Welcome back, folks! June had some great comic books, but most of our staff is busy having Summer fun! There are only three picks this month, which isn’t a great reflection of just how great this month was. Let us know what your favorite books are in the comics!
Marcus – The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #3
The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #3 is a stellar reminder of what the comic book medium is able to do. Ram V uses a Cigarette’s short life to tell the story of this myth’s third chapter, and it’s nothing short of brilliant. Filipe and Andrade come together to make this one of the most beautiful issues you’ll ever see. Finally, Andworld Designs letters throughout the issue are simply fantastic. This isn’t just the best issue of the month, this is one of the greatest issues I’ve ever read. Period.
Matt D – Ultramega #4
Now that the initial shock has subsided, it’s good to see Ultramega has more to offer than just spectacle. After that appropriately monstrous first issue, part of me wondered if I was just suckered in by the kaiju battles and ultraviolence. What if Ultramega had expended all its tricks in a blaze of glory? Clearly, I was wrong to doubt James Harren, as Ultramega #4 keeps the kinetic energy going, while further developing the setting and characters. There’s a strong emotional core beneath the literal tidal waves of gore. I’m never happier with a story than when I’m desperate for the next installment while also terrified of what it might bring. The art reaches new heights, as distinctive genre hallmarks are horrifyingly reimagined by Harren, all in Dave Stewart’s vibrant colorwork.
Ethan Maddux – Fantastic Four #33
This is an easy pick for book of the month. Slott’s FF has been consistently a favorite of mine since I started pulling it with #24, and this issue blew them all out of the water. Slott and Silva nail the cheesy melodramatic tone of the best Fantastic Four stories, and this one exemplifies that. The previous issues set up a brilliant ticking time bomb that you just know has to go off in this one, and the buildup is excellent. The very concept of Johnny Storm sleeping with Doom’s fiancé shortly before their wedding is genius, and the execution does not fail to deliver. The brilliantly delivered shock of the reveal page is a moment I won’t soon forget. I haven’t been more excited for a Fantastic Four book in ages, and I hope it keeps up this momentum for a long while.