Reading the Hugos: Graphic Story

Welcome back for another edition of Reading the Hugos, our ongoing and long running feature looking at the Hugo Awards. Today we're going to look at the six finalists for Graphic Story.

This year, not a single comic I nominated made the final ballot. The one I most feel the loss of is Ed Piskor's X-Men: Grand Design, which I thought was a novel reimagining and retelling of of the earliest X-Men stories (see SFK's review). As a general rule, mainline Marvel comics don't make the Hugo Awards ballot (meaning, Avengers / X-Men stuff that doesn't have strong genre ties or are written by well known / regarded writers like Nnedi Okorafor or Saladin Ahmed) and it would have been nice to see Piskor breaking through here.

Regardless. On to the finalists.


Abbott, written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colours by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell (BOOM! Studios)
Black Panther: Long Live the King, written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino and Tana Ford (Marvel)
Monstress, Volume 3: Haven, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
On a Sunbeam, by Tillie Walden (First Second)
Paper Girls, Volume 4, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colours by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher (Image Comics)
Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)

Monstress: I find myself increasingly in the minority regarding Monstress. There's no questioning the raw excellence of Sana Takeda's art, but I'm not sure I'm really following the story anymore and I'm not interested in going back and re-reading each preceding volume before jumping into the new one, just in the hopes that I'll be able to piece it all together. There's some cool (and badass) stuff in this book - perhaps more here than in "The Blood", but I'm reading Monstress more out of some sense of genre obligation and a vague hope that this will all come together for me in the next book. We'll see.

Paper Girls: Similar to Monstress, I'm not really sure what the overarching story is over Paper Girls or what Vaughan is building to. Unlike Monstress, I'm all in for this ride. I dig the time travel and being of a certain age, dropping the girls into the year 2000 and the fear of Y2K hits a particular emotional nostalgia that I remember so well - but what makes Paper Girls work so well for me is the interactions between the four girls, how they interact with the points in time they're dropped, and the gradual reveals of a war to change or preserve time itself. Maybe even moreso than Saga, I hope this is an ending that Vaughan is going to be able to stick and that he has a plan to bring it all together. But, for now, Vaughan is firing on all cylinders.

Black Panther: Okorafor brings Black Panther back from global threats and wide scale battle, and even from major events threatening Wakanda to tighter stories focused more on the "people on the ground", the citizens of Wakanda through the eyes of T'Challa. I appreciate that these aren't big stories, but rather are trying to reach the heart of what Wakanda is and can be and if it really is or can be as utopian as possible for all of its citizens.

On a Sunbeam: On a Sunbeam is a love story, a friendship story, a space adventure, a story of rebellion at a boarding school, and a bit of an action movie all rolled into one. It’s a beautiful piece of quiet storytelling. With absolutely wild visuals of architecture and space travel that probably would make no sense in a more conventional science fiction story, On a Sunbeam is grounded into the relationships between Mia and Grace and with Mia and the crewmembers of a spaceship shaped like a fish who become a family to her. The two narrative paths of the story are set five years apart, and one part of the “present” storyline is wondering how Mia got from the school to the ship and just what happened? I’ve never read anything quite like this, though it feels familiar at the same time.

The other finalists for Graphic Story are what I think of as more “traditional” comic books, collections of 4 to 5 issues published individually then gathered together for a trade paperback collection often around 120 pages. They are usually a story arc that may or may not hang together as a singular volume. On a Sunbeam was originally a webcomic and when published in book form clocks in over 500 pages. In some ways, On a Sunbeam feels like the sort of work the Graphic Story was created to honor, though looking at the history of the category shows a reasonable cross section between works that make the ballot for 3-5 years in a row and others that are much more of a one off tale or just represent good storytelling that year. However you consider On a Sunbeam, it is wonderful.

Saga: Saga has been a difficult book to talk about because the events of any given volume are just so batshit insane, even nine volumes into to the series - but the core of the story has been the star crossed love story between Marko and Alana and their perpetual attempts to keep their daughter safe even though it seems everything in the galaxy want them dead. The core is there, as are the hints of heartbreak permeating the series through their daughter Hazel's narration.

Volume 9 is the midpoint for the series and it marks the point Vaughan and Staples are taking a year long hiatus. They're leaving us with shock, awe, and pain. Every time it seems the series has hit a new high point, they reach back and let loose another fastball thrown harder than the last one. I'm not sure a baseball analogy works here, but there are some seriously shocking and series altering events in this book that I'm not sure how else to talk about them in vague terms. Listen, Volume 9 collects issues 49 through 54 and this isn't the place to begin if you're new to Saga - go back. It's one story and it's a great one.

Abbott: Saladin Ahmed comes hard with Abbott and he doesn't relent for a moment. This is a bad ass comic book and it is everything I didn't know that I wanted until I read it. Elena Abbott is a reporter covering some nasty, nasty crimes ignored by the police. She's better than good at her job, but then she'd have to be as a black woman in 1972 Detroit. Racism. Sexism. Some evil magical shit. Ahmed has packed Abbott with top notch storytelling and a tight narrative that you don't want to look away from, but maybe not late at night.

Abbott is a revelation. There are secrets and lies and this is a stunning, great piece of writing matched to near perfect art. Don't miss this.


My Vote
1. Abbott
2. Saga
3. On a Sunbeam
4. Black Panther
5. Paper Girls
6. Monstress


Our Previous Coverage
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Related Work

Joe Sherry - Co-editor of Nerds of a Feather, 3x Hugo Award Finalist for Best Fanzine. Minnesotan.

Thursday Morning Superhero

I must admit that I am ready for villains month from DC to come to an end so I can resume reading Batman and others.  I enjoyed the Court of Owls, but have not been moved to pick up any of the other titles.  I may be missing out on some gems, but I feel there are too many cooks in the kitchen.  Fortunately, this week gives us a new Saga that has cemented Lying Cat as my favorite character ever.

Pick of the Week:

Saga #14 - This series has so much good going for it that it is impossible to cover in my simple blurb.  Fiona Staples delivers some of the most beautiful pages ever fit to print.  From the fishing shark out of the sky scene, to the seal and walrus buddy on Quietus, I have never seen such a diverse range of characters, colors, and landscapes in a single book.  This has been a series that I would enjoy even if I didn't read the text.  Fortunately, the story that Brian K. Vaughan is utterly compelling.  While a lot has happened in this series from the strange, to the violent, and to the profane.  The compassion that I feel for these characters is real.  The Will is struggling with how to deal with the slave girl, Sophia, he rescued.  He wants a simple life, but so much of her innocence has been robbed from her.  She has some social issues to say the least.  She is sent to Lying Cat and one of the most moving pages I have ever read occurred.  Enjoy.  Now go buy this series.

The Rest:

Mind MGMT #15 - Matt Kindt's brilliant work on this series continues.  This issue was very revealing to the past of Henry Lyme and Meru.  It was poetic, simple, and wonderful.  We learn that Lyme is the master of all of the Mind MGMT techniques and could easily kill the immortals.  Haunted by his past, he doesn't see the point.  Can't say enough about this series and the love that Kindt pours into it.

The Powerpuff Girls #1 - This fun title from IDW was a pure joy to read.  It harkens back to the hey day of the Powerpuff Girls with witty one-liners and over-the-top action.  This issue pokes fun at the recycled schemes that Mojo Jojo attempts without success and the psychological toll it must take on the monkey.  Good fun and a nice twist to distinguish it from reading like an episode of the show.  I will be on board for issue 2.

Sex Criminals #1 - Matt Fraction is one of the most unique authors in the business who can't be criticized for his creativity.  Suzie is a girl with no one to turn to when it comes to questions about sex.  Her orgasms appear to freeze time in a glorious display of lights and glowing colors.  Unable to figure out if this is normal or not, she seeks answers in the wrong places.  She ultimately meets her match in Jon.  Jon also has this ability and it appears that the two of them are going to use their time stopping "powers" to aid in burglaries, etc.  Nice mix of humor, sex, and intrigue.  

Thursday Morning Superhero

One of my friends has been giving me a hard time because I rarely pick a superhero comic as my pick of the week despite the title of this feature.  It looks like he is going to win again because another issue of Saga dropped.  In addition to that, Brian K. Vaughan, author of Saga, partnered with Marcus Martin to release The Private Eye, an online only, pay what you want, title.  You can pick up the first issue for whatever you are willing to pay here.  Set in the U.S. in a future that has no internet, Martin thought an online only distribution made the most sense.  I like his style.

As for superhero titles, I currently don't like the direction that Marvel is taking with the Avengers or Captain America, but love Daredevil, Hawkeye, Deadpool, and have been really enjoying Age of Ultron.  From the other big publisher, the Batman titles are quite strong, but I honestly didn't have the budget to try as many of the New 52 titles as I would have preferred.  I enjoyed where Swamp Thing was headed and Animal Man, but had to make tough cuts to keep the weekly costs down.  I also feel that the lack of superheroes taking the top spot speaks to how the industry has grown creatively in recent years.  On to the pick of the week!

Pick of the Week:
Saga #11 -  While I absolutely love the pacing, the plot, and the characters, I am starting to think that the art of Fiona Staples makes this title.  The language is vulgar, some of the scenes are disgusting, large alien creatures are often fully nude, yet Staples has produced the best looking book on the market.  This issue featured more pages void of dialogue than previous entries, but maintained the same level of humor, emotion, drama, and further connected the reader to the characters.

Another element that makes this title so successful, is that clearly the reader cares about the star crossed lovers and their child, but even the individuals that are seeking the bounty on their heads are complex and quite likable.  I feel like this title exists almost exclusively in the grey and that is what makes it so intriguing.  The comic medium also feels like the perfect fit for the world and characters that Vaughan and Staples have created.

The Rest:
The Private Eye #1 - Fast paced first issue for a series that feels reminiscent to Frank Miller's Hard Boiled and was a pure joy to read.

Deadpool #6 - The Deadpool vs. Zombie Presidents mini-series comes to a humorous and gory finale that was quite satisfying.

Daredevil #24 -  Daredevil is dealing with heavy issues in addition to trying to solve the mystery of who is trying to replicate his powers in what is my favorite superhero title on the market today.

Thursday Morning Superhero

Another Thursday is upon us and I am going to try something new this week.  The pick of the week will be graced with an in-depth review and the rest get one sentence.  I thought it was time to mix things up a bit so here we go with a new format.  Let me know what you think. 

Pick of the Week:
Daredevil #23 - Mark Waid's run on Daredevil is nothing short of phenomenal.  Between issues I forget how much I have enjoyed him at the helm and how much raw emotion is at the heart of the Daredevil story.

The issue opens lightly with Daredevil treating Foggy to a night of whatever he wishes.  In a scene that makes you feel fuzzy, because it is what any of us would do, Foggy asks Daredevil to swing him around town.  We are treated to some humorous shots of Foggy clinging on to Daredevil and they swing around.

At the core of this issue is Foggy's current medical problems.  He is having a lot of symptoms that sound like cancer and he is looking to his old friend Matt Murdock for support.  The problem is that Murdock has been less than reliable causing Foggy to brave all of this on his own.

The side plot to this story is one that fascinates me because it reminds me of my son.  Whenever he hears of a hero's origin (Flash getting struck by lightning, Spider-man and the infamous spider bite, etc.) he always secretly hopes that will happen to him.  "Daddy, if I get struck by lightning will I be fast like the Flash?"  I think we are all a little guilty of this at one point or another, and a sinister force in New York has the same thought.  As circumstances always have to be perfect, this individual is conducting trials of prisoners going through Daredevil's origin to see if they can gain his radar ability.  The image of the hooded prisoners waiting their turn to save someone from being hit by a truck only to be covered in chemicals and have their eyes burned depicts this as a gruesome reality and not a childhood fantasy. 

This distracts the reader and you are left thinking that Murdock let down his friend once again as he is dealing with an army of Daredevil-esque thugs.  To remain spoiler free I am going to wrap things up here.  Go read Daredevil.  If you missed Waid's current run pick up the trades or get the back issues on ComiXology.  You won't be disappointed. 

The Rest:
Saga #10 - Brian K. Vaughan remains the master of creating bizarre and fascinating creatures and Fiona Staples remains the only artist who can do them justice.

Deadpool #5 - Deadpool stabs zombie Regan in the belly in outer space to which Regan says, "Mommy, my tummy is a boo-boo!"

Mind MGMT #8 - Henry Lyme is rounding up ex-Management agents (including a twin who shares power with her sister and a musician who can back up his files on demo tapes) as he tries to prevent the reformation of Management before the Eraser strikes.

Microreview [Comic]: Saga

The first trade of Saga, written by the master Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated beautifully by Fiona Staples, dropped on Tuesday and if you haven't been reading this series then you need to.  Robert Kirkman tweeted that if you don't buy Saga, then you aren't his friend.  Well said.  Visit your LCS or get it on the cheap here.  You can also download the first issue for FREE at ComiXology here.

The story is about star-crossed lovers who are attempting to flee because their love and future child are in danger.  Not the most original idea, but Vaughan has this innate ability to complicate things in very interesting ways.  The world he created and the complex characters are what differentiate this story from pack.

Hazel, the future child of main characters Marko and Alana, narrates the tale and really draws you into the drama and the urgency of the situations at hand.  Marko is a former prisoner that was guarded by Alana and little has been revealed about how they became lovers.  I am hopeful that future issues will provide some of the backstory that has upset two communities at war.

Given the hatred between the two groups, it is not surprising to note that they are interesting in stopping Marko and Alana and examining this miracle child (other children born of both breeds died very quickly).   Alana’s people are utilizing Prince Robot IV’s services and Marko’s people are seeking multiple freelancers, including The Will and his Lying Cat and The Will’s ex, a spider like creature called The Stalk.  We learn that The Will is more than a bounty hunter and has a lot of good and decency in him on his visit to the planet Sextillion.

Prince Robot IV doing work

To complicate matters worse, the number of planets that Marko and Alana can flee to is very limited.  The war has been outsourced off of the planet and there are few places that they can escape to.

I don’t know if there is enough time to talk about how great of a job Staples has done with her illustration.  It is no easy task to draw the variety of characters, backdrops and action sequences that are central to this tale.  We open up with the birth of a child to start the book and quickly move to the dire situation in which the characters are thrust.

Staples delivers warmth and love on one panel and then switches to horror and violence on the next page seamlessly.  She captures the worlds that Vaughn has created with such charm and vigor that you can’t help but feel engrossed.

The Math

Objective Quality: 9/10

Bonuses: +1 for Staples’ art; +1 for Prince Robot IV

Penalties: -2 for the planet Sextillion burning images into my brain that I will never erase

Nerd Coefficient: 9/10. Very high quality/standout in its category.

[See explanation of our non-inflated scores here.]