Best Comics of 2013: Best Experiment

“Best Experiment” is a broad, but vital element when it comes to keeping comics from becoming stale. The industry needs bold experiments which push back against the status quo and lead us into exciting new territory. Some of the best experiments over the past few years have included the rise of digital comics and crowdfunded publishing platforms. These experiments have proven to be real game-changers. My pick for “Best Experiment” of 2013 looks to challenge what kind of stories can be told in comics, while trying to break down some of the traditional barriers in the industry.

Best Experiment

I could pretend this was a difficult choice that I agonized over for days, but that’s not the case at all. My pick for “Best Experiment” goes to Black Mask Studios. 2013 saw Black Mask roll out their titles into the world of comics and really shake things up. Finally someone is publishing stories that represent my views, and I’m sure many other people’s as well. Black Mask has it all: tales from the frontlines of the Occupy movement (Occupy Comics), Matt Miner’s comic about animal liberation (Liberator), a wild sci-fi book unlike anything I’ve ever read (Ballistic), and a crime-horror hybrid title from RZA, Ghostface Killah, and a rotating cast of some of the best artists in comics (12 Reasons to Die).

The amazing part is that every comic published by Black Mask so far has been a winner. What else would you expect from a company founded by DIY champions: Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion), Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), and Matt Pizzolo (Godkiller)? There’s a good reason why Black Mask Studios keeps coming up in our “Best Comics of 2013” selections. Look for the new Liberator/Earth Crisis: Salvation of Innocents series and music CD to debut in March of 2014, and I’m sure many other thrilling projects as well.

David Gillette also has a great pick (and one that has been a person breakout favorite for me as well). Be sure to check it out.

Best Comics of 2013: Best New Series

 

 

There’s nothing like getting in on the ground floor of a new comic book series, and 2013 was flush with exciting new characters to get to know, and stories which defied our expectations while inspiring us. Here are a couple of our favorites.

 

 

Best New Series

When I first learned about a new Image series written by J. Michael Straczynski, with art by Ben Templesmith, I was instantly intrigued. To say I had high hopes for Ten Grand would be an understatement. After having the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Templesmith for Bleeding Cool at ECCC, I was even more excited about the series.

The premise is as follows: A mob hitman, Joe Fitzgerald, and his wife, Laura, are killed as a result of Joe’s final job. An “angel” appears and offers Joe a deal: Burn in Hell, or work for them and be brought back to life. Every time he dies righteously, he can spend five minutes with the departed love of his life whom he would never see otherwise. Of course Joe takes the deal, but things might not be as they seem.

Ten Grand was everything I hoped for and more! J. Michael Straczynski weaves a dark tale that filled the hole in my heart left by the cancellation of Hellblazer, with Ben Templesmith’s ethereal, wickedly expressive art elevating the entire endeavor to my pick for “Best New Series.” Eventually the series faced a delay as Ben moved on to a personal creator-owned project (The Squidder!) and a new artist was brought in, but that doesn’t diminish the excellence that was achieved in the six issues before that. Ten Grand is a stunning comic on every level, and hopefully will continue to be with a new artist taking over the reins. If you missed it, be sure to look for the TPB in January.

Honorable Mentions: COPRA, Pretty Deadly, The Wake, Ballistic.

My partner in crime, David Gillette, has another excellent selection (which happens to be one of my favorites too).

I’ve said this many times, and I’ll say it again. Adam Egypt Mortimer and Darick Robertson‘s Ballistic is easily the best new series of the year. Mortimer has been working a groove with his hyper narrative style. In lesser hands, his story might turn out to be a mess, but Robertson’s amazing sense of visual weaving takes the many threads Mortimer works with and turns them into an amazing canvas examining humanity’s path in an irreverent and sardonic way. Ballistic is one of those stories that’s a bit ahead of its time, but I believe it will find a larger audience as it heads to a collected trade next year. Kudos to Black Mask Studio for publishing this.

Honorable mention: The Private Eye by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin