Top 5 Story Arcs
Russell Sellers
5. “Lights Out” Green Lantern
The new creative teams for the Green Lantern family of titles had a hard enough task in following the legendary run of Geoff Johns, but to build up to a four-title crossover event in just a handful of issues into the run wasn’t doing themselves any favors. Luckily, it was a pretty awesome build up and event.
Revealing that the use of the emotional spectrum as a means of policing the universe was actually depleting the very essence of life from everything in said universe was a great twist on the mythos! And new villain, Relic, being the last survivor of the previous universe that was destroyed by its “light smiths” was equally awesome. The end of the story also brought up some deeper philosophical questions about the use of power and who has the right to judge what’s good and what isn’t. And it puts Hal Jordan in the unenviable position of having to lead the entire Green Lantern Corps as the former Guardians of the Universe are now all dead.
The whole thing did get wrapped up a little too quickly at the end, but the larger questions still remain and are having far-reaching effects on all the titles. That’s what any good event should do…along with flowing almost seamlessly between the individual titles. That’s freakin’ teamwork!
4. “My Own Worst Enemy” Superior Spider-Man
When Peter Parker died at the end of Amazing Spider-Man #700 I may have shed a tear or two (thousand). He was the first superhero I ever cared about. He was the reason I started reading comics in the first place. And now Doc Ock was running around in his body?!? What in the fresh hell is this?!?
What it was; was awesome! Dan Slot, the evil genius, found a way to breathe new life into a character who was on his way to being irreparably stale. The first story arc of Superior Spider-Man turned an otherwise predictable character into one of the single most fun and unpredictable titles gracing the shelves today. And the very capable, often gorgeous, line work of Ryan Stegman didn’t hurt anything, either.
If you’ve been hesitant (or an open hater) about this idea, you can stop now. This title is outstanding and has made this long time (going on 24 years now) fan happier than he’s been in very long time.
3. Dust Bunny
There’s just something about a good black and white, noir detective story that gets to me. I love a good mystery, but even more so, I love good characters. Brett Brooks’ limited release debut original graphic novel gave me both of these things.
Taking place in the basement of what’s probably an abandoned building, Brooks transports readers to a world unseen by us humans. It’s the world of Basement City and the best part is how it all feels incredibly real. The best noir stories are the ones where the setting feels like a supporting character. This is one of the best. It’s that setting that actually gives life to many of the books characters, in fact. As a murder mystery, this one takes a lot of crazy twists and turns on its way to a great ending. You might be able to see who the bad guy is long before it gets to the end, but discovering the truth about him and our Eddie Valiant-meets-Humphrey Bogart title character is what will keep you intrigued. Not to mention one of the coolest supporting casts ever penned. This one brings the procedural feel of Law and Order mixed with the zaniness of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
After selling completely out of his Kickstarter-funded edition, Brooks has just signed a publishing deal with Rocket Press Publishing, so a new printing of Dust Bunny will hit shelves around spring of 2014. It’ll be well-worth your time and money.
2. Trinity War/Forever Evil
DC’s New 52 kicked off with a lot of promise in 2011 but a lot of people have wondered just what was it all building toward. Now we know and the wait has been well worth it.
Geoff Johns should never be doubted when he says he has a plan. Trinity War was teased for over a year and while a lot of us expected just another knock-down-drag-out fight between heroes (see also tropes that are played out) what we got was a great precursor to one of the best event books since Johns’ Infinite Crisis. Introducing the Crime Syndicate from Earth 3 and continuously hinting at a much bigger picture than we’re seeing has turned this into one of the most exhilarating comic book events this year. The Earth 3 universe is in direct opposition to the main Earth and it’s the stuff of nightmares. And now that the CS has seemingly knocked off the Justice League it’s up to Lex Luthor and a band of villains to fight against the Syndicate’s rule of Earth. But the CS didn’t come to the main Earth to simply conquer. They’re running from whatever it was that destroyed their Earth. As it turns out, it wasn’t them and they’re afraid of whatever it was.
Major things are always happening in this story and as it heads toward the conclusion in March 2014, there’s plenty more to come. But what I love most is how each member of the Syndicate has a detailed backstory that gives them more depth than simply being the bad guys. They’re so well realized that it might even be fun to have a Crime Syndicate title. Even though this story isn’t over yet, as it passes the halfway point this month, it’s already cemented its place as one of the best in DC’s library. Even the tie-ins (and they are many) have been fun on their own. This is the kind of thing DC does best.
1. “Zero Year” Batman
Why have another version of Batman’s origin? The answer is two-fold: Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. These two have given us a Batman series for the ages. Everything that makes the character great has been on display since this series re-launched in 2011.
Zero Year takes us back six years to when the world was first learning about superheroes and Bruce Wayne first decided to fight the corruption and crime in Gotham City. From there we get one of the craziest rides Batman has ever been on. From the hints about the future of the original Red Hood to the New 52 origin of The Riddler to Bruce discovering his family’s ties to Gotham’s history it’s just one crazy happening after another. Capullo’s art is as expressive as ever. His Gotham City feels alive and when the action picks up, he never goes for the conventional. His layouts and ideas push the title to heights it hasn’t seen in years. And Snyder’s ideas about how a young Batman would handle his mission show a young hero who makes plenty of mistakes but also learns from them and applies the lessons. Not to mention the sharp dialog with minimal exposition to keep things constantly pushing forward.
Comparing this to Frank Miller’s Year One is inevitable, but also unfair. They’re two totally different stories in different continuities. The main character is very similar, but this story is as much about Gotham as it is about Bruce. That’s what sets this one apart from the other Batman origin stories. This goes so far beyond origin. This shows the progress of the hero instead of building to it and stopping. And if this one ends as well as it has progressed, it’ll join the ranks of stories like Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Hush, Knightfall and, of course, Year One as one of the absolute essential Batman stories.
Nick Duke
5. Forever Evil
I debated with myself over whether or not stories still in progress merited consideration for this list, and I wound up deciding that there are two that certainly do. Since they’re still in the making, I’m placing them both at the end of my list. The first of those is Forever Evil, DC’s first company-wide crossover since the start of the New 52. It always helps company-wide events to have a writer who has a firm grasp on where each character fits in and how they all relate, and Forever Evil certainly has that in DC guru Geoff Johns. His characterization of Lex Luthor and his reinvention of Earth-3 and the Crime Syndicate are the real strong points here, especially how intriguing he’s been able to make Owlman, Ultraman and Power Ring. The book may focus on villains, but the book actually has given Nightwing one of the more interesting character developments in recent comics history. Here’s hoping it sticks in 2014 and well into the future, as I think it opens up worlds of storytelling possibilities.
4. Batman: Zero Year
I’ll admit, I was one of the people who didn’t quite understand the need for a story like Zero Year when it was first announced. The influence of Frank Miller’s Year One was obvious in Scott Snyder’s Batman work, and Snyder himself had openly talked about how much love he had for the story. So, when it was announced that Snyder would be retelling the origin of Batman, a lot of people were confused and concerned. Snyder alleviated those concerns pretty quickly, however, with Batman #21, the opening chapter of Zero Year. Quickly, the reader understands that this isn’t Year One and it doesn’t really care to retread Miller’s story. As the story goes on, however, it does draw inspiration from Year One at appropriate moments and other key moments from the long history of Bat-publications without ever feeling like a direct re-telling or lazy copy. Zero Year still has a ways to go, but I can easily see it taking a place alongside Year One as a nearly flawless origin story.
3. Green Lantern: Wrath of the First Lantern
If Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern “trilogy” of Rebirth, Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night were all about the redemption and return of Hal Jordan, then it can be argued that the New 52 volume of Green Lantern was the story of the return to the Green Lantern Corps and redemption of Thaal Sinestro. The Guardians are finally revealed to have been true villains, with them accidentally unleashing the reality-altering power of Volthoom, the First Lantern. While Volthoom himself may not have been the strongest villain in Johns’ iconic GL run, the interactions here between Sinestro and Hal are as great as ever, if not greater. Throw in quality tie-ins from the three other Lantern books and you’ve got a recipe for a very good story. However, this story is kicked up a notch from very good to great with the addition of Green Lantern #20, one of the most bittersweetly satisfying single issues I’ve ever read. Johns goes out on a high note with memorable emotional moment after memorable emotional moment. It may not hit the heights of Sinestro Corps War or Blackest Night, but Johns’ swan song is another great effort from comics’ best writer going.
2. Batman: Death of the Family
While some people were ultimately disappointed with DOTF and its lack of earth-shattering change or character deaths, I was not one of those people. It’s a slower, more psychological story, to be sure, but it’s one that I’ll remember for years to come. Snyder has proven himself to be a master of the Bat-universe with his additions such as the Court of Owls and James Gordon Jr., but this was his first real pass at writing the Joker. His Joker is different from other writers’ version of the character, but it’s a version that finds the right balance of humor, insanity and terror. The last issue sees Bruce left with a splintered family, and leaves readers wondering if maybe the Joker really had a point all along. Any book that can do that earns high marks from me.
1. Thor: God of Thunder: Godbomb
In case you haven’t picked up on it yet, I’m a real big fan of the work Jason Aaron is doing with the God of Thunder. Walt Simonson has long held the title of best Thor writer, but Jason Aaron is closing on his heels fast. And if Thor’s 2014 is anything like his 2013, Aaron may be ahead of Simonson in may book by this time next year. In Godbomb, Aaron follows up on the initial GOT arc that saw the introduction of Gorr the God-Butcher and the concept of the three Thors. We get to see Gorr’s power approach even the mightiest of the Gods, and a world he has built for himself in his own image. Where the book really excels, however, is the use of the Thors three. While it would be very easy to make three different versions of a character nearly identical, Aaron provides each Thor with his own voice, motivation and character arc, making the interactions between the three perhaps the best and most compelling part of the story. The conclusion is satisfactory, as Gorr’s lust for power ultimately proves to be his undoing. We’re not that far into this run, but it’s clear that Jason Aaron just “gets” Thor, and I can’t wait to see where we go in the next few years.
Greg Phillips
5. World’s Most Dangerous (Justice League of America)
A story of how a team of totally different individuals is brought together by people in power who may or may not have the country’s best interests at heart. And a damn good one at that.
4. Secret City (Batman)
The first part of Zero Year, “Secret City” focused on Bruce Wayne’s quest to take down the Red Hood Gang while figuring out what he truly needed to become in order to achieve his mission. Of note is a stellar new take on the iconic moment when Bruce realizes he must become The Bat.
3. Wrath of the First Lantern (Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Red Lanterns, Green Lantern: New Guardians)
Geoff Johns’ final Green Lantern storyline was a doozy. But it wasn’t just the main GL title that delivered here. The tie-ins matched Johns every step of the way. Tony Bedard’s New Guardians, in particular, stepped up its game during this event.
2. Death of the Family (Batman, Nightwing, etc.)
Sure, it’s kind of cheating, since the event started in 2012. But Scott Snyder’s first true Joker story wrapped up this year with some of the most compelling issues of his entire run. This is the biggest Joker story of the last decade, and it’s one that’s sure to have people talking for generations to come.
1. Trinity War (Justice League, Justice League of America, Justice League Dark)
Johns had been sowing the seeds for this event since the beginning of the New 52, and while his Justice League title sputtered at times in the beginning of his run, this represented the full realization of the book’s potential. From beginning to end, this event stayed action-packed and suspenseful, and it set the stage for what could be next year’s top story, “Forever Evil.”
Todd Weber
5. Trinity War/Forever Evil/Villains Month
This Geoff Johns-scribed saga that started in “Justice League” but eventually tied-in to all the main DC books is a classic crossover that I think will eventually go down as a worthy successor to “Identity Crisis” as the best modern DC company-wide event comic. Not all of the villain-themed one shots that came out were great, but they certainly helped flesh out the story of Crime Syndicate’s attempt to unify the bad guys of the DC universe.
4. X-Men: Battle of the Atom
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more complicated in Marvel’s X-books, this massive crossover featured yet another team of X-Men from another time trying to fix things. This time, however, the team was made up of future X-Men. This crossover was really fun, and the All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men issues showcased why Brian Michael Bendis is such a well-regarded writer: his use of dialogue to flesh out characters is second to none.
3. Thor: God of Thunder: Godbomb
A storytelling tour-de-force from Jason Aaron and artist Essad Ribic, “Godbomb” shone brightly by showcasing three Thors from different points in history working as allies. Marvel’s Thor and Avengers films have raised the god of thunder’s profile, and Aaron’s handling of the character has been up to the task (and never more so than in “Godbomb”). High drama, intense action and bold characterization were all on display throughout, and each version of Thor was a completely different voice. This was just outstanding stuff.
2. All-New X-Men/Indestructible Hulk/Superior Spider-man: Arms of the Octopus
This came out of nowhere for me, but really reminded me of my salad days as a Marvel loyalist. Another story featuring time-travel, this series of specials written by Mike Costa and drawn by Kris Anka had crazy 70’s Doctor Octopus (who strangely resembles present-day Elton John) battling his present self (whose consciousness is, as you may know, currently in control of the body of our friendly neighborhood Peter Parker). All three of the comics that comprised this tale were top-notch, and the art was excellent. This story was a ton of fun and is worth checking out, even though it flew under the radar of higher-profile Marvel crossovers “Infinity” and “Battle of the Atom”.
1. Batman: Zero Year
An absolutely mind-blowing take on Bruce Wayne’s return to Gotham City and his decision to don the cowl, Zero Year proves that a good writer can find good stories even in the most plowed—over ground. Seriously, how many Batman origin stories have we been exposed to over the years (in different mediums) and yet this one is bringing fresh ideas with every issue. Zero Year is still going on, but every single issue has been strong and this is going to be an all-time classic for your collected edition bookshelf.