Welcome back to a new edition of the Best Comic Books of the month for 2024. June was packed with comic books as hot as the Las Vegas desert. It certainly made deciding on the best comic books for the month even harder as there were so many to choose from. But finally after much deliberation I was able to put together what I found to be the best comic books for the month of June from my pull list. Find out what they were below.
BATMAN #148
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Jorge Jiménez
Colorist: Tomeu Morey
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Batman #148 isn’t just the end of the Dark Prisons story arc but a culmination of Chip Zdarsky first two years on this series. Everything about how Batman of Zur-En-Arrh was dealt with spoke to the journey Bruce Wayne has been on since Batman #125. Bruce is at a point in his life where he couldn’t be the same person he was when he first became the Dark Knight. We see that with how he not only comes to terms with but also embraces the importance the Batman Family have in his life. That then leads Bruce to better understand that neither Batman or Bruce Wayne should be considered a mask, rather they are both who he is. That was the power that ultimately led him and his family to overcome Batman of Zur-En-Arrh. Click here to read full review of Batman #148.
THE BOY WONDER #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer and Artist: Juni Ba
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
The Boy Wonder #2 is not just one of the best comic books that came out in June but is contender for best comic books issue of the entire year. What Juni Ba accomplished telling a deeply personal story between Damian Wayne and Jason Todd was simply amazing. This was particularly one of the best Jason Todd focused comic books. The character study of who he is post-resurrection and how he views himself in relation to his belief in how Bruce Wayne views him grabs you emotionally. How the young Damian grows to understand his brother through their team-up made the heart-to-heart they have even more special. Both Damian and Jason came out better brothers and people out of this team-up. Click here to read full review of The Boy Wonder #2.
GREEN LANTERN #12
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jeremy Adams
Artist: Xermanico
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
With each passing issue the stakes continue to be raised in Jeremy Adams and Xermanico’s Green Lantern run. It all culminated in Green Lantern #12 that not only wrapped up the first full year of the series but transitioned the United Planets storyline to be set up to be an even grander scale than before. That is all accomplished through the sense of growing sense of despair with each passing panel in Green Lantern #12. For as much as you want to believe in Hal Jordan, Jo Mullein, and the other rebel Lantern Corp members the odds are just so overwhelming things felt impossible for our heroes. Its in maximizing this feeling of despair that made the big moment when Carol Ferris shows up you see that hope is not yet lost. That hope will certainly be needed as Adams and Xermanico found a great way to make Green Lantern a key part of Absolute Power when this issue concludes.
NO/ONE #9
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Kyle Higgins and Brian Buccellato
Artist: Geraldo Borges
Colorist: Mark Englert
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Kyle Higgins, Brian Buccellato, and Geraldo Borges did an excellent job blending reality with the grounded superhero world with what happens in No/One #9. There is a lot of timeline plot beats with who is favored from he announced voting results that you know exactly the feeling the people of this world are having. The chaos that goes down is complimented well with the commentary made by various characters through different mediums. It made the last page we see No/One appear in, after his desperate fight, be something you relate to as the reader. That along with where other characters are left off No/One #9 does leave you wondering if anyone can save the Massive-Verse’s version of Pittsburgh.
SCARLETT #1
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Marco Ferrari
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Kelly Thompson and Marco Ferrari wasted no time in showing why Shana O’Hara is one of the standout characters in the GI JOE franchise. From the moment you open Scarlett #1 we are deep in mission mode. Scarlett’s full range of skills from master infiltrator to badass fighter are on display. This provides a strong foundation for the highly dangerous mission Scarlett is given to infiltrate Clan Arashikage in order to find someone close to her. The set-up makes how other iconic GI JOE character are integrated into the story be organic to how Thompson and Ferrari develop the story. Its yet another big win for the Energon Universe.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: BLACK, WHITE & GREEN #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Gavin Smith, Tyler Boss, Javier Rodriguez, and Mikey Way
Artist: Gavin Smith, Tyler Boss, Javier Rodriguez, and Nikola Čižmešija
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Nathan Widick
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Black White & Green #2 is a showcase of the range of storytelling possibilities with the franchise. They aren’t locked down to one style or tone of storytelling with these characters. The most important thing that is a running theme in the four stories we get here is the heart of these characters. Whether it’s a story of Casey Jones protecting his neighborhood, Michalangelo becoming a detective, or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles working as a team, everything we love about this franchise is here. It all goes to show the power in a comic book anthology to tap into the magic of a franchise, in this case the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
TRANSFORMERS #9
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Daniel Warren Johnson
Artist: Jorge Corona
Colorist: Mike Spicer
Letterer: Rus Wooton
There was no moment in Transformers #9 where you are allowed to catch your breath once the action started. As soon as things kick off in the latest battle between the Autobots and Decepticons it is go, go, go. The storytelling by Daniel Warren Johnson, Jorge Corona, and Mike Spicer has a controlled chaos energy to it. The battle is choreographed well so you never know who is going to win in the end. This allows the surprise appearances to hit harder. It all leaves us in a spot where we don’t really know whether the fight has shifted to the Autobots or Decepticons favor by the end. Excellent all around. Click here to read our full review.
ULTIMATE X-MEN #4
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer & Artist: Peach Momoko
Script Adaptation: Zack Davisson
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Ultimate X-Men #4 is a game changer for the series as Hisako Ichiki, aka Armor, had a big face of against Shadow King. Peach Momoko does such a phenomenal job integrating horror elements to Ultimate Shadow King. Both from the way the character is designed to what he says is chilling. It leaves you wondering how Hisako, who barely discovered her mutant powers, can overcome this terrifying threat. That threat level goes to another level because of what this fight ends up doing to change Hisako’s life. That change could have large ramifications for the greater Ultimate Universe, adding to the excitement and wonder of this series. Click here to read our full review.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #6
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Cory Petit
Ultimate Spider-Man #6 is a great example of how knowing where things end does not make the ride any less fun and engaging. The opening already gave away a beaten up Peter Parker being confronted by his family about how he ended up with his face almost unrecognizable. That framing device did not remove the tension behind Spider-Man and Green Goblin vs Kingpin Wilson Fisk. Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto played well into how even with all their powers and tech Spider-Man and Green Goblin are still new to the superhero game. Going after one of the big dogs in Kingpin was the humbling experience they both needed to be reminded to not rush things. That humbling along with the maturity Peter shows in his relationship with his family continues to make this an incredible series. The final panel of Ultimate Spider-Man #6 highlights this. Click here to read our full review.
ZATANNA: BRING DOWN THE HOUSE #1
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Mariko Tamaki
Artist: Javier Rodríguez
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Zatanna: Bring Down The House #1 was such a breathe of fresh air, especially with DC Comics publishing line-up. Mariko Tamaki, Javier Rodriguez, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou are given the freedom to tell their Zatanna story without worrying about continuity. It’s a opportunity they fully maximize with how they explore the early days of Zatanna not just as a hero but person. There is a great mix of different genre’s utilized, from slice-of-life to magical horror, that is implemented well to have a range in the storytelling around Zatanna. It engages you as the reader, especially on the visual side. Rodriguez artwork alone is a massive selling point. There are so many incredible panels and spread pages that leave you wanting more from this story that elevate everything in Tamaki’s wriing. Click here to read full review.
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