1. The Human Target – Here, Tom King & Greg Smallwood take another nearly forgotten DC character, give every appearance of intravenously injecting all narrative content from Brubaker/Phillips in the past twenty years cross-blended with the Giffen/DeMatteis JLI run, then blast out the most obvious thing fully formed and nearly vibrating off the page, resonant in its own perfection.
It’s a really really tight, even bulletproof, script from King, but then Smallwood’s art just embarrasses everybody, the letterer, the editors, all of us. We’re not meant to be experiencing this. The release this year of issues 4-9, every single one, made that Tuesday an event entirely unto itself, no matter what else was happening that day, that night. No question the best series happening for as long as poor Christopher Chance lasts. – 5/5
2. The End of Tom King Batman/Catwoman– While only four issues were published this year, that Christmas Special the last week of January that turned out to be a requiem and eulogy for John Paul Leon was absolute emotional carnage for everyone who participated. I won’t catch you up or even spoil the premise, just if you don’t know, learn about Mr. Leon and then power all of King’s run that starts with the Volume 3 Batman #1: I Am Gotham arc. That special was arguably the best single issue of the year already, and but then King/Mann landed Bat/Cat #10-12, the final grace notes of the six-year journey that will resound through the decades and is, for me, second only to Morrison for all time Batman runs.
3. A.X.E.: Judgment Day – And there came a day unlike any other, where a series of well-paced and individually rewarding character arcs was allowed to nurture and cultivate, seemingly immune to editorial influence, and suddenly Kieron Gillen’s Eternals smashed into his fine post-Hickman work on Krakoa with the Immortal X-Men, folding in Jason Aaron’s Avengers while we were at it, and Lo! This was a Marvel anti-Event!, [I mean in the best way possible because most random spin-offs instead of being suddenly Blade or Ghost Rider getting in on the peripheral action and traditional sales-bump], the spinoffs were nearly all just the architect Gillen himself dropping important beats into the main arc. I’ll say it, The Eternals was Kirby’s final great lightning strike against the firmament, but not even he had the tools or time to tell the story, realize the concept to the depth that it deserved, and Marvel’s been half- or quarter-assed trying to figure out how to do it ever since. Gillen has by far been the best one so far.
4. The Jurassic League – Dinosaur Justice League! What if Daniel Warren Johnson and his friend Juan Gedeon recast the DC icons as Supersaur, Bat Walker, and Wonderdon? It sounds like an awesome joke that could never truly land, but the six issues are one of the best rides of the entire year. Absolute maximization of the concept!
5. *TIE* World’s Finest / Superman: Space Age #1 & #2 – Mark Waid. Dan Mora. Tamra Bonvillain. Superman & Batman. Every month, it’s an exemplar of the very best the medium has to offer, particularly and most especially within the bounds of corporate superhero culture. They can all still make you believe… as for Space Age, it’s two issues of a three-part series, so we’re not done, but even individually, I’d be remiss not recognizing this work from Russell/Allreds as already one of the greatest stories of all time starring this man, this light. I don’t want to convince you about it all, just go find it and let it into your life.
Special Mention: The Highly Improbable Publication of the JLA/Avengers trade paperback to Honor the Life & Death of George Pérez. Look it up, if you don’t know. I nearly cried my eyes out at the store only buying it. Legends can inspire all of us to do anything. Even in Real-Life!
Honorable Mentions: Action Comics, Batman, One-Star Squadron, Fantastic Four: Life Story, X-men, Killing Time, Flashpoint Beyond & Dark Crisis, Catwoman: Lonely City, One Dark Knight, Hulk: Grand Design, Fables, Fantastic Four, Starhenge, Superman: Son of Kal-El, Batman vs. Robin, Love Everlasting, Gotham City: Year One, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, One Bad Day: Riddler.
What I Still Need To Read: Fantastic Four: Full Circle, The Incal: Psychoverse.
-Rob Bass
@probex
Wait… is GeeksHaveGame actually doing a comic book review? Am I doing a Geeeeeeeeeeeeeek Awards thing? What year is it? Welp! It doesn’t matter ‘cause you’re friendly, neighborhood Houstonian is here to give you my Best Comics of 2022.
5. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest (DC Comics) – With art by Dan Mora and words by Mark Waid, World’s Finest is an absolute blast to read. Over the first 10 issues, the title explores time travel with the Doom Patrol as well as allowing Waid to revisit villains and anti-heroes from his work on Justice League and Kingdom Come. – 4/5
4. Earthdivers (IDW Publishing) – Now, this is a book that was on one of the “MUST READS” at my local comic book shop and the premise is absolutely insane: to save the Earth, Christopher Columbus must be killed before discovering America. Created by Stephen Graham Jones with art by Davide Gianfelice, this book is a time-jumping thriller that keeps you guessing at the end of every issue. – 4.25/5
3. Fire Power (Image Comics) – Robert Kirkman knows how to create a new series, but you add artwork by Chris Samnee and I am in. With a premise that is a mixture of 70’s kung-fu, mind-controlling snakes, and fireballs, you can’t help but be enthralled. (Hint: Pick up Vol. 1 trade first, as it takes place before the first issue.) – 4.5/5
2. Superman: Son of Kal-El (DC) – Both of my top 2 books of the year come courtesy of Australian Tom Taylor. His take on Jon Kent is not only beautiful, but he also captures the essence of the side characters — to which the same applies to the introduction of his boyfriend, Jay Nakamura, his mother, Lois Lane, his best friend Damian, or any of the other numerous characters. Not only that, but Taylor also shows how tough it is when your dad is the most famous superhero in the world. Props to artist John Timms for such a vibrant look on the book as well. – 4.75/5
1. Nightwing (DC) – Tom Taylor made me switch from “really liking Nightwing” to going “uhhh… is he a Top 5 favorite comic book character?!” Taylor has shown just why Nightwing is the character that everyone in the DCU looks to, loves, and respects. Whether it’s Superman asking him to watch over his son, Wally West and him interacting like the brothers they are, or (FINALLY) putting him back with Batgirl and showing why they are one of the best couples in all of comics, Taylor has brought the best out of Dick Grayson. While Geraldo Borges has done some beautiful fill-in work, the main artist Bruno Redondo has crafted some outstanding and phenomenal spreads, covers, and just flat-out gorgeous artwork in general. – 5/5
Honorable Mentions: Bzzrker, The Approach, Spider-Man, X-Men, Batman, Hulk, Strange Adventures, Batman/Catwoman.
-Bobby Bexar
@deep2hb
1. Batman vs. Robin – Mark Waid collabos with King Conan’s Mahmud Asrar’s amazing talents. Waid delivers his deep knowledge of Bat canon as Asrar brings rock solid visuals, who is also stylistic and technical at the same time and it’s so captivating. It sets him apart from the thin lined flashy art that Jimenez provides on Batman. The story and art justify the high price of the book. – 5/5
2. Wolverine – Benjamin Percy has really delivered with the grit and comedy I need at the end of a work day. The Deadpool storyline was hilarious and this new Beast Storyline is so messed up. In any iteration of the X-Future I guess we all end up with a Dark Beast and it works. – 4.5/5
3. X-Force – Another one from Percy, as he delivers even more grit and humor that I enjoy. The pesky humans remain a bummer and Beast is losing his moral compass — keeping their threats away. The art is usually subpar but matches the comedic pacing. This book also had a hilarious Deadpool storyline. It also kept Judgement Day way way in the ground. – 4/5
4. Predator – After the Fox acquisition and incredibly violent and beautifully illustrated Alien books, I had to check out our Alien hunter. This book also provides an interesting perspective with visceral and bloody action needed in the title. Ed Brisson and Kev Walker introduce the bad ass, Theta. She’s out and about in the universe hunting down Predators after they. Killed her parents. She looks like Vasquez from Aliens so it really works for me. – 4/5
5. Department of Truth – This book still has me hanging by a thread. They seemed to be dragging their feet this year because I don’t know who the bad guy or the Starfaced character really works for, or I do. I’m really waiting for a resolution but I loved that we got some dirt on Stanley Kubrick and the moon landing. It’s like watching Red Pill YouTube shorts but I can’t make out what I’m seeing because the art still wants to go Dave McKean on my eye. That being said, they’re stringing me along effectively. – 3.5/5
Honorable Mentions: Magic Order 3, Immortal X-Men.
Side note : I don’t appreciate Marvel slowly trying to repackage the X-Men and breaking down the Island Hickman created. If anyone will do it, Sinister. Not the Eternals.
-Rob Deep