We've celebrated the flesh and blood stars of the comics industry in 2010. Now it's time to give the fictional their due.
#10. Skinner Sweet (American Vampire)
I'm one of those Buffy fans who didn't mind when Spike went from William the Bloody to an honorary member of the Scoobs, even if the methods of his neutering involved a chip and a fairly annoying year or two in college for our favorite Chosen One. That said, there's no denying those School Hard days of evil and filth and relish were downright fun. Snyder, King, and Albuquerque's Skinner Sweet is one nasty SOB in that grand tradition. Bury him and he'll just come crawling back. A little gray in the world of monsters is fine, but it's a pleasure to see a return to their downright effed-up roots. His sweet tooth is the perfect feather in the cap. Pictured is Rafael Grampa's stunning rendition, truly one of the year's coolest covers.
#9. Veil, Striker, Finesse, Mettle, Reptil and Hazmat (Avengers Academy)
The heir apparent to those wayward Runaways, the inaugural class of Gage and McKone's Avengers Academy is the most exciting ensemble under the Avengers banner. New characters thrust into the spotlight, beset by a horrible secret. These are the kids considered so precariously close to going bad that they're enrolled in a government sanctioned daycare service. Worst of all, they unearth this news unbeknownst to their instructors, developing permanent chips on their shoulders. The series is rife with tension, each of the kids displaying a different level of fear or aptitude for evil. Pressed for a favorite, the choice is clear. Finesse. The coldest, most competent of the roster, she's also developed a strange bond with Quicksilver that's raised more than a few eyebrows
#8. Nick and Anastasia Mystery (Mystery Society)
We've been raving about these two all week, and for good reason. I need to stress: Niles and Staples gave us a set of telekinetic twin girls from back in the day, a vigilante girl in a death-mask, and the brain of Jules Verne in a steampunk chassis straight out of Oz. And I'm still singling out two standard human beings as the breakout stars of Mystery Society. I've called them Nick and Nora with an occult twist, and that pretty much holds. But to elaborate, this is the sexiest couple since Gomez and Morticia. They're casually badass, and they're justly head over heels for each other. And that's really refreshing.
#7. Gus and Jepperd (Sweet Tooth)
In Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth, Vertigo's found it's next Yorick and Agent 355. That this is an ongoing monthly comic on the shelves next to Amazing Spider-Man and Superboy is pretty astounding. We've got ourselves a very strange duo. A mysterious loner and a chocolate fiend with antlers. They look like no one else in comics. Their story is young, with what I hope is a long (Cormac McCarthy-lookin') road ahead of them. I applaud Lemire for rationing out their story so gradually, amping up the suspense and the allure of two quiet strangers in a shadowy world.
#6. Lex Luthor (Action Comics)
Much as I look forward to the return of Superman in Action Comics this year, Paul Cornell's opening arc, starring Supes' greatest villain, has been so much more than the kooky tangent we might've expected. Lex isn't just a hairless nogoodnik after all. This is one of the greatest minds of the DCU, a mortal man who's gone toe to toe with titans. And he's not out to destroy the world. He thinks of himself as it's true savior. this year, Lex introduced us to his seriously disturbing (if entirely logical) attache and confidant Fake Lois Lane (and her gun hands). He battled Grodd and his battle spoon. He even had a monumental, millennia-spanning battle with Vandal Savage. Best of all, Cornell even worked in the dangling threads from Blackest Night, with Luthor bent on recapturing the power of the cosmic rings. And god damn, it's been fun.
#5. Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne (Batman & Robin, Detective Comics, Batgirl, Superman/Batman)
I don't know about you, but I didn't miss Bruce at all. Not with this odd couple watching over Gotham and contributing to Alfred's ulcer. Damian Wayne, once a grating plot twist, really came into his own this year with help from Morrison as well as a host of other Bat-family writers like Bryan Q. Miller who utilized the little prick for some terrific cameos. As for Dick and his tenure as Batman, it feels like the culmination of decades of continuity executed with great care and aplomb. It's the destiny we always thought would be denied him. Now that it's actually happened, it opens up whole avenues. New possibilities for a character older than most of his readers. We left 2010 on a note of profound excitement. Snyder, Jock, and Francavilla's Detective Comics run has only just begun. 2011 looks to be another banner year for ol' Dick.
#4. Scarlet (Scarlet)
This year we became unwitting accomplices in one girl's vendetta against corruption. In that first issue, Bendis and Maleev told us her life story in a series of snapshots so compelling that it felt as if we'd been following her story for years. It's still quite early, and I'm not sure how much I can trust Scarlet, but the not-knowing is half the fun. I'm in for the long haul.
#3. Jane Foster and Thor Odinson (Thor the Mighty Avenger)
I'll take my fairy tales when I can get 'em. This was much more than a Thor book. It was a stirring tale of adventure and budding romance. There's something so pure and refreshing about this relationship and this book. Langridge and Samnee created something pretty special. Each issue hooks a smile. The kind of wistful joy you experience watching The Princess Bride. Or spotting a rainbow through the gray.
#2. Bras (Daytripper)
Moon and Ba asked us to watch one man die. Constantly. Consistently. For months. But he spent every one of those days living too.
#1. Team Batgirl (Batgirl)
Bryan Q. Miller made me laugh this year. A lot. All thanks to the unsinkable Stephanie "Batgirl" Brown, Barbara "Oracle" Gordon, and Wendy "Proxy" Harris. Three women taking care of Gotham, one quip at a time. Along with Thor the Mighty Avenger, Batgirl was the most joyful superhero book this year. It dealt with some pretty messed up situations, but there was always a sense of levity when these characters interacted. Stephanie also doled out one of the best moments of the year, approaching the returned Bruce Wayne with a spontaneous slap to the face. She could have faded into obscurity as a footnote on the Robin Wikipedia page, but thanks to this fantastic series, she's staked her claim as one of the brightest new stars of the DCU.
Who'd I miss?
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I’m glad the “taped X over nipples” fad is starting back up again. Classy.
I gave a copy of a Batgirl issue to my Women Studies professor because of some gender pronoun jokes it had and she read a little in front of me and she was taken aback at how funny it was. Team Batgirl is definitely deserving of #1.
@stuclach Are you new to Scarlet?
I love this list!
Great list!!!
@Paul – Joke referring to the image. I haven’t read much of it, but plan on grabbing the first trade.
This probably goes down in the negativity is too damn high dept but-
Can a single day go by where TTMA isn’t praised on this site?
It’s time to let – it – go.
@ericmci You’re right. It does fit that department.
Fair enough-
Just wanted to see if other people might be feeling the same way.
I always thought that Dick would be the great leader that he is as Batman, but as Nightwing. I would’ve preferred it that way because he was striving to break out from Bruce’s shadow and he was relatively successful as Nightwing. Plus I like the design of the Nightwing costume, I miss that one.
@ericmci Yes. Well. This is my personal Best Of 2010 list. We’re not conspiring together. It so happens that several of us like it and wish to acknowledge the series’ quality in lists commemorating the best work in the past year. There is nothing remotely unreasonable about it.
Hm, I have yet to read any Avengers Academy. Is this a book I need to pick up a trade of to get, or can I just pick up an issue and jump in?
Ok- Paul.
@MikePositive It’s worth going back for the first trade because it’s a fun read, but I don’t think you’d have too much trouble going in blind with new issues.
First TTMA trade just came in the mail yesterday 🙂 Going to read it soon.
THIS! “The kind of wistful joy you experience watching The Princess Bride. “
This list, without a doubt, tops my list of best lists about 2010!
There’s so much win surrounding all the characters on this list. Batgirl has been genuinely funny from the get go, and not just snarky and swarmy. Thor The Mighty Avenger…well…that just speaks for itself. Scarlet has just been really cool, as the character seems like someone you’d want to hang out with when she’s not plotting the demise of others.
And I LOVE Avengers Academy, it’s always in the top of my best Avengers books list. It’s not only an interesting premise, but the characters are so well rounded and sympathetic. Also, I seriously couldn’t get enough of the kooky adventures of Lex Luthor!
I also couldn’t get enough of Dick and Damien as Batman & Robin, which is why I’m glad they’re keeping the cape and cowl while Bruce is around. It gets me a little ticked off, however, when people say that their stories are bad because Dick isn’t the “real” Batman. They truly can’t see the forest for the trees.
YAY! Go Team Batgirl! It still upsets me when I venture into the wilds of the internet how much hatred that book gets. Especially when Nguyen was put on art, heads exploded.
I was starting to think at one point that Proxy was going to replace Babs. I’m glad they kept both.
@ericmci Hey Eric, if you post your personal best in this thread (many people do that sort of response to lists) I’d like to read it. 🙂
Great list and I definitely agree with the #1 choice. I was completely surprised by how witty and funny the Batgirl book was. And with it having its own self-contained stories, it definitely stands out more.
If it was me and I wanted to make this a top 11 list, I’d add Zatanna to the list. There is so much charm to that character and you can tell how much Paul Dini care about her to write her with such interesting stories and relationships to build upon.
Great list. Quick thoughts: my personal favorite in AA is Hazmat. Between Giffen on his series and Generation Lost I’ve been loving Booster Gold. I would’ve given Robot Lois equal billing with Lex. Finally, maybe Ghost from T-Bolts deserved a slot.
# 10, 6 and 1 made this year for me.
@magnum240 LOVE Ghost. It killed me not to include somebody from Thunderbolts or Hulk.
@Paul Maybe a Best Supporting top ten? Ghost. Robot Lois. Xander. Pyg. Captain Atom. Dani Moonstar. M. Tigra. Arisia. Ultimate Ice Man’s bandana?
@MikePositive i’ll second paul, i think getting the first trade would be help i think you can jump in but there was some great character building
AWESOME list! Love Scarlet and Batgirl! Girl Power!
Great list Paul!
wish I could find Batgirl trades
And number one on the list of the best lists of 2010 is: Most valuable characters of 2010!
Batgirl, Batgirl , Batgirl. It was the year of the Bat for me and my family. Batgirl stood it’s ground next to the other amazing bat-titles put out this year. In the words of Stephanie Brown “Onward and Upward!”
Now a moment of silence for Thor the Mighty Avenger.