San Diego Comic-Con will be here next month, which I always use as an excuse to write about some of the year’s great comics and graphic novels.
While comics are often synonymous with “superheroes,” they can cover all sorts of topics and themes. Some of today’s most popular stories are about magic pirates, soccer players, and the emotional drama of teenage life. Comics combine character, story, humor, action, and visual artistry while also being literary and poignant.
Here are some of my favorites of the past year.
Tom King and Elsa Charretier’s Love Everlasting is a recent intriguing and mysterious title.
It begins as a light parody of romance comics of the 1950s, but quickly reveals a larger story at play.
Joan Peterson is a woman who keeps waking up in new romantic scenarios, and as soon as she finds true love, she awakes in an entirely new situation: 50s secretary who falls for her boss; rebellious 60s youth in love with a groovy rock musician; rancher in the old West with eyes for the new farm hand. With each scenario, she starts to remember her past “lives”, and gets increasingly baffled and furious. What is going on? Is someone doing this to her? How can she break free of this bizarre cycle? The artwork has a slightly exaggerated, cartoon feel, which compliments the elevated, surreal premise well.
Another Tom King project that stood out was Human Target.
King and artist Greg Smallwood take a somewhat obscure character from DC Comics’ roster of superheroes and place him into a twisty noir thriller.
Christopher “Human Target” Chance makes a living by impersonating clients who are at risk of assassination and turning the plots against the would-be killers. But in an ironic turn, the usually untouchable Chance finds himself a dead man walking, poisoned with an incurable, slow-acting toxin that will kill him within days. He will spend his remaining time drinking highballs, flirting, and trying to solve his own murder.
It’s an excellent story that won multiple awards, but will probably be enjoyed most by people with some familiarity with superhero characters. The art is moody and realistic while playing with color and capturing a tone of suave 1960s cool.
Dave Chisholm’s graphic biography, Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound was phenomenal.
It’s the life story of a prickly savant with an overwhelming focus on music, sensation, and innovation. Chisholm depicts the jazz legend as a complex and frequently unlikable man, but who is still fascinating and compelling. But the impressionist artwork is what really sells this book. Through color and abstract imagery, the author tries to show the sound, vibe, and internal feeling of listening to and playing this music. I am very interested to see what Chisholm does next.
Where the Body Was is the latest from an excellent comic duo, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips.
Known primarily for their intricate crime and noir stories, Where the Body Lies weaves together the memories and confessions of a dozen residents of a 1980s suburb, all leading up to the day a dead body was found in their cul-de-sac. Lonely housewives, misunderstood teens, and resentful bachelors interact in unexpected ways leading to even more unexpected ends. The detailed artwork contrasts a sordid story with the bright daytime colors of sunny suburbia.
La Mesa Library has kicked off our 2024 Summer Learning Challenge! Complete 10 fun activities, including “Read a graphic novel!” to earn prizes. Attend our many concerts, performances, art classes and more.
Info at: www.sdcl.org/summer.
Photo credit: Pixabay.com
