Matt Price’s ten best comic-book titles of the year
Monthly comics remain the backbone of many comic-book stores, and several strong storylines worked their way into fans’ hands in 2007. While some fans suffered from “event fatigue” as last year’s “Civil War” and “Infinite Crisis” were followed by “World War Hulk” and “Countdown,” events done right still drew in fans. While superhero comics remained a mainstay of monthly comic books, slice-of-life tales and science fiction also found a place among the year’s best comics. The following are the ten best comic-book series of 2007.
1. Captain America — All Captain America had to do to have the best comic on the stands was get killed. In “Captain America” No. 25, writer Ed Brubaker drew the attention of the nation by killing Cap. Since the Captain’s death, the story has continued to be compelling, as Captain America’s friends and allies investigate his death. In January, someone new will take the mantle of Captain America.
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 — Joss Whedon continues his critically acclaimed television series “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer” in comic-book format. With arcs written by Whedon and Brian K. Vaughan (“Y: The Last Man,” TV’s “Lost”), “Season 8” captures the wit and action of the television series, with a much lower budget.
3. The Sinestro Corps War — Geoff Johns and company showed the world how to do a superhero crossover with “Sinestro Corps War,” which ran through “Green Lantern,” “Green Lantern Corps” and four specials. The Green Lanterns, an intergalactic peacekeeping force, find themselves stretched to their limit when Sinestro, a former Green Lantern, creates his own corps, dedicated to spreading fear throughout the galaxy.
4. Y: The Last Man — Vaughan’s long-running saga about the last male left on earth after a plague remains one of the best science-fiction dramas of recent years. Questions are answered and destinies uncovered as the series, drawn by Pia Guerra, heads toward its finish. (The final issue, No. 60, is set for a January release.)
5. Local — While Brian Wood’s “Local” suffered from some delays, the issues that did hit stores were among the best of the year. With artist Ryan Kelly, Wood explores life across the United States as each issue takes place in a different city. “Local” No. 9, set in Norman, features main character Megan McKeenan dealing with the death of a parent.
6. Strangers in Paradise — Writer-artist Terry Moore, one of the last of the 1990s self-publishers still standing, completed his epic about love and relationships, “Strangers in Paradise,” in 2007.
7. Action Comics — Johns and co-writer Richard Donner (director of “Superman: The Movie”) wrote an epic tale featuring the Kryptonian villains Zod, Ursa, and Non — and introduced a new supporting character to the Superman mythos. With artist Eric Powell (“The Goon”), Donner and Johns reinterpreted the Bizarro World. And, with artist Gary Frank, Johns took Superman to the future to meet up with the Legion of Super-Heroes.
8. Booster Gold — Spinning out of the year-long DC hit “52,” “Booster Gold” brings depth and adventure to a hero created in the 1980s that many would have assumed was played out. Booster Gold was known in his initial incarnation for seeking fast fame and corporate sponsors, but after the events of “52,” Booster is now the only hero who can prevent certain calamities from happening to the timeline. However, he has to continue to most to seem the same cocky jerk he was prior to the events of “52.” The book is co-written by Jeff Katz and Johns, with art by the creator of Booster Gold, Dan Jurgens. Sort of a superhero “Quantum Leap,” Booster is motivated to try to save his best friend from death — but must first work with time-traveler Rip Hunter in his quest to stop disastrous events throughout time.
9. The Brave and the Bold — Writer Mark Waid and artist George Perez create the retro blast of fun that is “Brave and Bold,” teaming up DC heroes to solve mysteries and fight crime.
10. The Immortal Iron Fist — Brubaker and Matt Fraction, with artist David Aja, revamp Marvel’s 1970s martial arts hero Iron Fist. The first storyline examines the history of the power known as the Iron Fist, and how it fell to hero Danny Rand, the latest in a line of warriors to wield it.
– Matt Price
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Comments
Not yet — but they both have done well enough that I’m sure we’ll see both of them in collected format before long!
– Matt
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John Assam
Good looking list! Have Booster Gold or Local been collected in trade yet?