100. Big Questions
Written & Illustrated By: Anders NilsenPublished By: Drawn & Quarterly
Anders Nilsen's decade-in-the-making flagship series concludes with an ending as explosive and uncompromising as its art is delicate and vulnerable. Elsewhere I've called this the best and most important funny-animal comic since "Maus." I'm sticking to that. If next year's collected edition isn't on top of my Best of 2011 list, then will have been some kind of miracle year.
99. A Drunken Dream And Other Stories
Written & Illustrated By: Moto HagioPublished By: Fantagraphics
I'd never heard of Moto Hagio until Fantagraphics published this best-of collection of her stories, and it's easy to see why Hagio is one of the queens of shojo manga in Japan. The short story "Iguana Girl" (about a girl who grows up with her mother treating her like she is an iguana) is strong enough to make you feel like you've gotten your money's worth, but the remaining nine stories are also all excellent to boot.
98. Lola: A Ghost Story
Written By: J. TorresPublished By: Oni Press
J. Torres' intimate tale of legacy and self-discovery caught me by surprise. As I read it, it struck me as a timeless tale that can be revisited at any point and still ring true, still be as haunting and compelling as the first time.
97. Twin Spica
Written & Illustrated By: Kou YaginumaPublished By: Vertical
A lovely manga about a young girl who wants to be an astronaut, "Twin Spica" stretches outside the usual boundaries of children's stories and has moments of true poetry and grace. Kou Yaginuma's art goes far beyond the usual standards of manga, creating unforgettable characters and settings that really draw the reader in.
96. Drinking At The Movies
Written & Illustrated By: Julia WertzPublished By: Three Rivers Press/Random House
With a sharp eye and plenty of self-deprecating humor, Julia Wertz chronicles her first year in New York, a year of crappy jobs, terrible apartments, and good friends. Wertz is a great raconteur who manages to be entertaining and a bit deep at the same time.
95. Last Days of American Crime
Written By: Rick RemenderPublished By: Radical Comics
Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini redefined the heist comic this year in a creatively devious take on the crime of the century. Remender's team of three thieves have a week to steal the biggest payout of their careers before the American government broadcasts a signal that makes it impossible to do anything illegal -- all told in Tocchini's unique and detailed style. A healthy mix of sex, violence and con, Remender reminds readers why crime does indeed pay.
94. Spider-Girl
Written By: Paul TobinPublished By: Marvel Comics
Not only is the book well written and drawn, it uses social networking! Spider-Girl's got a real Twitter account for some cool interactivity between the book and real life, which is just one of the reasons Paul Tobin should be commended for bringing Arana and Spider-Girl back to life. The series had a strong start with Clayton Henry's art suiting itself perfectly to Tobin's witty dialogue and plot that draws from all aspects of the Marvel U.
93. The Muppet Show Comic Book
Written & Illustrated By: Roger LangridgePublished By: BOOM! Studios
Roger Langridge has been one of the great unsung cartoonists for so long that seeing him finally get his due with these books is a great joy. What many of us feared would be a mediocre comic is a joy to read as Langridge understands the characters, is a master of physical comedy and conveys the joy (and agony) of putting on a show.
92. Saturn Apartments
Written & Illustrated By: Hisae IwaokaPublished By: Viz
A comic about a window washer might not sound interesting -- but what if it's a window washer who works on a massive space station that circles the planet some 35,000 meters above the surface? "Saturn Apartments" follows Mitsu and his fellow lower-level dwellers in a fascinating series that takes an ignored class of people and makes them heroes in their own right.
91. Billy Batson & The Magic of Shazam
Written by: Art Baltazar, Franco AurelianiPublished By: DC Comics
The legend of SHAZAM! is properly celebrated here. Baltazar and Aureliani provide stories that are fun and loud, big-screen, but intimate. It's a wonderful tribute to a legend without shattering any of the tenets established by creative legends and beloved by comic fans."
90. Tom Strong And The Robots Of Doom
Written By: Peter HoganPublished By: WildStorm/DC Comics
For my money, Hogan, Sprouse and Story have done a lovely job continuing the adventures of Mr. Strong. Compelling, swashbuckling adventures in time with robots, underground ancients, evil Nazi blond temptresses and two generations of Tom Strong. Sprouse really nails the art, and our hero cuts an even more dashing figure than usual, I found myself disturbingly attracted to this fictional character.
89. The Image Superhero Comics of Robert Kirkman
Written By: Robert Kirkman (with Benito Cereno)Published By: Image Comics
The superhero comic that every superhero comic should aspire to! "Invincible" is the Superman/Spider-Man for this generation -- full of good intentions, frustrated, and totally relatable. Kirkman and Ottley continue to knock this book out of the park every issue. The Kirkmanverse heralded a welcome expansion this year with the Guardians of the Globe getting their own series. While the series is still in its infancy, Kirkman and Cereno dangle plot threads in our faces and we're frantically chasing them around like a Viltrumite chases down infidel rebels! Plus, rising star Ransom Getty brings his own fresh take on old favorites like Brit, Cecil Stedman and even Invincible himself. With titles like this, it's a great time to be a Kirkman fan.
88. Warlord of iO
Written & Illustrated By: James TurnerPublished By: SLG Publishing
Turner's boisterous imagination spills all over every page to create some of the most fantastic Space Pulp I've ever read. The villains are an eclectic group of crocodile-men, warbots, mud monsters, asteroid ants, jello people and others too nuts to describe. The hero is helped by a miniature robot named Urk and there are also talking ray guns, a philosophizing sapling, a cybernetic death-rat, and of course Tiki Space Pirates. None of that would matter, though, if the story didn't also have heart. Which it does.
87. Prison Pit Vol. 2
Written & Illustrated By: Johnny RyanPublished By: Fantagraphics
Absurd, crude, lewd, funny, entertaining, twelve kinds of wrong, one of the most effed-up books I've ever read. It's burned into my brain and I can't get it out. And I love it.
86. Achewood
Written & Illustrated by: Chris OnstadPublished By: Dark Horse Comics
Another fine year of laughter and...well...depression.
85. Thor
Written By: Kieron Gillen and Matt FractionPublished By: Marvel Comics
As masterfully executed as Marvel's "Siege" event was for the most part, Thor's world and his character only got deeper when Fraction picked up the thunder god's book with issue #615. Together with Pasqual Ferry and Matt Hollingsworth's electric colors, Gillen's writing not only injected the series with a new wind to take it into Thor's movie year in 2011, he realigned the hero's world to up the ante for all Thor tales in any medium.
84. Usagi Yojimbo
Written & Illustrated By: Stan SakaiPublished By: Dark Horse Comics
For the past 26 years, creator Stan Sakai has consistently put out some of the most entertaining stories in comics as he chronicles the adventures of Usagi Yojimbo. This year saw the samurai rabbit fight the Red Scorpion gang, save a sacred drum and both fight and team up with the swordsman Kato after a double cross. Sakai's art has never looked better, and the stories offer almost universal appeal and even the occasional history lesson.
83. Bug
Written & Illustrated By: Adam HuberMost gag comics are hit or miss, but every single one of Adam Huber's daily strips hits the mark, with an offbeat, slightly twisted sense of humor.
82. Guinea Pig, Pet Shop Private Eye 1: Hamster and Cheese
Written By: Colleen AF Venable Published By: Lerner Publishing Group
A charming children's book about a pet store filled with mislabeled pets, this story is simple enough for young readers but filled with witty writing and quirky characters that grownups can appreciate as well.
81. Fantastic Four
Written By: Jonathan HickmanPublished By: Marvel Comics
Along with Dale Eaglesham and Steve Epting, Jonathan Hickman told some of the most interesting and surprising tales in the Marvel Universe this year. Through trips to Nu World with Galactus and undersea adventures with Namor, the big adventures were mixed with touching human elements, like Ben Grimm getting time off from his monstrous form, that really made this one of the best books of the year.
80. Superman: Earth One
Written By: J. Michael StraczynskiPublished By: DC Comics
I'm not going to lie to you. When I first saw Clark Kent in a hoodie, I wanted to scream. And yet JMS and Shane Davis delivered a near perfect Superman story that was so well done, it ranks right up there with John Byrne's "The Man of Steel" and Mark Waid's "Superman: Birthright" as definitive takes on Kal-El's origin tale.
79. Avengers: The Children's Crusade
Written By: Allan HeinbergPublished By: Marvel Comics
This series re-unites the original Young Avengers creative team to answer the question X-Men/Avengers fans have been waiting to see resolved since 2004 - where is Wanda Maximoff? With a compelling cast centered on the extended Maximoff family, it's been an utter joy to read, telling an epic story without losing sight of the simple human drama at the centre of it. Classic Marvel in the making.
78. Ultimate Spider-Man
Written By: Brian Michael BendisPublished By: Marvel Comics
Throughout its decade-long history, "Ultimate Spider-Man" has never failed to entertain, but this year was especially good. Bendis used the cataclysmic events of "Ultimatum" to take the series in new and interesting directions, including having Johnny Storm and Bobby Drake come to live with Peter Parker and his Aunt May. The recent milestone issue #150 was the highlight of a great year and illustrates why the series has been so good for so long; it's essentially about a teenager struggling to be good in a complicated and often unfair world.
77. Amazing Spider-Man
Written By: Joe Kelly, Dan Slott, Fred Van Lente, Mark Waid, Tom Peyer, Roger Stern, Zeb Wells, J.M DeMatteis, Stan Lee, Joe Quesada, Bob Gale, Marc GuggenheimPublished By: Marvel Comics
As the names above show, 2010 was a great year to be a Spider-Man fan. It was the final year of the thrice monthly "Brand New Day" era and the creative teams went out in style. Stand-out stories include Joe Kelly and Michael Lark's "Grim Hunt" saga and issue #647, where each of the "Brand New Day" writers told one last Peter Parker story. Dan Slott took over as the series sole writer with issue #648, and so far his run is off to a great start.
76. The Stuff of Legend
Written by: Mike Raicht, Brian SmithPublished by Th3rd World Studios
The tale of one boy's toys in their quest to liberate the boy from the clutches of the Boogeyman. Wilson's art would be worth the price of admission alone, but the story is filled with heart and soul.
75. Freak Angels
Written By: Warren EllisPublished By: Avatar Press
This year in "Freak Angels," Ellis & Duffield's characters really started rubbing against each other like gears and I loved seeing the sparks fly. Truly a unique series, it's sadly overlooked by both the webcomics crowd and the traditional American comics contingent. This has become one of Warren Ellis' definitive works just after "Transmetropolitan" and "Authority," while artist Paul Duffield is applying a level of quality unheard of in webcomics, and giving traditional print comics something to be jealous of.
74. Taskmaster
Written By: Fred Van LentePublished By: Marvel Comics
In "Taskmaster," Van Lente and Paolo didn't just give readers an exciting and poignant origin for their protagonist, they also introduced wildly creative and hilarious characters and concepts like the Don of the Dead, Red Shirt, the Minion's International Liberation Front and the town where everyone was Hitler.
73. Little Nothings
Written & Illustrated By: Lewis TrondheimPublished By: NBM
You always know what to expect from Lewis Trondheim's "Little Nothings" -- just well-crafted, entertaining collections, well, little nothings. But damned if he doesn't deliver every single time with interesting slice-of-life tales.
72. How To Understand Israel In 60 Days Or Less
Written & Illustrated By: Sarah GliddenPublished By: Vertigo/DC Comics
Easily one of the most insightful and thought-provoking comics I read this year, I devoured Glidden's beautiful watercolor travelogue detailing her birthright trip to Israel as a progressive, American, atheist Jew in one sitting. And then I went back and read it again. I doubt I actually understand Israel -- and probably won't even if given 60 years -- but it certainly opened my mind and made me think in a way that only the best of comics can.
71. Werewolves of Montpellier
Written & Illustrated By: JasonPublished By: Fantagraphics
Every time Jason dives into an age-old genre he finds a way to make it seem alien. His cast of animal characters feel like an emotionally suppressed oven full of loaded guns. His expedition into werewolf tales brings all of these elements together throughout its rooftop chases and playful approach to the supernatural.
70. Supergod
Written By: Warren EllisPublished By: Avatar Press
An examination of what being a post-human truly means, "Supergod" is Warren Ellis drawing a blueprint for a new type of superhero story. A must-read for any fan of the genre.
69. RASL
Written & Illustrated By: Jeff SmithPublished By: Cartoon Books
If you only know Jeff Smith from his all-ages comic "Bone," you might be a little surprised by "RASL," his science-fiction saga with a boozing, dimension-hopping art thief whose morals might not quite be in place. Each new issue adds another piece to the overall puzzle, and combined with some of Smith's always gorgeous art, it's a treat and a half.
68. Strange Tales 2
Written & Illustrated By: VariousPublished By: Marvel Comics
I always enjoy a good anthology, but this was one of the best I've read, not just in 2010, but period. With a massive glut of indie talent, from Kate Beaton and Jaime Hernandez to Jeffrey Brown and Eduardo Medeiros, like any anthology, some work is stronger than others. Often enough, one person's best is another person's "Eh...," which is part of what makes anthologies so great -- that there is something for everyone -- but I found this collection to be particularly strong. Even stories that weren't so much my cup of tea, they were still interesting and better that most stories I read this year. A little bit heartfelt, a little bit strange, a lot of beautiful and a whole lot of funny made this series a home run. I hope Marvel keeps it up.
67. It Was A War Of The Trenches
Written & Illustrated By: Jacques TardiPublished By: Fantagraphics
Reading "Trenches," you realize just how far afield, just how dead wrong most American (and British) had it in their depiction of war. Even Kurtzman's war comics (which I love) seem like kiddie sermonizing, an overly sweet, sanitized warning, next to Tardi's uncompromising depiction of WWI. You want to know how brutal war can be? You want to know how war should be depicted in comics -- how to look the utter savagery, inhumanity and square in the eye using only pen and ink? This is how you do it.
66. Mercury
Written & Illustrated By: Hope LarsonPublished By: Atheneum Books/Simon & Schuster
From the striking cover image on through to the lyrical linework of the interiors, Hope Larson's latest graphic novel shows a genuine sense of clarity in its story and purpose in its telling. The tale of two Canadian girls mysteriously connected over generations and the unreal world they interact with, "Mercury" lands with emotional honesty and haunting imagery. That such an idiosyncratic and enjoyable comic comes out of the young adult stacks of the big publishing houses -- a segment of the market sadly best known for cranking out lukewarm adaptations of past prose hits – is all the more impressive.
65. Shadoweyes
Written & Illustrated By: Ross CampbellPublished By: SLG Publishing
Just when I think nobody can do something unique and interesting with superheroes, Ross Campbell comes in with his YA superhero tale of a young girl named Scout Montana that becomes a "monster" and vigilante crime fighter named Shadoweyes. With Campbell's excellent ear for teen voices and exceptional illustration work, "Shadoweyes" stood out as some solid superhero work that asked tough questions about alienation and identity while still being massively entertaining and beautiful.
64. The Boys
Written By: Garth EnnisPublished By: Dynamite Entertainment
This year, "The Boys" broke my heart. Passing the halfway mark, the book got down to business and delivered its strongest year of comics yet.
63. Axe Cop
Written By: Malachai NicollePublished By: Dark Horse Comics
In a number of ways, 2010 really was The Year of "Axe Cop." 9-year-old Malachi Nicolle put the thoughts in his apparently nuclear-powered imagination together with his Eisner nominated 29-year-old brother's art skills, and they created webcomic so immaculately summed up by its name that it puts most other new titles to shame.
62. The Olympians Series
Written & Illustrated By: George O'ConnorPublished By: First Second Books
[This series] single-handedly revived my love for Greek mythology. O'Connor's "Zeus" is charming and heroic. I finally see why he was such a successful philanderer. Plus: this book has the Best Cyclops Ever! I was much more prepared to like "Athena" than I was "Zeus." Even so, O'Connor presents a balanced picture of a flawed heroine, which only makes me like her more. He also finally explains the Aegis in a way that's not only understandable, but really, really awesome.
61. Afrodisiac
Written By: Brian MarucaPublished By: AdHouse Books
I nearly forgot this puppy because it came out early in the year, but it's a doozy -- the adventures of Afrodisiac in all it's sexy, technicolor glory. Kitschy '70s blaxploitation with a modern day kick, this is funny, sarcastic and disarmingly well made. A nicely crafted book with bags of humor, oozing with sass and trashy satire.
60. DeadpoolMAX
Written By: David LaphamPublished By: Marvel Comics
Offensive and hilarious, just like comics should be. I always thought Deadpool would work best in an "adults only" title and Marvel had to prove me right by getting David Lapham and Kyle Baker to make it happen. Every issue is laugh out loud funny and usually for things that respectable adults shouldn't laugh at. Good thing I'm not one of those.
59. Smile
Written & Illustrated By: Raina TelgemeirPublished By: Scholastic Graphix
An extremely well-told memoir, Raina Telgemeir manages to make a seemingly mundane series of events charming and fascinating.
58. Joe The Barbarian
Written By: Grant MorrisonPublished By: Vertigo/DC Comics
Grant Morrison's introduction of a diabetic who finds himself in his own fantasy world was engaging enough, but Sean Murphy's all star turn on the book's art propelled it into must-read status.
57. Troop 142
Written & Illustrated By: Mike DawsonIn this overlooked gem of a web comic, "Freddie & Me" creator Mike Dawson manages to both accurately detail what life is like at a week-long Boy Scout summer camp and then open that experience up to a wide audience. Over seven chapters, the lives of both scouts and leaders in the titular troop unfold full of embarrassing swim buddy moments, the formation of cruel and kind social relationships and debates that unite outsiders as much as they divide them.
56. DV8: Gods And Monsters
Written By: Brian WoodPublished By: WildStorm/DC Comics
Brian Wood and Rebekah Isaacs re-invented superheroes for me this year with "DV8" and I loved everything about it. "DV8" was modern and smart and different from what I usually expect (and receive) in superhero comics. A tale of 8 anti-heroes dropped on a foreign planet for unknown reasons, Wood gives us an insightful and harrowing glimpse into their unraveling as both people and "heroes." Isaacs' commanding cinematic style took Wood's subtle personal story up to epic levels -- a deadly effective combination. And it should be noted that every publisher should be banging down Isaacs' door as a skyrocketing new talent in comics.
55. Power Girl
Written By: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti, Judd WinickPublished By: DC Comics
"Power Girl" started the year with the second half of Gray, Palmiotti and Conner's 12-issue run, and was nothing short of masterful - funny, sexy and confident, it was the very embodiment of Power Girl, and deserves a place on every superhero fan's shelves. Judd Winick and Sami Basri had the unenviable task of picking up the baton with issue #13, and soon made the book their own. They kept the title good throughout 2010 - but for those first six months, it was spectacular.
54. Hawkeye and Mockingbird
Written By: Jim McCannPublished By: Marvel Comics
This series mixed superheroics with super spy adventure and never let off the accelerator.
With "Hawkeye & Mockingbird," McCann and Lopez blended morally ambiguous spy action, superheroics and relationship drama to create a potent and unique story cocktail. The characterization of both leads was fascinating and the series chief supporting character, the roguish Dominic Fortune, usually stole every scene he was in.
53. Hellblazer
Written By: Peter MilliganPublished By: Vertigo/DC Comics
After so many years, it is truly astounding that this book can continuously deliver, but it wasn't until Milligan and Bisley took it on that it really came right around. Now I look forward to reading each issue just as much as I did when it first came out. While "India" was an interesting storyline, it wasn't until their punk opus "No Future" that it really started kicking my ass. Truly great comic book work and it's still going strong.
52. H Day
Written & Illustrated By: Renée FrenchPublished By: Picturebox, Inc.
There is no other artist like French. I respect a publisher that will support an engaging and yet abstract book fueled by the experience of migraines. Any creator that attempts and succeeds at silent storytelling of this nature deserves to be in everyone's top ten.
51. Ectopiary
Written & Illustrated By: Hans RickheitHans Rickheit followed up his 2009 graphic novel "The Squirrel Machine" by serializing his latest project "Ectopiary" online, and the result has been his most accessible long-form graphic novel to date. This year, he set a platinum standard for the level of sophistication and narrative weight that can be hoisted up by some well-planned visual storytelling in his tale about a young girl separated from her parents.
50. Orc Stain
Written & Illustrated By: James StokoePublished By: Image Comics
Along with Bryan Lee O'Malley and Brandon Graham, Stokoe seems to belong to a new generation of cartoonists whose influences draw from a seemingly disparate array of sources. A close read of "Orc Stain" can spot references to Heavy Metal, shonen manga, D&D and a host of other things. The combined brew results in something that is frenetic, hilarious, imaginative, utterly original and utterly comics.
49. Action Comics
Written By: Paul CornellPublished By: DC Comics
As a lifelong fan of the Man of Steel, I despise Lex Luthor. I mean, I really, really don't like him. And yet, somehow, Paul Cornell and Pete Woods have tricked me into cheering for the Big Bald Bad in the pages of "Action Comics" even when he's up against supervillains I adore like Mister Mind and Gorilla Grodd.
48. Atlas
Written By: Jeff ParkerPublished By: Marvel Comics
Let's take a quick look at what the book offered: a killer robot, a talking gorilla, a goddess, a telepathic alien and an undersea princess, all following the lead of a rejuvenated 1950s secret agent who is destined to rule one of the greatest criminal empires in the history of mankind. That criminal empire also has a dragon as an advisor. Doesn't that sound like a great summertime movie? It's either that or one hell of a set-up to a nerdy joke.
47. BB Wolf and the 3 LP's
Written By: J.D. ArnoldPublished By: Top Shelf Productions
Writer J.D. Arnold makes his comic debut with this graphic novel illustrated by Rich Koslowski. It's the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf, but they take a tale we know by heart and turn it into something else -- a fable about how we live and how we have lived, transforming it into something heart-wrenching. Though we know how it will end, we're brought almost to tears by the tragic inevitability and what it says about us.
46. Solomon's Thieves
Written By: Jordan MechnerPublished By: First Second Books
Mechner ("Prince of Persia") has created a loving tribute to the nameless, rank-and-file Templar Knights who found themselves unwilling pawns in a political game between the Pope and the King of France. Not only that, he pays brilliant homage to Alexandre Dumas by crafting a story worthy of the father of the historical swashbuckler. A story that Pham and Puvilland bring to life with majestic, sensual art.
45. Make Me A Woman
Written & Illustrated By: Vanessa DavisPublished By: Drawn & Quarterly
Part sketchbook, part diary, part short story collection, Vanessa Davis' "Make Me a Woman" is especially noteworthy for not only her fluid, beautiful art style, but how easily she pulls the reader into her orbit. You'll finish "Make Me a Woman" feeling like you've known Davis for years, and that in doing so, had a new close friend to boot. Some people are writers or artists; Davis is a true storyteller.
44. Hereville
Written & Illustrated By: Barry DeutschSet in an Orthodox Jewish community, Barry Deutsch's story of a young girl who dreams of slaying dragons someday mixes fantasy and everyday life in a comfortable and convincing way. Deutsch uses a simple drawing style but animates his story with creative layouts that not only carry the action but also hint at his characters' thoughts and feelings.
43. Two Cents Plain
Written & Illustrated By: Martin LemelmanThis is an amazing memoir that didn't get anywhere near enough attention this year. Constructed as a series of vignettes, it tells the story of the author's parents and the soda fountain they kept in Brooklyn for decades. Author Martin Lemelman mixes nostalgia and realism, bringing in period touches such as drawings of vintage toys and candy but never shying away from the grittier details such as his parents' anger, their poverty and the rats that swarmed through their apartment.
42. The Flash
Written By: Geoff JohnsPublished By: DC Comics
Arguably the biggest name in comics today, Geoff Johns has re-imagined Barry Allen as a top-tier superhero with a perfect blend of Gil Grissom gumshoeing and Silver Age charm. Francis Manapul's pages are so majestic, I find myself pulling a Reverse-Flash back to the first page the minute I've finished an issue to take a second (or even third) look.
41. The Unsinkable Walker Bean
Written & Illustrated By: Aaron RenierPublished By: First Second Books
As popular as pirates are, you'd think there'd be more comics featuring them. Renier does his part to correct that, but "The Unsinkable Walker Bean" is way more than a pirate comic. It's a wonderful, oceanic adventure about a young boy's love for his grandfather and his willingness to do whatever it takes to save him, including fighting pirates, his own father and giant lobster-witches.
40. Blacksad
Written By: Juan Diaz CanalesPublished By: Dark Horse Comics
This year I discovered what many comic fans all over the world already know; the European comic series "Blacksad" is awesome! It's an anthropomorphic crime series set in the 1950s that follows the exploits of a tough, feline private eye named John Blacksad. This year's volume features three fascinating film noir stories, each one showcasing mind blowing and breathtakingly beautiful art.
39. Sweet Tooth
Written & Illustrated By: Jeff LemirePublished By: Vertigo/DC Comics
"Sweet Tooth" is another Vertigo series that picked up steam in 2010, turning Gus, a young boy with antlers, from a wide-eyed innocent into a wide-eyed innocent who's seen some ugly things and found strength in adversity. That, and he may or may not be the reason this wild, depopulated world with animal children came to be the way it is. Awesome and engaging.
38. Irredeemable
Written By: Mark WaidPublished By: BOOM! Studios
What do you do when the world's most powerful superhuman turns bad and kills millions? Put your head between your knees and kiss your butt goodbye (while enjoying every single second of it, courtesy of scribe Mark Waid).
37. The Abominable Charles Christopher
Written & Illustrated By: Karl KerschlKarl Kerschl's lovely printed collection of his weekly webcomic set in a woodland and populated by a variety of woodland creatures, including the titular (and mute) Charles Christopher, a gentle abominable snowman, is gorgeous, and moving. The story varies wildly from hilarious to heartbreaking (yes, this book has made me cry and more than once) and is one of the best-drawn comics you will find anywhere. Kerschl's characters, whether bird, bee, or abominable snowman, are undeniably relatable and it's nearly impossible not to fall in love once you start reading -- but prepare yourself to shed at least as many tears as laughs.
36. Weathercraft
Written & Illustrated By: Jim WoodringPublished By: Fantagraphics
The sometimes disgraceful, sometimes pitiable character Manhog goes on a Cambellian hero's journey by way of Luis Bunuel in Woodring's first comic in years and lengthiest story ever. It's a twisting, twisted, often bizarre, often disturbing but always gripping tale of one creature's self-redemption and ultimate sacrifice told without words and often as enigmatically as possible. If you had any doubt that Woodring could still deliver after laying low for so long, consider them erased.
35. PunisherMAX
Written By: Jason AaronPublished By: Marvel Comics
Jason Aaron has somehow managed to match Garth Ennis' extremely high level of writing for the MAX version of Punisher. I didn't think anyone could follow Garth Ennis on the character, but Jason Aaron did it -- and did it with the artist most associated with Ennis! Every issue was a twisted surprise.
34. You'll Never Know: Collateral Damage
Written & Illustrated By: Carol TylerPublished By: Fantagraphics
The second volume of Carol Tyler's memoir of her father digs deeper than the first book, expanding its scope in a way that feels very natural. The collateral damage of the title is Tyler herself in a story about how an emotionally distant father affected her, her daughter and others in the family. Her father never ceases to be "a good and decent man" as the title of the first volume called him, but as with all true stories, the truth is much more complicated than that. One of the most heartfelt books of the year and also one of the most beautiful.
33. Market Day
Written & Illustrated By: James SturmPublished By: Drawn & Quarterly
Why do we make art? Who do we make art for? What do we do when the commercial realities of the world around us are at desperate, sharp odds with the art we most want to create? Those are the sorts of questions Sturm raises in his masterful little saga about an insecure rug maker who finds he no longer has a patron to sell to. And if you should by chance see some sort of contemporary metaphor for the comics industry itself in there, well, I'm sure it wasn't intentional.
32. Secret Avengers
Written By: Ed BrubakerPublished By: Marvel Comics
Although Bendis has his hand firmly on the Avengers tiller, the franchise has benefited from the addition of Ed Brubaker. While the cast is unusual, Brubaker has turned second-stringers like Ant Man and Valkyrie into stars, weaving intrigue and mystery (befitting the name "secret") into every issue. The second arc even threatens to make Shang Chi interesting -- that's how good it is.
31. The Sixth Gun
Written By: Cullen BunnPublished By: Oni Press
What happens when you mix horror, dark fantasy and the wild west? If you're especially lucky, "The Sixth Gun," where every month Cullen Bunn comes up with new and fantastical creations for Brian Hurtt to beautifully draw. It's almost criminal the first issue was given away for free at Free Comic Book Day, because there's no way to keep from getting hooked after reading it.
30. Fables
Written By: Bill WillinghamPublished By: Vertigo/DC Comics
One of the few series whose quality can be consistently counted on. The book may not have shipped every month this year, but the creative team more than made up for it with the best and biggest hundredth issue I've ever seen. I hope these stories never reach a "happily ever after…"
The first 93 issues, collected into 14 trade paperbacks, garnered the creators 14 Eisner Awards. How's that for consistency? "Fables" is the comic book equivalent to Joe DiMaggio. In fact, it's better since it just notched its 100th consecutive hit in December. Can't wait to see where the next 100 issues go. Huzzah!
29. Special Exits
Written & Illustrated By: Joyce FarmerPublished By: Fantagraphics
Underground-comix journeywoman Joyce Farmer returns with a 200-page chronicle of the decline and death of her aging and infirm parents, with nearly every meticulously crosshatched panel drawn as if her life depended on it. Maybe it did. This is a magnum opus no one expected to read, a brutally frank depiction of what it's like for full lives you love to end, and it has the most painfully happy ending of the year. It made me cry. Don't do what I almost did and ignore one of the year's most moving comics.
28. Set To Sea
Written & Illustrated By: Drew WeingPublished By: Fantagraphics
Weing strapped the heart-rending quest of a simple poet onto a book sporting the energy of a Popeye cartoon and the beastly human proportions of an R. Crumb comic. It's a book that manages to read with the lightness of a feather while simultaneously keeping its audience keenly aware of mortality and the fickle nature of fate on the high seas.
27. Uncanny X-Force
Written By: Rick RemenderPublished By: Marvel Comics
The X-Men's black-ops squad reinvented themselves with a new roster, a new mission and a new creative team this year to incredible results. Rick Remender's handle on established favorites like Wolverine and Deadpool make these variant-cover hogs feel like fresh, new faces, while new life has been breathed into Apocalypse while Fantomex recieved some much-needed time in the spotlight. Throw in Jerome Opena's action-packed panels and you've got a title where everything old is new again, and that suits us just fine.
26. Wally Gropius
Written & Illustrated By: Tim Hensley Published By: Fantagraphics
The first great comic of the Great Recession. Tim Hensley's breakout graphic novel, previously serialized in the Mome anthology, seems like a send-up of silly '60s teen-comedy and kid-millionaire comics on the surface, but beneath lies as odd and accurate a cri de coeur about capitalism and consumerism as I've ever read. It also does things with body language I've never seen in comics, and is funny as hell to boot. There's nothing else out there like it.
25. S.W.O.R.D.
Written By: Kieron GillenPublished By: Marvel Comics
Fun, hilarious, dense, amazing, smart, awesome. I can just write a paragraph of superlatives, can't I? No? Alright, this comic was easily the best thing to come out of Marvel this year but it just didn't get the support, it only made it into March. Gillen and Sanders worked to make this comic unlike anything else on the stands. It rattled off dialogue and body language like a sitcom and yet gave us the expanse of space and the immense intellect of Death's Head. This comic was incredible fun with every single issue, all five of them, and it will be sorely missed.
24. Scarlet
Written By: Brian Michael BendisPublished By: ICON/Marvel Comics
Only three issues of "Scarlet" came out in 2010, but each one was a hell of a read. "Scarlet" is a political thriller that anyone can relate to and enjoy regardless of their political affiliation. The book's title character is incredibly charismatic, but the complex nature of her situation and the narrative means that there are times you'll root for her and other times you'll be terrified of her.
23. X'ed Out
Written & Illustrated By: Charles BurnsPublished By: Pantheon
Tintin by way of William Burroughs, the first volume in Burns' planned four-part saga teases, taunts, unnerves and pokes at the reader in a way that only Burns can. What struck me the most about reading this book is how well it draws you into the main character's reality and dream world without ever really telling you much about what's actually been going on. More might be revealed in the second volume, but if it's as well told as this one is, I won't mind much if it isn't.
22. Hark! A Vagrant
Written & Illustrated By: Kate BeatonOne of the funniest writers in comics, and one of the most observant and subtle ones, as well, Beaton would've earned her place on this list based on her writing alone, even if she didn't have a line that looks like Quentin Blake and Posy Simmons got together and did some Wonder Twin thing together. Insanely prolific and never less than hilarious, she singlehandedly makes the internet worthwhile. There is no reason why she should not take over the world, as far as I'm concerned.
21. Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour
Written & Illustrated By: Bryan Lee O'MalleyPublished By: Oni Press
There was so much potential for Scott Pilgrim to fall at the last hurdle with so many loose ends to tie up, so many directions for the characters to take (and so many fans pulling in each of them; I'll admit, I wanted Kim to get Scott in the end, and I love that she didn't want him, when it came down to it) - but "Finest Hour" was a victory in every single way, and managed to bring an emotional resonance and maturity not only to the finale, but to the entire series, in retrospect. It didn't hurt that it looked ridiculously sharp, with O'Malley bringing new edge to his style, making this easily the best-looking of an already incredibly illustrated series. The rare occasion when something didn't just live up to the hype but made the hype look lazy and unambitious by comparison, "Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour" was easily the best book of the year for me.
20. Stumptown
Written By: Greg RuckaPublished By: Oni Press
Rucka gave the comic industry what it can always use more of -- a strong female lead character in the form of Private Detective Dex Parios. The series is a pop culture descendant of the 1970s TV series "The Rockford Files" with a gritty vibe thanks to artist Matthew Southworth. Oni promises we'll get more stories down the road, and I can hardly wait.
19. The Unwritten
Written By: Mike CareyPublished By: Vertigo/DC Comics
In 2010, "Unwritten" went from a series I merely "really enjoyed" to one of the books I was most excited to read each month. Cever twists involving Wilson Taylor, plus a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-style issue, demonstrate that Mike Carey has really thought about what a story is, what a story means and how that all maps to this set of characters with one foot in fiction and the other in reality.
18. The Walking Dead
Written By: Robert KirkmanPublished By: Image Comics
Fans of this book knew of its greatness long before the television show aired. Kirkman handles this book's enormous cast with such precision and heart, it has to be read to be believed. Between Adlard's art and Kirkman's writing, there's no better team in comics,
17. Beasts of Burden/Hellboy: Sacrifice
Written By: Evan Dorkin and Mike MignolaPublished By: Dark Horse Comics
Why can't all crossover comics be this good? "Beasts of Burden" and "Hellboy" are each independently a blast to read, but everyone involved is at the top of their game with this one-shot. Horrific and exciting, the only bad thing about "Beasts of Burden/Hellboy" is that we now have to wait for the next "Beasts of Burden" miniseries.
16. Duncan The Wonder Dog
Written & Illustrated By: Adam HinesPublished By: AdHouse Books
Upon seeing this for the first time at the Alternative Press Expo, all I could say was, "Wow." Adam Hines' debut graphic novel is an ambitious and ultimately very satisfying introduction to a world where animals talk -- and they're kinda pissed. Hines shows off not only his storytelling abilities but his artistic flair in this mammoth first volume, using acrylics and collage to compliment his smooth line work. I can't wait to see what he does next.
15. Brightest Day
Written By: Geoff Johns and Peter TomasiPublished By: DC Comics
In the first semi-weekly series to capture the essence of "52," "Brightest Day" tells the story of the heroes resurrected as a result of the events of "Blackest Night," and there are plenty of interesting threads to follow. Johns brings new depth to heroes like Deadman (now alive), Aquaman and Firestorm and places established cornerstone heroes Hawkman, Hawkgirl and Martian Manhunter into unfamiliar territory, proving that the reach of the White Lantern's light knows no bounds.
14. DEMO 2
Written By: Brian WoodPublished By: Vertigo/DC Comics
Wood and Cloonan's return to the "Demo" concept could have been a disaster or a bad sequel, but they each demonstrated how much they've improved their craft and matured since the original. Six short stories from two of the best in the business? Hells yes.
13. Chew
Written By: John LaymanPublished By: Image Comics
Bar none, the most fun you'll have reading a comic each and every month. Wickedly brilliant and brilliantly wicked, John Layman and Rob Guillory make me crave "Chew" more than the characters inhabiting the title's universe crave chicken. And that's a lot considering it's illegal for them to finger lick.
12. Return of The Dapper Men
Written By: Jim McCannPublished By: Archaia
"Return of the Dapper Men" was far and away my favorite book of the year. A fairy-tale allegory in the style of "The Little Prince," Jim McCann's lighthearted (and fashionable) story would be enough to warrant a smile on its own, but when brought to life by Janet Lee's beautiful, distinctive paintings, "Dapper Men" becomes this incredibly stunning piece of work and something that I would think will only get more popular and well-renowned as time goes on.
11. Morning Glories
Written By: Nick SpencerPublished By: Image Comics
"The Walking Dead" on AMC may have shined some new light on Image Comics this year, but the publisher welcomed an exceptionally strong stable of new talent and books in 2010 with "Morning Glories" setting the standard for fresh, approachable, creator-owned monthlies. One part Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and one part "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" with a twist of "Runaways," Spencer and Eisma have made a book that knows and resonates with its readership while not shying away from surprises.
10. Wilson
Written & Illustrated By: Daniel Clowes
Published By: Drawn & Quarterly
I think this is Clowes' meanest book, but not for the reasons you think -- it's not Misanthropy On Parade like a lot of his old, witheringly sarcastic rant comics were. No, what's mean about "Wilson" is that Clowes keeps giving his loudmouth, obliviously cruel protagonist a chance, right down to the often incongruously cute cartooning and "Wilson" keeps slapping that chance away. Sympathetic portraits are often the most unflattering ones; no wonder so many people wanted to look away.
9. American Vampire
Written By: Scott Snyder And Stephen King
Published By: Vertigo/DC Comics
"American Vampire" may have gotten its initial attention by having Stephen King write back-up stories for the first five issues, but as soon as it hit stands we all realized it was Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque who were going to hook readers. Dark and dangerous, "American Vampire" takes what was the boring genre of vampire fiction and reminds us that it can still be great. (Plus, no sparkling vampires here. I promise.)
8. Thor: The Mighty Avenger
Written By: Roger LangridgePublished By: Marvel Comics
We pundits have a damn good time opining on what's wrong with mainstream publishers, direct market infrastructure and everything in between. But with this series, I am left asking "What the hell is wrong with us consumers?" How could a series so good (with great guest stars almost every issue) sell so poorly. I don't know what lessons we can all take away from only getting to enjoy the sweetest, most engaging Marvel comic in years for only eight issues, but I sure hope that if these two creators work together again, we appreciate it properly and make it a long-term bestseller.
7. Love & Rockets New Stories
Written & Illustrated By: Gilbert And Jaime HernandezPublished By: Fantagraphics
his year, I read nearly every comic ever created by Los Bros Hernandez; what a pleasure to discover at the end of my immersion that their two most recent comics are also two of their best, and thus two of the best comics by anyone. Gilbert and Jaime both tear furiously into love and sex; what they find inside is ugly; what they do with it is beautiful. I'll never forget that panel.
6. King City
Written & Illustrated By: Brandon GrahamPublished By: Image Comics
Brandon Graham is comics. There's no other way to put it: there's something about his work that makes it seem seamless, the visual puns that match his wordplay that ties in with his character acting that moves the story along effortlessly. That "King City" was filled with the freshest takes on sci-fi ideas that I've seen in years, tied to some great character work -- he reminds me of Paul Pope that way, coming up with new ideas and making them seem matter of fact beside some subtle and sympathetic (empathetic?) character behavior -- only underscores the point. Graham makes comics that can't be mistaken for anyone else's work, playing with the medium and poking at the edges and making it all ridiculously fun to read.
5. Scalped
Written By: Jason AaronPublished By: Vertigo/DC Comics
Year after year, "Scalped" proves itself the best ongoing comic in print and this year's issues haven't disappointed. This series, when it finally reaches its conclusion, will be remembered as a high point for comic book narrative.
4. Parker: The Outfit
Written & Illustrated By: Darwyn Cooke (From the novel by Richard Stark)Published By: IDW
Darwyn Cooke's art is like a time machine, bringing the reader back to the early 1960s not only with the settings of his hard-boiled crime story but also with the style itself. In this second volume, Parker heads out to get revenge on a crime syndicate, but Cooke's light touch, including several capers told as magazine stories, keeps this story entertaining rather than letting it get overly dark.
3. Daytripper
Written & Illustrated By: Gabriel Ba And Fabio MoonPublished By: Vertigo/DC Comics
The script and dialogue of this maxiseries were of secondary interest to me, I must admit. There's a visual beauty and warmth to this series that made me hungry for the next issue the minute after I finished reading the latest installment. That being said, a crucial part of the warmth I loved was fired up by the themes of family, friendship and loss.
2. The Batman Comics of Grant Morrison
Written By: Grant MorrisonPublished By: DC Comics
Dark, witty, mysterious, eerie, thrilling and endlessly re-readable, Grant Morrison's Batman books -- "Batman and Robin," his three issues of "Batman" proper, "The Return of Bruce Wayne," "Batman: The Return" and "Batman Incorporated" -- featured career-best art by Cameron Stewart and Frazer Irving and got me pumped for the experience of reading new comics like no other books. They're exactly why I read superhero comics. The only problem is that they've kind of spoiled me for other ones.
1. Acme Novelty Library #20: Lint
Written & Illustrated By: Chris WarePublished By: Drawn & Quarterly
Chris Ware's latest foray into his "Acme Novelty Library" continues to evolve and expand with volume #20. Certainly the most elegant and beautiful object of the library it is a beautifully bound book and an object to desire. Then we look inside. A strange book, but then isn't that to be expected from this master of the an almost cubist surrealism? A culmination of sorts, as Ware's continued "Acme Novelty Library" continues to evolve and expand. "Lint" works as an incredible stand-alone novel, telling the life story of one Jordan Lint, from his experience of the exact moment of his birth to that of his death. Complete and elegant, the story is as creepy and touching as you would expect from Ware. The intimacy, vibrancy and attention to detail betray the author's affection for his character.
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