Welcome back to another edition of Multiversity Comics Showdown. Even though this week will be a tad slower due to the Labor Day weekend, we still want to give you all your favorite weekly articles. After last week’s ended up being a hit (albeit due mainly to the debate of what independent really means), we’re pleased to bring you the third part in our take on the top books on the market right now (as seen on IGN).
This week we tackle one of the two industry giants: Marvel. This will also be the first week featuring Marvel’s own Fantastic Four: David Harper, Gilbert Short, Brandon Burpee, and Matt Meylikhov. What do we think are the best books on the market right now from Marvel? Take a look after the cut, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
David Harper: Welcome to another edition of Multiversity Comics Countdown, we’ve got our Fantastic Four of writers here today with you – Matt, Brandon, Gil and myself – to take you through the top comics at Marvel currently. Before we get started, let’s talk what you’re loving that didn’t make the list. Hickman superfan #1 – Matt! Start us off!
Matt Meylikhov: I wanted SHIELD on the list. SHIELD was my number one, and David berated it for me in an e-mail no one but me saw in which he called me various names and threatened mutiny. Long story short, he doesn’t like SHIELD. But me? Man, I love this book. This book I think is the Marvel title Hickman has been waiting his entire career to do for the House of Ideas, and now that he finally gets to, I am absolutely loving it. I love the creativity in the book, the high concept and hard sci-fi writing, and the initial premise is such a great idea to help make Marvel a more unified universe. The book basically reads as one of his Image/Pronea books, and I couldn’t be enjoying it more. I am so insanely excited to see where this book goes it’s not even funny, and the fact that it intertwines with Fantastic Four and Secret Warriors is an added bonus.
As an additional note, someone I know who isn’t a big comic fan asked me for a new Marvel ongoing that he could get into and enjoy, and after I suggested SHIELD he later got back to me and told me that this is one of the coolest comics that he has ever read, and it makes him want to a) read more Hickman books and b) read more comics in general. So there ya go!
David Harper: To me, I just don’t understand how a non-comic fan would enjoy SHIELD. Of course, I don’t understand how any variety of comic fan would like SHIELD either, which evidently Gil and Brandon agree with given that it didn’t earn a single point from all of our lists combined. 3 to 1 Matt – you lose!
Gil, Brandon, what about you guys? What books didn’t make the cut that you would have loved to see on the list?
Matt Meylikhov: Bah humbug to you all! If Mocle and/or Walt was here they’d back me up…
Gilbert Short: I was disappointed to see that Van Lente and Pak’s Amadeus Cho opus didn’t get on the list. Which I find odd because it seems to be uniformly loved by all of us. I blame the fact it hasn’t had a cohesive title to claim as it’s own.
And Matt, I’m sorry, but SHIELD is boring. It might read better in trade, but until then…meh.
Brandon Burpee: I agree. I dropped SHIELD after issue one. I think I was the first one to call foul on that book. It’s completely overrated.
As far as what I wanted to see on the list that didn’t make it, I can’t believe Captain America didn’t make the list. From day one of Brubaker’s run that title has been solid. It’s incredible that I am the only one who selected the title for the top ten. It has brought one of the most iconic characters from the dumps to the point it is now where there’s a movie on the way and Bucky’s back and everyone actually loved it. Again, Bucky is back and people loved it some much that he is Captain America and people were pissed at the idea of him not being Cap. Quality book.
David Harper: As far as Cho, there just wasn’t a book for me to choose. He doesn’t have a book right now. Prince of Power is over, and Chaos War is an entirely different animal. I love Cho, I just didn’t have a spot for a complete unknown.
Now Cap, the problem is the beginning of the run was great but I almost dropped the book after about 6 or 7 straight issues of disliking it. It’s picked up in the Zemo arc, but I just couldn’t put it in my top 10 over anything else.
For me, I can’t freaking believe no one (NO ONE) chose Daredevil. But that’s me. That’s crazy to me.
Matt Meylikhov: All of those books made my initial “I should have this on my list” list, but none of them made it to the final cut. Daredevil dropped out if only because of Shadowland, Pak/Van Lente’s stuff was too hard to classify, and I think Cap has dropped a lot recently. The new Zemo arc is actually getting really good, as David said, but that Two Americas arc? No thanks!
Brandon Burpee: Two Americas was terrible. You guys are right there. Won’t deny it.
Daredevil right now is no good. Shadowland is no good either. Daredevil was really awesome until recently but because of the last few months where he’s descended into “madness” I’ve kind of lost interest. I’m actually really close to dropping Shadowland and Daredevil.
#9 – Avengers Academy (tie)
David Harper: Alright, let’s move on to the list. Tied for the last spot on the list is Avengers Academy. Gil, you had it ranked the highest…why did it make it so high on your list?
Gilbert Short: I ranked it that high because of a few things. First, I love the art, and while I haven’t read a whole lot of Gage’s work, it’s pretty clear he knows how to characters are and one of the things that really sold me on the book is that this book made it so Dark Reign actually HAPPENED. Sure it “happened,” but there were very clear ramifications from Osborn’s time as top cop. Haz-Mat can’t control her ability, Mettle isn’t exactly human anymore, and Finesse is seemingly most affected by it emotionally. It’s just a lot of fun.
I just wish Hank Pym would get more screen time, so to speak.
David Harper: I wasn’t picking it up to start, but I’m not going to lie, I really have started to enjoy it after Brandon forced it upon me. It’s a damn good book from Gage and McKone, and I really think it’s the best of the current Avengers books.
Brandon, Matt, anything to add about Avengers Academy?
Matt Meylikhov: Avengers Academy is pretty good. I think I kind of expected more of a Runaways feel to the book, which is honestly what I’ve been saying about most of the “young team” books (i.e. Young Allies or even Morning Glories at Image). I do have faith in Gage though, a tremendous amount. So I can assume it will get better as it goes on.
Brandon Burpee: I really enjoy that book. I feel it has a similar feel to the original Thunderbolts. It had the surprise ending and a cast that you can connect with. For the reason that you can connect with the characters so easily you also want to see what happens to them. I am very excited to see where this book goes and what happens with the characters. On top of this I love me some teenage angst drama in my comics whether it be Young Justice, Teen Titans or New X-Men.
Gilbert Short: I had no idea you had read Runaways, Matt.
Matt Meylikhov: I read everything!
#9 – The Thanos Imperative (tie)
David Harper: Awww yeah. agreed on the book. I think its one of the surprise bests of the year. Thanos Imperative anyone? Why is this tickling your fancies my friends?
Gilbert Short: Thanos! I like that Thanos is the ultimate anti-hero in this book. He’s the embodiment of why death is important, and that’s just a brilliant concept from DnA.
Brandon Burpee: I like Thanos Imperative but can’t say it would fit in my top 15 to be honest. What I don’t like is the reretroing of Drax’s costume. I much prefered the new and revised Drax with the tats and shit.
Gilbert Short: I’ll agree with Burps on that one.
Brandon Burpee: The current/old costume is terrible.
Matt Meylikhov: I think Thanos is easily one of the more entertaining of Marvel’s mini events going on. Best cast, best writing team, best plot. It’s an entertaining pay off to the past few years of build up between Guardians, Nova, and the post Secret Invasion world with War of Kings. I’m really enjoying it a lot.
Gilbert Short: Yeah. To be honest though, the reason this made my list is because Guardians of the Galaxy is on hiatus until the end of the event. This is essentially my vote for GotG.
Brandon Burpee: I will say that the way they dovetailed all the series into one instead of having 6,000,001.2 spinoffs is applaudable. It’s what actually got me to buy it.
David Harper: I like it a lot, but I have to say most of it is because of the characters and ideas and less because of the execution. I think that it pales in comparison with Annihilation, but it’s far superior to Realm of Kings or Conquest. It’s just a really entertaining book, and I can’t wait to see where it goes – looks like two issues this month too!
#8 – Thunderbolts
David Harper: Up next we’ve got a book that I’ve been LOVING – Thunderbolts from Jeff Parker and Kev Walker. Matt, you had it higher than anyone but me. Why you digging on this?
Matt Meylikhov: I’ve been a Thunderbolts fan for a while. I think we all have, really. This book has been great for a long time running. With Parker, I was afraid he wouldn’t be able to hit a good pitch because I didn’t like his Atlas arc at all. But Siege drew me in again, and the new Heroic Age stuff has been phenomenal. Simply great all around. Really gets back to the central idea of the book with villains working for shorter sentences and more liberty. And while I initially scoffed at the announced class, they’re playing out great. Crossbones especially has been a really entertaining character.
Simply put, I gave Parker a chance to wow me with a brand new team book, and he did 110%.
David Harper: Yeah, I think this book has been one of the best in “The Heroic Age.” Actually, I think it’s been the best. I’ve enjoyed the living hell out of it, and I think Jeff Parker and Kev Walker are a team supreme. Their respective strengths have heightened the greatness of each other, highlighted by this past issue in which Parker gets Walker to bridge three fight sequences together featuring US Agent, Songbird, and Luke Cage. All three tell stories that exist at the same time but work incredibly in the flow of the story in an innovative way. Parker and Walker and inventive, dynamic storytellers, and I can’t get enough.
Gil and Brandon – what do you think?
Gilbert Short: I read the first issue, and it didn’t exactly grab me. And considering I couldn’t afford to pick up new titles anyway, I just passed on it. Sorry guys!
Brandon Burpee: I really like Thunderbolts. This is much more to my liking than the Dark Reign Thunderbolts. I really really like Cage being the head of the whole show too.
#7 – X-Men: Legacy (tie)
David Harper: Alright, this next one is a Brandon Burpee special: X-Men Legacy. Why was this your top book Brandon?
Brandon Burpee: First and foremost as a comic reader I’m an X-Men fan. As it stands now this is my favorite X-Title. It is a fresh book featuring characters like the cast of New X-Men. Yet it also has ties to the past and plays with the tapestry that is the X-Men universe unlike any of the books out today. While X-Factor is an amazing X-Book I just don’t see it as the same sort of book. I have said it for years and will continue to say it; Mike Carey should be the writer of Uncanny.
David Harper: Dude, I couldn’t agree more. Carey should be the architect of the X-Men universe in my mind. Since he took over X-Men a few years back, Carey has been the most consistent voice in the X-Men universe. He’s got such a good grasp on the voice and dynamics of the team, and his work recently that has been focused on Rogue has been superb. While the artists come and go, as long as Carey is there, I’m totally in. While it didn’t quite make my top 10, it had nothing to do with Carey’s work. Love the guy.
Gil, what about you? It was #6 on your list. Why does this book work so well for you?
Gilbert Short: Well, I like Fraction’s work on Uncanny for the most part, but I like this book because it really is the antithesis of everything Uncanny is. There’s a defined cast that all have built solid relationships instead of this sprawling cast that changes focus more than any other book I can think of. And Carey is a great writer who makes me CARE about characters I previously knew nothing about. Paras for instance, before this title, I knew nothing about him, now I really care about him and what he’s stuck doing. It’s brilliant.
Plus, to channel Matt, I love Magneto. Whether he’s on the side of the angels or devils, he’s such a rich character.
Matt Meylikhov: I do love me some Magneto, and I love that since he’s returned he hasn’t turned into a villain (like someone said that one time, wink wink nudge nudge). I would be reading this book just for him, but as it turns out it’s a worthwhile read regardless. Now, for me personally (and I think this is where I differ from everyone else), outside of a couple issues I love that the book has moved away from Xavier. I think the best part of the book is, as Burpee said, it’s focusing on a younger cast with Rogue and Magneto as mentor figures. I used to say that Carey is best when he’s writing his original work, and with this most recent post-Second Coming arc he gets to introduce brand new characters and not be worried about crossovers with Utopia or Nation X or whatever. This current arc is definitely a stand out to me already.
Brandon Burpee: Not only Magneto, it’s a well written Magneto which isn’t always the Magneto we get.
Gilbert Short: That’s quite true. It’s also nice to see Rogue grow as well. Before this, it seemed like her character was static.
Brandon Burpee: Carey writes one of the best Rogue’s in the history of the character. His run with her leading the X-Men that led to Messiah Complex was inovative and fresh. This is essentially that same brilliant run with a slight name change. Plus, New X-Men Characters!
David Harper: I think Carey deserves a freaking medal for developing Rogue in a way that isn’t built around “ah love you, but ah can’t touch you! Whoa is me!” I mean, that is something that writers in her 30+ years of history couldn’t get around.
Why am I not surprised you’re loving this book because of your New X-Men love Brandon?
#7 – PunisherMAX (tie)
David Harper: Tied up with X-Men Legacy, we’ve got PunisherMAX. My take? Jason Aaron writing the Punisher at a level that is about as high as Garth Ennis’ run. And I love Garth Ennis. This book is freaking awesome. Gruesome, sick, hilarious, badass…everything you want out of a Punisher book. But I think the thing that Aaron does so well with this book is his ability with the villains. We saw with Weapon X that Aaron could create awesome villains, and with this book we’ve seen him turn The Kingpin into a level of greatness that we haven’t seen since perhaps Frank Miller’s run, and his Bullseye is a sick and oddly illogically logical genius. I can’t get enough of reading his work on those characters.
The constant between the Ennis run and Aaron’s run? Steve Dillon. Love him (myself) or hate him (Brandon), Dillon does the same thing with every book: fairly realistic work that excels at the gruesome, the odd, and the badass. So yeah, when you put him on a book like this he’s going to kill. But that’s me.
Matt, you’re the only one here reading this besides me. What are Gil and Brandon missing with this book?
Gilbert Short: Actually, I still read PunisherMAX. I just don’t find it that awesome.
David Harper: You crazy my friend!
Gilbert Short: Maybe. The thing is that with the exception of The Kingpin, I don’t like any of the villains. The Mennonite I didn’t connect with, and I don’t really care for the Bullseye so much. I know you LOVE him, but I just find him…annoying.
But a lot of it is because I’ve never really cared for The Punisher. But I’m still reading it because I know you love it.
Matt Meylikhov: I LOVE THIS BOOK. Holy crap. How this book isn’t bigger is beyond me, and how Gil doesn’t find it that awesome is also beyond me!
This book, pure and simple, is what Punisher needs. There aren’t many Punisher stories on the market anymore, and with his main ongoing I find the whole concept to be rather bunk (despite liking Remender) that I dropped the title. I don’t think anyone really knows what to do with Punisher in a world of super heroes and morality, so giving the title to someone like Aaron who can channel Garth Ennis so well and basically retell the Punisher’s story from the ground up was a brilliant move on Marvel’s part and a truly fitting place for the character.
And don’t get me started on Bullseye. Oh man, that arc was pure brilliance. Absolutely sick, depraved, and perfect. Aaron has written the best Bullseye in the past five years, or at the very least since Bullseye became part of the Thunderbolts post-Civil War. And Dillon is the mastermind of this really sick and disgusting art as we’ve seen in past Punisher books and Preacher. I mean, Dillon can make your skin crawl with his art, so like you said David putting him into the book is a phemoneal idea.
DAMN, this book is great. Gil, you crazy, my friend!!
#5 – Amazing Spider-Man
David Harper: Brandon, up next we have Amazing Spider-Man. You had it at #4 on your list. Does it still feel like a Brand New Day to you?
Brandon Burpee: It does. I really dig the Brand New Day reset. I was really up in arms up until the third issue of it. I actually erally enjoy the more classic feel of Spider-Man. I like the freedom provided the character and the creative team. I still don’t like the whole Mephisto deal but I love the results. I’m really interested to see where this title will go now that it’s going to bi-weekly.
I also would like to give it a standing ovation for the thrice monthly schedule it ran for so long. It had some hiccups but overall the schedule kept was phenomenal. For all of those that were so peeved 3-4 years ago when titles were shipping late like crazy this book is a love song to you.
Very excited for the Slott era as well.
David Harper: Are you guys concerned it will lose its mojo when Slott takes over? I mean, my favorite BND stories have been Joe Kelly, Fred Van Lente and Zeb Wells…not Slott. I wish it was Kelly taking it over.
Gilbert Short: Joe Kelly is a God on this book. But I think he’s just about golden on any book. I actually thought 90% of BND was awesome. I think that every writer killed it on the title, Freak and American Son not withstanding.
As for Slott, he may not have been my first choice (Kelly or Van Lente please), but he’s still solid.
Brandon Burpee: I just think Slott has the right sense of humor for a book like this. I mean look at his great She-Hulk run. I think this has a chance to top that.
Continued belowDavid Harper: I loved his She-Hulk and The Thing runs. They were amazing. I just never got that feel from his Amazing Spider-Man stuff. But I’ll be buying, for sure. Especially with Marcos Martin on it. Between him and Max Fiumara, ASM had some awesome art.
Matt Meylikhov: I honestly think the book has been the best it’s ever been since Brand New Day. It had a good start, allowed a fresher take on the character, and then it moved into what essentially was a “classical update,” bringing in it’s team of writers to reimagine all of Spidey’s classic villains into this new era. I think the artists they pulled in, like Chris Bachalo, Marcos Martin and Max Fiumara were fabulous moves because they bring back this wonderful classic Spider-Man feel. I really don’t want this format to end at all.
Granted, I’m still excited for the Slott era that’s coming up because I’m a fan of Slott’s work, but we’ll see. I don’t think Kelly should be the main writer though, if only because when you get Kelly in those small intermitent doses, it makes his work stand out that much more. I like him focusing on smaller arcs versus a larger picture in Spider-Man, because then you get stories with the Rhino that are two issues long and stand out beyond standing out. That’s my take on it, though.
#3 – New Avengers
David Harper: Gil, Brandon…the two of you had New Avengers as your highest rated Avengers book and high up on your lists. What makes it better than the rest?
Gilbert Short: It’s paying off stuff from the previous volume with the magic, and Stuart Immonen is absolute money on this book. I’ll be honest, Immonen was a big part of the reason this scored so highly, and a bulk of the reason I love this book so much.
Brandon Burpee: It’s the book that got me into the Avengers. I love Bendis’ more street level style of Avengers. I enjoy the more All-Star style cast of the Avengers as well. I think this book like Ultimate Spider-Man is a place you can tell Bendis feels at home with. King of the Castle style.
Add to this the stunning art and you’ve got some serious win on your hands blokes.
David Harper: To me, it’s the best non Academy book because the cast is the best, Bendis and his writing style feels more at home with this roster and on this book, and Stuart Immonen is a golden god. I freaking love the guy. It didn’t make my list because I think Marvel has a lot of really good books right now, but I am fine with it finishing this high. It’s Marvel’s best high profile book, arguably.
Why do you think Bendis’ works so much better with this cast than the Avengers team?
Brandon Burpee: Cause this is HIS team. This is the team he built’s fluid progression. New Avengers is Bendis’ sandbox. Every once in awhile he lets us come watch him build castles in that sand box.
Gilbert Short: I think the concept is a little bit more on Bendis’ wavelength, and the characters all mesh together really well. Luke cage is a great choice to lead, and Bendis’ Spider-Man is one of the best comedic foils in comics.
And as I’ve said before, I don’t like Avengers as much because I don’t like Romita’s art on that title. There’s been like two times where I thought it looked good. TWO!
Brandon Burpee: That last issue was beautiful!
David Harper: Hater! If JR JR illustrated you, it would be angrily!
But I agree with the rest.
Gilbert Short: I like Romita! I love him on Kick-Ass and New Ways to Die! It’s just here…my Lord…The “Horsemen” killed me, and not in a good way.
I want Romita to sketch me angrily.
David Harper: That would be pretty awesome.
Matt Meylikhov: Not that anyone asked me, but I think you’ve all summed it up pretty well, haha. While I may have different opinions of the Avengers books, I will say that Bendis’ dialogue is definitely the best in New Avengers, albeit a tad silly and over the top sometimes. But I’m ok with that.
Continued below#3 – Fantastic Four
David Harper: Brandon, you had Hickman’s Fantastic Four in your top 10. Matt and I both have been more outspoken proponents of this book, but you had it fairly high. What have you been liking about it? Gil, feel free to add in too before Matt and I rant and rave for a while?
Brandon Burpee: I like FF. I don’t love it. I thought it was a lot better about 3-4 issues ago to be honest. That’s why I only ranked it 7th. I’ll let you and Matt go nuts on this one.
Gilbert Short: I actually really like FF, but it just didn’t make it by thatmuch. I love Hickman’s concepts and his follow through. I think the book suffered after Eaglesham left to be honest. Eaglesham is a golden god, as you put it, David.
Brandon Burpee: I would agree it lost some luster when Eaglesham left. Was not worth him going to Stever Rogers.
David Harper: Yeah, I think this book would have been top 5 for me about 3 or 4 issues ago Brandon. A lot of that has to do with the loss of Eaglesham, as you noted Gil. The dude, in my mind, acted as Hickman’s evolutionary Kirby, making them some sort of modern day Lee/Kirby. And I was LOVING what Hickman was doing – he really got the family, he really got Reed, he seemed to get everything. However, the most recent arc has kind of seemed to push FF in a direction towards the big idea but not so big execution of some of Hickman’s more displeasing work, and I haven’t dug it as much.
With that said, I think the “3” arc with Steve Epting is going to be the shit. Love Epting. Love Hickman. Love the idea of this arc. Gimme some more!
I don’t disagree with your guys points at all though. I think you reasoned why it finished at #7 for me than even I did.
Gilbert Short: The issues with all the different Reeds was one of my favorite arcs in recent memory.
David Harper: Solve Everything! Seriously Gil, that was a top arc of the past couple years. I loved that so much. I think that’s why the recent downturn has kind of hit me hard. I’m wondering if Hickman will be a new version of Morrison for me. Well loved when he’s on his game, but when he gets enraptured by concepts and less by execution I end up not liking him. I hope not – I want Hickman to be great.
Matt Meylikhov: Is it my turn? Is it my turn now? Oh, how do I love this book.
You know, it’s really funny – I used to be a rather outspoken hater in the Fantastic Four book. I loved the original stuff by Lee and Kirby, but there weren’t many writers I could really get down with in the writing department. Millar brought me in because I was a big Millar fan at the time (now I just read his books for the lulz), and I decided that there was no way I could keep reading this book after he was done because his stuff was up and down with quality and I was losing interest. Then I read Dark Reign: Fantastic Four, and bam. I was in.
Hickman is THE writer for this book. He said it in interviews about his run, but he really went in and boiled down why the Fantastic Four SHOULD be a dynamite book: they are Marvel’s adventurers of the unknown. The book is supposed to be this really hardcore sci-fi epic where the Fantastic Four go out and explore unknown worlds and universes and not be bogged down by Doctor Doom for every arc, and this is precisely what Hickman has done. Solve Everything was phenomenal as you said, and it was a perfect example of why everyone should be with this title. Heck, his Dark Reign mini was an amazing starting point, as it really showed off the kind of grand scale that Hickman was going to work with, as the Fantastic Four got blasted through thousands of different dimensions. I loved that, and I’ve loved everything since. He’s really made the Fantastic Four Marvel’s premiere FAMILY again, and that’s the best aspect of all.
Continued belowAlso, I love that you said Hickman could be the new Morrison, David, because I couldn’t agree more. I get the vibe from his work so frequently.
#1 – X-Factor and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (tie)
David Harper: Now we’ve got the last two books tied for the top spot: X-Factor and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man. Brandon – you had X-Factor as your #2. Gil, it didn’t even touch your list, but you had UCSM as your #3, which Brandon didn’t have on HIS list. Why did one make your list and the other not for each of you?
Gilbert Short: Don’t kill me, but I just don’t regularly read X-Factor. I like it when I do, but for some reason I have this will they or won’t they game with Peter David. I can’t explain it, and I know I’ll be in deep doo doo for saying that.
As for UCSM, I like it better than ASM for one simple reason: OMIT. GOD OMIT is awful.
Brandon Burpee: Ultimate Spider-Man since Ultimatum has been a fun ride but it’s a ride I feel i’m close to getting off of. I just don’t feel it like I used to. It’s not a bad book I jsut have a hard time connecting to it for some reason anymore.
X-Factor on the other hand is a beast. Consistently the book with the best interpersonal dealings as well as some of the most fun stories out there as well. This is all without mentioning PAD’s ability to drop a bombshell of a last page month after month. It’s got some of the best cliffhangers in the biz. I hope PAD stays on this book as long as he lives and then I hope they place his brain in a large robot, like Krang from the original TMNT cartoon, so he can keep on writing this book.
David Harper: I have to say, I support Peter “Krang” David entirely. I was the only one that placed X-Factor as the top book, but even with art that has verged on mediocre to bad for me, I’ve LOVED this book for the whole run. Peter David has turned a cast of lower tier mutants led by personal favorites Jamie Madrox and Layla Miller and turned it into a book that is focused, well developed, emotional, funny, intense, and completely original. Strangely, in a lot of ways it would be better off in its own universe so it could exist in a vacuum and just be awesome and not forced into other books. But even when that happens (see: Messiah CompleX tie-ins), it still works incredibly well. Peter David is a freaking god, to the point I support putting his brain into a Krang style body. Or maybe a jar like in Futurama. Either way, he should be chained to a desk to write that into infinity. And beyond. No slacking for you PAD.
UCSM…I love that book because the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends feel Bendis gives it. His dialogue is whip smart and snappy, perfect for an intellectual set of kids. David LaFuente’s art works incredibly well, giving it a real spring to its step and surpassing Bagley and Immonen in terms of actual fit to the book. I just love it all. It’s the most fun Marvel book out there. While many others get steeped in seriousness, I can just have a damn good time reading this book and not worrying about anything else not working for me.
God, PAD Krang. You should run America Burpee. Seriously.
Matt Meylikhov: Can I just say, in regards to X-Factor, that this book was a lot better before they revealed Mayla’s “special powers?” I was hardcore loving the book up until then, and since then I feel like it’s floundered a bit. I’m waiting for it to get back on it’s feet, but it has definitely still been a very consistent read. Jamie Madrox is an amazing character, and the last two issues of X-Factor where Madrox has been working for Hela (and has the line “You can’t get more noir than that”) really brings the book back to it’s roots of X-Factor as a detective agency and not a super team. I just think that the Doom arc and the Second Coming stuff focused too much on the hero powers and not enough on the interactions between characters. But it’s still good!
Continued belowAnd as far as Ultimate Comics Spider-Man goes, all I’ll say about it is I miss Bagley and Immonen on the title. I enjoy the book a lot and I always will, and I like that Bendis has brought Spider-Man back into high school because that was one of my favorite elements of the original run, but … well, I’m still ready for the WOW arc. But that doesn’t stop this epic (not quite) 150 issue series from being one of the top books in Marvel’s roster, and easily Bendis’ best when he’s devoting enough love to it.
To be honest, for a while you could see that Bendis was focusing too much on the Avengers titles to give enough care into the Spidey book, especially right before Ultimatum with the Symbiote arc thing that was supposed to be the game, and the return of Gwen… that stuff was pretty bad.
Oh well. Still love the title!
Final List
1 (tie). X-Factor – 19
1 (tie). Ultimate Comics Spider-Man – 19
3 (tie). Fantastic Four – 17
3 (tie). New Avengers – 17
5. Amazing Spider-Man – 16
7 (tie). PunisherMAX – 15
7 (tie). X-Men: Legacy – 15
8. Thunderbolts – 13
9 (tie). The Thanos Imperative – 11
9 (tie). Avengers Academy – 11
Secret Warriors – 10
SHIELD – 10
Prince of Power – 10
Jason Aaron’s Wolverine – 9
Uncanny X-Men – 6
Avengers – 6
Captain America – 6
Avengers: Children’s Crusade – 4
Daredevil – 3
New Mutants – 2
Thor – 1
David’s Top 10
10. Avengers Academy
9. Secret Warriors
8. Daredevil
7. Fantastic Four
6. The Thanos Imperative
5. Jason Aaron’s Wolverine
4. Thunderbolts
3. PunisherMAX
2. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
1. X-Factor
Matt’s Top 10
10. Thor
9. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
7. Jason Aaron’s Wolverine (tie)
7. The Thanos Imperative (tie)
6. Thunderbolts
5. Amazing Spider-Man
4. PunisherMAX
3. Secret Warriors
2. Fantastic Four
1. SHIELD
Gil’s Top 10
10. Avengers
9. The Thanos Imperative
8. Amazing Spider-Man
7. Avengers: Children’s Crusade
6. X-Men: Legacy
5. Uncanny X-Men
4. Avengers Academy
3. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
2. New Avengers
1. Prince of Power/Incredible Hercules
Brandon’s Top 10
10. Thunderbolts
9. New Mutants
8. Avengers Academy
7. Fantastic Four
6. Avengers
5. Captain America
4. Amazing Spider-Man
3. New Avengers
2. X-Factor
1. X-Men: Legacy
