I should re-name this blog "Top Ten Comics of the Year Blog" and leave it at that, since that's basically all my lazy ass posts over the last few years. I do love looking back at the year though, so until I'm bored by it, or I post more, this will probably continue. Who knows.
As I've said in prior posts, I collect a lot of comics in their weekly floppy form, and although I read a lot of OGN's in a given year (i.e. Asterios Polyp, Cooke's The Hunter) that isn't what this post is really about. I've threatened with a separate post about that for a couple of years now because the books deserve it, but because of the high number of weekly comics I read, I'm always painfully behind on my OGNs (unless it's a new Jason comic) so i can't really "recap the year" fairly. So yeah, this is about mainstream comics in their weekly form.
I've changed my own rules a couple of times, but basically I'm staying the same as last year. I want at least a couple of issues of a comic to be out in a calendar year, because 1-issue is often just not enough weigh to get it on the list.
Last note: Jason Aaron's Scalped has "won" this for me 2 years in a row now. Will the streak continue? Backwards from ten then for minimal excitement:
FAVORITE COMICS OF 2009
#10 - BATTLEFIELDS
(w. Garth Ennis, a. Peter Snejbjerg, Carlos Ezquerra)
A book (thanks Edmiston) that I completely forgot about last year, was not easy to forget as 2009 started. To be honest though, it was a tough add this year because as much as I loved the "Dear Billy" arc, I hated the "Tankies" story and the first issue of "Happy Valley" snuck in before the end of the year, and that is pretty good. So on the back of "Dear Billy," one of Ennis' finest stories in recent years and one of the finest stories of the year, it sneaks on.
#9 - MOUSE GUARD: WINTER 1152
(w/a. David Peterson)
Up a couple of spots from last year, as even though all we got here were the final two issues of the Winter 1152 arc, I can't get enough of the world that Peterson is creating. However, the art on the book alone is worth recommending it. I look forward to the coming prequels and sequels.
#8 - CHEW
(w. John Layman, a. Rob Guillory)
You'll find this on a lot of people's lists this year, and I think it deserves it. A legitimate indie hit which is nice, but more importantly for being a pretty damn great comic book. Tony Chu works for the FDA (now law enforcement), he's a Cibopath (basically a psychic that gets info from the food he eats) in a world where chicken has been outlawed because of a bird-flu pandemic. Silly, yes, but this doesn't even touch the surface of the book. It has been nothing but surprises and funny turns, with plenty of wacky action all drawn perfectly by Rob Guillory.
#7 - BEASTS OF BURDEN
(w. Evan Dorkin, a. Jill Thompson)
The biggest surprise of the year for me. I didn't even want to read this book, until my girlfriend bugged me to get it coupled with some good reviews on the day of release made me cave. I'm so glad I did. A book about a group of dogs acting as occult investigators in a small town sounded iffy (idiot me, I know), but with the gorgeous art and how straight Dorkin plays it, it works perfectly. Issue #2, "Lost" was one of my single favorite issues of the year. A book that once it is collected, I will be passing around quite a bit.
#6 - ECHO
(w/a. Terry Moore)
This book was really close to making my list last year, but no debate this year. Terry Moore's little sci-fi story, although not terribly original (experimental tech, hero on the run, bosses want it back) is elevated by the care in which Moore reveals his story. I care for these characters. It helps that it is one of the best looking books on the stands, despite its black & white interior. Terry Moore is bar none one of the best cartoonists working in comics.
#5 - DMZ
(w. Brian Wood, a. Riccardo Burchielli & Others)
A book that has been high on my list before, just missed last year and is back with a vengeance. After the election of Parco Delgado in 2008, the title spent the early part of 2009 highlighting his early days in office, before taking a breather with the excellent "No Future" arc and then refocusing again with Matty, stuck between shit and a nuclear missile scandal. How far Matty has come in this title is pretty amazing. (Note: I wrote this before reading the game-changing issue #49. Wow. 2010 should be fun.)
#4 - FOUR EYES
(w. Joe Kelly, a. Max Fiumara)
My favorite book in the industry that no one talks about, mainly because it is only on its third issue with only two of those being published in 2009. Still, despite the slow publishing schedule, this depression era story about a young boy following in his dead father's footsteps in the underground DRAGON FIGHTS is easily one of my favorite comic books of the past year. To be honest, it might be higher if there were just more issues published. Highlight of these two issues, was definitely #3 where the kids are taken on a dragon hunt. Great, great stuff. Can't wait for more.
#3 - LOCKE & KEY
(w. Joe Hill, a. Gabriel Rodriguez)
We got the end of one mini-series ("Head Games") at the start of another ("Crown of Shadows") in 2009 and this book just keeps humming along as one of the best books on the stands. The journey of the Locke family (and supporting characters) continues to excite and surprise with each key reveal. Art wise, the unique and highly talented Rodriguez is what keeps it rolling. Nothing to complain about with this series, one of the best on the stands.
#2 - NORTHLANDERS
(w. Brian Wood, a. Ryan Kelly, Leandro Fernandez and others)
This book JUUUUUUUUUUST missed getting the top nod from me. This book was so good this year: Ryan Kelly's surprising, yet masterful jump to Viking comics, the two part "Shield Maidens," the one-shot checking-in with Sven and his family from the title's first arc, and the amazing start to the new long arc, "The Plague Widow." But what will stand out, is the brilliant issue #17, "The Viking Art of Single Combat" drawn by Vasilis Lolos. Easily one of, if not the best single issue I've read this year.
Man, just writing that has me almost wanting to re-think my #1. Almost.
#1 - SCALPED
(w. Jason Aaron, a. R.M. Guera and others)
In my initial rough draft of my ten, I actually had Northlanders #1, but when push came to shove I couldn't do it. This book still had more "Book of the Weeks" for me than any other title. The last half of the year has escalated the stakes so much, (especially with the "Gnawing" arc), and paid off so many of the character threads since #1 and done it all SO seamless and well that I could not remove this book from my favorite of the year. It's a gritty crime comic, and Aaron shows us that he will continue to surprise even as the series is only at the half way mark.
HONORABLE MENTIONS aka OTHER BOOKS I REALLY LIKED
100 BULLETS - This was just edged out by Battlefields, because I liked "Dear Billy" so much. Only two issues came out, #99 and the final #100, and although I liked the bloody issues enough to get Book of the Week when they came out, by themselves they didn't stand out enough. As a whole on the series, I wait to re-read the entire series to take them in their proper context. But without a doubt, this is one of my favorite series of the Decade if I were doing such a thing. I miss Risso's art. Where is he?
WALKING DEAD - This book still manages to be right below my elite, but above everything else. Leaving the prison and cutting half the cast is still the best decision Kirkman has done in years. And back on the road and meeting new characters (and villains) made 2009 a good time. Loved the horde stuff, not so much the cannibal stuff.
PLANETARY - What? The final issue came out? Some years after the last one? Yes, #27 did indeed come out. As a final issue it was a good tag for the series, and it reminded me how much I loved the series as a whole (another book, easily one of my favorite of the decade) and Cassaday's art.
CRIMINAL
WASTELAND - Two books that I love that were on my Top 10 last year, but spent most of 2009 on hiatus for one reason or another. Still, WASTELAND was great when it did come out (2 issues?) and CRIMINAL had just started the latest arc as the year was ending and so far the quality is what one would expect.
MYSTERIOUS: THE UNFATHOMABLE - A little Wildstorm creator owned book that could, from Jeff Parker and Tom Fowler. The story of a mischievous mystic (read: a pot-bellied Dr. Strange) taking advantage of those that don't know better, was a wonderful 6-issue mini in the Spring. We have been promised more in 2010.
SWEET TOOTH - Jeff Lemire did such great work with his "Essex County" OGN books, that Vertigo was smart to grab him for an ongoing. Early on, this title is treading some familiar ground as a post-apocalyptic story with some heavy feel from the novel/movie The Road. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. There is the odd twist of a boy with antlers, and Lemire's art is unique and interesting enough that the book has moved up the read pile. One to watch in 2010. Speaking of...
STUMPTOWN
DAYTRIPPER - Two books that although they only had one issue each, both were great, and both are definitely must watch for 2010. STUMPTOWN is Rucka's crime comic with a female protagonist, and if you know Rucka, you know he does that well. Has a CRIMINAL feel to it, but how long he and Brubaker riffed on Gotham Central, that's not a surprise (or a complaint). And DAYTRIPPER, Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba's look at the life of Bras, an aspiring novelist in Brazil, was amazing. Each issue of the 10-issue series plans to be told out of order. The first, we see his death. Issue #2 takes us to his 20's, and the solicits of #3 have us at his childhood. Each one is stand alone, and with art by Ba and Moon (of Umbrella Academy and Casanova fame) it looks gorgeous.
WEDNESDAY COMICS - Just a note on a book that was my only other comic post of 2009. Honorable mention for the format alone and the excitement it brought. The excitement definitely started to tail off as the series went along and the good strips seemed to be outweighed by the bad strips. But I still think it was a great success. My favorites ended up being: Pope's Strange Adventures, Conner's art on Supergirl, Azzarello & Risso on Batman and probably Flash and Kamandi. Kamandi which was not one of my favorites when it started, but grew on my with it's Prince Valiant style. Debating on whether or not I want the collection because it was half good-half bad. Hmm.
FABLES - This almost didn't get an honorable mention. The crossover at the beginning of the year with "Jack of Fables" and the "Literals" was a waste of a few months for this reader. Jack and his odd villains sorta worked in his own book, but as a crossover, it didn't mesh for me. (I actually dropped Jack of Fables when the crossover ended.) Still, the main FABLES title has picked it up since then, returning to the kind of adventures I enjoy on THIS title with the new "Boogeyman" villain.
***
Oh shit! I forgot about super hero books! I always seem to "hate" on them when it comes time for my end of year list, but I do love reading the madcap adventures of my favorite men in tights. It's often frustrating, but has it's moments. So, Super Hero books that stood taller than the others:
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN - The epic 12-parter "World's Most Wanted" that took up most of the year will be read in TPB's for years to come. Awesome super hero comics.
DAREDEVIL - Still going strong even after Bendis left, and then Brubaker left; but Diggle continues to run with the baton.
THOR - Stracyznski's run was spectacular. Only sad to see it end WHEN it did. You can tell he had more in him.
POWER GIRL - Probably the funnest book on the stands, embracing the "comic book" name in all it's glory. Amanda Conner kills on art.
BATMAN & ROBIN - Barely. Grant Morrison has been a little up-and-down with this book, but when Quitely is on art, it is a big win.
SECRET SIX - A late converter, but Simone squeezes some great character moments out of these unabashed villains.
X-FACTOR - A long time X-fan I am, and this book continues to be the most consistent X-Book as far as characters actually squeaking through, while the main titles have problems with PLOT PLOT PLOT getting in the way. Peter David rocks.
MARVELS PROJECT - While Brubaker starts to squeeze the last bit of juice from the orange on the main Captain America title, he is doing awesome work here. This pre-World World 2 espionage story about the early Marvel Universe has been surprisingly engaging. Another must when it is in trade.
IRREDEEMABLE - The only non-Marvel on this short list, but Mark Waid's story about "Superman" becoming the world's biggest threat has been good. Mainly because of the supporting characters, his "Justice League" and how their lives have been impacted.
***
On to 2010. Where this Reader tries to cut back on his weekly comics (read: cut the super hero fat) and read more OGN's as he has a pile "To Read" embarrassingly long on his bookshelf.
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