The Palette of 12 Secret Colors, Volume 1 by Nari Kusakawa

Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine (D&Q) Tomine's relationship drama is so nakedly honest as to be cringe-worthy, but that doesn't mean it's not still one of the most minutely-observed and impressive graphic novels of the year. Martin's Pablo Picasso and friends discover a magical blue absinthe that allows them to enter paintings in turn-of-the-century Paris-murder mystery ensues. Laika by Nick Abadzis (First Second) A lovable dog on a doomed yet engrossing mission is the subject of this unsentimental, well-researched tale. Nearly impossible to describe accurately, it must be experienced.(JDC) An unusual blend of pictures and text that eschews the usual panel borders or page grids to immerse the reader in a phantasmagoric trip through Talbot's mind and the history of this particular area of Northeast England.

(EF)Īlice In Sunderland by Brian Talbot (DH) Not as much a graphic novel as a happening, made up of bits and pieces of every kind of image and graphic design. I'm overjoyed at this re-release of something I wouldn't have read otherwise. Tekkon Kinkreet: Black and White by Taiyo Matsumoto (Viz Media) Matsumoto has drawn a noir film in an underground comic style. Shooting War by Anthony Lappe and Dan Goldman (Grand Central) By turns prescient and bleakly hilarious, this powerful satirical response to the bloody geopolitical mess of the Iraq War recreates the conflict, and the media response to it, with chilling verisimilitude. I Killed Adolf Hitler by Jason (Fantagraphics) Time travel paradoxes, doomed love, the end of the world hilarious and touching. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill (America's Best Comics) Moore wants to be very, very sure that absolutely everybody knows how staggeringly clever he is. 1 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC) Grant Morrison is one of the only comics writers out there who can combine breathless ideas and masterful craft in 22-page bursts.(AT) Both Pilgrim's survival chops and O'Malley's storytelling hit new heights here.

(DW) Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni Press) Growing up isn't always fun, but it sure is funny, at least the way O'Malley tells it.

Critics participating in this year's poll include Chris Barsanti, Ian Brill, Johanna Draper Carlson, Kai-Ming Cha, Erin Finnegan, Laura Hudson, Heidi MacDonald, Laurel Maury, Calvin Reid, Andrew Trask, and Douglas Wolk.Ī complete list with selected comments from voters follows:Įxit Wounds by Rutu Modan (D&Q) Beautifully written, distinctively drawn, and very smart about the way it gets at the large via the small and vice versa.

The Palette of 12 Secret Colors, Volume 1 by Nari Kusakawa