Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me
Release date: May 7
Mariko Tamaki’s latest is a far cry from Marvel’s X-23 and those berserker moments that involve blood and sisterly bonds, but it’s a smart and visually stunning read that will absolutely floor you. Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me is about 17-year-old Freddy Riley, a high schooler who is comfortable with her sexuality but not so cozy about the cycle she finds herself in with her girlfriend that you can discern from the title. It’s edgy, delightful, and acutely framed through shades of black and white and late-summer pink, but what follows is Tamaki and artist Rosemary Valero-O’Connell’s take on the toxic side of love and how it’s tied to labels, friendships, and communities. It pins itself to a larger conversation involving a sexually and racially diverse cast, and it goes to lengths to emphasize the importance of writing about characters who have already come out.
Mariko Tamaki’s latest is a far cry from Marvel’s X-23 and those berserker moments that involve blood and sisterly bonds, but it’s a smart and visually stunning read that will absolutely floor you. Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me is about 17-year-old Freddy Riley, a high schooler who is comfortable with her sexuality but not so cozy about the cycle she finds herself in with her girlfriend that you can discern from the title. It’s edgy, delightful, and acutely framed through shades of black and white and late-summer pink, but what follows is Tamaki and artist Rosemary Valero-O’Connell’s take on the toxic side of love and how it’s tied to labels, friendships, and communities. It pins itself to a larger conversation involving a sexually and racially diverse cast, and it goes to lengths to emphasize the importance of writing about characters who have already come out.
Little Bird
Release date: March 13 (Ongoing)
Every damn thing about Darcy Van Poelgeest and Ian Bertram’s work screams ingenuity: their level of storytelling, approach to world-building, and no-holds-barred rendering of dystopian sci-fi makes Little Bird a breathtaking reinterpretation of fiction and what it can do to your psyche. The new miniseries follows a young resistance fighter who clashes with an oppressive regime and a search for her identity in a world on fire, and it buries itself in an abyss of drama and surrealism to maintain its own identity. It cuts near-future totalitarianism with a big bad with hyper-Christian beliefs, and political or not, it’s committed to pulling you into its big think with violent delights and ends. It’s Image’s answer to Fury Road and it’s an unconventional slice of shock and awe that never stops pummeling you with gorgeously illustrated ideas (and bloodshed).
Every damn thing about Darcy Van Poelgeest and Ian Bertram’s work screams ingenuity: their level of storytelling, approach to world-building, and no-holds-barred rendering of dystopian sci-fi makes Little Bird a breathtaking reinterpretation of fiction and what it can do to your psyche. The new miniseries follows a young resistance fighter who clashes with an oppressive regime and a search for her identity in a world on fire, and it buries itself in an abyss of drama and surrealism to maintain its own identity. It cuts near-future totalitarianism with a big bad with hyper-Christian beliefs, and political or not, it’s committed to pulling you into its big think with violent delights and ends. It’s Image’s answer to Fury Road and it’s an unconventional slice of shock and awe that never stops pummeling you with gorgeously illustrated ideas (and bloodshed).
Middlewest
Release date: November 21, (Ongoing)
As one of the newest additions to Image’s infatuation with the dark arts, Middlewest is a heady scattershot of the ups and downs of the Midwestern United States and its "hidden magics." It’s a kid-on-a-quest narrative that builds off of a talking fox and sequels to Dungeon Days, but Skottie Young’s (Deadpool, I Hate Fairyland) gift for using your emotions like a light switch while dragging you through the mud of a fractured relationship is what sets it apart. It’s heavy stuff that’s more Neon Genesis than Teen Titans, and with artists Jorge Corona, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, Nate Piekos, and Mike Huddleston in tow, Middlewest is a visually breathtaking splice of reality and fantasy, and one that doesn't shy away from the complexities of a boy's journey to discover who he really is.
As one of the newest additions to Image’s infatuation with the dark arts, Middlewest is a heady scattershot of the ups and downs of the Midwestern United States and its "hidden magics." It’s a kid-on-a-quest narrative that builds off of a talking fox and sequels to Dungeon Days, but Skottie Young’s (Deadpool, I Hate Fairyland) gift for using your emotions like a light switch while dragging you through the mud of a fractured relationship is what sets it apart. It’s heavy stuff that’s more Neon Genesis than Teen Titans, and with artists Jorge Corona, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, Nate Piekos, and Mike Huddleston in tow, Middlewest is a visually breathtaking splice of reality and fantasy, and one that doesn't shy away from the complexities of a boy's journey to discover who he really is.
Naomi
Release date: January 23 (Ongoing)
Naomi is a metaphorical rose in the reality-shifting timelines of the DC universe. Whereas Doom Patrol and Eternity Girl dug into themes of self-discovery and depression, Naomi is more or less about a millennial living in a millennial world who realizes that Superman and Mongul might be tied to her origins and adoption. Brian Michael Bendis, David Walker, and Jamal Campbell make the modernity their own by deconstructing a larger personality with a Superman Complex and implementing a sense of humor and mystery you won’t find anywhere else. It’s a brilliant comic that reinforces the sincerity and inclusiveness of the Wonder imprint, and it’s one that shows the sky isn't just the limit; it’s meant to be broken through and pushed to newer heights.
Naomi is a metaphorical rose in the reality-shifting timelines of the DC universe. Whereas Doom Patrol and Eternity Girl dug into themes of self-discovery and depression, Naomi is more or less about a millennial living in a millennial world who realizes that Superman and Mongul might be tied to her origins and adoption. Brian Michael Bendis, David Walker, and Jamal Campbell make the modernity their own by deconstructing a larger personality with a Superman Complex and implementing a sense of humor and mystery you won’t find anywhere else. It’s a brilliant comic that reinforces the sincerity and inclusiveness of the Wonder imprint, and it’s one that shows the sky isn't just the limit; it’s meant to be broken through and pushed to newer heights.
Sabrina The Teenage Witch
Release date: March 27 (Ongoing)
Kelly Thompson’s work has flirted with modernizing fictional characters to the point where their conversations and insecurities are ripped from our own 3am text threads (see Captain Marvel, Rogue & Gambit), and her work on Sabrina The Teenage Witch is no different. The Archie Comics reboot tasks Sabrina Spellman with trying to find her place in Greendale, but instead of being a brooding Hot Topic pull, it recalls Teen Witch and Practical Magic for a script that’s all about spells, cat butts, secret Pop-Tarts, and lifeless American History classes (also, cute boys). It’s a promising start -- what with Thompson’s playful humor and Veronica and Andy Fish’s habit of paralyzing you with colors -- and Harvey Kinkle be damned, it’s a must-read that is poised to be something special.
Kelly Thompson’s work has flirted with modernizing fictional characters to the point where their conversations and insecurities are ripped from our own 3am text threads (see Captain Marvel, Rogue & Gambit), and her work on Sabrina The Teenage Witch is no different. The Archie Comics reboot tasks Sabrina Spellman with trying to find her place in Greendale, but instead of being a brooding Hot Topic pull, it recalls Teen Witch and Practical Magic for a script that’s all about spells, cat butts, secret Pop-Tarts, and lifeless American History classes (also, cute boys). It’s a promising start -- what with Thompson’s playful humor and Veronica and Andy Fish’s habit of paralyzing you with colors -- and Harvey Kinkle be damned, it’s a must-read that is poised to be something special.
Skyward
Release date: April 18,(Ongoing)
Joe Henderson’s take on the post-apocalyptic genre -- living in a world that has lost most of its gravity -- is what makes Skyward such a breathtaking piece of work. It focuses on a young woman's journey to find her place in a low-G reality, appropriately never feeling content to stick to the ground and dotting each issue with strong characterization and a personal take on a father-daughter relationship that explores love, pain, and loss. The trio of Lee Garbett (art), Antonio Fabela (colors), and Simon Bowland (letters) don't pull punches when it comes to setting a mood or establishing a sense of immersion, and their full-page illustrations remain an anomaly in today's medium. They excel at bringing every little detail to life in every new issue, which helps Skyward balance its emotional highs with an unimaginable dose of adventure.
Joe Henderson’s take on the post-apocalyptic genre -- living in a world that has lost most of its gravity -- is what makes Skyward such a breathtaking piece of work. It focuses on a young woman's journey to find her place in a low-G reality, appropriately never feeling content to stick to the ground and dotting each issue with strong characterization and a personal take on a father-daughter relationship that explores love, pain, and loss. The trio of Lee Garbett (art), Antonio Fabela (colors), and Simon Bowland (letters) don't pull punches when it comes to setting a mood or establishing a sense of immersion, and their full-page illustrations remain an anomaly in today's medium. They excel at bringing every little detail to life in every new issue, which helps Skyward balance its emotional highs with an unimaginable dose of adventure.
Space Bandits
Release date: July 3 (Ongoing)
Space Bandits thrives on the Xs and Os of revenge sagas. Instead of adhering to stereotypical dystopian futures or Image's kink for space and sex stuff, it sticks with Mark Millar's passion for writing big, fun sci-fi stories and sets its phasers to stun. Thena Khole and Cody Blue are two of the universe's most-wanted criminals. They charm halfwits, sip wine, and hijack honeymoon cruises known as The Lionel Richie with pet lizards by their side, but their intergalactic fleecing comes to a halt when they're betrayed by their own band of misfits. It's a narrative that fits the soon-to-be Netflix miniseries tag perfectly, and with artist Matteo Scalera's eye for modular color schemes and full-page phenomenons, Bandits is primed to be one of the biggest obsessions of 2019.
Space Bandits thrives on the Xs and Os of revenge sagas. Instead of adhering to stereotypical dystopian futures or Image's kink for space and sex stuff, it sticks with Mark Millar's passion for writing big, fun sci-fi stories and sets its phasers to stun. Thena Khole and Cody Blue are two of the universe's most-wanted criminals. They charm halfwits, sip wine, and hijack honeymoon cruises known as The Lionel Richie with pet lizards by their side, but their intergalactic fleecing comes to a halt when they're betrayed by their own band of misfits. It's a narrative that fits the soon-to-be Netflix miniseries tag perfectly, and with artist Matteo Scalera's eye for modular color schemes and full-page phenomenons, Bandits is primed to be one of the biggest obsessions of 2019.
Unearth
Release date: July 10 (Ongoing)
Cullen Bunn and Kyle Strahm's Unearth is a paralyzing take on what a beautiful horror should be. It follows the narrative of a flesh-warping disease in Mexico and the scientific task force that is assigned to investigate the contamination. While that's inherently spooky in itself, it free falls down a rabbit hole full of eco-terrors and the supernatural. It's several shades of weird as it alternates between Chernobyl, Alien: Isolation, and a demobilizing hiss of claustrophobia, and illustrator Baldemar Rivas fills the void with the sort of colors and details you can only find in nightmares. There's still issues to be had, but there's nothing else like it on the shelves.
Cullen Bunn and Kyle Strahm's Unearth is a paralyzing take on what a beautiful horror should be. It follows the narrative of a flesh-warping disease in Mexico and the scientific task force that is assigned to investigate the contamination. While that's inherently spooky in itself, it free falls down a rabbit hole full of eco-terrors and the supernatural. It's several shades of weird as it alternates between Chernobyl, Alien: Isolation, and a demobilizing hiss of claustrophobia, and illustrator Baldemar Rivas fills the void with the sort of colors and details you can only find in nightmares. There's still issues to be had, but there's nothing else like it on the shelves.
The Unstoppable Wasp
Release date: October 17, (Ongoing)
Jeremy Whitley deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award for: A) relaunching The Unstoppable Wasp, and B) turning it into a neurotic obsession. The series from Whitley and Gurihiru (The Unbelievable Gwenpool) follows Nadia van Dyne and the Agents of G.I.R.L. as they investigate a connection between her father and the super scientists of A.I.M., but here it’s crammed with quirky nerd jokes, nods to Tegan And Sara, and henchmen who’d prefer to avoid jail time as they still have tickets to see Dazzler in concert. It’s a remarkable reboot that bridges together science and a personal discussion of trauma, and it doesn’t shy from discussing mental health and the importance of support networks. Wasp will make you laugh, cry, and hold onto your heartstrings for dear life, and it uses its platform and social thematics to crystallize the fact that the future of comics is young, female, and queer.
Jeremy Whitley deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award for: A) relaunching The Unstoppable Wasp, and B) turning it into a neurotic obsession. The series from Whitley and Gurihiru (The Unbelievable Gwenpool) follows Nadia van Dyne and the Agents of G.I.R.L. as they investigate a connection between her father and the super scientists of A.I.M., but here it’s crammed with quirky nerd jokes, nods to Tegan And Sara, and henchmen who’d prefer to avoid jail time as they still have tickets to see Dazzler in concert. It’s a remarkable reboot that bridges together science and a personal discussion of trauma, and it doesn’t shy from discussing mental health and the importance of support networks. Wasp will make you laugh, cry, and hold onto your heartstrings for dear life, and it uses its platform and social thematics to crystallize the fact that the future of comics is young, female, and queer.
Venom
Release date: May 9, (Ongoing)
Holy shit, has Donny Cates made Venom creepy again? The veteran wordsmith has his share of accolades (Redneck, Doctor Strange), but the way he has webbed up his own post-S.H.I.E.L.D., mid-Morales take on Eddie Brock is incomparable in a startling way. Cates’ first 11 issues sinks its fangs into the expansive history of the symbiotes and gnaws at Brock’s attachment to his mimic, and with Ryan Stegman (She-Hulk, Renew Your Vows) in tow, it wholly embraces its gothic palette and Lovecraftian undertones. Stegman’s propensity to experiment with frames and contextualize a flawless balance of reds and blacks is a MoMA exhibit in itself, and it’s the perfect carrier for Cates’ spiral into psychological horror. It’s Venom done right, and being the beautiful nightmare that it is, it’s a lucid interpretation that will leave you champing at the bit for more issues sooner.
Holy shit, has Donny Cates made Venom creepy again? The veteran wordsmith has his share of accolades (Redneck, Doctor Strange), but the way he has webbed up his own post-S.H.I.E.L.D., mid-Morales take on Eddie Brock is incomparable in a startling way. Cates’ first 11 issues sinks its fangs into the expansive history of the symbiotes and gnaws at Brock’s attachment to his mimic, and with Ryan Stegman (She-Hulk, Renew Your Vows) in tow, it wholly embraces its gothic palette and Lovecraftian undertones. Stegman’s propensity to experiment with frames and contextualize a flawless balance of reds and blacks is a MoMA exhibit in itself, and it’s the perfect carrier for Cates’ spiral into psychological horror. It’s Venom done right, and being the beautiful nightmare that it is, it’s a lucid interpretation that will leave you champing at the bit for more issues sooner.
Waves
Release date: May 14
The best moments in Waves are the ones you never see coming. The debut graphic novel from French writer Ingrid Chabbert is an autobiographical tale about two women and the emotional impact of a surprise pregnancy. Here, the upfront joy is shattered into unforeseen heartbreak and crushingly real moments of love, sorrow, and renewal. Chabbert’s portraiture of motherhood creates connections and underlines the bliss that comes with regaining a sense of hope during an exploration of pain, but artist Carole Maurel brings every finer detail to life. Her own attachment to minimalist art styles accelerates the emotional sting at hand and her use of color is a truly remarkable tool that’s used to create a deeply personal, 100-page masterpiece.
The best moments in Waves are the ones you never see coming. The debut graphic novel from French writer Ingrid Chabbert is an autobiographical tale about two women and the emotional impact of a surprise pregnancy. Here, the upfront joy is shattered into unforeseen heartbreak and crushingly real moments of love, sorrow, and renewal. Chabbert’s portraiture of motherhood creates connections and underlines the bliss that comes with regaining a sense of hope during an exploration of pain, but artist Carole Maurel brings every finer detail to life. Her own attachment to minimalist art styles accelerates the emotional sting at hand and her use of color is a truly remarkable tool that’s used to create a deeply personal, 100-page masterpiece.
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