Rick Remender
(Deadly Class, Black Science, Tokyo Ghost, Low, Uncanny Avengers, Avengers : Rage of Ultron, All-New Captain America)
Based on sheer diversity and volume of output it'd be incredibly difficult to deny Remender this year's best writer nod. Whether it was serving up contemporary superhero fables in his "Avengers" and "Captain America" work or engulfing his reader in a swirling kinetic melee of story in "Deadly Class" and "Black Science", Mr Remender ended his time at Marvel in fine fashion while also maintaining 3 ongoing creator-owned series and launching the biting technological satire that is "Tokyo Ghost". And as a former artist, this year his taste was never more on display as his delicately-curated collection of artistic collaborators executed and elevated his voice to the highest level of impact and poignancy as they watched their own stars rise thanks to such substantive narrative work. This year Remender got along with some help from his friends but even in his Marvel swan song there wasn't the slightest wavering of effort, punk rock attitude, love or death themes, and complicated character dynamics.
Esad Ribic
(Secret Wars, Thor Annual)
It was always going to be a tall order for Ribic to match, dare I say top the visual bravado of his work on "Thor : God of Thunder", but when the closest modern spiritual descendant to the legendary Frank Frazetta was given the opportunity to provide not only the end to the greatest Avengers story ever told, but an end to the entire Marvel Universe as we knew it he climbed to his highest artistic peak yet and infused Jonathan Hickman's scripts with a everlasting gravitas not rarely seen in serialized superhero comics. The delicate majesty of his work reached new heights this year and Marvel now has both a thrilling evergreen ending to one era in their history and a bombastic starting point for the future of their publishing line thanks to the talents of this modern master.
James Harren
(BPRD: Reign of the Black Flame, Rumble)
The cast of the BPRD have never vibrated with more life than when they're drawn by James Harren, but this year he took it up a notch by redesigning The Black Flame as a hulking elemental monster and illustrating the triumphant return of Liz Sherman in a kinetic ass-kicking crescendo that rocked longtime BPRD readers to their core. But not content to be a simply a fan-favorite staple of the Mignola-verse, Harren used his ever-pert visual stylings to launch "Rumble", the story of an everyman bartender and his group of friends thrown into an eternal struggle between a displaced ancient warrior and a community of underground monsters.
Ive Svorcina
(Secret Wars, Thor Annual)
Svorcina's nod as best colorist goes hand in hand with Esad Ribic being my best penciler. While Ribic's graceful pencils are a nugget of pure artistry at its most simple stage, Svorcina takes those pencils and creates an exquisite feast for the eyes with his classical painterly approach and adept sense of lighting. As colorists increasingly become a more integral force for the progression of comic book art I can't wait to see what and who he colors next.
David Rubin
(The Hero : Book 1 & 2, Battling Boy : The Fall of the House of West)
Hand-picked by the visionary Paul Pope to draw the manga-sized prequels to his "Battling Boy" graphic novel series, David Rubin came to the page fully-formed as the perfect ocular blending of the aforementioned Pope and Jeff Smith of "Bone" fame. Then Dark Horse translated the unexpected yet welcome surprise that was "The Hero", a contemporary chronicling the life of Heracles. Bombastic, tragic, and sometimes hilarious, this modern retelling of the divine Greek hero's exploits showed that Rubin was somebody to watch well before Paul Pope introduced him to the American comic reading public.
David Lapham
(Stray Bullets : Sunshine & Roses)
I can't claim to be impartial or objective with this honor. "Stray Bullets" is my favorite series in all narrative media of all time and I was incredulous then jazzed beyond belief when Lapham revived the series with "Stray Bullets : Killers" after a decade-long hiatus. Still, I never thought I'd see the stories being told in this current volume, "Sunshine & Roses" happen outside my imagination and I never thought I'd see Lapham's art develop beyond the consistency I'd grown so used to. "Sunshine & Roses" may be the first time a prequel story is worth telling and knowing what happens to these characters beyond the current backstory doesn't dampen the impact or intrigue one iota. Artistically, Lapham's always been an ink whizkid on par with greats like Hugo Pratt, but this year he had the confidence to let his pencil lines show through and to add a grit and scratchy intensity to his line that has served the frenetic and paranoid tone of the current series in spades.
Jupiter's Circle (Image) by Mark Millar, Wilfredo Torres, & Davide Gianfelice
Millar's still writing his best ode to the tone of vintage Spielberg & Donner but here it's filtered through brilliantly illustrated short stories from the lives of Golden/Silver Age superheroes. Brought to life by the whimsical pencils and inks of Wilfredo Torres with a hindsight highlighting social and personal issues comic books of that era could never touch, what started as a stopgap prequel series has become a vital companion to Millar and artist Frank Quitely's "Jupiter's Legacy".
Supreme : Blue Rose (Image) by Warren Ellis & Tula Lotay
How such an oblique story of a Superman analog could be both this abstract yet this representative of the original root idea of character is a testament to Ellis' ability to go aspirational and a credit to Tula Lotay's ethereal yet ordered page compositions. Another surprisingly rich reboot of Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios, this series took the original germ of Supreme as written by Alan Moore and re-envisioned it as the story of work-for-hire journalist on a surreal search for a lost and forgotten savior.
Space Riders (Black Mask Studios) by Alexis Ziritt, Fabian Rangel Jr, & Ryan Ferrier
This feels like a comic book from another time, employing an art style reminiscent of 1970s underground comix and 1990s neon-mania. An ordered mural of psychedelic space opera with a cast of characters as brazen in their attitudes as they are imaginative in their physical presentation, this book is as evocative of the original "Star Wars" as any book Marvel's currently putting out and possibly captures that film's spirit better than those books.
Stray Bullets (Image) by David Lapham (With Maria Lapham)
How a world this seedy and bleak can consistently blend humor and heart with its signature depravity and shock is a feat of the likes only David Lynch and Quentin Tarintino have achieved. Back from hiatus for a couple years and as shocking and fun as it ever was, give into your darker side and try out the work of a master who has yet to reach the peak of his talents in exploring the world of the lawless.
Men's Feelings #2 (Alternative Comics) by Ted May
Ted May's lyrical pen brings readers these terrific tales of woe. Packed with dry whit and scathing self-reflection this unexpected second issue of the humor mag held me over until the next "Injury" drops.
Rat God (Dark Horse) by Richard Corben
Richard Corben is one of the finest cartoonist of the 20th century who has has dedicated much of this past decade to adapting the works of Edgar Alan Poe to comics form. So when he took it upon himself to create the horror story of a blowhard academic awash in a spiral of Native American folklore, twisted romance, and haunting creations all his own it was something very special in that it almost feels like the indelibly disturbing parable of Rat God has been with humanity all along.
The Multiversity (DC) by Grant Morrison, Ivan Reis, Chris Sprouse, Ben Oliver, Frank Quitely, Cameron Stewart, Jim Lee, & Doug Mahnke
While written by the world's greatest living comic book writer and easily the most ambitious superhero comic book DC has published since 1986, this series was artistically carried by a who's who of industry veterans with not a hiccup in the narrative flow of the whole, but with each chapter serving as an otherworldly oasis all its own. A loving and reverent peak into the rich and vital history the DC Universe, "The Multiversity" attempts to rewire its readers brain whether it's expanding the world of the Charlton characters in a compressed adulation/condemnation of "Watchmen" in "Pax Americana" or returning Shazam! to his charming and fanciful roots in "Thunderworld Adventures". Which begs the question, if there are 52 earths as presented in the "The Multiversity Guidebook", why does DC (and Warner Bros) continue to promote the the most unremarkable and foundationally-shakey of those worlds as its primary publishing/movie universe???
COPRA by Michel Fiffe
Routinely pushing the limits of the comic book page and building his characters far beyond the Suicide Squad analogs they began as, Michel Fiffe is carrying the artistic torch of Steve Ditko in a way the reclusive master should marvel at. At this point it'd be easy for Fiffe to take this book to any number of publishers, but the fact that he continues to do it on his own displays a love and preciousness for his ideas that should be commended.
Batman (DC) by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo
Another year, another 12 solid installments in Snyder's masterwork of a Batman run. Scott Snyder may be the only writer post-Frank Miller with the courage to treat Bruce Wayne like a fallible human being beneath his darker persona and this year's swerve of James Gordon donning the cowl and Bruce Wayne going amnesiac has enriched and layered both characters to a level I never thought possible. That's to say nothing of Mr Bloom, a mysterious and terrifying new villain who upped the ante for evil even after The Joker was given a chilling new layer of mystery. Greg Capullo continues his maturation past his Todd McFarlane-inspired roots and is made all the more distinctive by Danny Miki's polished ink work, FCO Plasenca's neon-emphasized color, and Snyder's ever-evolving gift for creating visually opportunistic scripts. Consistent and inventive in the face of a creatively scatter-shot editorial regime, "Batman" still shines 4 years later.
Criminal: Special Edition "Savage Sword of Criminal" (Image) by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
A new "Criminal" tale from 1976 featuring the lovable lowlife Teeg Lawless just trying to stay alive during a 30 day jail stint where a copy of comics magazine "Zangaar : The Savage" is his only friend and ally. Publishing this comic in magazine-size format punctuated the push and pull between Teeg's current situation and that of Zangaar's story-within-a- story nicely and made me hunger for Brubaker & Phillips to strike out and create a barbarian comic book all their own someday.
We Stand On Guard (Image) by Brian K Vaughan & Steve Skroce
This year Brian K Vaughan wrote a story that tapped into my fears and paranoia of America's compounding military might, the oncoming water crisis, and the chilling future of virtual reality and robotic/drone warfare while rousing a triumphant fist in the air for the brave and proud Canadian freedom fighters who mount an honorable disruption to the siege that imperils their country. This book is rife with landmines for a less thoughtful writer to get ham-fisted, but thanks his sincere love of Canada and an artist as capable as Mr "Matrix" himself, Steve Skroce, "We Stand On Guard" finesses its way between necessary moments of impact and hails a triumphant return for a comics artist taking a much-welcome sabbatical from his time in Wachowski-land.
Black River (Fantagraphics) by Josh Simmons
Every bit as frought with danger as your run of mill apocalyptic tale, but with a dash of black humor and a slant toward the opportunities for debauched fun in a hopeless end of the world setting Josh Simmon's "Black River" was the perfect read of a camping trip I took earlier this year. Just as harsh and aware of the dangers humans pose as "The Walking Dead", but with a real story to tell and seamless shifts to last-gasp fun and hilarity amid the horror, this is a book that makes you want to be in its world despite that world's savage circumstances.
The Complete Eightball 1-18 Slipcase Set (Fantagraphics) by Daniel Clowes
The entirety of Daniel Clowes landmark comic book series presented in a beautiful 2 volume slipcase just as it was serialized, cover/interior paper stock and all is an art object all its own and the perfect way to revisit such classics as "Ghost World" and the long out-of-print "Like A Velvet Glove Cast In Iron". Fantagraphics has always been a publishing luminary in the world of archival reprints, but given Clowes' profile as America's leading satirist this gorgeous edition may be their finest work yet.
Paper Girls (Image) by Brian K Vaughan & Cliff Chiang
1980s nostalgia, will we ever be without it? I seriously doubt it as the first generation of Americans who largely defined themselves through pop culture and not some great war or political cause came of age in this era. Not that kids are really political beings, but while a wave of Reagan Era apathy and indifference for youth washed over America a plurality of children in the 80s were caught in a net outside their home lives abundant in the music, movies, comics, video games, and junk food. "Paper Girls" effortlessly shows this with very little mention of specifics outside the year and chooses to focus on characters even as more fantastic elements insert themselves into the narrative. Brian K Vaughan's just getting started with this radiantly grounded sci-fi series and Cliff Chiang looks poised to top even his definitive run on "Wonder Woman" with a grittier line and character design that would look right at home in any 1980s kid adventure story.
PunisherMax (Marvel) by Jason Aaron & Steve Dillon
Before 2010, Garth Ennis seemed to be the only writer capable of presenting Frank Castle as a complex human being and not the hyperbolic killing machine the 3 movie attempts and any of his comic book appearances before Marvel Knights would have you believe he is. Ennis wrote the character in grand thoughtful fashion until 2009. I really thought there was nothing more to do or say about the character at that point, but after reading Jason Aaron and Punisher alum Steve Dillon's "PunisherMax" I was astounded that not only were there rocks to be turned over in Frank's history that were ripe with untapped story potential but that Aaron could do the same thing for Wilson Fisk, Bullseye, and Elektra that Garth Ennis did for Frank. Confronting the reader with the unchallenged fallacy that Frank was ever going to be World's Greatest Dad and Family Man after his time in Vietnam opened the character up for a story that is every bit as heightened, inspired, and definitive for The Punisher as Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" is for Batman.
Secret Wars (Marvel) by Jonathan Hickman, Esad Ribic, & Ive Svorcina
As I said when I chose David Lapham as my Creator of the Year, I can't claim to be impartial or objective when a book hits me so squarely in a deeply-seeded piece of my heart. The Marvel Universe and its inhabitants have been a constant in my life since my eyes first saw a comic book page and Jonathan Hickman's cerebral and emotional run on the Avengers titles has challenged my notions of who these characters actually are when put in situations with real moral and ethical stakes. "Secret Wars" is the culmination of this long-form story but is accessible on its own as the last and greatest stand of Marvel's founding family, The Fantastic Four, and the last chance at redemption or damnation for arguably the most popular characters in modern fictional media. Beautifully illustrated by my Best Penciler & Colorist team of Esad Ribic & Ive Svorcina and exercising possibly the largest show of heart and sincerity in a Marvel Comics mega-event thanks to Hickman's script "Secret Wars" will stir any Marvel fan's soul and poetically ends the fantastic saga Jack Kirby and Stan Lee began in 1961.
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