Meredith’s Top Five Single Issue Comics--2016

We have a few staff members who are big comics readers here at MPL, and they keep up on everything so you don't have to. 2016 had some pretty awesome comic releases, and our top three comics readers have picked their favorites to give you some direction. This week: Meredith's favorite single issues, next week, John's list.

Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat #2 – January 2016
This comic is a sort of spin-off of the 2014 She-Hulk series by Soule and Pulido. Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat follows the titular Patsy as she hunts for her next career opportunity. In issue #2, this includes a short stint working mall retail at the One-Stop-Crop-Top-Shop. Personally, I find comics that take place in the mall by default to be awesome, but Hellcat is really one of the most fun, light-hearted comics in print right now. Kate Leth’s humorous scripts pair well with Brittney Williams’ almost chibi style art.
(Find this issue in Volume #1, Hooked on a Feline)

From Ms. Marvel #5

Ms. Marvel #5 – March 2016
Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) is stepping up to the big leagues, but joining the Avengers is stretching Kamala thin. Her solution? Get her best friend to 3-D print golem versions of her so she can be in three places at once. What could possibly go wrong? Everything. The golem Kamalas hilariously terrorize everyone and Ms. Marvel is left trying to stop one problem after another.
(Find this issue in Volume #5, Super Famous)

The Nameless City Book 1 – April 2016
It’s no secret that we here at the reference desk are big fans of Faith Erin Hicks. So we were all excited to check out the beginning of her new original trilogy. The Nameless City is a vibrant story of clashing cultures, friendship, and parkour. It’s a demonstration of just how far Hicks’ talent has come as her characters leap, climb, and run across the rooftops of the Nameless City. The story is pulsing with kinetic energy. This isn't a single issue comic, but the beginning of her graphic novel trilogy. Needless to say, we cannot wait for book 2, The Stone Heart, out this April.

Mockingbird #3 – May 2016

From Mockingbird #3

Unceremoniously cancelled last October after only 8 issues, the loss of Chelsea Cain’s Mockingbird was one of my biggest comic disappointments of 2016. Cain wrote the comic with an incredibly sharp wit and was unafraid to make her story unapologetically feminist. Bobbi Morse (Mockingbird) is such a great character for it too, as she is both a biologist and a highly trained S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Issue #3 is a great illustration of Cain’s abilities to blend biting sarcasm, action, feminism, and humor into one package.
(Find this issue in Volume #1, I Can Explain)

All New Wolverine Annual #1 – August 2016
Laura Kinney (AKA X-23 AKA the All New Wolverine) is about to hit it big. She’s got her own consistently excellent solo title written by Tom Taylor and her character will be the focus of the new film Logan coming out this March. In this issue, Laura switches bodies with Gwen Stacy (Spider-Woman from Earth-65) due to some interdimensional rift. Body swapping is one of my favorite tropes, so I was pre-disposed to like it, but Taylor gets a lot of mileage out of Laura and Gwen’s inability to acclimate to their new bodies’ powers. Unfortunately, this issue hasn’t yet been collected in trade, so I recommend you pick up the first volume, The Four Sisters to get started.

~Meredith T.