Favorite Single Issues of 2010
As 2010 comes to a close we take a look back at some of our favorites from the year; there will be many more categories to come, each author getting one pick. And after reading our favorites from the last year we want to hear yours!
Favorite Single Issues of 2010
Siege #2 Geoff Arbuckle
Norman Osborn has invaded Asgard in his final bid to prove his power and his way is right for the human race. His Dark Avengers were running wild through the city of Gods, killing everyone who stood in their way. However, one of Osborn’s own, Ares, the Greek God of War, realized things are not what he originally believed. Osborn had made this war happen through unnatural and downright frightening ways. Ares directly opposes Osborn by switching sides. Unfortunately, Osborn has the most powerful hero in Marvel history, the Sentry, under his thumb. The crazed Sentry, possessed by his split personality, the Void, overpowers Ares and, to the horror of those gathered, literally tears him apart. It was one of the goriest scenes in Marvel Comics’ history, committed by one of the most shockingly sad fall from graces in Marvel Comics’ history, and maybe the one moment when you realized that the Siege of Asgard was going to be a costly battle beyond anything we’ve seen before.
Return of Bruce Wayne #1 John Barringer
Return of Bruce Wayne #1 Review
Admittingly, I was worried about this miniseries. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Batman R.I.P., its hype was huge, and we knew it was going to interact with Morrison’s Final Crisis just as much as anything he had done for Batman. I even took a deep breath before opening the pages to this; and just like that all of my fears smashed head on into of the exciting Batman issues I’ve ever read. Morrison immediately engaged the reader with the weird dialogue along with perfectly grasping (in my opinion) how Bruce would have handled waking up thousands of years in the past. Not to mention we got to see Bruce kick Vandal Savage’s ass, one of my favorite fight scenes in recent memory. And Chris Sprouse did an incredible job of making the pages feeling larger than they actually were with large spaced out panels that didn’t try and fill every background space. Although I don’t think the miniseries finished as well as it started the elements revealed at the end made going back and re-reading the first issue all that more pleasing. Coming in with so many expectations this issue met every single one for me.
Wonder Woman #600 Phillip Carson
I only got this because I had intended to read JMS’s Wonder Woman story arc. But it was so much better than that. The stories were fun and entertaining, and the Who’s Who Gallery of artists who contributed pin-ups made it a must have. This is the kind of “special” comic I look forward to, one jam-packed with stories and art, one that you can flip through every now and again and read something new.
Incredible Hulk #611 Victor Kutsenok
The Marvel Issue of the year, in my opinion. Rage, love, passion, intense battles, vengeance, remorse, and forgiveness. Not to mention THE RETURN OF THE BIG GREEN MONSTER. This one issue was worth the wait. It made the crap that was World War Hulks feel like a subplot. Amazing art, a titanic battle that filled every page and a fully satisfying ending to a long drawn out story.
Green Arrow #32 Tom Parry
Lian was dead, Roy was mamed… he took a life, and was out for another. But here, having seen what his actions have inspired his current sidekick, Mia Dearden, to do… to request Ollie’s own permission to take the life of the Electrocutioner, Prometheus’ partner who had been the one to actually pull the trigger (so to speak) in causing the devastation that claimed Lian’s life. Ollie was taken a back. How could he have become so blind to justice? He calms Mia, and takes the villain into custody, only to turn himself in, as well. His mask pulled off, his identity revealed to the world! His trial was an amazing work of writing by our writer, JT Krul, and everything up to his lack of conviction was powerful. The “fall” of Green Arrow was self inflicted, and this is where it happened. Setting up the new ongoing series, this book was a pinnacle of the year for me.
Batgirl #14 Claire Smith
There were a lot of great Batman titles with one great issue (so many good Damian one-liners!) but in terms of one outstanding issue, this was it for me.
Other Favorites of 2010:
Favorite Independent Comic Books
Favorite Single Issues
