A quick jaunt through comics news stories over the past couple of months would yield an enormous amount of grumbling reactions. Now, I'm not talking about you, dear iFanbase (OK, some of you). No, indeed I'm talking about the world at large. There is an unyielding torrent of visceral reactions, usually in repsonse to something changing the status quo. The DC Universe or Spider-Man, or that old chestnut, the assimilation of paper comic book readers into fully digital borg fanboys, and they all cause peope to both type and spit with rage at the same time. At the same time temperatures rage out of control in the summer, and the government seems to spiral ever downward into lunacy. We need to take a brief moment and look at a few things in comics to be excited about RIGHT NOW.
1. Daredevil by Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Marcos Martin – Do you understand how good that first issue was? I was looking through the pages again, and I start thinking about all the joy that Paolo Rivera and Marcus Martin are going to give us over the next few issues, and I can't help but smile. That was a piece of comic book gold.
2. Petrograd – Our August Book of the Month is such a great little package, and I'm so happy companies like Oni are still taking chances on stuff like this, as well as giving it the package and presentation it deserves.
3. Chris Samnee – It wasn't too many years ago that Samnee was working on books not many people were reading. Now he's doing top level work on top level titles, and getting better all the time. That art just makes me happy.
4. Captain America: The First Avenger – I didn't even think it was perfect, but for an hour or so, I was about as happy a moviegoer as I've ever been. I can't say I thought that would ever happen.
5. Phil Noto's sketches – There is hardly a week that goes by that I don't gasp when I look at what he has up on his blog. Phil Noto's art makes clouds part.
6. DC Dark and Edge Titles – I can't pick just one. Paul Cornell doing medieaval Etrigan? Snyder, Paquette, and Francavilla doing Swamp Thing? Jeff Lemire on Animal Man? A dark Justice League with John Constantine? Wow! The fun potential there is off the chart.
7. Paul Montgomery – This would be self-promotion for the site I guess, but can we give it up for our most stalwart comic book writers, on this site or anywhere else? Having a shared experience and context helps us enjoy comics, and when Paul writes about comics, he makes me love them all the more. If he wrote for another site, I'd still say this. I just wouldn't talk to him in real life anymore.
8. IDW Artist Editions – That Walt Simonson Thor book called me. I didn't have the cash for it. I just didn't. It was a bad purchase. I held off for two days. The thing is gorgeous. I have no idea where to store it. I haven't taken it out of the box. Walt Simonson signed it. I covet it now. It is my One Ring. There are more coming featuring Wally Wood, John Romita Sr., and Will Eisner. Ohh.
9. Amazing, inspiring, and genuinely nice guys in comics I've met – I know a lot of folks in comics now, and every day, I'm glad to see them succeed and hear their thoughts and jokes. Rob Guillory, Ryan Ottley, Skottie Young, Mike Norton, Matt Southworth, Gabriel Hardman, Tom Fowler, Scott Chantler, Scott Snyder, Nick Spencer, Greg Rucka, Robert Kirkman, Jason Howard, Josh Williamson, Josh Fialkov, Matt Sturges, Peter Krause, Ron Marz, Chris Eliopoulos, Joe Caramagna, Francesco Francavilla, Jim McCann, Janet K. Lee, Rick Remender, Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt, Charles Soule, David Gallaher, Eric Canete, Chris Burnham, Jonathan Hickman, and probably dozens of others. These are guys with huge talent, and I will personally vouch for any of them.
If I'm feeling down about things, these are some of the things I think about to get me excited about comics again. Given a bit more time, i could double this list. They might not be the same things as what's on your list, but you should go ahead and share that too.
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Thanks Josh. I tweeted this morning about things getting too fucking serious lately. Nice to see I’m not the only one thinking that. Great list.
Also, Paul could fill all 9 slots.
Paul is awesome!!
Things are getting serious, folks need to calm down. I read comics to destress and just enjoy the little things.
That screencap is from my favorite Paul moment.
Boy it feels like an article like this needs to be brought up every few months huh? lol
I would say Daredevil does bring out the best in comics right now. Great script with some amazing, talented artists working on a single title.
10. The non industry professionals in the comics community that i’ve met online over the years that have turned into people I’ve met in real life who’ve turned into people I’d grab a beer (if I drank) with any night of the week.
Paul is amazing and i also love what they did with cap
great list Josh. Why stop at 9?
would you consider doing soemthing like this every few months? Like you said, in a time were a lot of us can be very negative towards the medium we love so much, a good kick in the pants that has us look at all the great things about this medium might be something to help us out of this negative nancy attitude we have.
and that Paul Montgomery, what a dream boat!
@gobo That’s what she and her 2 sisters said. (This comment will be deleted)
Interesting to see Samnee’s name on the list. While I enjoyed his work on Cap & Bucky I really wasn’t a fan of what he did on the previous Cap books. I could certainly think of some things or some creators I would place on my list in place of Samnee.
Dammit. Am I really going to have to go hunt down a copy of Daredevil #1?
When Paul writes about ANYTHING, I’m engaged. That man is dripping with creativity (or is that sweat?)
The current happenings in the Hellboy family of books would have to be on my list of great things about comics.
@gobo that’s what she said!
Great choices there Josh. I particularly agree on Daredevil and Phil Noto. As 20 year graphic designer, I find these two inspiring. As a 30 year comic geek, they make me very happy. Way to keep away the Summer blues Josh!
Awwwww. HUGS!
damnit, beaten to the punch again!
@WeaklyRoll Beat you to it! Haha.
Just reading this list made me happier.
The Seriousness is Too Damn High!
But really, this wonderful post reminded me of one of my all-time favorite Josh pieces:
http://www.ifanboy.com/content/articles/Negativity_Is_TOO_Damn_High
And really, the sentiment is the same. I read comics for fun! And there are so many ways to have fun with comics. I may be disappointed about 1 thing, but then I can move to the 2 or 3 others things waiting for me to try them. This is why I love iFanboy. Responsible for broadening my comic book palete.
@keith7198 You are missing the point.
Word.
I still don’t know if that Paul segment of the video show, captioned above, was his natural reaction or if that was scripted. (Or that unapproved Romo interview.) Either way, brilliant. Just look at the intensity in his eyes!
Oh, you guys. Thanks, Josh. You’re on my Great Things list too.
@lifesend We don’t script much. Most of us are terrible actors.
The Cap movie was so much fun. About 2/3 of the way in, I leaned over to my fiancee and whispered “THIS IS AWESOME.” I’m psyched that we had to really good first issues for both Captain America and Cap and Bucky. I also love the fact that I see Captain America stuff everywhere. It’s a good time to be a Captain America fan.
I just started a daily comic that’s a lot of fun. Inspired by old 30’s cartoons, and wanting to have something anyone could read.
http://www.miltcomic.blogspot.com
It’s running daily thru August, 2011. 31 days of comics!
All of those things are pretty great. Paul’s podcast is pretty great too.
@josh I don’t think I missed the point. You said his art “makes you happy”. I’m assuming one reason you put him on the list was becuase you considered him one of the nine “great things in comics right now” and something “to be excited about”.
I understand he’s getting bigger projects. I simply said I wasn’t his biggest fan. So it naturally follows that he wouldn’t be on MY list. I can think of other creators on the rise who I am more excited about that Samnee. Nothing personal. 😉
@Bryce31 Thanks!
Chris Samnee is great. Really glad to see he made the list. Also, Tom vs Aquaman should defintley be included.
Yay positivity and comics! This is why I like this site. Great list.
ryan ottley made the list? I am content
@keith7198 Listen, for just this one thread, try and tell us what you like instead of what you don’t.
@conallgil Honestly, truly, one of the nicest guys I’ve met in comics. Truly genuine and 100% committed to doing good work.
yeah there are some things that suck right now, but everything on this list is amazing. thank you!
Great list, Josh. Couldn’t agree more on Daredevil and Samnee. And in fear of boosting his ego even more, Paul as well. Comics are good!
On a side note. I was trying to avoid the Ultimate Spidey spoiler. But just had it ruined by the “You Might Like” ad with it’s picture at the bottom of the article. Oh well. Not sure how that thing works. Does it use the first image of the article it links to? If so, might I suggest altering the article to make that not happen to others? Just a thought.
Chew has to be squeezed in here somewhere.The series that just keeps on giving.
During SDCC 2011 Paul was my hero!The neverending slew of articles and latest info had me checking in to Ifanboy.com every free minute I had @ work!
Hahaha. I love how @Keith7198 and Josh constantly do battle in comment threads.
What @Jesse1125 said. Chew needs to be on such a list. One of the few books that delivers each and every issue.
And for the record for @keith7198. Chris Samnee makes my list, not just for being a really nice guy who I got to meet at Emerald City. But because he’s an awesome artist. Samnee along with Rob Guillory and Marcos Martin are my favorite artists working right now. Josh putting his work on this list has nothing to do with Chris being a cool dude. His work speaks for itself.
@j206 It has a little to do with the fact that he’s a good guy. We root for good guys even more. But we also know lots of good guys who aren’t necessarily great at making comics. Chris is both!
Also, sorry about the Spider-Man thing. We actually had a discussion about that very thing today, and came up with a good solution for next time. But seriously, I doubt you’d have made it.
Name dropper.
Good list though.
@365Dom LOL! I didn’t realize it. I only remember here and the last Letters column. But I’m starting to think you’re right. 🙂
Great article, lemme give it a shot:
1. Grant Morrison– dude’s still got it after 20+ years in the industry. his imagination regularly puts the young guys to shame
2. Jonah Hex– Seriously, we got 70 issues of this thing. i love this book and am glad its continuing in some fashion with all star western.
3. The return of BKV– when he left there was a serious dip in the quality of books i was reading. Can’t wait to see what he and Fiona Staples have in store.
4. Reinforced Bookshelves- to help with the beautiful absolute/omnibus/etc editions publishers have been putting out. Digital may be the future, but as long as they keep coming out with these big books, I’ll keep buying them 🙂
5. Original art– the relative ease with which you can get a sketch or even an original published page from almost any of your favorite artists (and oftentimes at affordable prices) is one of the best perks about being a fan of the medium. The Quitely art pages that i own are my favoritest things ever.
6. Tom Katers- not the most prolific iFanboy columnist but my favorite one. I’ve enjoyed everything he’s ever posted.
7. FF– last two issues notwhithstanding, i’m glad to be reading a legitimately great FF book. This one’s gonna be special after all is said and done.
8. Arkham Asylum videogames– The first one was one of the best games that year and the new one looks to be even better. plus, you can play as Dark Knight Returns Batman. Thats worth 50 bucks right there.
9. Mighty Mugs.
awww!
I get that not everyone agrees about a subjective list of favorite things. But let’s keep this thread on the positive, please. Please.
@jerome BKV coming back was on my original list that I came up with while walking the dog. Of course I forgot when I started writing, but… RIGHT?!
I KNOW!
10. The fact that I walked into a Barnes and Noble and was literally frozen in place when i noticed an entire wall of magazines had been taken over by comics! And they were actually current! This is a step in the right direction.
@stuclach Dammit. Am I really going to have to go hunt down a copy of Daredevil #1?
Yes. It’s that good.
Thank you for this article, it was like a breath of fresh air. Now if everyone else could remember that comics are fun or at least meant to be i think we’ll all be a little bit better off.
Captain America was good, but every time I see Hugo Weaving in a movie i expect him to say ” Hello Mr. Anderson.”
This was such a great thing to come home to. Any time I have a rotten day, or something bad happens in my life, i always turn to comics to get away for a little while. They are my escape, they are my passion, they are my first love.
Some stuff that made me happy:
1- My wife reading Y: The Last Man. Yes, I know it’s not a “current” comic, but since we were reading it in the “deluxe, hardcover editions” we only recently read the series as the final volume of that just came out. it was so great to have a series that I could share with my wife, who loved the story just as much as i did. plus, she is the kind of person to really analyze things, so she couldn’t wait to discuss it with me. A great time in my life.
2- Beasts of Burden by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson. The hardcover of this mini-series came out not too long ago. I devoured it. seriously, this was the most charming, lovable series I have read since Bone. I can not stress enough how much I enjoyed it. I loved every single panel of this comic.
3- Daredevil #1: as I read this comic, i could just not stop smiling. It was the perfect Daredevil story. Plus, it showed the insane creativity of the comics professionals today, as they had a great, fresh spin on a character who is almost 60 years old. Even with all those issues behind us, the creative team STILL came up with a new, creative way to let us see how Matt Murdock experiences the world.
4- Mystery Men: This mini-series is seriously everything I have ever wanted in a comic book. Cool characters, a good story, great art, solid script, a fun read and a nice portrayal of the time period, done in a pulp style that seems genuine without being old-fashioned or hokey. The best book that Marvel is doing right now, in my opinion.
5- The DC “reboot.” : You can call it what you want, you can rant about the negatives all you want, you can say it will fail all you want. I don’t care. Not only have i never been this excited to read DC comics (before all the #1s hit, I was down to buying just Batman and Robin), even my FATHER is excited to read Action comics #1, and he is 63 and hasn’t bought a comic book in over 50 years. But he’s looking forward to reading this story. He isn’t buying it because he thinks it will be worth something one day. He knows it probably won’t. He just wants to read the story. That, to me, is awesome.
6- other iFanbase members: My twitter feed just wouldn’t be the same without the other comics readers who come to this site, read comics, and tweet about it. I don’t know you guys and gals in “real life,” but you still manage to brighten up my day with your insights.
7- The iFanboy team: There is no doubt that Josh, Conor, Ron and all the staff here (I won’t name everyone because I know I will forget somebody and don’t want to exclude anyone) have a vast love of comics. That love is contagious, and it gets me excited for comics even more than I already am naturally. I started reading comics when i was 3 years old. I am 32 now. So for 29 years comics have been a huge part of my life, but no matter how much I loved them before (and believe me, i loved them a whole lot), I never loved them as much as I do right now, thanks to this website and the great people who make it happen.
8- Peter David: comics is pretty much the hardest field for a writer to break into. Comic writers are like NBA coaches: the same names keep popping up over and over on new books. Sometimes you wonder where the new talent is. You read the fiftieth book by some writer who has been in the industry for 20+ years and you just know he has run out of ideas and is just trying to get a paycheck. Then you read a book by Peter David, who just seems to get better and better and better as time goes on. No matter how long he’s been doing it, the guy never seems to get old-fashioned. His stuff always reads as current and hip, his jokes are still funny after all these years, and NOBODY can take a nothing character and turn him into an AMAZING character with a fresh spin, without it seeming false and out of character, like Peter David. I have not read everything he has ever written. I won’t even say i have read most of what he has written. But i WILL say this: I have never, ever read a book by Peter David that I didn’t enjoy. Not once. Every time I see his name on the cover, I know I have a good book waiting for me.
Enough of my rambling.
I love comics. Always have, always will.
Hellz yeah.
I feel like every time I come on this site it’s always being rubbed in that I missed the first issue of Daredevil. I guess it’s just more motivation to hunt it down.
Oh, if you like Phil Noto, check out X-23 this week because he is doing the art for the FF arc on the book. It’s a very underrated book that is one of my favorites and one that needs more support, so maybe Noto’s art will intice more readers.
– I’d say the DC relaunch and all the possibilites it’s bringing, even though it gives me some anxiety.
– Tablets/ Digital Comics & webcomics.
– Kirkman
– Comic Book Podcasts (mostly the ones featured on Ifanboy)
– Dc Animation.
There are so many great things in comics right now. It is my firm belief, and has been for five or six years, that we have the best comics, to date, in history being made right now. There are a score of artists who are, literally and truly, revolutionary in their talent doing regular work. There are about as many writers who have read and understand what came before them and builyt new, imaginitive layers on this. We are reading the smartest, sexiest, most dazzling, most meaningful form of comics that has yet come to pass. If you do not like a particular thing in comics there is a legion of other opportunities to amuse yourself. LEGION.
Ok, let me try:
1. Scalped, and the fact that there is an ending to the story.
2. Hellblazer, and the fact that there will always be more stories with more authors.
3. Jason Aaron is still in his prime. (Many writers, great as they are, seem to lose steam.. there was a time when E.Brubaker could do no wrong..)
4. Amazon
5. The consistency of the 3 iFanboys in their reviews – they all have different tastes, and I can get a good idea of what I would like based on their three different viewpoints…. and let’s face it: now more than ever I cannot waste money taking chances on a new or unknown book…
6. Collections that cost less than the sum of the floppies – Marvel use to be great with this! The Invincible Iron Man omnibus was an anomoly. But Image and Dark Horse are great.
I am sorry, this list lacks the awesome Jimmy Olsen story Nick Spencer did. It was a few months ago and it might never get reprinted, so I must mention it every chance I get.
Oh, also Comic Should Be Good’s Brian Cronin. I know he’s your competition but his ‘Year of Cool Comics’ list and his ‘Year of Cool Comic Book Moments’ is brilliant. He is doing mothly lists this year, currently archiving goofy moments in comics and uncollected issues.
@josh it JUST sank in that your article states there will be an IDW Artist Edition book for WILL EISNER!!!
@pyynk Okay.
I’d add Tom Fowler to the list. He’s an awesome artist who will no doubt be HUGE in a few years! (also he drew my iFanboy avatar – and it looks exactly like me!)
Scott Snyder would have to be on my list. He’s killing it on everything he does. Can’t wait to see his work on Swamp Thing. (I do like things).
Optimism – Yes!
My entire pull list brings me joy. I love comic books! I love this site!
Phil Noto’s sketches are AWESOME! I have his blog on my favorites now thanks Josh.
@muddi900 Loved that Jimmy Olsen too. Glad I got a copy, cause future readers will never find it again
@keith7198 Agreed, he’d be my number 10.
@johnvferrigno YES. Mystery Men hits my sweet spot as well. It’s like a little Spirit, Mandrake, the Rocketeer, etc. all in one book
I am inspired! My 9(+1) things:
1. Marvel’s mid-level books. Mystery Men, Journey into Mystery, Thunderbolts, S.H.I.E.L.D., my favorite Marvel books of the moment.
2. Comic art blogs! Comic twart! Deviantart! Comic Art Fans! Love ’em all
3. DC reboot. Frankenstein! Demon Knights! Aquaman! All-Star Western! Batwoman! I’m in!
4. Exclamation Points!!!!!!
5. Paul Montgomery. Ditto! (Fuzzy Typewriter rocks)
6. DC animation (and Avengers gives me hope for Marvel too)
7. Great directors on comic book movies
8, DCBS! Their service rocks and they keep me out of the poor house.
9. Bowen Designs. His Marvel busts are all over my house and the awesome makes me smile.
10. My pull list. Every writer & artist on it gives me the happies. Comics rock.
@UncleBob Hellblazer has been exceptionally awesome with Milligan’s run and It will always have stories to tell.
Right on, Josh. I’m definitely excited about and thankful for several of the things you’ve mentioned, most notably Daredevil, Chris Samnee, the Captain America movie, IDW being just on fire with its retrospectives and artists editions, meeting cool people in the comic book world, and a few things you didn’t mention, like Gail Simone finally getting a chance to work on a character she’s loved all of her comic book reading life, finding great runs in back issues on titles I don’t normally buy, hearing about a possible Doctor Strange movie, waiting for Roger Langridge’s run on John Carter, having a public library system that buys almost everything that comes out and is willing to get for me what they don’t have, etc.
The bottle of Yoo-hoo is indeed half-full! And still cold enough to drink. Now if I can just get the dog out of my La-Z-Boy…
I’ve already told my wife that the Wally Wood or Will Eisner Artist’s Editions would be the kind of thing that (nudge, nudge) I wouldn’t mind getting for my birthday. I’m excited about so many things in comics right now, but sometimes I think the thing that I love most is being part of a community of people that love a medium so much that it is an important part of their lives. And being into something where the creators are so accessible (and Phil Noto’s sketches on the weekly sketch up).
@ericducos I really hope Mystery men does well enough to get another mini with these characters. There is way too much potential in this series to have it only last 5 issues. I want more!
JLA Dark, Animal Man w Lemire, Captain America’s new Brubaker runs 1st issue was sweet, Waids DD, Scott Snyder and Capullo on Batman looks awesome, Grant Morrisons Supergods is a great book and can’t wait for the next wave of DC direct to dvd animated flicks, Incredible Hulk on TV too w Guillermo Del Toro, Robert Rodriguez announcing Frazetta Exhibit and Heavy Metal project.