It's the end of the year, and everyone with a blog, or access to the internet has their very own "Best of 2008" list, so I feel entitled to my own. The following is of my own opinion and does not represent the opinions of Antidote Comics LLC. I don't expect you to agree with my opinions, and if you feel strongly enough to rival my own then feel free to comment. With that said let's get down to business!
Best Comic: Scalped (DC/Vertigo): It was just over a month ago when I posted an entry reviewing the third volume of Jason Aaron’s stunning vision of life and organized crime on an Indian reservation. I am not going to rehash everything here, but did want to touch on a couple of features that make this book the best of the year.
Month in and month out this is by far the best comic book being published, and always at the top of my read pile. Scalped started strong and each arc is better than the previous. Jason Aaron hasn’t just filled the book with an eccentric ensemble cast of wholly original characters, but has instilled each one with several layers of depth and complexity rarely found in a medium filled with cookie-cutter heroes and villains. And just who are the heroes, and who are the villains? Just as in the real world, with Scalped it isn’t that simple. Over the course of the run you develop an emotional attachment to these characters no matter how bad, badass, or down right despicable they may first appear. Each character infused with their own unique persona as well as a motivation, or drive that the reader can easily identify with even though the Rez is far from our own suburbanite environment. Through tight natural dialogue and smooth narration, Jason does a superb job getting us inside the characters heads.
Jason Aaron continuously weaves a tight crime drama, intricately balancing a number of ongoing sub-plots while not losing focus of the books main premise.
I simply cannot praise the book on writing alone. I must commend RM Guera whose morose artwork brilliantly, and brutally brings to life the gritty atmosphere of the tough life on the Rez for its Denizens. The artwork is not pretty, but that’s the point as it perfectly fits the tone of the book. A true cohesiveness between Aaron and Guera is unmistakable as each one’s skill perfectly complements the other resulting in a seamless fusion of storytelling.
Best Writer: Jason Aaron: Jason Aaron has had an impressive year. His Vertigo title Scalped (see above) is the best monthly series hitting the stands. He signed an exclusive contract with Marvel Comics where his work on Ghost Rider has transformed the series from a sub-par superhero comic into a no holds barred Grindhouse horror show. His Wolverine arc “Get Mystique” was a fun hyper-violent game of cat and mouse. And the most enjoyable story to come out of the mega-event “Secret Invasion” was Jason’s few Black Panther issues. I had always been a fan of the Black Panther, though did not necessarily enjoy his portrayal the last few years.
Wizard Magazine recently named Jason best Writer of 2008 as well, which is very well deserved. He tops my list of Best Writer of 2008 for his consistent work on Scalped, returning the Black Panther to his glorious badass-ness, and giving one of my favorite characters (Ghost rider) the treatment it deserves.
I was thrilled to hear the news that Jason and artist Ron Garney are teaming up for a new Wolverine ongoing title in Spring 2009 looks to be a great year to be a Jason Aaron fan.
Best Artist: Mike Deodato Jr.: A tough category because art is all subjective, and there are a number of great artists out there including Steve Epting, Dave Finch, Steve McNiven. But if I have to only choose on artist this year as the best, I have to go with Mike Deodato Jr. Some people may be put off by his photorealistic style, but that happens to suit my interest best. And though I missed his work on the Hulk, I have always been amazed with Deodato’s pencils on titles such as New Avengers and Thunderbolts. His work in Wolverine Origins has been amazing with its cinematic scope and atmosphere, especially the flashback scenes of Wolverine battling both the Hulk and the Wendigo at the same time. Dark Avengers will be his newest title hitting stands soon, and I am completely stoked for it despite its 3.99 price tag.
Best New Title: The Invincible Iron Man (Marvel): I was never an Iron Man fan, and don’t remember buying an Iron Man Comic prior to this. I think I first garnered an interest in him when New Avengers launched a few years back. Since then he has been portrayed as both a hero and a villain, and then a hero again. I didn’t have much interest in this title at first because I felt the launch might feel forced in order to make coincide with the movie that was released about the same time. With the talented Matt Fraction at the helm I was determined to at least give the first issue a try. I instantly became engrossed in the character of Tony Stark, his relationships, his technology, and his enemies. Fraction unlocked the potential to tell stories that were accessible to new readers without ostracizing old fans. Through the first several issues Fraction introduced us to our titular hero, and his supporting cast while amp-ing up the action. He respected continuity and was not hindered by the “Secret Invasion” event running through every other title.
This has been a great title to introduce a new generation of fans to a classic character.
Best Cover: Nova (Marvel): A very tough category to narrow down, simply due to the sheer number of comic book covers I come across, and that there are so many great one’s out there to choose between. So Instead of choosing just one cover, I went with a series that consistently has the best covers…and that series has been Nova. Much like the Annihilation covers the previous year; Nova covers are strikingly beautiful paintings from talented artists like Alex Maleev, Francesco “Matt” Mattina, and Adi Granov. Less a comic cover and more like a beautiful work of art, I would love to have on of these originals hanging on the wall of my office.
Nova has become one of my favorite comics month in and month out, and was front-runner with the Invincible Iron Man for best new title. Nova is becoming a staple title in the Marvel Universe, and should definitely not be overlooked.
Best Comic: Scalped (DC/Vertigo): It was just over a month ago when I posted an entry reviewing the third volume of Jason Aaron’s stunning vision of life and organized crime on an Indian reservation. I am not going to rehash everything here, but did want to touch on a couple of features that make this book the best of the year.Month in and month out this is by far the best comic book being published, and always at the top of my read pile. Scalped started strong and each arc is better than the previous. Jason Aaron hasn’t just filled the book with an eccentric ensemble cast of wholly original characters, but has instilled each one with several layers of depth and complexity rarely found in a medium filled with cookie-cutter heroes and villains. And just who are the heroes, and who are the villains? Just as in the real world, with Scalped it isn’t that simple. Over the course of the run you develop an emotional attachment to these characters no matter how bad, badass, or down right despicable they may first appear. Each character infused with their own unique persona as well as a motivation, or drive that the reader can easily identify with even though the Rez is far from our own suburbanite environment. Through tight natural dialogue and smooth narration, Jason does a superb job getting us inside the characters heads.
Jason Aaron continuously weaves a tight crime drama, intricately balancing a number of ongoing sub-plots while not losing focus of the books main premise.
I simply cannot praise the book on writing alone. I must commend RM Guera whose morose artwork brilliantly, and brutally brings to life the gritty atmosphere of the tough life on the Rez for its Denizens. The artwork is not pretty, but that’s the point as it perfectly fits the tone of the book. A true cohesiveness between Aaron and Guera is unmistakable as each one’s skill perfectly complements the other resulting in a seamless fusion of storytelling.
Best Writer: Jason Aaron: Jason Aaron has had an impressive year. His Vertigo title Scalped (see above) is the best monthly series hitting the stands. He signed an exclusive contract with Marvel Comics where his work on Ghost Rider has transformed the series from a sub-par superhero comic into a no holds barred Grindhouse horror show. His Wolverine arc “Get Mystique” was a fun hyper-violent game of cat and mouse. And the most enjoyable story to come out of the mega-event “Secret Invasion” was Jason’s few Black Panther issues. I had always been a fan of the Black Panther, though did not necessarily enjoy his portrayal the last few years.
Wizard Magazine recently named Jason best Writer of 2008 as well, which is very well deserved. He tops my list of Best Writer of 2008 for his consistent work on Scalped, returning the Black Panther to his glorious badass-ness, and giving one of my favorite characters (Ghost rider) the treatment it deserves.
I was thrilled to hear the news that Jason and artist Ron Garney are teaming up for a new Wolverine ongoing title in Spring 2009 looks to be a great year to be a Jason Aaron fan.
Best Artist: Mike Deodato Jr.: A tough category because art is all subjective, and there are a number of great artists out there including Steve Epting, Dave Finch, Steve McNiven. But if I have to only choose on artist this year as the best, I have to go with Mike Deodato Jr. Some people may be put off by his photorealistic style, but that happens to suit my interest best. And though I missed his work on the Hulk, I have always been amazed with Deodato’s pencils on titles such as New Avengers and Thunderbolts. His work in Wolverine Origins has been amazing with its cinematic scope and atmosphere, especially the flashback scenes of Wolverine battling both the Hulk and the Wendigo at the same time. Dark Avengers will be his newest title hitting stands soon, and I am completely stoked for it despite its 3.99 price tag.Best New Title: The Invincible Iron Man (Marvel): I was never an Iron Man fan, and don’t remember buying an Iron Man Comic prior to this. I think I first garnered an interest in him when New Avengers launched a few years back. Since then he has been portrayed as both a hero and a villain, and then a hero again. I didn’t have much interest in this title at first because I felt the launch might feel forced in order to make coincide with the movie that was released about the same time. With the talented Matt Fraction at the helm I was determined to at least give the first issue a try. I instantly became engrossed in the character of Tony Stark, his relationships, his technology, and his enemies. Fraction unlocked the potential to tell stories that were accessible to new readers without ostracizing old fans. Through the first several issues Fraction introduced us to our titular hero, and his supporting cast while amp-ing up the action. He respected continuity and was not hindered by the “Secret Invasion” event running through every other title.
This has been a great title to introduce a new generation of fans to a classic character.
Best Cover: Nova (Marvel): A very tough category to narrow down, simply due to the sheer number of comic book covers I come across, and that there are so many great one’s out there to choose between. So Instead of choosing just one cover, I went with a series that consistently has the best covers…and that series has been Nova. Much like the Annihilation covers the previous year; Nova covers are strikingly beautiful paintings from talented artists like Alex Maleev, Francesco “Matt” Mattina, and Adi Granov. Less a comic cover and more like a beautiful work of art, I would love to have on of these originals hanging on the wall of my office.Nova has become one of my favorite comics month in and month out, and was front-runner with the Invincible Iron Man for best new title. Nova is becoming a staple title in the Marvel Universe, and should definitely not be overlooked.
Best Graphic Novel: Joker (DC): Acclaimed crime fiction writer, Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets) and artist Lee Bermejo brought us an harrowingly intimate tale of the clown prince of crime. The Joker is just released from Arkham Asylum and intends on reclaiming what he feels is rightfully his, control of Gotham’s underworld. This rendition of the Joker, beautifully drawn by Bermejo, is eerily reminiscent of Heath Ledger’s portrayal in the Dark Knight. The Joker’s actions and dialogue are as sadistic and twisted as his smile, and the character Jonny Frost is relatable to the reader despite being a scumbag gangster wannabe.
This book has made the list because it’s a self-contained story and not reliant on knowledge of DC’s continuity, plus it is beautifully illustrated and wonderfully scripted. Plus it passed the ultimate test, the “wife test”. My wife doesn’t read comic books or have any interest in them. She did read Pride of Baghdad, which was a Christmas gift. She has started reading Wanted as well as Y: The Last Man but has yet to finish them. This was an easy read for her, and she enjoyed it. That says a lot about a book in a genre that seems constantly haunted by it’s inability to attract and keep new readers.
Best “Event”: “Brand New Day” Amazing Spiderman (Marvel Comics): Forget about the over-hyped Secret Invasion and the multiple-problem-riddled Final Crisis, the best comic book event of the year was Spider Man’s controversial reboot titled “Brand New Day”, and this is despite internet fandom’s condemnation of the previous story “One More Day”, in which our titular hero made a deal with the devil to save the life of his dying aunt May retconning decades of stories and plot points. With “Brand New Day” we were introduced to new era of the Spider Man mythos. It served as a perfect jumping on point for new readers such as myself. The rotating creative team putting out three books a month provided us with a much larger canvas for Spider Man stories to be built upon because of brand new supporting characters and new villains (some very bizarre). The risky maneuver by Marvel’s powers that be paid off in spades: Spider Man Comics are fun again; they are energetic, filled with vibrant humor and action, and mysteries that keep this reader coming back for more.
The individual story arcs are –for the most part- self-contained, so anyone off the street can grab an issue, quickly get caught up by the recap page, and then immediately get pulled into the action. They have been free of the burden of company crossovers, which had infected so many other Marvel titles this past year.
Those that stood by their laurels and haven’t picked up a Spider Man comic since “One More Day” are truly missing out. These are great stories written by some of the most talented writers out there, with amazing art.
Best Single Issue: Thunderbolts (Marvel) #126: This was a tough one to decide because I read nearly a dozen comics each week as well as a number of trade paperbacks. Because I don’t count the Trades as single issues, none of those issues comprising the books content were considered. I started reading the Thunderbolts following Marvels Civil War event under the direction of Warren Ellis. Christos Gage most recently wrote the series, and the story arc had the team embroiled in the Secret Invasion. Reading about this team of villains has become something of a guilty pleasure of mine. This particular issue marks the transition from Gage as writer to Andy Diggle. Thunderbolts #126 makes the grade for a number of reasons including the seamless transition of creative teams, accessibility to new readers, the stunning detail and atmospheric art by Roberto De La Torre, and most importantly was a cliffhanger ending that sent chills up my spine and left a lump in my throat. Songbird has become one of my favorite characters (not just female), and I would love to take a crack at writing her in a series someday.
Though the Thunderbolts title didn’t cut it as my favorite series of the year (I think the fatigue of Secret Invasion had began taking it’s toll). However, under Diggles’ vision it certainly has potential to be there next year.
My one concern is regarding the new roster; I do enjoy Ant Man, but the other characters referenced I am not too familiar with, or have my reservations about. You can read an interview with Andy Diggle here:
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/120817-Diggle-ThunderboltsB.html. At this point I am putting my faith in Andy and am keeping an open mind.This book has made the list because it’s a self-contained story and not reliant on knowledge of DC’s continuity, plus it is beautifully illustrated and wonderfully scripted. Plus it passed the ultimate test, the “wife test”. My wife doesn’t read comic books or have any interest in them. She did read Pride of Baghdad, which was a Christmas gift. She has started reading Wanted as well as Y: The Last Man but has yet to finish them. This was an easy read for her, and she enjoyed it. That says a lot about a book in a genre that seems constantly haunted by it’s inability to attract and keep new readers.
Best “Event”: “Brand New Day” Amazing Spiderman (Marvel Comics): Forget about the over-hyped Secret Invasion and the multiple-problem-riddled Final Crisis, the best comic book event of the year was Spider Man’s controversial reboot titled “Brand New Day”, and this is despite internet fandom’s condemnation of the previous story “One More Day”, in which our titular hero made a deal with the devil to save the life of his dying aunt May retconning decades of stories and plot points. With “Brand New Day” we were introduced to new era of the Spider Man mythos. It served as a perfect jumping on point for new readers such as myself. The rotating creative team putting out three books a month provided us with a much larger canvas for Spider Man stories to be built upon because of brand new supporting characters and new villains (some very bizarre). The risky maneuver by Marvel’s powers that be paid off in spades: Spider Man Comics are fun again; they are energetic, filled with vibrant humor and action, and mysteries that keep this reader coming back for more.
The individual story arcs are –for the most part- self-contained, so anyone off the street can grab an issue, quickly get caught up by the recap page, and then immediately get pulled into the action. They have been free of the burden of company crossovers, which had infected so many other Marvel titles this past year.
Those that stood by their laurels and haven’t picked up a Spider Man comic since “One More Day” are truly missing out. These are great stories written by some of the most talented writers out there, with amazing art.
Best Single Issue: Thunderbolts (Marvel) #126: This was a tough one to decide because I read nearly a dozen comics each week as well as a number of trade paperbacks. Because I don’t count the Trades as single issues, none of those issues comprising the books content were considered. I started reading the Thunderbolts following Marvels Civil War event under the direction of Warren Ellis. Christos Gage most recently wrote the series, and the story arc had the team embroiled in the Secret Invasion. Reading about this team of villains has become something of a guilty pleasure of mine. This particular issue marks the transition from Gage as writer to Andy Diggle. Thunderbolts #126 makes the grade for a number of reasons including the seamless transition of creative teams, accessibility to new readers, the stunning detail and atmospheric art by Roberto De La Torre, and most importantly was a cliffhanger ending that sent chills up my spine and left a lump in my throat. Songbird has become one of my favorite characters (not just female), and I would love to take a crack at writing her in a series someday.
Though the Thunderbolts title didn’t cut it as my favorite series of the year (I think the fatigue of Secret Invasion had began taking it’s toll). However, under Diggles’ vision it certainly has potential to be there next year.
My one concern is regarding the new roster; I do enjoy Ant Man, but the other characters referenced I am not too familiar with, or have my reservations about. You can read an interview with Andy Diggle here:
Best Movie: The Dark Knight (Warner Bros): Easily my favorite movie of the year, The Dark Knight had it all, breathtaking action, special effects, and one of the most memorable onscreen performances I have ever seen…Ever! Heath Ledger’s portrayal as the Joker is at times amusing and also very haunting. It is a performance that you will be talking about long after the end credits have finished. I never once saw Heath Ledger “playing” the role of the Joker as I had seen with Jack Nicholson almost two decades earlier; I simply saw the Joker…and it was one of the scariest things I’ve ever seen. Heath Ledger has already been nominated for a Golden Globe award for this legendary performance; I have a feeling that an Oscar nomination is not far behind, and it would be totally deserved.
Other close runners up include Iron Man and Tropic Thunder…I have a man crush on Robert Downey Jr.
Best Television Series: Lost (ABC): I caught the pilot episode of Lost way back when it originally aired on ABC, and though I was intrigued I was not blown away. I missed a few episodes then tried to catch another, but was completely lost (no pun intended) with what was happening…so I gave up. I revisited the series earlier this fall watching the first three seasons on DVD, and possibly in record time as well. With a plot that provided more questions to each answer, and an eccentric ensemble cast each with their own back-story, I was immediately hooked. It has become one of my favorite shows of all time. Each episode ends with a cliffhanger to rival that of the great comic series Y: the Last Man. Y’s creator and writer, Brian K Vaughan also served as a Producer and writer on Lost, so that may not be a coincidence.
Bits and Pieces:
Christmas is this week. It’s come so fast that it doesn’t seem real (that’s what she said).
I know someone who bought her infant child a cute little sweater complete with his name on it. Good call mom, Kids love getting clothes for Christmas as opposed to say…toys. And stick your child in a sweater with their name on it to tell all the pedophiles and kidnappers out there who he is.
I saw The Day the Earth Stood Still last night. If the Earth really had stood still it would not have been because of an impending alien invasion, but because of this terrible movie. From the opening sequence the movie was plagued by less-than-stellar acting, bad dialogue, poor editing, and lack luster special effects. Plus a rushed cop-out of an ending that left me thinking, that was it!
Save your nine bucks for comics instead…though I do not know what 9.00 will get you in the near future…
Starting this month a number of comics from Marvel have a 3.99 price tag as opposed to 2.99, which I had become accustomed to. The transition has been subtle, with some 3.99 books added to the mix over the past year. Backlash from the net indicates that fanboys will revolt and stop purchasing the single issues, and wait for the trade or conversion to online. Their bite is frequently worse than their bite so I will believe it when I see it. I myself am going to become more stringent on new titles I may pick up, and may even wait on mini-series until the release in trade, but I have no plans of dropping any current series at this time, and that is not because I am against the price increase, but rather because I live with limited fundage.
Maybe the price increase goes to help Marvel pay their talent, and as someone striving to be part of that talent pool someday I can not scold Marvel for it.
A new Judge Dredd film has been green lit through DNA films, which brought us movies like Sunshine and 28 Weeks Later, which I am a big fan of both of. The hope is that the new film will cause critics to forget the much lauded 95’ version with Sly Stallone. Much like the rest of fandom, I also hope they keep the helmet on regardless of who’s underneath it.
I’ve also seen a teaser poster of a new Robocop movie indicating a summer of 2010 release. I consider the original Robocop one of the bloodiest movies of its time, and one of my favorites. It’s a classic that doesn’t necessarily need to be remade at all.
Is anyone actually looking forward to the movie, The Spirit? The movie looks like what Sin City could have been if it hadn’t been in the capable hands of Robert Rodriguez. On the other hand, I am really looking forward to the new Eastwood movie, “Gran Torino”.
I am working on a piece next week touting what to expect from Antidote Comics in 2009. Should be an exciting year.
Christmas is this week. It’s come so fast that it doesn’t seem real (that’s what she said).
I know someone who bought her infant child a cute little sweater complete with his name on it. Good call mom, Kids love getting clothes for Christmas as opposed to say…toys. And stick your child in a sweater with their name on it to tell all the pedophiles and kidnappers out there who he is.
I saw The Day the Earth Stood Still last night. If the Earth really had stood still it would not have been because of an impending alien invasion, but because of this terrible movie. From the opening sequence the movie was plagued by less-than-stellar acting, bad dialogue, poor editing, and lack luster special effects. Plus a rushed cop-out of an ending that left me thinking, that was it!
Save your nine bucks for comics instead…though I do not know what 9.00 will get you in the near future…
Starting this month a number of comics from Marvel have a 3.99 price tag as opposed to 2.99, which I had become accustomed to. The transition has been subtle, with some 3.99 books added to the mix over the past year. Backlash from the net indicates that fanboys will revolt and stop purchasing the single issues, and wait for the trade or conversion to online. Their bite is frequently worse than their bite so I will believe it when I see it. I myself am going to become more stringent on new titles I may pick up, and may even wait on mini-series until the release in trade, but I have no plans of dropping any current series at this time, and that is not because I am against the price increase, but rather because I live with limited fundage.
Maybe the price increase goes to help Marvel pay their talent, and as someone striving to be part of that talent pool someday I can not scold Marvel for it.
A new Judge Dredd film has been green lit through DNA films, which brought us movies like Sunshine and 28 Weeks Later, which I am a big fan of both of. The hope is that the new film will cause critics to forget the much lauded 95’ version with Sly Stallone. Much like the rest of fandom, I also hope they keep the helmet on regardless of who’s underneath it.
I’ve also seen a teaser poster of a new Robocop movie indicating a summer of 2010 release. I consider the original Robocop one of the bloodiest movies of its time, and one of my favorites. It’s a classic that doesn’t necessarily need to be remade at all.
Is anyone actually looking forward to the movie, The Spirit? The movie looks like what Sin City could have been if it hadn’t been in the capable hands of Robert Rodriguez. On the other hand, I am really looking forward to the new Eastwood movie, “Gran Torino”.
I am working on a piece next week touting what to expect from Antidote Comics in 2009. Should be an exciting year.
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