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Last month’s picks for my favorite comics unsurprisingly generated some pushback from readers who felt I’d gotten too political (leading with the inclusion of a work called Gaza in My Phone will do that – I am not so naive as to pretend it wouldn’t). These comments ranged from inarticulate gaseous shouts of wokeness (easy to ignore) to more thoughtful concerns that these types of thoughts were not why people read comics, or at least my thoughts on comics (less so). While I know that well less than 10% of the thousands of words I write every month are really espousing any kind of socio-political beliefs, I did at least want to respond to why I approach these writings the way I do.

I understand the desire for art as an escape. Like many people, I use it that way a lot of times too. Some days, when the kids are asleep, I just want to watch the Cubs or play Elden Ring or read Superman (on occasion, I even try two of the three at the same time, in a game I call ‘Elden Swing’). I don’t want to be challenged, I don’t want to look the world’s depravity in the eyes, I just want to *be somewhere else* for a little while. That’s ok. We should all be so lucky.

But I do also think it’s a vital part of humanity to recognize that privilege, to be thankful for it, and to remain consistently curious enough to explore the ways that privilege is not granted the world over. Some art is meant only to entertain, and some art is more focused on education, or awareness, or sharing a personal experience. Comics, in all their glory, cover this wide array of focuses and that’s reflected in what I choose to read and celebrate here on Comic Book Herald.

Now, I do have to make an effort to get myself in the headspace to learn, or to be emotionally wrecked. It’s weird to apply to the leisure activity of reading, but it takes real effort sometimes. A few books on the below list are an example – “Reclaiming Memories from the Guatemalan Genocide” is clearly some serious, emotional history – as was my experience this past month reading Rosalie Lightning, Tom Hart’s devastating graphic novel about the loss of their two year old daughter. Most days, most moments, I look at those books and think that’s too hard right now. That’s not what I need right now. It takes resolve – for me at least – to make myself vulnerable enough to openly weep at Hart’s impossible grief.

This is not a mandate, or a sermon telling you when and how to experience challenging art. It’s only my appraisal that those hard reads make me a more caring, more well-rounded comics fan. I see the world with more empathy, I care for my family more deeply, I want to right wrongs more passionately. Art did that. Comics did that. Because I made time and made space to let them.

Comic Book Herald will always be full of the fullest awareness of what I find in comics, from the silliest fiction to the most striking hard truths. And I will write in such a way that meets these comics where they’re at – it would be irresponsible and even more cowardly than I already am to pretend the artform is perpetually a mere distraction, particularly when the subject matters are glaringly serious. I don’t expect every reader to perfectly mirror where I’m coming from in a chorus of agreement; I simply hope you remain open to reading some of these excellent works and finding what it is they inspire in you.

In addition to this month’s favorite reads, you can also check out Comic Book Herald’s official best comics of 2025 so far.

You can find the (near) full 2025 list of all my favorite comics this year on Bookshop. I’m up over 85 for the year! Don’t hesitate to let me know any of your favorites I may have missed via dave@comicbookherald.com!

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