Life, Love, and Longing

Royal City #7-8 (Image, November-December 2017, $3.99)
Like Eleanor & the Egret, this is one of my favorite comic books of 2017. Jeff Lemire is one of the better writers active in comics today, and I have been thoroughly enjoying this non-superhero title, which Lemire also draws.



While the book's sense of time is rather fluid, the book seems to be about a teenage boy named Tommy who develops a brain condition of some sort. It's about all the worry that that entails, as well as how it affects his family and their relationships. The book also touches on the people we think are, the people we think our parents are, and the uncertainty that everyone feels inside every single day, alone but together. The artwork and wash-like watercolor tones are very subtle and quiet, perfect for the emotive storyline.

That subject matter makes Royal City a standout on the comics racks. It could be a novel or series of short stories. In the end, the series is about life,  love, and longing.

#7 focuses on Tommy going in for a CAT Scan or similar test, which leads to a referral to a specialist, and his father's introduction to antique radios. #8 addresses Tommy's envy of his older brother Richie and jealousy of his relationship with Clara. After some kind of panic attack driving around with his brother and his friends, Tommy walks home, where he spends some time with Tara. She just learned she's pregnant.

I cannot wait until the next issue of this comic book comes out. Always enjoyable and building toward something important.

Availability: Royal City #1-5 have been collected in Royal City Volume 1: Next of Kin. You can also buy these two issues online.

Soldiers Are Never Alone

Bloodshot's Day Off #1 (Valiant, July 2017, $3.99)
I've never read many Valiant comics but remember when the line was first introduced in 1989. I've been intrigued by the universe and characters but never really explored them until recently, with the recent renaissance of titles.

I'm sure this one shot and lead in to the forthcoming Bloodshot Salvation series (this issue includes a five-page sneak preview) isn't your usual Bloodshot comic, but it is a fun read all the same.

Bloodshot is a kind of near-invincible super soldier. There's more than one, and they're drawn from different eras, despite their similar appearance. Tank Man, for example, comes from World War II, while Viet Man was created during... you guessed it!



This one shot's gambit is that the two fore-named Bloodshots are both given furlough days. Despite their different background and experiences, they end up spending their days in very similar ways: revisiting the past of their families, tying off loose ends, and in the end, remembering that soldiers are never alone.

It's a worthy sentiment, and Eliot Rahal's writing and Khari Evans's artwork carry the message well. Similarly, the sneak preview written by Jeff Lemire and drawn by Lewis LaRosa bodes well for the new series. Be sure to check it out—Valiant seems to be on the upswing.

Availability: You can order this online from Comixology. Bloodshot U.S.A. collects Lemire's previous Bloodshot series.

Learning to Cope

Black Hammer #10, 12 (Dark Horse, June and August 2017, $3.99)
Winner of the 2017 Eisner Award for Best New Series, Black Hammer is a wonderful comic written by Jeff Lemire and drawn by Dean Ormston or David Rubin. It's a slightly retro take on superheroes, somewhat in the style of Alan Moore, if not the tone. The general gist of the series is a group of superheroes is trapped in a pocket universe or dimension and learning how to cope with their new day-to-day existence, shades of a Twilight Zone episode.

Abraham Slam remembers an ill-fated new uniform back in his Spiral City days. His new girlfriend Tammy has a run in with her jealous ex-husband. Barbalien misinterprets a friend's intentions (or doesn't).



In #12, Black Hammer's daughter becomes old enough to be entrusted with access to her father's secret hideout. Rubin's artwork serves this flashback well, and I look forward to seeing how it ties into the rest of the story.

I'm not surprised this comic won the Eisner. Lemire is one of the better comics writers active today, and the characters in this series are just astounding. The back-and-forth storytelling showing the connections between past and present is quite effective. And the overall tone is one of memory and mystery—each issue eagerly awaited to see what happens next as the heroes lost in time and space try to return home... and conspire against each other so doing.

Availability: Black Hammer #10 will be reprinted in Black Hammer Volume 2: The Event, expected in January 2018. Otherwise, #10 and 12 are available online.