#ando hideyoshi

First, my profile picture - it’s the variant cover of Martian Manhunter (2019) (alternatively called Martian Manhunter: Identity), written by Steve Orlando with pencils by Riley Rossmo. This particular variant is drawn by Joshua Middleton. This series takes a really complex dive into one of the Justice League’s most mysterious characters with some incredible art and a high-concept sci-fi take on the Martians that I feel is really immersive and great take on what a Martian society could actually look like. The mystery Jonn Jonzz and his human partner have to solve also has some great layers to it and really plays with our expectations on who he actually is.

Easy recommendation if you’re a fan of Tom King’s Mister Miracle or Supergirl runs (also incredibly good!!!!)

Second, my banner is a two page spread from chapter 1 of a manga I picked up for its art style alone, then got sucked into the rest of it. It’s name is GACHIAKUTA, and it’s written and drawn by Kei Urana, with additional graffiti art by Ando Hideyoshi. It’s also published by Weekly Shonen Magazine, kind of the more mature, bigger brother to Shonen Jump. I’d call this manga pure, unadulterated eye candy, but that would discount the sheer power behind all of its art. Like, holy shit. This is easily one of my favorite looking manga in an extremely long time. The story (or at least as far as I was through it) follows a young boy sent into an underground, garbage dump hellscape full of other people who were rejected by the society on the surface. Almost all of the main characters have the ability to turn their most prized possession, whether that’s an umbrella, pair of scissors, or garden hose, into a deadly weapon called a ‘Jinki’. This makes for some incredibly creative fights involving clashes between people’s unconventional weapons and abilities, compounded with the street punk aesthetic of the comic’s world gives it this unmistakable identity.