Best of 2014: Graphic Novel/Collection

2014 is over and there were plenty of amazing things to happen in the world of comic books over the last 12 months. Let's take a look at best graphic novel/collection.

Seconds

by Bryan Lee O'Malley

This book was on a lot of people's "Most Anticipated" list for 2014, with good reason too. After the success that was Scott Pilgrim, O'Malley's next project would come four years later. The wait was worth it, because Seconds is an amazing experience. 

Seconds is a standalone story that follows Katie, a young chef who runs her own restaurant and is on the way to open another one, who is visited by a magical being and is given the chance to undo her mistakes. It's a story that had me hooked from the moment I opened the book. I didn't put it down until I flipped that final.

Bryan Lee O'Malley's style is very distinct. His writing and art portray humor excellently. That's not to say that O'Malley isn't capable of portraying other emotions through his art, because he can do it impeccably. His art style is cartoony and yet he's still able to show us exactly how angry or scared or excited a character is through body language and facial expressions. A lot of the time, that is all you have on a panel or a page, and it's so well done.

There is a lot of love behind every page of this book. Seconds feels a lot more personal than O'Malley's work before this. The wonderful thing about Bryan Lee O'Malley's work is that he could have these crazy magical concepts, or an entire series paying tribute to video games from the 80's with some crazy action, yet make it feel grounded in reality. His worlds are so unique, his characters feel so real. That's why I love Seconds so much.

Honorable Mention: Saga Deluxe Edition Volume 1 (Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples)

Check out the rest of my Best of 2014 winners here.