2017 was full of great comics, and here's where to find them
December 31, 2017 10:44 AM Subscribe
The best comics of 2017: The Verge - The 10 best comics of 2017, Wired - Extremity and 5 More of the Best Comics of 2017, Uproxx - The Best Comics Of 2017 As Selected By Dan Seitz, Polygon - Our definitive list of the best comics in 2017, The Hollywood Reporter - The Best Comics of 2017. Not linked: a lazy, insulting and arguably rather sexist list from Vice.
Sad to see that my favorite GN this year —Sophia Foster-Dimino’s Sex Fantasy—didn’t make it on to more lists.
It did make Vulture’s and Publishers Weekly’s, though.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 11:14 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
It did make Vulture’s and Publishers Weekly’s, though.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 11:14 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
It's not been a great year for everyone, of course. Despite some highpoints on those lists Marvel have had a particularly shitty year. You could arguer their loss is Batman's gain, probably it just means trouble for everyone.
posted by Artw at 11:16 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Artw at 11:16 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
Oh, hey, this Kickstarted comic finally, finally, finally came out this year. I haven't read it yet, but I assure you it is some M Kaluta Ass Shit, so I'm probably going to love it.
As for Vice... yeah. I like everyone involved in Waypoint, for example, but I just can't get the Vice stink out of my mind, so I rarely read it these days.
posted by selfnoise at 11:17 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
As for Vice... yeah. I like everyone involved in Waypoint, for example, but I just can't get the Vice stink out of my mind, so I rarely read it these days.
posted by selfnoise at 11:17 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
The only ones I've experienced are "Giant Days" and "Batman/The Shadow" and they both were/are wonderful.
As an old time Monster Kid, I really think I need to check out "My Favorite Thing is Monsters".
Because monsters, that's why.
My credit card and Comixology thanks you for this list!
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 11:21 AM on December 31, 2017
As an old time Monster Kid, I really think I need to check out "My Favorite Thing is Monsters".
Because monsters, that's why.
My credit card and Comixology thanks you for this list!
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 11:21 AM on December 31, 2017
As for Vice... yeah. I like everyone involved in Waypoint, for example, but I just can't get the Vice stink out of my mind
The Waypoint crew has made multiple comments that pretty much say the same thing. It looks like they're trying to run their little corner of the Vice empire in a way that's actually open and progressive and welcoming. I like their stuff and wonder how long it's actually going to last (as in Vice shuts down Waypoint, not that Waypointers turn into a bunch of shitlords)
posted by thecjm at 11:21 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
The Waypoint crew has made multiple comments that pretty much say the same thing. It looks like they're trying to run their little corner of the Vice empire in a way that's actually open and progressive and welcoming. I like their stuff and wonder how long it's actually going to last (as in Vice shuts down Waypoint, not that Waypointers turn into a bunch of shitlords)
posted by thecjm at 11:21 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
Oh, hey, this Kickstarted comic finally, finally, finally came out this year. I haven't read it yet, but I assure you it is some M Kaluta Ass Shit, so I'm probably going to love it.
Ha! Same on multiple counts. I need time to sit down and savour that one.
posted by Artw at 11:37 AM on December 31, 2017
Ha! Same on multiple counts. I need time to sit down and savour that one.
posted by Artw at 11:37 AM on December 31, 2017
Surprised to see My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness on Polygon's list! I thought it was a very touching short comic on depression and sexuality.
The sketches are still on Pixiv if you can read Japanese. (The fully polished version, in English or Japanese, I think you need to buy.)
posted by typify at 11:47 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
The sketches are still on Pixiv if you can read Japanese. (The fully polished version, in English or Japanese, I think you need to buy.)
posted by typify at 11:47 AM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
You know, Art, all the comics posts you make make me think maybe you've got something invested in this.
posted by Samizdata at 12:11 PM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Samizdata at 12:11 PM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
Gosh, Amazon! Really? An Audible ad on a page for a graphic novel? Really?
posted by Samizdata at 12:12 PM on December 31, 2017
posted by Samizdata at 12:12 PM on December 31, 2017
Also, can I get a ranked list of the best of the ranked comics lists please?
posted by Samizdata at 12:14 PM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Samizdata at 12:14 PM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
It's somewhat interesting that Vice author gave the top spot to Hanselmann, who cross-dresses, has expressed gender dysphoria, and said he's "sick of the overarching masculinity and bullshit in the media (and comics)." http://www.tcj.com/disgusting-creatures-the-simon-hanselmann-interview/
Anyhow, don't want to derail.
I haven't read Julia Wertz's "Tenements, Towers & Trash," but want to. Guy Delisle's "Hostage" impressed me insofar as he managed to make a largely plotless story interesting. 2017 seems like it was light on journalistic/historical comics, which is my jam.
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 12:22 PM on December 31, 2017
Anyhow, don't want to derail.
I haven't read Julia Wertz's "Tenements, Towers & Trash," but want to. Guy Delisle's "Hostage" impressed me insofar as he managed to make a largely plotless story interesting. 2017 seems like it was light on journalistic/historical comics, which is my jam.
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 12:22 PM on December 31, 2017
I found myself pleasantly surprised by most of these lists, as they're promoting some brilliant and unconventional work along with some of the more usual suspects. My Favorite Thing Is Monsters was so good that I rationed it out to myself, making myself stop after I'd reached the beginning of the next "chapter" (i.e. the next full-page monster comic illustration).
And, yeah, fuck Vice. One of the things that was startling about the NYT expose was that they're so big; I had no idea that there was so much money to be made on something that I'd always associated with teenage edgelordism.
posted by Halloween Jack at 12:22 PM on December 31, 2017
And, yeah, fuck Vice. One of the things that was startling about the NYT expose was that they're so big; I had no idea that there was so much money to be made on something that I'd always associated with teenage edgelordism.
posted by Halloween Jack at 12:22 PM on December 31, 2017
While the first issue came out at the end of 2016, I'm really digging Motor Crush. The visuals are awesome, and it's the same team as did Batgirl of Burnside. Manga influenced, but it had me hooked by the 3rd issue.
posted by petrilli at 12:28 PM on December 31, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by petrilli at 12:28 PM on December 31, 2017 [4 favorites]
Vice is (one of) Hanselmann’s publishers.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 12:39 PM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 12:39 PM on December 31, 2017 [2 favorites]
That Vice article was pretty good at creating outrage. I am no longer hanging out on Twitter, and have Mastodon's equivalent to retweets turned off, and I *still* heard about how terrible it was. And I googled it, and looked at it, and lo, it was exactly as terrible as advertised, and I still helped inflate its pageview count.
I have no recommendations for great comics I read this year. I read some good ones I guess but I was too busy generally stressing out about the kickstarter for my own that I finally got completely done with this month. (Looking through the been-read-needs-shelving pile it strikes me that I should see if there's a second trade of Kim & Kim, I like reading madcap sci-fi nonsense where one of the title characters is trans and nobody gives a single damn.)
also woo, new starstruck, I will have to ask Phoenix Comics to get a copy for me!
posted by egypturnash at 1:03 PM on December 31, 2017 [3 favorites]
I have no recommendations for great comics I read this year. I read some good ones I guess but I was too busy generally stressing out about the kickstarter for my own that I finally got completely done with this month. (Looking through the been-read-needs-shelving pile it strikes me that I should see if there's a second trade of Kim & Kim, I like reading madcap sci-fi nonsense where one of the title characters is trans and nobody gives a single damn.)
also woo, new starstruck, I will have to ask Phoenix Comics to get a copy for me!
posted by egypturnash at 1:03 PM on December 31, 2017 [3 favorites]
Oh, I forgot two others: Warren Craghead's "TRUMPTRUMP" and Eli Valley's "Diaspora Boy." Good stuff on The Nib, too.
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 1:13 PM on December 31, 2017
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 1:13 PM on December 31, 2017
Second series of Kim & Kim finished up pretty recently, so trade should be pretty soon? I think you're going to like it.
Suprised not to see Mags on many lists, she's kind of having a moment.
posted by Artw at 1:31 PM on December 31, 2017
Suprised not to see Mags on many lists, she's kind of having a moment.
posted by Artw at 1:31 PM on December 31, 2017
Looks like it came out on the 26th, even!
It's good stuff.
posted by Artw at 1:38 PM on December 31, 2017
It's good stuff.
posted by Artw at 1:38 PM on December 31, 2017
Yes, Roya is one of the best comics I have ever read. Also one of the hottest comics I've ever read.
posted by SansPoint at 2:01 PM on December 31, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by SansPoint at 2:01 PM on December 31, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh, hey, this Kickstarted comic finally, finally, finally came out this year. I haven't read it yet, but I assure you it is some M Kaluta Ass Shit, so I'm probably going to love it.
GASP
New Starstruck? /excited gibbering ring ring this is birdphone burble
posted by mwhybark at 2:26 PM on December 31, 2017 [1 favorite]
GASP
New Starstruck? /excited gibbering ring ring this is birdphone burble
posted by mwhybark at 2:26 PM on December 31, 2017 [1 favorite]
Guy Delisle's "Hostage" impressed me insofar as he managed to make a largely plotless story interesting.
This is actually a perfect summation of Guy Delisle's oeuvre.
Seconding the love for Sophia Foster-Dimino's Sex Fantasy. Foster-Dimino actually has most of the chapters on her website for free, because they were individual zines before she compiled them into one book, so you can read them to see just how good they are and then buy the book for the rest.
posted by Panthalassa at 4:26 PM on December 31, 2017
This is actually a perfect summation of Guy Delisle's oeuvre.
Seconding the love for Sophia Foster-Dimino's Sex Fantasy. Foster-Dimino actually has most of the chapters on her website for free, because they were individual zines before she compiled them into one book, so you can read them to see just how good they are and then buy the book for the rest.
posted by Panthalassa at 4:26 PM on December 31, 2017
It's somewhat interesting that Vice author gave the top spot to Hanselmann, who cross-dresses, has expressed gender dysphoria, and said he's "sick of the overarching masculinity and bullshit in the media (and comics)."
Gazin's not a bigot, he's just lazy. He's also the AD that hires Hanselmann to do regular comics for Vice.
posted by milk white peacock at 7:12 PM on January 1, 2018
Gazin's not a bigot, he's just lazy. He's also the AD that hires Hanselmann to do regular comics for Vice.
posted by milk white peacock at 7:12 PM on January 1, 2018
I'd pretty much assumed he just glanced at the list of Fantagraphics releases for the year and picked six at random.
posted by Artw at 7:15 PM on January 1, 2018
posted by Artw at 7:15 PM on January 1, 2018
> milk white peacock:
"Gazin's not a bigot, he's just lazy."
That's not what the masses on Twitter were implying.
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 9:34 AM on January 2, 2018
"Gazin's not a bigot, he's just lazy."
That's not what the masses on Twitter were implying.
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 9:34 AM on January 2, 2018
I'm pretty sure the masses on Twitter have implied both.
posted by Artw at 10:51 AM on January 2, 2018
posted by Artw at 10:51 AM on January 2, 2018
« Older *ring* *ring* this is birdphone | Same procedure as every year? Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
I've spent the last month catching up on a few, and the one that really stood out so far is shade, the changing girl -- such a weird, wonderful series.
posted by Kybard at 11:06 AM on December 31, 2017 [3 favorites]