My Favorite Comic Reads of 2007 (Part Two)

So here we go…

5. Runaways, Brian K. Vaughan/Adrian Alphona & Joss Whedon/Michael Ryan

This year was an interesting year for Runaways. Creator Vaughan decided to let his kids go. He gave us some strong final stories, packed with action and emotion. I was unsure about the future of the book until Whedon was announced as the new writer. His storyline (involving time travel) has been exciting and fun. The art by Alphona has always been a strong part of the books identity, and yet Ryan has introduced a new flavor, a more realistic style that is helping create a new feel that makes Runaways a worthwhile read today. Now if only there had been an issue released in the last two months.

4.Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, by Joss Whedon & Georges Jeanty (one arc written by Brian K. Vaughan)

When it was announced that they were going to continue the Buffy TV seasons in comic book form, I was a little unsure. Then they announced that the series would be overseen by Joss, with writers from the TV series joining in. Suddenly, I got a lot more confident. And the series opened like a regular season of the show, an establishment of time past, hints that “stuff” has happened and brief sightings that hint of a major “Big Bad”. As each story has unfolded we have been reintroduced to familiar faces, seeing some of them in new light. Xander is a stronger character, playing the tactical backup to Buffy, Willow still provides assists in the magical, and Giles seems to have taken almost a black ops type role. So far, it’s been a fun ride, remniscent of the show, but different, thanks to a new format. Jeanty’s art is a big help in this, as he is good at keeping the likeness of the actors there, but without it seeming restrictive to his work. The best part of comics is the season is not limited to a small budget, which allows the writers and artist to go all out. The one problem is dialog that seemed to flow so easily from the actor’s mouths do not seem as natural when on the page, which suggests that often, Whedon’s dialog sound more natural when you hear it spoken than when you read it on the page. I am really looking forward to seeing where Whedon and his team take us.

3.Y: The Last Man, by Brian K. Vaughan & Pia Guerra (and others)

Without a doubt one of my favorite comics of the last five years. It comes to a close this months, with issue 60. Telling the story of the last man on earth after a plague wipes the rest of us out, the comic never chose easy solutions. The last man becomes a property-an object to be pursued by governments and put to death by secret organizations. Rather than cling to the notion that “if women ran the world, it would be a better place”, the newly mandated female led governments start to establish themselves, often trying to keep the seem grips on power and still lacking trust. It’s not a perfect world just because the men are gone. The women in Vaughan’s epic are real. They seek friendship, love, hope, and good things. They suffer fear of loss, paranoia and greed. They are powerful, they are weak. And Yorick would never have made it without the women who have fought to protect him from those in power, because he is, frankly, just growing up as the series gets nearer to it’s end. The last several issues have brought tragedy to our lead characters, and I have a feeling the final issue will bring more, but the team behind Y have made it a great read over the past five or so years.

2. The Spirit, by Darwyn Cooke and J. Bone

I love the character, and have always been amazed at the art of Will Eisner. There is something wonderfully basic about the character of the Spirit. He’s a mystery to the world around him, he wears a forties style detective outfit-but also a mask. But, admittedly, Eisner’s Spirit had some problems as well. His minority characters often caricatures at best, racist stereotypes at worst. His women pretty much were either sweet or femme fatals. Cooke managed to find ways to update the characters instead of just trying to forget them. He made them more complex, and more fun in the process. He managed to update the character-without making the Spirit unrecognizable. It was not a grim and gritty re-imagining. It was fun to read and the art was gorgeous, evoking Esiner’s work-without actually imitating it(Well, they did in issue 12, but it looked great).

A nd for number one?

1.Shazam! And the Monster Society of Evil, by Jeff Smith

I am not sure what it says that I chose the most fun reads above the others, but without a doubt, the most fun I had reading a comic this year was this book. It was funny, endearing, full of action and Smith’s art showed that in every panel. It was a good read, and easy to follow, fun for kids and adults and in the end, it made me smile. Thanks to Jeff Smith and his team for this great read.