Post by shaxper on Apr 5, 2018 10:01:49 GMT -5
#80-71
#90-81
#100-91
Jack Kirby's Fourth World sets the record as the highest ranking nominee to make the list on honorable mentions alone. Apparently, lots of people love it, but no one loved it enough to put it in their personal top ten. Meanwhile, the ties continue to get better as lone vote nominees dwindle higher up on the list. And if you find it funny that there's a two-way tie at the #69 spot, then 1) grow up, and 2) I should grow up too.
#70-61
69 (tie). Ronin
by Frank Miller
originally published in: Ronin #1-6 (1983-1984)
Nominated by: Arthur Gordon Scratch and coke & comics
Arthur Gordon Scratch says, "This is probably my favorite work from Miller. This tale spans through centuries, mix the best of US comics and mangas, and has Miller stretch his muscles like never since or before. It also has a great conclusion, and great re-read value.
When I first read it, I can guarantee it went in directions I never expected : this is not Miller's take on Lone Wolf and Cub, as it is a 100% original story, and probably what you'd have expected from Miller if he was a Heavy Metal creator, and one of the top 3 ever for the matter. Dirty Sci-Fi crossing over to other genres, resulting in one of the most important american comic books of the 80ies, cetrainly one of the most influential outside the US.
I know that people mostly celebrate his DKR, Sin City and Daredevil, but this is IMHO where Miller peaked, where he was the most ambitious in his storytelling, and where Lynn Varley and him essentially became one."
69 (tie). Batman: Knightfall
by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, Alan Grant, and others
originally published in: Batman #492-500 and Detective Comics #656-666 (1993)
Nominated by: sunofdarkchild and coke & comics
Sun of Dark Child writes, "Not every great work needs to be profound. Sometimes all the audience needs is a blockbuster with popcorn action, like the Avengers movie or the original Star Wars. Knightfall is perhaps the quintessential comicbook blockbuster. It has all the villains, with Bane beginning his assault by staging a mass breakout from Arkham. It is practically nonstop action. Bane was a great new villain at the time, who was very intelligent, unlike Doomsday. Most importantly, it is fun. Like another storyline later on my list, DC has tried to copy this story far too often and it never has the same effect. But none of that takes away from the enjoyment of the original story. Pass the popcorn."
67 (tie). Uncle Scrooge: The Andes Saga
by Carl Barks and Don Rosa
originally published in: Four Color Comics #223 (1949), Uncle Scrooge #219 (1987), Donald Duck Adventures #12 (1989)
Nominated by: Arthur Gordon Scratch
Arthur Gordon Scratch writes, "The various trips to "Plain Awful", the lost city of the squarry people of the Andes.
I first read the original in its swedish original March 1963 publication in Kalle Anka (aka Donald Duck, published on a weekly basis since 1948 to this day!) that my mother purchased then when a kid. This was during a summer holiday spent away from my native France, the last part of it when all the ohter local kids were back to school and I had no one to play with anymore but my imagination (School starts and ends one month earlier in Sweden). It would be an understatement to say that my imagination was indeed taken to unknown territories upon reading this Barks masterwerk!
This story had such an impact on its readers that in the mid eighties, Don Rosa decided to revisit it, and I was lucky enough to have my great aunt get me a subscription all the way to France to Kalle Anka & Co so that I could learn swedish properly but still enjoy the process. So I discovered "The Son of the Sun" in 1987 as it was published (you have to remember that Don Rosa had a special relationship with Scandinavia!), and boy was I in for a treat getting this chapter at the same age my mom got the first one. Sure, we didn't get to Plain Awfull this time, but it was great and paved the way for the final chapter.
Rosa would indeed take a final trip there two years later with "Return to Plain Awful", which is an absolute homage to the original story, and my favorite favorite chapter of the Rosa ones, if not of all, as it gets more poetic and more tragi-comical than ever.
All in all, over the years, I've somewhat tired of Rosa's ar and much favor the "simpler" Barks style, but his stories are at least on the same level, which makes those three chapter quite homogenous, and one of the best trips comics ever took me along."
67 (tie). JLA: Year One
by Mark Waid, Brian Augustyn, Barry Kitson, and Michael Bair.
originally published in: JLA: Year One #1-12 (1998)
Nominated by: md62
Michael James writes, "I have been reading for 50+ years. In that time DC & Marvel have rebooted their series multiple times (especially in the last 30 years). These Year One series have become a favorite of mine filling in backstory & fine tuning/updating a new origin for a character or team.
This one has been one I have re-read multiple times. It switches Black Canary for Wonder Woman as a JLA founder but done to great affect. Not only does it show the foundation of the JLA but Waid/Augustyn manage to throw in Superman, Batman, the JSA, the Doom Patrol, and in cameos most of the DCU! I also loved the reveal at the end at who was financing the team.
And beautiful Kitson art was icing on the cake."
66. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World
by Jack Kirby and others
originally published in: New Gods 1-11, Forever People 1-11, Mr. Miracle 1-18; Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen 133-139, 141-148, 150; New Gods (Baxter) #6, Hunger Dogs OGN (1971-1985)
Nominated by: @mrp , shaxper , coke & comics , and Paste Pot Paul (voting for New Gods 1-121)
65. The Fall of Hank Pym
by Jim Shooter, Steve Grant, Dave Micheline, Alan Zelentz, Roger Stern, Gene Colan, Alan Kupperberg, Bob Hall, Alan Weiss, Don Perlin, Greg Laroque, Sal Buscema, Alan Milgrom. There were an army of inkers but the names that I mostly saw in the credits were Dan Green, Brett Breeding, and Joe Sinnott
originally published in: Avengers # 211-230 (1981-1983)
Nominated by: Icctrombone and Crimebuster
Icctrombone writes, "When I started to read comics back in the late 60’s , My team and my heroes were the original Avengers. The founding 5 were all great to me but I always had an attachment to Giant-man/ Hank Pym. I never saw him as weak or inferior, I saw him as one of the equal members of the assemblers and a powerhouse in his own right. Add to that, his scientific knowledge and the great storylines that he was a part of, and I always enjoyed seeing him in the book. Along comes issue #211 the return of Jim Shooter to the book and things are about to change.
That book is a recruitment drive book of which the Avengers have from time to time and it was a fun book weeding out the heroes that wanted to stay and leave. When the dust clears ,the founding 5 plus Tigra are left. There’s a seemingly throw away line in that issue where Hank says that his research is going nowhere. This will loom large in the following issues.
Starting with the next issue we see that Hank is a troubled man that is angry and has resentment. This is a new one for me. On several occasions he lashes out to the others about his place in the team and the respect he’s not getting. It Turns out he feels inferior and has something to prove, but it goes all wrong when he attacks an opponent that stopped fighting , while in his first mission back, and reignites the conflict. The following issue has him undergoing a court marshal for those events but , in his paranoia, he feels he’s going to be kicked out of the team and he builds a robot to attack them during the hearing so he could save the day. Jan finds out what he’s planning and tries to stop him and then what happens next is the slap heard around the world.
Of course the hearing goes badly as a unhinged Pym raves like a nutjob and when the Avengers see that Jan has been given a black eye, he unleashes the robot. No one is able to subdue the adamantium creature and even Hank is blacking out from the onslaught until Jan saves them all by hitting the off switch which was built into the robot. A disgraced Pym leaves and thus starts the nightmare for poor Hank. Jan divorces him, He’s jailed for stupidly trusting a former villain and all the while, the rest of the Avengers are heart broken and don’t really know what to do.
Despite this run having a revolving door of creative teams, I couldn’t wait for the next months issues. From June 1981 to January 1983 these were the people that worked on the title:
Writers- Jim Shooter, Steve Grant, Dave Micheline, Alan Zelentz, Roger Stern.
Artists- Gene Colan, Alan Kupperberg, Bob Hall, Alan Weiss, Don Perlin, Greg Laroque, Sal Buscema, Alan Milgrom. There were an army of inkers but the names that I mostly saw in the credits were Dan Green, Brett Breeding and Joe Sinnott.
I dare say that most of the picks in this years 100 best sagas have great creative teams that stayed on for the entire run, so despite the army of people on this story, I loved it and still seek it out every few years.
62 (tie). Tales of Colossus
by Mark Andrews
originally published in: Tales of Colossus OGN (2006)
Nominated by: Arthur Gordon Scratch
Arthur Gordon Scratch writes, "My relationship with this story began with a 1998 comic called Loud Cannoli published by the great artist Scott Morse.
A knight, whose soul is trapped inside a metal monster called Colossus, lives out an immortal existence slaying evil creatures. Until one day a twisted, evil paladin wielding enchanted weapons arrives in the Kingdom with his own agenda. Their paths cross in a steel pounding, armor glinting no holds barred battle that will change a Kingdom forever."
I purchased it because Scott Morse was a very singular voices back then, one that I grew deeply fond of, bringing animation sensibilities qiute apart from those we grew acustomed in the 80ies. This little one off featured a back-up story by comic newcomer Mark Andrews. This unknown talent went on to become director and screenwriter of the 2012 Pixar feature film Brave. He was the story supervisor for The Incredibles, Ratatouille, directed the short film One Man Band and co-wrote the short films Jack-Jack Attack and One Man Band. He also wrote and directed for the second unit of the John Carter movie amongst other things.
Andrews studied animation at the Character Animation Program at CalArts. He is also considered to be Brad Bird's "right-hand man". Some of his student films have been featured at MOMA's exhibition TOMORROWLAND: CalArts in Moving Pictures. Unlike most other CalArts alumni, he was not a huge fan of Disney films, and claimed he was a bigger fan of anime such as Kimba the White Lion, Speed Racer, and Robotech.
So when I purchased this little comic, I had no idea I had in my hands the pure creativity of a future titan, but it still made a huge impact on me, since in the few pages it contained, it made me care for an emotionless creature. Andrews went on to expand that story in 2000 into an 90+ pages graphic novel, but I'm now talking about the revised 2006 edition which is now 180+ pages of story plus bonuses, and really feels like a whole saga.
Beyond the lenght, there was a crucial difference between both versions though, the fact that he completely redrew it, and went full digital :
"I dont know how many comicbook artists use the computer these days but thats all i used in creating this graphic novel. i use the computer all the time to do my work. Its true I've left the pencil and the comfort of paper behind but what I've lost is more than made for in flexability.
I work only with photoshop and I draw on a wacom cintiq ( its the kind you can draw right on the screen) most people ask me if there is any lag? The answer is NO! not really . If I draw really fast there is but it doesn't change how you draw. the cool thing about it is I never have to erase, you just grab it and delet, perfect, no smudges. I can also get as close to my drawing as I want without getting close, no more bending over the table. Saves the eyes. There are many more benifits that well out way what I miss about paper and pencil. Ah well Im a tech convert.
Not to say that classical illustration will be left in the dust.... no way... drawing in the classical way or even painting gives you a foundation that is priceless.
anyway enough rambling. I did the whole comic on the computer because it was fast and gave me way more flexability and control. the pages below will explain in a simple way how I did it."
The story is kinetic and yet deeply emotional, moves around quickly without loosing time in "poseur" panels, it's a little rough on the edges, but that's what you get from this very very busy man who hasn't (to the better of my knowledge) contributed more to comics since then.
If I was to pitch it to you, I'd say it is Games Of Throne meets The Iron Giant, but that might do it a dis-service since this is a unique and original piece of work that I urge you to loose yourself in."
62 (tie). Daredevil #353-365
by Karl Kesel, Cary Nord, and Matt Ryan (with Joe Kelly and Gene Colan)
originally published in: Daredevil #353-365 (1996-1997)
Nominated by: md62
Michael James writes, "This one probably won't be on anyone else's list. But I consider it a vastly under rated run on DD that is worthy to be put here. With this run Kesel skipped the version of Matt marred by tragedy & gave us back the scarlet swashbuckler. It was a return to the more classic DD instead of another copy of Frank Miller's version.
Matt was with Karen & happy. Foggy was written as a worthy best friend to Matt. Kesel introduced Rosalind Sharpe (Foggy's Mom). The action as DD was balanced with Matt's personal life & Kesel wrote that part so well. DD's life as Matt was just as interesting as his time spent as DD. The writing was superb. Now add beautiful art by Cary Nord. He drew normal people so well. Today's artists can't seem to do that anymore. His DD looked & moved like a gymnast.
This run was fun. It had everything that I love about comics in it."
62 (tie). Age of Reptiles: Tribal Warfare
by Richard Delgado
originally published in: Age of Reptiles #1-4 (1993)
Nominated by: thwhtguardian
thwhtguardian writes, "Silent comics are really difficult to pull off well. They’ve got a lot going against them. Exactly half of the linguistic repertoire being forbidden, the creator is forced to rely wholly upon visual language for all exposition. When characters cannot exposit their own motives to the reader, they must rely on illustrated cues to make their purposes, intents, reasons, and passions both knowable and then known. And as difficult as that sounds, the requirement upon the artist of these characters is phenomenal. Not only does the artist have to reliably draw characters recognizably and convey story through panel-to-panel storytelling transitions (as is the case even in comics featuring dialogue and narration), but beyond this, the artist must be able to convey all those burdens generally carried by the writer of words. Personality. Interaction. Interrogative. Exclamation. Thought. Emotion. Reaction. Success in these tasks takes the hand of a master...and here Richard Delgado does it all, and he does it without once relying on anthropomorphizing the dinosaurs in order to better convey complex human emotions. My favorite element though has to be his mastery of pacing."
61. Top Ten
by Alan Moore, Gene Ha and Zander Cannon
originally published in: Top Ten #1-12 (1999-2001)
Nominated by: hondobrode, Icctrombone, Crimebuster, and coke & comics
hondobrode writes, "Welcome to Neopolis where everyone has super powers. I’m so crazy about this series. It only ran 12 issues and I’m not sure if that was intentional or not, but it reads like a maxi-series. It kind of feels like the Legion of Super-Heroes vibe 1,000 years in the future, which is a good thing. There’s not just super-science but magic and mythology as well. How would you police such a world? That’s what this story is all about.
My all-time favorite tv show is Hill Street Blues and this feels a lot like that excellent series from a character standpoint. It’s also loaded with tons Easter eggs making it even more fun. "
#90-81
#100-91
Jack Kirby's Fourth World sets the record as the highest ranking nominee to make the list on honorable mentions alone. Apparently, lots of people love it, but no one loved it enough to put it in their personal top ten. Meanwhile, the ties continue to get better as lone vote nominees dwindle higher up on the list. And if you find it funny that there's a two-way tie at the #69 spot, then 1) grow up, and 2) I should grow up too.
#70-61
69 (tie). Ronin
by Frank Miller
originally published in: Ronin #1-6 (1983-1984)
Nominated by: Arthur Gordon Scratch and coke & comics
Arthur Gordon Scratch says, "This is probably my favorite work from Miller. This tale spans through centuries, mix the best of US comics and mangas, and has Miller stretch his muscles like never since or before. It also has a great conclusion, and great re-read value.
When I first read it, I can guarantee it went in directions I never expected : this is not Miller's take on Lone Wolf and Cub, as it is a 100% original story, and probably what you'd have expected from Miller if he was a Heavy Metal creator, and one of the top 3 ever for the matter. Dirty Sci-Fi crossing over to other genres, resulting in one of the most important american comic books of the 80ies, cetrainly one of the most influential outside the US.
I know that people mostly celebrate his DKR, Sin City and Daredevil, but this is IMHO where Miller peaked, where he was the most ambitious in his storytelling, and where Lynn Varley and him essentially became one."
69 (tie). Batman: Knightfall
by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, Alan Grant, and others
originally published in: Batman #492-500 and Detective Comics #656-666 (1993)
Nominated by: sunofdarkchild and coke & comics
Sun of Dark Child writes, "Not every great work needs to be profound. Sometimes all the audience needs is a blockbuster with popcorn action, like the Avengers movie or the original Star Wars. Knightfall is perhaps the quintessential comicbook blockbuster. It has all the villains, with Bane beginning his assault by staging a mass breakout from Arkham. It is practically nonstop action. Bane was a great new villain at the time, who was very intelligent, unlike Doomsday. Most importantly, it is fun. Like another storyline later on my list, DC has tried to copy this story far too often and it never has the same effect. But none of that takes away from the enjoyment of the original story. Pass the popcorn."
67 (tie). Uncle Scrooge: The Andes Saga
by Carl Barks and Don Rosa
originally published in: Four Color Comics #223 (1949), Uncle Scrooge #219 (1987), Donald Duck Adventures #12 (1989)
Nominated by: Arthur Gordon Scratch
Arthur Gordon Scratch writes, "The various trips to "Plain Awful", the lost city of the squarry people of the Andes.
I first read the original in its swedish original March 1963 publication in Kalle Anka (aka Donald Duck, published on a weekly basis since 1948 to this day!) that my mother purchased then when a kid. This was during a summer holiday spent away from my native France, the last part of it when all the ohter local kids were back to school and I had no one to play with anymore but my imagination (School starts and ends one month earlier in Sweden). It would be an understatement to say that my imagination was indeed taken to unknown territories upon reading this Barks masterwerk!
This story had such an impact on its readers that in the mid eighties, Don Rosa decided to revisit it, and I was lucky enough to have my great aunt get me a subscription all the way to France to Kalle Anka & Co so that I could learn swedish properly but still enjoy the process. So I discovered "The Son of the Sun" in 1987 as it was published (you have to remember that Don Rosa had a special relationship with Scandinavia!), and boy was I in for a treat getting this chapter at the same age my mom got the first one. Sure, we didn't get to Plain Awfull this time, but it was great and paved the way for the final chapter.
Rosa would indeed take a final trip there two years later with "Return to Plain Awful", which is an absolute homage to the original story, and my favorite favorite chapter of the Rosa ones, if not of all, as it gets more poetic and more tragi-comical than ever.
All in all, over the years, I've somewhat tired of Rosa's ar and much favor the "simpler" Barks style, but his stories are at least on the same level, which makes those three chapter quite homogenous, and one of the best trips comics ever took me along."
67 (tie). JLA: Year One
by Mark Waid, Brian Augustyn, Barry Kitson, and Michael Bair.
originally published in: JLA: Year One #1-12 (1998)
Nominated by: md62
Michael James writes, "I have been reading for 50+ years. In that time DC & Marvel have rebooted their series multiple times (especially in the last 30 years). These Year One series have become a favorite of mine filling in backstory & fine tuning/updating a new origin for a character or team.
This one has been one I have re-read multiple times. It switches Black Canary for Wonder Woman as a JLA founder but done to great affect. Not only does it show the foundation of the JLA but Waid/Augustyn manage to throw in Superman, Batman, the JSA, the Doom Patrol, and in cameos most of the DCU! I also loved the reveal at the end at who was financing the team.
And beautiful Kitson art was icing on the cake."
66. Jack Kirby’s Fourth World
by Jack Kirby and others
originally published in: New Gods 1-11, Forever People 1-11, Mr. Miracle 1-18; Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen 133-139, 141-148, 150; New Gods (Baxter) #6, Hunger Dogs OGN (1971-1985)
Nominated by: @mrp , shaxper , coke & comics , and Paste Pot Paul (voting for New Gods 1-121)
65. The Fall of Hank Pym
by Jim Shooter, Steve Grant, Dave Micheline, Alan Zelentz, Roger Stern, Gene Colan, Alan Kupperberg, Bob Hall, Alan Weiss, Don Perlin, Greg Laroque, Sal Buscema, Alan Milgrom. There were an army of inkers but the names that I mostly saw in the credits were Dan Green, Brett Breeding, and Joe Sinnott
originally published in: Avengers # 211-230 (1981-1983)
Nominated by: Icctrombone and Crimebuster
Icctrombone writes, "When I started to read comics back in the late 60’s , My team and my heroes were the original Avengers. The founding 5 were all great to me but I always had an attachment to Giant-man/ Hank Pym. I never saw him as weak or inferior, I saw him as one of the equal members of the assemblers and a powerhouse in his own right. Add to that, his scientific knowledge and the great storylines that he was a part of, and I always enjoyed seeing him in the book. Along comes issue #211 the return of Jim Shooter to the book and things are about to change.
That book is a recruitment drive book of which the Avengers have from time to time and it was a fun book weeding out the heroes that wanted to stay and leave. When the dust clears ,the founding 5 plus Tigra are left. There’s a seemingly throw away line in that issue where Hank says that his research is going nowhere. This will loom large in the following issues.
Starting with the next issue we see that Hank is a troubled man that is angry and has resentment. This is a new one for me. On several occasions he lashes out to the others about his place in the team and the respect he’s not getting. It Turns out he feels inferior and has something to prove, but it goes all wrong when he attacks an opponent that stopped fighting , while in his first mission back, and reignites the conflict. The following issue has him undergoing a court marshal for those events but , in his paranoia, he feels he’s going to be kicked out of the team and he builds a robot to attack them during the hearing so he could save the day. Jan finds out what he’s planning and tries to stop him and then what happens next is the slap heard around the world.
Of course the hearing goes badly as a unhinged Pym raves like a nutjob and when the Avengers see that Jan has been given a black eye, he unleashes the robot. No one is able to subdue the adamantium creature and even Hank is blacking out from the onslaught until Jan saves them all by hitting the off switch which was built into the robot. A disgraced Pym leaves and thus starts the nightmare for poor Hank. Jan divorces him, He’s jailed for stupidly trusting a former villain and all the while, the rest of the Avengers are heart broken and don’t really know what to do.
Despite this run having a revolving door of creative teams, I couldn’t wait for the next months issues. From June 1981 to January 1983 these were the people that worked on the title:
Writers- Jim Shooter, Steve Grant, Dave Micheline, Alan Zelentz, Roger Stern.
Artists- Gene Colan, Alan Kupperberg, Bob Hall, Alan Weiss, Don Perlin, Greg Laroque, Sal Buscema, Alan Milgrom. There were an army of inkers but the names that I mostly saw in the credits were Dan Green, Brett Breeding and Joe Sinnott.
I dare say that most of the picks in this years 100 best sagas have great creative teams that stayed on for the entire run, so despite the army of people on this story, I loved it and still seek it out every few years.
62 (tie). Tales of Colossus
by Mark Andrews
originally published in: Tales of Colossus OGN (2006)
Nominated by: Arthur Gordon Scratch
Arthur Gordon Scratch writes, "My relationship with this story began with a 1998 comic called Loud Cannoli published by the great artist Scott Morse.
A knight, whose soul is trapped inside a metal monster called Colossus, lives out an immortal existence slaying evil creatures. Until one day a twisted, evil paladin wielding enchanted weapons arrives in the Kingdom with his own agenda. Their paths cross in a steel pounding, armor glinting no holds barred battle that will change a Kingdom forever."
I purchased it because Scott Morse was a very singular voices back then, one that I grew deeply fond of, bringing animation sensibilities qiute apart from those we grew acustomed in the 80ies. This little one off featured a back-up story by comic newcomer Mark Andrews. This unknown talent went on to become director and screenwriter of the 2012 Pixar feature film Brave. He was the story supervisor for The Incredibles, Ratatouille, directed the short film One Man Band and co-wrote the short films Jack-Jack Attack and One Man Band. He also wrote and directed for the second unit of the John Carter movie amongst other things.
Andrews studied animation at the Character Animation Program at CalArts. He is also considered to be Brad Bird's "right-hand man". Some of his student films have been featured at MOMA's exhibition TOMORROWLAND: CalArts in Moving Pictures. Unlike most other CalArts alumni, he was not a huge fan of Disney films, and claimed he was a bigger fan of anime such as Kimba the White Lion, Speed Racer, and Robotech.
So when I purchased this little comic, I had no idea I had in my hands the pure creativity of a future titan, but it still made a huge impact on me, since in the few pages it contained, it made me care for an emotionless creature. Andrews went on to expand that story in 2000 into an 90+ pages graphic novel, but I'm now talking about the revised 2006 edition which is now 180+ pages of story plus bonuses, and really feels like a whole saga.
Beyond the lenght, there was a crucial difference between both versions though, the fact that he completely redrew it, and went full digital :
"I dont know how many comicbook artists use the computer these days but thats all i used in creating this graphic novel. i use the computer all the time to do my work. Its true I've left the pencil and the comfort of paper behind but what I've lost is more than made for in flexability.
I work only with photoshop and I draw on a wacom cintiq ( its the kind you can draw right on the screen) most people ask me if there is any lag? The answer is NO! not really . If I draw really fast there is but it doesn't change how you draw. the cool thing about it is I never have to erase, you just grab it and delet, perfect, no smudges. I can also get as close to my drawing as I want without getting close, no more bending over the table. Saves the eyes. There are many more benifits that well out way what I miss about paper and pencil. Ah well Im a tech convert.
Not to say that classical illustration will be left in the dust.... no way... drawing in the classical way or even painting gives you a foundation that is priceless.
anyway enough rambling. I did the whole comic on the computer because it was fast and gave me way more flexability and control. the pages below will explain in a simple way how I did it."
The story is kinetic and yet deeply emotional, moves around quickly without loosing time in "poseur" panels, it's a little rough on the edges, but that's what you get from this very very busy man who hasn't (to the better of my knowledge) contributed more to comics since then.
If I was to pitch it to you, I'd say it is Games Of Throne meets The Iron Giant, but that might do it a dis-service since this is a unique and original piece of work that I urge you to loose yourself in."
62 (tie). Daredevil #353-365
by Karl Kesel, Cary Nord, and Matt Ryan (with Joe Kelly and Gene Colan)
originally published in: Daredevil #353-365 (1996-1997)
Nominated by: md62
Michael James writes, "This one probably won't be on anyone else's list. But I consider it a vastly under rated run on DD that is worthy to be put here. With this run Kesel skipped the version of Matt marred by tragedy & gave us back the scarlet swashbuckler. It was a return to the more classic DD instead of another copy of Frank Miller's version.
Matt was with Karen & happy. Foggy was written as a worthy best friend to Matt. Kesel introduced Rosalind Sharpe (Foggy's Mom). The action as DD was balanced with Matt's personal life & Kesel wrote that part so well. DD's life as Matt was just as interesting as his time spent as DD. The writing was superb. Now add beautiful art by Cary Nord. He drew normal people so well. Today's artists can't seem to do that anymore. His DD looked & moved like a gymnast.
This run was fun. It had everything that I love about comics in it."
62 (tie). Age of Reptiles: Tribal Warfare
by Richard Delgado
originally published in: Age of Reptiles #1-4 (1993)
Nominated by: thwhtguardian
thwhtguardian writes, "Silent comics are really difficult to pull off well. They’ve got a lot going against them. Exactly half of the linguistic repertoire being forbidden, the creator is forced to rely wholly upon visual language for all exposition. When characters cannot exposit their own motives to the reader, they must rely on illustrated cues to make their purposes, intents, reasons, and passions both knowable and then known. And as difficult as that sounds, the requirement upon the artist of these characters is phenomenal. Not only does the artist have to reliably draw characters recognizably and convey story through panel-to-panel storytelling transitions (as is the case even in comics featuring dialogue and narration), but beyond this, the artist must be able to convey all those burdens generally carried by the writer of words. Personality. Interaction. Interrogative. Exclamation. Thought. Emotion. Reaction. Success in these tasks takes the hand of a master...and here Richard Delgado does it all, and he does it without once relying on anthropomorphizing the dinosaurs in order to better convey complex human emotions. My favorite element though has to be his mastery of pacing."
61. Top Ten
by Alan Moore, Gene Ha and Zander Cannon
originally published in: Top Ten #1-12 (1999-2001)
Nominated by: hondobrode, Icctrombone, Crimebuster, and coke & comics
hondobrode writes, "Welcome to Neopolis where everyone has super powers. I’m so crazy about this series. It only ran 12 issues and I’m not sure if that was intentional or not, but it reads like a maxi-series. It kind of feels like the Legion of Super-Heroes vibe 1,000 years in the future, which is a good thing. There’s not just super-science but magic and mythology as well. How would you police such a world? That’s what this story is all about.
My all-time favorite tv show is Hill Street Blues and this feels a lot like that excellent series from a character standpoint. It’s also loaded with tons Easter eggs making it even more fun. "
