We dig into this week's books and find our faves. Number ones, middle chapters, and climaxes are doing their thing.
Top of the Hump is a new weekly column where we select our two favorite comics of the week. This Wednesday, we're keeping sane with Wonder Woman, going mad with White Boat, tripping beyond the infinite with Man's Best, and more. Behold, the Best Comics of 5-22-24.
This week, we get a little bit of everything. One series sticks its landing, another takes off in showy fashion, and a few others just keep chugging along, doing their most excellent thing.
We're a year into the Energon Universe. It's firmly established its quality, and after the reveals in its Free Comic Book Day special, it seems eager to branch into bold new directions while sustaining its Ultimate Universe-like electricity. The sophomore year is always the most precarious, but our faith remains steadfast.
Best Comics 5-22-24: Cobra Commander 5
We still maintain that Cobra Commander is the biggest surprise of the entire Energon Universe line. Yes, mostly, we're reeling from writer Joshua Williamson's brazen confidence in centering Cobra-La and doing what we thought was impossible when we spoke to him about the Joes last December: pitting Globulous against our beloved, titular rat. But the madman did it, and he concludes his Cobra Commander mini-series by delivering the promise first made in the first issue's solicits. If you don't remember, we won't spoil it here. Nevertheless, Cobra Commander ends as his Duke run did, but it's more pause than a conclusion. Bring on Destro. 8.5/10
Best Comics 5-22-24: Man's Best 3
Man's Best's third issue is the comic all Jesse Lonergan fans have been waiting on. The cartoonist goes off with this one as writer Pornsak Pichetshote propels our heroic trio into a realm that might as well be Lonergan's Instagram feed. Y'all see those pizza slices and burgers on the cover? Just get ready. The second issue's cliffhanger left us startled and uncomfortable. Animals in peril, friends. Man's Best has stakes. The third issue picks up immediately after the last one's devastating panel as Athos and Porthos fully embrace their Space Odyssey, traveling beyond the infinite. Comics don't get better than this. 10/10
Best Comics 5-22-24: White Boat 1
Scott Snyder and Francesco Francavilla, the team behind Batman: The Black Mirror and Night of the Ghoul, have created a new horror saga that takes us into Lovecraftian waters. Prepare for a pun...Lee Derry is adrift. A tragic history chains him to the Florida Keys, where he writes puff pieces about yachting and sailing. When he receives an invitation to board a fabled mega-yacht, he can't say no, but we all know he should have. Snyder and Francavilla are an irresistible combination, seemingly relishing their time together, providing gorgeously exotic, gnarly horrors. The final reveal is cleverly set up and will have you craving the next chapter. 8.5/10
Best Comics 5-22-24: Wonder Woman 9
Imprisoned, Diana finds safety and strength within. Tom King and Daniel Sampere take us on a tour through Wonder Woman's psyche, revealing the endless landscapes she's traveled, embraced, and loved. This Wonder Woman series celebrates Diana's necessary, radical nature but, even more beautifully, showcases how vulnerability can be as powerful a weapon as bulletproof bracelets and a Lasso of Truth. Her spirit is bendable; she's gorgeously human, after all, but not breakable. In a series that has already delivered some instantly iconic panels, Wonder Woman 9 generously gives us one more. We now need a rodent friend in our lives. 9/10
Best Comics 5-22-24: Void Rivals 9
With Solila near death, Darak finds rescue in the form of Springer, the Autobot Triple Changer! Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo de Felici continue to build connections between their worlds and our lovely Hasbro action figures, and it's as satisfying a nostalgic experience as one can have. Beyond Springer, we get more Skuxxoid sadness and Quintesson conspiracy. DE-LICIOUS. The pace is chaotic, but we think it's to the series' overall advantage. 8/10
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