Top Ten Best Comics of 2010

I’m actually getting this thing out on time? It’s a Kwanzaa miracle! This is my list for the top ten stories of 2010! Woo hoo! Now, before we get to all the fun of me voicing my opinions and you disagreeing with them, I have to get a few rules out of the way.

1. These are the top ten stories/arcs/whatever. Not comic in general, not trade, but best stories (What can I say, I’m trying to be somewhat unique).

2. These are stories that ended in 2010. They could begin at any time, but as long as they concluded in 2010, they’re eligible.

3. I tried to keep the list as diverse and reader-friendly as possible. I love certain writers, but it would be boring if it was three Morrison books, two Ennis books, etc. So, a writer/artist will only appear once on the list. I tried to spread the love evenly. You will see Marvel, DC, and even Indies on this list.

Wow, with all those rules, how did I come up with a great top ten? Well, I hope I did. Anyway, let’s begin the fun!

Top 5 Comics of July 2010

And I’m finally caught up! I read 27 comics in July, and these were the best.

Foilball’s Review Roundup #61 – Tons of Mini-Reviews, Because Honestly, If I Didn’t Do It This Way, I Wouldn’t Be Doing It At All!*

1985 #6 (**): What. A. Let down. Nice Last Action Hero ending, Millar. You hack.

Amazing spider-Man #574 (****): I liked it. I liked that it wasn’t pro-war, just pro-soldier. Good stuff. But, the ending makes me wonder… how long til some super scientist makes Flash a pair of Forge style legs?

Amazing spider-Man #575 (*****): Um, WOW! Joe Kelly was BORN to write Spidey… this is—I never thought I’d say this, but this is better than anything Slott has written for Spidey since BND started. WOW. Very, very excited about Joe Kelly and Spider-Man. WOOOO!!!!

Secret Invasion: Amazing Spider-Man #3 (***): This was okay…

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #35 (**): …but this was almost complete garabge. The art was nice, which nets this book it’s two stars, but MY GOD, way to screw the readers BND brain trust. You guys stink.

New Avengers #46 (****1/2): One of my favorite tie-ins. The Hood gets cooler and cooler every time he shows up, which makes me want to scream for more, Bendis! MORE!

Avengers: The Initiative #18 (****): Yeah, this arc is the best in the series… but that’s not to say I’d like a Skrull Kill Krew ongoing. Um, no thanks. I’m tired of the Skrulls. For now.

The Boys #24 (***): Worst issue in the book’s two year history.

Criminal #6 (****): Brubaker, I don’t know how you do it, but you make me care about the biggest scumbags in the world and I love it. thanks, dude.

Daredevil #112 (****1/2): Lady Bullseye is HAWT. This arc is HAWTER.

Final Crisis: Submit #1 (****): Wonderful. Simple, yet wonderful. And hey, I didn’t completely hate Black Lightning… you know, like I usually do.

Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns #1 (***1/2): Um, this kind of sucked, what I mean is, it kind of sucked when compared with the ASTONISHING Sinestro Corps Special from last year. By itself, it was decent, but if you’re not already reading GL, I don’t think this special was going to do it for you. So, overall, MEH.

G.I. Joe #0 (****): OMFG, am I getting sucked back into G.I. Joe? Yet, again!!!!

Incredible Hercules #122 (****): Heh, this is one of the books where I had a longer review planned, with scans and such, but alas, no time! Anyway, great stuff as usual.

Hulk #7 (***1/2): I like it. The art is amazing, the dialogue is only okay and the story isn’t really moving in any particular direction, but I like it. Loeb “gets it” in an old school Stan Lee kind of way, and I’m fine with that.

Invincible #54 (****): Oh, where did this come from? It’s like, all of a sudden, Kirkman learned how to tell super-compressed stories! Great. About time. Hey, anyone remember, long time ago, when all of the Liefeld books at Image skipped a month and did these “Images of Tomorrow” stories where they jumped a year into the future of the series? This issue of Invincible totally reminded me of that, only less gimmicky.

Jack of Fables #27 (*****): Marry me, Jack. Just say “yes”.

Ms. Marvel #32 (***): Dude, Brian Reed… I know you read the recent Secret Origins arc over in GL, cus like, who isn’t reading Johns, so let me ask you a question: am I supposed to get that you’re just totally aping it?

No Hero #2 (***1/2): Better than the first issue, but I’m still wondering why I should care.

Nova #18 (***): This arc may force me to drop this book.

Runaways #3 (***1/2): Um, ditto for what I said about Nova, also, why is there a Howard Stern character in this series? When was the last time Stern was relevant? 5 years ago? 10?

Skaar: Son of Hulk #4 (***1/2): TOOOOOO… SLOOOOOOOOOOW…

Superman: New Krypton Special #1 (***1/2): Like Bruce Castle said, the non-Robinson stuff was great…

Superman #682 (**1/2): Robinson… what the ####?

Superman/Batman #53 (****): Oh man, I love these guys. They get it. They’re pulling off this totally retro WF thing and it’s so much fun. If you’re not reading this, you are stupid. Simple.

Thor #11 (****): I’m a Cap whore, so obviously I loved this.

Secret Invasion: Thor #3 (***): Didn’t I say this was shit? TOLD YOU SO.

Thunderbolts #125 (****): Gage has managed to successfully build on what Ellis started, and in the end, he may even surpass it… if he stays on the book long enough. And yeah, Desiato is dead on the money. Norman is definitely becoming Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. at the end of the Secret Invasion. Good call.

Ultimate Captain America Annual #1 (*): Um, why?

Ultimate Spider-Man #127 (****): Um, awesome?

Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #3 (**): Um, hype?

Wildcats #4 (**): …and I’m done. Thanks for playing.

Wolverine: Origins #29 (***1/2): This book is never going to end. There is no end. It’s not even planned. #### this book.

X-Force #8 (****1/2): These guys are putting out the best X-Men book currently, hands ####ing down. It’s not even close. So embarrassing.

X-Men: Legacy #217 (***): GAWD!!! Enough already! Someone shoot Prof X in the head again please.

Secret Invasion: X-Men #3 (****1/2): This was really, really FACKING GOOD. Some may disagree, but I totally see Hank doing what he did, especially in the manner with which it was written. And I love the last line about genocide. Perfect. Man, if only SI was this good… sigh.

*yeah, i know i said i wouldn’t do it like this anymore, but i just didn’t have the time this week to do them right. actually, no, that’s wrong, i did, i just chose to spend that time on other things. i’m not going to go into the reasons why here, i figure if you really care all that much you could just read my LJ. anyway, i’ll try to get back on track soon. i still love writing for this blog, so i don’t plan to completely disappear anytime soon. okay? okay.

Desiato’s Rainy Sunday Reviews, Part 2

Angel: After the Fall #12 (****1/2)

Sons of bitches. I just dropped the damned book, and these bastards go and come out with an issue that’s really good. Perhaps I should have seen this coming. I am staring at a Murphy’s Law poster while I write this, after all. For every issue that didn’t capitalize on the potential of the characters or plot, you get something like this where everything clicks and you’re reading an excellent instance of a comic book. Every question brought up in the first eleven issues of this book is answered. It all fits too. The entire series turns a huge corner, and we now have more of a sense of where we’re headed and why. Franted, the art is still not to my liking, and Wesley is very much in the role of Dr. Exposition during much of the issue. There’s a lot of story to cover here. Maybe there might have been better ways to go about disseminating the necessary information, but the device used works, and only the most impatient reader would grow tired of the amount of text. This issue very well might have renewed my faith in IDW’s handing of Angel, and I might have to keep getting it, as much as it bewilders me to say that.

Invincible Iron Man #5 (****)

The ending of this book is right out of the book of comic cliffhanger cliche. It’s one of those little moments that makes you love the medium. The rest of the book is no slouch too. Fraction obviously has a handle on Zeke Stane, considering he created the character, but his use of tony Stark has been excellent as well. This truly is Iron Man the hero, and it’s practically the only place you can really get that right now (though I surmise that things will change post Secret Invasion). Obviously, this book is perfect for those that are coming in to the Iron Man books from the movie; the first storyline is basically the generational sequel to the Iron Monger storyline that was covered in its own way in the film. It’s good stuff. Fraction can definitely navigate his way through the mix of political intrigue and terrorism that is the cornerstone of Zeke Stane’s attacks on Starktech. The art is still a bit of a sore point, as it’s tough to completely suspend disbelief when Stane’s face is modeled after Brian Michael Bendis. But Larocca does draw the armor and the action well, so I can roll with the punches.

Green Lantern Corps #28 (****)

I do love these issues so very much. Between the Ringquest arc and the current Eye of the Beholder issues, Pete Tomasi has been doing an excellent job keeping the momentum leading into Blackest Night strong while Johns is wasting his time on Secret Origin. I am a bit surprised that Tomasi wrapped up this story in two issues, and there’s a bit of compression here in order to allow for the book to reach its conclusion. I think we probably could have benefitted from one more issue in order to flesh out the main villain of the piece. He’s introduced and captured all in the span of one issue, which gives the impression that we’re basically dealing with fodder. Sick and sadistic fodder with a pretty big body count, but fodder nonetheless. Still, there are a lot of good quiet moments with the Lanterns, and it’s a good installment of my favorite DC ongoing.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer # 18 (**)

I’m liking this arc less and less as it goes on. I’m not really enjoying the future Fray universe; it’s quite possible though that this is because I haven’t read the original Fray story. Still, the future moments aren’t sticking. The little dialogue quirks grate on me from time to time, and nothing about the story grabs me in a significant way. It’s a bit scattershot. I’m also not too jazzed about the present day story line with Dawn and Xander. It’s alright, but this issue just felt ephemeral. This isn’t a bad book or anything; it’s just not good.

Eternals #4 (****)

Still digging this book, and that’s predominantly because of the Makkari story line. The backstory of the Eternals, Celestials and Deviants was a highlight of Gaiman’s mini, and while the branched dialogue of the Celestial can be silly/unnecessary (see what I did there?) at times, the story being told is the big show. The other story lines going on are also entertaining, but Makkari’s world building and mythos establishing travels create that sense of wonder that hearkens right back to Kirby. It’s just another testament to the quality of the middle tier Marvel books. You’ve got the flashy Avengers books and Amazing Spider-Man and the X books, but right under the surface are books like this, the cosmic suite, Incredible Hercules, The Twelve and so on. It’s the main reason why I love Marvel as much as I do. And the Eternals are wicked cool characters that are becomiung deeply established in the Marvel U. The Knaufs are doing well and Acuna’s art does the job and brings forth the otherworldly feel that the Eternals should have as citizens of Earth that are wholly separate from humans.

Punisher War Journal #23 (**)

So the Jigsaw arc is finally over. It never really felt right outside of the penultimate issue. I do like the idea of GW Bridge and his merry band of hottie assassins. Plus, the Lady Punisher set up was a nice one. But Punisher and Jigsaw didn’t ever sound right, and when your two main characters are off base, it’s going to be tough to make things work. Let’s hope they get everything sussed out in time for the Secret Invasion tie in. If it’s anywhere as good as the World War Hulk issue, we could be in for a treat.

Desiato Reviews Some Indies

Antoine Sharpe: The Atheist #1 [Desperado] (****)

There are a couple reasons why I picked this book up. I keep hearing about this Phil Hester guy and how he’s awesome and everybody loves him, and I required empirical evidence. The book was also featured as a Indie Challenge on Comic Geek Speak (less than two weeks to the Super Show!). This, however, did not stop me from completely forgetting to buy via DCBS, so I made sure to pick it up at the store when I went to get Secret Invasion. Good book. It’s not the first book to feature the character (there was a four issue mini preceding it simply called “The Atheist,” but they ended up changing the name due to the general fervor and malcontent surrounding a word like “atheist”), but I didn’t feel lost at all in discovering who this titular character is. There’s a pretty simple and effective premise as work here. Antoine Sharpe is basically a skeptical detective that is called upon to investigate paranormal cases outside of the realm of standard private investigation work. He’s brought in to cut through the mumbo jumbo and see what’s actually going on here. This story begins with Mr. Sharpe being sent to a mountain town where wives have a tendency to disappear. We don’t get much of the mystery here yet as things are still being set up, but it’s a pure concept and has been executed well so far.

Atomic Robo: Dogs of War #1 [Red 5] (****)

Atomic Robo is a wisecracking robot that was built by Nikola Tesla. He was the star of an awesome five issue miniseries that I read earlier this year that was tons of fun and a sort of light, cheery throwback to the atomic age. I’ve been a fan of the sort of 1950’s retro cold war chic since I played Fallout oh so many years ago, and that first mini had a very similar feel. This one is set in World War Two, so it has a decidedly different aesthetic to it (which is not a bad thing, despite my preference toward the 50’s), but that doesn’t change the series overall to the point of making it read any differently. This issue reads fast, as Robo is parachuting in behind enemy lines to take out some German “laufpanzers” (walking tanks. Five years of German pays off!) that were made partially off the specs that created Robo himself. There are a lot of sparse and wordless panels, and the issue is mostly action, which is why I didn’t like it as much as some of the issues from the first mini, but there’s also an amusing little four page backup that retains that silly vibe. It’s a very good book and I would recommend picking it up, but I would definitely start with the first mini, which’ll be out in trade soon if it’s not on the shelves already.

Angel: After the Fall #11 [IDW] (*1/2)

Comic fans are often referred to as masochistic. We buy books we hate because we have a love for the characters or don’t want to interrupt the run (collector’s mentality). I’m in the camp of the former when it comes to Angel After the Fall. I love the characters, and I’m legitimately intrigued by the overall storyline and where the story is headed, but the writing is SO BAD and the art is SO BAD that the book is just painful to read. The art is completely inconsistent and rushed, and there are a couple instances of Lynch trying to crowbar in some pop culture referency Whedonisms that ring completely false. But the saddest thing about all of this is the fact that I’m probably going to keep buying the thing. And that really is masochism in action. Because they’re doing some cool things in the overall scheme. But that doesn’t stop the individual pieces of the story from being just awful and sad.

Spike: After the Fall #2 [IDW] (***)

Well this one actually got better. Who knew? It’s still not great, but it’s a lot better than its bigger brother right now. We continue to follow Spike as he moves toward the status quo that was set up early in Angel: After the Fall, and this issue specifically deals with Spike and Illyria coming face to face with the Lord of Beverly Hills, who’s not a nice customer. The art is still muddled, but the writing is a lot more bearable than what Lynch is doing on Angel. This book is showing signs of life, and it’s enough for me to buy into the next two issues.