Shenanigans & Tomfoolery

I had fun writing my “Video Games of the Decade” posts so I’m going to make a repeat of that with a different subject matter and my true passion: comics.

A “Top 10″ of single issues would drive me insane (one single issue does make it to the list though) so I’ll be focusing on story arcs and runs by specific creators. In other words, an entry on this list could be an issue long or a hundred (spoiler?) so long as it’s done by a consistent creative team.

Off we go then.

10. Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk (Damon Lindelof, Leinil Yu / 2005-2009)

The first issue of Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk was released in December 2005. The sixth and final issue was released in May 2009. So yeah, this book was victim to some serious delays and that’s what most people will remember it for. Thankfully, I waited for the trade on this one so I dived into it without any preconceived notions and was delighted to find out that it’s just a fantastic read. Lost writer Damon Lindelof writes a great tale of two monsters with a perfect, if anti-climactic, ending. The jumps in time, brilliant cliffhangers and a talking panda are but a handful of the highlights in this book, not to mention Leinil Yu’s distinctive and always amazing artwork. It’s a tale that I see myself reading again and again in the future and a great example of what popcorn comics should strive for.

9. DC: The New Frontier (Darwyn Cooke / 2003-2004)

The New Frontier is Darwyn Cooke’s love letter to DC’s Silver Age. It’s a comic that fully embraces the bright, cheery and hopeful nature that pervaded throughout comics in the 50′s and 60′s but not without a menacing threat and a good modicum of drama. Every major character that was born in this period (and then some) gets a chance to shine here and each one of them is humanized in a way that makes them seem even more heroic. Cooke’s art style, which is reminiscent of both Bruce Timm and Jack Kirby, is a joy to indulge in, perfectly suited for this book and really carries the message of that era forward. It’s a bit of a problem that you have to be well-versed in DC Universe lore to really appreciate this book but, even if you don’t, it’s a lovely reminder of times gone past.

8. The Umbrella Academy (Gerard Way, Gabriel Ba / 2007-Present)

The Umbrella Academy is the only series on this list that is still running and I wouldn’t hesitate to put it here despite it being unfinished. Even though the two separate story arcs released so far can be taken as different series, I’m putting both of them here under the Umbrella Academy… umbrella (sorry about that). I mentioned in my Umbrella Academy: Dallas review that I thought the sequel fell just a bit short of the original but both arcs are amazing reads with fresh characters, great twists, attractive visuals and near flawless pacing. This is one of the most promising new series of the past 10 years and I can’t wait to see where this postmodern superhero comic takes us next.

7. Annihilation (Keith Giffen, Andrea DiVito / 2006-2007)

Most event comics come with huge expectations and hype only to be met with disappointment but Annihilation did the exact opposite. It snuck in quietly and blew the collective minds of everybody with its finely crafted tale of a war against overwhelming odds. The fact that it starred lesser known characters gave this series enough leeway to take them in any direction and, indeed, the series wrought many, long-lasting changes upon them. Nova’s character arc stands out among them as he’s forcibly thrown into a leadership role against a massive invasion for the fate of nothing less than the universe. The odds are big and the climax epic. The prologue, four mini-series and the epilogue are of varying quality but the main six-issue Annihilation series is, without a doubt, Marvel’s best event comic series of the decade..

6. Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. (Warren Ellis, Stuart Immonen / 2006-2007)

Warren Ellis is one of the most prolific writers in comics and it was hard to pick which title to represent him with on this list. The Authority, being hugely influential, is an easy pick but I feel that book is already represented by its Marvel offspring later on in the list. I haven’t finished Planetary yet so that’s off the table. Then I remembered Nextwave, Ellis’ superhero parody and explosion fest. This is a hilarious book with funny leads, giant monsters and Dirk Anger. It might be Ellis’ funniest work to date. How can I not put it here? It’s an absolute crime that this book got cancelled after only 12 issues leaving us readers with nothing but dreams of what could have been. But hey, we got two trades of one of the most unabashedly fun superhero books out there and that’s better than nothing. Did I mention that Stuart Immonen’s art is clean, stylish and pitch perfect for this book?

To be continued…

Related posts:

1. My Top 10 Comic Books of the Decade – Part 2 of 2
2. My Top 10 Video Games of the Decade – Part 1 of 2
3. My Top 10 Video Games of the Decade – Part 2 of 2
4. My Top 10 Video Games of the Decade – Addendum

Posted in Comics |