Looking forward into 2019 there's so many wonderful new comic series in the works. From fantastical teenage witches to an apocalypse built only by the children who were left in it's remains, it feels like the new comics debuting in 2019 have a little something for everyone. With only three months into the new year, there's already so many new series on the shelves and I just needed to share them with you guys so that you can get your hands on some of these wonderful stories yourself.
High Level - Rob Sheridan, Barnaby Bagenda - Y'all know I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic stories. It's my go-to genre for every form of media. If you haven't checked it out I even have a guide for all my favorite end of the world stories. High Level is such a futuristic, apocalyptic delight. Coming off of a binge of Netflix's new series, Love, Death & Robots (ya'll need to go watch it btw) made me love and appreciate this series so much more. In the wake of an apocalypse, humanity has been forced to rebuild. However, just out of reach lies sanctuary in High Level. There's a really nice contrast between our badass heroine main character and every other character in the series because while it seems like everyone is pining for the chance at this fabled refuge, Thirteen would have nothing to do with it. Which makes things all the more interesting when she's forced to travel to High Level herself. There are such rich characters and world building across every single page that just left me wanting more. Thirteen, a young smart-mouthed scavenger is just a character I found myself falling in love with. She's that badass witty "mercenary" type that I could see myself creating. Each panel from Barnaby Bagenda is just stylistically beautiful and with color work from Romulo Fajardo Jr, it really brings that cool electric vibrance that sets the series apart from all others in such an oversaturated genre. I had a feeling I was going to enjoy High Level but I didn't realized how much I was going to fall in love with it. [Comixology]
Little Bird - Darcy Van Poelgeest & Ian Bertram - I'll admit while I was excited about Little Bird, I was also hesitant about the mini-series. I was just super worried it was going to be a really dense and heavy read. Not that there's anything bad with those types of books, its just not my stye, and I find myself struggling and not being able to truly enjoy those kinds of books. This new title is strange, to say the least, but that's what makes it really fantastic. Little Bird screams Hannah meets Brian K Vaughn's We Stand on Guard, and once again it's a regressed and almost primal Canada fighting back against the superpowered United States of America. There's some strikingly religious overtones that really help fuel the book's plot and premise and it makes me excited to see more as their twisted into the story's ongoing conflict. This book is brutally beautiful and not for the faint of heart. Things have already gotten a little rough in issue one and I can tell it's only gonna get more cruel as we go on. It has a surprising post-apocalyptic element which I always love, with character designs that are rough and otherworldly. While I'm not overly familiar with Ian Bertram's art, the hyper detail of each panel, really reminded of work from Morbius. If you're thinking about checking out Little Bird, you're going to have to start grabbing the single issues, according to author Darcy Van Poelgeest there are no immediate plans for the mini-series to be collected into trade form like other comics. [Comixology]
Female Furies - Cecil Castellucci & Adriana Melo - I LOVE the Female Furies. I would die for each and every one of those god damn girls, and one day I hope I have the opportunity to write them. There isn't nearly enough representation of them in the world of DC Comics so when it was announced that Big Barda and the rest of the Female Furies would be getting their OWN miniseries, I could literally feel my heart burst from chest. Female Furies was definitely my most anticipated book of all of 2019. Which only make it hurt that much more with it being my biggest disappointment. The first issue is a cry for feminism, and not in a good way. Feminism along with diversity should come naturally in stories, however, with FF it's a cry for equality across every single page and panel. Women are constantly being harassed and talked down, and it feels like the plot's sole purpose is to remind the reader that the female warriors on Apokilips will never compare to their male counterparts. There's even an out of place, and extremely cringy fashion show montage for the Furies. I hate this with every fiber of my being. I've spent a lot of time with the Female Furies, Big Barda, and Apoklips, I just can't ever imagine Darkseid disavowing highly skilled warriors merely for the fact of their gender. Again, I understand completely the feminist perspective that's trying to be bought to the book, and I wouldn't have a book involving the Female Furies any other way, but this forceful approach isn't the way to do it. I'm so upset with this book that I can't even bring myself to buy the upcoming issues. At least we got that gorgeous cover from Mitch Gerards. [Comixology]
Blossoms 666 - Cullen Bunn & Laura Braga - I stand by the fact that the Archie Horrorverse is one of the best things to ever happen to comics. With titles like Afterlife with Archie, Vampironica, Jughead the Hunger and even Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the AH feel like the cornerstone of horror comics, a genre severely underrepresented btw. Each title so far has been unique in it's own way, taking generationally recognized characters and adding ominous horror and gothic fantasy elements. While other titles in the terror-filled universe lend themselves to ghastly zombies, hungering werewolves and gorgeous vampires, Blossoms 666 is inspired by another gothic element, age old demon-fueled cults. I don't have a ton of experience with the Archie characters outside of the AH, but the Blossom Twins were always my favorites. They had this strange seemingly sheltered relationship where it felt like they constantly wanted to best the other and yet would simultaneously die for one another. It's a race against each other as both Cheryl and Jason try to prove themselves worthy of their Anti-Christ diety to act as a vessel that would usher darkness into the world. Laura Braga's art is beautifully whimsical, perfect for the seemingly perfect life of Riverdale, and with Matt Herms as a colorist, he lends aid to the terror lurking just below the surface. [Comixology]
Forgotten Queen - Tini Howard & Amilcar Pinna - I've never read anything from Valiant. If I'm being honest they've never had any titles that really called to me. Then there was the announcement for Forgotten Queen and with a buff female warrior on the cover, it screamed aesthetic. As someone who is obsessed and in love with Red Sonja, it felt like this was a warrior babe that could potentially rival her, combine that with some historical elements it seemed like a match made in heaven. I hate to say it, but Forgotten Queen marks another disappointment on this list. I literally had to force myself to finish the title just to get it on this list. The plot was weirdly structured, as it would flash back and forth between the present, following the paths of a bunch of scientists, and the past, obviously following our "Forgotten Queen". While by the end I kind of understand what it was trying to do, the concept in itself felt really disjointed. And while Vexana acted as this otherwordly witch goddess, overall she just resonated as kind of boring. I try not to judge to much from a first issue perspective, as there's only so much you can do with 30 some pages, however, compared to the other astounding first issues on this list, Forgotten Queen just fell flat. I'm sure someone will love this title, it just won't be me. Maybe when it's collected in trade form I'll give it another chance. [Comixology]
Morning in America - Mags Visaggio & Claudia Aguirre - Ever since the debut of Stranger Things it feels like there's been an abundance of teen adventures across all forms of media. As kids are disappearing in a small Ohio town, four young girls are faced with the start of the apocalypse. While not a lot happens in the first issue, of Morning in America it really gives some great personality to four really rad girls and I know by the end of this series I'm gonna be in love with each and every one of them. Their banter, both which each other and the other characters around them is quick, witty and uses exactly the same colorful language I did at that age. The art from Claudia Aguirre is absolutely gorgous and to die for. The colors and style are bright, and fun, which helps with the tone of the story at hand. There's also an extremely queer undertone going on here, which ya'll know is my vice, and there's totally a character that looks just like Sailor Uranus This series really gives you that Paper Girls/4 Kids Walk Into a Bank vibe that I really love. It's the female Outsiders movie/book I always dreamed of. It seems like Mags Visaggio has every kind of book imaginable across every comic publisher out there, and while I've read quite a few, this is the first series from her that's really stuck and connected with me. [Comixology]
How do you feel about the comics on this list? What have you been reading in 2019? Let me know either in the comments below, over on my Instagram or even on Twitter!
