For fun: comics

Just the best hardcover and trade collections. Read way too many this year to actually form a complete list.

All-Star Superman Vol. 1 (Grant Morrison)
All-Star Superman Vol. 2 (Grant Morrison)
Batman R.I.P (Grant Morrison)
Batman: Battle for the Cowl (Tony S. Daniel)
Final Crisis (Grant Morrison)

Luthor (Brian Azzarello)

A look through the eyes of Superman’s nemesis. It stands out as one of the more unique takes on Luthor.

Villains United (Gail Simone)
Secret Six: Unhinged (Gail Simone)
Secret Six: Six Degrees of Devastation (Gail Simone)
Secret Six: Depths (Gail Simone)

Gail Simone’s talent lies in the tension of dark storylines and grim details. Her gallows humour often hits the mark as well. I love Birds of Prey, but I really think that the Secret Six books are much stronger overall: better art, and tighter characterization.

Madame Xanadu: Disenchanted (Matt Wagner)

Madame Xanadu has ended at issue 29, which is very disappointing. I’ve enjoyed the whimsy of her series very much.

Manhunter Vols. 1-7 (Marc Andreyko)

Manhunter might be the most well-rounded character in mainstream comics. Andreyko’s great at getting the sense of a complete person rather than compartmentalizing hero/alter ego. You don’t stop being a divorced mom lawyer almost-ex-smoker just because you find a funky costume and a powerful weapon.

Batgirl: Greatest Stories Ever Told
Batgirl (Barbara Gordon in this case) was a much more progressive character in the seventies than in the nineties. She went from an independent, capable crime-fighter and congresswoman to a younger woman dependent on Batman’s approval to operate. Fascinating to have those two disparate characters side-by-side in this collection.

The Question: The Five Books of Blood (Greg Rucka)
I love the Question. The artwork is pretty strong, and the writing’s good enough that the religious elements don’t feel as heavy handed as it otherwise might. It took me forever to work out the code embedded on the Crime Bible pages.

Final Crisis: Revelations (Greg Rucka)
Follows the Question, Batwoman, and the Spectre during Final Crisis events. Greg Rucka has got to be one of the most meticulous writers in comics. Too bad he’s leaving DC.

I’ll leave it there.

~Claire