THE BEST OF 2024 - The Best COMICS Of The Year

 

THE BEST COMICS OF 2024:

- In March of 2024, I took a big step. I attended my first comic book convention since before the start of COVID in 2020 - heading down to Anaheim for WonderCon. I've always enjoyed that convention for its relatively smaller, more manageable size and for the scenic downtown Anaheim location. And given my struggles with Long COVID, it made for a good setting to see if I could make a convention work. WonderCon was less than two hours away, I had free professional passes, and there wasn't going to be the same sort of overwhelming, shoulder-to-shoulder crowds like you'd get in San Diego for Comic-Con. I had really been missing attending conventions, so I was excited to give this one the old college try. And lo and behold, it went pretty well. I realized that as long as I was on my feet and moving around, the crowds didn't bother me too much. And for panels, I was able to enjoy them in short bursts and strategically find corner seating that prevented me from getting too lightheaded. As always, I love it when a plan comes together! I arrived in Anaheim with a backpack full of HALLOWEEN TEAM trade paperbacks, and handed them out opportunistically. The whole experience was a great reminder of how huge in-person interactions are when you're trying to make an impact as a creative in comics (or film, or TV ...). At WonderCon, I ran into so many random people and had so many good conversations. I left Anaheim feeling like a part of me that had been missing was put back into place. Because every year for so many years, going to conventions recharged my creative batteries and motivated me to keep pushing and knocking on the door until someone lets me in. 

All that said, I did skip San Diego Comic-Con again this year. Even though WonderCon went relatively smoothly, SDCC just felt like it was still more than I could handle. The expense of it all also made it a lot harder to commit. As did the overall sense of it being a major risk for getting re-infected with COVID - the last thing I want to do as someone with debilitating Long COVID. Still, I felt like WonderCon gave me that boost of momentum I needed to continue to push to make big things happen in 2024. 

At some point this past year, I connected with a great artist about doing a short horror story for an anthology comic book. The collaboration went really well, and the artist ended up pointing me in the direction of Comicker - an upstart indie comic book publisher that was looking for new talent. Early discussions with Comicker went well, and soon enough I made the decision to work with Comicker to re-publish HALLOWEEN TEAM as a graphic novel, in digital and print. This was really exciting, as I felt like I had taken the book about as far as it could go via self-publishing. The deal with Comicker would get it a wider release, and also open up the door to do more comics work - and more Halloween Team stories - in the future. So as far as my own comics work goes, I'm very excited for big things to come in 2025 ... first and foremost, the re-release of Halloween Team. Maybe it will make it onto a few "Best Of" lists next year.

I also read a lot of amazing comic books in 2024. I've been continuing to slowly but surely make my way through Terry Moore's seminal series Strangers in Paradise. I didn't quite reach the end by year's end, but I'm almost there. It's been a lot of fun reading this one, and the characters will stick with me for a long time. It's also been interesting to look at what I've been reading and really enjoying over the past year, in terms of newly-releasing books. I feel like it's been a weird year. The more indie side of the biz seems to be struggling to put out hit, non-IP-driven books. There have been a few new gems from the likes of Image and Dark Horse, for example - and ongoing favorites like Saga - but there really hasn't been a new breakout indie smash a la The Walking Dead (or Saga!) in quite some time. Unfortunately, a lot of these publishers seem to be cutting back on books and just sort of struggling in general. At the same time, as a lifelong DC fan, it's been awesome to see DC Comics really killing it of late. They've had strong runs on just about all of their top books of late, and have seemingly been taking a lot more chances. Just in the last few weeks, DC's "All-In" initiative has resulted in a number of strong new series launches featuring slightly more obscure characters like The Question, Metamorpho, and Challengers of the Unknown. And DC's new Absolute line has certainly seemed to be a commercial success, in addition to producing some really strong books - like Kelly Thompson's Absolute Wonder Woman. Marvel, meanwhile, has been putting out a book, in its latest iteration of Fantastic Four, that is one of the best superhero comics runs in years. 

But more on that below. So without further ado ...

 

DANNY'S BEST COMICS OF 2024:


1.) Fantastic Four

-Writer Ryan North's run on Fantastic Four further cemented itself as one of the greats in 2024. Month after month, North delivers wildly fun and inventive and brilliantly-plotted storylines that tell ingenious sci-fi stories with the gripping efficiency of classic episodes of The Twilight Zone. The stories tend to be one-and-done, and yet North slowly builds and evolves these characters over time. The book's got Ben Grimm-sized heart even as it delivers science fiction puzzle-box premises worthy of Reed Richards. What a brilliant comic book. As Marvel prepares to launch the FF into the MCU, the powers that be would be foolish if they fail to take inspiration from this flipping fantastic take on the characters. As a great man once said: 'nuff said!

2.) Wonder Woman

- Sorry ... this year's list is once again going to be Tom King heavy. As, once again, King has been crushing it on several different books for DC and elsewhere. Most notably, at this point I think it's safe to say that King is delivering arguably the greatest run ever on Wonder Woman - a character who for me can be very hit-and-miss. King has used the book to directly confront the America of 2024 and the social and political forces that seek to divide us. He is telling a story that's biting, pulls-no-punches, and feels cathartic and vital - especially in the wake of November's election. But this is also, politics aside, just a flat-out epic superhero story that's produced numerous great moments. Amazing, poster-worthy art from Daniel Sampere as well. An instant-classic for DC.

3.) Jenny Sparks

- And here's King again. Credit to Tom King for making Jenny Sparks - a character I previously only had a passing familiarity with - into a new favorite, thanks to this fantastic series. This book sees Sparks - a hard-drinking, hard-living, chain-smoking immortal - taking charge of a deadly hostage situation when her DC Comics contemporaries like Batman and Superman can't and won't. She's doing the dirty work that more clean-cut heroes can't, and King makes us love and loathe her for it. Suddenly, Jenny Sparks is a crown jewel of DC Comics - thanks to King's brilliant character work in this series.

4.) The Penguin

- One more Tom King book - as his The Penguin series led up to the launch of this year's great new TV series by telling its own epic crime saga. As good as the HBO series was, King's comics run with the character was just as strong - showing multiple sides of the classic Batman villain and painting a vivid picture of the Gotham underworld that he only-very-precariously rules over. If you dug the show, read this book!

5.) The Department of Truth

- James Tynion's magnum opus returned in 2024 following a lengthy hiatus, and it was worth the wait. The supernatural conspiracy thriller - which imagines a world in which beliefs mystically shape reality - felt all the more timely in 2024. At the same time, the book vividly transported us back to the 50's and 60's, showing its twisted, horror-tinged version of the JFK assassination, the life and times of Marilyn Monroe, and more key moments and figures from American history warped via the book's not-far-off-from-reality version of the American nightmare.

6.) Absolute Power: Origins

- Credit the great writer John Ridley (screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave) for a series that completely re-contextualized and elevated DC Comics' big "Absolute Power" summer event. That event cast the typically-morally-complex character of Amanda Waller as an out-and-out supervillain, which raised a few eyebrows and left many readers scratching their heads. But Ridley's companion miniseries was here to save the day, filling in the story gaps and showing, via a tweaked origin story, how Waller snapped and decided to wage an all-out war against the heroes of the DC Universe. DC should be thanking Ridley for his massive contributions in 2024.

 
7.) Batman: Dark Age

- Following their incredible miniseries Superman: Space Age, the team of writer Mark Russell and artist Mike Allred re-teamed in 2024 for Batman: Dark Age - a sequel of sorts. As with their Superman series, Batman: Dark Age shows us Batman's life through the decades, melding real-world events of each era with fictional DC Comics events that correlate to those same eras. The result is a sprawling yet poignant journey through American history and comic book history - and through the life and times of Batman. And of course, all of that is accompanied by the one-of-a-kind artwork of the legendary Mike Allred.

 

8.) Plastic Man No More!

- I really enjoyed this darkly funny story about the impending death of DC's wackiest hero: Plastic Man. Written by one of my favorites, Chris Cantwell, the book took place in a warped, satirical version of the DCU in which the A-list heroes are all snobby, oblivious jerks who look down condescendingly at their plastic-y comrade-in-arms. So when Plastic Man finds out he's dying, it's up to him and him alone to investigate a possible cure. The result is one of the best books DC - or anyone! - put out this year.

 

 

9.) Poison Ivy

- Another holdover from 2023, Poison Ivy continues to be one of the best ongoing comic books out there. Writer G. Willow Wilson has taken us on an involving, atmospheric, at times funny journey with the legendary Batman antagonist. She's made Pamela Isley into an incredibly multifaceted character. She's built out a lovable supporting cast of misfits to accompany her on her adventures. And she's given us stories both personal and full of thought-provoking social commentary. If you enjoyed Wilson's legendary run on Ms. Marvel (and who didn't?) - you've got to check out Poison Ivy.

10.) Get Fury

- I'm always interested in reading whatever the great Garth Ennis has cooking, and I highly enjoyed his latest series for Marvel, Get Fury. This Vietnam War-set tale sees Nick Fury kidnapped and held hostage by the Viet Cong, and a rogue soldier named Frank Castle (aka The Punisher) tasked with a dangerous mission to save him. This is really cool, super badass stuff - with that very distinct Ennis bite. I didn't read a ton of Marvel books in 2024, but this one really stood out to me as a gem in their lineup. Check it out.

 

THE NEXT BEST

 

 

11.) Saga

 

- Saga returned from another long hiatus in 2024, and it's really been on a roll of late. Writer Brian K. Vaughan continues to show why he's one of the best in the biz, and he's really giving his long-running space saga a solid sense of momentum. And that Fiona Staples art is the best.

 

 

12.) Alan Scott: The Green Lantern

 

- This one - part of a renewed effort from DC in 2024 to tell stories about their Golden Age heroes - was a really nice surprise from DC. Writer Tim Sheridan really knocked it out of the park, giving new dimension to the original Green Lantern and modernizing the character to great effect.

 

 

13.) Houses of the Unholy

 

- Writer Ed Brubaker. Artist Sean Phillips. A hard-boiled crime story involving 80's satanic panic. What more do you need? These guys are the best in the biz, and Houses of the Unholy was another winning graphic novel from this storied team. If you're a fan of their work on books like Criminal or Reckless, then read this one asap.

 

 

14.) Nightwing

 

- After a few years of being one of the best superhero books going, Tom Taylor's instant-classic run writing Nightwing finally came to a close in 2024. Taylor went out on a high note, finishing his saga of Dick Grayson's evolution as a character with big action, plenty of twists, and lots of heart. And Bruno Redondo was top-tier on the art as well. This run will go down as one of the greats.

15.) Outsiders

- It was tough to decide what to put in this spot - there were a lot of great books that just missed the cut, and a few that still felt too new to fully assess. But Outsiders, which recently wrapped up a relatively short run, was one I wanted to mention. Because back when I was in college, I got super into a comic called Planetary - a book bursting with big ideas and meta-deconstructions of the comic book art form. And now, years later, Planetary got a continuation of sorts in Outsiders. This was a mind-bending book from DC that saw great characters like Kate Kane (aka Batwoman) explore the strange corners of the DCU - with callbacks to Planetary and that book's history. It was all really cool, and I'd love to see this one return.

OTHER FAVORITES FROM 2024

Love Everlasting
Black Canary: Best of the Best

Absolute Wonder Woman
Birds of Prey
The Question
Minor Arcana

Batman: First Knight
Wesley Dodds: The Sandman
Jay Garrick: The Flash
Detective Comics
The Deviant

Batman: Off World
Avengers: Twilight

Aliens vs. Avengers
Geiger

Redcoat
Green Arrow
Batgirl

Batman: The Long Halloween - The Last Halloween

Batman & Robin: Year One 

DC All-In Special

Night Club 2

Titans
Justice Society of America

Snotgirl

 

WRITERS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Tom King (Wonder Woman, The Penguin, Jenny Sparks, Love Everlasting)
2.) Ryan North (Fantastic Four)

3.) James Tynion IV (The Department of Truth, The Deviant)
4.) Tom Taylor (Nightwing, Detective Comics, Titans)
5.) John Ridley (Absolute Power: Origins)

6.) Christopher Cantwell (Plastic Man No More!)

7.) Mark Russell (Batman: Dark Age)
8.) G. Willow Wilson (Poison Ivy)

9.) Ed Brubaker (Houses of the Unholy)

10.) Kelly Thompson (Birds of Prey, Absolute Wonder Woman)

 

ARTISTS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Daniel Sampere (Wonder Woman)
2.) Jeff Spokes (Jenny Sparks)
3.) Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman)

4.) Bruno Redondo (Nightwing)

5.) Sean Phillips (Houses of the Unholy)

6.) Fiona Staples (Saga)

7.) Mike Allred (Batman: Dark Age)

8.) Elsa Charretier (Love Everlasting)

9.) Doug Mahnke (Batman: Off World)

10.) Mikel Janín (Detective Comics)

THE BEST OF 2023 - The Best COMICS Of The Year

 

THE BEST COMICS OF 2023:

- 2023 saw me "finish the story" of what I started in 2022: I officially went from comic book fan to comic book writer! This year, the final two issues of my comic book HALLOWEEN TEAM released (drawn by the talented Matt Shults), as well as The Complete Collection (cheap plug, available here: https://t.co/P9hsejxtHG). It was a lot of work to get the book out there via digital self-publishing, and it was also a lot of work to try to promote it via social media as well as a myriad of interviews, podcasts, etc (especially while continuing to deal with Long COVID that made things like Zoom calls especially challenging). Still, it was a thrill to get the book out there, and to get a chance to talk about Halloween Team - as well as comics in general - with so many cool publications, podcasts, etc. For so long growing up, comics felt like such a taboo subject to talk about with friends. So nowadays, it never gets out to get the chance to openly geek out about one of my favorite mediums with like-minded fans. In any case, it was an amazing feeling to finally get the complete Halloween Team story out there. At the same time, I feel like this is - and has to be! - only the beginning. I'm determined to take steps in 2024 to ensure that this is merely Phase 1 of my journey as a comic book creator. 

Now, as for what else happened in comics this past year ...

There's undoubtedly been a lot of, shall we say ... heated discussion in recent weeks about the state of the comics industry. I don't think there's any point in trying to sugarcoat - by which I mean: yes, there are a ton of amazing comics out there, both from DC and Marvel and Image, as well as from smaller publishers ... but the industry also seems to be facing mounting problems. Younger people don't seem to be getting into traditional comics, which is sad if you love traditional comics as I do. Enthusiasm for DC and Marvel feels like it's at a recent low - the big events are not creating much buzz, and only a handful of books seem to be really sticking with fans. Image and other publishers like Dark Horse and Boom! haven't had those sort of Walking Dead-esque breakout hits of late - and tentpole books like Saga have been plagued by frequent delays and long periods of hiatus. IDW had a big original comics push last year that was shuttered in 2023, and now they're back to mostly publishing licensed properties. Meanwhile, the main digital comics retailer Comixology, owned for the last several years by Amazon, was shut down - a huge blow for the digital comics market. Amazon made it so their Kindle app is now the sole way to read one's Comixology library, and the Comixology storefront is now just another Amazon storefront ... meaning there's nothing about it that is particularly catered towards the comic buyer/collector. Comixology used to be pleasant to browse for sales and back-issues. Now, it's nearly impossible to navigate. And it does nothing to promote indie or self-published comics. It's a sad state of affairs. 

Still, there is hope. And one important thing to note here is that while these issues are real and they are concerning, placing the blame for all this on the perceived "wokeness" of the comics industry is ridiculous. Comics always thrive when chances are being taken and bold storytelling takes center stage. And the very DNA of the American superhero comics industry is built on a foundation of tackling social justice issues. 

So I say again: there is hope. Comics will find a way. There are companies out there like GlobalComix (on whose platform Halloween Team is available!) pushing for better distribution and functionality in the digital space. There are any number of great creators pushing the industry forward. And there are so many great comics out there that deserve to be read, talked about, and shared by fans. So that's why this Best Of feels extra important. I'd urge current, new, and lapsed comic book fans to check out these great books in the new year.

 

DANNY'S BEST COMICS OF 2023:


1.) The Human Target

- 2023 was the year of Tom King. I'm a longtime fan of King's writing, but in 2023, seemingly everything I read by him completely hit the mark. He was and is on a roll like we've rarely ever seen in comics. The highlight for me was The Human Target. Continuing from 2022 (it also ranked as one of my top picks of last year), the ending of this maxiseries solidified it for me as an all-time classic. A pulp noir tale that saw the classic DC Comics character desperately trying to solve the mystery of who poisoned him - as the clock runs out - was perhaps the best thing that King has written to date. Combining classic DC characters and lore with a unique mystery filled with twists, turns, and noir atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife - The Human Target is an absolute must-read and the best book I read in 2023.

2.) Fantastic Four

- It was only last year that I was sad to see the celebrated run of writer Dan Slott on the FF end. What could top it? Well, it turns out that new writer Ryan North could. His run on Fantastic Four has been an instant classic - giving us weekly Twilight Zone-esque sci-fi mysteries that are incredibly imaginative and brilliantly thought out. Somehow, the book is both incredibly smart - leaning hard into the science of its science fiction, and yet still, also, incredibly fun - capturing the lovable personalities of this team and their villains. If Marvel was ever to make an FF TV series - well, here's your template. So good.

3.) Where The Body Was / Night Fever

- Slightly cheating here, as I'm including two separate graphic novels from one of the best comic book creative teams ever: writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips. The pair took a break in 2023 from their ongoing graphic novel series Reckless to give us two one-and-done books. And, to absolutely no one's surprise - both of them were awesome. Night Fever felt like a bit of a departure - a nightmarish, at times surreal read with some almost Lynch-ian overtones. Where The Body Was, meanwhile, was very much in the vein of the duo's iconic Criminal series - a pulp noir story about a murder in a small town. But yeah, just read everything by this team. You can 100% count on the quality being there, as they're the absolute best in the biz.

4.) Nightwing

- We're now on Year 3 of this celebrated run on Nightwing by writer Tom Taylor and artist Bruno Redondo - and it continues to be the crown jewel in DC Comics' monthly slate. Taylor just seems to inherently get how to do great serialized superhero comics. His stories are impeccably paced, perfectly plotted, and filled with great character moments. And he writes to artist Redondo, letting him soar with innovate layouts and design and smooth-as-silk action. Nightwing will always be a fan-favorite character, but this run is definitely something special.

5.) Wonder Woman

- This run by Tom King (yep, him again) is only just now heating up - but holy lord, it's a barn-burner. It's Wonder Woman and her fellow Amazons vs. an angry and militant US government, told in epic, intense fashion. King isn't afraid to get gritty and political, and the result is a story that feels urgent and timely and important. Only a few issues in, it's already a strong candidate for the best Wonder Woman story ever told. And I'm sure James Gunn and company at Warner Bros are taking note.

6.) Poison Ivy

- G. Willow Wilson's Poison Ivy is now an ongoing series, and it's been an incredibly well done character study and psych-exam of a villainous character trying to do some good. Wilson has unlocked the full potential of one of DC's iconic evildoers, crafting a trippy, psychedelic road-trip saga that goes deep into the screwed-up heart of America. It's a complete 180 from the teen-pop-bubblegum of Wilson's celebrated run on Ms. Marvel, but it's just as strong of a work.

 
7.) The Penguin

- And another one by Tom King (and not the last!). I told you, he's having a banner year. King's still-going Penguin series is an incredibly gripping and entertaining comeback story - telling of the Gotham villain's return to the city after a forced exile. Seeing The Penguin scheme and manipulate his way from the bottom of the food chain to try to reclaim his spot as criminal kingpin makes for one of the year's best reads. And King keeps introducing new supporting cast members and antagonists who have become instant favorites - like, for instance, The Help - essentially the anti-Alfred, a demented butler who is the ultimate minion of evil.

8.) Love Everlasting

- Tom King again. One of my favorite series from last year continued to be a superb read in 2023. For those not in the know, Love Everlasting is a surreal homage to and parody of old golden age romance comics - with a devious twist. Its main character Elsa is continually flung from one romance plot to another, even as she desperately searches for the meta-villain responsible for damning her to this strange purgatory. It's great stuff, and the evocative art by Elsa Charretier only adds to the vibe. 

 

 

9.) Ultimate Invasion

- Few writers can kick off a story like Jonathan Hickman. The first chapter of Ultimate Invasion - his game-changing Marvel series featuring a reality-altering, evil version of Mr. Fantastic - was one hell of a page turner. Hickman thinks on such a grand, cosmic level that his stories seem to expand your mind in real time - leaving you obsessed with the possibilities of what it all means and where things might go from here. Ultimate Invasion was Hickman at this strongest - and while the ending didn't quite live up to the beginning ... man, what a crazy, enjoyable journey this one proved to be.

10.) W0rldTr33

- James Tynion has written some of the best comics of the last several years - from The Department of Truth to The Nice House On The Lake. And while W0rldTr33 still needs some time before we can really get a sense of its full potential, it's undoubtedly off to one heck of a start. I mean, what a premise: back in the 90's, a group of young internet pioneers discovered a dark "undernet" that contained deadly, world-ending secrets. Now, years later, those secrets are finally revealed - in the form of a killer, hypnotic virus that turns ordinary people into vicious murderers. This one is compelling, disturbing, and original. Excited for more in 2024.

 

THE NEXT BEST

 

 

11.) Batman

 

- Writer Chip Zdarsky continued his run on Batman in epic fashion this year. Heavy on epic action and psychological depth, Zdarsky has spent a lot of time focused on the darker elements within Bruce Wayne's tortured psyche. Each story arc has been great thus far, so I hope this ends up being a long run.

 

 

12.) Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville

 

- This book was an awesome surprise - a return to the 80's-era "bwa-ha-ha" Justice League, but with a modern spin. Writer Joanne Farrer imbues her leads - DC comics stalwarts Fire and Ice - with personality to spare. There's humor and fun, but also a sense of lived-in authenticity, as the longtime friends take up residence in Smallville and try to give their stuck-in-a-rut lives a fresh coat of paint.

 

 

13.) Saga

 

- Saga once again had only a limited number of new issues released in 2023 before leaving for yet another hiatus. But it's hard to be too upset, because the book, when it releases, is still one of the best. Brian K. Vaughan's writing is as sharp as ever, and Fiona Staples' distinct art is still a bar-raiser. If you've not yet sampled Saga, it's one of the best comics of the last ten years - a witty, twisty space opera from one of the best creative teams ever assembled.

 

 

14.) Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent

 

- Tom Taylor brought the same sort of great superhero storytelling to Superman's son, Jon Kent, as he did to Nightwing. Taylor used the opportunity of a relatively fresh slate with Jon to tell the kinds of stories you can't exactly tell with his father. Jon is still learning the ropes, figuring out right from wrong, and learning to navigate tricky moral grey areas. Which made his adventures - like a foray into the dark alternate universe of the Injustice videogames - all the more compelling. 

15.) Danger Street

- Okay, one more book by Tom King to close out my Top 15. And I'll be honest, I was a little iffy on Danger Street in 2022 when it began. But it really picked up in 2023, and produced maybe my single favorite issue of a comic book this year: Issue #9's epic battle between two unstoppable assassins - a deadly, high stakes chess-match for the ages. For those not in the know, Danger Street was King's attempt to take a bunch of more obscure DC Comics characters and put them in a strange, quirky adventure that celebrates all of their collective weirdness. Characters like Warlord, The Creeper, and the very-outdatedly-named Lady Cop join forces and find themselves at odds as they attempt to solve a strange mystery. It took a while to coalesce, but ultimately, I kind of loved this one. Great art by Jorge Fornés. And what a year for Tom King.

OTHER FAVORITES FROM 2023

Fire Power
Dark Ride
Birds of Prey
Junkyard Joe
Captain America

Miracleman: The Silver Age
Wesley Dodds: The Sandman
Alan Scott: The Green Lantern
Peacemaker: Tries Hard!
Batman - One Bad Day: Ra's Al Ghul
Stargirl: Lost Children
Phantom Road
Fishflies
Batman/Superman: World's Finest
Universal Monsters: Dracula
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Stranger Things
Green Arrow
Batman White Knight Presents: Generation Joker
Titans
Justice Society of America

 

WRITERS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Tom King (The Human Target, Wonder Woman, The Penguin, Danger Street, Love Everlasting)
2.) Ed Brubaker (Night Fever, Where The Body Was)

3.) Ryan North (Fantastic Four)
4.) Tom Taylor (Nightwing, The Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent, Titans)
5.) G. Willow Wilson (Poison Ivy)

6.) Jonathan Hickman (Ultimate Invasion)
7.) James Tynion IV (W0rldTr33, Universal Monsters: Dracula)
8.) Chip Zdarsky (Batman, Batman: Knight)

9.) Brian K. Vaughan (Saga)

10.) Joanne Starer (Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville)

 

ARTISTS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Greg Smallwood (The Human Target)
2.) Sean Phillips (Night Fever, Where The Body Was)
3.) Jorge Fornés (Danger Street)

4.) Fernando Blanco (W0rldTr33)
5.) Bruno Redondo (Nightwing)

6.) Daniel Sampere (Wonder Woman)
7.) Fiona Staples (Saga)

8.) Bryan Hitch (Ultimate Invasion)

9.) Natacha Bustos (Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville)

10.) Elsa Charretier (Love Everlasting)

THE BEST OF 2021 - The Best COMICS Of The Year

THE BEST COMICS OF 2021:

- As with 2020, comic books were, for me, one of the great comforts of this crazy, mixed-up pandemic year. Perusing the Comixology website to buy my weekly digital books became an important ritual - a guarantee that, no matter how insane or dire things out in the real world got, I'd still be able to look forward to some quality time curled up with my iPad and some comic books - because really, what's better than that?

While comic distribution stuck to a pretty regular schedule this year, the market still felt like it was missing some of its heavy hitters. Brian K. Vaughn, for example, was mostly MIA - his fan-favorite sci-fi adventure Saga now slated for a 2022 return. But nature abhors a vacuum, and this meant that I discovered a lot of new favorite creative talent this year. Writer Mariko Tamaki is a prime example - until recently, I wasn't at all familiar with her work - but she wowed me this year with her versatile writing on DC's flagship Batman book Detective Comics and on their banter-filled father-daughter team-up book Crush & Lobo. Additionally, rising stars really found their groove this year - James Tynion IV went from "one of my new favorites" to "maybe the best in the biz right now," with his stellar, cerebral, page-turning work on everything from DC's Batman and related spinoffs to Image books like The Department of Truth and The Nice House on the Lake. 

Speaking of DC, they had a pretty good year. Their Batman books enjoyed one of the more engaging big-event stories in a while in the Tynion and Tamaki-penned Fear State saga, about an authoritarian regime known as The Magistrate taking over Gotham (with the help of the villainous Scarecrow). The mainline story, as well as its various spin-off one-shots, were excellent. DC also continued to use its recent status-quo changes (thanks to events like Infinite Frontier) to bring back long-missing pieces of its continuity from limbo, like fan-favorite characters Connor Hawke (who popped up in the Robin comic) or the original members of the JSA (also featured on the TV series Stargirl). Now that the pieces are in place, I hope that DC can really deliver on some can't-miss big event storytelling next year. 

As for Marvel, I tend to be more into their standalone stories as opposed to their big events. This year saw acclaimed writer Jonathan Hickman wind down his celebrated run on X-Men, which was one of my favorite books of 2020 and continued to entertain me so long as Hickman and his unique, mind-bending storytelling were driving things. I also continue to be a huge fan of writer Kelly Thompson and the fun, witty, action-packed vibe she brings to her Marvel books like Captain Marvel and Black Widow.

Of course, so much of what's great about comics is the cool stuff that can be found on the fringes. There's always more to discover - new books to find, new writers and artists to become a fan of. So I hope you enjoy my picks below, and maybe even find a new favorite comic book.

Oh, and one more thing! After years of thinking about it, this coming year I'm actually doing it - I'm writing and publishing my own comic book! Yep, keep an eye out for HALLOWEEN TEAM - coming in 2022 - written by me, with art by the uber-talented Matt Shults. It's going to be awesome.

 

DANNY'S BEST COMICS OF 2021:


1.) The Department of Truth

- James Tynion's ongoing book from Image has, gradually, became my favorite comic going today. It's a dark, thought-provoking X-Files for the current era, with a brilliant twist on the classic conspiracy theory genre: that conspiracy theories are only true when enough people believe them to be so. This metaphysical spin allows Tynion to really dig into modern American history, and explore exactly why and how certain ideas developed from fiction into supposed fact - from the Kennedy assassination to the "Satanic Panic" of the 80's to urban legends about aliens, Bigfoot, and more. If you want to really go down the rabbit hole, you've got to read this one.

2.) Reckless

- For the second year in a row, Ed Brubaker's graphic novel series Reckless is near the top of my list. With two new Reckless books out this year, Brubaker again shows why he's absolutely one of the best to ever write comics and one of the true masters of pulp crime-fiction. Set in the seedy Los Angeles of the 1980's, these brutal, page-turning pulp-fictions are filled with compelling mysteries and memorable characters. Brubaker at his best (and fantastic art from his partner in crime Sean Phillips as well).

3.) The Nice House On The Lake

- And here's James Tynion again - with another book with a banger of a premise: a group of people whose only connection is a mysterious mutual friend end up in an isolated vacation home together, only to discover that the world has ended and they - thanks to the supernatural influence of their friend - are the earth's last survivors. Killer premise aside, Tynion makes each chapter pack a punch - with well-drawn characters and cliffhangers a plenty.

4.) The Other History of the DC Universe

- This one made my Top 10 list last year despite being only one issue in - and so of course it's back again for 2021, now that award-winning screenwriter John Ridley has completed his sprawling profiles of some of DC Comics most underutilized heroes of color. Ridley deftly mixes the DC Universe's most seismic storylines with the real-world politics and news stories of of the era in which each issue takes place. In doing so, Ridley not only gives new depth to characters like Katana and Renee Montoya, but also succeeds in giving a broader historical and socio-political context to the DC comics of various decades. A masterwork.


5.) Rorschach

- Many understandably rolled their eyes at the idea of writer Tom King doing a Watchmen pseudo-sequel series. DC had made rather prolific use of the once-untouchable characters from Alan Moore's classic in recent years, and it was easy to wonder if this was a bridge best not crossed. But Tom King truly brought his A-game to this one - and crafted a wonderfully intriguing mystery that blends the impending-doom deconstruction of Watchmen with the style and aesthetic of classic 70's paranoid conspiracy thriller films. The result is a surprisingly fantastic maxiseries that really wowed me, featuring an unexpected spin on one of Watchmen's iconic characters.

6.) Batman: Fear State - Secret Files Specials (Miracle Molly, Peacekeeper-01, The Gardner)

- As I mentioned above, the big Batman event of 2021, Fear State, was pretty excellent. The story detailed Gotham on the brink of a full-fledged dystopia, with Batman having to rely on new allies and new tactics to not just stop the badguys, but win over the people of Gotham to his side. While the main story that ran through monthly books like Batman and Detective Comics was very good, the true highlights of the event were the series of "Secret Files" specials, each written by James Tynion (there's that name again!), and each spotlighting one of the new characters introduced as part of this event. The standout, to me, was Miracle Molly - the leader of an underground revolutionary group who Batman forms a reluctant partnership with. The story of how Molly mind-wipes herself in order to cleanse herself of mental baggage - consequences be damned - was both harrowing and affecting.

 
7.) Crush & Lobo

- Lobo is an iconic DC character - an over-the-top riff on antiheroes like Wolverine, Lobo quickly developed his own fanboy following throughout the 90's. But what to do in 2021 with a character whose central joke is perhaps slightly played out? Easy - give him a badass but still self-doubting LGBTQ teenaged daughter named Crush. Crush, introduced a few years ago over in the Teen Titans comics, has become one of DC's breakout characters, and it was great to see her get the spotlight here. Written by new fave Mariko Tamaki, this was a fun, banter-filled outer space adventure with humor and heart a-plenty.


8.) The Joker

- Okay, fine - one more book from James Tynion on my Top 10 (yep, the guy was everywhere this year). But The Joker is more than deserving of placement on this list. And it's funny, because I don't know that almost anyone was sold that The Joker needed his own series. But the genius here is that this isn't *really* a Joker series - it's a James Gordon series. And it's a series that dives deep into the long, messy history between Gordon and the Joker, and takes a hard look at the moral difficulties of being a purveyor of justice in an unjust world that would allow an insane killer like The Joker to continually cause havoc. A great read month in and month out.


9.) Nightwing

- Yes, it was a good year for the Bat-family books. Nightwing has had a lot of strong runs over the last couple of decades, but the character is currently enjoying another renaissance thanks to the fantastic creative team of writer Tom Taylor and artist Bruno Redondo. From great relationship-y stuff (Taylor addresses the will-they/won't-they Dick Grayson/Barbara Gordon romance head-on, with a lot of nuance and heart) to really interesting social justice questions (Dick uses his fortune in interesting ways to help the people of his adopted hometown Bludhaven) - Taylor gives a little bit of everything here. And Redondo's smooth, cinematic art makes the action scenes sing.


10.) Mazebook

- Jeff Lemire had another prolific year in 2021 (not to mention his seminal Sweet Tooth series getting adapted for Netflix). I'm a big fan of almost all of his work, and in 2021 I enjoyed everything from his Black Hammer franchise books to a weird pets-in-space sci-fi story called Primordial. But my favorite of his 2021 output was Mazebook from Dark Horse Comics - a very intimate story that's also a real page-turner. Written and drawn by Lemire, it's the story of a middle-aged man convinced that his long-dead daughter might still, somehow, be alive - and that solving a strange, all-encompassing maze might be the key to finding her. This is the kind of story that Lemire always nails, and I hope we get more like this from him in 2022.


OTHER FAVORITES FROM 2021:

Batman (James Tynion run)
Detective Comics (Mariko Tamaki run)
Captain Marvel by Kelly Thompson
Robin by Joshua Williamson
Black Hammer: Reborn
Catwoman by Ram V
Fantastic Four: Life Story
Life Is Strange
The Human Target
X-Men: Inferno
Fantastic Four by Dan Slott
Task Force Z
Superman and the Authority
The United States of Captain America
Batman: Urban Legends
Lazarus: Risen
Shadecraft
Batman: The Adventure Continues
The Next Batman
Dark Knights of Steel
Firepower
One-Star Squadron
Deathstroke Inc.
Stranger Things: The Tomb of Ybwen
Swamp Thing by Ram V
Made in Korea
Home
Barbalien: Red Planet
Superman '78
Action Comics by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Superman: Son of Kal-El
Far Sector 

WRITERS OF THE YEAR:

1.) James Tynion IV (The Department of Truth, The Joker, Batman, The Nice House On The Lake)
2.) Mariko Tamaki (Detective Comics, Crush & Lobo)
3.) John Ridley (The Other History of the DC Universe, The Next Batman)
4.) Ed Brubaker (Reckless)
5.) Tom Taylor (Nightwing, Dark Knights of Steel)
6.) Jeff Lemire (Mazebook, Black Hammer: Reborn)
7.) Tom King (Rorschach, The Human Target)
8.) Matthew Rosenberg (Batman: Urban Legends, Task Force Z)
9.) Joshua Williamson (Robin, Deathstroke Inc.)
10.) Mark Russell (Fantastic Four: Life Story, One-Star Squadron)


ARTISTS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Bruno Redondo (Nightwing)
2.) Sean Phillips (Reckless)
3.) Dan Mora (Detective Comics)
4.) Jorge Fornes (Rorschach)
5.) Martin Simmonds (The Department of Truth)
6.) Alvaro Martinez (The Nice House on the Lake)
7.) Mike Perkins (Swamp Thing)
8.) Jorge Fornés (Rorschach)
9.) Amancay Nahuelpan (Crush & Lobo)
10.) Jeff Lemire (Mazebook)