I have a question for you.
Sorry, gang…was tied up working on some other projects, and suddenly, whoops, no time left to generate anything hilarious or thought-provoking or, ahem, copyright-stretching for the site. So, I’m going to ask you a question, and I’ll do a follow-up post on your responses within the next few days.
And that question is:
What’s your favorite currently-running comic book series right now?
You don’t have to tell me why if you don’t want to, but I’d like it if you did. But the only things I do request regarding your responses:
1. Just pick one series…no “well, I can’t decide between these two, so I’ll list ’em both. Or the top three. Or maybe a dozen.” PICK JUST ONE SERIES, PLEASE. Pretend your life depends on it. In fact, maybe it does.
2. Don’t make fun of other people’s choices. Now, I feel terrible even saying that, because most of you folks who populate my comments sections are usually pretty civil, but, you know, there’s always someone who wants to stir up trouble. So don’t be that guy!
3. I’ll allow some leeway for lame-duck series like Atlas, or comics that are effectively the same series, like the ongoing chain of Marvel’s Hercules comics. But I’m going to force you to pick which among Avengers, New Avengers, and Secret Avengers is your favorite, if this is the case, because I’m a jerk.
EDIT: 4. And one of the early responders reminded me…it doesn’t have to be a traditional comic book series, as in the monthly magazine format…if it’s a manga or other graphic novel series, that’s fine, too.
So with that in mind, tell me your favorite comic book series, please. Your credit card will not be charged, and no salesman will call.
I’m throwing my luck in with Thunderbolts, and, of course, I’ll explain why.
I’m a DC boy. Born and raised on Batman and the Justice League cartoon. Love me some DC. Thought Marvel was stupid. Except Spider-Man, who was awesome.
So when I finally get around to reading some Marvel comics… I’m pleasantly surprised. Thunderbolts is the standout from this moment of discovery, since I started with the Warren Ellis run (‘cuz, you know, it’s Warren Ellis) and continued from there.
Cool premise, engaging missions, rotating cast. Thunderbolts has it all. A lot of me wants to throw in with something crazier, but month after month, I come back to Thunderbolts and am not disappointed.
I don’t have a favorite comic-book series any more. The format is effectively dead to me.
My current favorite comics series is Ai Yazawa’s rock-n-roll romance, NANA, which is brilliant in just about every way that a comics series can be brilliant.
Fantastic Four (only the Hickman flavor).
‘Cause its the way the FF were meant to be. Science. Adventure.
Invincible Iron Man, because Tony Stark has been my favorite comic book character since I was a wee one, and Matt Fraction finally makes that choice make sense.
Tricksy question as, much like poster 2, the month-on-month format is long gone from my purchasing style. TPBs and graphic novels all the way, mostly the latter as i simply prefer my story to be all complete and present in one, beginning-middle-end. Currently i’m expecting titles such as Joe the Barbarian and Incognito v2 to be faves, but as i’m not buying them until i can do so in one nice complete package they are currently ineligable.
So what does that leave me?
FREAKANGELS
Warren Ellis’ free online post-apocalyptic tale that i read every Friday, regular as clockwork (save for the accursed skip-weeks). Nice clean art, Ellis-ian but without being _too_ Ellis-ian, and its regularity and longevity is an awful lot better than a number of other products he’s put out this decade that have all petered out on me.
It’s definitely in the a-series-of-series vein, but I’m going to have to say Atomic Robo. I don’t know if it’ll win favourite comic of all time, but it’ll be near the top, and it’s almost always my favourite thing any week that it comes out.
Damn your clever “no waffling” rule though. I wanted to waffle!
Well, I would name ATLAS, but since you’ve covered that above, I would have to say whatever is on the stands from Mike Mignola that month. Hickman’s FF is a close second these days though.
Marvel Adventures Superheroes.
It’s good clean done-in-one stories of the Avengers versus super-villains with an ongoing mystery in the background. No deaths for shock value and while the heroes bicker, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be in one team.
Usagi Yojimbo – it’s consistently excellent both in storytelling and art, and every story brings something different, with a great mix of action, comedy, emotion, and horror. Plus, many of the issues are “done-in-one” stories, so you’re not paying for “Part 3 of 6” all the time.
Criminal. Because it’s elegant and surprises me on a regular basis. But even better, in retrospect, the plot twists actually make sense. Because of the Film Noir text pieces at the back of each issue. Because it’s so different from almost anything else on the shelf. But most importantly, because it creates characters I care about, then puts them in situations where I’m really willing them to come out unscathed because they are so fully realised.
Grant Morrison’s Batman and Robin (and any other Morrison Batman)
Print: The Walking Dead
Web: Hark A Vagrant!
SCALPED.
I’m going to go with GREEN HORNET: YEAR ONE
OK, it’s more Dynamite-licensed madness, but Wagner hits the same kind of early 30s/pulp-y vibe as SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATER, but with a little more crime fiction crunch
Yotsuba&! Because it’s funny and charming and wonderfully drawn. I just wish it came out more often than twice a year. A big thank you to Yen Press for rescuing this title (even if I don’t like their lettering font…)
If 20th Century Boys could be nominated for an Eisner for best ongoing series then I can select it as my favorite ongoing series (even with your caveat that manga is an option). Every fresh volume overturns things and leaves me wondering what horrible thing will happen next. There’s not a thing in the series that is exactly as it seems on first or even second glance and the interwound narrative structure is compelling.
The only downside is it is released way too infrequently. Waiting for each new volume is so painful that I waited until I had all of Urasawa’s other ongoing manga Pluto on hand before reading.
Darwyn Cooke’s series of “Parker” graphic novels.
Another vote for Batman and Robin. Month after month, it’s the title I’m most excited to see when I drop by my local comic book store.
Secret Six. The most underrated book every month. Everyone should be reading this.
Fantastic Four. I’m enjoying the personality spotlights Hickman’s giving Reed and the kids, even though we’ve yet to see a major story for Ben. And I’m really enjoying the way story arcs seem to be building on top of one another towards a much larger overall adventure.
Wow, tough call, this. I guess I’d have to say Hellboy.
Mignola’s been turning out great stuff for years, now…and his recent revelation about Hellboy was an amazing redefinition of the character. He’s very careful about the artists he picks and the approach manages to balance both the humor, horror and action in equal measures. Mignola knows when to let the comic be quiet…and then how to shatter the silence.
SECRET SIX, between Gail Simone and John Ostrander, it doesn’t even matter who writes it!
Geoff Johns run on Green Lantern. Green Lantern: Rebirth was the first monthly story I picked up from start to finish. I was just entering High School at the time. His writing for DC will always be synonymous with comics for me.
A VERY tough call. Since you’re largely about the physical press-type comics, I eliminated all the webcomics I read, which turned out to only help a little. There’s several that rate Immediate Placement At The Top of The To-Read Pile, but if I had to narrow it down to one?
I’m also in the Secret Six camp.
If I have to pick one, Captain America. Cap isn’t even my favorite character, I just know month in and month out that I’m going to enjoy the issue and look forward to the next. There are other books that can be more exciting (Batman and Robin springs to mind), but there are some awful lulls.
Scalped. It may be my favorite series ever, I’m gonna wait til it is done to make that call but every single month it blows me away.
I CAN’T DECIDE.
Okay, fine BPRD gets the nod.
Though Hellboy has greater room to delve into myth whereas BPRD is sometimes constrained by its own Mignola-U world-building and ongoing story, BPRD has Guy Davis. It took awhile for me to develop an appreciation for his scratchy style, but for panel-to-panel, page-to-page storytelling, he’s one of the best working today.
On the basis of what goes to the top of the reading pile first, the answer is Secret Six. The most consistently good title over the past 5 years is Captain America, however.
Batman and Robin
“Legion of Super-Heroes” by Paul Levitz
Okay, I admit it. I don’t buy any comics every month. None.
For years I bought scores of them, but then I moved away from my comics dealer and didn’t adopt another. I was a DC continuity junkie — Roy Thomas was my William S. Burroughs — and “Zero Hour” made me think, “If they don’t care, how can I care?” Watching them flush decades of Legion mythology down the toilet was just too much.
That was 15 years ago.
(Yeah, “Zero Hour” was 16 years ago. It took me a while to wise up.)
But this weekend, I am going to go to my friendly neighborhood funny-book store and buy every issue of Levitz’s 2010 LSH.
Long Live the Legion!
— MrJM
I’ll take one Goon by the esteemed Mr. Eric Powell please.
“Knife in the eye!” is THE best sidekick tagline EVER.
Jonah Hex either knocks it out of the park or onto the warning track every month
I too am mainly a TPB person anymore(they’re much easier to shelve and store than longboxes), but it’s got to be Secret Six. it’s what my 10 year old self thought Secret Society of Super-Villains was going to be.
Jonah Hex.
It doesn’t have long, padded stories.
Top talents who (through their work) look as if they really enjoy working on the book.
It’s worth the money I pay for it. It doesn’t feel as if I’m reading a chapter for an eventual graphic novel.
Because it’s a western and doesn’t take place in some superhero/mutant universe— NO BIG ASS CROSSOVER STORY LINES with a ton of other books that I don’t care about or have no interest in.
“League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”.
It may not be ongoing, and who-knows-when the next installment’s coming out, but it’s the one title I’ve always been pleased with and eagerly look forward to the next issue. (graphic novel, whatever)
Plus it’s sent me to the library to read up on the numerous literary references in the stories! Fancy book learnin’.
Chalk up another vote for Captain America. I had been reading Brubaker on Daredevil and stumbled onto a copy of his Captain America omnibus. Overall the entire run with Bucky’s return, Cap’s death and the Red Skull at every turn was quite the epic. Brubaker’s work in developing Bucky has me wanting to read ‘Bucky-Cap’ stories for years to come. -How many Cap followers thought we’d be saying that a few years back?
Hey Mike! Love the blog!
No need to threaten my life, Mike. Here’s my answer:
Morrison’s “Batman & Robin”. Because it kicks ass. And Damian is pretty damn cool.
Amazing Spider-Man, just for the pace. Even when there’s a lousy issue – which since Brand New Day started, hasn’t been often – another one is coming in a week or two. Plus, they almost always manage to get fantastic artists.
B.P.R.D.
Mignola, Arcudi and Davis bring it every time. Even when there are guest artists the book still rules. I love the characters and the arcane weirdness. I love the main Hellboy series as well (love as in “Let’s run away to Paris and elope”) but something about B.P.R.D. just hits the right spot. Wait…that didn’t sound right. I’ll stop now.
Jack Staff.
A great mix of adventure, drama, and comedy in a package that is clearly told but deceptively complex. Pure joy!
PunisherMax. Jason Aaron is doing a fantastic job picking up where Ennis left off… and the artwork by Steve Dillon is downright awesome.
BTW, Secret Avengers is only 2 books in, but if Brubaker keeps churning out the awesome, that could very well become my fave book.
Secret Six. Any book that can make me take Bane seriously deserves big ups.
Though, watch out, because New Mutants might sneak up and elbow it’s way back into my top spot.
If I had to choose my favorite series of all time that’s currently still being published, I’d say the Incredible Hulk, but I haven’t picked up a current Hulk book for quite a while. Jeph Loeb kind of lost me, which is really saying something since I have more Hulk comics in my collection than any other. But I don’t think that’s really what you’re looking for here, you’re asking “Which current title/creative team is your favorite (no limited series),” right? Plus, I guess they aren’t technically publishing Incredible Hulk anymore… What kind of world are we living in?
And… It’s been quite a while since I felt this way, but the superhero books aren’t doing it for me like they used to. There are superhero titles that I like, but nothing that makes me think “I can’t wait until next month to find out what happens in ______.” Which is OK. Sometimes that’s just how comics is.
So, I’m going with the currently but infrequently published Ganges. If you had said monthly this one would be right out, but when it does come out it might as well be the only comic out that week for me. Kevin H. just packs so many ideas into that book, I never know exactly what the next issue is going to be about (well, it’s going to be about Glen Ganges, sure), but it always manages to really grab me.
So, yeah, Ganges.
the only comic i buy with any regularity is 20th century boys, having eschewed all super heroes, so i guess…that.
Man this is a tough one. I’ll cast my vote for Batman and Robin too, I guess I’m most excited every week a new Morrison Batman issue comes out.
And I dropped Secret Six about 6 months ago (nothing against Secret Six, I just saw a drop in income and had to make some tough choices), but all these other comments are making me think I should drop something else to move Secret Six back into the rotation.
ONE? You’re killing me, Mike. There are so many good ones these days.
*Sigh*…. okay. Secret Six.
Now I feel like I have to apologize to the other 20 titles I love as if they were my own children. This was Sophie’s Choice, you terrible human being.
Booster Gold. Jurgens didn’t skip a beat after the events of 52 and managed to make a continuity-heavy book (it’s time travel within the DCU after all) rise above the plots and still be about the hero. Here’s hoping Keith Giffen continues in that direction.
gotta say, it’s probably Captain America. Batman sure aint cuttin if for me these days, and most everything else is hit or miss. consistently intriguing stories and amazing art. listen to my podcast
It will be Casanova once they start the new issues.
However I have to say right now my favorite is Invincible. I love the slow burn on the subplots. It’s exciting enough to read monthly with the payoff of long term story development that might read better in trade.
Thunderbolts has been great for years, and I have really liked Parker’s issues so far. It’s the one book I stick at the top of my read pile consistently.
Tom Beland’s TRUE STORY, SWEAR TO GOD. Originally self-published under Tom’s own “Clib’s Boy” imprint but now brought to you by the good people at Image Comics.
Black Widow is very good. So the creators are leaving.
Right this very second? DV8. Superheroes in a completely new context with beautiful art.
Man, this is a tough call.
I’m going to say Morrison’s Batman and, yeah, that includes B&R, Return of Bruce Wayne and whatever anniversary issues or two parters he’s done in the last year. I give it the nod because Morrison has not only managed to write the most interesting Batman stories in YEARS, he’s fundamentally changed the character/mythos/etc in a completely organic way.
Runners-up: Anything Brubaker, Van Lente or Jeff Parker’s writing at Marvel
Now that Power Girl has changed writers (although the current team is very good) I’m going to say Batman & Robin.
Tough question, Mike. You’re already aware that I mostly follow Vertigo titles, so you could probably narrow it down pretty quickly. I could quickly rattle off about five that I really look forward to reading every month, but I’m going to make my choice based on the current quality.
So, for a currently gripping storyline which I can actually follow from month to month without going back to older issues for memory refreshes, I’ll give the nod to Sweet Tooth. Any book that hooks me that effectively has something going for it. I recall reading the first issue and thinking “Hmmm, this is interesting. Weird, but interesting.” But then the second issue came out and it completely won me over with just enough exposition to make me keep coming back for more.
P.S. Nice to see Jonah Hex getting some love, but I didn’t see any Fables or even The Unwritten show up yet. That surprised me.
I was going to say Hickman’s Fantastic Four, but then I remembered Morrison’s Batman.
B.P.R.D. in its many incarnations. Funny, creepy, exciting, intriguing, thoughtful … characters I feel really invested in. I’ve always loved team books and B.P.R.D nails everything.
Empowered. It started great and has only been getting better every volume.
Yotsuba@! No question about it. It’s the only thing that I actively go looking for.
(and dammit, no volume 9 until December…)
I don’t care if it’s only on a per annum basis now-Love and Rockets will always be my first love in comics. I spent Sunday hungover and depressed and Heartbreak Soup was everything I needed to get over both. I miss the quarterly release schedule but as long as they don’t stop publishing I won’t stop reading.
It was Scott Pilgrim, but now that that’s wrapped, 20th Century Boys.
Jonah Hex.
Great characters. Consistently excellent writing. Interesting artists. Majority of stories are one-parters that make you feel like you are getting your moneys worth.
Add me to the SECRET SIX list.
Definitely R.e.b.e.l.s, it has Dox and Adam Strange!
Secret Six – a quality book teaming up super-villains. It’s what we all dreamed Secret Society of Super-Villains would turn in to back when it hit the stands in the mid-1970’s.
Without a doubt, NANA. Although we won’t be getting a new volume for a long while (assuming Ai Yazawa recovers from her recent illness), no other series has reached me on an emotional, intellectual, and personal level. It’s also the one series I feel comfortable recommending to anyone over the age of 16.
Fantastic Four.
So there.
Legion of Super-heroes! Started with Mike Grell and have always loved it. Various powers. Things can actually change! Relationships between characters. Different headliners every month/arc. Attracts some darn good artists. DISCOVERS some darn good artists early in their careers. Costumes can change. Can do magic and science. DOES NOT GET STUCK IN WHATEVER CROSSOVER IS MANDATED. Lightle art. Grell art. Hughes art. Manapul art. Cockrum art. Batista art. Ditko art. Larocque art. Broderick art. GIFFEN ART. Immonen art. Frank art. Perez art. Sherman art. Kitson art.
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
If I had to narrow down my pull list to just one comic it’d be Atomic Robo. Quite simply it’s the most fun comic being published and every issue I get is the first one I read on that week’s pile and it’s also an issue that I’ll read again and again that week.
Puniser/Frankencastle.
Every issue has something that surprises me. No, surprise isn’t quite right. It’s more like… bewilderment.
The Muppet Show. So good!
The Unwritten. Been a while since I have read a comic that has left me wondering where the creators were gonna take the story. Also, Darkwing Duck, solely to see how well Ian writes it!
American Vampire.
Although it’ll be a shame when it crosses that four buck barrier for only 22 pages.
I wasn’t absolutely sure until mister_terrific reminded me, but it’s Yotsuba all the way.
It’s the only series I actually buy anymore, as opposed to unashamedly reading for free at Borders.
As unpopular as the opinion might be, it’s Deadpool. Of the dozen Deadpool books, I only read this one and Team-up, but regular ol’ Deadpool is always high quality, and it’s been a fun little journey.
FF -It’s always been my favorite. I’ll admit that it’s partly nostalgia bridging the gaps when it hasn’t been so great, but also because it’s actually pretty darn good right now, IMHO.
I suspect I would really enjoy the other Marvel cosmic stuff they’ve been doing for a while now too, but I haven’t had a chance to get into that yet.
DMZ. Brian Wood doesn’t get nearly the amount of recognition he deserves for putting together one of the most relevant and most entertaining monthly comics out there. It’s really a shame more people aren’t reading it.
I would have said Secret Warriors if editorial had kept Caselli on the title, but I’m going to have to go with Ultimate Spider-Man.
Chew
Had it on my pull list since it’s initial solicitation and am still loving it to date.
Jack Staff / The Weird World of Jack Staff. It’s the only series that I currently buy single issues for where I’m also willing to buy the trade when it comes out. I’m not sure why, other than the fact that it’s awesome.
Yotsuba&! is pure undiluted joy.
Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam. It had a bit of a shaky start, with Mike Kunkel’s inability to keep a schedule and the series of not-ready-for-primetime artists that followed (even as the writing improved with the arrival of Art and Franco), but once Mike Norton came aboard the final piece of the puzzle fell into place, and it’s been great since. Probably DC’s best attempt at the Marvel Family ever, in fact.
I’ve got to go with The Boys because there are other comics I enjoy, but The Boys is the only one, right now, that I actually anticipate reading.
Walking Dead. I’m late to the undead party, but catching up.
Starstruck by Elaine Lee, Michael W Kaluta, Charles Vess and Lee Moyer. From IDW Comics. No contest. It’s just fantastic comics.
Tales Designed to Thrizzle.
Grant Morrison’s Batman & Robin
(It’s incredibly difficult to not list 2 or 3 others, tho)
Just looked over my DCBS holds list, and while it’s nowhere near the “best” series I’m reading, I’ll be damned if the one I look forward to reading the most out of all of them, and the first one I read when a new issue comes out, isn’t Keith Giffen’s Doom Patrol.
Green Lantern. a shock, i know.
Right now, at this particular moment I’m gonna have to say it’s BOOSTER GOLD. That’s at least partly because There’s no book I ever liked more than Giffen & DeMatteis’ JLI books.
Batman and Robin. I just can’t help myself. I am a total mark for what Grant is doing with the series, and with the exception of one arc, it’s had some of my favorite artist in the business.
This only started being “current” again recently, which is lucky for me… There are several comics that I really enjoy, but my favorite is Casanova. No contest. Because it’s smart and gorgeous and funny and stays crunchy in milk and never forgets my birthday.
I never thought I would ever answer a question like this with a series that involves Judd Winick, but “right now” my favorite series is JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST. I love me some Booster Gold. However, “right now,” his titular series seems like the spin-off of JL:GL (I enjoy it, but it really feels like something I’ve read before), and VANISHING POINT has no traction yet as it struggles to separate itself from RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE.
I learned a long time ago to follow the creators, not the characters. But IF I’m gonna follow the rules as set forth, it’s gotta be Batman&Robin.
It’s a tough call, but I’m going to have to go with Batman & Robin.
Batman & Robin
Locke & Key
Walking Dead. Hands down. Every month I get giddy waiting to read it to see what happens next.
Until very recently it was Gail Simone’s “Wonder Woman,” but then they got some horrible writer I never heard of on it.
It’s not going to be an original answer, but I have to say Morrison’s “Batman.”
Invincible has been my favorite, hands down, for the last few years now. ‘S a great damn book.
Sigh. I hate hate hate having to limit my favorite anything to just one. I have at least 5 or 6 comics I consider must reads, absolute favorites. But you want one only, so I’ll just choose one of them. Fortunately, changes in writers have dropped at least one from the short list (and no, not Wonder Woman; it’s Power Girl). So, my choice, at this moment, is Secret Six. Because it’s got everything going for it: great cast, great writing, great art, and the ability to continually surprise me while making me laugh and cry at the same time.
Averaged over the course of a year or so it would have been either Secret Six and Hercules. But they’ve both felt a little slow to me the last two months, so as of *right now* I think it’s Fables. I think Batman & Robin is probably the *best* comic I’m regularly reading, but Fables is what I’m genuinely excited to see appear in my weekly haul.
Ye cats, Mike! 105 comments, and counting?
Most of my favorite series have been cancelled over the years, so I don’t actually buy a regular ongoing title anymore. The one periodical I get every month is ALTER EGO. It has its problems sometimes, but it usually has something that keeps my attention. I mean, an index of Not Brand Echh? Awesome!
If I can’t pick A/E, I’ll go with Marvel’s upcoming CAPTAIN AMERICA : PATRIOT mini-series. I have seriously been waiting for 25 years for someone to do this comic.
If I had to choose between ‘Walking Dead’ and ‘Fables’ (since I am not allowed to say both) I guess I would have to go with Fables. Or Walking Dead. Or Fables. Or…How about Zombie Fables? Fine! I pick ‘Mouse Guard’!
Daredevil. A great serie since the Kevin Smith revival more than a decade ago.
At the moment it has to be 2000ad. Currently John Wagner is doing some great work with Judge Dredd and the Strontium Dog story by Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra is outstanding.
Yotsuba&! Easily one of the funniest comics I’ve ever read.
While I’m usually a dyed-in-the-wool DCU reader, I’m going to surprise myself and say Kurt Busiek’s Astro City.
Unlike a lot of other titles I read that fluctuate wildly in quality, that one’s ALWAYS consistently good (when it comes out).
Orc Stain.
Scalped.
Grant Morrison’s Batman/Batman & Robin (which I look at as one long series). It wouldn’t matter if a monkey drew it with a crayon, the sheer magnitude of ideas and the crisp scripting make it my favorite.
At this precise moment: King City. Brandon Graham’s world-building, wordplay and fun, attractive, cartoony art coalesce into something that reminds me why comics is my favorite story delivery method ever. It wouldn’t be anywhere near as great as it is without the ability to linger on each moment and drink in all the gags and details in the background. Love the larger trim size, too. Brilliant stuff.
Walking Dead.
Secret Six wishes the Suicide Squad was a on going
Atomic Robo. Because it’s fun.
Locke & Key
DC Super Friends, which was just canceled. Nnnnnh!
Captain America. Since Brubaker took over it’s been my favorite, and right now his run is running a very close second to Walt Simonson’s Thor as my favorite run by a creator on a comic ever. Good stuff.
Ps238
Hhe best indie superhero comic everyone forgets about
Atomic Robo. It’s a series of mini-series, but it counts, dadgummit.
Why Fell of course! Since I don’t think this is actuallly a series any more I’ll go with Goon.
Hellboy be mine favourite, by fathoms.
Legion of Super-Heroes.
Yet not Adventure, so much.
Ugh. Favourite? The one I enjoyed the most this week was probably the first issue of the new Hotwire mini-series, but that probably doesn’t count. Ongoing, I’d say R.E.B.E.L.S. I’ve been reading it since issue one, and not a single one has disappointed me, which is fairly impressive considering they’re well over the one-year mark now, and a massive chunk of that first bit was one big-ass storyline.
Three issues in, I’m crazy excited about the Bendis / Romita Jr. Avengers book. Next month? Lord only knows.
Secret Six.
The 1 book I always can’t wait to read month to month.
No idea where it’s going to go, and even close guesses are never 100% on the mark.
Yotsuba&! all the way! Currently running yeah, though the gaps between volumes are much longer than I’d like (though I’m just glad that it has a publisher again). Incredibly funny with great characters and a wonderful sense of place to it (the amount of detail that Kiyohiko Azuma puts into the environments the characters inhabit is amazing. Even though we don’t know the name of the town the series is set in, or even what part of Japan, it still feels like a fully realized place). It never fails to be me in a good mood when I read and reread it.
Savage Dragon
Moore/Nowlan’s The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, that which comes to us at an extraordinarily languid pace.
Hellboy. Between the regular book, one-shots, B.P.R.D. and spinoffs, it’s almost a regular monthly thing…
Green Lantern Corps, a pick which surprises even myself. Starting with a great run by Dave Gibbons the pace continued with Peter J. Tomasi, and it often surpassed the flagship title (although I always appreciate the vision of Geoff Johns) in my current favorite franchise. With the new guy on board, I’m looking to Tomasi’s Emeral Warriors to be the one to wait for.
Astro City. No other deconstruction of superheroes comes close. Though whenever Neil Gaiman does another comic series, I will actually buy THAT month to month instead of waiting for the novel.
Scott Pilgrim (although I will soon lay my hands on the last volume, read that, consider it done, and return to my usual answer of “Astro City”.)
since graphic novel series are included —
Finder by Carla Speed McNeil
Late to the party, but: Tiny Titans.
Chew
Sweet Tooth
Jason Aaron’s Wolverine -including the Astonishing title which feels like his work in the regular one, with Spidey in. Big, crazy ideas, great dialogue and nice character work too. I’m kind of surprised nobody mentioned so far
Ultimate Spider-Man. Just picked up the latest issue and the art is am-ah-hah-hah-hazing and the way that bendis lets his A plots get derailed by daggy teenage romance day in the life shit is just the right combo of fantasy and realism that this little black duck craves.
Atomic Robo – great fun and no convoluted continuity issues.
Another vote for Tales Designed to Thrizzle… honestly I’d have thought there’d be more.
Usagi Yojimbo is not the first book I read each month, but it is probably the one book I’ll buy after I give up on all the others, So I’ll pick that one.
Fables!
Naturally, I’m going to respond with the name of the series I most recently enjoyed. My “favorite” series will probably change with the next new comic book day’s set of releases.
But for today at least, I have to cast my vote for Orc Stain.
I like the way James Stokoe claims credit for creating, writing drawing, lettering and even coloring the book. (He won’t be able to share any blame if people don’t like the work, but there’ll be no one else to steal any of his spotlight when the series is a success.)
I like the way he’s created a complex fantasy society then cast a main character who is thoroughly disinterested in that society. I like the outlandish design of the orc environment and the skittering creatures that inhabit the various crannies of that environment.
But most worthy of note in this age of the “several page preview” taking the place of a backup feature (or a more complete page count of the featured story) in several lines of comics, Stokoe uses the entire pamphlet for Orc Stain, from the masthead on the inside front cover to the illustration on the back. You buy an issue of Orc Stain, you get the whole issue, cover to cover, ad-free, of Orc Stain.
Seems like a good deal these days.
I would have said Super Friends if it hadn’t been canceled this month.
So, Secret Six.
I love Scalped. You have good characters behaving badly, bad characters behaving kindly, and twists and turns that keep your gut wrenched.
KING CITY!
It’s NOVA.
Is that coming back? Thanos-mini kinda fills in for it a bit but NOVA has been my fave since #1 hit.
Hellboy! Great chracters with a nice blend of mythology in a tasty story!
The Boys
Man, you would post this a week after Scott Pilgrim stopped being an ongoing comic series, wouldn’t you? OK, after some deliberation I’m going to have to go with Joe the Barbarian. It’s the closest I’ve ever seen anyone come to recapturing some of the great kid’s fantasy films of the 80s, and the premise is dynamite.
Marvel’s Hercules. It’s a fantastically fun read, and there’s something that appeals to me about a pretty well-known iconic mythological character being in a regular superhero comic.
The Walking Dead of course!
Hack/Slash.
B.P.R.D.
Secret Six
X-MEN FOREVER. Because a) someone has to and b) it’s the only X-title I can turn to and be absolutely assured there’s no possibility of Wolverine content therein.
Daytripper
Orc Stain.
Going to have to go with Secret Six on this one (though Batwoman might supplant that)
r.e.b.e.l.s.
Punisher/Frankencastle
Maybe I should start reading something new and current. Hmmm I’ve been getting a lot of manga from the Library. Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle has been a fun read as has Holic. I wonder if Invincible counts. I bought all the trades until I was caught up there and am now waiting for the next one. Love Invincible.
G. Willow Wilson’s Air, anybody?
PS 238, by Aaron Williams. Funny, enjoyable, lots of nods and homages to the ‘classic’ Marvel and DC superhero worlds, and good storytelling.
oh hell… Knights of the Dinner Table. An ‘outsider’ comic but one that always entertains; character-driven comedy plus lots of extras. And kind of an interesting insider view of a subculture.