Earlier today, I published my top 10 comic books of the decade. Below, a sort of spiritual twin in the form of some honorable mentions. Are these the absolute best of the last 10 years? Maybe not. But are they still truly quality comics deserving ample praise? You betcha. Because silver or bronze is nearly as good as gold, y’all.
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Star Wars: Legacy
Written by Corinna Bechko, Gabriel Hardman
Art by Gabriel Hardman
This series had a somewhat abrupt end, but it was some of the best non-canon Star Wars comics ever. Hardman and Bechko took a descendant of Han Solo and made her real, explored areas of the universe we’ve never seen, and kept the adventure thrilling along the way. From my review of issue #11, “One of the benefits of an ongoing series like this, complicated plots that weave in and out to make the whole web that much more enjoyable.”
Mae
Written and drawn by Gene Ha
Mae was a series that never finished at Dark Horse but continued on at Lion Forge, but in its time at Dark Horse, I simply loved Ha’s art and worldbuilding. The fantasy world was quite a hook and while I haven’t gone back to finish it after it went to a new publisher I plan to. From my review of issue #3, “There’s a lot to love and all this goodness combines to make Mae simply delightful.”
Jenny Finn
Written by Mike Mignola, Troy Nixey
Art by Troy Nixey and Farel Dalrymple
Mike Mignola’s universe is one you won’t want to leave once you discover it. It continues to be fleshed out every year with excellent miniseries some featuring Hellboy and many others going their own way. Case in point is Jenny Finn, a series that’s incredibly weird and rife for more exploration. From my review of issue #3, “A solid third installment ramps up the weird.”
Secret Weapons
Written by Eric Heisserer
Art by Raul Allen, Adam Pollina
I was riveted by Heisserer’s first work as a comics pro after his incredible feature films screenwriting movies like Arrival. Raul Allen’s art was impressive thanks to a sharp eye for layout and storytelling. From my review of issue #0, “A cinematically told journey focused on a teenager’s story.”
Star Trek: Mirror Broken
Written by Scott Tipton, David Tipton
Art by J.K. Woodward
This series explored more deeply the evil-dimension version of the crew of the Enterprise. Woodward’s art made the already riveting character writing pop thanks to the photorealistic look. From my review of issue #1, “This is an excellent first issue that should be on every Star Trak fan’s pull list.”
Earth 2: Society
Written by Dan Abnett
Art by Bruno Redondo
I’m a sucker for Elseworld tale, and Abnett knocks this series out of the park thanks to his character writing and Redondo’s ability to make you gasp with a page turn. From my review of issue #18, “Trippy, exciting and action packed, this issue was tightly paced and exciting all the way through.”
The Dark & Bloody
Written by Shawn Aldridge
Art by Scott Godlewski
This series put Godlewski on the map for me and it’s quite a stand out horror story in its own right. From my review of issue #5, “This issue is all kinds of good due to strong character moments, a monster that will creep you out, and a story that will test the protagonist in what it means to be a good person.”
The Dreaming
Written by Si Spurrier
Art by Bilquis Evely
This series has been an exceptional look at storytelling while also bringing Neil Gaiman’s beloved characters back to the forefront. Evely has been an artist I’ve loved since her run on Sugar and Spike and she continues to amaze in this series. From my review of issue #11, “The Dreaming is a methodically absorbing fantasy series not to be missed.”
James Bond
Written by Warren Ellis
Art by James Marston
It’s easy to forget James Bond comics weren’t a thing since the comic strips until Warren Ellis and James Marston started their series at Dynamite Entertainment. Many more comic series by fantastic creators like Greg Pak have followed suit, but this first series was an exciting ride I didn’t want to get off. From my review of issue #6, “Fighting is brutal, realistic and hard-fought and James Bond is subtly complex. This is an action comic through and through and James Masters proves he’s an action maestro.”
Moon Knight
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Greg Smallwood
This is a hugely important series for the character that I suspect will be drawn from for the upcoming Marvel Studios TV show. Lemire is incredible at probing a character’s psyche while Smallwood dazzles with creative designs and ideas. From my review of issue #10, “The pacing is exceptional and should keep you on the edge of your seat like a nice thriller.”
Flintstones
Written by Mark Russell
Art by Steve Pugh
This series was a revelation of what you can do with a nostalgic and beloved series. Russell and Pugh blew us away with a sentimental and deeply meaningful exploration of society today via caveman characters. From my review of issue #6, “The Flintstones continues to be a must-read thought provoking mirror of our society.”
Half Past Danger
Written and drawn by Stephen Mooney
Do you like Indiana Jones? How about dinosaurs? May I interest you in Stephen Mooney’s incredible series capturing both — plus Nazis!? This series has some of the best visual storytelling of 2013. From my review of issue #4, “The bottom line is this comic is fun to read.”
Daredevil
Written by Charles Soule
Art by Ron Garney
Charles Soule and Ron Garney blew me away with their Daredevil run thanks to the lawyer know-how of Soule, but also the dark tone Garney’s art brought. From my review of issue #5, “Action packed with plenty of interesting character dynamics throughout add up to one hell of a crime comic.”
Superman: American Alien
Written by Max Landis
Art by Jock, Jonathan Case, Francis Manapul, Jae Lee, Joelle Jones, Tommy Lee Edwards, and Nick Dragotta
When this series came out it was positively electric pairing a superstar artist with one of the hottest writers at the time. Unfortunately, hindsight is 20/20, and Landis disappeared from the public eye after being accused of sexual and emotional abuse which was corroborated by many. That said, I can’t help but add this series to the list as each issue delivered a different story in an Elseworlds-style showcasing why Superman is so great. The impressive list of artists on the 7 issue series should be commended as many produced some of the most awe-inspiring art of their careers. From my review of issue #3, “It’s a side of Superman you haven’t seen, but need to!”
Green Lanterns
Written by Sam Humphries
Art by Robson Rocha
I was a huge Green Lanterns fan, reviewing most of the series and hanging on to every word Humphries wrote for the new Green Lantern characters with a great space-cop angle. The series also seemed to be revealing new insights into Green Lantern lore. From my review of issue #11, “This is as solid as psychological thrillers come.”
Solar: Man of the Atom
Written by Frank J. Barbiere
Art by Jonathan Lau, Anthony Marques
This is a series I gave mostly high scores to thanks to the great character writing and epic art. A stand out element is the father/daughter relationship. From my review of issue #4, “This continues to be my favorite series right now and Solar should be on everyone’s minds if they want a unique character dynamic duo and a fun new series.”
Uncanny X-Force
Written by Rick Remender
Art by Jerome Opena, Esad Ribic, Rafa Sandoval, Billy Tan, Mark Brooks, Greg Tocchini, and Phil Noto
This was an iconic run. This was a run that didn’t require you know X-Men history backward and forwards. This was a run that was edgy, felt like a maxi-series that lived inside a robust canon, and a series you couldn’t put down. It wasn’t perfect, but it also ran 37 issues and kept us wildly entertained.
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