Today completing his third year at Pace Law School in White Plains, Anthony Desiato has worked at Alternate Realities, a Scarsdale comic-book store, since high school. Last year, he turned the camera on the shop for a feature-length, independent documentary film, My Comic Shop DocumentARy. Here, he reveals his all-time top comic-book series.
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1) Y: The Last Man (Brian K. Vaughan, writer; Pia Guerra, artist; DC Comics’ Vertigo; 2002-2008) “It provides a fascinating look at a rocked society,” Desiato says, “and a decidedly average young man thrust into adulthood and the unlikely role of potential savior of mankind.” He adds that the “incredibly bittersweet” finale is “perfect.” |
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2) Gotham Central (Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker, writers; Michael Lark, artist; DC Comics; 2003-2006) Think Law & Order meets Batman, suggests Desiato about this series, which examines the complicated relationship between the detectives of Gotham City’s Major Crimes Unit and Batman. Calling it “taut, gritty, and authentic,” he commends its exploration of “what it means to be a cop in a city where a masked vigilante receives most of the credit.” |
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3) Starman (James Robinson, writer; Tony Harris and Peter Snejbjerg, artists; DC Comics; 1994-2001) Desiato calls Starman a stellar example of long-form storytelling in the superhero medium. “The series mines the best characters and elements from the stories of yesteryear,” he says, “while still remaining accessible to new readers.” |
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4) DC: The New Frontier (Darwyn Cooke, writer and artist; DC Comics; 2003-2004) This sprawling superhero epic depicts the DC Universe in a time of flux—the previous generation of “mystery men” has either given up or been forced into retirement, while newer heroes like the Flash and Green Lantern are plagued by self-doubt. “It is only in the face of a potentially world-ending threat,” Desiato says, “that they finally rise to their destinies and usher in a new age of heroism.” He adds, “It beautifully captures the spirit of wonder that draws readers young and old to these four-color characters.” |
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5) Fables (Bill Willingham, writer; Mark Buckingham, artist; Vertigo; 2002-present) “This witty, whimsical, and wildly imaginative series reinterprets familiar fairy-tale characters and places them in a modern urban setting,” Desiato says. Driven from their magical homeland, the Fables—with an extensive cast including Snow White and a reformed Big Bad Wolf as her unlikely love interest—have relocated to Manhattan. |
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