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!
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