Because I am who I am, I inevitably receive a gaggle of fantastic comics each Christmas. This year, my friends and family gifted me four wonderful books, and while I have not yet finished all of them, I figured I’d post my initial thoughts on each here – as both a thank you to my loved ones, and a way of telling you all where you should spend the Amazon and Barnes & Noble gift cards you received for Christmas. (Yes, I received some of those, too.)

Head Lopper

Friend, secret Santa, and regular Waiting on the Trade co-host Callum Smith started Christmas early by sending over the first volume of Head Lopper. I know this comic has been on Cal’s shortlist of “comics to discuss on the podcast” for some time, and after reading it myself, I can see why. This book does a ton of things that are right up Cal and my’s respective alleys, within a sword and sorcery world that’s easiest to pitch as a mash-up of Hellboy and Adventure Time.

The titular Head Lopper does, of course, lop heads. And if you’re into colorful, kinetic, D&D-style action, you’ll definitely find it here. However, I suspect Cal is particularly fond of this book because he loves Agatha the Blue Witch – an absurdly comic personality who is just a head, yet is one of the story’s most animated characters. While I have not quite finished this first volume (which is partly Cal’s fault, as you’ll see later), Head Lopper is a real treat. I’m stoked to discuss this comic with Cal and WOTT co-host Patrick FitzGerald-Fleck at some point later this year, especially because I think Pat will love the fantasy-novel-style maps that precede each chapter.

One Holly Jolly Panel