The Best of 5767: Comics

_As you might’ve heard, the lunar calendar finished its cycle and the Jewish year 5767 became 5768. We considered fireworks and a night of pick-pocketing in Times Square, but instead we decided to use the opportunity to reflect upon the best the past year had to offer in the arts and culture. So, here’s the best in comics of the lunar year 5767 from the loonies here at_ Heeb.

1. “Nick Bertozzi”:http://www.nickbertozzi.com/comics/salon/salon.htm, _The Salon_ (St. Martin’s Press)
Writer/artist Nick Bertozzi’s _The Salon_ takes place in Paris, 1907 and features Picasso, Braque, Gertrude and Leo Stein, Alice B. Toklas, Erik Satie, all of whom banter about the Stein studio in intellectual and artistic cahootz. They collectively enjoy the pleasures of a special absinthe that opens a portal, which enables the imbiber to actually enter paintings. The catch? A blue-skinned banshee repeatedly escapes from this art-dimension while the portal is open to rip off the heads of modernist painters. The surreal shenanigans that ensue tickle right and left brains, delineating the origins of cubism by way of vivacious illustrations in a gorgeous muted palate. JEFF NEWELT

The Best of the Rest:
2. “Bryan Talbot”:http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=12-491, _Alice in Sunderland_ (Dark Horse)
3. “Walt Holcombe”:http://www.fantagraphics.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=1199&category_id=439&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=62&vmcchk=1&Itemid=62, _Things Just Get Away From You_ (Fantagraphics)
4. “Bob Fingerman”:http://www.bobfingerman.com/ _Recess Pieces_ (Dark Horse)
5. “Allison Bechdel,”:http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/titledetail.cfm?titleNumber=689441 _Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic_ (Houghton Mifflin)
6. “Kim Deitch”:http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375424311, _Alias the Cat_ (Pantheon)
7. “Gabrielle Bell”:http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/artStudio.php?artist=a43ccf74f415ab, _Lucky_ (Drawn & Quarterly)
8. “Douglas Rushkoff”:http://www.rushkoff.com/ and Liam Sharp, _Testament_ (Vertigo)
9. “Rutu Modan”:http://www.drawnandquarterly.com/shopCatalogLong.php?item=a451165f22c05b, _Exit Wounds_ (Drawn & Quarterly)
10. “Harvey Pekar, Dean Haspiel & Friends”:http://www.dccomics.com/graphic_novels/?gn=7029, _American Splendor: Another Day_ (Vertigo)