The 10 Most Anticipated Comics of 2015

2014 was a really fun year packed with enjoyable comics. But what does 2015 have to offer us? Only a TON of great stuff! What am I talking about? Check it out:

Blacksad: Amarillo Review (Juan Díaz Canales, Juanjo Guarnido)

Set in 1950/60s America, a Jack Kerouac-type writer murders his antagonistic poet friend in cold blood and goes on the lam. Blacksad is mixed up in this beatnik writer’s life after the Cadillac Eldorado he was entrusted with gets stolen and trashed by him. But then the feds go after Blacksad after his wallet is found in the car – and the poet’s body in the trunk. 

Secret Six: Six Degrees of Devastation Review (Gail Simone, Brad Walker)

Swiftly moving past the cruddy title - “Six Degrees of Devastation”, which sounds like an emo high school band’s name - I was hoping this book was going to reveal to me the brilliance of “fan favourite” Gail Simone’s Secret Six series that I’d missed with the last Six book (Cats in the Cradle) and the first issue of the New 52 re-launch that I’d read. And it didn’t. If anything, Six Degrees was worse than both and made me completely give up on the series! 

110 PerC by Tony Consiglio Review

I know Tony Consiglio from The Ink Panthers Show podcast where he usually drops in every now and then and completely livens up the episode with his funny stories, brilliant comic timing, and quick wit. It’s a shame the podcast is now twice-yearly (or thereabouts) instead of weekly or even monthly because Consiglio’s stories remain some of the most entertaining podcast episodes I’ve ever listened to. 

Polarity Review (Max Bemis, Jorge Coelho)

Hold. The. Phone. 

A Boom comic that’s not total poop? That’s unexpected! Polarity’s about a bipolar artist but it’s full of things I liked and didn’t like that I’m gonna sound a bit bipolar myself in this review as I go from one end of the spectrum to the other! 

Daredevil, Volume 1: Devil at Bay Review (Mark Waid, Chris Samnee)

DC’s New 52 reboot made the company a lot of money in the short term and, a year later, Marvel followed suit with their Marvel NOW! relaunch which also made them a lot of money. Bottom line is: New #1s SELL and it seems both companies these days are scared of titles getting too many issues out, the high numbering sure to scare off prospective new readers. 

Dead Letters, Volume 1 Review (Christopher Sebela, Chris Visions)

Some Guy appears in a generic city. He can’t remember who he is or anything. Then some guys show up and try to get them to work for him. Some other guys show up and try to get him to work for them. What work? Like guns and junk. He’s a hitman? He works for both but he’s really working for himself. The guys are God and The Devil. He is in Purgatory. 

Secret Six: Cats in the Cradle Review (Gail Simone, John Ostrander)

I’m trying to educate myself about the Secret Six and figure out who they are and what they’re about but my library doesn’t have the whole sequence of books in order so I’m grabbing random selections as and when they appear. Cats in the Cradle seems like a good book to start with though as it’s the origin of Catman who I think is the Six’s leader.

Batman Annual #3 Review (James Tynion IV, Roge Antonio)

Do you remember this news story? It was during Bush’s War on Terror and US Forces were forcing terrorist suspects/brown people to listen to Nancy Sinatra or Metallica as a method of information extraction. I remember the reaction in the media too, one of humour over the silly and seemingly whacky, almost gentle turn that 21st century interrogation had taken - “Ho ho, I know how they feel - Andy Williams, ugh!” etc. - as if they were sat in a comfortable room with the music itself being played at a normal level. 

The 10 Best Comics of 2014

Lotta bad comics came out in 2014 – lotta good ones too!

Image produced some quality titles like they did in 2013 with special mention to Southern Bastards and the continuing saga of Sex Criminals while Marvel’s All-New Marvel NOW! yielded some sparkling treasures. Not mentioned on the list is Dan Slott/Michael Allred’s Silver Surfer and Charles Soule/Javier Pulido’s She-Hulk.

Ghost Riders: Heaven's On Fire Review (Jason Aaron, Roland Boschi)

The angel Zadkiel has toppled Heaven and, with the angels turned bad, it’s up to the demonic-looking but good Ghost Riders to unite and burn some wings! It’s Johnny Blaze, Danny Ketch and an army of Spirits of Vengeance against the celestial forces – the ultimate battle between good and evil!

The Midas Flesh, Volume 1 Review (Ryan North, Braden Lamb)

A few months ago I bought the Boom Studios Humble Bundle, where you get to buy a ton of electronic comics and name your price with the money going towards Humble Bundle, Boom, and/or a named charity – it’s basically a great deal and millions gets raised to help disadvantaged people. I ended up reading one book immediately, disliked it enormously, and promptly put the rest on the backburner. 

Suicide Risk, Volume 1 Review (Mike Carey, Elena Casagrande)

Is the title a warning that the reader might just give up all hope somewhere in the book and decide to end it all for good?

Lumberjanes, Volume 1 Review (Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis)

A small group of friends spend their summer at Lumberjanes Scout Camp where things get surprisingly weird. The surrounding forest is full of talking Yetis, three-eyed snakes, three-eyed falcons – three-eyed everythings! All clues point towards a mysterious tower as the source of the oddities. And off they go – what will they find?