[10] Action Comics #1035 - "Warworld Risen"
With this issue, Philip Kennedy Johnson proved to Superman Fans that he is a worthy scribe for the man of steel, elevating his story with engaging dialogue, mythology unbound, and of course plenty of action!
This book makes you feel like the DC Universe is so interconnected and grand in scale with all of the characters/players involved in the narrative: every action has consequences that ripple into the greater DC landscape.
Paired with Daniel Sampere's stunning art, PKJ sets the tone for the new era of the Superman line, weaving a tale that will captivate and inspire any comic reader.
[9] Suicide Squad #7 - "Hellbound"
This book is too much fun.
Robbie Thompson knows exactly what he's doing in the pages of Suicide Squad; keeping a concise and explosive narrative coated around a dynamic and diverse cast of c-listers. No pages are wasted, every issue is as chaotic as a book about the Suicide Squad should be.
What makes #7 stand out is the inclusion of the Viridian Voyeur, Ambush Bug! Ambush Bug brings even more chaos into the lives of the Squad with his 4th Wall breaking commentary as he drives his teammates and Amanda Waller nuts.
And what can I say, I'm a sucker for anything meta.
[8] Defenders #4 - "Fourth Cosmos: The Lovers"
I have to admit that I've only dipped my toe into the vast sea of stories in the Marvel Universe. 2021 was the year I began to read Marvel Monthlies since I became a comic fan. After catching up on the spectacular Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing, I knew I absolutely could not miss his Defenders run.
Essentially a Multiversity-Lite for the Marvel Universe, Ewing sends a rag-tag team of heroes into the various incarnations of the Multiverse in search of a deadly foe. Incorporating Tarot Magick and leaking with Kirby Crackle, Ewing and Rodriguez create a grand design for the MU that honors all 80 years of history.
Issue 4 brings us to the Fourth Cosmos of Archetypes, where we witness a primordial war between hyper-ideas that make up the foundation of the MU. Ewing hopes to break the cycle of unoriginal never-ending conflicts in comics, and replace them with new elevation of story that allows for growth and evolution. Jack Kirby's Legacy is allowed to move forward, beyond the stale and stagnant ouroboros of the comics trap; into the future.
[7] Superman & The Authority #4 - "Widescreen"
Dear King Moz came back from the dead for one last encore, a final say on the Man of Tomorrow while passing the torch to the future in a grand departure from DC.
Superman gathers a team for the new age, one that may instill substantial change where the JLA failed; a new Authority to face cosmic evil. Everything comes full circle, with Superman confronting his oldest enemies, the Ultra-Humanite and Brainiac (echoing the first arc of Morrison's N52 AC). Superman refuses the ultimatum of his adversaries, instead choosing a third path that breaks the conflict chain. What happens when an Unstoppable Force meets an Unmovable Object?
And instead of wrapping everything up in a nice little bow, Morrison embraces the never-ending story while embodying the inscription on the Tombstone of Nil:
To Be Continued...
[6] Flash #776 - "Belief"
As I stated earlier, I am an absolute sucker for anything meta. Take a look at the books on this list and you will see exactly what I mean. In the pages of
The Flash however, Jeremy Adams takes the meta-trope and literally forces us to turn it upside down.
Evoking the classic cover of 1966's Flash #163, Adams and Pasarin send Wally and Khalid on the run from interdimensional monsters; and their only source of help is from the readers themselves!
Not only is the anatomy and structure of this book genius, but the tight dialogue and on-point character interactions allow for an extremely fun and exciting comic experience regardless. This is a title you simply cannot miss, and easily one of the best things to come out of 2021.
[5] The Swamp Thing #3 - "My Green Amaranthine, Part I"
It would be a vast understatement to call Ram V's
The Swamp Thing a good book. This incarnation of the Green Guardian is not a reboot, not a reimagining, but a continuation of the Emerald Tapestry woven by Len Wein and Alan Moore.
Levi Kamei is one of the best OC's to come out of 2021, and should be a symbol for how diverse characters should be introduced across all mediums. His charisma and internal turmoil allow for a captivating soul for the book while simultaneously acting as a lens into the mythology of the green for any new readers.
Ram V has proved his status as a titan of the industry with every issue that comes out, and the extension of this series is a testament to his and Mike Perkins' talent. This is what a monthly comic should be.
[4] Stargirl Spring Break Special - "The Seven Soldiers of Spring Break"
One of my main frustrations with Post-2011 DC is the lack of synchronicity and scale of the Universe itself. New 52 has made the DC geography and landscape seem so small and contained; the butchered surgery of 80+ years of history crammed into the 5 years earlier BS neutered the personality and growth of every single character. With ten years flown by since the start of the New 52, I can't help but say good riddance DiDio!
After the failure of Doomsday Clock and the anti-climactic irrelevance of Three Jokers, Geoff Johns desperately needed a redemption arc. Luckily his work on the Stargirl television show and this special have done a sufficient clean up act.
The Justice Society is and has always been a cornerstone of the DC Universe; a living repository of history and legacy that embody the charm and relevance of the Golden Age. The character of Stargirl acts as a perfect ride along for those who wish to learn and enjoy the glory of the JSA's vast chronology. This special worked perfectly as a soft-reboot for both the Seven Soldiers and the Society themselves, while creating mystery threads that I pray are followed up by Johns in the near future.
[3] The Green Lantern Season Two #12 - "The Intelligence Engine"
In my opinion, Grant Morrison is the greatest comic book writer of all time. So you should know how much it hurt to learn that this would be their last work at DC. Though
Wonder Woman Earth One Vol III and
Superman & The Authority came out after the fact,
The Green Lantern was the true curtain call on the DCU. And what a way to drop the mic...
In a two-part finale, a powerless Hal Jordan faces off against a cabal of his greatest enemies puppeteered by the Golden Giants of the Nomad Empire. Hal refuses to annihilate his enemies, instead giving up the Cosmic Grail and freeing the people of Athmoora of the Intelligence Engine that keeps them in medieval perpetuity. Reflecting their status within DC and the current comic landscape, both Hal & Grant depart from their respective regimes into the unknown.
In my opinion, Morrison's Green Lantern run, both seasons including
Blackstars, surpassed even Johns and Vendetti in quality of GL runs, so the only we can do is look back at what an epic ride Morrison took us on.
[2] Immortal Hulk #50 - "Of Hell & Of Death"
There isn't much to say about
Immortal Hulk that hasn't already been said by hundreds of thousands of other comic readers. Al Ewing and Joe Bennet created an undisputed masterpiece for the Jade Giant that is easily one of the best long form comics of the 2010's.
Combining biblical mysticism, Kabbalistic lore, cosmic horror, and a cross-country scramble across the Marvel Universe, Ewing crafts an unpredictable and yet consistently powerful narrative that sucks you into the emerald hurricane that is Bruce Banner's mind.
The final chapter is the perfect subversion of reader expectation, in the sense that it yields a result that was better than anything we could have expected. In a medium where so much of the content put out is tired and recycled, the act of allowing characters to choose the third path will always be compelling to anything else.
Savage Hulk chooses mercy over rage, ending the conflict-chain like Superman and Hal Jordan to facilitate a new beginning or the character. Of course, all three of those characters immediately reverted back to base once new writers took over, but the point is that comics like these prove that archetypal characters like these are capable of change. Hyper-ideas can evolve, and they always are. Its the duty of the creators and the consumers to allow changes like these to continue occurring so that the never-ending story can truly stay never-ending.
[1] Batman/Superman #22 - "Little Boxes"
Gene Luen Yang's
Batman/Superman was a glimmer in the void, immediately snuffed out when it was cut short. Every issue tried something new with the medium, tossing the World's Finest into worlds more unknown and more dangerous as the Archive of Worlds descended on our heroes.
The final issue was my favorite of the meta-experiments that came out this year; our favorite fiend from Dimension Five Mr. Mxyzptlk empowering the recently deceased Calendar Man with 5-D powers, allowing him to look beyond the panels and pages. He almost triumphs against our heroes, but hubris comes for all as he learns pain, compassion, and mercy.
Mxy ponders and questions the reader on the nature of the never-ending story: why do we keep coming back when we know how its always going to end?
Well, because we prefer to choose good over evil. Satisfaction derives from desire, and as perfectly imperfect human beings, we are gifted with free will and the ability to choose between good and evil. In a world of Men of Tomorrow and Caped Crusaders, they can't help but choose good, and we can't help but choose good and desire good for them.
We create our heroes, projecting our conflicts and emotions onto the lower dimensions that are little boxes of the comic medium. At the same time, their fictions inspire us and actively influence/affect our own reality. The never-ending story extends to humanity, and though there is still tragedy and strife that exists in humanity, we can't help but love to see our heroes win.
