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 Horror/Supernatural Comic

Horror is easily one of my favorite genres, and not just in comics, but literature and film as well. There’s just so much diversity and room to improvise in the horror genre, that creators can do almost anything they want. Behind its cloak of vampirism, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is actually a love story. Is Frankenstein’s monster the true horror in that story, or is the fear and ignorance which leads to mob mentality? Many of the best horror stories make us consider the monsters hiding inside the dark places of humanity in general, and our eternal struggle as a species to overcome that. Or sometimes horror just likes to remind us of our survival instincts which still linger from our evolution–the same ones that make us instantly snap to an alert state when we hear strange noises in the night. For these reasons and more, horror continues to remain fertile ground for thrilling new stories, and this year’s superb horror comic book offerings prove that.

Best Horror/Supernatural Comic

“Because sometimes it takes monsters to stop monsters.” My pick for this category is listed in the horror genre of Dark Horse Comics’ online catalog, but it isn’t horror in the traditional sense. There is a monster, but this isn’t a scary story by any means. Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem is an absolutely brilliant three-issue story from Steve Niles and Matt Santory, with lush art from Dave Watcher. Breath of Bones displays Steve Niles’ signature empathy for monsters who strike fear into the hearts of those who don’t understand, while begging the question of “Who are the real monsters?” This is not only one of the best horror/supernatural comics of the year, but one of the best comics period.

Breath of Bones is the tale of a young man named Noah, fighting to save his town (with some unlikely help) from the advancing German invaders during WWII. It is a deep story that deals with the human capacity to show strength and kindness if the face of overwhelming adversity and loss. By no means can I begin to do this story justice here in a few short paragraphs, nor will I spoil the story for those who may have missed it. It’s just one of those things you have to experience for yourself.

Dave Watcher’s black and gray illustrations perfectly compliment the story and pacing, darkening and filling the pages to lend a frenetic feeling during battle and action scenes, becoming lighter and more open during periods of conversation and contemplation. The characters’ facial expressions and body language are depicted perfectly. You can almost smell the earthly, clay scent of the golem wafting off the page.

Comics have the capacity to move us and make us think about bigger issues, and this one most certainly accomplishes that. If there’s any justice in the world, Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem should definitely win some awards (cough, EISNER, cough), but for now I’m pleased to pick it as the Best Comic of 2013 in this category.
Honorable Mentions: Locke and Key: Omega/Alpha, Rachel Rising, Transfusion, Hellboy in Hell, and BPRD.

Check out my friend, David Gillette’s pick from Madefire (whose titles I clearly need to be reading more of).