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Multiversity 101: Best and Worst of 2011

By | January 3rd, 2012
Posted in Longform | % Comments

Yeah, yeah, Multiversity has already done their 2011 in Review segment, so I don’t really need to look back on what was the best and worst of the year in comics.

But just because I don’t need to doesn’t mean I’m not going to.

It was a rather strong in the world of comics in my book, with some huge releases like Craig Thompson’s Habibi standing tall, smaller books like Reed Gunther or The Intrepids surprising us, and things like DC’s massive relaunch shocking the industry. But what were my favorites? What was the worst of the worst?

You can find out my picks after the jump, and just to note, these are my picks alone, not Multiversity’s as a site.

Best Cover: Detective Comics #880

Why it’s the best: I already said this in the Best Cover section of 2011 in Review feature, cover artist extraordinaire Dave Johnson said it, everyone should say it: Jock’s cover to Detective Comics #880 was an inventive, stunning and awe inspiring effort from one of the best in the business, and without a doubt the best cover of the year. If you think otherwise, you’re missing the point of what makes covers great, because this one is a perfect example of that.

Runners up

  • Criminal: Last of the Innocent #1
  • The Unwritten #29
  • DMZ #61
  • Daredevil #4

Worst Cover: Blue Beetle #4

Why it’s the worst: On the other hand, there’s this beast. Is it the worst? Maybe not. But it represents everything I don’t like about covers. Generic badass pose by the bad guy? Check. Hero “defeated?” Right here. Trite, stereotypical two word tagline? You bet. This thing is representative of not much of anything, save the crushing mediocrity we should expect from this comic. This is one case where you can expect to be able to judge a book by its cover.

Best Moment: Kermit goes back in time to see his own “birth”

Why it’s the best: Every once in a while a comic comes out of nowhere to blow you away. This year, that comic was cartoonist Caanan Grall’s Muppet Thor. Grall created this concept and executed the majority of it for this year’s 24 hour comic day, and the level of quality storytelling within it matches some of the best books I’ve read this year. Given that it married two properties that had movies about them this year (Muppets and Thor, naturally), you’d think every comic fan would have read it, but it seems not.

Either way, when Kermit goes back in time using Mjolnir to see Jim Henson first create him is truly one of the most touching moments in any medium I’ve experienced all year. I read many accounts of people who got a bit verklempt reading it, and I can count myself in their number as well. Granted, it was really dusty in the room, and my allergies were acting up, but man, what a moment.

Runners up

  • Heath Huston gets his happy ending
  • Johnny Storm returns
  • Uncle Cluster reveals Evan’s true path
  • Wolverine and the Jean Grey Academy tell the new Hellfire Club what’s up

Worst moment: Barry Allen takes a walk through the timestream with a purple lady in tow

Why it’s the worst: Just no. A thousand times no. Everything about this was mega terrible. It was a bad moment in a truly terrible comic, and it represented just how awkward the transition from DCOG to DCnU really was. And it just made the whole deal more confusing. Bad news bears right here people.

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Best Graphic Novel: Habibi

Why it’s the best: From my write-up for the Best Graphic Novel section of our 2011 in Review feature:

I don’t know if you guys heard about this book, but I think this Craig Thompson guy is going to go places.

Thompson had previously crafted one of the most well-received works in the medium in Blankets (at least in terms of those ones that made it to a wide audience), and he’d been crafting this follow-up for since its release in 2003 more or less. And you can see the time and effort he put in on these pages, as this is a real labor of love about love, religion, humanity, the effect of stories on everyone, and a range of other themes.

Artistically, it’s the most gorgeous book I read this year, with compositions and layouts weaving together effortlessly and with endless depth and detail. A page is a story unto itself, and this is a book that has a lot of pages.

It’s an outrageous success, and worth every bit of time Thompson spent on it. As great as this year was in comics, Habibi might have been the best thing I read in all of comics all year, and it makes me all the more excited to see what Thompson will be up to next.

Runners up

  • Infinite Kung Fu
  • Daybreak 
  • One Soul

Most Underrated Graphic Novel: Daybreak

Why it’s so underrated: Typically, I wouldn’t throw in a random category in like this unless I really wanted to highlight a book. Thankfully, I really wanted to highlight a book.

Brian Ralph’s Daybreak from Drawn & Quarterly was something I didn’t read until the end of the year (after our voting for 2011 in Review) thanks to a recommendation from MC EIC Matt Meylikhov, and after I sat down and read it I came away very much a fan. This book is a clever take on the zombie survival genre, taking us into the first person point-of-view of a single survivor as he negotiates this ruined world, coming across a few survivors whose intentions range from good to straight up murderous. With fairly simple art that excels at storytelling paired with a unique take on a highly represented genre, Daybreak was a joy to read and something that surprised me at the turn of the new year.

Best Web Comic: Max Overacts

Why it’s the best: The Abominable Charles Christopher’s two year stretch of winning this category is over! Which isn’t to say Karl Kerschl’s incredible web comic has dropped in quality whatsoever – it hasn’t – just that Caanan Grall’s fellow Eisner nominee Max Overacts took a bit of a leap this year. Grall did an exceptional job at developing an overarching story for Max this year, while continuing everything that we already loved about it. Great humor, a strong ensemble cast, and one of the best leads in comics in the theatrical and wholly lovable Max highlights this comic, and best yet? For the most part (well, when Caanan can swing it) it’s daily during the week. Five times the awesome!

Runners up

Best All-Ages Book: Reed Gunther

Why it’s the best: I’ve been beating a drum for this book for the last while. The Houghton Brothers with this comic have done what Pixar does so well with their movies – they make something that appeals to all ages without pandering to any specific audience. They tell a tale of a hilarious lead character and his best pal adventuring in the old west, taking on monsters and meeting all kinds of new characters, that ends up being as much fun as anything on the racks these days. Reed Gunther is an absolute blast, and with six issues in so far and only a total of ten ordered to date, here’s hoping you, my friendly readers, help them out by going to your local shop and picking it up. This book deserves more love and more issues. Here’s hoping they get there.

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Runners up

  • Gladstone’s School for World Conquerors
  • Super Dinosaur

Best New Series: Wolverine and the X-Men

Why it’s the best: What do I want from an X-Men series? I want it to pay attention to the stories that preceded it, I want it to have strong characterization and art, and for it to generally be a good time. Jason Aaron’s Wolverine and the X-Men looks to hit three for three going forward (although I’m sad to see Chris Bachalo go), as the opening arc was as much fun I’ve had reading a flagship X-Men title since at least Grant Morrison’s New X-Men and maybe since the X-Men books from when I was growing up.

Like last year with Uncanny X-Force (which won this category in 2010), if this book continues to show the same stellar creative spirit, I fully expect it to make my best ongoing list next year.

Runners up

  • FF
  • Rachel Rising
  • Reed Gunther
  • Witch Doctor

Worst New Series: Justice League

Why it’s the worst: Here’s a theoretical question for you: wouldn’t you think that the new DC would launch with a great flagship title, especially when it’s $3.99 and features the talents of two of the most popular creators in the industry? The answer is yes, right? Well, you would think so, but instead what you get is this decompressed mess that is heavy on attitude and v-necks and short on strong storytelling and characterization. For me, the Justice League is at its best when the characters are well-developed, believably strong, and up against a common enemy that stands out for the ways he/she/it counter-acts their collective strength. This is nothing like that. For me, the Justice League has been out of whack for a long time, and I’m just glad that they made it easy for me to save $3.99 a month on this title.

Note: this is likely not the worst new series. I’m sure in the new 52, there are plenty of worse comics alone. Perhaps a more proper title for this series should be “most disappointing.” We knew Legion Lost would likely be bad, but holy crap, did anyone really expect Justice League to be as bad as it is?

Best Mini-Series: American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest

Why it’s the best: From my write-up for the best mini-series section of our 2011 in Review feature:

I love me some American Vampire. In fact, I was the only person at Multiversity to feature Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque’s Vertigo series in my Top 10 for ongoing series (spoiler alert, by the way). It’s a remarkably well told story from both a written and illustrated standpoint, and if you enjoy either creator and aren’t reading it, you’re truly missing out. It’s fantastic.

So when I say that I enjoyed American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest more than any issue/arc/whatever of the main series, you know I am completely on the level about how great this mini really was.

The first big difference maker for me was the art. I love Rafael Albuquerque, but man, Sean Gordon Murphy has an absolute stranglehold on my mind with his art. As much as I loved his work on Joe the Barbarian, I might have enjoyed his work here even more. This book was a visual bonanza, and he nailed everything from the action moments to the tragic end. It’s remarkable work that is on par with most everyone from 2011.

Snyder was his usual fantastic self, but in this case I have to say it was a bit of a case of favoritism from me. I love Pearl and Skinner and Henry and the regular cast, but man, Cashel is my absolute favorite with Felicia Book up there as well. The two of them together, especially with the way their stories have run both parallel and over lapped on each other in the past, creates a brilliant energy and a great dramatic tension in the story. That said, this book also has a ton of fun with the whole nazi vampires and semi-mad scientists angle, while promoting the idea that Book herself has a far greater role to play in the overarching story Snyder is creating.

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As a standalone story, it’s fantastic. As a part of the AV narrative, it’s even better. It’s highly recommended from me, and it was my favorite mini of the year.

Runners up

  • Superior
  • Hellboy: The Fury
  • Criminal: Last of the Innocent

Best Series Revamp: Wonder Woman

Why it’s the best: Fun fact: Wonder Woman earned worst series revamp from me last year. As I pointed out then, this is a character that suffers from every writer trying to take the character and push her in a wildly different direction because sales are flagging and the perception is change could help. In reality, what this comic has been missing has been compelling storytelling.

Until now.

Writer Brian Azzarello and artist Cliff Chiang took the license for creativity from the New 52 relaunch and ran with it, with Wonder Woman confronting her history and finding her humanity at the same time, all the while developing a rich and interesting supporting cast that blends gods with unfortunate one-night standees. It’s intense, funny and a little odd, with spectacular art from Chiang, and it’s one of the highlights of the whole relaunch by going back to the basics and just being a damn good story.

Runners up

  • The Flash
  • Birds of Prey

Worst Series Revamp: Blue Beetle

Why it’s the worst: I could probably make a compelling argument to me being the biggest Jaime Reyes fan around. I adored John Rogers and Rafael Albuquerque’s run with the character post Infinite Crisis, and I was crestfallen when I found out it was canceled. It was a great series, and something that I think deserved a much larger audience.

The character finally got that larger audience with the New 52 initiative from DC, launching with a new number one and hopefully a second chance at being the great series I know it could and should be. Writer Tony Bedard seemed solid enough, but artist Ig Guara was an inspired choice to try and capture the zest and appeal of the character and his world. In theory.

In reality, what has come out is the homeless man’s version of Rogers and Albuquerque’s run (calling it the poor man’s version is too generous), taking the same cast of characters and general ideas but moving them in directions that completely robs the comic of the personality and heart that made it such a standout. You would have a hell of a time getting me to drop this book, but somehow, DC has done it (and based on sales, it looks like plenty of others have made that choice).

Best Issue: Fear Agent #32

Why it’s the best: I’ve went on and on and on and on about this book. The simple fact of the matter is that 2011 was, in a lot of ways, the year of Fear Agent for me. I started and finished it in late November, and when I came out of my Heath Huston driven haze I came away with a new book to join my ranks of all-time favorite comics. The final issue is one of the best finales for any comic ever in my book, and I enjoyed every page from writer Rick Remender and artists Tony Moore and Mike Hawthorne. Just an absolute blast of a comic.

Runners up

  • Amazing Spider-Man #655
  • Uncanny X-Force #18
  • Wolverine and the X-Men #1
  • Locke & Key: Guide to the Known Keys

Worst Issue: Legion Lost #1

Why it’s the worst: Here’s a little story for you. Fellow MC writer Brandon Burpee and I co-host Multiversity’s video podcast 4 Color News and Brews. In September, the two of us reviewed every DCnU book, with Brandon saying Hawk & Dove #1 was the worst issue and myself standing behind Legion Lost as the worst of the worst. Brandon said…well, Hawk & Dove type things about Hawk & Dove, and I said this: at least when a new reader checked out Hawk & Dove, you have an idea as to what the comic was about. I know a little as to what was going on with the Legion, and I was completely lost in this book.

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Neither could convince the other as to who was right, so we went to a third party: Brandon’s wife. She read both, hated every second of it, but ultimately agreed with me for the same reasons (we didn’t tell her anything as to what our stance on either book was).

That’s pretty bad news for this comic. Two people, one new to comics and one who…well, writes for a comic site, and neither could really say what exactly was going on in this dreadful comic. That’s how I knew it was the worst book I read this year.

Best Story Arc: Uncanny X-Force’s “The Dark Angel Saga”

Why it’s the best: You’ll see more about this book later, but man, in 2011 The Dark Angel Saga owned me. It was a massive, eight issue arc that featured stellar art from Jerome Opena, Esad Ribic, Billy Tan and Dean White as well as, well, some of the best scripting and plotting from any X-Book in recent memory from writer Rick Remender. This book, which highlights the rise and fall of the villainous Archangel, is a testament to the storytelling power of well used continuity. Plus, it was fun as hell, moving and powerfully told. In short, this arc ruled.

Runners up

  • Scalped’s “You Gotta Sin to Get Saved”
  • Detective Comics’ (Vol. 1) “The Black Mirror”
  • Chew’s “Flambe”

Worst Story Arc: Tie: 2011’s Flagship Event Comics

Why they are the worst: Pick your poison my friends. On one hand you have Marvel’s Fear Itself, an event that will change everything forever, and then you have DC’s Flashpoint, an even that will change everything forever. While the former didn’t really change that much and the latter did significantly, I can say that they both drastically changed my desire to ever read an event comic again.

Fear Itself was a beautiful train wreck of decompressed storytelling, depicting two or three issues of activity in seven (POINT THREE) issues while somehow never really getting into any depth in terms of character or plot. Supposedly if you read the tie-ins you get a lot more depth (especially for the rushed “Tony Stark is drinking again!” plot line), but if I’m reading a supposed seven issue, $3.99 a pop mega-event, shouldn’t I think it would be safe to assume that I get the story in the actual story? Stuart Immonen was a beast on this, but we know that Matt Fraction (Casanova!) can do way better.

Then you have the Flash out of water story in Flashpoint that was pretty solid for four issues and then reprehensibly terrible in almost every way a comic can be in the final issue. Basically, it established that Barry Allen – through his selfish desire to save his mother in his childhood – managed to change the time stream and then, in his attempt to fix it, took a wrong turn in Wichita and managed to create the DCnU as shown in one of the worst and most ridiculous pages of the year. Granted, without Flashpoint I wouldn’t have Legion Lost to hate, but you know, some things I can live without. Yuck on both parts.

Best Artist: Craig Thompson

Why he’s the best: From my write-up for the Best Artist category of our 2011 in Review feature:

Craig Thompson’s Habibi was our #1 Graphic Novel for the year, and with good reason. It was a meditation on life, love, the power of the written word, religion and more, and a brilliant one at that.

However great Thompson is as a written storyteller, he exceeds that with his talents as an artist. And Habibi is his magnum opus, with each page in itself a work of art that treats the paper as a limitless canvas for imagination and innovation of the comic form. From intricate, glorious border designs to imaginative, thoughtful storytelling within those borders, Thompson was on a level entirely of his own in my book than other comic artists. Granted, this is a work he’s been putting together for the better part of a decade, but I have to give him credit for putting together one of the greatest examples I can think of as the true power of comic books as a storytelling medium. Say what you will about other aspects of the book because, to me, this is one of the greatest accomplishments in comic art history. And that’s saying something.

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Runners up

  • Jerome Opena
  • R.M. Guera
  • Sean Gordon Murphy

Best Writer: Jason Aaron

Why he’s the best: Wolverine and the X-Men. X-Men Schism. Wolverine. Punisher Max. SCALPED. While the last one on that list is definitely my favorite of Aaron’s books, that is five books of a very, very high caliber that Aaron wrote in 2011 (not even including his very high profile Astonishing Wolverine and Spider-Man series he did with Adam Kubert), meaning he isn’t just the man behind one of my all-time favorite comics (Scalped, once again), but a prolific creator who threw himself into every project he worked on and managed to successfully give them the voice that made them some of the books to remember in 2011. Aaron’s as talented a writer as you can get these days, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he brings us in 2012 (besides, sadly, the end of Scalped).

Runners up

  • Rick Remender
  • Scott Snyder

(Best) Worst Series: Hawk & Dove

Why it’s the best (and worst): This comic combines the intellect of most beer soaked frat parties with the dramatic vision of Michael Bay, with plot threads and dialogue that seem like a practical joke on most readers paired with the stiff, oddly repetitive visuals of Rob Liefeld. The idea at its base is a truly poor man’s Green Lantern (instead of the emotional spectrum it’s the avian spectrum…or something like that). So basically, it’s a bad idea executed very poorly.

But good god, I have a really good time talking about it after I read it. I enjoy no part of reading it (as much as I enjoy zombie monsters who shout “NYARRR!” indiscriminately, it’s not exactly high drama), but after I’m done I have an absolute blast talking about it with my 4 Color News and Brews co-host Brandon Burpee. It’s the Sleepaway Camp of comic books. Everything is dumb, obvious and poorly crafted, but holy hell, is it a good time.

Best Series: Uncanny X-Force

Why it’s the best: From my write up for the Best Ongoing Series of our 2011 in Review segment:

Let’s start with playing the sheer numbers game: Rick Remender and friends (namely, artists Jerome Opena, Esad Ribic, Billy Tan, Rafael Albuquerque, Dean White and others) have released 16 issues this year. 16 issues in 12 months of 2011. That in itself is a hell of a thing, and deserves praise in its own right.

The reason why this book finished as my – and Multiversity’s – top book for the year though is because all 16 of those issues were of a consistently superb quality, telling stories that were steeped in the book’s own continuity as well as the X-Men’s continuity, while giving X-Men fans a set roster that, by this week’s issue #18, managed to develop into what amounts to the world’s most screwed up and interesting family of superhero warriors.

In particular, the Dark Angel Saga that played through the past half of a year was without a doubt the best arc of the year for any book. This week’s closing issue so perfectly finished that arc off that it’s immediately on the short-list for my all-time favorite X-Men stories, managing to make the issue triumphant, funny and emotionally resonant in a truly marvelous way. Even with this being the finale though, one of my favorite things this book does is no matter where we are in the series, it feels like every issue has a fluidity to it that connects it forwards and backwards to everything around it. It’s a remarkably simple idea, but one that is handled well all too rarely.

Also, come on now: this book has an incredible art team. Jerome Opena was our fourth ranked artist of the year, and he was the king of the list that featured other top notch creators like the aforementioned Ribic and Tan. This book is one of the most beautiful ones on the market. That’s an absolute fact. But I do have to say that I believe Dean White’s colors could make even my awful art skills look great. The guy is an underrated cog for the book, and man, he deserves all of the credit in the world.

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At the end of last year, I said this was the best new series of 2010 and I said I thought it would be a strong contender for Best Ongoing for me in 2011. Sure enough, it absolutely met my expectations, and I can’t wait to see where Remender and the art team take us next.

Runners up

  • Scalped
  • Locke & Key
  • The Walking Dead

//TAGS | Multiversity 101

David Harper

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