2011 in Review: Best Mini-Series

2011 in Review is back, and we’re going to start this week off with a big one: the Best Mini-Series of 2011.

We’re also jumping up the contenders, as from here on out all of our lists will be Top Tens. With good reason too, as all of these categories have a lot of top notch efforts and plenty of them are going to be left behind simply because they didn’t get enough votes.

As per usual, let us know your thoughts in the comments, and thanks again to Tim Daniel for the badass logo. You are most definitely the man sir.

You can find our choices after the jump.

10. Superior

Why it makes the list (David Harper): Mark Millar, in between making millions of dollars, has actually had a hard couple years in comics. A lot of comic fans have turned on him, calling his work anything from “derivative” to “downright atrocious” (those quotes are out there, along with basically every other insult you can come up with). He’s not as well loved as he was during the days of Wanted and The Authority and the early Ultimates stuff.

Things like Kick-Ass (although high selling) and Nemesis have been derided for being more about shocking their audience than telling a good story, and it’s led a lot of people to say the guy is washed up.

However, I think there is proof that he isn’t, and that’s in his book with Leinil Francis Yu, Superior. Sure, it’s been really, really bad at being released on time, but this book also has a ton of heart and fun at its core, and it handles the lead character’s tragic disability with a surprising amount of restraint. Recently, I compared it to a cross between Captain America, Captain Marvel and the movie Big, and I stick by that. The lead – Simon Pooni – has a big heart and is selfless and truly wants good things for everyone, and Millar does a fantastic job developing him and the eventual twist leading to the climax. It’s enjoyable stuff, and I can’t wait for the end.

Plus, Leinil Yu people. This guy depicts a bad guy throwing a cruise liner through a skyscraper. Cruise liner. Through. A skyscraper. How badass is that? Plus, the guy is named Abraxas. Epic. I enjoy the hell out of this book, and I’m sure Millar will be pleased to know that I am excited for the eventual movie as well.

9. Criminal: Last of the Innocent

Why it makes the list (Walt Richardson): Ed Brubaker is a writer who goes through ups and downs with me when he’s working in the superhero sphere. Some things – like his Captain America run – I really dig, whereas some of his other runs are far from my cup of tea. When he does creator-owned work, though, and especially when he does crime fiction, it tends to be amazing. Thank goodness his creator-owned work is almost exclusively in the crime fiction genre. Last of the Innocent was the latest story in his and Sean Phillips’ Criminal series, and hands down the best one yet. Previous stories have been unpleasant and generally no fun – in a great way, of course – but this was the first one that was just upsetting. The flawed protagonist is completely believable, so thoroughly reprehensible and yet so human. The actual issue where he goes through with the first part of his twisted plan is one of my favorite issues of the year, if only because it genuinely made me feel a little sick. Sometimes I come to fiction in order to stir up cathartic negative feelings in myself, and if that’s the case with you, too, then you need to read what Brubaker did with Last of the Innocent.

But I can’t talk about Criminal without talking about co-creator Sean Phillips. Indeed, it’s Phillips’s art in Last of the Innocent that makes it stand above the rest of his and Brubaker’s output. In a stroke of genius, Phillips represented the main character’s harmful nostalgic obsession by portraying flashbacks in an Archie-esque style, much at odds with his normal, grittier style. While some naysayers might say that this comes across of gimmicky – and whoever you are, I will fight you – but I do admit that at least the first few instances of this are slightly humorous, even though the contrast between what’s going on and how its drawn draws attention to the main character’s blind nostalgia. Still, any sense of gimmicky humor is lost in that last page. Brubaker does a hell of a job of making us uncomfortable, and while the final narrative lines are on the creepy side, it’s Sean Phillips who makes me feel like I need a long, cold shower after reading that last page.

Editor’s Note: This book and the next one dropped in the rankings because of confusion about whether they should count as part of an ongoing or as a mini-series. Either way, they are both awesome possum.

8. Hellboy: The Fury

Why it makes the list (Matt Meylikhov): Very few books reached the emotional apex that Hellboy’s The Fury did in just three issues, but it is easy to understand why. Bringing to a close a story that started 17 years ago, this three issue story was a massive accomplishment on behalf of Mignola’s epic creator owned saga. Everything about the Fury was virtually pitch perfect: the callbacks, the pay-offs, the final moment of heroism of Hellboy against the ultimate evil? The Fury is an emotionally devastating comic for Hellboy fans of all varieties, from those that were there when Hellboy first appeared, those that discovered him through the Hollywood films, or those who had just hopped in recently for the love of all things good.

If there ever was a shiny achievement in the realm of creator-owned comics, it would be Hellboy: The Fury. Mignola is a fantastically talented creator, and even after 17 years of stories with the character, he still manages to hit a colossal home run with the most important moment of Hellboy’s life. These days, few independent stories get more than a few years to tell their complete stories, let alone 17, but Mignola showed everyone without a doubt why he is one of the most celebrated and important creators in comics today with the Fury. One can only wait with baited breath for whatever is to come next.

7. Alpha Flight

Why it makes the list (Josh Mocle): Being the only active Canadian on the Multiversity staff, it’s no surprise how much Alpha Flight resonated with me. However, it is not my nationality that brought me closer to the book, but rather the immensely unique approach to super heroics that the book takes with it’s completely fresh look at this long running franchise. Admittedly, I was beside myself when I first heard the announcement of the book’s creative team. First Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente, one of the strongest writing duos on modern day comics who turned The Incredible Hercules into a character worth reading about and on top of that we had natural born Canadian Dale Eagelsham on pencil jockey duties. With a creative team of this high a caliber on board, there was no way the book would fail (at least in my mind).

Right from the first issue we found a comic very sure of its own identity and because of this confidence, it allowed itself to slip into some territories few comics fear to tread. First of all, it represented Canadian culture far better than most comics are known to do, which right off the bat helped it stand out. On top of this, the story it chose to tell was an extremely controversial one to lead off with. There is a long and storied history of “super hero v. government” stories out there, but none balance high stakes political drama with straight, bright colors and explosions super heroics quite like this one did. For a second there, it appeared to strike a chord with readers too, and for a month or so it looked like it would overcome it’s initial branding as an 8 issue mini. However, the comic market is a fickle maiden, and a mini-series is all we are going to get from this fantastic reboot of a once beloved franchise. It’s clear though, that Pak/Van Lente & Eagelsham have not had enough of these wily Canucks, and if there is any decency in the world they’ll get a second round some day.

6. The Strange Talent of Luther Strode

Why it makes the list (Matt Meylikhov): In 2008, Mark Millar and John Romita Jr released a relatively fun superhero satire comic called Kick-Ass. It took an ordinary guy in an ordinary world and made him a superhero. Full of hyper-violence and heavy overdose of pop-culture, it saw some popularity and a film adaptation, despite being relatively brainless.

In 2011, Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore said, “Fuck that. Let’s do this shit right.” And they made the Strange Talent of Luther Strode, an awesome hyper-hyper-violent ode to genre fiction and a tremendous example of how to break into comics the excellent way. Between punching out someone’s eyeballs through the top of their skull and offering up the ultimate nerd-fantasy story, Jordan and Moore came, they saw, and they conquered with bloody fists, leaving the severed limbs and bodies of other books in their wake as Luther Strode tore through other books this past year.

While 2011 was certainly a great year for comics for many creators, you will find that brand new comics from new blood the quality of this one are few and far between. Luther Strode is a career maker for both Jordan and Moore, definitively putting their names on the map as a rising star creative team. With the rest of the story set for release next year and a trade along as well, don’t be surprised if you’re still hearing about Luther Strode throughout all of 2012 as well, because this book isn’t getting lost in any longboxes any time soon.

5. Witch Doctor

Why it makes the list (David Harper): Take one part Hellboy, one part Young Frankenstein, throw both in to a blender with a few sprinkles of modern sensibilities, a dash of sharp wit and heap of top notch art and you have the recipe for Witch Doctor.

This is the first official Skybound Entertainment book (that’s Robert Kirkman’s little umbrella, in case you didn’t know), and with newcomers in writer Brandon Seifert and artist Lukas Ketner (Alaskans like yours truly!) you have yourself one of the better finds and more promising starts in 2011. Ketner alone is a gem of a find, combining some classic Image stylings with superb storytelling and highly expressive character work. Seifert never ceases to give him something challenging or shocking to illustrate, and it really seems to me while I’m reading that these creators are having fun. Not to play up the doctor angle too much, but man, it’s infectious.

A new mini-series starts up soon, and I for one can’t wait. The more Witch Doctor the better.

4. The Intrepids

Why it makes the list (Josh Mocle): I initially found my way to The Intrepids on a light week that left a few holes in my review schedule. I can’t say I’d heard of it or it’s two creators Kurtis Wiebe and Scott Kowalchuk before, but I was in a particularly strong “Image Comics Can Do No Wrong” mood, and so I took a chance on what on the surface looked like a fun little lark of a comic. What I found on the inside was certainly that, but also much much more. The Intrepids is a joyous tribute to the Golden Age of comics who’s stunningly Eisner-esque visuals mask a surprisingly deep narrative. Full of twists, turns and betrayals, the book is a fast paced, historically indulgent tale that takes aspects of high concept espionage tales and mixes them with poignant teenage angst in such a way that it accentuated both genres in surprising ways.

On the surface, The Intrepids is a book about battling mad scientists with even madder science and in that sense it absolutely exceeds (it has cyber bears and warrior monkeys, so right off the bat it’s an instant win). However, it also happens to be about a group of orphans struggling to find a sense of self and as soon they do having most of what they thought they knew about themselves ripped away. Their strength as young adults overcoming immense struggle is what takes this book from good to great and we can only hope that Wiebe and Kowalchuk have it in their hearts to give us another volume sooner rather than later.

3. American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest

Why it makes the list (David Harper): 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.

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.

2. X-Men Schism

Why it makes the list (Brandon Burpee): X-Men Schism was the event I’d been waiting for. Last year the site put together a wish list of things we wanted from Marvel and one of mine was a shake up of the X-titles. This event provided that shake up and not only did it provide it, it did it while being entertaining as hell and looking super fly. With Jason Aaron on writing and an elite art team of Adam Kubert, Alan Davis, Daniel Acuna, Frank Cho and Carlos Pacheco it’s no wonder this was the best X-event since Messiah Complex.

One of the best moments of the series by far that fans will remember for the long haul will be the no holds barred fight between Cyclops and Wolverine in which the name and memory of Jean Grey is thrown out like gasoline on a fire. It’s the line that made myself and other fans stop and say, “Oh no he didn’t!”. Kubert’s art depicting Cyke and Wolvie throwing down all while a Sentinel tries to murderize them was both brutal and satisfying all in on breath. If this was the only eXcellent moment in the series it would still be worth putting on this list but as anyone who has read it knows it wasn’t.

In the end, this series was a game changer for the X-Men titles and helped to revitalize the books and push them in a new direction. Coming out of it we got distinct alliances and teams, new creative minds on the books and the potential for each book to have a specific and defined purpose to exist. The last being something we really hadn’t seen in the X-titles since before Utopia. I for one loved this mini and am grateful for my wish being granted and the changes it provided.

1. The Red Wing

Why it makes the list (Mike Romeo): Whenever the topic of time travel comes up, inevitably, so will the argument of what is and isn’t against “The Rules”. What causes paradoxes? How about alternate timelines? Alternate selves? After years of debate, it seems that we have come to a set of accepted rules and regulations in regards to chronal exploration. Then, along comes Jonathan Hickman and The Red Wing. This comic is not fluff spoon-fed to you by some dude in a cape. It is time travel, and it is not done by your silly Spielberg rules.

The Red Wing opens with a team of pilots navigating through a prehistoric landscape. They’re on the hunt. Then, abruptly and between panels, time shifts to a modern day Paris. The landscape is in shambles, and tentacled robots seem to rule. The hunt is over, and a dog fight begins.

These pages are truly something you need to see for yourself. It’s the combination of Hickman’s deliberately paced, delicately worded monologue, artist Nick Pitarra’s fantastically kinetic, hyper detailed line work, and colorist Rachelle Rosenburg’s use of an unlikely palette of pinks and soft blues that make this sequence some of the finest comics you’ll see this year. And then the death scene. Oh man, that death scene. Can you imagine what it’d look like if a fighter jet were to get shot down while jumping forward in time? Nick Pitarra can, and it’s totally insane. It’s fantastic.

This was an amazing series. Hickman put together an awe-inspiring art team to pull it off. If you missed it the first time around, go grab the trade. And if you didn’t miss it the first time around, start hoping and wishing for an oversized hardcover. Because that’d be sweet.

Editor’s Note: Mike did an interview with The Red Wing artist Nick Pitarra on his podcast The Next Issue. Check it out, people!

David’s Picks
1. American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest
2. Superior
3. Hellboy: The Fury
4. Strange Tales II
5. Witch Doctor
6. Wolverine and Jubilee
7. Justice League: Generation Lost
8. X-Men Schism
9. The Red Wing
10. The Strange Talent of Luther Strode

Matt’s Picks
1. Hellboy: The Fury
2. The Red Wing
3. SHIELD
4. Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine
5. Vengeance
6. Criminal: Last of the Innocent
7. The Strange Talent of Luther Strode
8. The Infinite Vacation
9. Joe the Barbarian
10. Knight and Squire

Gil’s Picks
1. Captain America: Man Out of Time
2. Kill Shakespeare
3. Captain America: The Korvac Saga
4. Huntress
5. 5 Ronin
6. Alpha Flight
7. X-Men Schism
8. Flashpoint
9. Silver Surfer
10. Captain America: Hail Hydra

Brandon’s Picks
1. Justice League: Generation Lost
2. X-Men Schism
3. DCU: Legacies
4. Superior
5. Wolverine and Jubilee
6. X-Men: To Serve and Protect
7. Ultimate Comics Doom
8. The Intrepids
9. Penguin: Pain and Prejudice
10. 5 Ronin

Josh’s Picks
1. Alpha Flight
2. The Red Wing
3. The Intrepids
4. Witch Doctor
5. Who is Jake Ellis?
6. Spider-Island: Cloak & Dagger
7. Taskmaster
8. Joe the Barbarian
9. Flashpoint: Batman: Knight of Vengeance
10. Knight and Squire

Walt’s Picks
1. Criminal: Last of the Innocent
2. American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest
3. The Strange Talent of Luther Strode
4. The Red Wing
5. Flashpoint: Batman: Knight of Vengeance
6. Zorro Ride Again
7. The Infinite Vacation
8. Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island
9. X-Men Schism
10. Memoir

Patrick’s Picks
1. Crimina: Last of the Innocent
2. Vengeance
3. X-Men Schism

Brian’s Picks
1. Gates of Gotham
2. The Red Wing
3. Justice League: Generation Lost
4. The Strange Talent of Luther Strode
5. Spaceman
6. Flashpoint
7. The Infinite Vacation
8. Huntress
9. Legion: Secret Origin
10. The Shade

Ryan’s Picks
1. Severed
2. Witch Doctor
3. American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest
4. Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown
5. 27
6. The Intrepids
7. Alpha Flight
8. Halcyon
9. Knight and Squire
10. All Nighter

Chad’s Picks
1. Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine

Mike’s Picks
1. The Red Wing
2. The Rocketeer Adventures
3. X-Men Schism
4. Xombi
5. The Intrepids
6. Moon Girl
7. Astonishing Spider-Man/Wolverine
8. Wolverine and Jubilee
9. Red Skull: Incarnate
10. Gates of Gotham