Slex: Alex's Best Comics of 2020 and Beyond

Slex 12.27.20	Anyone here into comics?
Kingdok 12.27.20	I read thru Black Science and Paper Girls during lockdown, both amazing. East of West also finished this year, and is intensely good.
Slex 12.27.20	I'm currently reading Paper Girls and East of West as well! I have Black Science but haven't started it yet, have heard great things tho
MercySeat 12.28.20	With all the circumstances surrounding the year it was surprisingly a little slow with comics for me. Probably my favorite this year was finally going through Hellboy and the relevant side material cause I'm a major sucker for supernatural stories and gothic horror. Another standout was The Wicked + The Divine which tackled a number of themes that honestly don't normally draw me in but had such a wild, break-neck plot that I was totally hooked. Bendis' old Daredevil run was another big highlight as was A.D. which had me feeling the Snyder/Lemire love like you. I haven't read anything you listed yet but all are on my to-do list. My problem is I usually like to wait for a series to be done before I start which can be a pain haha. Seems like you have great taste!
Slex 12.28.20	I feel ya, I usually prefer a series to be done too, I would HIGHLY recommend Spurrier's Hellblazer run, as it just wrapped up a couple weeks ago! Also awesome that yr into Hellboy because Mignola is actually my favorite artist! I've just always been completely obsessed with his style. I also started Wicked+Divine recently and loved the first few issues, need to get back to that
MercySeat 12.28.20	Yeah his art's crazy I'm working on finally decorating my apartment walls so it doesn't look like a European prison cell anymore, (I'm from the US so that's actually a compliment), and I definitely wanna get some Hellboy art up there! Had no idea Hellblazer was done it just shot way up on my priority list! Would reading the other current Sandman Universe stuff along with it enhance the experience?
Slex 12.28.20	I have read the Sandman series and he's pretty tangential in it and I went into the new series with very little knowledge of the character and have still been loving it, but I would say get the Sandman Universe volume Marks of Woe, it has 2 stories that are the only backstory you need for the new run, and it also collects the first 6 issues of the run as well.
MercySeat 12.28.20	Ok sweet thanks that’s really helpful! I wanna gonna check them anyway but good to have an order for it now. You’re right it’d definitely be cool to keep finding more comic fans on here
Veldin 12.28.20	Severed is a lot of fun and I was also shocked by how much I enjoyed it. The trades and complete collection didn't come out until 2020, so I've named Doomsday Clock best graphic novel of the year. Geoff John's spiritual successor to Watchmen is obviously divisive, but I absolutely loved it and think it's one of John's best works. Other comics from 2020 I really enjoyed were Immortal Hulk, Daredevil, The Question, Department of Truth, Three Jokers, Superman: Up in the Sky, Batman: Universe and that's all I can think of. Scott Snyder's Death Metal and Undiscovered Country have been good so far too. Honestly didn't read a single X-men book this year, but I loved House of X/Powers of X so I'll eventually read the massive X of Swords.
Veldin 12.28.20	@Kingdok & Slex - That's awesome! East of West and Paper Girls are amazing. @Mercy Seat - A.D. is one of my absolute favorites and I never hear anyone talk about it. It was actually my first time seeing Lemire's art.
Slex 12.28.20	Yeah I've been very interested but at the same time torn about Doomsday-ive heard so many mixed things haha. I really wanna read Immortal Hulk, it's near the top of my list. I just started Undiscovered Country too coincidentally. What is A.D.? Lemire is my favorite comics writer so I'll definitely check it out!
MercySeat 12.28.20	A.D.: After Death is a 3 issue miniseries that Lemire and Snyder did together! Not exactly a comic series, more a combination of traditional comic format with interwoven full-page art and pages of exclusively text. It's a unique experience for sure but the writing is brilliant and I'd wholeheartedly recommend it for any fan of theirs. @Veldin your list is awesome too and I agree that the vast majority of Doomsday Clock was excellent; I just always got the sense that there was something that went on behind the scenes around the time of all those delays that weakened the overall resolution of the book. Felt like Johns actually had a huge, impactful finale in mind but maybe DC higher-ups got cold feet or something, though I have nothing to prove that. Loved the show though so that was a good fix.
Veldin 12.28.20	Now that you can get the complete collection (about $27 USD on Amazon), I highly recommended reading it in on or two sittings, it's an absolute treat. Might be worth brushing up on Watchmen to get all the references, but rereading or reading Watchmen for first time is never a bad thing. ;) So A.D. (After Death) is a book written by Scott Snyder and illustrated by Jeff Lemire from 2017. It was released as three oversized books and collected in an oversized hardcover, which I highly recommend. Snyder channels his love and passion for Stephen King into a more prose story telling approach with both panels and beautiful full-page illustrations by Lemire.
Slex 12.28.20	Okay holy shit A.D. sounds amazing lol, will read immediately after I'm done with Hellblazer
Veldin 12.28.20	Yeah HBO Watchmen was excellent as well. I do agree, with Johns stepping down as president of DC, and all the various bullshits happening there (Didio getting fired, 5G, whatever the hell DC did to Heroes in Crisis), there probably were some alterations to the story. However, unlike John's recent Three Jokers which REALLY feels like it was affected by, obviously 4 years of time, but alterations to the story, Doomsday Clock, to me, felt very passionate and thought-provoking throughout without having to sacrifice the heart of the story. And I enjoyed the final act of Doomsday Clock quite a bit, even if it's, god-forbid, out-of-continuity.
Lord(e)Po)))ts 12.28.20	I have vol 1 of sweet tooth but haven't read it for whatever reason East of west is lit enjoy Black science is good too but not as good as other recent remender stuff imo Read the first couple issues of paper girl and didn't care much, haven't gotten into any of that dudes non-saga stuff nearly as much as saga
Veldin 12.28.20	Don't ever see comic threads on Sput, so I'm just gonna throw it out there: If you haven't already, I implore everyone to check out Grant Morrison's 26-issue "Animal Man" ('88-90) story/series, which has been recently collected in two stunning hardcovers. Grant Morrison is my favorite comic writer and I think that's a beautiful entry into his spectacular catalogue.
Slex 12.28.20	That's the other main thing I'm reading right now Veldin! I'm on vol 2 of 3. It has indeed been a fantastic series with absolutely stunning art
Veldin 12.28.20	Haha that's amazing! The third volume is absolutely incredible and it ties everything together so well. Last like 8 issues of the series are some of my all time favorites. Enjoy!!
Kingdok 12.28.20	Has anyone been reading Gideon Falls? That's next on my reading list, been looking forward to it for a while!
MercySeat 12.28.20	I'm definitely gonna read Gideon Falls when it's done! I've been trying to keep the details on the plot vague for myself but from everything I hear it sounds amazing! I'll get to Animal Man eventually too, I haven't read his Doom Patrol either. Does anyone here read the Valiant books?
Slex 12.28.20	Yeah King I have the first 2 volumes of Gideon Falls, it's pretty amazing, realllly out there lol I haven't read any Valiant but it's on my radar
Veldin 12.28.20	I've been interested in Gideon Falls for awhile, but I too will probably wait for it to wrap up before I read. Morrison's Doom Patrol is a lot of fun, as well as Gerard Way's (MCR) Doom Patrol series which is heavily influenced by Morrison's run.
mynameischan 12.28.20	Parts of Sweet Tooth almost made me sick with heartache
Slex 12.28.20	It is absolutely devastating at times yeah, it was an emotional rollercoaster
hel9000 12.28.20	Need to read Sweet Tooth. I’m rereading Essex County over the holidays, so good. Haven’t been into comics as much lately but I read It’s a Good Life if You Don’t Weaken by Seth, which was very good. I loved his art style, and the fact that it took place largely between Toronto and London ON. I’m getting a little sick of naval gazing “born in the wrong era” sentimental protagonists in comics but this was still really really good. I have Clyde Fans up next, apparently that’s supposed to be brilliant. And I got Rusty Brown by Chris Ware for Christmas so I’m really pumped about that
MercySeat 12.28.20	I'll probably be getting to that one soon too. The guy really never goes wrong with his work it seems
Slex 12.28.20	Essex County is phenomenal too, I love anything Lemire does honestly
dbizzles 12.28.20	Ayyy always been curious about more Jeff Lemire. Real big on Underwater Welder, Descender was fun, but that's all I've read of his, I believe. Also piqued my interest with Constantine. I'm on trade 23 (I think) of an eventual 28 (I think) of the old Hellblazer comics. Honestly, just assumed none of the new stuff would be good, not sure why.
Slex 12.28.20	Underwater Welder is so damn good Would definitely recommend the new Hellblazer then! It's one of the best comics I've ever read, hoping it nails the ending
dbizzles 12.28.20	I'll probably get to it when I'm craving more Hellblazer and I've read the original run. Happened with Swamp Thing after a while; ended up reading the New 52 run and was pleasantly surprised. I didn't read a big variety of comics this year, just a couple Hellblazer trades, 10 trades of Dorohedoro, and all of Path of the Assassin (if manga counts). All pretty good though, especially Dorohedoro.
Slex 12.28.20	I've never read Dorohedoro but I LOVE the anime on Netflix
MercySeat 12.29.20	Did any of you guys ever read the old Lucifer comic? This thread got me looking back into what I might have to read for the new Sandman stuff and I was wondering if that was worth the length?
dbizzles 12.29.20	I haven't, but as a huge Sandman, Hellblazer, and Swamp Thing fan, I've always been interested. Didn't realize there was a tie in to the new Sandman stuff, haven't heard much about that either. Slex, the manga is great. It's black and white and the art is exceptional; things are a little more exaggerated (the violence, Nikaido and Noi's chests lol) in the manga, but the show follows the story very closely, which I appreciate.
Slex 12.29.20	Sounds like I'd enjoy it then!
CaliggyJack 12.30.20	Spurrier's run on Hellblazer is awesome! Have you read 3 Jokers? Absolute masterclass.
Slex 12.30.20	I've heard mixed things on it so it's on my radar but not at the top tbh
MercySeat 12.30.20	Same just cause I'm a little burned out of these big events and revelations that don't change much. Like when I first learned about that, (quite a while after it was first hinted tbh), I was really intrigued but then the wait just dragged. Like I got that GRRM syndrome from it and then when I heard some say it wasn't even that crazy I kinda forgot about it
Slex 12.30.20	Yeah big comics have to do something pretty unique to draw me in usually, like Immortal Hulk and Spurrier's Hellblazer. The last 'traditional' comic I read was Jane's Thor series and admittedly, it was exceptional
CaliggyJack 12.30.20	3 Jokers is pretty unique. The plot is well done and the twists and characterization are great. And the stuff it does to Batman Lore is radical. IDK I fucking loved it.
RedRightHand 12.30.20	Lovecraft Country the book is pretty damn good, don't know about the show.
Slex 12.30.20	I'll check it out then Caliggy, I'm a big batman fan so I'm sure I'll enjoy it at the least! The show is decent but wildly inconsistent and has an absolutely fucking disgusting sexual assault scene that wasn't in the books and was completely unnecessary
CaliggyJack 12.30.20	"has an absolutely fucking disgusting sexual assault scene that wasn't in the books and was completely unnecessary" Sounds like netflix lmao
Slex 12.30.20	HBO so basically same thing
CaliggyJack 12.30.20	even worse lmao
Slex 12.30.20	Idk lol fucking 13 Reasons Why had a dude get raped with a broom stick sooooo
dbizzles 12.31.20	Really wanting to check out Animal Man now, but I don’t like hardcover trades and I’m having a hard time finding copies of all three (?) tpb’s that aren’t used.
Slex 12.31.20	Hmmmm, I either use Comixology or this absolutely incredible comics shop in my city
dbizzles 12.31.20	I don't like to read digital. I'm weird and almost require a new TPB if I can get my hands on one. I may go used on ebay for it, but I'm not sure yet. Wonder if my local comic shop could track down some copies from their supplier.
Slex 12.31.20	Ah yeah that's understandable, I'm not a huge fan of digital but I do like Comixology, they have this really cool "guided view" thing where they animate transitions between panels and whatnot and it makes it really cinematic and fun to read Also, one of my best friends got me the first 3 issues of Black Hammer for my birthday today!