I’ve made no secret about the fact that Scalped is the best comic being printed today.  If I could only read one comic, this would be it. The intertwining narratives of the different crime genre staples, such as undercover feds, gang warfare, betrayals, family secrets, and unlikely alliances are deftly woven against the backdrop of an Indian reservation.  This unique twist of using the loose governance of such a setting, gives Aaron the room to draw a wide tapestry of multi-layered characters and story lines with depth.  The art of R.M. Guera is absolutely perfect for this book, and the overall execution and quality of the visuals cannot be understated.  Jock continues to put his ankle in it on cover duty.  Not since Ennis’ Preacher, have I seen such a perfect blend of character development, noir, humor, violence, mystery, and action.  With Aaron just wrapping up an action packed arc in issue #34, this single story issue is as good a time as any to jump on board.  Then do yourself a favor and pick up the trades and catch up after you buy this.

In a special stand-alone issue, we meet a couple of characters for the first and last time – an aging husband and wife who eke out a living in the harsh and rugged heart of the Badlands. Learn what it means to reside in the poorest community in the entire United States – and what it means to survive.

Unknown Soldier #17

Vertigo is sort of like the AMC of comics, not a lot of shows, but what is there is high quality.   Unknown Soldier is no different.  Forget the capes and powers for a second and allow yourself to be entertained with gritty, pulpy drama while learning a thing or two about the world.  Josh Dysart has immersed himself in this conflict to bring you a story you won’t forget.

Secret Warriors #13

Jonathan Hickman has been doing a great job of reintroducing Nick Fury and Hydra post-Secret Invasion into the Marvel U.  Nick Fury has always been one of my favorite characters, and his sparse use has elevated him to a legend.  Hickman, and his reputation for attention to detail, is in full effect here.  Stefano Caselli on pencils doesn’t hurt either.  He is a strong talent who is a perfect fit for the material.

Rob’s Picks

The Walking Dead 70

This is the most consistently great comic I have read in a long time. Whether you have read Kirkman’s other work or not, this is his magnum opus. publisher Image comics says, “Behind these walls everyone has their place; everyone has their job. There is no danger, there are no threats… everyone has hope. Will it last?” The cover shows us a melancholy foreboding, a sense of dread just under the surface of the quiet suburban town. I can’t wait.

Usagi Yojimbo 126

Curious about the rabbit ninja and this long-running comic? This might be the perfect place to jump in: “The rabbit ronin faces a terrifying creature from Japanese mythology in this creepy, self-contained story! Nukekubi are supernatural monsters that take the form of normal humans during the day, but at night can detach their heads to attack their unsuspecting prey.” The cover and subject matter alone make me want to grab this book right up.

Chris’s Picks

Avengers: The Initiative #33

This has been a pretty great series so far.  I am not usually an Avengers fan, but this Civil War story has been highly addictive.  I am really looking forward to seeing how the resistance handles taking on camp H.A.M.M.E.R..

Strange Girl: Limited Edition Complete Series

This is a great apocalyptic type series.  This series took on many questions of religion, while delivering a great story set in a dark time.  Keep an open mind and follow this awesome twisting tale down the rabit hole.  This is the series that started the careers of greats like Rick Remender and Eric Nguyen.  Snag this if you see it as only 1000 limited editions will be printed!

Tyler’s Picks

Flash: Rebirth #6

For a book about the Speed Force and the Fastest Man Alive, it feels like it has taken a year for this puppy to wrap up. And in fact, it nearly has. The first issue came out in April of last year. Whether it was the meticulous work of Ethan van Scriver or Geoff Johns forgot which story he was trying to tell between this and Blackest Night (in which Barry Allen is a significant participant), this book has as much energy and pulpiness as can possibly fit underneath the yellow boots.

The Splendid Magic of Penny Arcade: The 11 1/2 Anniversary Edition (HC)

There isn’t a point in me pimping this book. Go and buy it you ninny. If you don’t know Gabe and Tycho, or the men behind their justified sense of gaming hubris, then you know nothing. Vapid little mindflayer that you are.

I have been reading Penny Arcade since it was first displayed on my Netscape browser back in college.  It has been an awesome decade of watching this comic grow from simple art to some fantastic masterpieces that really rock some great artistry.  The jokes have come from simple one liners to well crafted hits on politicians.  It has been one crazy ride that only looks to continue to grow!

Penny Arcade was born in 1998 by two insane friends by the name of Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik.  Penny Arcade got its world wide debut thanks to the Loonygames website.  Since its initial launch, Penny Arcade has grown into a web sensation, spawned a great charity, and produced two yearly conventions.  Penny Arcade has proven that gamers are not the spawn of the devil, but rather a very charitable and caring bunch.

Penny Arcade follows the shenanigans of Tycho Brahe and John Gabriel “Gabe”.  The strip very rarely caries a story from one release to the next.  These are more one shot deals, though they do have some series that will run over the course of a few days.  The Cardboard Tube Samurai is just one of the specials that will stretch more than one strip.  For the most part, Penny Arcade sticks to gaming and issues facing gamers today.

Jerry and Mike have managed to capture the raw essence of gaming.  One of my favorites they have done was the Mega Man 9 comic.  Not only did this manage to capture the excitement of the game, but it also illustrated that even grownups turn into kids under the right circumstances.  There was also a recent comic mocking the Sony reality TV show.  The look on Anthony Brown’s face in the last panel is nothing short of a wtf moment.

Over the years the writing has only gotten better.  The art has gone from a simple color pallet and hard edgy lines to some panels being so well detailed they have ended up as my personal wallpapers.  I only hope that one day I can own an original piece of Mike’s art.

I am proud to make them the very first webcomic to be featured here on Comics Are Evil.  If not for them, I just might have never taken up reading the greatness that is WebComics.

So, Marvel steps in and shoots us some videos. Full on episodes, as in the case of Super Hero Squad and The Astonishing X-Men motion comic. Embed and links below:

http://superherosquad.marvel.com/videos/ – Yeah, we know it’s really about selling toys and teaching them to love comics, but is that so wrong? This one won’t let us embed, but here’s a link and a screenshot:

The Motion Comics Hub – Here’s an embed of the first episode of Astonishing X-Men: Gifted, originally the first part of Joss Whedon’s run on the book, and now a major motion comic.