Other comics I'm reading

I realized I've been writing a lot recently about the DC New 52, but I've been reading a lot of other stuff as well.  I thought I might highlight some of the noteworthy independent or non-superhero stuff I've read recently.  These are just a few.  I'll mention some others periodically.

The first writer I want to highlight is Jonathan Hickman, who is probably my favorite writer right now.  Mostly you would know him from his amazing run on Fantastic Four (now FF), and for his work on the SHIELD mini-series.  That is a totally mind-blowing series, which pulls in heady concepts and all sorts of historical figures.  But, as many comics fans know, Hickman got his start doing his own work at Image Comics, with The Nightly News.  This is a totally kooky series about people wronged by the media who take some pretty decisive action against it.  Hickman did his own art here, and he's got this gonzo, stylistic art style that totally works for the subject matter.  Some thought-provoking and unsettling stuff.  Another one of his books I really loved was Pax Romana, which hooked me in immediately because it's a time travel story involving the Roman Empire.  Brilliant stuff, really thoughtfully written.  I'm also reading his current mini-series The Red Wing about a war being fought across both space and time.  I don't totally get the time stuff sometimes, but I don't mind that at all.  I like having a writer address heady concepts.

Also want to give a shout out to American Vampire by Scott Snyder.  He's just a fantastic writer, and he's pulled off the incredible task of actually getting me to really like a vampire story.  Anyone who knows my taste in comics and sci-fi will know that I'm not a horror person at all, I'm specifically not a vampire person.  I thought that the movie Interview with the Vampire was tedious, and what little I've seen or read of the "Twilight" stories makes me want to run in the opposite direction.  Plus, it always seemed like ridiculous goth people were into vampires.  So, creating a story involving vampires that I actually enjoy is no mean feat.  How does he do it?  First off, by making them actually scary, as opposed to pouty and glum.  His main character is a really bad guy who's not afraid to do bad things.  At the same time, he creates a number of other more sympathetic characters and manages to do interesting things with them.  So, if you're like me and are wary of vampire stories, try these out as they're scary and really well-written.

Something I read last year but still sticks with me is I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly.  This was very powerful book, and a fantastic usage of the visual medium to convey emotion.  I won't give too much away, but will say that this is an incredibly compelling illustration of how a young person would deal with a life full of challenges.  Really worth your time.