Tom King - the former student of philosophy and history who doesn't even need to brag about it because it shows in every single story he's written.
Tom King - the man who doesn't shy away from deeply complex emotions and actions, who writes superheroes as deeply human and with emotional depth.
There are things in this world that cannot be explained scientifically. Like how did fate decide that a certain Tom would become an excellent writer and a true king in his domain, and put him in a family whose last name is "King"?
Human Target Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
Sometimes with just a few poignant words, as in Human Target, he makes you feel as powerless as the protagonist himself. Superheroes and superhumans are supposed to defy everything, right? Even death? But as it turns out, they don't. With only a few days left in his life, Christopher Chance, the Human Target, works against time to find out who tried to kill him. Why spend your time obsessing over finding this murderer when you could simply enjoy the few days you have left? Because it seems that even superheroes can be murderers. And that should not be left at that.
In a wonderful addition to the poetic detective story, Greg Smallwood's art emphasizes everything that is said and everything that is left unsaid.
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Strange Adventures
Sometimes, as you read, your eyes absorb every word as fast as you can, eager to uncover whether a hero can also be a war criminal, as explored in Strange Adventures. Who is this hero called Adam Strange, and what game is he playing not only with Earth but also with the planet Rann and the Justice League? Adam Strange, brimming with self-assurance, has enlisted the Justice League to investigate whether he is indeed a war criminal. But why hire the Justice League himself, if he is guilty, as some might believe? And even if he isn’t, why is he so fishy?
Strange Adventures is a DC Black Label series that thoroughly debates the notion of right and wrong by revealing the complex layers of a man who believes he is doing the right thing.
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Vision
Sometimes, it’s a graphic novel where everyone agrees that it’s good, but no one really tells you what exactly is good about it. Maybe because every single detail is good about it? Vision is the delicate story of a synthezoid trying so hard to be human that all you can feel is pain as you watch his life unfold like a play gone wrong.
The picture-perfect family - a father, a mother, a boy, and a girl - lives in a suburb, playing nice with their neighbors. Except that they are synthezoids, and some people are freaked out because of that. They are a family that tries very hard to keep it together, to be human, and horribly fail to do so.
Gabriel Hernandez Walta shows you that there is much pain in longing in those eyes, but also a lot of iciness that leaves a shiver running down your spine.
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Sheriff of Babylon
Sometimes, a specific aspect of a graphic novel elevates its intrigue. In the case of Sheriff of Babylon, every issue had to be approved by the CIA before release - an interesting detail considering Tom King was a CIA officer himself. But beyond these facts, the story is both gripping and intelligent. Set against the backdrop of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, amidst chaos and death, three unlikely characters come together to solve a murder.
Mitch Gerads' artwork does not hold back, showcasing the loud, gruesome moments alongside the silent, haunting ones.
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Love Everlasting Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
And sometimes, it’s about life and how life just won’t let you love the people you want to love, because life seems to know better who you should love.
The first volume of Love Everlasting introduces you to Joan Peterson, who has one tragic problem in life: life won’t let her love freely. If she finds true love, it won’t just be ripped away from her; she will be ripped away from it.
The second volume takes this concept to another level. You’ll get fooled and baffled, and you’ll come to understand how some women can spend their whole lives with people they don’t love - while appearing to have a picture-perfect family from the outside.
I mean, who can write non-superheroic stories about love that make you wonder, if you don’t suffer, is it even love? Elsa Charretier's art adds the sarcastic touch that is just perfect for this story.
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A few final words
Also Tom King, Eisner Award winner, architect of the DC Universe media franchise, writer of Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow, which will be the first Supergirl movie in the DC Universe, and on and on.
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Here is a little something to look forward to as well: Helen of Wyndhorn. By the dream duo Tom King and Bilquis Evely. Trust us, it's gold.
We proudly present the collection that will never disappoint: