Cool News
AICN COMICS PROUDLY PRESENTS THE 2ND ANNUAL @$$IE AWARDS!!!!
It’s comic book-dom’s finest night when creators, heroes, villains, and fans gather as the @$$holes from AICN Comics choose who takes home the coveted @$$IE AWARD. The room is a-buzz with anticipation.
The lights are dimming. Here we go.
*ahem*
I’m a sworn protector of the Universe and a card-carrying member of the Justice League, not a comedian.
*cough*
…let’s start with the ceremonies. As you all know, the @$$holes rarely agree on anything, so each reviewer will pick a winner for each category. Here are the categories.
(Click category to go directly to the @$$ie)
Best Single Moment/Single Issue
Best Miniseries/One-Shot/Special
Favorite Comic Book Character
Best Artist/Art Team
Best Writer
Best Publisher
Best Ongoing Comic Book Series
Special categories honoring the rest of this year’s @$$IE Award Winners will be scattered throughout. Click on the links for pictures, publisher websites, past @$$Hole reviews, and more. Let’s get right into it with the @$$ies for Best Single Moment/Single Issue!
Best Single Moment/Single Issue
Humphrey Lee - FABLES #37
Okay, so technically it's not a "single moment" but by far the thing that gave me the most joy in any comic this year was the adventures of one Boy Blue from FABLES as he SNICKER-SNACKS! his way all the way across the Fable Homelands to get to the Adversary. If you want to get technical, the best of all this was issue #37 where Boy Blue unleashed his inner badass on a terrifying mountain dragon and the three daytime Knights. It was funny, it had some great literary resonance, and it was a fantastic little series of moments that gave you joy every time that ole reliable Vorpal Blade of his went SNICKITY-SNACK! and something or someone lost their head. Even just that two word phrase is a great joy to say. Just yell it on out. SNICKER-SNACK! Do it wherever, work, school, the comic shop. It'll just scare the bejesus out of everyone and solidify you as the biggest geek of them all. Be proud.
Ambush Bug - JLA CLASSIFIED #7
No other comic this year affected me like this one did. I guess it is because it is a great story about some of my favorite characters. I guess it has a lot to do with the fact that it treats Guy, Fire, and Ice with respect as characters, not caricatures. I guess it has to do with Kevin Maguire’s stellar art and Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis’ spot on comic timing and storytelling. But really, it’s all about the ending of this issue. For those of you who didn’t read the classic 80’s JLI series, this may not have the fist-to-the-gut impact that it did for me. But the loss these characters feel at the end of this issue is a comic book moment that I won’t soon forget.
Vroom Socko - POWERS #11
This wasn't my favorite year for Bendis comics. HOUSE OF M was hit and miss with a weak ending, SECRET WAR was anticlimactic at best, and NEW AVENGERS reads more like the NEW DEFENDERS (okay, I admit that it's not you, NA, it's me...) But when Bendis was on this year, he was ON! Case in point, POWERS #11. Reading this was like watching my brother doing the post-shower cleanup in PSYCHO. This issue scared the shit out of me. It's easily the best issue of POWERS that's been published yet, as well as being a major high point on the Bendis resume.
Prof. Challenger - INFINITE CRISIS #1
The last page of INFINITE CRISIS #1. "This looks like a job for Superman!" The flat-out ONLY "Wow" moment of the whole year for me.
Dan Grendell - ESSENTIAL LUKE CAGE, POWER MAN VOL. 1
Last year saw the release of ESSENTIAL LUKE CAGE, POWER MAN VOLUME ONE, which contains my choice- HERO FOR HIRE #9. This classic features Luke taking on the FF to get a rocket so he can go to Latveria and beat up Dr. Doom to get the $200 Doom owes him. It features lines like "Where's my money, honey?" and shows Doom pulling cash out of a drawer to pay Luke like he was a hooker. You just can't beat that.
superhero - ULTIMATES 2 # 9
OK, if there was one single moment in comics this year that just made me go HOLY SHIT! more than when the Statue of Liberty gets tilted over into New York Harbor I honestly can’t remember it. I remember right after September 11th happened and there was all this chatter on comic boards across the internet on the subject if something of that magnitude could even happen in a comic book superhero world. Well, this issue is the answer to that question. Want to know what September 11th would’ve been like in a superhero world? Look no further because this issue of ULTIMATES 2 captures all of the absolute insanity that would happen if a bunch of super crazies actually caused some carnage on US soil. Screw Dr. Doom, screw Lex Luthor. THIS is exactly what it’d be like if there were power mad super loonies in the real world. Let’s just hope that the rest of this series doesn’t disappoint as much as the end of the first run of ULTIMATES did.
Dave Farabee - SPIDER-MAN/HUMAN TORCH #3
In a year when superhero morbidity hit an all-time high, my lifeline was a man named Dan Slott. The single most entertaining comic he produced was SPIDER-MAN/HUMAN TORCH #3 – aka “The Spider-Mobile issue.” And talk about your complete package! Not only is the issue moving - the goofy old Spider-Mobile is actually shown to be the unlikely catalyst for Peter moving past the death of Gwen Stacy – but it’s bristling with laugh-out-loud moments: the Red Ghost’s Super-Apes behind the wheel! Spidey using the Spider-Mobile to turn doughnuts on the side of the Daily Bugle! Yancy Street hoods leaving the Spider-Mobile on cinder blocks! And Hostess Fruit Pies, baby!! If you missed the SPIDEY/TORCH mini, for the luvva Mike, buy the digest collection! It will make you a better man.
Sleazy G - INFINITE CRISIS #1
Like all true Americans, I have an ingrained understanding of exactly what Superman stands for and why he is so important. And like all true Americans, I also understand that reading a Superman comic is so dull you can’t even get paper cuts from an issue. That’s why I gotta take the cheap shot here and say the best moment this year was the “oooh, FACE!” moment when Bats laid out how he felt about Clark: “the last time you inspired anyone was when you were dead.” Helluva lot cooler than all that “I love Clark. He’s so dreamy. He’s the yin to my yang. He makes me want to be a better man.”-type narration that made me sell off all my issues of BATMAN/SUPERMAN.
DAVE’S “JOHN MCTIERNAN” AWARD FOR BEST ACTION SCENES
Ed Brubaker’s CAPTAIN AMERICA
BUG’S AWARD FOR BEST ALL-AGES COMIC
POLLY AND THE PIRATES. I dare you not to have fun reading this.
DAN’S AWARD FOR SERIES PEOPLE ARE ASHAMED OF READING, BUT SHOULDN’T BE
TRUE STORY, SWEAR TO GOD
DAN’S AWARD FOR SERIES PEOPLE AREN’T AHAMED TO BE READING, BUT SHOULD BE
ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN
DAVE’S “RAY HARRYHAUSEN” AWARD FOR BEST GREEK MYTH MONSTER FIGHTS
OLYMPUS by Geoff Johns and Butch Guice
PROF’S AWARD FOR MOST PAINFULLY FRIGHTENING USE OF A PHALLIC SYMBOL ON A COVER
ULTIMATE EXTINCTION #1
Ouch!!!!
DAVE’S “SCOURGING OF CHRIST” AWARD FOR PROLONGED TORTURE
Brian Bendis’ SECRET WAR 1-5
(22 months in the making! Nick Fury’s big plan was to make a castle fall on the Prime Minister of Latveria!)
Best Miniseries/One-Shot/Special
Sleazy G - DAREDEVIL VS PUNISHER: MEANS & ENDS
I haven’t gotten around to picking up any trades of David Lapham’s STRAY BULLETS. After reading his overextended arc on DETECTIVE this year I wasn’t sure whether I should or not; it had some interesting ideas, but in the end it felt like it fell short of the mark. I began to reconsider his earlier work, though, after reading his DAREDEVIL/PUNISHER miniseries for Marvel. Lapham brought his own sensibilities and crime story background to the title, but did a far better job of incorporating it into the Marvel style than with his prior work at DC. The book has the sensibilities and depth of more modern stories, but told with the style and characterization that made these two such big fan favorites in the mid to late 80’s. The Punisher feels like old-school Frank Castle, Matt Murdock spends more time in costume than out, and there’s action all over the place. This one definitely made me consider giving the non-mainstream work a look-see, which was the same reason I enjoyed Scott Morse’s BATMAN: ROOM FULL OF STRANGERS one shot last year.
Humphrey Lee - PUNISHER: THE CELL
As I'm writing this I figure our fellow @$$holes are also slowly trudging through just who and what deserves to be honored from the world of comics this past year. And while I really and truly have no clue what they're inserting in these categories, I can almost feel that one of my colleagues is happily typing down the GLX-MAS SPECIAL from Marvel in this particular area as I'm doing this. Why am I sure of this? Because it's what I was going to do, and these bastards love to steal my thunder. So I'm not going to recommend that book now (even though I just backhandedly did so... teehee), instead I'm going to go with one of the best PUNISHER stories I've ever read, and I'm going to go with PUNISHER: THE CELL, as my best One-Shot. I did a full review earlier this year, but I just want to reiterate here that from head to toe, this is the perfect Frank Castle story. It totally reads, feels, and looks as grim, dark, and dirty as you'd expect a PUNISHER story to be. And it's one of the most important ones too as it actually has a huge impact on Frank's "mission" as it's a story that brings Castle into direct contact with those that were responsible for the death of his family all those years ago and unleashed one of the world's greatest killing machines. This is a perfect example of the use for a MAX title, and is the reason why I wish Marvel would get off their asses and use it more.
Ambush Bug - FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS
The best types of limited series or specials make you want to see more and no other comic this year had a concept with more potential for entertainment than FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS. Co-creators Chris Eliopoulos and Mark Sumerak have come up with a concept that knows no bounds. Depicting Franklin Richards as an ornery little shit constantly getting into all sorts of trouble in his father’s lab is a stroke of creative genius. Adding the Fantastic Four’s old robot H.E.R.B.I.E. as his uptight nanny was sheer brilliance. Like a super-heroic CALVIN & HOBBES, Franklin doesn’t know how to stay out of trouble and H.E.R.B.I.E. is always behind him acting as the voice of reason and trying to pick up his messes. This one shot collecting four short stories that ran as back-up features in this year’s POWER PACK, with one original yarn added for good measure, is full of laughs and proof that Marvel truly can be the House of Ideas when it puts its mind to it.
Vroom Socko - GLX-MAS SPECIAL
As much as I enjoyed this year's earlier miniseries featuring the team, the GLX-MAS SPECIAL really takes the cake. Sure, both this and GLA are funny as all get-out, but there's some genuinely touching moments with Mr. Immortal in this one that top the mini, as well as the Doorman story. But then there's the return of the Grasshopper, who I can't wait to see return again. And there's Squirrel Girl, who was certainly a joke in her original appearance, but here she, Dan Slott, and all the rest of us are in on the joke. Besides, this has art from Paul Grist in it, fer crying out loud!
Prof. Challenger - OCEAN
OCEAN by Warren Ellis and Chris Sprouse. Solid sci-fi story about the discovery of alien life on a moon around Jupiter. Serialized in 6 parts, this was an excellent use of the comic book medium.
Dan Grendell - THE ART OF USAGI YOJIMBO
Stan Sakai is an often-overlooked but brilliant storyteller and artist, so it was great to see THE ART OF USAGI YOJIMBO from Dark Horse. A beautiful hardcover that does a spectacular job of highlighting Sakai's art through the last 20 years, it just blew me away.
superhero - MARY JANE: HOMECOMING
To be fair, I discovered the MARY JANE books in digest collections but MJ: HOMECOMING was actually released in 2005 so this is my pick for best mini of the year. In one of my past reviews I actually asked when I had become a teenage girl because I was actually starting to like reading comics that were directed towards the teeny bopper market. Well, if I had to single out one series that transformed me into a DEGRASSI HIGH SCHOOL reject it’d have to be Marvel’s MARY JANE series. Everything about these books has been perfection. I honestly cannot believe how much I’ve loved them. I’ve always loved Takeshi Miyazawa’s art but Sean McKeever’s the one who really knocked it out of the ballpark on this one. Everything about this book reminds me of what it was like being in high school. Everything! It’s just a great all around package that I’ve loved since I cracked open the first MARY JANE digest. And this sequel really expanded on the first mini so that it seemed a natural extension instead of just a tacked on story. Great stuff. So much so that I actually started picking up the regular book that spawned off of both of these minis, SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE. As much griping as I do about comic prices I need a new monthly like a hole in the head but these books suckered me in. I’m in for the long haul as long as McKeever and Miyazawa are on this book.
Dave Farabee - 100%
Man, some great contenders that almost made it: CONCRETE: THE HUMAN DILEMMA, SPIDER-MAN/HUMAN TORCH, TOP TEN: THE FORTY-NINERS, and ADAM STRANGE, among others. But the winner is Paul Pope’s 100% and that’s all there is to it. Following a pack of twenty/thirtysomethings in and around a freaky New York nightclub of the near-future, it’s a long way from a chick flick, but it does dare to be romantic. It’s also the first Paul Pope story where his wildly energetic Picasso-by-way-of-Kirby (“Pikurby?”) art is at last matched by a story worthy of it. Shiver at the bitter cold of the New York winter, throb to the bass of the club’s pounding music, hear the whistle of 100 kettles tuned to the same note, and kick back with some Indian food while a stripper’s internal organs are digitally projected on a view screen. Bizarre? Hell yes, but surprisingly approachable. If you’re only gonna go out on a limb for one off-the-beaten path trade this year, 100% is your boy.
DAN’S BEST MANGA AWARD
YOTSUBA@!
PROF’S BEST USE OF A MONKEY AWARD
Detective Chimp in the DAY OF VENGEANCE mini-series.
DAVE’S “CHRISTOPHER REEVE” AWARD FOR GETTING SUPERMAN
Gail Simone on ACTION COMICS (with John Byrne)
DAN’S “NO MEANS NO” AWARD
"Stop Raping Me!", Wolverine, THE PULSE #9
PROF’S AWARD FOR SERIES WHOSE CANCELLATION MADE ME SMILE
DOOM PATROL.
I was dumbfounded by the disaster that was this latest DOOM PATROL incarnation. Grunt?!?!?! Nudge!?!?!? Vortex??!??! GUH!!!!!
DAVE’S AWARD FOR BEST BATMAN LINE OF THE YEAR
“There goes the dynasty.” (Batman to Gorilla Grodd upon nut-kicking him; JLA CLASSIFIED #3; courtesy Grant Morrison)
DAVE’S AWARD FOR WORST BATMAN LINE OF THE YEAR
“Are you RETARDED or something? Who the hell do you THINK I am? I’m the goddamn BATMAN.” (Batman to Robin; ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN #2; courtesy of Frank Miller)
Favorite Comic Book Character
Dave Farabee - Concrete
There’s many a memorable character in the comics biz, but few that honestly and truly feel fleshed out. Melancholy rock-man, Concrete, is the exception. Returning at last, after a hiatus of some years, Paul Chadwick’s wonderful creation even has some new tricks in the miniseries CONCRETE: THE HUMAN DILEMMA. Most notably, he finally gets to deal with sex - yes, somehow, even in his seemingly sexless body. After nearly two decades of dealing with his condition through humor, embarrassment, and intellectual pursuits, it’s one of the most startling developments ever. It’s also strange, touching, and a reminder that Concrete may be the best fleshed-out creation in comics. And that’s saying something for a rock-man.
Humphrey Lee - Kate Spencer: Manhunter
As much as I want to play the SNICKER-SNACK! card with this and pick my new favorite badass Boy Blue, I can't in all honesty do so since he was only playing the BA role for less than a handful of issues this year. But my favorite character of the year, one Kate Spencer from DC's MANHUNTER series, was kicking ass all over the place all twelve months. Simply put, Kate Spencer is the most realistic character in mainstream comics today. The way she deals with everything in her life, from spats with her ex-husband, to conflicts with coworkers and other everyday antagonists, to how she handles herself in her alter-ego MANHUNTER, deep down she's just a woman trying to do some good in the world, who loves her son and is trying to make it a better place for him without screwing everything up. She's equal parts ruthless vigilante and superhero screw up as over the last year she's mercilessly taken down some of the DCU's undercard villains but has also jeopardized a lot of innocents in the process due to her own inexperience, something that she's determined to make herself overcome. Overall she's just doing what she can with what she's got, and each month MANHUNTER is a very enjoyable read for it.
Ambush Bug - Catman and Deadshot
In 2005, the unlikeliest of characters became the biggest stars at DC. Blue Beetle rose to post-mortem popularity as a result of Max Lord giving him a brand new hole in his head. Obscurios like Detective Chimp and Adam Strange stood out as comic book stars in the making. But above all of these characters, Gail Simone created something special when she placed Deadshot and Catman at constant odds throughout the entire VILLAINS UNITED miniseries. The barely contained savagery of a reduxed Catman complimented to the cool precision of Deadshot turned out to be a dream team-up to beat all. Deadshot himself is cool enough alone, but cast against such a surprise coolster as Catman each interaction turned out to be classic, intense, and comic book gold. I have to pick both of these four-color characters as the best of 2005 because separately they’re cool, but together they were something truly awesome. Simone left the VILLAINS UNITED miniseries open, suggesting a team-up of these two rogues in the future. Let’s hope that this will soon come to pass.
Vroom Socko - Hawkeye
He only really appeared in one issue of THE PULSE, along with his official return in HOUSE OF M, but he drove every issue of the new SHE-HULK forward with amazing strength. And besides...
(You know what's coming, don't you?)
HAWKEYE LIVES, MOTHERFUCKER!!!
Prof. Challenger - JONAH HEX/ FRANKENSTEIN
This is a toss-up for me this year between the SEVEN SOLDIERS FRANKENSTEIN and JONAH HEX. Maybe I'll break them down so that FRANKENSTEIN is my favorite "new" character and HEX was my favorite "old" character. The thing about Hex is that he's so damn cool about things. As a character, he's very reminiscent of Clint Eastwood's self-loathing character in UNFORGIVEN. He doesn't want to kill anybody, but he'll do what he's got to do to do what he thinks is right. He may be a bounty hunter, but he doesn't take anybody's money for any kind of job. He's got his own personal code of ethics and he sees the world through a black and white prism. Very Ditko-ish character that way.
Frankenstein just knocked my socks off with his visual design as well as his perspective on the world as God's hand of wrath. As deadly and uncaring as a hungry cobra, he also sees the world through a black and white prism removing the cancerous evils he encounters in the most expedient way possible.
Great characters. Both of 'em.
Dan Grendell - Freddie's horse, from CROMARTIE HIGH SCHOOL
That horse is huge, and strong, and not afraid to bite you in the head if you give it crap. That's right, I picked a horse. You got a problem with that?
superhero - YORICK BROWN
I know this book has been around for a while now but, dammit, Yorick is STILL my consistent pick for favorite character. Why, do you ask? Because in the entire comic world, he’s the one character I identify with the most. No, I’m not into magic or lost in a world where everyone with a Y chromosome has died. But Yorick just seems to embody the perfect everyman template in my mind. Instead of a comic geek he’s a magic geek. He doesn’t always do the right thing and, as a matter of fact, he really tends to pull some incredibly boneheaded moves. But that’s why I like him. I can see myself and a lot of people I know in him. That’s why, to me, he’s been the perfect template that allows you to place yourself into whatever insanity he gets involved in. To me Yorick Brown is what Jimmy Stewart and Humphrey Bogart used to be in all those fantastic old movies. A character you could see yourself as. That’s what makes him special and that’s why I’ll keep reading Y: THE LAST MAN like it’s comic book crack.
DAVE’S THE “DOWN IN FRONT!” AWARD FOR THE MOST ANNOYING FUCKING AD PLACEMENT IN A COMIC
That Honda Civic Ad that showed up for the entire month of October after every recap page in every freaking Marvel comic.
SUPERHERO’S AWARD FOR BEST QUOTE THAT SUPERMAN SHOULD HAVE KICKED BATMAN IN THE NUTS OVER
“You haven’t inspired anyone since you were dead.” from IDENTITY CRISIS #1. OK, yes, we all know it’s true but, really, what would you do if one of your best friends talked to you that way? DAVE’S THE HIGH TIMES COMIC BOOK COVER AWARD
ALL-STAR SUPERMAN #1PROF’S WORST EXCUSE FOR A BIG EVENT COMIC AWARD
HOUSE OF M
Ugh.
DAVE’S “ARTSY-FARTSY” AWARD FOR BEST ARTIST SPOTLIGHT BOOK
PROCESS RECESS, spotlighting the paintings, illustrations, and sketches of cover artist James Jean (FABLES)
PROF’S AWARD FOR COMIC BOOK EXECUTIVE WHO MOST RESEMBLES G. GORDON LIDDY
Dan Didio
DAVE’S “BAIT & SWITCH” COVER AWARD
Mike Allred’s awesome Batman-doing-the-Batusi cover replaced by Wonder-Girl-doing-the-Batusi cover by order of a wussy-ass DC
BUG’S AWARD FOR BEST ZOMBIE COMIC
ZOMBIE TALES #1 Screw THE WALKING DEAD! This one had zombies in it!
Best Artist/Art Team
superhero - Takeshi Miyazawa
RUNAWAYS, MARY JANE: HOMECOMING, BFX2 I’ve been a fan of Miyazawa’s work for a long time. I’ve been following him since I discovered his work in SIDEKICKS and it just never seems like he was doing a ton of work. Well, it seems like recently Marvel pulled him out of obscurity and put him on books which were perfectly suited for his talents. Every time I get a look at Miyazawa’s work I’m just blown away by it. There’s just something so simple yet energetic about his style and it’s always able to impress. He can convey emotion and do kinetic action scenes equally well. While some readers out there may complain that his style isn’t complex enough, what I love about his stuff is that it is deceptively simple. While there are a lot of artists out there who love to pore over details with obsessive compulsive mania Takeshi is able to convey what most artists can with straightforward line work. If you don’t believe me just check out his online strip BFX2 for some fantastic storytelling mixed with cyberpunk action. All this and he’s made Cloak and Dagger look the best they’ve looked since the original Rick Leonardi mini-series. This guy’s a great artist who I hope really takes off to greater heights in the future.
Dave Farabee - Frazer Irving
Can I get a round of applause for KLARION’s Frazer Irving? In a year that saw stunning work from longtime favorites (Guy Davis on B.P.R.D., Paul Pope on SOLO and 100%) and several vivid new blips on the radar (Kyle Baker on NAT TURNER, Colleen Coover on BANANA SUNDAYS)…Irving was still the guy whose work most viscerally knocked me on my ass. And all for his art on Grant Morrison’s KLARION, which gave Irving the opportunity to draw a mythic version of the legendary lost colony of Roanoke. With a woodcut artist’s mastery over light and dark, gloomy cartooning like a cleaner-line Graham Ingels (TALES FROM THE CRYPT), and electric-blue puritans milling around in the wettest rain ever rendered (Irving colored the series, too), you have a net effect of the most enticingly strange setting comicdom saw all year. And the man can draw a Grundy like nobody’s business!
Sleazy G - Pascal Ferry and David McCaig
There have been a lot of beautiful books this year coming from mainstream and indie publishers alike. Nothing jumped off the page, though, more than Pascal Ferry’s pencils and Dave McCaig’s colors on the ADAM STRANGE miniseries Andy Diggle wrote for 2004-005. Ferry’s design work was a pleasing blend of classic and contemporary influences, and every page was loaded with dynamism. McCaig’s painting demonstrated just how far digital effects have come in the world of comics and added a feel unlike anything else on the stands. If Ferry and McCaig continue to work together they’ll make a hell of an art team.
Humphrey Lee - J.H. Williams III
I've actually said for a good couple years now that I felt that J.H. Williams III was arguably the best artist in comics. Even though I never read his and Alan Moore's opus PROMETHEA until earlier this year (and don't ask me why I waited so long) I always at least picked up each issue as it came out on the stands to take in the very pretty pictures. I love everything about J.H.'s art, the attention to detail, the always unique page and panel layouts and designs, and just an unbelievable knack for visual storytelling. And this year has just been another stellar year for his art with a handful of issues of DESOLATION JONES, the final and remarkable looking issue of PROMETHEA, and the SEVEN SOLDIERS #0 that kicked off what has so far been a pretty enjoyable event. It's just a shame we only get six to seven comics from him a year, but at least the man knows his limitations to boot.
Ambush Bug - Jock
Dynamic. Iconic. Kinetic. Fills the stomach in my eyes with sheer deliciousness. These are just a few words that come to mind when I think of the man named Jock’s artwork. Every month of last year, Jock thrilled us with vivid panels in THE LOSERS and now he’s starting to branch out into other areas (just check out how damn cool the Joker is here and damn, isn’t that Batman nothing short of gorgeous?). Jock is one of those artists I will follow anywhere and now that the stellar series THE LOSERS has come to an end, I can’t wait to find out what this guy has up his sleeve next. Pick up any Jock-helmed issue of THE LOSERS and you will see a classic artist in the making.
Vroom Socko - Aaron Renier
It may not be flashy, it may not have a lot of ninjas and explosions, but AARON RENIER'S work in Top Shelf's SPIRAL BOUND was easily the most fun inspiring work I saw this year. It evokes joy, excitement, sweetness, and the special sort of fun that can only be found on a lazy summer day. And it's got a giant monster in it to boot.
Prof. Challenger - Doug Braithwaite and Alex Ross
Doug Braithwaite and Alex Ross on JUSTICE. The pencils and storytelling of Braithwaite brought an indescribable energy and power to the dynamic realism of Ross's paints.
Honorable Mention: Spotlight on Marc Campos, who is hands-down the best comic book inker working today. No digital bullshit. This guy takes whomever's pencils are shipped his way and he creates a work of art out of each page with pens, brushes, spattering, razor cuts, and whatever else he needs to get across the emotion and the texture for each scene. God, what I wouldn't give to take this guy back in time and see how his inks would compliment old-time greats like Kirby, Heck, Dillon and Buscema.
Dan Grendell - Goseki Kojima
The master artisan behind LONE WOLF AND CUB and SAMURAI EXECUTIONER, Kojima's incredible detail work always blows me away. Close behind were the teams of Cary Nord and Dave Stewart on CONAN, and Guy Davis and Dave Stewart on the various BPRD mini-series.My power ring is getting a transmission from backstage from a talking simian named Schleppy. He says he’s the @$$hole mascot. What do you have for us, Schleppy?
Schleppy, that’s enough…we have to get back to the @$$ies!
Best Writer
Dan Grendell - Gail Simone
Though Dan Slott's classic take on the Marvel Universe made this a hard choice, in the end I have to go with Gail Simone, who always impresses me. Her BIRDS OF PREY work has been nothing short of great, and
VILLAINS UNITED was the one PRELUDE mini-series that continuously held my interest and made me want more. Simply put, if she writes it, I'll read it, and probably like it.
superhero - Bryan Lee O’Malley
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD. I love the dramatic stuff as far as comics go but as I’ve gotten older I’m finding more and more that I just want my comics to be really fun as well. Nothing says fun more than Bryan Lee O’Malley’s SCOTT PILGRIM. Sure, it seems like he only averages to put out one of these a year but they’re so great and so inventive and so out of the box that I have to give my Best Writer kudos to this amazingly imaginative cartoonist. I cannot imagine what is going through O’Malley’s head when he puts all of this stuff down but I’m damn thankful for it. SCOTT PILGRIM is a book that makes me happy just thinking about it, and if volume two was the only bit of O’Malley’s world I got in 2005 then it was definitely enough for me to put him down for my favorite writer of 2005. No one is writing a book like this out there. No one. It’s a complete original and so is O’Malley
Dave Farabee - Dan Slott
Last year he got two wins in this category and this year I’m the guy playing Johnny-Come-Lately: Dan Slott, you are officially my hero. Here’s a writer who mixes humor and drama effortlessly, who uses superhero continuity only when it’s a mechanism for fun, and who revitalizes old characters without shoehorning them into new “directions.” His new ongoing THING series has me feeling like I’m back in Marvel’s 80s heyday (Simonson on THOR! Stern on AVENGERS! Slott on THE THING!). His SHE-HULK has given the world the best new supporting character – Awesome Andy – and packs more memorable scenes per issue than any ten other comics. And as for his SPIDER-MAN/HUMAN TORCH miniseries? Let’s just say that if you can make it through the final issue without a tug at the ol’ heartstrings…well…I don’t wanna know your evil ass.
Sleazy G - Geoff Johns
I know some people won’t agree with me on this one, because not everyone cares for the recent direction of the DCU, but I have to say Geoff Johns is top dawg this year. Even the best of writers would find a task like reworking the DCU daunting enough to make them soil their Depends (and if you wanna know which writers wear ‘em, don’t look at me—go ask Johnston). Johns has written his ass off: working on multiple monthly titles while masterminding INFINITE CRISIS, co-writing 52 and preparing an 80+ year old collection of titles for a cohesive push into the future. There have been some missteps, sure, but the good vastly outweighs the bad in what is a monumental task. I don’t know anyone else currently writing comics who would have been up for something like this, and if that isn’t reason enough to win this one I don’t know what is.
Humphrey Lee - Brian K. Vaughan
There were a lot of really great books that came out this year, and a good handful of writers taking on the chores of getting them out. But there was one man I thought was a lot more consistent in his work than the others, and that was Brian K. Vaughan. It was really quite simple actually. EX MACHINA is in my opinion the best book on the stands. Y: THE LAST MAN has been a little off given the kind of standard it set in the year before, but I still found it a much more diverse and interesting read than the majority of the other books I bought. And RUNAWAYS, the little book that could, has hit a whole new level with much more entertaining storytelling, a ton of laugh out loud moments, and some really nice twists and turns making it one of the best books Marvel has in its lineup. Oh, and on top of all that, he put out a pretty enjoyable run of ULTIMATE X-MEN in his free time. I say that's about as good a year for anyone.
Ambush Bug - Grant Morrison
C’mon. Is there any other writer out there with more vision, more imagination, more versatility than this guy? I think not. First he blows me away with WE3, a modern day fable starring a trio of cybernetic animals trailed by the scientists that created them. Then he undertakes the massive SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY project, which ranged from straight-forward superhero stories like GUARDIAN and BULLETEER, to freaky-deeky macabre horror like KLARION and FRANKENSTEIN, to cosmic operas in MISTER MIRACLE, and magical journeys in ZATANNA and SHINING NIGHT. This SEVEN SOLDIERS project shows that there’s no genre of comics that Morrison can’t master. And then, to “cherry on top” the year with the first Superman story I actually gave a furry fig about in ALL STAR SUPERMAN proves that despite my problems with Morrison’s hit and miss run on NEW X-MEN, he is still the most whacked out and fun comics writer out there today.
Vroom Socko - Dan Slott
Even if DAN SLOTT hadn't brought back SHE-HULK at the end of the year, his name would be on this award. You want a reason besides "Death sense tingling!"? Besides THE THING back in his own book? Besides the Parker family and the Richards family sitting down to dinner? Besides Squirrel Girl vs Thanos? I've got that reason, and it's three words long:
Hostess fruit pies.
So I'm easy to please. Sue me.
Prof. Challenger - Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison. Almost went with Geoff Johns, but Morrison has edged slightly ahead because of this latest batch of SEVEN SOLDIERS mini-series and most-especially ALL-STAR SUPERMAN. I foresee great things for Johns, once the ONE YEAR LATER stuff kicks in, but right now I'm feeling a little bit of weariness from his work. On the other hand, Morrison has amped up the thrills and excitement. His ALL-STAR SUPERMAN series somehow captures the most uniquely satisfying blend of old-school and modern sensibilities I've ever seen. So, for 2005, Morrison was the best o' the bunch, by a hair.
VROOM’S "WTF?" AWARD FOR MOST INSANE PLOT POINTS PER ISSUE
ELK'S RUN from Speakeasy Press.
DAVE’S “OH YEAH, THE EAST” AWARD FOR BEST MANGA COVERAGE
THE COMICS JOURNAL #269
DAN’S JACK KIRBY AUTOMATIC WRITING AWARD
Joe Casey and Tom Scioli, for GODLAND
PROF’S AWARD FOR BEST BREATH OF FRESH AIR
MIDDLEMAN
Definitely the best Indie mini from 2005.
DAVE’S “ART HISTORY FOR DUMMIES” AWARD
Vertigo’sCHIAROSCURO - THE PRIVATE LIVES OF LEONARDO DA VINCI (TPB)
BUG’S AWARD FOR BEST NEW CONCEPT FOR AN OLD COMIC
WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? #1
DAN’S AWARD FOR BEST USE OF FREDDIE MERCURY
CROMARTIE HIGH SCHOOL
DAVE’S DENNIS MILLER “TOO HIP FOR THE ROOM” AWARD
Marvel’s LIVEWIRES by Adam Warren
Best Publisher
superhero
*Dodges tomatoes thrown at him* OK, look, fine, say what you will about how some of the INFINITE CRISIS thing is going. I certainly don’t agree with all of it. *cough* crazy Superboy dismemberment party *cough* But damn if DC Comics didn’t get me to buy all of the crazy minis that led up to the comic event of the year. Damn if they didn’t actually, for a while there, have me actually believing that picking up all those minis would be worth it (which they weren’t). They got me. They suckered me in. And I’m not gonna lie I actually have enjoyed some of it. I mean years ago all of the stupid Mutant Massacres, Age of Apocalypses, Invasions, and Zero Hours made me swear off company wide crossovers forever. Hell, they almost made me drop mainstream comics forever. Somehow, DC Comics actually suckered me into this one. I don’t know how they did it but they did and for that I have to give them credit. Marvel didn’t suck me in with HOUSE OF M. Hell, Marvel’s almost lost me altogether. But DC actually reminds me every once in a while why I like superhero books and this past year they got me excited about reading superhero stuff again. That being said, they may have convinced me to drop a ton of their books in 2006 but in 2005 they had me hook, line and sinker.
Dave Farabee
Make no mistake: I didn’t want to give this to DC Comics. I hate the rape and mayhem they’re throwing at their all-ages properties along with all the impenetrable continuity shuffling accompanying it. But DC is more than that. It’s also the company publishing my favorite monthly, Vertigo’s FABLES. It’s the company continuing to put out trades of great books that might not be ratings champs (Perez’s WONDER WOMAN, Byrne’s SUPERMAN, Morrison’s DOOM PATROL, Wagner’s SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE). It’s the company that has enough faith in wildman Grant Morrison to turn him loose on mega-series SEVEN SOLDIERS. And DC is where oddball genres like the Western get a fighting chance in books like JONAH HEX, where Harvey Pekar’s THE QUITTER found a home, where Alan Moore’s best ABC creation had one last hurrah in TOP TEN:THE FORTY-NINERS, and where artist’s artists get the best venue they could possibly hope for in the brilliant SOLO. I almost could have given this one to Dark Horse for its stewardship of so many great properties or Oni for all the fine surprises it’s given me this year, but in the end, DC juuuuuuuuust edges ‘em out (advantage: SOLO ). Now if they’ll just stop fucking up their superheroes I’ll send ‘em a fruit basket.
Sleazy G
The Little Guys. You know who you are. All the indie companies out there, all the self-publishers, all the people who do this stuff for the love of it and not for a big corporation. All you people who look at the numbers every month and wonder how exciting it must be for all those people who managed to reach two percent of the market last month. It’s not easy for new artists and writers to get noticed or published, and doing it yourself on a shoestring while you work a couple of “real jobs” can’t be easy. I know I don’t buy enough indie books, but I’m working on it and plan to do a lot more this year. It’s like the active decision I made a few years ago to see a lot more indie and documentary films: frankly Universal is doing just fine without me, and the little guys need all the help they can get. We’re always trying to cover more and more small press around here. We can’t possibly get to everything, but that doesn’t mean we don’t know just how hard you’re all working and how much it means to you.
Humphrey Lee
Well, okay, this is how it goes. In fact, this is how it seems to have gone since I got back into comics a few years back. There is always some great independent work out there, and this year was no different. We got INVINCIBLE, WALKING DEAD, SEA OF RED and so on from Image, the TRICKED OGN and SURROGATES from Top Shelf, excellent stuff like NIGHT FISHER from Fantagraphics and on and on and on, but this award always comes back to the big two, DC and Marvel, because, well, they put out a lot more stuff and therefore have the potential to have a lot more enjoyable reads. And indeed they both did. Marvel had a great run from its books: RUNAWAYS, all the ULTIMATE titles I thought were enjoyable, anything Dan Slott set a pen to, Brubaker's stellar CAPTAIN AMERICA run and, again, so on. In fact, I found their main line much more enjoyable than DC's, which only featured a handful of books like VILLAINS UNITED, MANHUNTER, BIRDS OF PREY and a couple others that I found fun and interesting while the rest were seemingly being mutilated by crossover madness (though I'm liking INFINITE CRISIS thus far). But here's the rub: DC still owns Vertigo. And Vertigo at any given point this year was responsible for at least half of the ten best titles I was reading. Longer running books and almost instant classics like FABLES, Y: THE LAST MAN, HELLBLAZER, 100 BULLETS, and now a slew of new books with great potential like LOVELESS, DMZ, and TESTAMENT, which had a very promising first issue in December. Add to all these the great books like EX MACHINA and DESOLATION JONES from their other imprint Wil
-
+ Expand All
-
Yeah, that made me chuckle.
-
Except it was Omac of course.
-
that was a fun read
-
Ooh..I got this thread all to myself. Do I have to say 'First' then? *sigh* First. And Second. And third, unless I'm not. Anyway nice article, not that I read it ALL, but the bits I dipped into were good. Although the Brokeback quit-gags are getting real old real fast.
-
Punisher/Daredevil was great. So is Stray Bullets. But he's never been as good as he was at valiant comics.
-
And Infinite Crisis licks balls. As does All Star Batfuck & Robin The Boy Wiseass. Shocking stuff (in a bad way).
-
Can someone please explain to me under what context Wolverine said "Stop Raping Me?" This is the second time I've seen this alluded to on these page, and it's driving me nuts.
-
Amen, brother.
-
Amen, brother.
-
This was said in the pulse, when I think Jessica goes looking for Wolvie in conjunction with Luke Cage's disappearance. He's drunk in a toilet and the raping me line is an allusion to the mind screwing he's had with all the different dodgy organisations.
-
Middle!
-
I may have to withdraw my comment about the reviewers being Marvel Zombies ,DC may shit the bed with IC and OYL ,but at least they are rehashing good ideas I mean Wolverine can only appear in so much.Good call on everything guys.
-
That's more books I gotta pick up from da 'kaze. Thanks fellas. I'm going to have to apply for a loan or sell my some marrow and plasma.
-
They are Godland and The Escapist.
-
common, IC #4 fucking rocked best single moment this year! SQUISH! There goes the cheeta chick! RIIPPP!! Ouch, thats gotta hurt!
Man. That was absolutly nuts. Kinda sucks that his return blow so hard 1 issue later. Shitty fucking cliffhanger. Stupid armor. -
Good stuff guys. Indeed it's been a great year for this column and the talkbacks. This cog salutes you.
-
I was mentioned - under "I'm lasties". Honourable mention to blackthought for his effort, not quite achieving what he (often) proclaimed.
-
Best Miniseries/One-Shot/Special: Owly- Flying Lessons or Seven Soldiers Zatanna.
Best Artist/Art Team: Adrian Alphona. (Runaways- Can you believe that book is his FIRST comics work?)
Best Writer: Grant Morrison EASY.
Best Publisher: DC kicked ass across the board.
Best Ongoing Comic Book Series: 2005 was a great year for Daredevil, I must admit...
-
Dear gawd that had me laughing for a solid two minutes. Bravo, you sick bastards.
-
With Jacen Burrows (top-notch artwork), from Avatar press. A comic book that NOBODY read. Except I.
-
Thanks for the @$$ies. Well worth the wait! Good picks, too.
-
I really dug the art and story in David: The Shepherd's Song. To me it is on par with Polly and the Pirates, which is also a great all-ages read.
-
My bro got his grubby hands on the Identity Crisis graphic novel and swears up & down that it's one of the greatest stories ever made (his words, not mine). Now, my bro doesn't keep up with current affairs much, does anyone know if the Prelude to Infinite Crisis trade is actually worth it ordo you think it's possible for someone to walk in & read IC without the year-long storylines coming out of Identity?
-
"Clark I will smack the grease out of your hair" from the last issue Plasticman. Closely followed by Clark's exclamation of "Ain't that your baby mama?" when Talia showed up. What a great series
-
All-Star Superman #1 (a perfect comic book), We3 (was #3 released in 2005 ?), any Stray Bullets issue, most of the 7 Soldiers series (the Manhattan Guardian and Mister Miracle, especially), the aforementioned 303 (if you've ever read a story by Ennis that you remotely liked, you have to read this), Smax (I don't know when it was released, but I read it last year), Lapham's Punisher vs. DD, most issues of his Batman Tec' storyline, All-Star Batman (here comes the hate), any issue of Punisher MAX (by Ennis & the incredible team of Leandro Fernandez and Scott Koblish), Plastic Man (the concluding storyline rocked), Nighthawk by Way and Dillon ROCKED (hooray for Dillon's Batman), Optic Nerve #8 (the single O.N. story I've ever read, but I will be ordering the upcoming issues), the Superman in the '50s collection, Marvel Zombies (great fun), Paul Pope's issue of Solo (the other issues seem to me a bit boring, Matt Wagner's Batman and the Monster Men. ***** Most blasphemous (IMO) award of this column: Johns being a second close to Morrison. WTH! (h = heck) Compare the music (a term I stole from Ellis) of All-Star Superman with Mongul II's squishing his sister's head under a portrait of them us children with their father (Mongul I), or Superboy's antics (you know, kicking Krypto, PUNCHING PEOPLE'S HEADS CLEAN OFF). ***** My hopes about comics for 2006 and beyond: the usual creators; Moore, Morrison, Quitely, Lapham (I am waiting for his new SF series, new SB and anything else), Miller (Holy Terror Batman - eff' yeah), Ennis (a new ongoing series from Avatar coming this summer: Wormwood), Dillon, Pope, All-Star Superman, the Black Dossier, Morrison and Kubert's Batman, Wildcats, Authority, Midnighter, people and projects I can't currently recall, or have forgotten about and everyone I don't know and will discover later on (to the unknown god, as people from my city were wise to inscribe on a stone). ***** Favourite comics blogs from last year (from which I have ripped off several images, links, jokes and other stuff): Dave's Long Box, Beaucoup Kevin, the Absorbascon, Brill Building. ***** Best superhero blog of 2005: The Velvet Marauder ***** Best online comic strip: the Perry Bible Fellowship ( http://cheston.com/pbf/archive.html ) ***** These are my opinions on comics. I see no reason why anyone should care for or be offended by them. Excelsior.
-
I suppose this is the 2005 awards (IN MARCH). First thing I noticed is that it hasn't been a great year for minis. Would it be cheating for me to pick a 7 soldiers? Doesn't matter which one, they're all good. Also, you can go ahead and switch around those Batman quote awards. "I'm the goddamn Batman" is the single best line in comics IN YEARS. Absolutely hilarious. I didn't even remember the other quote until you brought it up. Best artist? I'm so boring, I'm sticking with John Cassaday. What can I say, no one holds a candle. Where are the awards for best covers? I guess Catwoman #50 was this year, so I'll go with something from Fables. BEST WRITER: a tought category. Its a toss up between Vaughn and (for the first time ever) Grant Morrison. Runaways and Y are awesome, no doubt, but Ex Machina still faulters. This year I have to give it to Morrison for 7 Soldiers. Not just because its so good, but because I really don't think its like anything Morrison has every done before. His All Star Superman is just icing on the cake. Best new series is X-Factor (too easy). WORST SINGLE MOMENT EVER: Dr. Leslie Thompkins a murderer? Why hasn't this been retconned yet? WORST NEW WARREN ELLIS COMIC: hmm, tough category this year. Although I guess New Wave (or whatever) doesn't qualify, so I'm going to give this to Fell, a silly vanity project with a constraining format that only works when you really don't have a decent plot in the first place.
-
not a word about Jason Todd's ressurection. I take it everyone will just go about their business when they replace Dick Grayson with him? Hehheh...
-
The conclusion was hilarious and a very cool reaction to the IC shebang, while the book was cancelled. ***** [yeah, that'll happen]If I had to cast the Joker (regular, DKR, or otherwise), I'd choose Crispin Glover. He *IS* the Joker, albeit benevolent, suave, non scarred and non homicidal. ***** As for DKR, I believe I have the perfect lead: Daniel Day-Lewis. Watch any film of his, read his biography (the part of how he prepared for various roles is incredible) and you 'll know I am right. I wonder how he'll prepare for this part. By all means, Miller should co-direct it and it should be done with the fidelity of the Rodriguez/Miller Sin City. For co-director, I'd choose either Tarantino, Rodriguez, Cronenberg, Lynch or Aronofsky. If Day-Lewis doesn't do it, a distant second choice would be either Hopkins or Eastwood.[/yeah, that'll happen]
-
I was going to say Infinite Crisis 4 with Pantha, but I'm going to go with the more unexpected Green Lantern #8 suprise attack by Mongul II against the now headless Mongal. Snap!
-
No, you had it right first time man. Superboy smashing Pantera totally came out of right field. Wowzers. Man, I love that scene. I'm gonna go home now and read that again.
GL aint bad but it really hasn't been a very thrilling series so far. GL + GA team up was fun and a decent IC tie in but not unexpected. And what single handed decapitation happen in there? Don't quite remember. -
Mar 03, 2006 3:29:05 PM CST
Not a single mention in any of that worthless blather..
by the flashlight
...of 100 Bullets? 100 Bullets, the finest ongoing comic series of the past 20 years. Not only should Azzarello have gotten a mention for best writer, but 100 Bullets should have been the pick for best ongoing series from every single one of you losers. I could care less about fucking hostess fruit pies or the Spider-mobile. NEWSFLASH! Generally speaking, comics in the 80's SUCKED!
-
...of @$$holes. "Croatoa", baby.
-
fuck the reserections. Theres a damn good reason they didn't make the list: They sucked bull balls.
Some things are better dead, kinda like Hitler but less, ya know, evil. But only a little less evil.
Also: is it just me or does Alex Luthor of IC fame seem just a little bit like a demented comic book writer? or possibly an editor. -
And Ennis's GHOST RIDER #6 will almost certainly be one my most-hated books of 2006. Watching that miniseries go from GREAT to MEDIOCRE to COMPLETELY FUCKING AWFUL was downright tragic.
-
both in concept and in execution. The best new Ellis project where he doesn't go all "ROFL, you enjoy superhero comics, how old are you, like 12?, go on buy my titles which I can write in my sleep after drinking myself unconscious" on his readers. Wolfskin seems promising. **** Testament and the Exterminators were books I enjoyed, but neglected to mention. A few issues of Y the Last Man, as well. Obviously, the [yeah, that'll happen] thingie should begin where I talk about Day-Lewis and not about Glover (the later being a very feasible possibility).
-
you still under the delusion that you finished last? i am the original and the best laster and you know it!...good thing our rooms in the cog-mansion aren't across eachother...the war i tell you!...nice to get a shout out though for lasting and being a cog!...and for heathen...AN @$$IE should go for the best cog mascot to date in REMMIGANS! so tghis years @$$ies are in memory of our cog mascot. ad SNICKER-SNACK was turly glorious...Boy Blue rocks...i must now go cast Fables...
-
...back in college. Seriously.
-
It was funny, it looked fantastic, and it had a completely distinct, unique style. It's a shame a book like this couldn't survive despite winning Eisners for Kyle Baker. It'll definitely be missed.
-
What, we're gonna time it with the Golden Globes? Not a chance. Plus the column originated in the April/May area, so this is closer to our actual anniversary, too.
-
You're hardly the first to say so, either. On the other hand, we both dig a lot of the same stuff. Like I said, Johns may have had some missteps, but no one has ever done anything on the scale of what he's accomplishing. It's a Herculean task, and I think he's done a helluva job spearheading this thing.
-
The writing is strained and the plot doesn't make the least bit of sense. I hope this book comes together but it seems to get worse every month.
-
We all might have to - I think that Infinite Crisis and Annihilation/Illuminati/Civil War are DC and Marvel's "Last Hurrahs" before the big "price jack" that's coming. $4.00 for 20 pages. Dammit.
Bought "War of the Worlds the Second Coming" this week; felt ripped off somehow - it was like there were not enough pages, or maybe I read about 12 too many of them when they gave them out for free online!!!
And dino - re-read my message nad you'll see the decapitation. Mongal! -
and they were Zombie superheroes and they ate lots of things. And it was funny and good, too!
-
Big fuckin' surprise! DC gets most of the "awards" and Marvel is not even mentioned as favorite publisher BY ANYONE. Check out the top 25 comics, for that matter the top 50, every month for 2005. What DC comics are there? Only those that were leading up to or directly involved with Infinite Crisis. Once the series is over and their "52" experiment falls flat on its face, is back to business as usual. MARVEL OWNS YOUR ASS!!!
-
is supposed to be qaulity...i think the a$$holes usually tend to go with the qaulity of the work that is published and not some marvel zombie this and that so marvel has to be BEST! if you want marvel zombies go to IGN where far more marvel books are reviewed and recommended...sleazy, i'm with you on Johns, for all the weight he's put on his shoulders, he's doing a more than adequate job in delivering. i'm excited by "52", "OYL" and the new creative teams for batman. glad to see goon get some love too and gotham central will most definately be missed...at least we still got fables.
-
I'll chime in more later. I have to mourn the Cog mascot, Remmigans. : (
-
2006: let Dan Slott write everything and relegate Bendis to the Ultimate line, where he can write every character like The Bendis there.
-
JSA is one terrific book. He can juggle all of the elements that make a perfect classic superhero story. I really loved his Hawkman work.
-
@$$ie Civil War? Who wants to sign up for decapitation duty?
-
It's that time of year, to thank you guys for doing your often-thankless job here. I look forward to your column every Wednesday. Or Thursday. Or sometimes Friday.
-
"so by that rationale, if a pig had personality he'd stop being a filthy animal". Come on now! Look at the numbers. Marvel's top books were the same before and after DC decided the only way to crack the top spots was by event storytelling. I'll admit House of M, and specially the tie-ins, did no live up to the hype but hey, Spielberg directed Hook. 'Nuff said
-
but what i was saying is that it doesn't matter who are in top when it comes to sales...if you are basing that marvel has great storytelling becuase due to sales volumes then that is retarded and you must of been one of the people that watched madea's family reunion. so the majority of the @$$holes thought DC was the best publisher this year even with their lower sales numbers...so go ahead and play with your pigs. hmmmmmm...bacon...
-
Sales are a direct result of fan interest, which originates from continuous interest on the product, not hype. Oh and by the way, that quote is from Pulp Fiction. TOOL!
-
It's also wrong, smart guy. Sales are a result of the gradual infiltration of your mind by the idea that this is something you need to own so badly you're willing to work your ass off to pay for it. You are interested in the product *because* of the hype--like ice beer, for example, or mid-90's Image comics. Anybody who fails to grasp the core concepts that drive the advertising and marketing industries will be an even greater victim of them than the rest. And that's just referring to the old-school hype machines used by Marvel and DC. It doesn't even begin to address the advances made in viral and memetic marketing, used by companies to enter your mindspace without you even realizing it. Which is the long way around saying "thanks for the cash, sucker!"
-
ha that cracked me up big time for some odd reason. I can't wait till Stewart hosts the Oscars this Sunday...oh wrong Stewart...
-
but selling your plasma for comic books can make amends for that.
-
Miller would have to co-direct, since I don't expect Verhoeven to have ever read a comic book. ***** If DKR is never translated to live-action film, maybe an even better adaptation would be in the animation format. Think about: they have to hold no punches, they can easily do whatever visual effects they want, they can hire any voice actor they want (while the live-action part of Bats would be notoriously difficult to successfully cast), stay mighty true to the style of the original work and make a helluva movie. ***** Another (intriguing to me) choice would be a video game adaptation - bear with me here: 1.) Miller being friends with Hideo Kojima ( tinyurl.com/zct3z ) and 2.) the various excellent recent and upcoming video games, excellent in their graphics, style, atmosphere, gameplay, whatever. Examples: MGS4, Okami (PS2), H-L2, Shadow of the Colossus (PS2). If it was to be, as it should IMO, heavier on the cinematic and atmosphere aspects than about gameplay, that would still make it a game that would absolutely rock.
-
You "reviewers" blow. Haven't bothered to read the regularly scheduled biased tripe that these angry clown reviewers put out every week but whoever this "superhero" cat is, someone needs to get him one of those old Marvel Comics Tryout books so he can get his frustrations out at not being able to break into the medium. DC is all tie-in, buy-in gimmicky crap, harkening back to the Grim 'N Gritty Dark age of comics and you clowns eat it up like sucking on Didio's dick will give you the cure for cancer.
What shitty column. Where is the Fourth Rail when you need it? -
did you even read my post? i said i didn't know where the pig stuff came from cuz i was pretty sure we were talking about sales, marvel, dc and quality...i could care less at the attempted qoute (the only person i'd qoute while posting here is BUZZ)..but whatever...still your whole reasoning on what makes something quality is quite weak as was your reason to hate on the many of the assholes picking DC as best publisher. once again...it has nothing to do with interest or sales...that is a stupid way to gauge quality. for example...the number one movie in this country last week was madea's fam. reunion which for all intents and purposes was crap...but since it was number 1 (god, how?) at the box office then under your reasoning it means it is quality blah blah...but once again whatever...you are quite enlightened it seems. gus, it's good to see you back amongst the TB's. i'm kinda liking your idea of a miller/verhoeven(where has paul been hiding lately?) animated DKR...i'm up for more adaptations of comic material all the time...fables...live action or animated? there's just a wealth of ideas there that could look great onscreen.
-
Love how all the Bendis Butt-Fuckers come out of the wood work yelling bias when MARVEL doesn't win every award. Wake up you fucking retards
-
Great to see you! What's it been, since '02 that you piped up whining because I wrote a negative review of BLACK PANTHER? Well, it's good to see you can hold a grudge. I especially love how you come out of the woodwork to hurl bile at our supposed anger...in the *awards show* column where we're droppin' praise like Wolverine drops ninjas! Like Daredevil drops girlfriends! Like Bendis drops stammers! That's timing, baby, pure timing. Seeya in 2010!
-
Since a live action Verhoeven/Miller or whoever else I mentioned/Miller is UNLIKELY to happen, I suggested as an alternative an animated film or a video game adaptation (a Kojima/Miller collaboration, perhaps?). I didn't suggest a Verhoeven/Miller animated film because that does not compute, even though not many things make sense these days... oh dear, I am starting to... incoherent... Christ, not with HIS OWN FINGERNAILS!... they shouldn't have left his fingernails in...
-
*DKR* I was referring to my previous post about a DKR film adaptation. Now my last post will make a bit more sense.
-
good friend gus...when i read your post i was drunk if tha tis forgivable. hmmmmmm...i need a drink.
-
I have my own recipe: When all a writer's interested in is writing "old school superheroing with modern sensibilities" he just bores me.
-
. . . and Dr. Light." -- This must have been the line of the past decade. From Plastic Man #20 (the final issue). The Id. Crisis intro, including the panel with Mr. Tawky Tawny, the "well endowed" superheroines, the "sad" obituary, all contributed to this issue being "the bomb". Thank you, Mr. Baker.
-
...I have a great deal of sympathy for those born without a sense of humor. I'm also smart enough to know that there are those who hide behind claims of being a "true American" while betraying the very principles our country was founded upon. One of those principles is protecting the rights of the individual from the masses--in this case, protecting your right to not have a sense of humor from the masses who are capable of knowing when somebody's kidding about something.
-
"in this case, protecting your right to not have a sense of humor from the masses who are capable of knowing when somebody's kidding about something."
-
BEST ARTIST(S): JH Williams III, John Cassaday, Geof Darrow, Phil Jimenez, Roy Allan Martinez. MOST UNKOWN KNOWN ARTIST: Heystantheman! BEST WRITER(S): Grant Morrison, Geof Johns, Dan Slott. BEST ONE-SHOT(S): Franklin Richards-Son of a Genius, Spike-Old Times, Star Wars-Purge. BEST MINI-SERIES: Villians United, Serenity. BEST ONGOING SERIES: Solo, All-Star Superman, She-Hulk. BEST COVER ARTIST(S): Ladronn (Hip Flask, OMAC Project), Adam Hughes (Catwoman, Serenity TPB, Star Wars-Purge), Jock (Batman), David Mack (Kabuki). BEST DESIGN LAYOUT: Kabuki, Solo. BEST INDY BOOK that'll probably never finish releasing: Elk's Run. There's a bulk of things I've chosen. I would have included Infinite Creezus, Mouse Guard, Son of M, etc., but I think it's unfair because they aren't complete yet and primarily take place this year, so I'll wait for next year on those. Great column guy's and genuinely funny (John Stewart GL and Schleppy!!!) and an insane amount of info and possible material to go and take a look at. Any more Cog to @$$ies?
-
Edgar Stiles?
-
Edgar :(
-
OYL and 52...hmmm...
-
arrested development got picked up by showtime...next season we get 26 episodes of bluth goodness...and with less restrictions...hmmm.
-
That's awesome news. *** 24!!! (SPOILERS) When Jack shot Robocop's wife in the leg I cackled like a schoolgirl. "I SHOT HER ABOVE THE KNEE!!!" Jack was like, "What's the problem?!" But man
-
i have a feeling dr. house will swoop in at the end with a cure for the nerve gas ailments and save everyone...then jack will then bust a cap on house's good leg thinking that house is a terrorist.
-
I once asked the @$$holes why he called himself Dr. Cool when he really isn't all that cool. Dave explained to me that he didn't spend eight years in medical school to be called "Mister" Cool.
-
...but I'm a true Californian. What is a fucktard? Is it something like a leotard? Because I'm not going to wear either one of those. For that matter, what the hell is a unitard. Actually, forget I asked. Guys like us don't need to know stuff like that.
-
...I'm on, I'm going to frag me a non-com. And a cook. Don't you judge me.
-
My uncle who lives in California brought me Arrested Development season 1 and i've been slowly digesting it and enjoying it. I think it may very well be The Best Thing Ever. Vale's happy.
-
Let us discuss it thoroughly. No? Why not?
-
i take it you missed the octagenerian birthaday party. arrested is good times indeed. good @$$ies guys! theres a lot of cool suggestions in there im going to pick up.***
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 209 total posts 207 posts
- AVENGERS enemy revealed as pink boardgame pieces... You might suffer some form of elation... SPOILERS!!! -- 160 total posts 97 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 144 total posts 77 posts
- Here's The Red Band Trailer For Drafthouse Films' THE FP! -- 68 total posts 68 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 67 total posts 67 posts
- Does ‘SNL’ Rhyme With ‘Deschanel’?? Learn Which SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Vet Hosts After Sexy Zooey!! -- 64 total posts 60 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 480 total posts 55 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 53 total posts 50 posts
- Friday Brings SWEEPS DAY NINE!! Gab Here About Tonight’s FRINGE!! Plus Einstein on TIM, Wiig On PORTLANDIA, MAHER, CLONE, GIFTED, GRIMM, SPARTACUS, SUPERNATURAL, GOLD RUSH And More!! -- 118 total posts 32 posts
- SPACE 2099!! -- 182 total posts 27 posts