Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities 2005: Comics (May Contain Spoilers)

Continuing my list of favorites for the year (see my lists of Music and Television so far), these are my top 10 comic titles of the year (may contain spoilers):

10. Teen Titans

This almost didn't make it because of the Liefeld issues (which I still haven't read) but I had to include the first Titans book that I've read regularly since the beginning of the Wolfman/Perez era. I could have cared less for Young Justice but this title successfully kept that team together (thankfully without the stupid manga look) and brought back old favorites.

9. Captain America

The Winter Soldier. Bringing back one of the two Marvel characters that were thought to be untouchable back as a villain actually made for one of the best story arcs of the year. And it got me picking up a Captain America title for the first time in forever.

8. Young Avengers

I never would have believed I would like this title as much as I do. A worthy offspring of the now dead (to me) Avengers books. I've been made to care for these kids unlike so many other Marvel titles.

7. Astonishing X-Men

The first X title I've read regularly in over a decade. Whedon kept me interested enough to come back for the next go round. As long as they can stay away from tying into all of the other X garbage I'll keep reading.

6. Showcase Presents

While technically not a new ongoing series (even those there is a new one on my pull list each month) this title still ranks high with me. Even without the colors, these classic stories, most of which I haven't read in years or never have, are great to sit down with and kill a couple of hours. And what a better way to get a ton of Jonah Hex in one shot.

5. Franklin Richards, Son of a Genius

So there was only one book and it was a collection of the shorts from the Power Pack mini with one new story. Doesn't matter. I have not laughed so hard at a comic strip since Calvin and Hobbes.

4. Ghost Rider

I'm not doing a seperate list for minis/maxis this year. I don't recall the new GH title originally being announced as only a mini but even so I love it so far. Garth Ennis is telling a great story and the pencils and colors of Clayton Crain make this series a painted novel.

3. Jonah Hex

Why do I rate a book with only 2 issues out by year's end so high? Because it was the return of a childhood favorite and it rocks! The first two issues have really clicked with me and I can't wait for the appearance of Bat Lash in the next issue.

2. The Legion of Super-Heroes

Even with its slow pacing (pick it up just a little guys), Barry and Mark have kept me hooked. I'd probably read just about any Legion title published but I'm glad the non-reboot reboot was put in their hands and have enjoyed this first full year. I'm anxiously awaiting year two.

1. The Walking Dead

Yes it beat the Legion. Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard continue to pull me in every month with a black and white comic. I'm not sure if I'd love this title as much were it in color. This title is more than just the dead trying to eat the living. It is about surviving and doing what needs to be done to survive. The revelation in the last issue (that I read, #23 I think) in a speech by the main character, Rick Grimes, of a twist in interpretation of the title, was like a sledgehammer. Anyone who won't spend ten bucks to buy the first TPB really needs to rethink their priorities.

Zombies, super-powered teens in the future and an Old West bounty hunter in my top three. What a different year this was.

This book rocks. Steve Epting is one of those guys who came out of CrossGen vastly improved as an artist. And having Mike Lark as his "fill-in"/flashback sequence art partner is working incredibly well. And, for treading on such treacherous territory, Brubaker is doing a bang-up job... no real missteps, though Nomad's fate made me sad.

Jim Cheung is another one of those CG breakouts. Loving this series as well.

This book dragged me back to a core X-book, kicking and screaming. I've loved Cassaday since his and Jeff Marriotte's Image gothic western, Desperados. And Whedon just gets -my- X-Men.

I need to get the Jonah Hex volume! The Green Lantern Showcase was a blast.

Didja see this month's solicit for a new oneshot???

Ah, Westerns. I'm loving this book. Loveless is good, too, though more hard-boiled.

This has really picked up in the last few months, and doesn't look to be slowing down. Maybe not DC's #1 title (sorry, Mark ) but it should definitely be in their top 10.

Other books I'm loving are Birds of Prey, Invincible and Rocketo.

Top Five (I may expand this later)

5. X-Men

Yeah, it's blown hot and cold at times and I had to skip the issues that crossed over with Hudlin's risible Black Panther, but for all that under Milligan it's moving away from Austen's hackwork while not simply hitting the reset button on (e.g.) Polaris, and for that balancing act it gets ahead of the overrated Astonishing.

4. New X-Men: Academy X (the subtitle is important)

Horrendous artist trouble continued to plague this (including the yearbook, there were five artists this year of which Mike Ryan set a record of four issues in a row...), and there was a mid-year dip for the pedestrian Too Much Information with the worst artist in Paco Medina, but in spite of that, it was improving again towards the year end before editorial intervened and effectively scrapped the book including dumping two-thirds of the leads.

3. Livewires

Not deep for the most part but F. U. N.

2. Scorpion: Poison Tomorrow

Effectively a mini under Amazing Fantasy, hands down the best played-straight comic I read all year.

and my top pick will come as a surprise to no one...

1. Cable/Deadpool

Funny, consistant art and writing and the odd point to make. Great book.

And knew I'd forget one that was staring me in the face and would make my top 5 easily - MadroX/X-Factor.

This is probably my pick for "Marvel still has massive untapped wells of creativity" for 2005. This caught me totally off-guard and was a total pleasure to read. I would buy a Scorpion ongoing in a second, especially with the same creative team.

If I do a top ten, it will surely be in my Marvel one.