Top 10 Comics to be Thankful for in 2009

Thanksgiving. A time for giving, well, thanks. Thanks for our family, friends, health, and home. But shouldn’t we also be thankful for all the joy comics have brought us this past year? Though Thanksgiving is behind us, let us take time this holiday season to give thanks and appreciate the awesome writers and artists in comics, who brought it in spades.

X-Factor #50:

Peter David is my hero. It seemed so innocent: a side project with under-used mutant, Madrox - the Multiple Man. Then the character catapulted into the limelight. X-Factor, a former X-title, was rejuvenated and rebuilt around Madrox as he tried to serve the mutant community while finding his true identity. Fifty issues later, David has faithfully developed all the characters falling under his wing, and helped resolve many X-plots of the past: Layla Miller: who is she and how does she “know stuff?” Shatterstar and Rictor: best buds or kissing cousins? Shatterstar and Longshot: related? Keep sending the castoffs to David; he’ll make something of them yet!

Detective Comics #859:

Greg Rucka and artist J.H. Williams III bring us Batwoman. Now I am a skeptic when it comes to this character. She got momentum from Final Crisis tie-ins, but she felt like a pawn being played for the bigger bangs in the series.

Then Batman died. And Detective Comics needs a hero. I was ready for Rucka’s excellent rendering but Williams III artistic layout and paneling is amazing. He is bringing awesome tension and eeriness to every page. It makes me hungry for the next issue.

Accolades Goes to Geoff Johns — Blackest Night #4:

Geoff Johns is well-deserving of accolades. Mastermind behind the resurgence of JSA, Green Lantern, and most recently, the Flash, Johns is also penning this miniseries with plenty of surprises.

For starters, Who needs Aquaman? Mera, his wife, might be getting the upgrade she needs to replace the King of the Seas. Several heroes have bitten the dust, but thank you for killing Damage. I know his face got busted and he’s got a lot to be angry about. I was happier to see Jean Loring again. The Atom needed a villain to push him to superstardom, and she was it.

X-Force #19:

I have sung the praises of the team responsible for this revamped series. Visually, this comic never disappoints. The sight of X-23, chained up and tortured with a chainsaw… that’s just messed up.

It was bettered only by issue #20, where X-23 gets her revenge. I just want the whole Wolfsbane storyline to get to the point or become the New Mutants problem.

Morrison is still all about “WTF?!” — Batman and Robin #6:

I am thankful that Grant Morrison and talented artists like Frank Quitely and Philip Tan are providing us with an “All-Star” quality series.

Morrison is still WAY out there: Mr. Pyg, Scarlet, Flamingo. But he is compelling. And now that Robin has been shot in the back and is out of the picture, we get to see what Morrison does with another sidekick.

Still just as crazy, but all Hero — Vengeance of the Moon Knight #1:

A bit more hero. A little less blood. Just as much crazy. Marvel’s Moon Knight was revived after a hot start a few years ago with Charlie Huston and David Finch.

Gregg Hurwitz and Jerome Opeña are recasting Moon Knight as a reformed anti-hero, whose old demons are slowly returning to haunt him. Maybe this rendering will push Marvel to follow-thru on that Moon Knight TV series?

Astonishing X-Men #32:

Warren Ellis was the perfect choice to helm the mega-popular X-title. This issue, illustrated by Phil Jimenez, was jammed-pack with action, bringing back familiar foes and redesigning old ones.

By keeping the team small, the characters have been more vivid but how long can you play the ‘race’ card? X-titles should follow the formula: stick to the villains as much as you deal with societal woes.

Fun, Surprises and Action Packed — Secret Warriors #8:

From the ashes of Secret Invasion, Secret Warriors was born: a covert, specialized strike-force headed by Nick Fury, helmed by Jonathan Hickman and Brian M. Bendis. These stories have been a lot of fun, full of surprises, exciting villains, and action-packed.

Yo-Yo, who returns to action here after having her hands severed, beats the stuffing out of Hawkeye (aka Bullseye)! Why this doesn’t happen with more regularity…?

Giant-Size Thor #1:

J. Michael Straczynski is not one of my favorite writers, but the man can write a mean Thor mythology. Bill/William the Warrior is front and center in this piece. I was wondering where this side story was going, human falling for an Asgardian.

Happier still, he dies at the end, after a mortal wound suffered while fighting three Asgardians. If he would have won, I would have dropped the comic. He was given a strong exit, and it appears from the Thor #604, so will Kelda, his lover. Bye-bye love-birds.

One of Life’s guilty pleasures — Secret Six #13:

A guilty pleasure. Gail Simone has written a sharp take on righteous villainy, full of backstabbing, double-crossing, and uncrossing.

In this issue, Jeannette, the banshee, takes down Wonder Woman, while the rest of the team is being considered for Devil stew. Ragdoll wearing Wonder Woman’s boots and tiara? Priceless.

So that was my take this year. Of course, there have been many memorable moments across the comic continua but these creators really put there foot in it. Hope you all had a great start to the holiday season! Wingman out.