2010 was a year that brought a surprisingly large amount of great mini-series. Not every year is like that, but this year found many top creators, from Grant Morrison to the brothers Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon to Brian Wood, creating and thriving in limited series form.
These finite series may not bring the fervor that some fans save for the lengthy and twisted continuities of the cape and cowl set, but they do bring a ton of storytelling power both from a written and artistic standpoint.
Check out our picks for the best mini-series of 2010 after the jump, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
9 (tie). Steve Rogers: Super Soldier
Why It’s Awesome (Gil): This is the Steve I love.
For a long time, I wasn’t really a fan of Captain America. I thought he was a little dull, and overly preachy, and more of a boy scout than Superman. But then Civil War happened, and I fell in love with the character.
Cut to a few years later, and Steve is one of my favorite characters; and now that he’s back, and he’s taking care of business with a pistol in one hand and a woman in the other. You’d think he was on some James Bond business. But no, this is Steve Rogers. When he finds out that someone may be trying to replicate the Super-Soldier Serum for private use, he knows it’s his job and no one else’s to make sure the very powerful formula doesn’t make its way into the wrong hands.
This book is so good, that I think it even outshines the anchor Cap book with its action, intrigue, and adventure. Brubaker did the unlikely and outshone himself, but part of that might have been due to the fantastic work from one of my favorite artists, and I think he is referred to around here as the “evolutionary Jack Kirby.” That would be the indomitable Dale Eaglesham. Eaglesham is one of the best Marvel has to offer, and putting him on this book was a stroke of genius and a real coup from Brubaker. I’m sure Hickman is pissed!
Simply put, this book deservedly made it to the top ten, and I can’t think of a better return to form for Steve than Super-Soldier.
9 (tie). The Thanos Imperative
Why It’s Awesome (Walt): At this point, if you haven’t heard the buzz about the resurrection of Marvel’s cosmic scene, you need new ears. Keith Giffen, Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and many others revitalized the setting with the wildly successful Annihilation, and approximately four years later DnA (who have merged into one entity, if comics websites are to be believe) rounded off the grand saga Annihilation started with the Thanos Imperative. After writing both the Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy ongoings at the same time, DnA took all of the great character development they had mastered in Nova, mixed it with the facility for diverse teams that had been perfected in Guardians of the Galaxy, and finally applied these talents to the massive-scale storytelling they had utilized so well in Annihilation: Conquest. The result? The Thanos Imperative. Everything that was great about Abnett and Lanning’s previous Cosmic Marvel work was present in this mini, and many factors were even better. The ending in particular was a beautiful way to satisfy those of us who have been following what this powerful duo of writers have been doing since Annihilation. My only wish? That it had been longer. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t feel like DnA were crunched for time at all. It just would have been cool to finish off this epic with something as large as the event that started it all off. As it was, though, The Thanos Imperative was a hell of a ride that certainly didn’t let us new found Cosmic Marvel fans down.
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9 (tie). Taskmaster
Why It’s Awesome (David): There’s something about Fred Van Lente and C-list characters. I don’t know what it is exactly, but when other writers look at Hercules or M.O.D.O.K., they just see a joke that is best left ignored. When Van Lente sees them, he sees a joke that is too good not to be shared, and shared in a way that makes them impossible not to love.
While some would call this blasphemy given his work with the aforementioned Hercules, I think maybe his best character makeover work was on this year’s “Taskmaster” mini with Jefte Palo. This is a mini that took a character who was lamented by most as the poor man’s Deathstroke, a character who never really had a past anyone cared about, a character without a personality save greed and the ability to recreate anyone’s fighting styles, and turned him into a tragic figure that got into one of the most fun and exciting adventures in comics this year.
It didn’t matter if he was taking on entire towns made of Hitler (seriously) or the hysterical Don of the Dead while on his memory quest (with an abducted diner waitress no less), the book never departed a high level of quality and fun that we rarely get in comics today. Plus, to flesh out his past while also redefining the character in a series of tragic misfortunes we never would have expected from him…well, that was perhaps the most special gift of all for the character.
By the time Van Lente and the remarkably talented Palo were done (and make no mistake, Palo was an able partner who I cannot wait to see more from), Taskmaster had made the leap from a character who I was entirely different towards to one I eagerly anticipated future appearances from. Such is the power of this year’s four issue mini “Taskmaster.” Viva la Taskmaster!
7 (tie). DV8: Gods and Monsters
Why It’s Awesome (Matt): When I first picked up the title DV8: Gods And Monsters, I only knew one thing: who Brian Wood was. I was unfamiliar with the artist as well as the characters, and was simply buying the comic based on the writer name alone (which I am known to do). However, what came out of such a random gamble (all things considered) was the enjoyment of one of the best mini’s of 2010, with a multi-layered superhero story which is solely responsible for my increased mourning in the recent loss of Wildstorm. Wildstorm had, in all honesty, become in my eyes an imprint that relied on old characters I generally wasn’t interested in any longer as well as a place for property comics, but DV8 proved why Wildstorm still mattered, and I’m still more than glad I got the chance to read this.
beyond embraced by the Multiversity Offices. Of course, this was all helped by wonderful and masterful art by Rebekah Isaacs, who quickly became a “name to watch” here at MC and whose talent we have followed to other titles. I have written this before, but any time you read a new comic and come out of it with a new favorite artist, it just goes to show you how great that artist is.
While Wildstormeveryone’s minds as a writer to consistently watch. Taking a group of heroes unknown to me and turning their first tale in a decade into one of the best and most important of 2010 is a feat in and of itself, and I’m glad that Wood managed to get his pitch through to Wildstorm and out to us, the readers. With the trade solicited for March 2011, be sure to grab a copy of this book as it is not one to miss.
Additional note from David: Fiona Staples also contributed INCREDIBLE covers to this mini-series.
7 (tie). King City
Why It’s Awesome (David): I’ve been writing about this book a lot over the last two weeks, but I first have to note that “King City” exists in this category because we really didn’t know where else to put it. It’s not so much a mini-series as it is a finite series, but either way, Brandon Graham’s exceptional series that wrapped up with Image Comics this year was a joyous read no matter how you categorize it.
Continued belowBased off pure invention and attitude and audacity and genuine innovation with the comic book form, Graham’s “King City” should be near the top of everyone’s list. It’s a remarkably fresh read, and a book that takes no prisoners in Graham’s vision of a bizarre and hilarious future in which a Demon King somehow gets into direct conflict with Joe the Catmaster and his pet/weapon/BFF Earthling JJ Cattingworth the Third. For it’s ability to create something unlike we’ve ever seen, for it’s ability to put lazy creators on notice, for it’s ability to entertain me like no other book out there, Graham’s masterpiece gets the third spot on my list for the year.
6. Turf
Why It’s Awesome (David): I’ll confront this book’s biggest problem right off the bat: holy delays Batman! We’re three issues in, and the time of arrival of the fourth is completely uncertain from what I can ascertain. That is a major problem, as the first issue was released in late April. 3 issues over 8 months? Tsk tsk Jonathan Ross and Tommy Lee Edwards!
So why did it make this list?
Well, let’s start with the incredible. These issues are such dense reads that each issue feels like 2 or 3 by themselves (for just $2.99!). So even though it’s only been three issues, I feel like we’ve gotten a really nice trade’s worth so far.
Besides that, Jonathan Ross, for a relative neophyte of the comic scripting community, is a natural and an inventive one at that. This book is a joy to read, filled with big ideas that dovetail naturally in a remarkably exciting way. With gangsters, vampires and aliens meeting up in Prohibition era New York City (I don’t remember the last two archetypes in Boardwalk Empire…), this blend of genre fiction should be overburdened by the tropes of each, but instead they escalate the greatness of each other.
Plus, any book that has Tommy Lee Edwards on it is going to be a hit in my book. In this mini, he’s providing some career best work, and he looks like he’s having an absolute blast bringing the story to life. When I was expressing the value statement of the book earlier, as the scripts make this book a huge read, I have to say this too: Edwards does not skimp at all. Each page is rich in detail, and it’s that eye for detail that makes this time period come to life and the story as a whole work. If the scripts from Ross are the bricks of this world, Edwards’ visuals are the mortar (interestingly enough, Edwards makes some really, really nice brick walls!).
Sure, we haven’t gotten a ton of this book yet. But the talent level is so damn great and this book is so fun to read, that it is impossible not to call this one of the best of the year.
5. Strange Science Fantasy
Why It’s Awesome (Brandon): I’ve preached long and hard about why I love this title. It’s a solid read from the first issue till the last issue, which serves to tie all the previous issues together. It’s a title that sets itself apart from other minis released this year by its fresh creativity.
The mini is essentially about these heroes who are completely unrelated. At no time do they connect until the last issue and even then it is a loose connection established solely on their myths and legends as discovered by an Indiana Jones type character. Each issue focuses on one of these characters and presents a fully realized universe for each character. It’s stunning how meticulously developed writer/artist/creator Scott Morse’s vision is, as well as the ideals behind the story in the end.
This is a book that I feel should be required reading on how to tell an overarching story while not losing the special appeal for each individual issue within the whole. This is the comic medium as a storytelling device at it’s best.
4. Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
Why It’s Awesome (Walt): Of course this made my list. Matt and I are unapologetic fans of Grant Morrison’s Bat-epic, and while I know his run has been very polarizing, I couldn’t see myself choosing any of the other Batman-related books over his work. The Return of Bruce Wayne had even more mixed reviews than his earlier work on the franchise’s main book or his run on Batman & Robin, and that’s easily attributed to it being far more “Morrison-y” than the other two combined. The Return of Bruce Wayne was especially dense near the end of the mini, packed so full of information that it felt like you had been hacking your way through a rain forest by the time you reached the end. I can understand that some people find that to be more of a curse than a boon, but I eat that sort of thing up. So many things from Morrison’s entire Batman oeuvre were intricately woven into the plot, as well as elements from his work in the DC Universe in general. Sure, I get not liking it at all if you didn’t read his entire run preceding the mini, but doing that makes just as much sense of dropping in on the final season of a TV show with a heavy emphasis on continuity and blaming the writers for not giving you enough information. No matter what one thinks of the quality of Morrison’s work, you can’t deny the amount of content he packs into a single page is incredible. This mini was no different, and was worth every penny when it came to the dollar-per-time-spent-reading ratio. Thankfully, I found it to also be of excellent quality, and a great way to finish the storyline Grant started when he started on the Batman title. I already said it in my review for Batman & Robin, but I’ll say it here as well: thanks for the great stories, Grant.
(I will add, though, that the only reason it made it over Joe the Barbarian on my personal list is because it has successfully resolved while we’re still left waiting for the final issue of Joe)
3. Daytripper
Why It’s Awesome (David): Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon are two creators who have been major names in the industry for a while, but two whom I’ve always hoped for a little more from. While I greatly enjoy their for hire works as well as their more personal ones, their effort for Vertigo Comics this year – “Daytripper” – was the effort that put the industry on notice.
This isn’t so much a comic as it is an ode to life. It’s like any bit of great pop that captures the purity of love and life and all of the good things we cherish through the prism of death. The ideas of family, love, friendship, success and their mirror images are all confronted in this beautiful, poetic series, and it’s all brought together by the brother’s gorgeous art.
In a lot of ways, 2010 was the year of writer/artists, as people like Jeff Lemire, Scott Morse, Darwyn Cooke, and a whole lot more rose to the top of the comic book world thanks to their incredible blend of artistic and written talent. That’s the funny thing. When most think of Bá and Moon, they think just “artists.” “Daytripper” was their coming out party, and they quickly proved that they didn’t just belong with the best, they may have even surpassed them with the beautiful and often heartbreaking storytelling they shared in this book.
2. Justice League: Generation Lost
Why It’s Awesome (Gil): When Blackest Night ended, and DC launched their new weekly initiative to recapture the magic that was Burpee’s favorite series of all time (that’s 52, for those of you playing the home game; Even though I hear he’s quite keen on Countdown and Trinity as well), DC decided to break from tradition a little bit and have two biweekly books instead of a single weekly. This was both a hit and a miss, as the two series’ fluctuated in quality from really disappointing (Brightest Day, especially considering its pedigree), to outright amazing. Luckily, Generation Lost was the latter.
Continued belowIf you had told me a year ago that I would actually care about characters like Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Fire, Ice, or Rocket Red; I might have laughed in your face. I mean, I appreciated Booster’s arc in 52 and Captain Atom was another I had become fairly familiar with, but even then, I wasn’t overly attached. But now, I love them all! And when you add Blue Beetle to the mix, as well as that GQMF bastard Maxwell Lord, it’s like capturing lightning in a bottle.
And even though the creator of the JLI (or Superbuddies) departed after only a few issues, Judd Winick has been making this book go over like gangbusters. Consistently one of the best books on DC’s roster (and probably second only to Secret Six in my opinion), Generation Lost brings the fun back into the maxi/mini-series DC started in 2006 with 52. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here, as it hurtles towards its explosive conclusion.
1. Joe the Barbarian
Why It’s Awesome (Matt): When I was a kid, the type of stories I always really loved were things like the Pagemaster, the Phantom Tollbooth and the Never Ending Story – the kind of story where a child like me would be transported to a world of magic and adventure. However, as I got older, stories like that of any actual quality were certainly lacking. It’s with this that Joe The Barbarian became a story that came to be so appreciated by myself and us here at Multiversity Comics. It brought the magic back in more ways than one, and all from the masterful story telling ability of Grant Morrison and Sean Murphy. Of course, this wasn’t as friendly as the stories of my childhood – this story centered around a diabetic boy, referred to in the magical universe as “the Dying Boy,” going through a case of insulin withdrawal which caused all the hallucinations in the first place.
This story is one that truly shows how powerful of a writer Morrison can be, as well as introduced me to the staggering talents of Sean Murphy. Morrison’s streamlined storytelling was heartbreaking, often times bringing tears to the corners of my eyes (especially in later issues as everything seemingly goes to Hell), and became one of those comics that I could recommend to people who didn’t regularly read comic books. Meanwhile, Murphy is creating some of the most ingenious art I’ve ever seen. His splash pages are truly magnificent, and with just this one comic he moved himself directly into the eyes of the Multiversity staff as a top talent to watch for, making his way to tie for third in our Best Of Artist list as well as leading myself to try out new books just because he was on art detail (and as a note, as you read this I will have already purchased a Teen Titans one-shot simply because he did the art and I can’t wait to see how he draws Captain Cold). That kind of talent – the one that makes you actively seek out new work from the artist – is undeniable in it’s greatness.
The story is, to borrow a phrase, a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Morrison and Murphy’s talent combined have created an absolutely beautiful story, one that warrants plenty of re-reading and a home in any collection. While we’re still one issue to go (promised for March), I can only assure you that if you’ve missed the first 7 issues, please pick up the trade. Joe The Barbarian is yet another soon-to-be timeless classic from Morrison, right up there with All-Star Superman and WE3. It’s a book no fan should be without in their collection.
Individual Lists
David
1. Daytripper
2. Joe the Barbarian
3. King City
4. Justice League: Generation Lost
5. Demo
6. Taskmaster
7. Turf
8. Strange Science Fantasy
9. Sweets
10. The Last Days of American Crime
Matt
1. Joe the Barbarian
2. DV8: Gods and Monsters
3. Daytripper
4. Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
5. Turf
6. Stumptown
7. Thor: For Asgard
8. Strange Science Fantasy
9. 1 Month 2 Live
10. X-Babies
Gil
1. Justice League: Generation Lost
2. Superman: Secret Origin
3. The Sword
4. S.W.O.R.D.
5. Steve Rogers: Super Soldier
6. Scarlet
7. Prince of Power
8. Chaos War
9. Incognito
10. Superior
Brandon
1. Strange Science Fantasy
2. Justice League: Generation Lost (or “JLI” as he calls it)
3. Joe the Barbarian
4. DC: Legacies
5. Bulletproof Coffin
6. X-Factor Forever
7. Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine
8. King City
9. Mystery Society
10. Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat
Josh
1. Daytripper
2. Kick-Ass
3. Phonogram 2: The Singles Club
4. Joe the Barbarian
5. Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
6. Turf
7. Justice League: Generation Lost
8. The Thanos Imperative
9. Taskmaster
10. Knight and Squire
Walt
1. Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
2. Joe the Barbarian
3. X-Men: Second Coming
4. The Thanos Imperative
5. Chaos War
6. Prince of Power
7. Steve Rogers: Super Soldier
8. Taskmaster
9. Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine
10. War of the Supermen
