TechSmart 121, October 2013 TechSmart 123, December 2013 | Page 44

COMICS

3

TOP

comics
of

2013

Fantasy buffs,
the superhero set,
and kids/grownup
kids all have something
to snack on in our comic
book guru Moray Rhoda’s
Top 3 Comics of 2013
selection.

Mark Millar & Frank Quitely
Image Comics

Ryan North, Shelli Paroline and
Braden Lamb

B
Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt
Oni Press

J

upiter’s Legacy is the first collaboration
between Millar and Quitely since their
work on The Authority, and forms part of
the creator-owned Millarworld. Although the
comic explores some familiar Millar ‘superhero
deconstruction’ territory in taking an adult
view of superheroes and their humanity under
the masks, it has been praised for the strong
narrative, subtle writing and biting social satire
hidden in action.
It is the story of superheroes and their
connection to the American ideal and
the friction between old-school aging
superheroes and their children. Where
the aging heroes used their powers to
improve the world, the new heroes are less
interested in pursuing this selfless legacy
and more in living their own, sometimes
hedonistic lives. On the art side Frank
Quitely delivers some of the most incredible
and detailed art of his career, undoubtedly
helped by the bi-monthly schedule.

42

T

o call the The Sixth Gun a supernatural
western adventure with zombies would be
correct, but it would also be oversimplifying
a book that reads like a summer blockbuster movie.
Set after the American Civil War in the old West, it
centres around a set of six pistols, each imbued
with dark powers.

BOOM! Studios

ased on the top-rated Cartoon Network
show, Adventure Time is set in the
magical and unlimited Land Of Ooo,
where anything is possible. The appeal of
the TV show is the unusual and sometimes
nonsensical situations and sequences the
characters find themselves in, and the comic
also follows the bizarre and all-new adventures
of Finn the Human, Jake the Dog, Marceline
the Vampire and Princess Bubblegum.
Each issue includes at least two comics: The
lead story by North and one or more backup
stories. The art-style seamlessly follows on to
the look created for the show and the writing
is of the same insane and zany level that had
us lolling. Adventure Time has been a huge hit
with young and old alike as it effortlessly mixes
humour and some shockingly dark moments,
creating a book that is deceptively complex,
incredibly funny and startlingly human.

Each gun has a specific, unnatural ability and
give their wielders unique powers, such as
raising the dead or immortality. For better
or worse, each gunman is tied to the
weapon until they die, and their
incredible power is sought by
the forces of evil – in this case
the wonderfully vile General
Hume, the Knights of Solomon,
the Sword of Abraham, and others.
The Sixth Gun is a fun and inventive
book that builds a deeper mythos
around the old West with some clever
writing and great artwork.
December 2013 | TechSmart