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Feb 9, 2010, 11:34am

Avengers Assemble! :: General :: Jarvis Awards for Comics of 2008 :: My favorites in all of comics for '08

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Van Plexico
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My favorites in all of comics for '08
« Thread Started on Dec 7, 2008, 10:17am »

As I see it:
(Subject to last-minute change if something spectacular comes out in the next couple of weeks, or if I remember something I'm forgetting now!)

COMIC SERIES OF THE YEAR: Guardians of the Galaxy
Runners-up: Nova, Green Lantern, BPRD, Thor, Fantastic Four (Millar), Captain America

BEST COMIC BOOK (single issue) OF THE YEAR: Guardians of the Galaxy #1
Runners-up: Legion of Three Worlds #1, Kull #1, Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns

BIG EVENT OF THE YEAR: Annihilation: Conquest

MINI-SERIES OF THE YEAR: Hellboy: The Crooked Man
Runners-up: BPRD: The Warning

OVERRATED EVENT OF THE YEAR: Secret Invasion
Runner-up: Stephen King's Dark Tower

OVERRATED SERIES OF THE YEAR: Invincible Iron Man

SURPRISE COMIC SERIES OF THE YEAR: Kull
Runners-up: Captain America

DISAPPOINTMENT COMIC SERIES OF THE YEAR: Solomon Kane
Runners-up: Secret Invasion, Conan the Cimmerian

WRITER OF THE YEAR: Dan Abnett
Runners-up: Geoff Johns, Ed Brubaker, Mark Millar

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Paul Pelletier (GotG)
Runners-up: George Perez (Legion of Three Worlds), Oliver Coipel (Thor)

CHARACTER OF THE YEAR: Captain America (Winter Soldier)
Runners-up: Nova, Green Lantern, Quasar, Rocket Raccoon, Iron Man

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woodside
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Re: My favorites in all of comics for '08
« Reply #1 on Dec 8, 2008, 11:59pm »

Ohhh! My turn! Though, I won't have as many runners-up as you, Van, nor as many categories.

COMIC SERIES OF THE YEAR: Captain America
Runners-up: Astonishing X-Men (Whedon), Fantastic Four (Millar), Wolverine (Aaron)
Brubaker has created a great run on a series that would never have thought I'd love so much

BEST COMIC BOOK (single issue) OF THE YEAR: Secret Invasion # 1
Though the rest of the mini-series was up and down, this issue was perfect. Suspenseful, broad, energetic, and served as a great set-up

BIG EVENT OF THE YEAR: Messiah CompleX
This (along with Endangered Species) re-energized the X-Men; directionless since "Decimation," it was this crossover that yanked the X-Men up and put them back into motion again

MINI-SERIES OF THE YEAR: The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home
While the first mini-series was nothing more than an abbrevated version of Wizard and Glass, this mini-series brought in the originality I was hoping to see! The Crimson King is nicely fleshed out; it's nice to see he's not just some dude on a balcony going "EEEEE!" and throwing Harry Potter sneetches

OVERRATED EVENT OF THE YEAR: Brand New Day
Runner-up: Final Crisis
I'm actually going by hype here, but the word on the street is that Final Crisis isn't that great. I may check it out in the trade form though. Meanwhile, what I've seen of BND isn't exatly impressing me

SURPRISE COMIC SERIES OF THE YEAR: Captain America
See above

DISAPPOINTMENT COMIC SERIES OF THE YEAR: Secret Invasion
Up and downs lead this comic to end on a downer. While I've read worse from Bendis, this crossover just failed to excite me in the end

WRITER OF THE YEAR: Ed Brubaker
Runners-up: Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Millar
Bendis may have disappointed me with SI proper, but I have to give him props on weaving the story in and out of recent Avengers history as presented in NA and MA. Millar is simply king. Ed Brubaker is simply awesome.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: John Cassday (Astonishing X-Men)
Runners-up: Oliver Coipel (Thor)

CHARACTER OF THE YEAR: Captain America (Winter Soldier)
Runners-up: Iron Man, Spider-Woman/Verenake
You can guess my reasons for New Cap and Iron Man, but I actually found Verenake to be a interesting and sympathetic character. Bendis did a fine job fleshing her out and making her more than just a crazy leader.

Annnnd . . .

MOMENT OF THE YEAR: Iron Man shouts "AVENGERS ASSEMBLE," leading the New & Mighty Avengers, Mr. Fantastic, the Thunderbolts, the Syndicate, the Howling Commandos, the Young Avengers, Agent Brand, Ka-Zar, the Intiative, Captain America, and Thor into battle with the Skrulls!

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Doctor Doom
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Re: My favorites in all of comics for '08
« Reply #2 on Dec 9, 2008, 12:01pm »

Interesting. Now lesee

COMIC SERIES OF THE YEAR: Fantastic Four (Millar)
Runners-Up: Captain America, Thor, Thunderbolts, Action Comics
Millar's phenomenal FF is the best since Waid, and steals it away from the lock Brubaker's had on "Best series" form e since Cap issue one. Ellis' T-Bolts and Johns Action Comics were also superb for the entire year, providing some of the best stories.

BEST COMIC BOOK (single issue) OF THE YEAR: Thunderbolts #120
Runners-up: Captain America #42, Magneto Testament #3, Final Crisis #4

The sheer insanity and brilliance packed into the 22 pages of Thunderbolts 120 make it a runaway win here. Although the other issues were all excellent- MT was beautiful, Final Crisis powerful and Cap a brilliant finisher, Thunderbolts was insane and funny and quirky and just generally spectacular as Norman Osborn finally cracked and went crazy with brilliant effect. May change with FC5 this week.

BIG EVENT OF THE YEAR: Final Crisis
Runners Up: New Krypton, Secret Invasion
While SI did waver around the middle, it picked up again towards the end and had a strong finish, making it pretty good overall. New Krypton has had a very slow, slightly shaky start but is building LOTS of momentum so far. But every issue of Final Crisis has been wonderful, and it's all building up to a spectacular crescendo.

MINI-SERIES OF THE YEAR: Magneto Testament
Runners-up: Nada

This is the most poignant, powerful, beautiful miniseries I have read in a long time, and it's not even finished yet. A masterpiece.

OVERRATED EVENT OF THE YEAR: Star Wars: Vector

Disappointingly disconnected, and the new characters aren't of great interest. I would rather the issues stayed in their own time periods than tried to interact in any fashion.

OVERRATED SERIES OF THE YEAR: All-Star Superman

Not that it's not very good, because it is, but it's not the definitive take on the character and it's not the instant classic phenomenal master-work that some claimed it was. So I enjoyed this series... but it IS overrated.

SURPRISE COMIC SERIES OF THE YEAR: Iron Man: Director of SHIELD
Runner-up: Wolverine (Old Man Logan)

It was only really "running" in the way I mean for four months, but in the first four months of the year, this series under the Knaufs hit the pinnacle of Iron Man comics in the last few years, reaching a climax in a brilliant showdown with the Mandarin. It had been good, but it's only in 2008- as it neared it's end, sadly- that thus book really knocked me down. Wolverine surprised me because I don't like the character but have been absolutely enthralled by Millar's take on him in his dystopian future.

DISAPPOINTMENT COMIC SERIES OF THE YEAR: Invincible Iron Man

It's not that it's bad... it's a solid take on Iron Man. But I had much higher hopes, and it's not as good as the Knaufs book which it replaced.

WRITER OF THE YEAR: Mark Millar
Runners-Up: Geoff Johns, JMS, Ed Brubaker

Millar takes it for his tapestry of three excellent books- Wolverine, 1985 and, in the lead, the truly fantastic- forgive the pun- FF. Johns on GL and Action Comics has been excelling in the last year, and as ever, Brubaker continues to amaze. And finally, he may only be writing one book, but DAMN, it's a good one, so JMS makes it there too.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: John Romita Jr
Runners-Up: Oliver Coipel, George Pérez, Steve McNiven

Three pencillers who are all excellent to spectacular, but narrowly beatenb out by the eternally magnificent JrJr with his work on 'New Ways to Die" in Spider-Man.

CHARACTER OF THE YEAR: Iron Man
Runner-up: Reed Richards

C'mon, you need to ask? A decent series, a starring role in a crossover, one of the best stories in years in his solo book and several decent miniseries? And, oh yeah, a PHENOMENAL movie which launches the movie Avengers franchise? This was the year of Tony Stark. Some clever hijincksu nder Millar with the Anti-Galactus, and a big part in Secret Invasion also elevate Mister Fantastic up there with his fellow genius.

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sharkar
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Re: My favorites in all of comics for '08
« Reply #3 on Dec 9, 2008, 12:55pm »

Dec 9, 2008, 12:01pm, Doctor Doom wrote:

MINI-SERIES OF THE YEAR: Magneto Testament
Runners-up: Nada

This is the most poignant, powerful, beautiful miniseries I have read in a long time, and it's not even finished yet. A masterpiece.

I've read a lot of good things about this series and plan to pick it up when it's issued as a tpb.

Just curious, Doom, are you also reading the Magneto-centric House of M: Civil War? If so, I'd love to know what you (or anyone) thinks of it.

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Doctor Doom
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Re: My favorites in all of comics for '08
« Reply #4 on Dec 9, 2008, 2:30pm »

The House of M universe never really interested me so I haven't been picking it up, despite my love of Magneto. I've heard generally okay things about it, neither particularly bad nor phenomenal, and Gage is generally a solid, dependable writer.

And it goes without saying I think Magneto: Testament absolutely deserves everything good you've heard about it and more!

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sharkar
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Re: My favorites in all of comics for '08
« Reply #5 on Dec 9, 2008, 4:41pm »

Dec 9, 2008, 2:30pm, Doctor Doom wrote:

I've heard generally okay things about it, neither particularly bad nor phenomenal...

Ah, thanks, Doom...this was my feeling too, having read the first few issues of HOM: Civil War...it's interesting to me because of the cast involved, but it's not especially illuminating (as I mentioned somewhere else on the AA boards).

IMO the best HOM book by far was the FF one, which featured Magneto and his family (Pietro, Lorna) vs. (the character) Doom's family, so I had high hopes for the current HOM series featuring Mags, Pietro, Lorna, and Wanda.

Dec 9, 2008, 2:30pm, Doctor Doom wrote:

And it goes without saying I think Magneto: Testament absolutely deserves everything good you've heard about it and more!

Looking forward to reading this!

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woodside
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Re: My favorites in all of comics for '08
« Reply #6 on Dec 9, 2008, 6:41pm »

Dec 9, 2008, 12:01pm, Doctor Doom wrote:

OVERRATED SERIES OF THE YEAR: All-Star Superman

Not that it's not very good, because it is, but it's not the definitive take on the character and it's not the instant classic phenomenal master-work that some claimed it was. So I enjoyed this series... but it IS overrated.

How could I forget ONE OF THE GREATEST COMICS OF ALL TIME?!?!

Doom, I gotta tell ya, I think you're way off on All-Star Superman. Not only is it one of the best comics I've read, it's also one of the finest super-hero stories to ever come across these nerdy eyes of mine.

I think the "old foogies" would love it.

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Doctor Doom
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Re: My favorites in all of comics for '08
« Reply #7 on Dec 12, 2008, 11:59am »

Dec 9, 2008, 6:41pm, woodside wrote:

Well, I'll agree with you on issues five and six- the Luthor issue and the Chronovore. Because they- especially six- were nothing short of phenomenal. But I simply cannot agree on the overall series. It's a very good Silver Age style Superman story bursting with creativity, but I prefer 'Last Son' or 'Braniac' any day. Or, for that matter, 'Man of Steel', still the definitive Superman story.

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