In this new and reoccurring feature article on the site, we’ll be taking a look at the top five books currently being published. The catch is that each writer can at any time list their own choices. The other catch is while the month at the top says “June” it can still include titles from the previous month if the new issues has yet to release. Now that I've complicated this more than it needed to be, let’s take a look at my top five books currently being published in ascending order. Number 5 – Harbinger (Valiant Comics)

If you think that this is just another superhero title, oh boy are you wrong. Month after month Joshua Dysart manages to deliver an action packed story that single-handily expands and develops the Valiant Universe. That’s not even the good part about this series. The characters are the driving force behind the series and Dysart manages to put the reader in their shoes and so you can see how scary this world full of Harbingers really is. They go from being characters on the page, to your friends having an adventure. It was rough placing it at five, but any given month it could overtake any of the other books on this list.

Number 4 – High Crimes (Monkey Brain Comics)

This digital comic book puts all other digital only titles to shame. The level of quality in the production rivals any printed comic. The story is just nuts. The original concept morphs into something else with each issue as another crazy plot point is revealed. What started off as a blackmail scheme of shipping the dead that Mt. Everest has claimed, back to their families, has become an international espionage style of story in just three issues. I never know what to expect from this series as it takes the story in directions that seem completely illogical, but that also always work out perfectly in the end.

Number 3 – Revival (Image Comics)

If you’re not reading Revival then I wonder about your mental health. This is another series that on any given month could easily be the best title. Seeley and Norton make an incredible team as they continue to create a soap opera. That’s right; it’s a horror/gothic soap opera involving the dead. The cast of characters are amazing, but nothing is more amazing than the setting of a small rural town that has become a character of its own. It’s the best character actually because it knows everyone’s secrets and it never forgets. I’m surprised that someone hasn’t died from reading this book yet it’s that amazing.

Number 2 – The Private Eye (Panel Syndicate)

When it comes to putting other digital comics to shame, High Crimes has some help in the form of The Private Eye. This masterpiece from Marcos Martin and Brian K. Vaughan is their first venture into producing a comic and allowing the audience to pay what they want for it. The story itself is incredible and it’s rare to look at a comic book and know that you’re reading something that will be talked about, studied and re-read by the industry for years to come. Creator’s twenty years from now will cite The Private Eye as their influence for creating comics. For me, I love the world that’s created. It’s like the 80’s teamed up with the 50’s and then took a trip to Dean Motter’s mind and stayed there. It’s a classic in the making.

Number 1 – Mind MGMT

If you didn’t see this coming then you’re not reading the site enough. What do I have left to say about this series? Plenty. Matt Kindt’s multi-layered story about people with extraordinary mental abilities is hands down one of the most incredible comic books every created. Every issue is art at its highest form. From cover to cover there is something to look at, read and study and then look at, read and study again. Kindt doesn’t just deliver one story per an issue; he usually delivers at least three. Lately, he’s produced no less than five stories an issue all of which play a role in the overall series. With other books on this list you can say, “If you like that, then you should read this.” With Mind MGMT though, it’s just something you need to experience. There’s nothing to compare it to because it’s one of the most original stories to happen in the world of comics. It’s a monthly experience like no other and if there was something beyond “classic” this would be it.

Well there you have it, my top five comic rankings. I’m sure that the other writers on Comic Bastards will chime in with theirs as the month progresses, but you can check back next month to see what’s made my list and what will claim the top spot. In the meantime, I’d like to hear yours so feel free to leave a comment with your list or even a reordering of mine.