Treasures From The ComiCombs

Since last week was pretty light on releases, I decided to give you a roundup of my top books of 2015. A couple of these may not be straight up horror but they have more than a few similarities and these are some of the best books I have read in a long time. If you have been looking for something new to read, look no further, these are all collection worthy books. Enjoy!

Wytches

Writer- Scott Snyder

Artist- Jock

Colorist- Matt Hollingsworth

Scott Snyder has a pretty good list of titles to his name. He’s known for his work on Severed, American Vampire and most notably for his current run on Batman. He’s already got a few horror titles under his belt and Wytches is a solid addition. I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable (in a good way) while reading this book, it’s a creepy one. Combined with artwork from Jock and Matt Hollingsworth, this is something different and a must for horror fans.

Saga

Writer – Brian K. Vaughan

Artist – Fiona Staples

If you’re unfamiliar with Brian K. Vaughan, I recommend looking at his body of work thus far. He’s one of the best writers to come along in years. This book reads something like Star Wars/Game of Thrones/Lord of the Rings. Narrated by the young Hazel, this book tells the crazy story of her birth, life in the middle of a war, and separation from her parents. This is more sci-fi than horror but seeing the rough road laid out for each of the characters is enough to make anyone cringe. Fiona Staples has the perfect art style for this book. Her character designs are beautiful. The creative team behind this book is nothing short of awesome.

Southern Cross

Writer - Becky Cloonan

Artist - Andy Belanger

Colorist - Lee Loughridge

If you read last weeks post then you know how much I love this book. Becky Cloonan hits all the right spots with this story. The pacing is great, the story is great and the art is spot on. The layout for the art adds so much to make you feel right there alongside Alex as she searches for some answers regarding her sisters’ mysterious death. Of course her search brings about more questions than answers but the journey is one you definitely want to follow.

Low

Writer – Rick Remender

Artist – Greg Tocchini

This is a personal favorite but trust me when I say it has good reason to be on this list. Rick Remender pens an amazing story about loss and hope. Greg Tocchini inks some beautiful panels. Everything he draws is so organic and adds tons to an already mind numbingly good story. This year saw the end of the second story arc and the beginning of the third. Binge read the heck out of the two volumes currently available in trade.

Outcast

Writer – Robert Kirkman

Artist – Paul Azaceta

Yes, that Robert Kirkman but this is not the Walking Dead by any means. Outcast isn’t the type of book I would recommend to someone looking for an action heavy title, it’s about possessions and exorcisms. Kirkman comes out with something completely different here and just kills it. This book is extremely well written and focuses more on the development of its characters. Kirkman is something of a master when it comes to writing great characters, and lots of them, as is proven with the Walking Dead. The cast in Outcast is much smaller and it pays off. The writing is only half of what makes this book great. Paul Azaceta sets the bar high with his art. The detail in the facial expressions is top notch and his color palette is dark and eerie. The panel layout is basic but Azaceta has a way of making the book very cinematic. Outcast did everything right this year and that’s why it’s my top book of 2015. 

So that’s it. I hope you all have been reading these or at least plan to give them a shot. I didn’t plan this and I didn’t realize until I finished writing but all of my picks are from Image. It goes without saying that my top publisher is hands down, Image Comics. Next week I’ll have some more picks from this week's pool of books and I’ll have a brand new review for you, see you next week!

- Creature of the ComiCombs