At the blog I slave week in and out to make sure you have knowledge of all the hottest books. But what were the hottest of the hot books in 2013? We’re about to find out as I used an expert mathematical formula consisting of what I like most to rank my Top 10 comic series of this past year. On to the list before Shia Labeouf can plagiarise any more of my intro…
10. Batman & Robin
Publisher: DC Comics
Issues released last year: #16 – #26, 4 Villains month issues and 1 Annual
Why: Although the recent Batman And Two-Face arc left me mostly uninterested, even with the addition of Carrie Kelly, there was still a lot of great moments in this title over the last calendar year. The Batman and Nightwing issue as well as #18 were two of the best single issues DC released all year as #18 started the mourning period of Damian Wayne while issue #24 (Batman and Nightwing) finally gave Bruce a bit of closure with the death of his son (Not a spoiler, it happened forever ago) Not to mention it had 4 of the strongest Bat-verse villains month issues.
9. Amazing X-Men
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Issues released last year: #1 and #2
Why: Okay, granted it’s only 2 issues in. It’s still a really exciting book and features the return of everyone’s favourite fuzzy elf. That alone gets it on this list, add the fact that X writer extraordinaire Jason Aaron is writing with beautiful art from veteran Ed McGuinness and this book looks poised to take a top spot on 2014′s list.
8. Double Jumpers
Publisher: Action Lab Entertainment
Issues released last year: #4
Why: And you thought a 2 issue release was bad, in 2013 we saw only the conclusion to the Double Jumpers saga, and boy was it worth the wait. If you’ve never heard of Double Jumpers you can read about it right HERE courtesy of your friends at Big B. It’s definitely worth your time.
7. Earth 2
Publisher: DC Comics
Issues released last year: #8 – #18, 2 villains month issues and 1 annual.
Why: Had you of told me this time last year Earth 2 would have cracked my top 10 I would have scoffed since I was on the verge of dropping the title after I was left disappointed with the Grundy arc, but between The Tower of Fate and James Robinson’s exit arc, that’s exactly what happened. Now with Tom Taylor (Injustice: Gods Among Us) on board as the regular writer the title has actually gotten better! We know this isn’t the Earth 2 of yesteryear but it’s doing just fine presently.
6. Afterlife With Archie
Publisher: Archie Comics
Issues released last year: #1 and #2
Why: This is getting ridiculous isn’t it? How could a couple of issues on one series beat out an entire year’s run? Easy. Afterlife With Archie takes two things that are currently overused in the market, Archie Comics and zombies, combines them together and delivers the 2nd most original story of the year. We’ve talked about Earth 2 not being the same as it once was, well this definitely isn’t your grandma’s Archie. This book also had the honour of being the subject of my first Big B Article.
5. The Red Ten
Publisher: ComixTribe
Issues released last year: #0, #2 – #5
Why: Derivative? Yeah it is. Is that a bad thing? Not at all. The Red Ten takes ten Justice League clones and places them in the centre of an Agatha Christie novel. The Alliance is brought to a mysterious island to investigate the death of one of their own, Red. Red was assumed murdered by Oxymoron, longtime nemesis to The Alliance and Red, but when he turns up dead and teammates around them start to perish the remains of the team is left scrambling to discover the secret of the island, and Red herself, before they meet a similar fate.
4. Sex Criminals
Publisher: Image Comics
Issues released last year: #1 – #3
Why: Remember earlier when I said Afterlife With Archie was the 2nd most original book this year? That’s because Sex Criminals takes the cake, and I’m not the only one that thinks so since it was recently named the best comic series of 2013 by Time magazine and is at or near the top of virtually every year-end list. This series is so good, the Big B writers couldn’t talk about it just once but twice.
3. Deadpool
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Issues released last year: #4 – #21 and 1 annual
Why: As a bi-weekly title, Deadpool had all the chances to run away with the top spot if it could remain consistently good by way of sheer numbers alone. Unfortunately we took some bad with the good, although the latter outweighed the former by a wide margin, it was enough to keep it behind two great monthly titles. Deadpool’s 2013 highlight was The Good, The Bad and The Ugly arc which seen him team up with Wolverine and Captain America to save his supposed daughter and her mother. Hey! There’s also an article on that arc HERE! Hooray! I also did a little something on the annual right HERE.
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Issues released last year: #18 – #29
Why: I’ve talked about how great City Fall was and that was the major point of the TMNT storyline in 2013. But it was wedged between the almost as impressive Krang War arc and the just started Northampton arc which sees the Turtles recovering from the events of City Fall but will they ever be the same? We’ll just have to watch what 2014 brings our heroes in a half shell.
1. Batman
Publisher: DC Comics
Issues released last year: #16 – #26, 4 villains month issues and 1 annual
Why: 2 words: Zero Year. Scott Snyder’s re-imagining of Frank Miller’s classic Year One story has been the best thing to happen to DC Comics in 2013. Snyder has been on a roll and one has to wonder when this run of excellence will end. After crafting a historic opening arc with The Court Of Owls, he tackled the Joker in the 2012/2013 Death Of The Family arc before Zero Year completely took over explaining The Dark Knight’s origin in this new 52 universe which Snyder and artist Greg Capullo make all their own with effective pace, vibrant colours and great storytelling.
So those are my top 10, I’m anxious to hear what you guys have been digging so comment below so on my next trip to Big B Comics in Niagara Falls I have some new titles to look into.
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