5 Comics You Must Read This Month
Need some distraction from all the holiday hubbub? Find a quiet corner and read these comics.
Suddenly, it's the holidays! Who knew? Occasionally, in this time of wonder and chaos, it’s good to have something to distract your attention. Something, in fact, like the five comics listed below, all of which offer alternatives to seasonal cheer, while being filled with good times, drama, and, in one case, a big hairy guy who just wants to find love while wrestling. Joy to the world, indeed.
ONI PRESSThe Coldest Winter (Oni Press)
Writer Antony Johnston returns with this prequel to his great Cold War graphic novel *The Coldest City* with artist Steven Perkins in tow. This time around, an attempt to help a Soviet scientist defect to the west gets complicated when the coldest winter in three decades spreads across Europe. Expect smart, tense political drama with a touch of humanity when you least expect it… and prepare to get really excited about next year’s movie version of *Coldest City* (starring Charlize Theron and James McAvoy), too.
MARVEL ENTERTAINMENTStar Wars: Doctor Aphra #1 (Marvel Entertainment)
As *Rogue One: A Star Wars Story* reaches theaters, Marvel launches a new monthly Star Wars comic featuring the morally-challenged archeologist who won fans' hearts in the recently-concluded *Darth Vader* series. Aphra is Indiana Jones-gone-wrong, and she's managed to piss off everyone on all sides of the intergalactic war, with the exception of her almost-faithful droid companions Triple Zero and Beetee. She also owes a lot of money to a Wookiee called Black Krrsantan, which is a problem in and of itself. So where does she go next? Right towards even more trouble, of course. Aphra's creator Kieron Gillen writes, and Kev Walker draws, the series that'll make you say "Rogue *what*?"
IMAGE COMICSMotor Crush #1 (Image Comics)
The creative team behind *Batgirl’*s renaissance—Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr—go indie with this bold and brash sci-fi series set in a world where motorcycle racing is the world's biggest sport and bike gang warfare keeps everyone else off the streets at night. Fast-moving and fun, it's like the next generation of *Fast and Furious* with a female-led cast and even more spectacular visuals. Definitely the book of the month.
DC ENTERTAINMENTSupergirl: Being Super #1 (DC Entertainment)
Now that Superman's cousin is a TV star, many people might be wondering where to get started with her comic book adventures. The answer is this new mini-series, written by Mariko Tamaki—who wrote the Caldecott Award-winning coming-of-age graphic novel *This One Summer*—with art by the incomparable Joelle Jones. This series reimagines the arrival of Kara Zor-El on Earth and shows how difficult it is for a newcomer to settle in to a strange environment… especially when she's an alien.
FANTAGRAPHICSWuvable Oaf: Blood & Metal (Fantagraphics)
The follow-up to last year's *Wuvable Oaf* sees Ed Luce's Bay Area bear continue to search for love, happiness, and an obscure Smiths single from the 1980s. Playing out like *Tales of the City* if it was an *Archie* comic about a character into wrestling and queercore, this remains one of the most enjoyable, funny, and unexpectedly touching books out these days.
