Weekly Comic Book Review

Forward

Welcome to WCBR’s year end comic book industry report card. In essence, this report card is a list of offerings we’ve enjoyed for the entire year 2010. There will probably be a lot to debate about– who got snubbed, or who really deserved it… So let us know if we’re out of our minds, or if you concur.

Best Ongoing Series: The Walking Dead

Honestly, outside of the TV series and increased mainstream exposure, the Walking Dead didn’t have a particularly outstanding year, comic-wise. In fact, it had a year that was just as good as any year of its run. The thing is, all of those years have been magnificent. As a result, we got a year of human drama, trauma, character deaths, and some truly horrific actions, all enveloped by that constant, creeping sense of dread. The Walking Dead wins best ongoing if, for nothing else, its consistency. Trying to remember the last time there was a bad issue is most definitely a losing battle.

Best New Series: American Vampire

Every once in a while, there is a creator-owned series that comes out that has all the feelings of an instant classic, not to mention a king-maker for the creative team involved. In 2010, American Vampire was, indisputably, that comic. Gorgeous artwork from Rafael Albuquerque was paired with the expert writing, atmosphere, and research of Scott Snyder. It’s shocking that this is Snyder’s first ongoing comic and more shocking still that he arguably outperformed Stephen King on the title. Even more impressive is the fact that he made a genuinely awesome vampire comic in a year that was completely oversaturated with bloodsuckers. Whelp, these guys and gals may not sparkle, but this comic sure does.

Best Limited Series: Blackest Night

This series put a big, heavy stamp on the DCU that read “BIG STUFF HAPPENING HERE.” Johns delivered a tightly-crafted, cosmos-spanning zombie apocalypse that dramatically expanded the Green Lantern mythos and involved many of DC’s big characters in a way that didn’t feel like a cheap grab for tie-in readers. The ending was very satisfying and at the same time, it launched DCU full-speed onto the next plot line. The art chores were brilliantly done and are well worth spending a lot of time admiring. Blackest Night is the best event since Civil War, and I think finished off better than Marvel’s last successful event.

Best Writer: Jonathan Hickman

“Fresh new voice” seems to be a label that’s bandied about when a writer finds himself newly tasked with a major title or two at Marvel or DC, but it’s a label that Jonathan Hickman most definitely earns. The “Hickman comic” is instantly recognizable; it’s massive ideas, unique and often not strictly sequential storytelling, and it’s maintaining its humanity throughout it all. Hickman’s new series, SHIELD, remains one of the most intricate, mind-boggling, and unique titles of the year while his run on Fantastic Four make for some of the best comics to ever feature Marvel’s first family. One can only wonder what’s next for Mr. Hickman if 2011 is anything like 2010.

Best Artist: Dustin Weaver

When the first issue of SHIELD came out, it was hard not to exclaim “holy shit!” Even more curious is how unknown Dustin Weaver was. Where did this maniac come from? With his work on SHIELD, Weaver crafts a world and delivers a style just as detailed, mind boggling, and creative as Jonathan Hickman’s cryptic narrative. More than this though, Weaver shows not only ability, but bravery in what he chooses to draw and how he chooses to approach it. Basically, the bigger, the better, and not once is there compromise in terms of detail. It’s work that you’re going to want to show your friends, whether or not they like comics.

Best Collection: Batwoman: Elegy

It’s no surprise that Elegy took home top honors here. In addition to the very well-documented brilliance of both the writing and the artwork, it becomes even more fantastic when stripped of the waiting times in between chapters (and distracting advertisements), and allows the reader to appreciate it as a full and complete story. Although there isn’t much in the way of extras, simply having J.H. Williams gloriously trippy artwork on full sized pages is more than worth the price of this hardcover

Best Character: Dick Grayson

Between 2009 and 2010, Dick Grayson became a major fan favorite, carrying Gotham and all its fans. He beat out Cyclops, Damian Wayne, Batgirl, Warlock and a host of others. It would have been easy to simply make Dick Grayson become Batman, with all the trappings, the wealth, the status, the butler, the ward. But Dick became Batman and changed who Batman was. Dick’s Dark Knight was not Bruce’s Dark Knight. If Bruce has flaws, he ignores them, which makes him much less interesting as a character. Dick was the prince who assumed the throne, unwillingly replacing a father figure he loved, but also taking on Bruce’s difficult debts, meaning both his greatest enemies and his estranged son. Dick did not succeed at taking on the mantle of leadership of Gotham by using what made Bruce great. Those tools would not have worked. Dick used the particular strengths and empathies he has developed over time and met challenges that Bruce would have flubbed. Dick Grayson is WCBR’s choice for the Best Character of 2010.

And that’s it for 2010!

Here’s to an awesome 2011 and thanks for reading WCBR!

Filed under: Features Tagged: | American Vampire, Batwoman, Blackest Night, dick graysonw, Dustin Weaver, Jonathan Hickman, The Walking Dead, Weekly Comic Book Review