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What makes a comic book moment memorable?

I was on vacation. It was a bad week in comics to be away from home. Y the Last Man #60 and Captain America #34 hit on the same day – two rather notable moments with immediate interest.

Luckily, I was sent a copy of Cap #34 and I got to see the newest Captain America in action. Oddly enough, the issue didn’t feel important or memorable. I expected more pageantry. Instead I got a “business as usual” feel from the story.

I snagged my copy of Y #60 as soon as I got back into Pittsburgh on Monday night. I set the bar pretty low for this one, considering that the past ten issues of this series have been underwhelming with a maddening ferocity.

But the issue was solid. It was a moody tale that displayed Yorick as a bitter old bastard born from a young wiseass. The story addressed the death of Agent 355 to my satisfaction. My eyes watered when Ampersand kicked the bucket.

And it will be remembered. Regardless of hype or reputation, the ending to Y the Last Man works. For me, the ambiguity of the final pages is convincing enough to call this completion a success. Captain America #34, on the other hand, is a largely forgettable issue.

So what makes a moment memorable? It’s obviously not first appearances. It’s not necessarily grand endings either. I still couldn’t tell you the ending to Watchmen. I remember the innards with clarity, but the conclusion is like a big question mark.

One component is significant change. Yorick has evolved by the time we reach his final issue. Although it’s sad that we didn’t witness his evolution over the course of a serial narrative, at least we get some intensive character growth due to the 60 year jump.

Another component is surprise. Captain America #34 lacked just about any and all surprise, at least in regards to Bucky assuming the Cap mantle. It was foreshadowed heavily and predicated by the previous issue. The conclusion of Y the Last Man, on the other hand, was a veritable cornucopia surprising moments.

And to sell it all, you need characters that communicate with persuasive conviction. This element is communicated through passionate dialogue and convincing causation. Y the Last Man #60 and last week’s New Avengers Annual #2 had this. Captain America #34 needed more of this.

If memory serves me right, I’ll forget I was on vacation when these issues came out. I’ll probably forget most of the hype around their rollout. I’ll also probably forget much of Captain America #34, but I’m sure I’ll remember the minimal melancholy of Y the Last Man #60.