and overarching conflict. More than just a good opener though, its also just a fantastic comic. Very often I tend to be a one and done comic reader. I’ll look read a single issue maybe once or twice before popping it into its plastic sleeve to and file it away until the next time I get the urge to crack it open again. I read the first issue of The Fade Out a good five or six times before I put it away. It’s just that good.
Magneto #1
Recently, the X-Men have been privy to several solid solo-series focusing in on heroes like Wolverine, Cyclops, Nightcrawler and Storm. For my money though, the best X-comic currently on the market is Magneto. Following the Master of Magnetism’s latest quest to defend mutantkind, a big part of its focus has been his trying to compensate for his weakened powers post-Avengers vs. X-Men. The book overall has brilliantly used his declined state to showcase how much of an intellectually threat Magneto can be when forced to fight with limited resources.
This is illustrated no better than in the series’ first issue when he assaults a police station. Whereas in the past he might have just demolished the building wholesale, he walks into the station and over the course of two-pages picks out a collection of small objects that he’s able to use wreak havoc on its occupants without exceeding his new limitations. It’s a really clever sequence followed by an awesome pay off that remains probably the coolest thing this series has done so far.
Superman/Wonder Woman #12
While I know that some are still perturbed by DC splitting up Lois Lane and Superman following the launch of the New 52, I’m going to go ahead and say that it’s something I was okay with, especially since it gave us Superman/Wonder Woman. While the series has had its highs and lows, overall I’ve loved reading the romantic adventures of DC’s premier hero and heroine. They make sense as a tangible couple and have this wonderful chemistry that feels really genuine. Issue 12, in turn, the living heck out of me with its clever exploration of their developing relationship.
Following the events of the Doomed storyline, Superman returns to Earth sporting a new beard and a fancy Kryptonian flower as a gift for his lady love. Said flower, of course, promptly transforms into a giant plant monster that Superman and Wonder Woman have to battle together, all the while arguing about her failure to follow his specific watering instructions. The whole situation is absolutely absurd, but it’s pulled off wonderfully and the issue’s eventual resolution does a good of feeling like a legitimate step forward for the couple. All in all, it’s just a wonderfully done self-contained single issue.
Birthright #1
Aside from launching what I’m already convinced will be one of my favorite new monthly series, Birthright 1 is a prime example of just how much story a well-made comic can tell within the paltry confines of a twenty-something page book. Centered on an average American family, issue one follows its collapse after its youngest son disappears under mysterious circumstances. Encompassing the space of about a year, it packs every page with meaningful imagery and writing that conveys in heart-breakingly effective brevity the personal turmoil of its three remaining members as they deal with the tragedy. The fact that it even has room for the vanished son to return, out of the blue, as a fully grown fantasy hero is a straight up feat of comic writing.
Ms. Marvel #5
Ms. Marvel as a series has, overall, been a joy from the moment it first landed on comic store shelves. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that Kamala Khan is probably the best new superhero that Marvel, as a collective, has come up with in years. If you’re ever curious as to why, I’d direct you straight to the series’ fifth issue which, I think, is emblematic of what makes this book so much fun.
Following Kamala in the aftermath of her first real defeat, it focuses in on her efforts to regroup, learn how to properly control her powers and truly realize the kind of hero she can be. Granted, this isn’t the first book to do this sort of thing. When I was first reading issue five I ekpt thinking about how much it reminded me of a similar section of Ultimate Spider-Man. As much as I love Brian Michael Bendis though, G. Willow Wilson’s writing, dialogue and overall portrayal of Kamala Khan in the pages is just in a league of its own.
Moon Knight #5
Warren Ellis’s brief run on Moon Knight was the stuff that legends are made of. For six issues he delivered a streak of single issue stories that were both self-contained and absolutely excellent. When I set out to make this list, in turn, I knew that one of his issues would be getting its own entry. The problem was picking. As I looked back through the whole lot of them I found different things that I loved about each and every one of them. Ultimately though, issue five was the one that stuck with me the most. Basically, it’s The Raid starring Moon Knight. He enters a building to rescue a mobster’s daughter and has to fight his way up through the floors to find her. It’s short, sweet and filled almost cover to cover with some of the best brawling any comic has produced this year.
Adventures of Superman #16
Adventures of Superman is one of those consistently solid comic books that should really get more attention than it does. Much more classic feeling than more mainline series like the current Superman and Action Comics, the book often exhibits this wonderful ability to tap into the more mythic and melancholic side of Superman. This came on full display in the self-contained issue 16 which follows Superman throughout the ages. I’ll admit that not all of issue 16 fully works. It jumps around a lot and it can get a bit confusing at times. That said, the book just managed to capture this overarching sense of hugeness that, to me, felt very much like what Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel was trying to be.
