Every year, I reflect on what entertainment from the previous year I enjoyed the most. I do this so that others may find something they didn’t previous know about or wasn’t sure it would be worth their time. I, of course, didn’t see every movie, watch every TV show, or read every comic. What that disclaimer in mind, here are my favorite comics from 2015.
Alex + Ada (Image) – Wrapping up its 15 issue run in 2015, Alex + Ada tells a story of Alex, a young, lonely man, who was recently left by his girlfriend. His grandmother buys him a relationship droid to help make him happy.. The series delves human fear of technology but focuses on the relationship that develops between Alex and the droid, Ada. Beautifully drawn by Jonathan Luna, the art is detailed and more realistic than cartoonish. I love how he uses multiple panels without dialogue to display the emotion of the scene. You can pick up the entire series in three trade paperbacks.
Nailbiter (Image) – Nailbiter takes place in the town of Buckeroo, a small town in Oregon. An abnormal amount of gruesome serial killers come from Buckeroo. What is connection? Why this town? Written by Joshua Williamson and drawn by Mike Henderson, Nailbiter feels like a mix between Twin Peaks and Hannibal. They both do a great job of making Buckeroo creepy and real. It is an ongoing series with the first three trade paperbacks available now.
Outcast (Image) – Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead, started this new series in 2014 and continues its fantastic run. With artist Paul Azaceta using a dark, haunting style, Outcast has already left its mark and is about to get a bigger fan base as it’s being picked up as a TV show on Cinemax this spring. Nailbiter chronicles the story of Kyle Barnes, who has loved ones affected by demonic possession and Reverend Anderson, who seeks out Kyle’s help banishing these demons from his family and others. Barnes is also searching within himself to figure out why this is happening to him and why he has the ability to help Anderson. Outcast is an ongoing series with two trade paperbacks currently available.
Wytches (Image) – A new series in 2015, Wytches follows the Rook family, who has to move away from their hometown because their daughter Sailor was bullied and the bully mysteriously disappears. Sailor is suspected to be involved in the disappearance, so the Rook family moves in search of a fresh start only to find the new town has some supernatural secrets. Created by Scott Snyder, of Batman fame, and Jock, Wytches asks how far would you go to protect the ones you love? Jock’s style really lends itself to the horror genre. Wytches has also been optioned for a theatrical release, but no other information has been discussed. The first six issues are currently available in trade paperback.
Descender (Image) – A sci-fi tale about a young robot’s struggle to find his place and stay alive in the universe, Descender is a new series from famed writer Jeff Lemire and art by Dustin Nguyen. Nguyen is the standout with his beautiful watercolor and pencil style. Every time I read this book, I am astounded by how stunning the art looks. Lemire is able to focus the story on Tim-21, the young robot, while also feeling like the universe Descender takes place in is infinte. The first six issues are available in the first trade paperback and is an ongoing series.
Southern Bastards would be on this list as well, as it would be every year, since it is still my favorite comic; however, I wanted to highlight some new series that I started reading in 2015. This is the same reason why Saga isn’t on the list. As you can see, all these books are from Image Comics and therefore creator-owned. They are really bringing stories out that speak to me and are original and new. The big two, DC and Marvel, have some good books but nothing that I feel is as good as the series I highlighted.
Come back next week for the final best of list in which I feature video games from 2015.