Merry Christmas Eve to all of our friends around the comic booking globe! Today brings the end of our 2010 in Review wrap up series, as the big category – Best Ongoing Series – is here today. This was a year that featured a tough competition for all spots, as my top book didn’t even make it (in case you aren’t reading it, Scalped is the best comic out there – I don’t care what the other MC writers say!), but it’s a great list of comics that excelled this year.
Find out what our picks were after the jump, and let us know what you think in the comments.
Why It’s Awesome (Matt): Earlier this year I found myself with some free time and extra cash, and I used both of those means to catch up on Vertigo titles that had been consistently recommended to me but that I had not had the chance to involve myself with. Based on name alone, I found myself reading the first trade of DMZ on a trade ride one day, and by the time I had simply finished the first issue I was already checking my bank account to see if I could afford a trip to the comic store for more. The book blew me away right from the beginning, and I immediately caught up with the entire series (at a little over 50 issues at the time) before even allowing myself to think about another book.
Simply put: DMZ is the best book available from Vertigo today. It’s an incredibly real and vivid “What If?” look at our current political climate. To quote myself in an article I wrote on DMZ earlier this year, “While some books have a definitive way of making us uncomfortable from a content aspect, DMZ makes us more uncomfortable from a personal stance as we have to analyze our own reactions to the political climate of the story.” As we watch series “hero” Matty Roth travel to various areas of the DMZ and interact with different groups – from UN sanctioned organizations attempting to maintain peace as well as terrorist cells – the storybooks back at the reader in a very political aware fashion, reflecting subtly both writer Brian Wood’s beliefs as well as consistently leaving us to question our own. It most certainly comes to a very emotional head during the fourth arc, “Friendly Fire”, following Roth interviewing a soldier accused of leading a massacre in the DMZ. While the arc was originally published in 2007, the emotional impact of the story is still relevant and the intense nature of the comic certainly hasn’t dropped even a tad.
While cape and tight comic books are certainly in abundance in our market at the moment, few comics manage to effectively stare back at you from the abyss in the way DMZ does. This is a real story in a very fictional way. While Roth’s character is certainly one of the most ingenious in all comics (as you may or may not have noticed, I put the word hero in quotations earlier), following this character through 60 issues now (give or take a few issues dealing with other characters) has been an incredibly emotional journey that one can not soon forget. DMZ is a book that gripped readers in 2005 as Roth was placed in the DMZ and hasn’t relented since, half a decade later.
9. X-Factor
Why It’s Awesome (Josh): This was not only the best serialized comic book published this year, not only the best comic book published starring mutants within the last six years, but also one of the most underrated comic books IN GENERAL of the last decade. Peter David, who in a lot of ways redefined the way mutants could be portrayed in the last volume of X-Factor two decades ago, came back for seconds with 2004’s fantastic Madrox mini-series which then evolved into X-Factor following House of M in 2005 and is still going strong. It seems that David is the only writer that remembers that mutants are actually a persecuted minority and actually has the balls to portray people living with that status realistically. Despite the celebrity status recently bestowed upon the X-Men, for a VERY long time in recent memory it SUCKED to be a mutant in the Marvel Universe, and David never shied away from depicting both the highs and lows that a species on the brink is capable of, and the results have been as riveting as they were groundbreaking. In 2010, Marvel finally acknowledged that by returning X-Factor to its original numbering and securing its future for hopefully many years to come.
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8. Sweet Tooth
Why It’s Awesome (Josh): My becoming emotionally invested in a comic book is a rarity in this day and age. I generally try to maintain a universally objective view of my comics as pieces of literature. That said, it was impossible to do that with Sweet Tooth. This sweeping, wide screen epic about a little mutant boy with antlers (who might be the messiah) and the world in which he inhabits has become ingrained in my memory and won’t be dislodged until Jeff Lemire puts the story to bed. It’s hauntingly realistic portrayal of a very real seeming future draws you in and makes you anticipate the next issue in a way that is increasingly rare in this over saturated market. And thats just the praise I have for the story, the art is some of the best I have ever seen. While initially seeming simplistic, Lemire manages to pack a shocking and not immediately apparently level of depth into his work without beating us over the head with it. In an age where photorealism is the order of the day, its amazing to see such amazing work accomplished by taking an alternate path. While he has made it clear that he will end the story and even that he knows what the ending will be, I hope that Sweet Tooth gets the long, full run it deserves before entering the hallowed halls of Vertigo’s best stories (which, to be fair, its already guaranteed to do, but still).
7. Amazing Spider-Man
Why It’s Awesome (Brandon): I decided to buck the format and write Marvel an old fashioned thank you for one of my favorite titles of the year. Ahem…
Dear Marvel,
This year marks the end of the “Brand New Day” phase of Spidey’s life. It was another fantastic year for Amazing Spider-Man fans. This is a title that through the year has been laced with incredible talent. The Web-Heads, as they came to be known, included names like Dan Slott, Mark Waid, Marcos Martin, Steve McNiven, Humberto Ramos, Chris Bachalo, Max Fiumara, Javier Pulido, and Joe Kelly. I could name more but I make my point with those, right? Incredible talent.
Outside of the creative team the stories this year have been excellent. Great story arcs, from Rhino’s heart breaking loss to Peter Parker the scientist who does all his best work in the nude, have made this title a must read this year. There have been all different kinds of flavors available to fans in the last year of stories. This is something that has kept this title fresh and away from the dreaded stagnation that can befall a long running title.
Just to cover all bases here, I’d be insane not to mention the covers of this book. They have been as wide ranging as the stories that they cover and protect and just as good. The aforementioned Rhino story had some of the coolest covers of the year. You know which ones I mean? The ones with Rhino bursting through in three stages. Those were covers with a great concept and great execution.
I can’t say enough kind things about this title. It has treated me to some great times over the course of 2010 and it looks like it’s going to take care of me in 2011 as well. I know most of the time you guys take a lot of heat from fanpeeps but not enough credit when things go incredibly right. So I just wanted to say thanks.
Make Mine Amazing,
Burpee
5 (tie). Batman and Robin
Why It’s Awesome (Matt): What can really be said about Morrison’s grandiose Batman epic that we haven’t said in the past? After having taken down Bruce Wayne and knocking him into the grave, Morrison relaunched Batman as Dick Grayson, a much more lively and active Batman who was partnered with the world’s nastiest eight-year-old, Damian Wayne. The series offered a much forgotten “lighter” take on Batman as Morrison began to give tribute to (even more) classic Batman stories as well as brand new and disturbing villains. Not only that, be elements from his run on the main Batman title began to slowly pay off, such as the opening scene of Batman and Robin and Batman #666. The book was off to a tremendous start in 2009 with Professor Pyg and Frank Quitely, and 2010 would certainly not slow any of that down.
Continued belowSo what did we see this year? We saw fantastic arcs from Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke, and Frazer Irving. 2010 would see a brand new and grandiose scale being brought into the story though, as Blackest Night happened, Bruce Wayne was revealed to be alive, and Batman’s two greatest nemeses both returned to Gotham in a striking fashion. While the first two arcs gave to us the new status quo, 2010 was the year that Morrison’s Batman mythology game to life in a dense and time-spanning epic of almost incalculable proportions – to the point where sites like Comics Alliance began taking (and sharing) careful notes of annotations to help fellow readers follow along with all that Morrison was attempting to convey. It was a great time to be a Batman fan, as in this past year alone Morrison provided one of the best Batman stories imaginable (which I suppose is high praise given my general avoidance of Batman books), and he even left us with one final and alluring question: did the Universe create Batman, or did Batman create the Universe? Truly one of the most grandiose love letters a creator has ever written a character.
While the story was obviously polarizing to some given it’s heavily involved nature with it’s own heavily referential basis and tie-in books, fans like myself and fellow writers at MC who took the time to dig deep and study the comic presented were given a comic that paid back it’s worth in full. It’s not often that a comic by as big a name as someone as Morrison with as much re-readability as this story exists at a $2.99 price point, but in this day and age Morrison’s Batman and Robin gave to us one of the most worthwhile comics of the year. Now that the story has finished and Morrison has moved on to the Batman Incorporated element of his colossal run on the character’s history, it’s high time fans sit back and enjoy this 70+ issue story which finally came to an end this year with 20 issues worth of content (which is more than what most stories get in a given year outside of events with gratuitous tie-ins).
5 (tie). The Unwritten
Why It’s Awesome (Walt): I haven’t reviewed an issue of The Unwritten for quite some time. That is mainly because nearly every time I review it all I can think to say is “THIS IS AWESOME!” Because, well, it is. When I wrote up my paragraph on Mike Carey for the best writers of 2010, I mentioned that I would give every issue an 8.5 or higher. It’s really that good. I can’t think of any other ongoing series that would deserve that much honor, and while it’s possible that Carey and Gross could lose that streak in the years to come, they certainly had a hell of year in 2010.
Where do I begin with The Unwritten? Every character is fascinating. The subtle nuances in narrative style are almost flawless. The story is truly unpredictable. But most importantly, the book is intelligent. It seems less and less that the book is reflecting the intelligence of Carey and Gross — who have proven themselves to be intelligent men in their own right — and more like it has become intelligent in and of itself. The scary thing? It’s smarter than me. All joking aside, this title is probably the most intellectually stimulating one on the shelves, and that means a lot to me. Now don’t get me wrong, I love action-y superhero books and other such comics plenty, but every now and then I need a comic that matches the literature I spend the rest of my time reading, and The Unwritten does just that. As much as I commend The Unwritten for its writing, though, I don’t give it near enough love for its art. The style that Peter Gross has developed for the series is just as much a part of the book as the writing is. With certain books, you could change the artist and it would still be the same at its core. As co-creator, though, Gross is an integral part of The Unwritten, and it truly would not be The Unwritten were he not a part of it.
Continued belowI understand why this didn’t make #1 for everyone else, but to me it’s the title on the shelves that is most catered to my interests. It could very well end up being my favorite comic. If you like classic literature as much as you like comics, The Unwritten is for you.
4. Fantastic Four
Why It’s Awesome (Walt): When Jonathan Hickman began his stay at the Marvel offices, I knew he would be giving us some great stories. I didn’t expect them to be this great, though. Secret Warriors has been wildly entertaining, and S.H.I.E.L.D. is crazy cool, but Hickman’s Fantastic Four? Astounding. All of the Multiversity staff know that I am a huge fan of the original Kirby and Lee Fantastic Four run, and as such I can have crazy high expectations for anyone writing the title. In my opinion, of course, Millar’s run was crap, JMS’ run was a snooze-fest and Waid — who was the best person to write the series in some time — was still only just alright. Hickman though? He’s incredible.
What made Lee and Kirby’s Fantastic Four so… well, fantastic, was how incredibly innovative the two icons were. Every single issue they did something completely new, something that — until then — had never been done in comics before. Sure, they might have reused characters or gone with similar concepts, but they would take that character or that concept and do something with it that hadn’t been done before. Hickman has been doing the same thing ever since he took over the title, using familiar faces in ways that I never would have thought of. His work was great when he started out, and it has only gotten better since then. The two-issue time travel story between #581 and #582 was one of the best comic stories I read all year, and serves as the prime example for why this series is so good. Hickman has shown his grasp of how to write good sci-fi in the past, but this… this is something else entirely.
Hickman has also been accompanied by some brilliant artists. First you have the great covers byAlan Davis that bring a classic vibe to the modern brilliance of the title. Then, in recent issues, you have great artists like Neil Edwards and Steve Epting. Before the former’s brief stay and the latter’s occupation on the book, though you had Dale Eaglesham. Josh had a lot to say about Eaglesham the other day, but it bears repeating that Eaglesham was perfect for this ongoing. His neo-Kirby style (we love using that term) fit the tone perfectly, and as much as I look forward to his work on Incredible Hulks I wish he had stayed aboard until the end. I don’t mean to discredit Epting or Edwards at all, as they are both great artists, but Eaglesham just matched Hickman’s writing to a T.
For a guy with such high expectations from a Fantastic Four ongoing, I have to say that they have all been met. You would have to hold a gun to my head for me to claim that anyone could do a better Fantastic Four than Lee and Kirby, but Hickman and Co.? They come in a close second.
2 (tie). Invincible
Why It’s Awesome (David): When Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker’s “Invincible” first started, I liked to describe it as the best Spider-Man comic on the racks. It was filled with quick and real feeling dialog, fun and energetic art, and superheroics done right.
Then Ryan Ottley took over on art, and the book started turning towards a more epic, more serious direction. By the time this time brought the “Viltrumite War,” we had entered a period of time in “Invincible” that is darker than any other. Fiercely violent, plotted with an anything goes sensibility, scripted with an ear for honor and family and other things of high import, this was the year that this book graduated from being “the best Spider-Man comic on the racks” to “the best superhero comic – period.”
Continued belowThat’s not to say it was because the book became serious and bloody (oh god, so bloody!), as it still has the entertainment factor it always had. It has just steadily progressed to a point that it does comics in a way that pays favor to the ways of yesteryear while also proceeding forward in a way that is more powerful than other books doing similar things. That’s thanks to the unwavering storytelling hand of Kirkman, a writer who has long proven himself as someone who has no allegiances to fans, only allegiance to what he knows is best for the story.
Then you have Ryan Ottley, who, with the help of FCO Plascencia and Cliff Rathburn, has been turning in superhero work that often redefines the “widescreen comics” title that Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch created with their run on “The Authority.” This is an explosive book visually (literally), and one that is just remarkable to look at from both a style and storytelling standpoint.
When you get down to it, our #1 writer and our #1 artist work on this book. Did you really think this wouldn’t be pretty high up on our charts?
2 (tie). Chew
Why It’s Awesome (Gil): Chew was an unlikely candidate for me when it first came out. I hadn’t even really heard of it when I saw the black and white back-up in The Walking Dead some time ago. Well, that was a shrewd move by the publishing at Image, because I fell in love from the get go, and Chew has been at the top of my pile every month it comes out. Where most books rely on tried and true comic tropes (even The Walking Dead is guilty of this), Chew had an alarmingly unique premise. A guy named Tony Chu would read the history of something he ate (except for beets, inexplicably).
Not as awesome a power as it sounds; he was tormented by being able to see the cow being slaughtered or even the kid putting the booger in his cheeseburger. I mean, who WOULD want that? Tony lived a life of mostly solitude, and worked as a Police Detective; until he got the call to join the FDA to solve crimes against food. Because chicken was outlawed you see. Yeah, that’s the status quo for the Chew-niverse. It’s mad cap and fun, but it has its own rules that make sense in the context of the book.
If there’s one thing you might have noticed about the series, it’s that while Rob Guillory made the list (and deservedly so), his work is unlike any other on the list as his has a cartoonish feel, which blunts the gruesome images and makes them even…funny. And while they are cartoony, it’s thematically perfect for the book. If Layman had chosen something different, the book would not have been as good.
Speaking of Layman, his scripting has been utterly impeccable. This year has been a rollercoaster ride of missions across the world, mysteries from above, and the unsolvable conundrums that are women and family. All the while with a big twist in last month’s issue, when we learned more about Tony’s family.
The book is planned for 60 issues, and as long as it keeps the quality its had, I see it at the top of the list for a long time.
1. The Walking Dead
Why It’s Awesome (Brandon): This is a book that never gets old and never retreads the same material. Whenever it appears it might be hovering near familiar territory Robert Kirkman is quick to flip the familiar on its ear and surprises readers. This book is the Lost of comics. It’s about these amazingly developed characters and their reactions to this horrid situation they find themselves in. The interactions of the characters are incredibly believable and always leave this reader dying to get his hands on the next issue like a zombie wants brains.
Add Charlie Adlard’s incredible art to the book and you’ve got yourself a title that is stellar month in and month out. Find me one reader who has tried this book and didn’t thoroughly enjoy it. Find me that person and I’ll probably punch them to see if i’m able to knock some sense into them.
Continued belowIndividual Lists
David
1. Scalped
2. The Walking Dead
3. Chew
4. Invincible
5. The Unwritten
6. BPRD
7. DMZ
8. Atomic Robo
9. Fables
10. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
Matt
1. Batman and Robin
2. Amazing Spider-Man
3. DMZ
4. Fantastic Four
5. Invincible
6. The Walking Dead
7. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
8. The Unwritten
9. Secret Warriors
10. Chew
Gil
1. Chew
2. Secret Six
3. New Avengers
4. The Flash
5. Action Comics
6. Fantastic Four
7. Green Lantern
8. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
9. The Walking Dead
10. Power Girl
Brandon
1. The Walking Dead
2. Amazing Spider-Man
3. Invincible
4. Sweet Tooth
5. Uncanny X-Force
6. Wolverine
7. Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors
8. Avengers Academy
9. Chew
10. X-Factor
Josh
1. X-Factor
2. Sweet Tooth
3. The Walking Dead
4. Action Comics
5. SHIELD
6. Fantastic Four
7. Morning Glories
8. Invincible Iron Man
9. The Sixth Gun
10. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
Walt
1. The Unwritten
2. Batman and Robin
3. Fantastic Four
4. Scarlet
5. Morning Glories
6. Invincible Iron Man
7. Action Comics
8. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
9. X-Factor
10. SHIELD
