An American War Story Leads This Week’s Best Comics

The history of American independence is neither as clean nor as glorious as the history books suggest. But really, we all figure this out fairly quickly. What makes Rebels: These Free and Independent States, the followup to Brian Wood and Andrea Mutti’s meticulous historical drama about the people you don’t hear about in high school history, so fascinating is that it delves into how political events we all know hit many of our ancestors right where it hurt.

The book follows John Abbot, son of the previous series’ protagonist Seth, as he’s revealed to be obsessed with boats. John would probably be called a high-functioning autistic person today, but in the 1780s, he’s just odd but very smart. Seth’s struggles with understanding John are set against the very real political crisis leading up to the founding of the U.S. Navy, namely American merchant ships being sunk across the world, and it comes to a head in 1794, and John, having spent years as an apprentice, being called on to go to war.

Part of why this is so compelling is Mutti’s careful work with details and faces. Seth’s struggles to even understand his son can be heartbreaking, and Mutti adds little moments, like a mother stringing laundry near the graves of her (never mentioned) children, that remind us that life in post-Revolutionary America was nasty, brutish, and far too often short. Historical dramas are rare in comics in the first place, and finding them this well-done is even rarer.

Francesco Francavilla is having a ball with Will Eisner’s classic masked man, paying tribute to Eisner’s groundbreaking work while simultaneously loading the pages with flourishes of his own, from flowing layouts that resist the idea of distinct panels to “cinematic” splash pages that wittily turn the aspect ration on its side. Francavilla also has a blast telling a classic pulp noir/horror tale, as the Spirit chases down a criminal enterprise that may be far more nefarious than even he realizes. Really, if you want gorgeous, classic two-fisted adventure, this is perfect.

Adam Warren’s teamup with Karla Diaz continues to be hilarious as the two send up every cheesy magical girl, and superhero romance, trope on the planet. Empowered has always had a strong, emotional component at its core, with Emp being the only sensible person in the room, and that pays off quite a bit here as once again, she’s the only one putting two and two together. Of course, that happens just a wee bit too late; hey, they’ve got a third issue to write.

Jody Houser and Shawn Crystal continue their deconstruction of the tropes surrounding Batman. Mother Panic, our female Batman, quickly discovers that while she may have common cause with the Joker-esque Pretty, whose face has been turned into a handsome mask, they disagree on methods. It also lingers on PTSD, abuse, and what society expects of rich young women, in a surprisingly rich book.

Ray Fawkes has never been shy, in his solo work, about being indirect in what’s going on. And to some degree, this story of a string quartet taking a very questionable gig will feel a bit difficult to follow at first. But Fawkes’ gorgeous watercolor work, and the understated creepy atmosphere that slowly builds, makes this a book worth reading for horror fans.

Hulk #4, Marvel: It says something that Jennifer Walters hasn’t yet gone green in this series and it’s still a compelling, thoughtful read.

Doom Patrol #5, DC Comics: Gerard Way and Nick Derrington have finally managed to find their own voice with DC’s weirdest heroes.

Curse Words #3, Image Comics: Charles Soule and Ryan Browne’s absurd fantasy comic has a twist so goofy here they just barely pull it off. But as this book pushes its boundaries it just keeps getting better.

X-O Manowar #1, Valiant: The hero that revived Valiant is back in a pulp SF take that’s equal parts over-the-top and engaging.

Iron Fist #1, Marvel: Danny Rand is no longer the Iron Fist, figuratively or literally, so what happens next Ass-kicking, that’s what, in Ed Brisson and Mike Perkins’ relaunch of Danny’s solo adventures.

This Week’s Best Collections

The Flintstones Vol. 1, DC Comics (Softcover, $17): You don’t generally associate words like “dark comedy” and “witty social commentary” with, of all franchises, the freakin’ Flintstones, but Mark Russell and Steve Pugh have turned the cheesy sitcom into a genuinely funny and at times even heartbreaking book.

Seven To Eternity Giant-Size Proof Edition (Softcover, $25): Jerome Opena’s fantasy art for this book is some of the most detailed and gorgeous you’ll find on the stands right now, and this book lets you get a nice full look at just what goes into it.

DMZ Vol. 3, DC Comics (Softcover, $25): What happens if it really does all go to hell and parts of the U.S. become demilitarized zones That’s the basic thrust of this Vertigo classic, thankfully finally in reprints.