As part of our interview series, I ask each creator to step into the role of fan and talk about which comics they admire, that spark their own creativity, that they recommend to others. Below are the picks from our 2024 guest lineup, a wide sampling of works from different genres and time periods as varied as the people naming them. – Kevin Sharp
Mike Henderson (artist, The Forged): It’s the stock answer with good reason, but Watchmen really is the gold standard. Not because it’s “dark and gritty” or any of the other reasons your garden variety incel thinks it is, but because it’s just the best creative atoms Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons had available being put into a Large Hadron collider and being smashed together at light speed . A brilliant sendup of superhero comics, brilliantly brought to the page by Dave. If I only have one book to point to, to explain what a comic book is, it has to be Watchmen.
Read the full interview here.
Saly Luce-Antoinette (artist, The Thirteen Origin: Gila Girl): Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King, Bilquis Evely, and Matheus Lopes. It’s a very special book for me.
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Archie Bongiovanni (writer/artist Mimosa): Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe. It’s such an important graphic novel, not just for LGBTQ folks and other readers who connect with Kobabe’s story, but also an important graphic novel that symbolizes the anti-LGBTQ movement happening in America today. It’s a symbol of resistance to book banning and the anti-trans rights movement and I think it should be celebrated.
Read the full interview here.
Sierra Barnes (writer/artist Hans Vogel Is Dead): I feel like I gotta say Maus, but also I’d like to put out Tom Siddell’s Gunnerkrigg Court. Any comic that has been faithfully updating M/W/F for 12+ years has earned my undying respect, but I love that you can see the evolution of the art style over time and how well the story grows organically from elements that take literal months or even years to pay off. It’s hands down one of the best webcomics out there, and I’d love to see it receive some more recognition.
Read the full interview here.
Dennis Menheere (artist, Etheres): Sandman: Overture by Gaiman, Williams III, and Stewart. It has a great mix of modernized mythology via the Sandman universe, the kind of quirky weirdness you can only get in comics, some of the best art you’ll ever see – those De Luca panels are mesmerizing – and expert, moody, yet explosive, coloring by my favorite colorist, Dave Stewart. It’s top notch. Also, Saga.
Read the full interview here.
Amy Chase (writer, Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe of Horrors: Fresh Meat): The Many Deaths of Laila Starr by Ram V, Filipe Andrade, Ines Amaro, and Andworld Design. A gorgeous, tight miniseries. I don’t think I’ve ever cried more reading a comic, though “Death of the Mighty Thor” came close, because this one was just astonishingly beautiful, carefully metered, and yet absolutely sumptuous with color and heart and existential discussions of life and death. I think that’s truly one of those once-in-a-generation comics that I’m grateful I got to experience monthly, and it sold me on anything that particular creative team ever wants to do again in the future.
Read the full interview here.
Keezy Young (writer/artist, Sunflowers): Some titles running through my head are Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell and Mariko Tamaki; Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang; Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye; Hellboy by Mike Mignola; The Vision by Tom King; and A Guest in the House by E.M. Carroll. This is just the tip of an iceberg, though, and there are so many things I love about other stories, too, things that are unique and incredible, things that inspire me.
Read the full interview here.
Davi Go (cover artist, DC Power: Rise of the Power Company): I’d have to say one of my new all-time favorite books, The Nice House on the Lake. Incredible sci-fi, dystopian mystery by Alvaro Martinez Bueno and James Tynion IV. The follow-up, The Nice House by the Sea, is about to be out and I cannot wait to read!
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Stephanie Williams (writer, The Raven Boys): Wonder Woman Historia #2. I had the pleasure of being on a panel with Gene Ha, and he talked in depth about his process. Listening to him talk with so much passion truly made me adore that issue more than I already did. The entire Wonder Woman Historia is a masterpiece, #2 is a masterclass for what the medium can do.
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Skylar Patridge (artist, Our Sins Are Scarlet): The first to come to mind is Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi for its earnest embrace of the medium to not only tell a captivating coming-of-age story but also educate on modern Iran and an important time in its history. Secondly, Russian Olive to Red King by Kathryn & Stuart Immonen. I think it’s a technical beauty, filled with the compelling scenery and colors of two divergent stories longing to find one another again.
Read the full interview here.
Nir Levie (writer/artist, Razor Gray): Akira merges both elements—art and story—like no other. Otomo’s detailed cityscapes, his masterful use of perspective, and the sheer dynamism of his action sequences are extraordinary. At the same time, the narrative is so rich and multilayered, exploring themes of power, corruption, and humanity’s future in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s the perfect balance of storytelling and visual artistry, and for me, it represents the pinnacle of what the comic medium can achieve.
Read the full interview here.
David Talaski (cover artist, Alan Scott: The Green Lantern): Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama. It’s hands down the most beautifully drawn series on my shelf matched by its compelling and heartwarming characters and story. I love the world Shirahama created.
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Jasmine Walls (writer/artist, Brooms): I’d have to pick Reimena Yee’s The Carpet Merchant of Konstantiniyya, and honestly anything else Reimena makes because she’s an absolute powerhouse of how innovative and creative comics can truly be. She studies, improves upon, and teaches comic techniques with a level of passion I really admire. This comic not only tells a story through beautiful, empathetic writing and lush art, but fully embraces the idea of playing with mood, themes, motifs, and patterns. Panels don’t just frame art, they become art all on their own, often inspired by shapes in architecture. Gutter spaces are filled with traditional carpet designs, every page is beautifully thought out from concept to completion, and Reimena really embraces all the possibilities in comics as a medium.
Read the full interview here.
