Best Of 2008!

Hey Chums,


Everybody out there does a best of list for the years end. Since they pretty much miss the mark, can I do any worse? Here is my best of list for 2008. Enjoy!



Best issue: Criminal: A Wolf Among Wolves. Marvel (Icon).



Best limited series: Universal War One. Marvel (Soliel).



Best continuing series: Captain America. Marvel.


Best (NEW) continuing series: X- Files. DC (Wildstorm).


Best continuing series in trade format: Fables (1-10). DC (Vertigo).



Best trade packaging: Local. ONI.





Best Graphic novel (read this year): Goon Chinatown. Dark Horse.




Best book by a foreign creator: Mesmo Delivery (by R. Grandpa). Ad House.




Best independent comic: Sulk (1-2). Top Shelf.


Best Black and White comic: Sulk (1-2). Top Shelf.



Best Cover: The Immortal Iron Fist #17. Marvel.





Best zero issue: Captain America White #0. Marvel.



Best licensed comic property: Star Trek. IDW.



Best character in a continuing series, limited series or one-shot: The Punisher. Marvel.




Best character surprise resurrection: Mockingbird. Marvel.


Comic book company of the year: Marvel.



Best Writer: Ed Brubaker. Marvel/Icon.




Best Artist: Sean Phillips. Marvel/Icon.




Best book related to comics: Watching the Watchmen. Titan Books.



Best book on an artist (that I had to buy again): Tim Sale Black and White Revised and Expanded. Image.


Best comic book related podcast: Fanboy Radio.



Best comic book con: San Diego Comic-con.


Best piece of published fan art: Doc Savage The Man Of Bronze. San Diego Comic-con art book (by D.L. Nelson).





Best (Superhero) movie: Iron Man. Marvel.




Best movie period: Speed Racer.




K.R.C.

D.L.

Pick Of My Pile for the weeks of 12-17 and 12-24

Hello Chums,

Two weeks this time around for the end of the year.

12-17:

Marvel:

Thor God -Size (one-shot). The story of Skurge The Executioner. By Fraction with Brereton and Allred.

Uncanny X-Men #505. More Matt Fraction doing the X-Men with art by the Dodsons.

The Immortal Iron Fist #20. Danny Rand vs. the killer of Iron Fists conclusion.

Dark Reign New Nation (one-shot). Five short stories featuring: Secret Warriors, Agents of Atlas, War Machine, Skrull Kill Krew and New Avengers.

The Age Of The Sentry #4. More sixties style action with The Sentry.

The Mighty Avengers #20 Secret Invasion Epilogue. Wasp funeral issue. Not that it's not good but, they'll make an issue about anything these days.

Punisher War Zone #2 (of 6). The Resurrection of Ma Gnucci continues.

Samurai #4 (of 4) (Soleil). The conclusion of a very well drawn and colored story.

DC:

Air#5 (Vertigo). The first arc of this series concludes. It's time for me to drop this book.

The X-Files #2 (Wildstorm). A pretty decent story with nice character likeness' by Brian Denham.

DC Universe Holiday Special (one-shot). Multiple stories by multiple creative teams but the best part is the Frank Quitely cover.

Image:

Elephantmen #14. Unfortunately no Moritat art.

IDW:

Star Trek The Next Generation The Last Generation #2 (of 5). More Star Trek multiple crew stories.

The Pick Of My Pile this week is Thor God Size.

12-24:

Marvel:

Thor#12. This Loki betrayal story line is almost done .... It concludes in issue 600.

Captain America - Theater Of War - America First! (one-shot). Howard Chaykin does Captain America Commie Smasher with a different Cap set in the fifties.

Secret Invasion Requiem (one-shot). This is a nice issue that re-presents the first appearance of the Wasp (with her origin) and the trial of Yellow Jacket after he beat her.

Ultimatum #2 (of 5). Ultimate universe chaos after Magneto's flood hits New York City.

Stephen Kings The Dark Tower Treachery #4 (of 6). More Jae Lee art with Peter David script.

Hulk #9. The third and final part of the Loeb, Adams and Cho run.

Patsy Walker Hellcat #4 (of 5). It's taken what seems like forever, but this story is just about finished.

The New Avengers #48 (Dark Reign tie in). Welcome back Mockingbird, Spider-Woman and Captain America, but good bye Iron Fist.

Punisher War Zone #3 (of6). The resurrection of Ma Gnucci continues with Frank fragin bad guys.

Dark Horse:

Mister X #1 (of 4). Who knows what going on here, but there is very old school looking art.

ONI:

Resurrection #6 (end of vol. 1). The conclusion of the first story arc.

Resurrection Annual #1 (2008). The story of Spock and his escape.

Image:

I Kill Giants #1-5 (of 7). The story of Barbara a fifth grader who might just kill giants or is as crazy as her class mates think she is.

The Pick Of My Pile this week is Secret Invasion Requiem. The re-colored Jack Kirby art from Tales to Astonish #44 was very nice to look at. It's too bad they don't go back and re-color/reprint more old classics.



How many one-shots are there these days? It used to be easy to start picking up a limited series because you knew that there was going to be an ending. But now there are too many limited series' so you have to pick and choose what you would get started on. Now there are ALMOST too many one-shots also.

K.R.C.

D.L.

Pick Of My Pile for the weeks of 11-26,12-4 and 12-10

Hello Chums,

I'm back with a few more picks. Check them out.

11/26:


Marvel:

Hulk #8. Jeph Loeb, Arthur Adams and Frank Cho bring us the 2nd part of this 3 part story. The art in these issues is soooo good, I wish this team would continue on forever (or at least 12 issues).


Thor: Reign of Blood #1 and Man of War #1. These books are actually p.1 and p.2 of a two part story. Matt Fraction has written a pretty good story which features Thor battling Odin.


Secret Invasion Inhumans #4 (of 4). The conclusion of Medusa's search for Black Bolt.


True Believers #5 (of 5). The conclusion to the entry of the True Believers into the Marvel
universe.


Captain America #44. A Cap story that ties into a Winter Soldier mission from 1968.

Vertigo:


Jack of Fables #28. Jack becomes the Commander-In- Chief.






The Pick Of My Pile for this week is Secret Invasion Inhumans #4. We get to see Black Bolt whisper a word!


12/4:


Marvel:


Secret Invasion #8 (of 8). The conclusion to the Secret Invasion story line, however it goes directly into Dark Reign.


The New Avengers #47 (Secret Invasion). Where's Luke Cage and Jessica Jones baby?



Secret Invasion Front Line #5 (of 5). The conclusion of writer Ben Urich's street level view of the Secret Invasion.



Marvel Zombies 3 #3 (of 4). Machine Man and Jocasta's mission continues against the Marvel Zombies!


Marvels Eye Of The Camera #1 (of 6). Another street level story. This time featuring Phil Sheldon from the original Marvels.



X-Infernus #1 (0f 4). Peter wants his "little" sister back. Maybe leaving her in hell is a better idea.



Iron Man-The Incredible Hulk-Nick Fury #1 (one-shot?). This Iron Man story ties directly into the Iron Man movie.


The Punisher X-MAS #1 (one-shot). Frank kicking ass in the spirit of Christmas.


ICON:



Criminal Bad Night #4 (of 4). This conclusion is not what I expected. Maybe a little bit of a let down.





Hellboy The Wild Hunt #1 (of 8). It starts off on a mission to kill giants... Who knows where this is going?




The PICK OF MY PILE this week is The Punisher X-MAS. Great story and art in the Christmas spirit.



12/10:


Marvel:



Punisher War Zone #1 (of 6) (Marvel Knights). Garth Ennis. Steve Dillion. Frank Castle. Nuff Said!




Secret Invasion Dark Reign #1 (one shot). Norman Osborn is now in control. Step one: Assemble a new team. Namor, Emma Frost, Dr. Doom, The Hood and Loki. This team can't be built for good.




Astonishing X-Men Ghost Boxes #2 (of 2). Two more parallel earth X-Men stories.



Ythaq The Forsaken World #1 (Soleil). Sixty page sci-fi / fantasy story.




Dark Horse:



B.P.R.D. War on Frogs #2. A team of B.P.R.D. agents search an abandoned boat. Could Frogs be there? This story is one shot like in it's execution.






The Pick Of MY PILE this week is easy. Punisher War Zone #1 sets up for a very entertaining six issue run. And It's weekly! I can't wait.













K.R.C.

D.L.

Pick Of My Pile for the weeks of 11-05, 11-12, and 11-19

Hello Chums,

After having multiple computer problems (the computer was in the shop twice), I'm finally back on line! Let's hope it lasts.

Since I have missed many weeks of The Pick Of My Pile, I'm going to put multiple weeks together. So here goes.

11/5:

Marvel:

Stephen King The Stand Captain Trips #3 (of 5). Excellent adaption of King's best work.

Stephen King The Dark Tower Treachery #3 (of 6). I'm under impressed so far.

Franklin Richards Sons Of Geniuses! #1 (one-shot). Mostly for kids, but fun anyway.

Daredevil & Captain America Dead On Arrival #1. Lame. Lame. Lame.

Ultimatum #1 (of 5). This could be a great story. Let's hope for it. The art is great.

Marvel Zombies 3 #2 (of 4). Not as good as the first issue but I'll hang in there.

Punisher War Journal Annual #1. Great art and coloring in a "Murder World" type of story.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Sketchbook (free). The Wizard of Oz + Skottie Young = CRAP! Can you get your money back on a free book?

DC:

Kingdom Come Special Superman #1 (one-shot). Alex Ross story and art. Nuff said.

IDW:

Star Trek Mirror Images #5 (of 5). An okay ending to this mirror universe story.

Dynamite:

Project Superpowers Chapter Two Prelude. Very nice Alex Ross pencil pages.

Image:

Kick Drum Comix #2 (of 2). Two more stories written and drawn by Jim Mahfood.

The Pick Of My Pile for this week is Kingdom Come Special #1. Check out the cool Alex Ross cover.

11/12:

Dark Horse:

B.P.R.D. The Warning #5 (of 5). Great Guy Davis art. The story? Ehh.

Image:

The Mice Templar #6. The end of the first arc. I might drop this title before arc two starts.

Marvel:

Wolverine #69 Old Man Logan p.4. More of Logan and Clint in the future.

Because of the lack of books to pick from, Wolverine #69 has back doored it's self into The Pick Of My Pile for this week.

11/19:

Marvel:

Punisher War Journal #25. Frank verses the Skrulls. Attaboy Frank.

Uncanny X-Men #504. The Mojo universe, Scott has a secret "black box" in his brain and the return of Dr. Nemesis.

The Age Of The Sentry #3. The most fun comic in quite awhile. With great cartoony art also.

Fantastic Four #561. Excellent story from Millar and Hitch.

Avengers / Invaders #6 (of 12). A good story that I wish could of happened after the Secret Invasion.

Wildstorm:

The X-Files #1. More Mulder and Scully set in or around the fifth season.

Star Trek The Next Generation The Last Generation #1 (of 5). The great start to a time travel (or multi-generational story) with many of the different Star Trek crews set in different time periods.

The Pick Of My Pile this week is Age of The Sentry #3. The retro story and art is a lot of fun and should not be missed.

That's it for now.

Keep Reading Comics.

D.L.