80. Seeking Refuge
Writer: Irene Watts
Artist: Kathryn Shoemaker
Publisher: Tradewind Books
When I read a book of this nature I try to go in knowing as little as possible. Sometimes knowing too much or hearing about the story it is based on can ruin the experience of the actual book. With Seeking Refuge I was shocked to discover this, in fact, was not based on any real-life story. Here we have a tale of a young girl forced to flee to England due to the rise of the Nazi’s in Europe, and throughout I would have sworn this was based on a real-life account. That is not because it is littered with massive historical facts, or has a story that is too incredible not to be true. No, it is because reading the emotion that is layered underneath these words and throughout the simplistic but well-crafted art I would assume it came from someone who was there. As it is told from the perspective of a child it makes the situation all the more tragic. I see the importance of this book only increasing as years go on. Especially when it comes from parents or teachers trying to approach heavy topics like war and the refugee crisis. It gives you an understanding that a history book or news story is not capable of accomplishing.
79. Victor LaValle’s The Destroyer:
Writer: Victor LaValle
Artist: Dietrich Smith
Publisher: Boom! Studios
As mentioned with Made Men there seems to be a resurgence with the Frankenstein story as of late. I am not exactly sure why that is, but part of me wonders if how much the idea of about the hubris of man fits so well into the events of the current social and political climate. Victor LaValle’s Destroyer delves deep into many of today’s biggest hotbed topics including environmental concerns and racial tensions. It packs those messages into a tightly woven story that also brings the entertainment. It got better and better as the story went on and only continues to get stronger. I honestly never heard the name Victor LaValle before but it is one I will know look out for moving forward.
78. Animosity
Writer: Marguerite Bennett
Artist: Rafael de Latorre
Publisher: Aftershock
Aftershock has had a number of great titles, many of which made this list last year and this year. There was still a need to create that one title that can be the lynchpin that people think of when they hear the name Aftershock. The closest they have come is Animosity. For one it is the one title with the broadest scope due to its massive story that has even lead to a number of spinoff series. The concept works so well it makes you question how no one ever told this exact story before. I would advise anyone who has enjoyed stories like The Walking Dead or Y: The Last Man to check out a few issues because I get a similar feeling reading this as I did reading those series.
77. The Old Guard
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: Leandro Fernandez
Publisher: Image Comics
Leave it to Greg Rucka to take the idea of being immortal and find new ways to tell a similar story. A small twist can go a long way. With The Old Guard you had the idea that a person could come back from the dead, however that ability will eventually stop working at a random time and place. So now the issue of not having stakes knowing a character cannot die is gone, yet you can still look into what happens to a person’s psyche when time has no relative concern. Rucka looks into much of that while still telling this tension-filled story of an elite fighting force. If you are a person who wants to read a comic that has a narrative as deep as the best novels and art with realistic execution The Old Guard is a must read.
76. The Stone Heart
Writer: Faith Erin Hicks
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Publisher: First Second
The world of young adult comics is as healthy as it has ever been and Faith Hicks plays a large part in that fact. The Nameless City’s first addition was one of last year’s best comics and second installment The Stone Heart picks up where the last book left off. While not as strong as the opening book, it does continue building these characters to new levels. What makes Hicks such a strong YA writer is her willingness to approach some complex and difficult subjects without kid gloves. It is rare to see a colorist named on the front cover of a comic so prominently, but when that name is Jordie Bellaire you get why. She is one of the best colorist in the business and this shows why. The color palette is key to make the art pop as much as it does
75. Hawkeye
Writer: Kelly Thompson
Artist: Leonardo Romero
Publisher: Marvel Comics
The character(s) of Hawkeye have long been trying to get out of the shadow of the infamous Matt Fraction and David Aja run that went a long way to redefine comics and the way people look at both Clint Barton and Kate Bishop. Kelly Thompson acknowledges that run without it dominating the way she is telling her story. She had made Kate Bishop into one of my favorite Marvel characters. She strong-willed and capable but also self deprecating enough to bring that classic Marvel sense of humor. As someone who loves noir I thank both Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero because I know if Hawkeye is coming out in a given week I will get my crime story fix.
74. Aquaman
Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: Stjepan Sejic
Publisher: DC Comics
When Aquaman emerged out of DC Rebirth it was a fine title but not nearly one of DC’s best. After a few months it declined in quality and had trouble finding its footing. Then some changes occurred for the better. It went to monthly to give Dan Abnett some time to flesh out his stories and more importantly Stjepan Sejic came on as artist. His style just fits the world of Atlantis perfectly. Not often that hair would big such a big deal, but the flowing way he depicts it makes the world come alive even more. It actually looks like you are watching people live underwater. The physics just work and give the action sequences that much more fluidity. Also the “Underworld” storyline shook up the status quo in a fun way and made Aquaman into a Batman-like figure of his own city. It goes to show with just the right tweaks a series can quickly go from okay to great.
73. Bloodshot: Reborn / Bloodshot: Salvation
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Mico Suayan (Reborn), Lewis Larosa (Salvation)
Publisher: Valiant Comics
If you were going to make a list of the best current runs on a character Jeff Lemire’s work on Bloodshot would have to work its way near the top somewhere. In the wrong hands Bloodshot can be a bland character that lacks any depth or intrigue. A type of character that is known more for his firepower than actual character traits. Lemire has done so much with Bloodshot in such a limited time. He has opened up his world to bring in a plethora of new and exciting characters. He has found a way to add a consistent dramatic hook with each new series he has created, and he continues to build upon what he does with each passing issue. It is a feat to behold and one that should be recognized much more than it is currently.
72. Spill Zone
Writer: Scott Westerfeld
Artist: Alex Puvilland
Publisher: First Second
Spill Zone reminds me of a really great TV pilot that makes you know up front you are in for the entire season. For one the premise is presented in a way the captures your interest and leaves so much more room to explore in later installments. At this time its unclear what exact genre this should this be placed into. There are elements of horror, science fiction, and of course a major mystery that has no clear answer. The art certainly makes the tone of the book consistently creepy, and Westerfeld’s writing keeps the pace brisk and enthralling. It quenches that need to explore those places we aren’t supposed to go, think Chernobyl meets characters from The Mist. The book is not without cliche. Still even when you have something like a creepy possessed doll it works well in the confines of the story being told.
71. Black Eyed Kids
Writer: Joe Pruett
Artist: Szymon Kudranski
Publisher: Aftershock Comics
Kids can be really creepy at times. I say that as a loving father. There are those moments when the darkness is just right where my son can say something off-kilter enough it can give me a hint of the chills. Taking that Joe Pruett and Szymon Kudranski showed how sadistic the child form can be if it contained some twisted demonic beings. When I think back to this book the sheer blackness that dominates every page comes rushing into my mind. It as atmospheric horror where this sense of eeriness is always lurking. Over the past few years the amount of quality horror books has expanded rapidly and this title gives fans of the genre more to enjoy.
70. Giant Days
Writer: John Allison
Artist: Max Sarin
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Giant Days unfairly gets lumped into a category with similar young adult comics because it shares a similar sensibility and art style. I see it as a much more advanced version of those stories with the way it can craft it’s drama without having to constantly evoke wacky comedy to break the tension. That comedy is also smart and broad. Showing great jokes can be aimed at large crowds. Nearly anyone can find this book funny even if you tend to turn away from similar comics as the comedy has an advanced level of cleverness to it. Heartfelt and heartwarming I am taken aback to how consistently good this book has been over the last few years Years down the line I can see this being a series that brought a lot of new readers into the world of comics.
69. Harrow County
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Tyler Crook
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
With Black Eyed Kids I mentioned how the amount of great horror comics has expanded over the last few years, and the king of that expansion would have to be Harrow County. Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook know how to craft a creepy comic there is no question about that. With Harrow County the level of artistry is remarkable. If you are someone who enjoyed the movie The Witch that came out last year and want to find something similar that approaches the genre of horror in some deeply profound ways this is a great read. I do not doubt that an adaptation of this series will eventually make it to the big or small screen. I just wonder if any adaptation will come close to doing the original justice.
68. The Shape of Ideas
Writer/Artist: Grant Snider
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Grant Snider put his money where his theme was by crafting a book about the process of creating ideas that required him to come up with a new idea on nearly every page. This book should replace The Places You Will Go as the gift you give people when they are about to embark on a major life event. It is inspiring with its message, relatable through its craft, and its creativity makes it highly entertaining. I could see myself just picking it up flipping to a section when I feel the need to be inspired. I am also positive many of its cartoons will make their way to corporate team huddle meetings across the country for years to come.
67. Jessica Jones
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Michael Gaydos
Publisher: Marvel
Everyone in the world of comics is aware of the massive news that Brian Michael Bendis will be moving to DC after his legendary run at Marvel. Some have argued Bendis hasn’t been the writer he once was but I would argue this year has been quite great for him. It helped that he got back to characters that no one can do like him and that starts with Jessica Jones. Considering she is his creation it makes sense. Outside of that he showed his magic once again with how he made Maria Hill the best she has ever been in comics. He has a way to break a character down to their basic elements to show the reader their essence. If you have enjoyed the previous Alias series or the television show this series brings much of what made those work so well back. I worry what is in store of Jessica Jones as since her inception Bendis has been providing her voice. It’s going to be hard for anyone to follow what he has done.
66. M.F.K. Book One
Writer/Artist: Nilah Magruder
Publisher: Insight Comics
I did not know this was a collection of a digital work until after I finished reading it. It makes sense looking back as the art does come off as very digital, yet still impressively detailed and wonderfully colored. Using the oversized book format was a smart move as it makes the pages really stand out. Page layout it’s vitally important and here it is a big reason why the book succeeds. Storywise this volume is mainly just setting the stage for what is to come. It moves along quickly and brings you into this world without overwhelming you and leaves the door open for the next installments.
65. Detective Comics
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Alvaro Martinez, Eddy Barrows, Carmen Nunez Carnero
Publisher: DC Comics
With Detective Comics James Tynion IV has built the ultimate Bat-family book. Tynion is juggeling a massive cast of characters that could undue a lesser writer. He uses the large roster to his advantage finding new dynamics and dramatic perspectives with all the different team members. The “A LONELY PLACE OF LIVING” storyline was the highlight of this past year. There the love Tynion has for the character of Tim Drake dripped off the page. From the mirrored storytelling to the well-placed callbacks any fan of the character would appreciate the work Tynion put in.
64. Britannia: We Who Are About To Die
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Juan Jose Ryp
Publisher: Valiant Comics
What I adore most about the Valiant universe is how extremely varied it is title to title, yet they are able to contain all those books into one distinct universe. One of the best of examples of this is Britannia that tells a story of the world’s first detective in the era of the Roman empire. A tale full of mystery, suspense, horror, and adventure that any fan of historical fiction can enjoy. If you are at all interested in the history of the Roman Empire Britannia is worth reading simply for the back matter that delves deep into the actual real-life history. It is a history that is reflected in this story about the first ever detective and his journey to find the truth in a corrupt world. Peter Milligan’s script encapsulates the intrigue of Rome at this time and how extremely corrupt every inch of it was. Making any current day cop drama look easy compared to what they were up against then.
63. Green Valley
Writer: Max Landis
Artist: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Publisher: Skybound
I will be honest that I am not the biggest Max Landis fan, yet I cannot deny the man can be a talented writer. Last year his Superman American Alien comic made this list and now Green Valley. This was not at all the book I thought it was going to be. Going in it seemed like another medieval fantasy tale but in fact, it fell much more in the realm of science fiction. I would say more but it would ruin many of the surprises. Giuseppe Camuncoli’s art was simply gorgeous. He was tasked to draw a large variety of different creatures and worlds and did so with ease.
62. Lady Killer 2
Writer/Artist: Joelle Jones
Publisher: Dark Horse
Lady Killer 2 takes the style of Mad Men mixes it with the violence of Dexter and the profession of James Bond. Imagine watching a show like Leaving it to Beaver and finding out when the mom in that show wasn’t cleaning the house in pearls she was a for-hire mercenary killing bad guys in some majorly violent ways. There is no doubting Joelle Jones’s talent as an artist, and this past year she did some incredible work for DC on Batman. I hope she also gets the opportunity to take on some major characters as a writer because she has an instinctive sense of pacing that clearly comes from trusting the images on the page. A talent that many comic book writers are lacking in today’s market.
Great collection of comics but the order of this list is batshit insane. Flinstones in the top ten but Southen Bastards and Seven to Eternity in the 80s? Yeah right.
First thank you for the feedback and reading through this list I know there is a lot there so thanks for taking the time. Perhaps you are right regarding Seven to Eternity but the reason I ranked where I did was while I highly enjoyed it at times the density of the narrative caused me to be disengaged, but maybe on a reread that wouldn’t be the case.
As I mentioned in the article Southern Bastards is probably my overall favorite title right now. In fact two years ago I did rank it as number one. Why it is so low was due to the fact that it only had three issues this year, and one of those issues was written by Jason Latour and while good was not on the same level it usually is. For me I couldn’t rank it higher than other books that had a higher consistency in releases and quality as this was a list looking back at this specific year. For some that may not be as a factor I realize.
Now regarding The Flintstones I understand that book may not work for everyone. Especially if you fall on the opposite side of the political leanings of the creators, but personally thought it was rather brilliant. One of the best examples of social satire in some time in any medium, and even outside of that rather strong character piece. As mentioned what they were able to create with the story of Bowling Ball and Vacuum cleaner was incredibly touching in the weirdest way.
Again this entire list is subjective as all lists are. My biggest hope with this is to highlight great books that I enjoyed and think other people will enjoy as well.
Great collection of comics but the order of this list is batshit insane. Flinstones in the top ten but Southen Bastards and Seven to Eternity in the 80s? Yeah right.
First thank you for the feedback and reading through this list I know there is a lot there so thanks for taking the time. Perhaps you are right regarding Seven to Eternity but the reason I ranked where I did was while I highly enjoyed it at times the density of the narrative caused me to be disengaged, but maybe on a reread that wouldn’t be the case.
As I mentioned in the article Southern Bastards is probably my overall favorite title right now. In fact two years ago I did rank it as number one. Why it is so low was due to the fact that it only had three issues this year, and one of those issues was written by Jason Latour and while good was not on the same level it usually is. For me I couldn’t rank it higher than other books that had a higher consistency in releases and quality as this was a list looking back at this specific year. For some that may not be as a factor I realize.
Now regarding The Flintstones I understand that book may not work for everyone. Especially if you fall on the opposite side of the political leanings of the creators, but personally thought it was rather brilliant. One of the best examples of social satire in some time in any medium, and even outside of that rather strong character piece. As mentioned what they were able to create with the story of Bowling Ball and Vacuum cleaner was incredibly touching in the weirdest way.
Again this entire list is subjective as all lists are. My biggest hope with this is to highlight great books that I enjoyed and think other people will enjoy as well.
the fact that I Hate Fairyland isn’t in the top 50 is very dismaying to me! hahahahahahahaha
For anyone that wants to hear @danielclark481:disqus and I review that series… click the link below.
https://www.geekcastradio.com/?s=i+hate+fairyland
the fact that I Hate Fairyland isn’t in the top 50 is very dismaying to me! hahahahahahahaha
For anyone that wants to hear @danielclark481:disqus and I review that series… click the link below.
https://www.geekcastradio.com/?s=i+hate+fairyland
Killed or be Killed is great…But I don’t think is that great…
Also …You totally need to read Injustice 2…The original wirter is back and it is great again…
When injustice 1 came out I thought oh hey cool a prequel comics… That was only 5 issue, and then they made more and more, and I just lost interest. Sadly most DC titles with the exception of Batman Beyond and any of the He-Man series… I’ve been outta DC reading for a long time. Specifically after Forever Evil. Yes I know Nightwing is back, and I do wanna check out his rebirth series, but just haven’t had the time.
I reccomend watching the “Comicstorian” videos on it at least…The Injustice comics(when Tom Taylor is writting) are a modern classic in my opinion…
And DC have been doing some great stuff since Rebirth…I think this si a great time to jump back in…
I 100% agree that DC has been great since Rebirth. King’s run on Batman was good to start, but this year hit another level. Mister Miracle and Doomsday Clock look to be some of the best comics any company has put out in some time.
The original writers on Injustice are Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray.. as they worked on the game.. It’s amazing that DC didn’t ask them to write the comic.. and well it shows..
The Injustice comic book writer…Tom Taylor…
The story of the games are pure mediocre…
As indicated in the list Kill or Be Killed is a very subjective choice as it gives me what I typically look for fiction and especially in comics. Objectively I would probably say My Favorite Thing is Monsters is probably the overall best artistic achievement of the medium this year.
I honestly ignored Injustice to start because it was based on the video game so I unfairly dismissed it. I’ll need to catch up with it.
Yeah, a lot of people made this mistake…But the story of Injustice can hold its own even without the game.
The original writers on Injustice are Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray.. as they worked on the game.. It’s amazing that DC didn’t ask them to write the comic.. and well it shows..
well A) Congrats on not jumping on the America/Iceman are amazing bandwagon that everyone’s jumped on.
B) Transformers: More than Meets the Eye/Lost Light and every DC Young Animals book should be on this list. Yeah I saw Bug, but it is while good, the weakest DC Young Animals book by far. And seriously Cave Carson has a Cybernetic Eye #7 is an amazing Superman story.. it’s so great. I can’t believe the silly Batman/Fudd xover made it but not those..
C) The Wild Storm is wayyyyyyyyy too low.
well A) Congrats on not jumping on the America/Iceman are amazing bandwagon that everyone’s jumped on.
B) Transformers: More than Meets the Eye/Lost Light and every DC Young Animals book should be on this list. Yeah I saw Bug, but it is while good, the weakest DC Young Animals book by far. And seriously Cave Carson has a Cybernetic Eye #7 is an amazing Superman story.. it’s so great. I can’t believe the silly Batman/Fudd xover made it but not those..
C) The Wild Storm is wayyyyyyyyy too low.
I’ve read the other Young Animal series and I’m honestly not the biggest fan. Doom Patrol for example I find impenetrable and unnecessarily chaotic. Bug on the other hand is Mike Allred doing what he has been doing well since the 90’s.
I reccomend watching the “Comicstorian” videos on it at least…The Injustice comics(when Tom Taylor is writting) are a modern classic in my opinion…
And DC have been doing some great stuff since Rebirth…I think this si a great time to jump back in…
I 100% agree that DC has been great since Rebirth. King’s run on Batman was good to start, but this year hit another level. Mister Miracle and Doomsday Clock look to be some of the best comics any company has put out in some time.
As indicated in the list Kill or Be Killed is a very subjective choice as it gives me what I typically look for fiction and especially in comics. Objectively I would probably say My Favorite Thing is Monsters is probably the overall best artistic achievement of the medium this year.
I honestly ignored Injustice to start because it was based on the video game so I unfairly dismissed it. I’ll need to catch up with it.