The Best Comics & Graphic Novels of December 2017

BLACK AF: America’s Sweetheart, by Kwanza Osajyefo, Jennifer Johnson, Sho Murase, David Sharpe, and Sarah Litt
Black Mask Comics is moving forward with its superhero universe following the success of BLACK. That book established a world in which a young black man survives being gunned down by the police as a result of his newly discovered enhanced abilities. The whole world, in fact, slowly wakes up to the fact that only black people can develop superpowers, and the longstanding balance of power in society suddenly shifts, triggering social unrest. BLACK AF introduces 15-year-old Eli Franklin, aka Good Girl, who is determined to use her powers to help people and quell society’s fears. It’s not easy.

Descender: The Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1, by Jeff Lemire, Dustin Nguyen
One of the most poignant, wonderfully human books on the shelves is all about a machine, and it gets an upgrade this month. Lemire and Nguyen have been telling the ongoing story of TIM-21, a robot boy rejected by his family following an invasion of mysterious technology. The deluxe hardcover collects the first 16 issues of the series in an oversized format well-suited to the gorgeous watercolor artwork. The book also includes an array of new extras.

Babyteeth, Vol. 1, by Donny Cates, Mike Marts, Garry Brown, Mark Englert, and Taylor Esposito
Being a pregnant 16-year-old isn’t easy, but Sadie Ritter is smart, and has a good sense of humor and a family willing to support her through the rough bits. So that’s all sorted. One problem, though: her baby is going to be the literal antichrist, breaking down the barriers between realms and unleashing eternal torment on all mankind. This is a book about what you do when you love your kid but are less keen about what he’s into—like, say, bringing about the end of the world.

Batman, Vol. 4: The War of Jokes and Riddles (Rebirth), by Tom King, Mikel Janin, June Chung, and Clay Mann
King & Co. take a step back from their contemporary Batman story to reveal a major event from Batman’s early days. The titular war erupted between the Joker and the Riddler, natural allies whose contrasting styles quickly lead them into a brutal war that’s been alluded to for some time. The fallout of the conflict, involving all of Gotham’s villains, will ultimately feed back into the ongoing narrative of the book.

Bitch Planet: Triple Feature, Vol. 1, by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Cheryl Lynn Eaton, Andrew Aydin, Conley Lyons, Matt Fraction, Vanessa R. Dey Rey, Nyambi Nyambi, Bassey Nyambi, Eyang Nyambi, and Valentine De Landro
A huge and talented assortment of creative voices has assembled for this anthology of short stories set in the world of the Auxiliary Compliance Outpost, where non-compliant women are sent to learn how to become polite and cooperative ladies, with mixed results. The stories in this collection move away from the prison itself and turn the book’s trademark cutting wit and righteous anger on the plight of everyday women who live in a world of sexism and casual misogyny. So, you know, it’s totally fictional, and in all ways different from our own.

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe Again, by Cullen Bunn, Dalibor Talajic, Goran Sudžuka, and Miroslav Mrva
The team behind the original series—in which Deadpool does exactly what it says in the title—is back for another bloody go-around. This time, Wade is mind-controlled by a group of Marvel’s greatest villains, who send him on a tour of the Marvel U, from Asgard to New York, in order to off the heroes in the most outrageous ways possible. The only hope for Wade—and for Marvel—comes in the form of Jessica Jones, Moon Knight, and Punisher, who team up to discover that Deadpool’s been brainwashed.

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 8: Mecca, by G. Willow Wilson, Marco Failla, Ian Herring, and Diego Olortegui
One of Marvel’s coolest young heroes is still going strong in her eighth solo volume. Hey Marvel movie people: what are we waiting for? This latest installment sees her facing a rising tide of self-doubt over ongoing changes in her life, including the loss of her best friend Bruno (don’t worry, he just moved). There’s also a new boy in school, the son of an old family friend from Pakistan. He and Kamala turn out to have much more in common than just family.

Rick and Morty, Vol. 6, by Kyle Starks, Sean Vanaman, Olly Moss, CJ Cannon, Marc Ellerby, Benjamin Dewey, Katy Farina, and Crank!
More adventures from Kyle Starks & Co. guaranteed to fill the gaping Rick & Morty-sized hole in your life in the long wait between seasons of the show. Jerry saves the world (sort of), Morty winds up with two prom dates (solution: make another Morty), Beth gets some time in the spotlight, and we’re treated to a heaping batch of interdimensional cable. The comics capture the darkly hilarious vibe of the show flawlessly.

Rocket Girl, Vol. 2: Only the Good, by Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder
After a considerable break, this awesome retro-’80s time travel series is back. Dayoung Johnson is a 15-year-old jetpack-wearing cop from the future. She’s tasked with visiting 1986 to stop quantum experiments that could destroy her timeline. Now stranded, she continues to try to sort out the right path from her past to her future, and learns that the world she came from probably shouldn’t exist at all. It’s a fun, twisty-turny series with absolutely superb artwork from Amy Reeder.

Star Wars, Vol. 6: Out Among the Stars, by Jason Aaron, Salvador Larroca, Jason Latour, and Michael Walsh
The latest Marvel Star Wars collection tells a few fun (largely) standalone stories. Having rescued Leia from the Screaming Citadel, Luke and the Princess spend some time alone together, even as danger lurks. Then Lando and Sana join forces for a swindle, Han and Chewie take on a smuggling job, the elite Imperial SCAR Squadron returns, and R2-D2 rescues Threepio from the Empire.

The Odyssey of the Amazons, by Kevin Grevioux, Ryan Benjamin, Don Ho, Richard Friend, and Tony Washington
Yes, it’s those Amazons, but this story takes place well before the birth of Wonder Woman. Queen Hippolyta has sent out emissaries to the wider world, sending a message of peace while searching for women who might be fit to join them on Themyscira. In the course of their journeys, members of the party are kidnapped and taken north, where the proud and fierce Amazons face the gods, warriors, and Valkyries of a very different tradition.

Whiteout Compendium, by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber
An early success from an Oni Press, this acclaimed book has been remastered and collected together for the first time. Carrie Stetko is a U.S. Marshal who expected to find peace by making Antarctica her home—until a mysterious murder puts her skills to the test in order to solve the crime before she becomes the next victim.
What’s on your pull list?