Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Geek Goggle Year Ender 2011
2011 will go down as the year that DC rebooted everything. Anything else is secondary. The industry got a shot in the arm with what DC has done. But while DC dominated the news over the past six months the cupboard isn't empty from the other publishers.
At the end of the day it all comes down to stories. If the stories are good then it doesn't matter what the number is on the issue or where in continuity it fits as far as I'm concerned. 2011 had some great stories and once again I found myself missing out on some great things simply because there is just too much out there to read.
Comic books digital versus paper was also a big topic. Paper is still alive and kicking, but if folks want them digitally the option is now easier than ever to get them legally. Hopefully the digital path will increase readers and eventually help to deliver even better stories down the road.
The guidelines are that I try not to include arcs or series that haven't completed by the end of the calendar year. So Kick-Ass 2 is off the table for these "awards" but Star Wars Legacy War is okay because it completed during the beginning of 2011.
Mini Series:
Favorite Mini-Series: Star Wars Legacy War
This category has no shortage of great books. Two of the very best put the curtain on two outstanding series: Star Wars Legacy and Fear Agent. Star Wars Legacy ran for about 56 issues while Fear Agent for about 32. Both series must be read from the beginning. Star Wars Legacy: War tied everything up. It didn't end with all the villains dying or being redeemed or with twins being born. Instead the series held its focus on the main character, Cade Skywalker, and his choices. It's an excellent series that raced to a conclusion. Also in the running were Hellboy: The Fury and Criminal: Last of the Innocent, which were excellent series in their own right.
2010: Punisher Versus The Marvel Universe
2009: Back To Brooklyn
2008: Final Crisis Rogues' Revenge
2007: World War Hulk
Most Disappointing Mini-Series: X-Men: Prelude to Schism
A mini-series that acted as a history of a couple of the key X-Men players that had little to do with the Schism mini-series. This should have been trimmed down and given away for free as an advertisement or preview issue. Not off the radar was the Brightest Day Aftermath: Search For Swamp Thing mini-series. Why DC published this a) with the Brightest Day banner during Flashpoint and b) with the reboot of the characters a month or two away is completely beyond me. The Boys: Highland Laddie was also very disappointing.
2010: Captain America Reborn
2009: Tales of Blackest Night
2008: World War Hulk Aftersmash: Warbound
2007: Ion
Favorite Collected Mini-Series or Original Graphic Novel: We3 Deluxe Edition
New story pages plus extras from the creators for an already excellent mini-series collected in a hardcover is a must have for any comic book fan. This past year had plenty to offer in the original graphic novel department as well (The Last Battle and Trailblazer come to mind), but none stacked up with the We3 Deluxe Edition.
2010: Richard Stark's The Outfit
2009: X-Men Magneto's Testament
Crossover:
Favorite Crossover: Spider-Island
An impossible category because nothing seemed on par with Sinestro Corps War or Messiah Complex. Ultimately I picked Spider-Island because I found it entertaining and well crafted. However, this is not a storyline I would universally recommend.
2010: Blackest Night
2009: What Ever Happened to the Caped Crusader?
2008: Messiah Complex
2007: Green Lantern Sinestro Corps War
Most Disappointing Crossover: Flashpoint
Take your pick. Flashpoint, Fear Itself, War of the Green Lanterns all were monumentally disappointing. War of the Green Lanterns stalled for about four issues in the middle, Flashpoint was ruined by countless tie-ins that were dreadful and Fear Itself has one of the most disappointing endings of any event I've ever read. Ultimately I am going with Flashpoint because of the volume of comics that weren't particularly good and the fact that the reboot made it all moot.
2010: World War Hulks
2009: Messiah War
2008: She-Hulk/X-Factor Secret Invasion
2007: Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul
One Shot:
Favorite One-Shot: Hellboy: Being Human
Always a fun category to pick from. I loved Hellboy: Being Human because it tied back to an older arc and brought out a fun character that Hellboy rescued some time ago. Age of X (which launched a good crossover) was also an excellent read. There was an issue of Elephantmen told in the style of Conan from the Silver age (issue #32) that was outstanding. The Godzilla Legends series has two very good issues that are both one shots so far.
2010: Sea Bear and Grizzly Shark #1
2009: Elephantmen: Yvette War Toys
2008: Final Crisis Rage of the Red Lanterns
2007: What If: Planet Hulk
Most Disappointing One-Shot: Point One
This book carried an awfully steep price for a collection of introduction stories. In the past Marvel used to give this away for free as a way to get in new readers to pick up something different and it was a great idea. But when you slap a price on the cover at six bucks the bar gets raised. This one's contents didn't come close to the price point (even if many retailers were selling it at half off because Marvel over shipped). This book managed to bump one of the worst books I have ever read, Flashpoint Canterbury Cricket, out of the top slot.
2010: Wolverine Road to Hell #1
2009: Transformers Spotlight: Cliffhanger
2008: What If: Wolverine versus Spider-Man
2007: Captain America Fallen Son: Spider-Man
Ongoing Series:
Generally an ongoing should have ten issues come out during the year which excludes some newer series, but I was accepting the new DC books because four issues in is probably enough for a satisfactory look.
Favorite Ongoing: Uncanny X-Force
This category was impossible to pick. I landed on Uncanny X-Force because the series is one long storyline with no real breaks. I've gone back to the beginning and re-read the series a couple of times and it holds up well and even gets better. The finale that shipped in December of the long running Dark Angel Saga helped the book stand out, but, still, every new issue is something special. Snyder's Batman (or Detective from before the reboot) and American Vampire are also on the short list. Elephantmen and Chew also got a long look this year, but also only shipped seven issues a piece. You can't go wrong with these series.
2010: Chew
2009: Walking Dead
2008: Walking Dead
2007: GI Joe America's Elite
Most Disappointing Ongoing: Action Comics
Coming off the good anniversary issue (#900) the storyline went into the tank. The reboot brought unattainable expectations with Grant Morrison writing it. I was hoping for All-Star Superman and what I have is four issues that I have been totally bored with. The only other title I have disliked as much is Red Lanterns and that's mostly because I can't understand why the book exists.
2010: Superman
2009: Hulk
2008: Flash
2007: Wolverine
Overall:
The favorite franchise or character that spreads across many books.
Favorite Overall: X-Men universe
Batman has been a good universe to get into as well, but the X-Men has been the most fun. Spearheaded by Uncanny X-Force and the X-Men Schism mini-series, the franchise hasn't been this good in a while. The splitting of the X-Men has created a couple of definitive directions to follow. Additionally, the stable is stocked with X-Men, X-Men Legacy, Wolverine, X-Factor and random mini-series that seem to offer something up every week.
2010: Batman
2009: Green Lantern
2008: Bat-verse
2007: Hulk
Most Disappointing Overall: Justice League franchise
Why is it so difficult to put together a Justice League that people want to see with interesting stories? This should be a lot like the Avengers. It should offer a lot of books that cover a broad range of characters and types of stories. Instead the franchise struggles with the one or two books that exist and they feel slow and directionless. This was the aspect of the reboot I most looked forward to and it has been tremendously disappointing to me.
2010: GI Joe
2009: GI Joe
2008: Hulk
2007: Flash
Consistency:
Old Reliable: Planet of the Apes
Each month this series delivers another brick in the long pathway that will land us in a world where apes dominant. Every issue has a great cliffhanger and the series just keeps going without every really breaking between arcs. Other books that fit this category are GI Joe (the Hama series) and Walking Dead.
2010: Walking Dead
2009: Green Lantern Corps
2008: Green Lantern Corps
Missing In Action: Ultimate X Comics
Loeb and Adams barely got out five issues before this book got axed. It was supposed to be every other month to give it room but it almost never shipped.
2010: Spawn
2009: Kick-Ass
2008: Kick-Ass
New Series:
Favorite New Series: Batman
Okay, so this isn't really a new series at all but it's really, really good and it had a number one on it. Personally, I find it to be the best of the new DCU. Snyder and Capullo make a great team. I've liked some of the other series, such as Batgirl and Wolverine and the X-Men but nothing comes close to Batman.
2010: American Vampire
2009: Chew
2008: Kick-Ass
Least Favorite New Series: Justice League
Horribly slow and uninspiring. At least Jim Lee has kept on schedule so far. Another new series that I do not like at all in terms of direction is Jason Aaron's Incredible Hulk (and I'm a huge fan of Aaron and the character). Granted, both are in the early development but I can't stick with either much longer at this rate.
2010: Green Lantern Emerald Warrior
2009: Superman (War)
2008: Skaar
Arc:
Favorite Arc: Walking Dead: No Way Out
Characters, main characters, die and one gets a shocking wound. The book has been in a holding pattern since but this was a terrific arc.
2010: PunisherMax: Kingpin
2009: Walking Dead: The Hunters
2008: GI Joe: World War 3
Arc to Avoid: Action Comics: Reign of Doomsday
A clear case where the sum of the creators does not equal to something special on paper. This was the final arc under the old Action Comics volume and it missed on many, many levels.
2010: Amazing Spider-Man: OMIT
2009: Amazing Spider-Man: Redheaded Stranger
2008: Wolverine Origins: Deadpool
Anniversary Issue:
Favorite Anniversary Issue: Fantastic Four #600
I re-read this thing several times and it gets better with each read. Having re-read the entire Hickman run I see the gaps that this issue is bridging. This isn't a celebration issue and it's a tough swallow because of the expensive price point but it's worth it.
2010: Batman #700
2009: Amazing Spider-Man #600
Least Favorite Anniversary Issue: Spawn #200
This book did nothing to revive my interest in the character. And it's a shame because it's a dense book for the price point with creators on it that love the character but it just didn't feel epic to me. I never even considered picking up issue 199 or 201, which is a shame.
2010: Superman #700
2009: Hulk #600
Annual:
Annual Worth Reading: New Avengers Annual #1
This book brought in the Revengers as they managed to take the Avengers out at their mansion. Though the book was priced at five bucks it was an extremely fun and over-sized read.
2010: None
2009: None
2008: Action Comics #11
2007: Action Comics #10
Annual Better Off Not Reading: Amazing Spider-Man Annual #38
Why Marvel wasted the talents of John Layman on three crossover Annuals with completely different characters is beyond me. The Deadpool and Hulk Annuals were much better than this one for some reason but the concept just didn't make a whole lot of sense.
2010: None
2009: None
2008: Action Comics #11
2007: Batman Annual #18
There's plenty of other great books out there that I haven't mention like Punisher, PunisherMax, Scalped, iZombi, Unwritten, Green Lantern, Swamp Thing, Who Is Jake Ellis?, Green Lantern Corps, Animal Man, Wolverine, Atomic Robo, Flash Gordon from Ardden, The Strange Adventures of Luther Strode, X-Men Legacy, Hulk (aka Rulk), Jonah Hex (All Star Western), Sweet Tooth and Locke and Key to name a few.
Hopefully 2012 will bring even more great stuff to add to the list.
