Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Best New Comics of 2017

Wow, I am onto May now, but still trying to publish my best of 2017 list.

Best new comics should be easy, because I did manage to post list for all 12 months of 2017 on my blog.

(PS: In no particular order of preference is this list created and only new series' that started being published in English for the first time were the main selection criteria.)

X-O MANOWAR
Format: Ongoing 
Writer: Matt Kindt 
Artist: Tomas Giorello
Publisher: Valiant Comics

WAR IS COMING!
Born under the oppressive thumb of the Roman Empire, Aric of Dacia learned warfare at an early age. It was amid such violence that he was abducted by an alien race. Forced into slavery, he survived where others perished. His escape would come from bonding with a weapon of immeasurable power: the X-O Manowar armor. With it, he returned to Earth...only to find himself stranded in the modern day.
But that was a lifetime ago.
Now, far from home on a strange and primitive new world, Aric has begun a new life. Liberated from his past, he tends to his crops. Free from war. Free from violence. Free from the armor.
But the machinery of death marches his way once again. Conscripted into an alien army and thrown into an unforgiving conflict, the fury inside him finds voice as he is forced to embrace the armor once more. With it, he will decimate armies, topple empires and incite interplanetary warfare as he rises from SOLDIER to GENERAL to EMPEROR to VISIGOTH. They wanted a weapon. He will give them war!


[ Well, I loved the previous X-O Manowar series, and this new series starts of just as well, if not better. ]

BLACK BOLT 
Format: Ongoing
Writer: Saladin Ahmed
Artist: Christian Ward

Publisher: Marvel Comics 

THE KING OF THE INHUMANS’ FIRST SOLO SERIES!
Black Bolt imprisoned! But by who? And where exactly? The answers to both will shock you! But to learn those answers, Black Bolt must first win a fight to the death with a fellow inmate — The Absorbing Man! Award-winning science fiction writer Saladin Ahmed (Throne of the Crescent Moon) crafts a story as trippy as it is action-packed, with truly mind-bending art from the one and only Christian Ward!


[ 'Saladin Ahmed' masterfully starts a solo series featuring one of the most powerful super beings from Marvel. This is a breathtakingly refreshing take on the much under appreciated character, to be precise. ] 

SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER 
Format: Limited Series (5 isssues)
Writer: Jody LeHeup
Artist: Nil Vendrell

Publisher: Image Comics

After being betrayed by the bears that raised him, the legendary Shirtless Bear-Fighter wanders the forest he's sworn to protect, fistfighting bears, eating flapjacks, and being the angriest man the world has ever known!
When wild-eyed, super-strong bears attack the citizens of Major City, Shirtless ventures into the human world to do what he does best...PUNCH THOSE BEARS IN THE FACE! But all is not as it seems. Someone is manipulating Shirtless...and only by confronting the demons of his past can Shirtless hope to save his future!
A heart-filled, hilarious, tall tale for the ages... you don't want to miss SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER!
 


[ Wacky and hilarious stuff here. Just try this, I promise you will love it. ] 

DEFENDERS 
Format: Ongoing
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Marquez

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Daredevil! Luke Cage! Jessica Jones! Iron Fist! Individually, these four heroes have been on the front lines of the battle to keep the streets of the city safe and secure! But now, with a deadly enemy from the dim past making a major move to unite the underworld, they will need to become more - they will need to become DEFENDERS! Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez unite to bring you the next great super-team, in the tradition of NEW AVENGERS!  


[ I might have started reading this a bit biased, specially after watching some of the MCU TV shows, but this series is a brilliant in its own right. ]

MECH CADET YU 
Format: Ongoing
Writer: Greg Pack
Artist: Takeshi Miyazawa

Publisher: Boom! Studios

Once a year, giant robots from outer space come to Earth and bond with young cadets from the elite Sky Corps Academy to defend the world from the terrifying aliens known as the Sharg. It’s a great honor to be chosen, but this year...well, the wrong kid was picked.
Greg Pak (Totally Awesome Hulk) and Takeshi Miyazawa (Ms. Marvel) team up for an action-packed adventure perfect for fans of Amadeus Cho and Pacific Rim!


[ Fun little series that became so popular that the publisher decided to make the planned mini-series into an ongoing. ]



REDLANDS 
Format: Ongoing
Writer: Jordie Bellaire

Artist: Venesa R. Del Rey
Publisher: Image Comics

A brand-new horror book from the minds of Eisner Award-winner JORDIE BELLAIRE (PRETTY DEADLY, Vision, Batman) and critically acclaimed artist VANESA R. DEL REY (ZERO, Scarlet
Witch, Constantine) brings you to the sleepy, sunny town of Redlands, Florida. The police are failing to maintain control of their old-fashioned town, and a coven of killer witches plan to take everything from them. This summer, hide your bibles.
 


[ An interesting horror tale with exquisite art to boot. ]

MISTER MIRACLE 
Format: Limited Series (12 issues)
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Mitch Gerads

Publisher: DC Comics

From the team behind THE SHERIFF OF BABYLON and the Hugo Award-nominated writer of Vision comes a unique new take on one of Jack Kirby’s most beloved New Gods.
Scott Free is the greatest escape artist that ever lived. So great that he escaped Granny Goodness’ gruesome orphanage and the dangers of Apokolips to travel across galaxies and set up a new life on Earth with his wife, the former female fury known as Big Barda. Using the stage alter ego of Mister Miracle, he has made a career for himself showing off his acrobatic escape techniques. He even caught the attention of the Justice League, which counted him among its ranks.
You might say Scott Free has everything...so why isn’t it enough? Mister Miracle has mastered every illusion, achieved every stunt, pulled off every trick—except one. He has never escaped death. Is it even possible? Our hero is going to have to kill himself if he wants to find out.
Written by Tom King (BATMAN) and illustrated by Mitch Gerads (The Punisher), this is a MISTER MIRACLE unlike any you’ve read before.
 


[ Hailed by most as the best series of 2017, this one deserves all the praise it gets. 'Tom King' does it once again and this time with the enigmatic character of 'Mister Miracle'. Every issue is a delight. ]

DOOMSDAY CLOCK 
Format: Limited Series (12 issues)
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist:
Gary Frank 

Publisher: DC Comics  

DC Comics presents to you a 12-issue maxiseries from the critically acclaimed team of writer Geoff Johns, artist Gary Frank and colorist Brad Anderson. You are not prepared for what lies ahead within these pages, good readers. 

[ How can I not be interested in one of the most talked about series in a long while. Watchmen gets incorporated into the DC multiverse and so far this series is almost as god as the hype. ]

These 8 are the new comic series' that I would say are the best in what 2017 has to offer. Despite not making my final list there is some other stuff that I would like to mention that I really liked including - 'Extremity', 'The Old Guard', 'Royal City', 'Crosswinds', 'Secret Weapons' among others. But, you can't include everything and the above listed are the best in my opinion. 

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