Category Archives: BOOKS OF THE YEAR

2021’s book of the year

Posted on January 13, 2022 by I.M. Baytor

First, a disclaimer: Rutu Modan’s latest graphic novel, Tunnels, has been translated to English and published by Drawn & Quarterly last year… and whenever a new Modan book comes out, the chances of it being my favorite comic of that … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Aditya Bidikar, Barry Windsor-Smith, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dave Stewart, Department of Truth, Dylan Todd, Elsa Charretier, EPHK, horror, James Harren, James Tynion IV, Juni Ba, Martin Simmonds, Matt Hollingsworth, politics, Roman Titov, Rus Wooton, science fiction, Tyler Boss, Ultramega | Leave a comment

2020’s books of the year: honorable mentions – part 4

Posted on March 25, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

If you read last weeks’ posts, you know what’s going on. Here is a final batch of 2020 comics worth tracking down… WAR ON TERROR: GODKILLERS Collecting a five-issue mini-series, Godkillers has the kind of ridiculous and ultimately tasteless … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Al Ewing, Godkillers, Hernan Cabrera, horror, John Allison, Laura Allred, Maan House, Mariasara Miotti, Mark Russell, Mark Sable, Max Sarin, Mike Allred, politics, science fiction, Simone Di Meo, Stephen Byrne, War on Terror, We Only Find Them When They're Dead, Whitney Cogar, Wicked Things, Wonder Twins, X-Ray Robot | Leave a comment

2020’s books of the year: honorable mentions – part 3

Posted on March 18, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

If you read last weeks’ posts, you know what’s going on. Here are another five comics that came out in 2020 and feature neat takes on adventure, crime, horror, espionage, mystery, war, science fiction, and/or the occasional hero with bizarre … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Adam Strange, Alessandro Miracolo, Bob Q, Bryce Ingman, Chelsea Cain, Clayton Cowles, Cold War, Conan, Craig Rousseau, Elise McCall, Evan Shaner, Fran Strukan, Garth Ennis, Jacen Burrows, Jason Aaron, Jim Rugg, Joe Caramagna, John Layman, Lia Miternique, Mark Russell, Mitch Gerads, Octobriana, politics, Punisher, Rachelle Rosenberg, Red Sonja, science fiction, Spy Island, Stella Greenvoss, Strange Adventures, sword & sorcery, Tom King | Leave a comment

2020’s books of the year: honorable mentions – part 2

Posted on March 11, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

If you read last week’s post, you know what’s going on. Here are another handful of cool comics that came out in 2020: BOY MAXIMORTAL Rather than an iconoclastic anomaly, R-rated super(anti)heroes have become a staple of mainstream pop … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Alan Hebden, Battle Action, Carlos Ezquerra, Death Squad, Decorum, Deron Bennett, Eric Bradbury, Far Sector, Grant Morrison, Green Lantern, horror, Jack Kirby, Jamal Campbell, Jonathan Hickman, Katie Skelly, Maids, Maximortal, Mike Costa, Mike Huddleston, N.K. Jemisin, politics, Rick Veitch, Rus Wooton, Sasha E Head, science fiction, space opera, Stan Lee, Tom Scioli, World War II | Leave a comment

2020’s books of the year: honorable mentions – part 1

Posted on March 4, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

Doing a list often involves leaving out a lot of good stuff and this was certainly the case with Gotham Calling’s 2020 books of the year… Some great comics didn’t make it to the list because they didn’t fulfil the … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Abraham STone, Aco, American Ronin, Axel Alonso, BANG!, Batman's personality, Big Girls, Brian Michael Bendis, Dave Stewart, David Lorenzo, Dean White, espionage, Jason Howard, Joe Kubert, Matt Kindt, Nick Derington, Peter Milligan, politics, science fiction, Warren Ellis, western, Wilfredo Torres | 1 Comment

2020’s books of the year – part 5

Posted on February 4, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

If you read last weeks’ posts, you know what’s going on. Here are Gotham Calling’s top four books of 2020: 4. WHO KILLED JIMMY OLSEN? The original Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen series (1954-1974), about the wacky misadventures of the … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Chrissy Williams, Clayton Cowles, Dan Mora, David Lapham, Fernando Argüello, Grant Morrison, Hedra, horror, Jack Kirby, Jason Lutes, Jeff Stokely, Jesse Lonergan, Jim Rossignol, Kieron Gillen, Loud!, Ludocrats, Maria Llovet, Matt Fraction, Nathan Fairbairn, Nick Spencer, René Goscinny, science fiction, Sergio Serrano, Steve Lieber, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, Tamra Bonvillain | Leave a comment

2020’s books of the year – part 4

Posted on January 28, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

If you read last weeks’ posts, you know what’s going on. Here are four 2020 books that reminded me of why I love comics: 8. PULP The creative duo of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (known among some fans … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Al Feldstein, Blackhawk, British Ice, Cold War, Ed Brubaker, Eduardo Barreto, espionage, Grant Miehm, Harvey Kurtzman, horror, Howard Chaykin, Jacob Phillips, Jerry DeFuccio, Joe Kubert, Joe Sacco, Ken Bruzenak, Man and Superman, Mark Verheiden, Martin Pasko, Mike Grell, Milton Caniff, noir, Own D. Pomery, Pablo Marcos, politics, Pulp, Rick Burchett, science fiction, Sean Phillips, Steve Oliff, Steve Riggenberg, Terry Beatty, Thommy Burns, western, World War II | Leave a comment

2020’s books of the year – part 3

Posted on January 21, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

If you read last weeks’ posts, you know what’s going on. Here are four more books of the year full of fantastic adventures, hardboiled crime, super powers, spycraft, warfare, and/or metafiction: 12. VISION Last year’s most affecting piece of gothic … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Chris Bachalo, David Barnett, Deadpool, Elena Casagrande, Eva de la Cruz, Eve Stranger, Gerardo Sandoval, horror, Irene Strychalski, Julia Gfrörer, Karla Pacheco, Kelly Thompson, Kev Walker, Kevin Libranda, Liz Prince, Mark Waid, Michel Fiffe, Panorama, Pere Pérez, Philip Bond, science fiction, Vision | Leave a comment

2020’s books of the year – part 2

Posted on January 14, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

If you read last week’s post, you know I’m doing a countdown of the most Gotham Calling books of 2020. Enjoy! 16. UNDONE BY BLOOD Collected as Undone by Blood or The Shadow of a Wanted Man, the first … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Adam Hughes, Alex Toth, Allan Harvey, Atlas at War, Charlie Kirchoff, Chris Brunner, Chris Weston, Christian Alamy, Chuck Dixon, Cold War, Cully Hamner, Dan Spiegle, Daniel Hillyard, David Michelinie, DC Goes to War, Doug Dabbs, Doug Wagner, Drew Moore, Ed Herron, Eduardo Barreto, espionage, Garth Ennis, Gene Colan, Gerry Talaoc, Hank Chapman, Harvey Kurtzman, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Jack Davis, Jack Kirby, Jason Wordie, Jerry Grandenetti, Jerry Robinson, Joe Kubert, Joe Maneely, Joe Simon, Joe Sinnott, John Severin, Judith Hunt, Laura Martin, Lee Loughridge, Len Wein, Lonnie Nadler, Mark Evanier, Marv Wolfman, Michael Esposito, Michael J. Vassallo, Michael Kelleher, Michael Uslan, Paul Reinman, politics, Robert Kanigher, Russ Heath, Sam Glanzman, Sam Kweslin, Sami Kivelä, Scott Nybakken, Stan Lee, The Ride, Tomm Coker, Undone by Blood, Werner Roth, western, World War II, Zac Thompson | 2 Comments

2020’s books of the year – part 1

Posted on January 7, 2021 by I.M. Baytor

A couple of years ago, I started picking a Gotham Calling Book of the Year, spotlighting recently published comics that best engaged with this blog’s passions. To compensate for the lengthy silence, though, this time around I’ll do a longer … Continue reading →

Posted in BOOKS OF THE YEAR | Tagged Alan Grant, Andrea Sorrentino, Ann Nocenti, Arkham Asylum, Bog Bodies, Brüno, Chuck Dixon, Cold War, Declan Shalvey, Erica Henderson, Fabien Nury, Gary Kato, Gavin Fullerton, Graham Nolan, horror, J.H. Williams III, Jeff Lemire, Johnny Dynamite, Joker, Jordie Bellaire, Ken Fitch, Leonard Kirk, Mark Russell, Marv Wolfman, Max Allan Collins, Mickey Spillane, Ms. Tree, noir, Norm Breyfogle, Pete Morisi, politics, Rachel Dodson, Rebecca Nalty, Richard Pace, Second Coming, Steve Moore, Terry Beatty, Terry Dodson, Tom Peyer | Leave a comment