July was a great month for great comic books! The writers here at Sequential Planet all picked our favorite books of the month. Let’s see what the best of the month was!
Ryan – Giant Days #52
Giant Days has consistently been one of the best comic series every month for a while now, so It probably comes to no surprise to anybody that the best issue of this month, for me at least, is Giant Days 52, written by John Allison, with art by Max Sarin. It’s an issue that is wrapping up plot points that have been previously set-up in Giant Days, namely Esther’s possibility of getting a job with her friend, Shelley. Allison’s character work is second to none, he develops them so consistently and so well, the developments feel natural. It’s also a perfect depiction of how people change throughout university, when you look back at issue one and then look here, at issue 52. And Sarin’s art is as perfect as ever, straddling the line between fantasy and realism. In short, there’s no real reason to not pick up this issue. There are three issues left of Giant Days, and I for one will miss this stupid, wonderful, emotional brilliant rollercoaster of a comic.
Matt – House of X #1
After well over a solid decade of below-average runs and a botched attempt to replace them with the Inhumans, the X-Men are finally worth reading again. Johnathan Hickman’s House of X completely reimagines the X-Men as a rising global superpower, using their abilities to create a nation beyond humanity’s reach. The book brings the team’s evolutionary and societal themes to the forefront. As well as some old favorites. In its first issue, House of X sets up a geopolitical scenario that explores the full potential of Marvel’s mutants. More importantly, it remembers why we fell in love with the X-Men in the first place. House of X‘s plot might be on a grand scale but the respect it shows for the characters might be its most impressive feat. Things are finally looking up for the X-Men this month.
Chris G – House of X #1
This book brought me out of comic-reading retirement. Hickman’s always been a favorite writer of mine (East of West, anybody?), so when I heard he’d be creating a new X-Men canon that was fairly beginner-friendly I just had to check it out. And boy, am I glad I did. Hickman knows how to write a #1, giving plenty of lore and background information between pages while delivering a captivating story that has me craving more by the time I reach the end.
Marcus – Ghosted in LA #1
Ghosted in LA #1 is a breath of fresh air in a sea of superhero comic books. Sina Grace has created a wonderfully relatable character, while Siobhan Keenan and Cathy Le made her surroundings gorgeous. I’m a sucker for slice of life stories, and Ghosted in LA is primed to be an astonishing series in the genre. I can’t wait for more, and you should check this one out if you like cute stuff.
Ethan – Little Bird #5
Without a doubt, Little Bird #5 was the best comic I read last month. Honestly, if there’s another book I read all year that’s better than this one, it was just a different issue of Little Bird. This was an intensely satisfying conclusion, with a razor-sharp script by Darcy Van Poelgeest and spectacular pencils by Ian Bertram. No other book last month left me with the swirl of emotions that this one did. Not even close. Supposedly, there’s a sequel of sorts in the works and I await it with bated breath.
Steven – Ice Cream Man #13
This is the second time in as many days I’m writing about this particular issue. But it’s just too good, in my opinion. Ice Cream Man is just such an interesting comic, and it takes these dark, horror premises and turns them into one and done stories. This issue itself is kind of an ambitious concept, being a palindrome that you can read from front to back, or back to front. And it pulls it off. The story itself isn’t the darkest thing the series has done, but it’s got that trademark “we’ll bring your mood down” feel to it. My hat is off to W. Maxwell Prince, Martin Morazzo, and Chris O’Halloran for making such a fantastic issue.
Pashtrik – Paper Girls #30
Manly tears were shed.
Chelsea – Paper Girls #30
As I close the last page of one of my favorite series of all time, I keep thinking to myself, how could I ever put into words how this story makes me feel? I don’t know if any review I could write would properly pay respects to Vaughan, Chiang, Wilson, and Fletcher, but I had to try. The art, story, lettering, and colors throughout the series have been a masterpiece every single time. So thank you to the Paper Girls team for an experience I don’t have to forget. This is a masterpiece I plan on rereading again and again, and soon we’ll get to watch it, too, thanks to Amazon.
