I was gonna do a top ten list but it's hard to seperate certain series from each other, and even harder to rank them, so order them however ya want I guess In no particular order: Superior Spider-Man: I love Spidey-Ock and his slow re-descent into supervillainy despite himself. The art has always been stellar, and the stories rarely wasteful. All New X-Men, Uncanny X-Men: I think Bendis is doing as good a job as you can expect on the X-Books. The Children of the Atom was pretty terrible though. Wolverine & X-Men: I love this book. I love the sense of humor and whimsey to it. It's fun in a way the X-books rarely are anymore. And I love the Balacho/Bradshaw art! It also does a great job of seamlessly interweaving into the crossovers. Avengers, New Avengers, Infinity: I think Hickman is too cold and intellectual to be writing the Avengers but I'm still enjoying the story. While Infinity was rushed and anti-climactic, I still think it was a solid story. Uncanny Avengers: this series has always been epic and important with great art... it's too bad it basically exists in its own microcosm. We never see the Avengers and X-Men working together outside of this book and A+X, or the consequences of the momentous events of this book. Batman: Snyder and Capullo hit it out of the part every time. I'm really loving the Zero Year story. It's doing the near impossible job of retelling an old classic and making it fresh and interesting without change for the sake of change. Justice League, Forever Evil: somewhat of a mixed bag... when things actually move it's pretty good. Indy Hits: East of West: I just read this in the past month and it's got a fascinating premise with good art The Wake: a very trippy and interesting take on The Abyss Hellboy in Hell: after YEARS we finally get Mignolia drawing Hellboy again! Invincible: I think I'm a year behind on this series but I've always loved it! Biggest Disappointment of 2013: Age of Ultron: yeesh. five episodes sitting around a post-apocalyptic wasteland followed by five episodes of inane alternate reality time travel followed by it all never happened. What a waste. I can't believe this was the capstone of the Bendis-Avengers.
I buy 95% Marvel, so my list will obviously skew that way... Favorites-- Uncanny/All-New X-Men. Bendis has put the X-Men at the top of my "must-buy" list for the first time since the Claremont days. Daredevil-- I love how Mark Waid has brought DD back from the "grim 'n gritty" abyss that DD has hung over since the Miller days. The book is actually fun. Hawkeye-- I've always liked Hawkeye, and I am always one of the suckers that buy his solo books. Fraction's take, however, is just brilliant. His use of Kate Bishop is the icing on the cake and cements this book's spot on my pull-list. Guardians of the Galaxy-- This book is my intro to this incarnation of the Guardians, and I am a fan. The crossover with "All-New X-Men" promises to be fun. "I am Groot!" Young Avengers-- Kieron Gillen what Kieron Gillen does best. Will miss this one once it's gone. Brian Wood's "Star Wars" for Dark Horse. Captures the feel of the OT perfectly. Books I enjoy, but could live without-- Avengers New Avengers FF Indestructible Hulk Disappointments-- Age of Ultron Gillen's Iron Man Fantastic Four Justice League 3000
I picked up one issue of Hawkeye after hearing all the praise about it. It was about a dog and didn't have any dialogue and the art was terrible.
That was not a good jumping on point. Fraction used several issues to show the same events from multiple perspectives, including, yes, the dogs.
I really enjoyed THE FEARLESS DEFENDERS (aside from the mandatory "Age of Ultron" tie-in) and was disappointed to hear that it had been canceled.
independents ruled the big 2 Saga Batman 66 Journey into Mystery Blue Native American Classics Uncanny Avengers The Mermaid In The Hudson 2000AD The Fifth Beatle The Ravages of Time One Piece Dear Waltz Golden Pollen and other manga stories Boxers and Saints Blacksad Planet of the Apes TMNT Warlord of Mars Rat Queens Hawkeye -
Adventures of Superman (DC) Doctor Who (IDW) Judge Dredd (IDW) Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel) Avengers (Marvel) Uncanny Avengers (Marvel) Surprise hit of the Year: The Movement (DC) - the last New 52 book I'm still reading, and it is very much worth reading. Disappointment of the Year: Andy Diggle being fired from Action Comics after only one issue, which - to boost - was the New 52 Superman issue I enjoyed the most. A very close runner-up was the ongoing MotU series. A nice mini-series and two intriguing origin one-shots, and the ongoing became a desaster. Not to mention further proof that current DC doesn't seem to be able to fucking stand iconic looks.
Oh yeah, I like Saga, though it does seem very time-wasting in a Bendis-y way. I've been very disappointed in Guardians of the Galaxy. It's ridiculously decompressed. Nothing ever happens in it. It's just been a lot of mindless shooting or mindless dialogue. People don't really have personalities or growth in it.
Thor Wolverine & the X-Men Locke & Key Superior Spider-Man X-Files Season Ten Daredevil Hulk Infinity Avengers Arena Young Avengers But probably THE best comic I read in 2013 is Fury: My War Gone By. The life story of Nick Fury as told by Garth Ennis. This book should have been a giant downer (the frame of the story is Fury recording his war history into an old reel-to-reel with a pistol always in reach -- presumably to use on himself once he hits the "stop" button), but Ennis' story is so well told and realized in this series that the ending becomes a genuinely beautiful and uplifting moment. The series is unmistakably dark and cynical at times but this is easily his best ending since Preacher.
Batman Inc was this year?! That feels ages ago. I thought Avengers Arena was pretty good, mostly for the art. I love that artist whose name I can never remember lol
Superior Spider-Man is a train wreck i can't look away from. Infinity was a great event. best since Annihilation. Daredevil continues to be my favorite Marvel title. Thor is great too. i enjoy a lot of the pulp stuff Dynamite is putting out. stuff like Captain Midnight and The Black Beetle from Dark Horse are really great comics. DC wise, i always look forward to Aquaman, Swamp Thing and All Star Western. and Wonder Woman.
Now that Geoff Johns is off Aquaman I'll be dropping it. I read the first Jeff Parker issue and it didn't impress.
Wonder Woman Superior Spiderman Earth 2 All New X-men That would be my top 4 this year. I gave the years edge to DC. Marvel just had to many stories that dragged on to long, Cap & Thor come quickly to mind. DC had fewer of these problems but suffered from creative turnover that brought them down as well.
Here is my top ten favourites list for 2013: 1. "Letter 44" Written By Charles Soule (only two issues in, but already has grabbed my attention. If you're into science fiction and politics, this is for you). 2. "Superior Spider-Man" Written By Dan Slott 3. "Batman" Written By Scott Snyder 4. "East of West" Written By Jonathan Hickman 5. "Wonder Woman" Written By Brian Azzarello 6. "Guardians of the Galaxy" Written By Brian Michael Bendis 7. "Wolverine and the X-Men" Written By Jason Aaron 8. "Sex Criminals" Written By Matt Fraction 9. "Lazarus" Written By Greg Rucka 10."Avengers" Written by Jonathan Hickman
I'll just list them by company as I found them great reads. DC Aquaman (haven't gotten the first Paker issue yet) Wonder Woman Justice League Dark Swamp Thing Marvel Indestructible Hulk (for much of year, last two issues I felt a slide, rebound in '14 I hope) Thor God of Thunder (only read through trade 2 so far, half of '13) I'm waiting for Infinity trade, hear good things overall for a cossover. I've got the Avengers AI first trade coming, thoughts on that? Dark Horse Captain Midnight X Brain Boy Occultist Valiant XO Manowar Archer&Armstrong Bloodshot & H.A.R.D. Corps IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - great arc just wrapped up that felt reminiscent of City at War in ways. If you're not looking into non-Big 2 titles I feel you're missing out on some great fare out there. Material that underwhelmed me: East of West - read the first arc and wasn't wowed Fearless Defenders - I was reading it for the hope of the concept to come to fuition as it could Animal Man - dropped it around Spring/Summer Shadowman - still buying it, new creative team, hope for '14(note the #0 & #10 issues are exceptions) Books I have high hopes for in '14 Ghost - at Dark Horse, issue #1 just hit and was great UNITY - at Valiant, the first arc feels good thus far Moon Knight - Ellis at Marvel Black Widow - her last solo got cut short imo, redemption here? Turok Dinosaur Hunter - Dynamite relaunching the Gold Key/Valiant character Doctor Spektor - Dynamite, Mark Waid brings the Dr out of limbo. Read the old GK trades, I sense potential here.
G.I.*Joe: A Real American Hero (IDW) by Larry Hama Life With Archie (Archie) by Paul Kupperberg I've given up on both Marvel and DC because they've both managed to turn my favorite superhero comics into unreadable shit. I blame it on all the writers trying desperately to be the next Alan Moore (someone i consider horrendously overrated anyway).
can't believe i forgot about IDW's TMNT. so great. and their TF comics RiD and More Than Meets The Eye are so good.