Geek of Oz

Well it’s that time of year again. With 2015 in its death throes I thought I would look back on some of my favorite comics from the year that was. As you will notice from my selections this year I decided to save my money and stay away from the the world breaking Convergence and Secret Wars events thrown by the big two, and instead focus on some of the great creator-owned series that launched. This is by no means a definitive list, but rather a selection of comics that stood out to me for their quality, depth or simply because they brought some new ideas to the table.   Sex Criminals Volume Two Writer: Matt Fraction Artist: Chip Zdarsky Volume Two of the wonderfully weird Sex Criminals not only upped the ante in terms of dirty jokes, smutty puns and hilarious background gags (and who could forget that amazing dildo fight) it also continued it’s candidly honest exploration of sex and relationships. Where Volume One portrayed what it’s like to find someone who you c...

In a comic book landscape too often dominated by explosions, superpowered violence, over the top action and bloated marketing budgets, We Can Never Go Home from BlackMask Studios comes across as essential reading. Channeling the outcast spirit and perspective that made X-Men resonate with so many readers, We Can Never Go Home trades superheroics for gritty crime shenanigans and convoluted continuity for a simple, but compelling, self-enclosed narrative. What started off as an impulse buy has, 45 minutes later, become one of my favourite comics of the year.  Meet Madison and Duncan, two teenagers who find themselves on the run after a violent turn of events. Madison possesses superhuman strength while Duncan gets by with a sassy mouth and a handgun. Duncan is the school weirdo/bully punching bag while Madison exists in the popular girls clique, but both feel out of place in the savage world of their small town high school. The pair start off as strangers who just happe...