James' Picks:
The Night Eaters vol. 1: She Eats at Night by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda, published by Abrams ComicArts
The Night Eaters is the new graphic story from writer Marjorie Liu and artist Sana Takeda, the creators of Monstress. If you've never ready Monstress, I suggest you do that. It's remarkable, highly skilled storytelling. More to the point, Monstress is one of the most stunning-looking comics you will ever read. Takeda has an incredibly dense, lush, detailed style that each page is almost overwhelming sometimes. It's a profoundly beautiful book, even when the images on the pages are ugly or terrifying. I read in an article/preview that apparently Takeda is going with a somewhat simplified style in this new series. Rest assured, that will still be one of the most stunning comics you read. This team is very skillful at creating rich worlds full of terror and characters who fascinate and are compelling.
Elle(s) #3 by Aveline Stokart and Kid Toussaint, published by Ablaze Publishing
I just recently read the first 2 issues of Elle(s) and it was a completely delightful surprise. I picked it up entirely based on the fun, stylish covers. And I am so glad that I did! This is an engaging, emotional, all-ages read about a teenage girl named Elle who appears to have Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). She's moved around a bunch, as she's had issues at past schools. But she's made a group of friends who are kind and caring and really want to be and stay friends with all of the various parts of her. The story has beautiful artwork from artist Aveline Stokart. The art is bright, colorful, and the characters look like they just stepped right out of a Pixar movie. I really enjoy this comic so far, and am interested to read more. I'll also be sure to check out more comics from Ablaze, who publish translated comics from other languages into English. I also recently read the first issue of a comic called The Boogeyman and it was excellent.
Do a Powerbomb #5 by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer, published by Image Comics
Do a Powerbomb is proving to be a really special comic. Creator Daniel Warren Johnson is better than just about anyone at achieving this mix of badass action, character development, and incredibly high emotional stakes, all delivered in a stunning artistic package (with colors from the terrific Mike Spicer). This is a story about a wrestling tournament in some sort of demon-dimension, involving competitors from multiple worlds. But it's really about grief, loss, family, and pursuing your passions. Even if you're not particularly a wrestling fan, I promise you'll love this book. If you are a wrestling fan, then you will appreciate all of the amazing touches that Johnson includes in this comic.
