I had found a couple of suggested reading orders online for Hickman's Fantastic Four that started from #570. It is lucky that I bought the Omnibus after reading a couple of issues, because the Omnibus starts with FF: Dark Reign. That provides a lot more context.
Also, I haven't read any Fantastic Four before. Is this Hickman's take on Reed or does Reed usually have such a large messiah complex?
Oh no. Oh no no.
I'M TRYING TO SAVE MONEY. WHY MUST THIS HAPPEN TO ME. 30% off.
Someone please tell me that buying that Artist Edition would totally spoil Hellboy for me and I definitely shouldn't get it until I've both bought and read all of the Hellboy series. Please.
I don't know if I could put a list of 10 together, maybe I'll just put some thoughts together on books I've read.
I will say Batman, Sex Criminals, Bobs Burgers, Johns/JRJR Superman, Harley Quinn, and Justice League 3000 have been huge stand outs for me. Just really enjoyable all around, and they've all just been consistently solid to amazing.
Nocentti's run on Catwoman was ofcourse fucking awful, and it sounds like her short run on Klarion was equally bad (though I haven't read it myself). Batwoman has just been in this slow death spiral of how boring and disconnected from the character can we get these issues and still call it Batwoman with out laughing outright.
Meanwhile Saga (which I still like) has definitely taken a dip. The first 18 - 20 issues were super solid, specially those first 12 just awesome stuff. The last few though have left me flat, and not enjoying it as much.
There's also The Wicked + The Divine, that shot out of the gate with this really strong first issue, and then just tripped and fell flat on its face. This would probably be my biggest disappointment of the year if not for 1 other book.
The Death of Wolverine, was just..........terrible. It just felt contrived, and poorly executed, with none of the characters really feeling like themselves. The only stand out from this whole thing was the Deadpool, Captain America tie in comic, that was fantastic. Everything else has ranged from poor to embarrassingly bad.
1. Batman- full disclosure: I've collected batman since I was a kid and I'm always going to be biased, but man, Snyder is giving me everything I want in a batman comic.
2. Zero
3. Low
4. Silver Surfer
5. Harley Quinn
6. Deadly Class
7. Sex Criminals
8. Daredevil
I stopped reading anything I didn't quite like after 1 or 2 issues and I tradewait a lot of stuff so I could only come up with 8.
#1: The Multiversity - Alternative worlds are my favourite comic trope, so I love every moment of each issue. It's a testament to how good comic book characters are when you can twist them in strange new directions but they still feel true. The artists have all been great. So far for me, the best issue was Conquerors of Counter-World because there aren't enough pulp comics not published by Dynamite these days.
#2: Loki: Agent of Asgard - Trust him, he knows what he's doing. Fresh off his adventures under Kieron Gillen, this is a Loki that's trying to do the right thing, albeit he's not trying especially hard. Verity is my favourite new Big Two character in awhile
I AM THE CRIME THAT WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN!
#3: Uncanny Avengers - The best pure superhero comic being published today, at least until AXIS buggered the whole thing up. Feels like it could slot in with the Korvac Saga and Under Siege, while still possessing plenty of Remender's punk rock energy. The artists drew the bejesus out of it too, McNiven's issues were his best work in years.
#4: Armour Hunters - Where Forever Evil faltered and Original Sin slowed to a crawl, Valiant produced the best crossover of the year, with lasting consequences across the line. A true blockbuster in the vain of the MCU, with high stakes and entertaining villains. Hoping The Valiant will deliver in 2015, the first issue was great.
#5: Avengers Undercover - Avengers Arena was my favourite book of 2013. This didn't hit the same heights, and was hurt by Kev Walker leaving after Issue 7 to draw New Avengers, but this was an Avengers story as opposed to a Hickman story despite the casts, and that's why I preferred it. Hopeless' Baron Zemo in particular was great. Didn't like how the Runaways in the cast were handled, but the ending made up for it.
#6: Transformers: More than Meets the Eye - Faltered during the 30th Anniversary Dark Cybertron crossover, then kicked right back into gear with Season Two. This book might have the best cast of any comic going today. I'm so excited to see where thery're going with this next arc.
#7: Batman & Robin - For me, this feels like the ideal halfway house between BTAS and Brave and the Bold. Yes, Batman's gone to Apokolips calling himself the Hellbat, but he's doing it for reasons that if you don't find upsetting then damnit you are MADE OF STONE. I enjoy how this book embraces the weird. It feels like the heir to Morrison's Batman and for that I love it.
#8: The Delinquents - I'm hoping to read Superior Foes soon, but if it's half as funny as this meeting of Valiant's two biggest duos, it'll be amazing. I love both Quantum & Woody and Archer & Armstrong, and this team up to battle the Hobo King was hilarious from start to finish.
#9: Lazarus - Moody, dark without being grimdark, brilliantly scripted by Rucka as usual, probably the best use of colouring to establish mood this year. The only reason this isn't higher is because it doesn't come out enough. When it does, it's absolutely worth it.
#10: Pathfinder: City of Secrets - This third arc for Jim Zub sees the Iconics journey to Magnimar, where sinister forces seek to destroy their friendship. Captures the feeling of sitting around the gaming table like no fantasy comic has since the amazing Dungeons & Dragons: Fell's Five. They need to put more Kasadei in the next volume though, I want more of her escapades with the City Guard.
Five more that just missed the cut: The Wicked + The Divine, Rat Queens, Black Science, Avengers/New Avengers, Ms. Marvel
daredevil
black science
avengers/new avengers
thor
batman
grayson
uncanny avengers
THE TOP THREE
multiversity - Never has a mini series inspired such incredible Frank Quitely art, nor such profoundly moving intellectualism
BPRD - Never has a single comic book been so consistently great, so assured of its tone, so dedicated to doing whatever the fuck it wants, month in and month out.
#1: SOUTHERN BASTARDS - Never has a fourth issue of a comic been better rendered and presented. Multiversity had a better single issue, obvs, but tithe storyline wasn't named after a deadwood episode, so SB wins the year.
hon men: Amazing Spider-Men/Spider-Verse - best crossover of the year for sure.
That Nailbiter issue is one of the worst comics alive read the past few years. Just a complete disservice to the medium. What was this brah thinking? He must've lost all respect for the story he was telling because I did after that issue.
It's not a series that lights the world on fire but it's just Aquaman, done well, by someone who clearly enjoys writing him. That earnestness shines through.
That was a little hard getting it down to 10 books.
I also enjoyed United States of Murder INC., LOW, Saga. Daredevil, Rat Queens and Annihilator. Hard to pick only 10, and I feel like im forgetting some books.
I'm surprised by all the love for God Hates Astronauts, and sadly not surprised that I'm the only 9ne to date to list Manhattan Projects. You're all dead to me.
I'm surprised by all the love for God Hates Astronauts, and sadly not surprised that I'm the only 9ne to date to list Manhattan Projects. You're all dead to me.
1) Manhattan Projects - the overall winner by a large margin. To put it in a way comics-gaf could understand, it's Science Hijinx. It dipped in quality ever so slightly with too much focus on the
Oppenheimer civil war
but i can't fault the book too much on that. I'm impressed most by books that aren't suppressed by dc/marvel continuity and are free to be as crazy as they want, and Manhattan Projects does not disappoint.
2) Secret Avengers - Since Kot joked about this in issue #7 and i've said this from #1 onwards, it's like a better Hawkeye book with a full cast of characters. If you liked the goofy start to Hawkeye, you should be reading Secret Avengers. This is not another random Avengers book.
3) Multiversity - I haven't read Thunderworld yet, but this is the first "event" i've really liked in awhile because it has that " this is actually a book someone cares about" feel instead of the typical event shenanigans.
10) Walking Dead - All out war was a drag, but since Kirkman
jumped forward in time
i'm hopeful for the book again and it barely makes the list.
Ok, I just want to get off my chest that I hate trying to figure out what the hell makes up an event. I'm trying to piece together Battle of the Atom which is made up of like 4 different books plus two unique event issues. A lot of those issues will be covered in myself being the collections of All New X-Men and Uncanny X-men, but having to jump back and forth is a pain. I could also just grab the Battle of the Atom collection but I feel like that would be a waste since I'll be essentially double dipping on issues.
How do you all handle this sort of thing?
Edit: Just noticed that the collections actually don't put the Battle of the Atom issues of the crossover. That actually makes it MUCH easier.
Month in and month out, Robert Kirkman is delivering one of the most thoughtfully planned out stories I have ever read in my entire life. Each character has their own individual personality, and over the past ten years, the survivors who have made it have shown clear changes both physically and emotionally, and Kirkman never ceases to surprise with his ability to one up himself when it comes to the overlying threat for the arc. I was honestly shocked that All Out War was able to maintain such high quality writing throughout, but this arc in particular has picked up the pace, and it's looking like this could rival the prison arc, which is considered to be the best of the series. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride.
9. Harley Quinn
It's clear that 2014 has been a big year for Harley, and I am thrilled that DC has used this book as a stepping stone for what I would consider to be a better era for the company. They're taking similar risks that Marvel took with the NOW line, and I think that we have only just begun to see what they have in store for us. I would not say that Harley is anything extraordinary, but I enjoy it, I enjoy it's consistency, and I love to read this whenever it releases. Hopefully 2015 is good for Harley as well.
8. Hawkguy
Bro. This book is great, bro. Know what I'm saying bro? I love the Kate Bishop arc and all of the experimentation that goes on with the series. I'm sad to see that it's ending.
7. Saga
I do believe that Saga is BKV's weakest work so far, but I am enjoying this current arc with the Janitor immensely. I hope he kills everyone and then we do another time jump.
6. Miss Marvel
This generation's Spiderman, Kamala Khan is Peter Parker for a new era. I would consider Ms Marvel to be the publisher's greatest triumph of the past 10 year. Nothing feels forced or out of touch (Ghost Rider), it just flows nicely and is an awesome ride.
5. Superior Foes of Spiderman
4. Zero
This is really one of my biggest surprises of the year, and the only reason I picked it up was due to Filthy's love for the book. I plowed through both trades in a few hours and got completely caught up. I love this book, and I wish everyone would consider it.
3. Low
Tragic, colorful, wordy, violent, sexy, and completely aware and content with knowing that it is a hard read that takes dedication. Low is unapolgeticly science fiction, and is clearly
Inspired by movies like Mad Max and books like Dune. Remender had an amazing year, and it looks like his domination isn't going to stop any time soon.
2. Batman
What more is there to say? You could argue that this is the definitive take on the character, and I feel awful for the poor fucker who has to pick up the character after Snyder is done. Zero Year will go down as one best Batman stories of all time.
1. Southern Bastards
Jason Aaron's love letter to high school football and the southern way of living. There is an unmatched reverence in every small detail in this story which respects it's source, and it makes the story stronger for it. Southern Bastards isn't a fair book. The heroes don't always come out on top and life continues on. The Reds and Browns and blues and greens and yellows in this story really pop, and my absolute favorite moments in this book always involve football.
The way the players are drawn fascinates me, and I love the sense of scale that has been created for the players. It's all so flawlessly executed and really captures the spirit of the sport.
I would prefer not to get too deep into story details, but I really cannot recommend this book any higher. It is absolute perfection.
Yeah, Punk Rock Jesus is definitely a black and white book--shit is just impressive and the monochrome works perfectly with the story. But, for something like Joe the Barbarian, I think the colors help bring out the IMMENSE amount of detail Murphy poured into the world.
Yeah, Punk Rock Jesus is definitely a black and white book--shit is just impressive and the monochrome works perfectly with the story. But, for something like Joe the Barbarian, I think the colors help bring out the IMMENSE amount of detail Murphy poured into the world.
My only color experience with his stuff colored is The Wake and his Batman story in Tec 27 and the colors make the work look soft. I like the sharpness of the B&W. That page you posted looks good.
Hmm, I bet I could throw together a top ten...in no particular order...
-Batman. Snyder is just killing it on this book. The rest of the books in the Bat-family have left me cold this year; even Grayson got snipped from the pull list after the fourth issue. Year Zero was phenomenal and Endgame is shaping up the same way. Snyder gets how to write a Batman that can handle street-level crime as well as big, Justice League-type stuff without making either aspect of the Bat feel slighted. That is truly a rare thing.
-Drifter. Only two issues in and I am hooked on this book.
-All-New X-Men: Bendis may be falling flat on GotG - though he has recovered somewhat with the symbiote story and the recent annual - but he is turning in some fantastic scripts with the X-Men, particularly this book.
-East of West - It's a shame this book isn't more popular, because it's gotten to be such a cool, slow burn. I love Hickman in Epic Mode and he never really leaves that zone in this book.
-Lazarus - speaking of books I wish were more widely read...
-Southern Bastards - what a surprise this book was. I went in with zero expectations, expecting to drop after an issue or two, but it quickly rocketed to the top of the stack. The gravitas achieved here is truly unreal for a comic book. I agree with Spike...that fourth issue is one of the best I have ever read.
-New Avengers - I spend all month waiting for this book to come out. I can't wait to see what happens next. My favorite Hickman book, and if I had to pick an overall favorite it would be this one. I had to read the issue with Dr. Strange going nuts three times just to absorb all of the awesome.
-Zero - not much to say that hasn't already been said. This book is legit.
-Moon Knight - Brian Wood is a big step down but those first six issues were comic bliss. The clever page layouts, the physicality of the fighting, the one-and-done format, it was so brilliant. -Rat Queens - this is very much a guilty pleasure book...the pedigree isn't close to most of the other books listed here, but it entertains the hell out of me.
-How could I forget Superior Foes??? To hell with Rat Queens. Man, what a book. The humor is perfect, all of the characters are great. I'm even fond of Mach V now thanks to this book.
Sounds like I might have to jump back into Aquaman!
My only color experience with his stuff colored is The Wake and his Batman story in Tec 27 and the colors make the work look soft. I like the sharpness of the B&W. That page you posted looks good.
oh uh I should probably answer my own request, in no real order
-Nameless by Morrison/Burnham/Fairbairn
-Stray Bullets by Lapham
-Howard the Duck by Zdarsky/Quinones
-Uncanny Avengers by Remender/Acuna; Rage of Ultron by Remender/Opena/White; Tokyo Ghost by Remender/Murphy/Hollingsworth
-Casanova Acedia
I left Sandman and Multiversity off of my list because I feel like it was too easy to just give them top spot. My list was primarily books that proved their worth in 2014.
oh uh I should probably answer my own request, in no real order
-Nameless by Morrison/Burnham/Fairbairn
-Stray Bullets by Lapham
-Howard the Duck by Zdarsky/Quinones
-Uncanny Avengers by Remender/Acuna/Rage of Ultron by Remender/Opena/White
-Casanova Acedia
Nameless - Morrison/Burnham
Descender - Lemire/Nguyen
Tokyo Ghost (is this a 2015 book?) - Remender/Murphy
Howard the Duck - Zdarsky/Quinones
Manhattan Projects: The Sun Beyond the Stars - Hickman/Pitarra
Nameless is my first collaboration with Chris Burnham since we wrapped up our run on Batman and it’s our first no-holds barred horror comic—a disturbing anti-human voyage to the hopeless outer limits of cosmic nihilism and cruelty, in the company of six doomed astronauts on a mission to save our planet from an approaching asteroid. Needless to say, they get far more than they bargained for.
In my superhero comics, I’ve tended to be a cheerleader for the human spirit, but Nameless gives me a rare opportunity to articulate a long-withheld sneering contempt for our miserable species, with its self-serving, sentimental, suicidal self-delusions and its greedy, willful ignorance.
Inspired by the dark side occultism of the Tunnels of Set, by pessimist philosophers like Thomas Ligotti and Ray Brassier, and by our culture’s unstoppable, almost erotic, obsession with its own destruction, Nameless is a light-hearted romp through the sunlit meadows of a baby unicorn’s daydreams!
Not.
But after Batman Inc, I'm not gonna miss a chance for a new Morrison/Burnham/Fairbairn comic
1) Casanova Acedia w/ backups by Michael fuckin' Chabon
2) Nameless by Morrison and Burnham
3) Hawkeye by Lemire and Perez
4) Tokyo Ghost by Remender and Murphy
5) Howard the Duck by Chipper and Quinoa
*) Unbeatable Squirrel Girl by North and Henderson
I can't even really name any other confirmed new books, though.
