Top Ten Comics of 2012

Has it been a year already? My dreaded sphere of influence grows and grows thanks to the podcast and the Twitter Machine. Todd & I covered out top books on this week's show but since I did a more detailed list last year, here's my top ten comics series of 2012:



10. American Vampire: by Scott Snyder & Rafael Albuquerque - Down from #6 last year. Not a knock on the quality of this book as it beat out such great books as Fatale, Avengers Academy and Green Lantern. Things have come to a head in the lives of both Pearl and Skinner Sweet as the book is headed towards a hiatus in 2013. Maybe I chose it because it wouldn't be out next year?

9. Wolverine & the X-Men: by Jason Aaron, Nick Bradshaw and many more - Launcehed at the tail end of 2011, there were a whopping 19 issues of this book published in 2012. In spite of the Avengers vs. X-Men crossover, this has taken over as the best team book being printed.

8. Amazing Spider-Man: by Dan Slott, Humberto Ramos and many more - Producing a whopping 25 issues in one year of this quality is quite the acomplishment. A perenial all star book for me, the very first book I collected some 25 years ago, this book picked up a ton of steam in the last days of 2012 leading towards the big Superior Spider-Man relaunch in 2013.

7. Swamp Thing: by Scott Snyder & Yanick Paquette - Ol' Swampy has lent himself to some of the biggest writers in all comics and Snyder belongs there. It was announced recently that Snyder will be leaving this book in March. As of thise writing, the new creative team has not been announced. Currently in the midst of the "Rotworld" crossover with...

6. Animal Man: by Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman & Stephen Pugh - As good as Swamp Thing is, Animal Man is just a BIT better. Lemire has taken Buddy Baker and made him a viable chracter in a world including Superman, the Flash and Wonder Woman.

5. Hawkeye: by Matt Fraction, David Aja & Javier Pulido - A book that started as a maybe to me making it to the top five after only six issues? Yup. I've stated in the past how I'm not the biggest Matt Fraction fan, this book made me turn the corner. So far, very separate from everything else going on in Marvel and Avengers team books, which I think is a positive. I see this book, if it keeps it's current pace and quality, giving the top three a run for their money in 2013.

4. Batman: by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo - Snyder's thrid appearance on the list and with good cause, keeping the same slot as last year, the best superhero book put out by DC in all of 2012. A continuation of Snyder's Detective Comics run in 2011, continuing with epic storylines like "Court of Owls" and "Death in the Family." Here's to hoping Snyder & Capullo are on this book for a long time.

3. the Walking Dead: by Robert Kirkman & Charles Adlard - Last year's #2. Always the first book I read when it comes out, gaining tons of new eyes due to the super successful AMC TV show, this book has not slowed down one bit and I cannot see it never not being in my top ten.

2. Saga: by Brian K Vaughn & Fiona Staples - My most anticapted book for 2012 lived up to the hype. A NY Times Best Seller and huge success story for Image. A high concept book (Star Wars meets Game of Thrones) that could fall flat but the unreal talents of Vaughn and Staples makes this a must read!

1. Daredevil: by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee and many more - Last year's #3, I'm sure it's no surprise to anyone this is my number one. With 15 issues in 2012, the quality on this book has not waived one bit. The book I recommend to more people than any other ever. I've been reading Matt's avdentures for fifteen years and this is the best it's ever been.
I will be trying to blog more here in 2013, probably just a running weekly commentary of what's coming out as a compliment to the podcast.