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.
- 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.
- 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.
OTHER FAVORITES FROM 2024
Black Canary: Best of the Best
Birds of Prey
The Question
Minor Arcana
Wesley Dodds: The Sandman
Jay Garrick: The Flash
Detective Comics
The Deviant
Avengers: Twilight
Geiger
Green Arrow
Batgirl
Justice Society of America
1.) Tom King (Wonder Woman, The Penguin, Jenny Sparks, Love Everlasting)
2.) Ryan North (Fantastic Four)
4.) Tom Taylor (Nightwing, Detective Comics, Titans)
5.) John Ridley (Absolute Power: Origins)
8.) G. Willow Wilson (Poison Ivy)
1.) Daniel Sampere (Wonder Woman)
2.) Jeff Spokes (Jenny Sparks)
3.) Hayden Sherman (Absolute Wonder Woman)
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