Thursday, November 22, 2012

Comics I'm Thankful For This Year

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! So, to celebrate, I'm compiling a list of 6 of the best comics I've read this year! What's #1 going to be on this countdown!

6. DAREDEVIL 
by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee

After years of incredibly grim and tired stories, Daredevil got a fresh coat of paint thanks to Mark Waid. He brought back the happy-go-lucky and light tone of the original Daredevil series, and it worked. Waid even built up an intriguing mystery that even made me believe that Daredevil was guilty, and it's hard to turn your audience against the hero. 

5. I, VAMPIRE 
by Joshua Hale Fiakov and Andrea Sorrentino

In a medium where vampires are incredibly overused, and depicted as sparkling teenagers, I, Vampire somehow ends up breaking the mold. This is how vampires should be done. Andrew Bennett and Mary, Queen of Blood's complicated relationship is a surprisingly original story in itself. Plus, Andrea Sorrentino's artwork is gratuitously gritty, and as you get used to it, it becomes crucial to the story.

4. JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK 
by Jeff Lemire and Mikel Janin with Lee Garbet
The Justice League Dark on this list isn't Peter Milligan's. It's Jeff Lemire's. Milligan's character work was great, but the plot was confusing and slow as molasses. Lemire's run was amazing, though it kind of fell in issues 12 and 0. Even then, it was actually pretty good. Lemire's dialogue and character work is even better than Milligan's, with a plot that moves quickly, and filled with twists and turns. 

3. SUPERCROOKS
by Mark Millar and Lenil Yu

I know I'm going to get a lot of flak for this, but I actually loved this series. Mark Millar is one of my favorite writers, but his work is hit or miss. When he misses, he fails incredibly (Nemesis, Civil War, Fantastic Four). But when he hits, he delivers in spades (The Secret Service,  Superior, Ultimate Avengers). Supercrooks is one of the books that hit. Millar tells a violent, tragic and often hilarious story about supervillains in an Ocean's Eleven situation. Johnny Bolt is a relatable and likable protagonist, who concocts a genius plan to rob the greatest supervillain ever. Millar's story is fun to read, with a clever twist I didn't see coming. Plus, Lenil Yu's art is pure awesomeness.

2. BATMAN
by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo with James Tynion 

When Scott Snyder started writing Detective Comics, I doubt anyone knew what they were getting into. Those who picked it up were in for an epic mystery that spanned 10 issues. It was so successful, that DC put him on the main Batman title for the New 52, and now, he's told 3 of the most successful Batman stories ever. Batman #12 was a highpoint for the series, telling the tale of Harper Row. The Court of Owls was an astonishing story that actually felt new, and didn't feel like something we've seen before. And Death of the Family had one hell of a setup.

Aaannnddd... For number 1...

1. HAWK AND DOVE
by Rob Liefeld 

loljk

1. ANIMAL MAN
by Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman and Steve Pugh

No, Rob Liefeld. I still don't like you. Jeff Lemire made the best comic of the year. Seriously, everyone should be reading this book. It's hard to scare people in comics, and this book does the trick. Visually, it scares the !@#$ out of me, but it's part of the unique charm it has. Buddy Baker's family is one everybody can relate to, and the overall story that is connects this with Swamp Thing and Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE (to a degree) feels truly epic. Plus, Travel Foreman and Steve Pugh's  art make this one of the best (and most disgusting) looking books on the stands. 






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