Top 10 Best Comics of 2013

2013 was a great year for comics. Looking back, I have tons of great memories, a collection of issues that's about 75% bigger than it has ever been, and there have been tons of awesome books that I'm not going to forget! And keep in mind, THIS IS MY LIST, NOT YOURS, so this is the one time for me to be completely biased. I'm listing this in order of quality from least to most, and of course, with every "best" list must come a "worst" list, which I promise you, is coming! So, without further delay, let's get on with the show!

10. DAREDEVIL

by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee, and Javier Rodriguez

OK, I know I'm going to get a lot of flak for putting this so low on the list, but there were just so many books that came out that I thought topped this series, but it was just never enough to completely remove it from the list. Daredevil has been an excellent mystery with a beautifully written conclusion (seriously, issue 27 was friggin amazing!), and the story about the Serpents which is just beginning, is shaping up to be a great story as well. Even better, is the gorgeous art of Chris Samnee, and Javier Rodriguez, who shows us that there is such thing as good fill-in art. 

9. HAWKEYE

by Matt Fraction and David Aja

Hawkeye #11. 'Nuff said.

OK, fine... Hawkeye has been one of the most enjoyable comics I've read in a while, and of course, I can't get past talking about this story, without mentioning Hawkeye #11, which is one of the funniest and quirkiest comics ever created ever. What I love even more, is the fact that FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA FREAKING DREW TWO ISSUES

8. CHEW

by John Layman and Rob Guillroy

How can you not be a fan of Chew? Chew is one of the funniest comics written, and this year, it hit its halfway mark in grand fashion, with one of the most depressing 30 pages I've read in a while, along with some awesome Poyo-centric issues on the way there.

7. GREEN LANTERN

by Robert Venditti and Billy Tan

OK, if I haven't gotten bricks through my window just yet, this is where it happens. I have seen some HATE for Venditti's GL, but then again, this is my list, and I'm going to be as 100% biased in terms of pure enjoyment. Now, this entire entire includes Van Jensen and Chang's GLC, Jordan and Walker's New Guardians, and Soule and Vitti's Red Lanterns. They've taken what was good about Johns's run, and they've made the tropes he set up into fuel for a summer blockbuster. Everything about it, from the way the action scenes are staged, to the writing, to the very effects, are just absolutely fantastic. (PLEASE DON'T KILL ME)

6. SWAMP THING

by Charles Soule and Kano

OK, there is way too much damn filler in this series. But that's barely tarnished my enjoyment of it. Swamp Thing is a layered horror epic, about a monster trying to find his place, with the most horror movie-like two issues (Seriously... The Whisky Tree arc...) to come out this year, and inconsistent, yet great art. These elements make it one of the best books I've read all year.

5. I, VAMPIRE

by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino

GOD how I miss I, Vampire. Seriously, this book was so amazing, that I was even able to get my brother into it (and got him pissed when I told him DC cancelled it). Fialkov had a truly powerful grasp on his cast, a Whedon and Landis like sense of humor, sharp wit, and of course, the art by Andrea Sorrentino. Now, Sorrentino left at around issue 14, and the series's art became inconsistent at that point, but the writing remained strong. Thankfully, the series did go out with a bang, despite feeling rather hurried.

4. ANIMAL MAN 

by Jeff Lemire, Steve Pugh and Rafael Albuquerque

WHAT'S THIS? ANIMAL MAN NOT #1 THIS TIME? Now, you may recall that last year, Animal Man was my #1 pick for the best comics of the year, but this year, it is not such. The series has felt a sharp decline in quality lately, but when that "decline in quality" only means knocking you back 3 slots on my Best Comics of the Year list, you know you've got yourself an amazing book. I did feel like the series lingered on the buildup to Brother Blood's arc too long, and Steve Pugh's art started to feel tired, one of the best character artists in the biz stepped in: Rafael Albuquerque, who I have been a massive fan of since American Vampire. And of course, within a single issue, he brought new life to the series.

3. AMERICAN VAMPIRE

by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque

Yup, another Rafael Albuquerque book is on the list. And it also happens to be a vampire book. But American Vampire went on hiatus with one of the coolest arcs its had in a while, and whet our appetite with two amazing specials, The Long Road to Hell (which I awarded the prestigious 5/5 rating... Well, it's not really prestigious...) and the Anthology, which I think was an entertaining diversion with well... Freaking Becky Cloonan art for crying out loud.

2. GREEN ARROW

by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino

Green Arrow was a BAD ASS book. Before Lemire and Sorrentino, it was an absolutely god awful book (In the hands Nocenti, what do you expect?). But when Lemire and Sorrentino took the reins of the series, it became an amazing new series, with a dense and detailed mythology, great character writing, surprisingly, well connected to the larger DCU while staying relatively isolated, and of course, the art by Andrea Sorrentino was amazing.

1. THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS

by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, and Becky Cloonan

Nope, Saga isn't going to be on the list for two reasons. Reason 1: That series is so good, putting it on the list would be like cheating any one of these other series out of their spot here on the list. And the second reason: I seriously cannot forgive myself if I put Saga here, in the place of Killjoys. As an MCR fan, Becky Cloonan fan, and a fan of good comics in general, this book is made to cater to everyone who is one of these things. Seriously. The writing is definitely great (though it's not for everyone) and the art... Oh god the art...

Now, to make up for leaving Saga off the list, I'm going to make an article all about how good it is, I promise you that. And then... I will put up my worst list up soon.

And before I end this article, I just want to thank the few readers I have for sticking with me for almost two years, and I wish you all a happy new year! Here's to comics!

Forever Evil #4 review

FOREVER EVIL #4

by Geoff Johns and David Finch

Jesus Christ, I hate that cover so much...

So, Forever Evil has been shaping up to be quite the event so far, but I have some major problems with it. We're already halfway through the event, and yet the fight back against the Crime Syndicate hasn't even begun yet. The pacing is awfully slow, and if you're expecting things to happen in this issue, yes there are a few developments, but it's still mostly set up. However, Johns does manage to some good things, such as his writing of Luthor, which I thought was surprisingly well done. I've noticed a running trend in Johns's work has been villains redeeming themselves, and it seems like he's building an entire event around it. Another thing I admire, is Johns's work on Batman, a character who he works well with, but has never done much solo work with him behind the very underrated Batman: Earth-One (which I will review sometime, I promise). There are also a few plot holes that I'm noticing, such as Ultraman not noticing Superwoman's pregnancy until now, or why Grid can't access the computers in the Red Room. While yes, Johns is shaping this to be a cut above these Marvel events that seem to be coming out a week apart from each other (Seriously, they release Infinity #6, and two weeks later, Inhumanity #1? What the hell?!), there are definitely some undeniable flaws.

Trust me, the art is so much better than that cover makes it look. Finch has always been an on-and-off artist for me. Some of his work I absolutely despise (New Avengers, Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 1, Ultimate X-Men), and some that I think looks absolutely amazing (Batman: The Dark Knight Vol. 2, JLA) . I'd say Forever Evil is definitely leaning towards the latter, as his art has greatly improved from the inconsistent issue 3. His characters look surprisingly more differentiated, and his Sinestro looks BADASS. 

Forever Evil #4 continues Johns conquest of the DCU, with another slow, but steady issue. The art is greater than it has been before, and the story continues to heat up despite some pacing issues and continuity problems. 

STORY: 3.5/5

+ Great characterization of Luthor and Batman

+ Shaping up to be one hell of a payoff

- LET'S DO SOME STUFF ALREADY

- Gaping plot holes

ART: 4/5

+ Characters actually look different now!

+ Definitely very moody

- Still some weird poses

- Dat cover

VERDICT: 4/5

Harley Quinn #1 review

HARLEY QUINN #1

by Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner and Chad Hardin

OK, so let me get this straight. This Chad Hardin guy somehow won out over Tony Daniel, Becky Cloonan, and Bruce Timm? Damn, I think the crazy ones are DC's editorial staff.

Harley Quinn #1 was essentially DC's answer to both Hawkeye and Deadpool in one book. Essentially, take the basic plot setup to Matt Fraction's Hawkeye, with the title character becoming the landlord of an apartment building, and then suddenly finding a gang trying to kill them for it. However, instead of Hawkeye, replace your main character with a mentally unstable comic relief of one of your most well known franchises, and here you go. Harley Quinn #1 in a nutshell. I've got to hand it to Mr. Palmiotti and Mrs. Conner, they've given me some of the most entertainment I've had reading a comic for a while. It's absolutely mindless fun, with a sense of humor that perfectly suits the book. Essentially, there's no way you can't laugh at Harley whacking a man's head off with her hammer.. Unless you happen to live in the universe of Downton Abbey. The dialogue is surprisingly well done, and they manage to set up a lot of plot points for the future of the story. My only gripe is that the entire supporting cast seems somewhat one-dimensional and stale, though, considering Palmiotti's character work in All-Star Western and Batwing, it's going to a problem that will soon be fixed.

Now, Chad Hardin really surprised me here. His work on the book looks absolutely amazing, and is perfectly suited for the story. You can tell he has so much fun drawing every panel, it's contagious, and he puts in so many subtle visual jokes. And the colors are definitely excellent as well.

All in all, Harley Quinn #1 was a very successful debut for a new series, one I can't wait to read more of. Now, if only DC could bring Cassandra Cain back, fire Lobdell and Nocenti, and put Tim Seely on Catwoman (Yes, that's right, I've read Hack/Slash).

STORY: 4/5

+ Great setup

+ Ferociously clever sense of humor

+ Funky hyperviolence

- Somewhat lackluster supporting cast

ART: 5/5

+ FRIGGIN AWESOME YESYESYESYESYESYESYES

VERDICT: 4.5/5

Uncanny X-Men #15.INH review

UNCANNY X-MEN #15.INH

by Brian Michael Bendis and Kris Anka

Godammit, Bendis.

OK, so I was looking for a re-jumping on point for Uncanny X-Men, and a friend of mine told me this week's issue was as good as a place as any. And what the hell. Is. This. Ok, let me get to the bottom of this, and say Bendis just doesn't know how to have any fun. The concept of this issue revolves around the Uncanny X-Men's (ok well not the men) girl's night out, where Emma Frost, Tempest, Irma, Kitty Pryde, Jean Grey and the Stephord Cuckoos basically head out for a night on the town, while the events of Inhumanity are basically going down. And Bendis spends way too much on them trying to be serious than give readers what they were expecting. While yes, there are a few glimmers of hope with a fun opening scene, and Bendis using a bit of his trademark humor here and there, there's just way too much angst between the characters. I mean, there's literally just one boring page of them talking about how good it is to go shopping like "normal" people, and then it quickly cuts to them in a diner arguing about why the Cuckoos are scared of Jean. The tone is very inconsistent. 

Kris Anka's art looks excellent here, somewhat reminding me of David LaFuente's work on Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man mixed with Jamie McElvie's clean cut style. The female characters are rendered beautifully, and there's an action scene towards the end that has Anka shining, with some fun Immomen like panels. 

While Uncanny X-Men #15.INH is by no means the worst comic I've read this year (coughcoughLobdell'sactioncomicscough), it is a bummer to read. At first glance it's a match made in heaven, with an entire issue dedicated to a somewhat lighter story, but in the end, its all just a huge bummer to read. Thankfully, the art is it's saving grace and is actually enjoyable, pouring over each page. 

STORY: 2/5

+ Some fun Bendis dialogue

- Spends too much time on the Inhumanity aspect

- So... Much... Angst... This isn't Twilight....

- Some characters overlooked and ignored (I thought Magik didn't grow up around shopping malls... You'd think there'd be even some mention of that at least...)

ART: 4.5/5

+ Female characters drawn beautifully, but unobjectively

+ DAT ACTION

VERDICT: 3/5

The Walking Dead Season 4 Midseason Finale Review (KEEP OUT, SPOILERS INSIDE)

Ah yes, I've missed you guys. I won't be reviewing weekly comics for a while now, but it's time to get back into trade reviewing! And tv. And movies. And yes, I am working through Batman: Arkham Origins right now, so expect a review of that in about... 2 months. 

So, as a little something to entertain you guys, I've decided to give you guys a review of quite possibly the most talked about episode of the Walking Dead since "CARL'S NOT IN THE HOUSE!", so keep in mind, if you haven't seen the episode yet, and have not kept up with the series, STAY THE HELL OUT! Got that? Now that we got all the hipsters out of the way, let me get this out of my lungs.

OH MY GOD THANK YOU SCOTT GIMPLE! Ever since Scott Gimple to over the Walking Dead, the series has began to regain its traction, but it never really lived up to the standard set by season 1. Yes, the characters were definitely more tolerable, and the pacing was better, but there was never that impending sense of dread and fear we got from the opening scene of the pilot. Until now. Seriously, Season 4 has definitely had potential, but for the first time since season 1, it actually feels like it's living up to its potential! Throughout the entire episode, I was on the edge of my seat, speculating who was going to live or die. I am not going to lie, there was actually a moment where I thought the "untouchable" Daryl was going to kick the bucket (then again, he's Daryl for crying out loud). Despite being a loud and chaotic episode, there was a huge amount of intensity to it, actually akin to the comics!

Speaking of the comics, this episode was the closest the series has ever been to the books. From the final shot of Rick and Carl running away from the unlivable prison, or the Governor's Tyrese-esque decapitation of Herschel (which was actually the most brutal thing the show has ever done since the well walker from season 2), I was grateful to see Gimple actually give me the showdown at the prison I wanted from Season 3 (DAMN YOU MAZARRA!). Yes, the body count was significantly lower (Tyrese is still alive, so is Carol who's out there doing God knows what), but the outcome was practically the same. And even better, the show actually surprised me, by KILLING OFF JUDITH. I had no idea Gimple had the guts to go for killing off Judith, (though there was no body, so we know what that means in the Walking Dead), so props to them for doing that.

As usual, I think Andrew Lincoln is one of the show's most underrated stars (despite his accent sometimes breaking when he tries to pull off the more emotional scenes, case in point "DUHRL, HAVE YOU SEEN COOOORL"), and then, we have Morrisey's Brian. Seriously, David Morrisey is the most intimidating villain I've seen on any screen since Waltz's Hans Landa from Inglorious Basterds (which is one of my favorite performances of all time). Morrisey's delivery is cold, brutal, jarring, and just as he convinces his own new new group of survivors that they can take prison without killing anyone, he tricks the audience occasionally into thinking he's willing to show the prison mercy... Which can just make the emotionally charged deaths all the more unexpected and painful. I'm grateful to Gimple and Morrisey for bringing back the sadistic, evil, insane bastard from the books that readers know and hate. Especially after Marazza (GODDAMN YOU) pretty much neutered him last season. 

I really only have a few complaints about the episode, however, they are still too big to be ignored and passed off. Firstly, I still can not stand some of the child actors. I'm not talking about Chandler Riggs (an actor who I think has actually greatly improved since season 1), but the other two girls who Carol had taken in. Their acting definitely needs improvement, especially if they're going to play a larger role in the coming next half of the season. And the other one, is still some of the unbelievable stupidy of some of the characters, again, the little girls who just abandoned Judith just so they could shoot people. Seriously, there is no way little kids would do that. 

All in all, I was hugely impressed by the Season 4 midseason finale. I'm glad to see the show is once again in capable hands, and that we're FINALLY going to be able to get into my favorite arc from the books soon: The cannibals. You go Dimple, don't fail me like Marazza did with the second half of season 3!