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 2017 - The Best COMICS Of The Year

 
THE BEST COMICS OF 2017:

- 2017 was in many ways a great year for comics - although it was also, I think, a year of identity crisis. Thanks to the continued prevalence of superheroes in movies and on TV, more people are getting into comics than ever - and that has, justifiably, led to calls for more diversity in terms of both content and creators. But how the industry has handled its newly-diversified fanbase has exposed a lot of growing pains. Just recently, Marvel cancelled several fan-favorite books featuring female and/or diverse lead characters - and this comes a few months after Marvel execs warned that too much of a focus on diversity had hurt their sales. To me and many other fans, that sounds like an excuse to stick to the tried and true, instead of a real plan for growth and change. Personally, while I enjoyed several books from DC and Marvel this year, I also - especially by year's end - grew weary of the same handful of creator names popping up again and again and again. Creators who have done decent work at best keep getting put on the highest profile DC and Marvel books, while brand new names and faces are rare. It was nice to find those new, promising creators this year where possible. Take Kelly Thompson, who really wowed me with her Hawkeye series at Marvel, that focuses on female Hawkeye Kate Bishop. It's a more than worthy follow-up to Matt Fraction's seminal run. Thompson also did a really fun Captain Phasma miniseries that served as a nice prelude to The Last Jedi. With Hawkeye's unceremonious cancellation, I'm curious to see where Thompson goes next. That said, a lot of stuff I read and really enjoyed in 2017 was admittedly from longtime favorite creators - names like Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker, and Jeff Lemire. These are guys whose writing I will never tire of - and the emergence over the last several years of Image, Dark Horse, and other publishers who stand aside and let creators do their thing has allowed these amazing writers to put out some career best work in recent years.

Comics also directly addressed the current political climate in 2017. I think there was a lot of unfair criticism of Nick Spencer's run on Captain America, and the spin-off crossover epic Secret Empire. For those unaware, Secret Empire presented a version of Cap from an alternate past that merged with and overwrote the main timeline. This Cap was raised and mentored by evil, Nazi-esque organization Hydra, and ended up taking over the world by force - until eventually being toppled by a heroic resistance (a big theme of 2017!) and the returned-from-cosmic-purgatory real-deal Cap. Secret Empire was a really dark, oftentimes disturbing story - and parts of it didn't quite work. And yet ... I liked it. It was big, bold, and interesting - and yes, its corrupted version of Cap was all too reminiscent of America in 2017: a dark, twisted version of the idealistic place it's supposed to be. Ultimately, the evil Cap was taken down (this is comics, after all) - and so hope remained even in the wake of a very dark moment. That same hope is what continued to power Marvel's best book, Ms. Marvel, in 2017. Kamala Khan has been the hero we needed over the last few years - and in 2017 writer G. Willow Wilson continued to address the issues facing our country with spirit, spunk, humor, and humanity. Marvel: don't even think about cancelling this book.

DC, meanwhile, wisely re-shaped some of its biggest heroes to be more inspirational for our dark times. Superman was perhaps the biggest and best change - going from young, alienated outsider in the now-ditched New 52 continuity, to noble father figure, family man, and elder statesman in the revised Rebirth version of the DC Universe. This was a much-needed change, and the Superman books have continued to be a lot better - and a lot more Superman-like - since the start of Rebirth last year. That said, many DC books seemed to collapse under the weight of a bi-weekly publishing schedule this year - a lot of pretty-good books, from The Flash to Green Arrow - just seemed to run out of steam as the year came to a close. I hope that DC re-thinks the frequency at which they publish their key books - because two issues per month is just too much and inevitably leads to both fan and creator burn-out. Still, DC often seems to find success with left-field content. Their Super-Sons book, which pairs Superman's son Jonathan Kent with Batman's son Damian Wayne, has been a lot of fun. So too has New Super-Man, a book about the superheroes of China. The new Mister Miracle book from Tom King is a trippy delight. DC even published a bunch of DC/Looney Tunes crossovers this year that produced one of the biggest surprises of the year - a Batman/Elmer Fudd story that was legitimately incredible (seriously!).

But as I alluded to above, what's made comics the best they've ever been over the last few years has been the rise of smaller publishers - who are taking chances and giving new and established creators room to do their thing. The amount of interesting, original, imaginative, boundary-pushing comics out there from Image and others is staggering - it's hard to keep up. And you can bet that many of these books are going to end up as tomorrow's next big TV or movie franchises.

 
DANNY'S BEST COMICS OF 2017:

1.) Kill Or Be Killed

- A lot of stories are easy to sum up: oh, this story, it's about X, Y, and Z - it falls into this genre, and the point of it is ... this. But when it comes to Ed Brubaker's superlative Kill Or Be Killed, well, I'm still not sure how to describe it, where it's all going, or what, exactly to take away from it. I just trust in Brubaker and go along for the ride. What I do know is that this comic contains the best writing of any comic currently being published, and great, atmospheric, moody art from Brubaker's frequent collaborator Sean Phillips. I do know that it's, on the surface, about a seemingly average (maybe a bit mentally unstable) guy, who has visions that compel him to don a red hood and go out into the streets and kill bad people. I do know that the comic presents all kinds of fascinating moral grey areas, some amazingly multilayered characters, and a story that's unpredictable as hell. I know that I can't wait for each new issue. And I'm not sure, but I am starting to sense that this might just be the best thing Brubaker's ever written in his storied career. This book is dark, twisted, and really, really compelling.

2.) Black Hammer

- Black Hammer continued to be amazing in 2017. You might think: haven't we seen enough superhero deconstructions at this point? And we have. But Jeff Lemire makes room for one more with Black Hammer - a brilliant superhero deconstruction that differentiates itself by both 100% embracing all the silly conventions of superhero storytelling, but also pulling back the curtain and adding unexpected layers of complexity to each of its very identifiable superhero archetypes. Black Hammer went on hiatus earlier this year - and I can't wait to see what happens when it resumes. But in the meantime, Lemire's been penning an equally great spin-off called Sherlock Frankenstein & The Legion of Evil, that fills in some of the world of the series. Lemire has been a favorite writer for several years now, but man, he had an absolutely killer 2017 - and Black Hammer is proof.

3.) Royal City

- And here's Lemire again. Royal City is written *and* drawn by Lemire, and Lemire's evocative, water-color-esque style is perfect for this book - giving the grounded, slice-of-life story an added layer of dreamlike nostalgia. Royal City is the story of a broken family living in a seen-better-days industrial town. The family is haunted - figuratively (and maybe literally!) by the ghost of one of their own - the family's youngest son who died tragically when he was a teenager. The book spans multiple decades and paints a moving portrait of a American life. It's still early, but when all is said and done, this may just be Lemire's masterpiece.

4.) Lazarus / Lazarus X+66

- Greg Rucka's sprawling dystopian epic Lazarus has been one of my favorite books for many years now, but in 2017, it really, disturbingly, felt like the near-future world of this series was reflecting back on our actual reality. In Trump's America, Lazarus' fractured world - ruled by corporations and the elite families that run them (all others are "waste") - seemed less like a far-fetched sci-fi vision and more like an all-too-real possibility. And what propped up Lazarus on my list this year was not just this new relevancy, but also the large amount of related material that came out in 2017. Rucka has put together uber-compelling Source Books that provide all sorts of interesting detail about the world of Lazarus. And he's also penned the "Lazarus X+66" spin-off, a look at various side characters and events in the Lazarus world. X+66 has been a fantastic read. Looking forward to the soon-to-arrive TV series, too.

5.) Paper Girls

- Brian K. Vaughan's charming sci-fi series - about a bunch of 1980's paper girls who get caught up in a time-hopping adventure - is consistently one of the best reads month in and month out. It's amazing, because when you look out there at the pop-culture landscape, Vaughan's trademark style of blending high-concept sci-fi with grounded characters, witty dialogue, and relatable human drama is now *everywhere.* But he really was the innovator, back when his seminal Y: The Last Man was the biggest thing going in comics. Paper Girls is Vaughan at his best - it's got awe and wonder-packed sci-fi on one hand, and great, grounded, impeccably-written characters on the other. It's got nostalgia, it's got social commentary, it's got adventure, it's got amazing art from Cliff Chiang. Read it.

6.) Ms. Marvel

- As I mentioned above, Ms. Marvel is, no question, the crown jewel in Marvel Comics' slate. It's fresh, funny, relevant - and it tackles everything from racism to religion to teenage awkwardness with equal parts humor, empathy, and optimism. Ms. Marvel has actively changed the way I think about certain things, and it's inspired me - made me think that even in these divisive times, we can rally around each other and support people trying to do right and help others. Kamala is a hero for right now and a hero for all of us. What a great, important, and most importantly fun comic book.

7.) Hawkeye

- Matt Fraction's celebrated run on Hawkeye is one of my favorite modern comics - so I was excited to get more adventures of Kate Bishop, presented in a similarly irreverent style. What I didn't expect was how much writer Kelly Thompson would both expand on the great character work that Fraction did with Bishop, but also how much she'd make the book and the character her own. The book is fun, innovative, often hilarious. The art is stylized and stylish. And Kate Bishop continues to be one of the most likable characters in the Marvel stable. Marvel is really missing the mark in cancelling this one.

8.) Saga

- After a bit of a slump last year, Brian K. Vaughan's now long-running Saga rebounded this year with some great story-arcs, and plenty of those big, issue-ending, holy-$&%# moments that Vaughan does so well. The book still occasionally feels like it's treading water, but at this point it's also simply a pleasure to open up a new issue, spend time with these characters, and of course to revel in Fiona Staples' amazingly unique and imaginative art. I'm hoping that Saga really kicks into high gear again in 2018, but there's also no question that 2017 re-affirmed just how great this book can be.

9.) Black Magick

- Another great Greg Rucka book. Black Magic wowed me with its debut last year, but then went on a long hiatus before finally resurfacing in 2017. And man, I'm happy it did. The book combines Rucka's penchant for gritty crime drama with the added element of magic and mysticism, and an intriguing backstory that delves into the history of witchcraft. With a more consistent publishing schedule in 2017, Black Magick affirmed itself as one of the most compelling books out there. And man, the Nicola Scott art is quite simply incredible - stunning black-and-white line work, with the occasional burst of color to emphasize the presence of magic. I can't wait to see where this one goes in 2017.

10.) Batman

- Where does a character go after writer Scott Snyder wrapped up an all-time classic run? Well, DC wisely brought in writer Tom King for what has quickly become another classic run in the making. Paired with a litany of all-star artists, King has kept fans guessing with his unique take on the Dark Knight. We've seen the introduction of new heroes like Gotham Girl, the long-awaited engagement of Batman and Catwoman, and an end-of-year arc that saw a memorable double date turned adventure that paired Batman/Catwoman with Superman/Lois Lane. Batman, with Tom King at the helm, remains DC's best book.

THE NEXT BEST:

11.) Silver Surfer

- The long run of writer Dan Slott and artist Mike Allred came to a close this year, and it will go down as one of my all-time favorite superhero runs in recent years. Slott gave the Surfer a whimsical flair, pairing him with plucky, polka-dot wearing love-interest Dawn Greenwood, and sending the two on all sorts of far-out cosmic adventures. The series was brought to life by the always-incredible, one-of-a-kind art of Mike Allred - whose pencils were a perfect match for the series' trippy, fantastical tone. I will miss this one now that it's over.

12.) Batman: White Knight

- This miniseries is still ongoing, but it's shaping up to be another classic from writer/artist Sean Murphy (who gave us the modern classic Punk Rock Jesus). In this "what-if?" story, a reformed and newly-sane Joker is tasked with bringing down an out-of-control Batman. It's an ingenious role reversal and I can't wait to see how it ends.

13.) Snotgirl

- Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O'Malley continues to make Snotgirl into a unique, one-of-a-kind comic that I still can't quite believe I like as much as I do. A satirical, hyper-stylized mystery centered around a vapid, image-conscious fashion blogger and her equally self-absorbed friends? Sounds miserable, right? And yet, O'Malley brilliantly finds the humanity within these seemingly repellent characters, and gives them just enough self-awareness to make us root for them even as we cringe at their terribleness. This one is a total trip, and I can't recommend it enough.

14.) Dark Knights: Metal (Tie-Ins)

- Scott Snyder's DC mega-event Dark Knights: Metal has been a mixed bag so far. It's going for cosmic insanity in the vein of Grant Morrison's acid-trip superhero epics, but for me has been sort of flat and messy. That said, this is the rare big superhero event in which the tie-ins are actually way better than the main story. Really! I've been positively loving the one-shots coming out in parallel to the main event, each detailing the origin story of one of Dark Knights: Metal's twisted, evil Batmen. Hailing from the "dark multiverse," each evil Batman origin story has proven to be a wonderfully dark "what-if?" about a Bruce Wayne who gets turned to the dark side.

15.) Southern Bastards

- Over the last few years, Jason Aaron's Southern Bastards has been at or near the top of my Best of the Year lists. It's one of the best comics of the last decade, bar none. So why further down in 2017? It's really just a matter of the book's publishing schedule, which has been ... sporadic, if I'm being kind. Jason Aaron has become one of the busiest and most in-demand writers in the biz, so it's no big mystery what's up. But man, I hope we get more Bastards in 2018. This dark, southern-noir tale of a town where high school football is everything - and players and coach's will literally kill in the name of victory - is always a must-read when there is new material. And in 2017, things started to get very intriguing as focus shifted to Berta Tubb, estranged daughter of original protagonist Earl - who's come back to Craw County to avenge her dad. More, please!

16.) Darth Vader

- I dropped almost all of Marvel's Star Wars books this year, after a noticeable dip in quality on some of the main titles. However, I picked up their latest Darth Vader series when I saw that it was written by Cullen Bunn - a man who knows how to write great villains. Bunn did a bang up job on DC's much-missed Sinestro book, and he's killing it on Vader. The book tackles an intriguing moment in the Star Wars timeline: Anakin's early days as Vader, just after the events of Episode III. Bunn is giving us the young, ultra-badass, ass-kicking Vader that we got a glimpse of in Rogue One - and I'm digging it.

17.) Superman

- Writer Peter Tomasi is really on a roll at DC. One of the company's go-to writers for many years now, Tomasi has helped re-invigorate Superman by making Superman a husband and a dad. Suddenly, the stakes feel higher for ol' Clark Kent, and the character has new life. Between Tomasi's work on Superman, and Super-book mainstay Dan Jurgens' solid storytelling on Action Comics, this is the most consistently good Superman has been in ages.

18.) Nightwing

- Nightwing is always a fan-favorite for the DC faithful, but his solo books have had their ups and downs over the years. So I give writer Tim Seeley credit for having such a great, sustained run with the character. Since the start of DC Rebirth, Seeley has both paid homage to the past (by bringing Nightwing back to Bludhaven, and bringing back updated versions of a lot of the side characters from Chuck Dixon's classic 90's run) and created a solid foundation for the future (creating a great new character / love interest in Shawn Tsang, aka The Defacer). Here's hoping the momentum continues, even with Seeley now off the book.

19.) Eternal Empire

- Don't be surprised if this one is much higher on the list next year. Eternal Empire is the latest book from one of my favorite creative teams in comics - Jonathan Luna and Sara Vaughn - who brought us my recent pick for Best Comic of the Year, Alex + Ada. This one is their take on Game of Thrones-style high fantasy, and it's really just getting started. It's still sort of in the world-building phase. But this story of two on-the-run former slaves with a magical connection to each other is poised to be one of 2018's best books. Stay tuned.

20.) Invincible

- Man, am I bummed that Robert Kirkman's long-running superhero epic is about to come to an end. As I type this, there's only one more issue left (releasing in January) of Invincible - and it's been bittersweet reading Kirkman's final run of stories on this one, which have helped ensure that the books goes out on a high note. Invincible's been one of my favorites for several years now, and if I'm being honest, Kirkman's unique melding of self-aware humor with high-adventure and fast-paced, high-concept sci-fi has been a notable influence on my own writing. I love the unique tone Kirkman gave this book, and I love that it was a superhero book (really the only one), that let its story evolve organically, free from the constraints of corporate overlords multimedia tie-ins. One of the all-time great superhero comics.

21.) Super-Sons

- Peter Tomasi has another great Super book on his hands with this one. A fun, lighthearted pairing of wide-eyed Jonathan Kent (now Superboy) and know-it-all Damian Wayne (now Robin), Tomasi's book is filled with fun banter and high adventure. Added bonus: a recent issue that focused on a team-up of various Super-Pets. This one doesn't mind getting crazy, and that's why I'm digging it.

22.) Descender

- So yeah, in addition to knocking it out of the park with Black Hammer and Royal City, Jeff Lemire's *also* still writing his sci-fi space epic Descender. How he does it, I don't know. But Descender - the saga of a diminutive robot who may be the key to saving the galaxy - is still a really solid read, with all kinds of Mass Effect-esque intrigue and super cool art from Dustin Nguyen.

23.) New Super-Man

- When you read a lot of comics, you start to see a lot of the same old, same old - especially as far as superhero books go. So it's cool just how different and refreshing Gene Luen Yang's characters, stories, and setting are - and how unique of a hero Keenan Kong really is. The book has let Keenan - aka The Super-Man of China - grow from obnoxious teen to battle-tested hero over the course of the last few years, and it's been a lot of fun to watch.

24.) Captain America

- As I talked about above, I think Nick Spencer's run on Captain America and Secret Empire was a bit unfairly maligned. Let's give Spencer credit - he penned one of the boldest, riskiest, and ambitious superhero stories of recent years. It wasn't just a random gimmick - Spencer really did a deep dive into exploring what made Hydra Cap tick, and did so in a way that held a mirror up to our own political reality. A lot of it worked for me, and I looked forward to each new chapter of the story throughout Spencer's run. Yes, the just-started Mark Waid run is a perhaps welcome return to classic superheroics. But that run wouldn't pop the way it had Nick Spencer not so thoroughly shook things up.

25.) The Walking Dead

- While the TV adaptation has really hit a creative low, Robert Kirkman's comic book continues to produce fun, interesting stories that are, as per usual, true page-turners. If only the show would learn from the book's pacing and storytelling. In any case, 2017 saw the conclusion of the Whisperers storyline, an evolution in the relationship between Rick and Negan, and the heartbreaking death of one of the series' longest-running, most beloved characters in Andrea. While the TV show could barely keep my attention, the comic continued to keep me on the edge of my seat.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

- Mr. Miracle
- Birds of Prey
- Green Lanterns
- Deathstroke
- Detective Comics
- Reborn
- The Flash
- Green Arrow
- The American Way
- War Stories

SPECIAL MENTIONS:

After Death

- What - more Jeff Lemire? Yep. In addition to everything else the guy did, he also collaborated with writer Scott Snyder on the graphic novel After Death - the third and final chapter of which came out in 2017. This one is a must-read. It's a high-concept look at a future where death has been eradicated for a select few. It blends prose pages and comic book pages to masterful effect. It's maybe the best thing Snyder's ever written and some of the best art Lemire's ever produced. It's one you won't soon forget.

Penny Dreadful

- Okay, this one is pretty niche, but if you're like me and loved the recent Showtime series Penny Dreadful - but were left wanting more by its somewhat abrupt ending ... well, this is the comic for you. Penned by some of the show's creative team, the new comic is the final season of Penny Dreadful we never got - a big adventure that picks up right where the series left off, and feels spot-on in terms of nailing the characters and tone of the series. Not to be confused with the not-so-great comic that came out while the show is on the air, this still-ongoing book is actually a must-read for the Dreadful faithful.

Batman / Elmer Fudd

- Yes. Seriously. A Batman / Elmer Fudd comic is one of the best things I read this year. It's by Tom King, so there's that. But it's legitimately amazing. I know, I was skeptical too. Just read it and trust me.

DC Holiday Special 2017

- Oftentimes DC will put out a big Holiday special compendium of short comic stories, and typically they are a mixed bag. But there are sometimes some real gems in these books, and this year's special produced one of the best DC Comics stories of the year - written by (no surprise) Tom King. King penned a World War II set, Hanukkah-themed story about classic DC character Sgt. Rock - and it's amazing. To say too much would be to spoil it, but seek out this story if you like good comics! A new holiday classic from Tom King and DC.

WRITERS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Jeff Lemire (Black Hammer, Royal City, Descender)
2.) Ed Brubaker (Kill or Be Killed)
3.) G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel)
4.) Kelly Thompson (Hawkeye, Captain Phasma)
5.) Peter Tomasi (Superman, Super-Sons)
6.) Brian K. Vaughan (Paper Girls, Saga)
7.) Greg Rucka (Lazarus, Black Magick)
8.) Dan Slott (Silver Surfer)
9.) Tom King (Batman, Mr. Miracle, Batman/Elmer Fudd)
10.) Tim Seeley (Nightwing)

ARTISTS OF THE YEAR:

1.) Nicola Scott (Black Magick)
2.) Sean Phillips (Kill Or Be Killed)
3.) Cliff Chiang (Paper Girls)
4.) Jeff Lemire (Royal City)
5.) Mike Allred (Silver Surfer, Bug)
6.) Sean Murphy (Kill Or Be Killed)
7.) Ryan Ottley (Invincible)
8.) Leonardo Romero (Hawkeye)
9.) Fiona Staples (Saga)
10.) Leslie Hung (Snot Girl)