Here’s the thing about comic books: they’re an irreplaceable art form. It’s a bold statement, given the conversations surrounding physical formats and the nondescript future of literature, but whether you’re a lifelong Marvel dork, an unapologetic indiehead, or a mix of both, you won't find the kinds of narratives being portrayed in this graphic format anywhere else -- at least, until they're made into movies. Writers, artists, and colorists continue to upend traditional storytelling norms; they’ve found a way to blur genres and pin the world’s greatest heroes to more accurate representations of love, heartache, loss, mental health, and diversity. Their stories are still some of the best forms of pure escapism there is, and below are the books from 2019 that do it to the ultimate degree. We'll be updating this list all year -- check back often for new reads.
The Batman Who Laughs
Release date: December 12, 2018 (Ongoing)
Let’s be real here: Batman has seen some shit. He’s been openly traumatized by soap-opera levels of heartbreak and paranoia, but Scott Snyder’s The Batman Who Laughs is a genre-shattering take on an old paragon. Why? It's a psychological rush that doesn't quit, even when it knows it probably should have. Snyder and Jock’s follow-up to Dark Nights: Metal and the evil within staples The Batman Who Laughs to a clinically insane multiverse plot that forces Bruce Wayne to cope with the dark matter in his inner demons and fears. It’s jagged, visceral, and inherently horrifying, and while their depiction of The Joker is a corrosive nightmare that finds elegance in death, it’s a can't-miss series due to its ability to stick out in a decade full of creative reinvention.
Let’s be real here: Batman has seen some shit. He’s been openly traumatized by soap-opera levels of heartbreak and paranoia, but Scott Snyder’s The Batman Who Laughs is a genre-shattering take on an old paragon. Why? It's a psychological rush that doesn't quit, even when it knows it probably should have. Snyder and Jock’s follow-up to Dark Nights: Metal and the evil within staples The Batman Who Laughs to a clinically insane multiverse plot that forces Bruce Wayne to cope with the dark matter in his inner demons and fears. It’s jagged, visceral, and inherently horrifying, and while their depiction of The Joker is a corrosive nightmare that finds elegance in death, it’s a can't-miss series due to its ability to stick out in a decade full of creative reinvention.
Blackbird
Release date: October 3, 2018 (Ongoing)
The first five issues of Blackbird have made good on two promises: making magic great again and using fine art to level you into a state of submission. The new Image Comics series from Sam Humphries (Nightwing, Harley Quinn) is a neo-noir fantasy drama in which a 20-something by the name of Nina Rodriguez is at ends to uncover a secret magic world that’s hidden under the glow of Los Angeles. The problem here is everyone thinks she’s crazy. What follows is a beautifully written tale that effortlessly balances supernatural themes with emotional realism, and chases it with Jen Bartel’s artistic ability to illustrate frames that make Blade Runner 2049 look like a student project. Every dose of color and inner monologue about paragons and bar creeps flicker with unlimited potential, making Blackbird the kind of everyday pull that can transcend genres (and stereotypes) with style.
The first five issues of Blackbird have made good on two promises: making magic great again and using fine art to level you into a state of submission. The new Image Comics series from Sam Humphries (Nightwing, Harley Quinn) is a neo-noir fantasy drama in which a 20-something by the name of Nina Rodriguez is at ends to uncover a secret magic world that’s hidden under the glow of Los Angeles. The problem here is everyone thinks she’s crazy. What follows is a beautifully written tale that effortlessly balances supernatural themes with emotional realism, and chases it with Jen Bartel’s artistic ability to illustrate frames that make Blade Runner 2049 look like a student project. Every dose of color and inner monologue about paragons and bar creeps flicker with unlimited potential, making Blackbird the kind of everyday pull that can transcend genres (and stereotypes) with style.
Bloom
Release date: January 29
Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau's heart-melting diagram of baking and unexpected love is a dizzying piece of fiction. It's a snapshot of a cute romance: It follows Ari, a high schooler who is dead set on moving to the big city with his ultra-hip band, only to be interposed by Hector, a down-to-earth college student who just moved to town to pack up his late grandmother's home. The pair fall in love, hard, and do so amidst a sunset blue palette and a family bakery. Like any good summer fling, it's pressed with the rush of emotions that come with immediate connections and how they intertwine with our hopes and dreams.
Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau's heart-melting diagram of baking and unexpected love is a dizzying piece of fiction. It's a snapshot of a cute romance: It follows Ari, a high schooler who is dead set on moving to the big city with his ultra-hip band, only to be interposed by Hector, a down-to-earth college student who just moved to town to pack up his late grandmother's home. The pair fall in love, hard, and do so amidst a sunset blue palette and a family bakery. Like any good summer fling, it's pressed with the rush of emotions that come with immediate connections and how they intertwine with our hopes and dreams.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Release date: January 9 (Ongoing)
Buffy Summers is back and she’s tired of all the bullshit: high school grades, her small-town routine, and the difficulties that come with making friends "when you are not honest about who you are." But every single glimpse into her vulnerabilities is what makes her BOOM! Studios reimagining such a brilliant piece of graphic fiction. Writer Jordan Bellaire (Redlands) and artist Dan Mora (Hexed, Power Rangers) capture the voices of the beloved characters you remember and use their chemistry to expertly structure plot threads, pacing, and an endless reserve of eye candy. Every frame amplifies the source material without making Buffy and her big bads a tacky True Blood spinoff, and it sticks by a collective passion to use pop culture to shape our lives in immeasurable ways. As the BOOM! staff put it themselves: Jenny Calendar deserved better.
Buffy Summers is back and she’s tired of all the bullshit: high school grades, her small-town routine, and the difficulties that come with making friends "when you are not honest about who you are." But every single glimpse into her vulnerabilities is what makes her BOOM! Studios reimagining such a brilliant piece of graphic fiction. Writer Jordan Bellaire (Redlands) and artist Dan Mora (Hexed, Power Rangers) capture the voices of the beloved characters you remember and use their chemistry to expertly structure plot threads, pacing, and an endless reserve of eye candy. Every frame amplifies the source material without making Buffy and her big bads a tacky True Blood spinoff, and it sticks by a collective passion to use pop culture to shape our lives in immeasurable ways. As the BOOM! staff put it themselves: Jenny Calendar deserved better.
Crowded
Release date: August 15, 2018 (Ongoing)
The premise of Crowded is simple: Charlotte "Charlie" Ellison is an outspoken socialite with a fairly normal life -- outside of the fact that she's suddenly the primary target of a million-dollar campaign on Reapr, a crowdfunding platform for assassinations. She's hired Vita Slatter, the lowest-rated bodyguard that's available on an app called Dfend, to help through a 30-day period of death via desperate civilians. Christopher Sebela's approach to a semi-cyberpunk society mainlining crowdfunding apps is a brilliant idea, but his ability to bind human drama to a lethal dose of cinematic action is why it never ceases to be an emotionally engulfing rollercoaster. Combined with pencils/colors/letters from the likes of Ro Stein (Captain Marvel), Ted Brandt (Captain Marvel), Triona Farrell (West Coast Avengers), and Cardinal Rae (24 Panels), Crowded is a few backers away from being a timeless classic.
The premise of Crowded is simple: Charlotte "Charlie" Ellison is an outspoken socialite with a fairly normal life -- outside of the fact that she's suddenly the primary target of a million-dollar campaign on Reapr, a crowdfunding platform for assassinations. She's hired Vita Slatter, the lowest-rated bodyguard that's available on an app called Dfend, to help through a 30-day period of death via desperate civilians. Christopher Sebela's approach to a semi-cyberpunk society mainlining crowdfunding apps is a brilliant idea, but his ability to bind human drama to a lethal dose of cinematic action is why it never ceases to be an emotionally engulfing rollercoaster. Combined with pencils/colors/letters from the likes of Ro Stein (Captain Marvel), Ted Brandt (Captain Marvel), Triona Farrell (West Coast Avengers), and Cardinal Rae (24 Panels), Crowded is a few backers away from being a timeless classic.
Die
Release date: December 5, 2018 (Ongoing)
Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans’ new post-The Wicked + The Divine "goth Jumanji" is a special book. It’s a harrowing love letter to D&D diehards that engages with the hypothetical of 40-somethings who have to cope with a paranormal horror they barely survived as teens, and before you know it, it leaps to shocking places. Gillen’s fondness for wringing out character development via traumatic instances of pain, loss, and terror is what makes Die a must-read for fantasy fans. The way Hans’ visualizes the physical and mental sting of those instances is why the series has become an unexpected tour de force in its medium. It’s confident in its weirdness, drama, and twists, and while its take on tabletop RPGs is more rooted in literary horror and Japanese isekai, it’s one that goes from being a slow burn to a complete firestorm in mere seconds.
Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans’ new post-The Wicked + The Divine "goth Jumanji" is a special book. It’s a harrowing love letter to D&D diehards that engages with the hypothetical of 40-somethings who have to cope with a paranormal horror they barely survived as teens, and before you know it, it leaps to shocking places. Gillen’s fondness for wringing out character development via traumatic instances of pain, loss, and terror is what makes Die a must-read for fantasy fans. The way Hans’ visualizes the physical and mental sting of those instances is why the series has become an unexpected tour de force in its medium. It’s confident in its weirdness, drama, and twists, and while its take on tabletop RPGs is more rooted in literary horror and Japanese isekai, it’s one that goes from being a slow burn to a complete firestorm in mere seconds.
Goddess Mode
Release date: December 12, 2018 (Ongoing)
Even though Goddess Mode is a sci-fi anomaly that binds superpowered women and daemons to a "secret war for the cheat codes to reality," it excels because it’s actually written by a giant cyberpunk nerd. Zoe Quinn's (Crash Override, Heart Machine) debut for DC Vertigo fastens together oracles, girl gangs, dive bars, and megacorp conspiracies, and it continually augments a deeply personal story to underline the minute, but important, differences between "garbage" and "trash" or question where the future is going versus where it's been. Robbi Rodriguez and Rico Renzi's affinity for striking colors that pop off the page (see: Spider-Gwen, Federal Bureau Of Physics) is intact, but the team’s desire to turn World-Building 101 into an evolving concept is what makes this title's potential so limitless. Goddess Mode is unequivocally smart, stylish, and neon to the freakin’ core.
Even though Goddess Mode is a sci-fi anomaly that binds superpowered women and daemons to a "secret war for the cheat codes to reality," it excels because it’s actually written by a giant cyberpunk nerd. Zoe Quinn's (Crash Override, Heart Machine) debut for DC Vertigo fastens together oracles, girl gangs, dive bars, and megacorp conspiracies, and it continually augments a deeply personal story to underline the minute, but important, differences between "garbage" and "trash" or question where the future is going versus where it's been. Robbi Rodriguez and Rico Renzi's affinity for striking colors that pop off the page (see: Spider-Gwen, Federal Bureau Of Physics) is intact, but the team’s desire to turn World-Building 101 into an evolving concept is what makes this title's potential so limitless. Goddess Mode is unequivocally smart, stylish, and neon to the freakin’ core.
I Moved To Los Angeles To Work In Animation
Release date: January 1
As one beloved indie band from Nebraska once noted: "Art is hard." The act of cornering your own dreams and shaping them into realities can be a tiring process, and Natalie Nourigat’s I Moved To Los Angeles To Work In Animation is a highly amusing op-ed on why the headache of making art is totally worth it. The cartoonist’s journey from Portland to the semi-metropolitan weirdness of Southern California is standard Neustadter fare, but her analysis of the highs and lows that come with a creative mind is what sorts it into a class of its own. Nourigat’s illustrative seminars on storyboards and story tests go hand in hand with her memories of $2 PBRs and what it’s like to not be able to afford tacos and yoga pants, and she fills in the blanks with a kind of passion that can only come from someone who views time management as a superpower. Freelancing, road trips, and the 24/7 steel cage match that is financial stability all come with their own anxieties, but I Moved To LA is an instant classic that explains why artists put up with art to make the world a better place.
As one beloved indie band from Nebraska once noted: "Art is hard." The act of cornering your own dreams and shaping them into realities can be a tiring process, and Natalie Nourigat’s I Moved To Los Angeles To Work In Animation is a highly amusing op-ed on why the headache of making art is totally worth it. The cartoonist’s journey from Portland to the semi-metropolitan weirdness of Southern California is standard Neustadter fare, but her analysis of the highs and lows that come with a creative mind is what sorts it into a class of its own. Nourigat’s illustrative seminars on storyboards and story tests go hand in hand with her memories of $2 PBRs and what it’s like to not be able to afford tacos and yoga pants, and she fills in the blanks with a kind of passion that can only come from someone who views time management as a superpower. Freelancing, road trips, and the 24/7 steel cage match that is financial stability all come with their own anxieties, but I Moved To LA is an instant classic that explains why artists put up with art to make the world a better place.
Invisible Kingdom
View on Amazon
Release date: March 20 (Ongoing)
Here’s the best way you can define G. Willow Wilson’s Invisible Kingdom: it’s a Cartrivision spin on Saga and The Fifth Element that force quits the space odyssey genre as "Dark Side Of The Moon" whirrs in the background. It’s an entirely different extension of A+ world building and how materialism and theologies can connect a young religious acolyte to a hard-nosed freighter pilot, and for the sake of spoiler culture, all we'll say is that it’s some heady space opera stuff. Wilson and artist Christian Ward have crafted a book that laughs in the face of traditional norms and the RGB color model, and being the slow burn that it is, it’s predetermined to explode into a love letter to sci-fi nerds.
Here’s the best way you can define G. Willow Wilson’s Invisible Kingdom: it’s a Cartrivision spin on Saga and The Fifth Element that force quits the space odyssey genre as "Dark Side Of The Moon" whirrs in the background. It’s an entirely different extension of A+ world building and how materialism and theologies can connect a young religious acolyte to a hard-nosed freighter pilot, and for the sake of spoiler culture, all we'll say is that it’s some heady space opera stuff. Wilson and artist Christian Ward have crafted a book that laughs in the face of traditional norms and the RGB color model, and being the slow burn that it is, it’s predetermined to explode into a love letter to sci-fi nerds.
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