Hope everyone has been having a great holiday season!
The year is almost over and with 2010 just hours away all of the comic book companies have already revealed some of their plans for 2010. With so many different announcements that have been made by the various comic book companies there looks to be a lot of big things happening in the world of comics in 2010. Because of that I asked the guys here at the Revolution to put together a top 5 things they are most looking forward to in the coming year, in no particular order.
Jim
1. Paul Levitz writing the Legion of Super-Heroes.
Levitz has written some of my favorite stories on one of my favorite series. I recently was in a discussion where I had trouble deciding between Shooter and Levitz as my favorite Legion writer. If he is teamed with the right artist and can bring back some of the magic he had previously, this could be my favorite book of the year. It seems like DC is supporting his return more than they did Shooter's return to the book.
2. Jim Shooter writing Magnus, etc.
Another favorite of mine was the original Valiant books written by Jim Shooter. I fully expect this to be a quality relaunch when Dark Horse starts publishing the new version. If these are close to the Valiant books in writing, art, etc. I will be thrilled.
3. Marv Wolfman/George Perez Teen Titans graphic novel-Games.
The team of Wolfman and Perez produced one of the all time classic series on Titans. From the introduction of the new team through the Judas Contract, Titans was a must read book. This book has been years in the making but sounds like it will finally happen this year.
4. Return of Bruce Wayne by Grant Morrison
Morrison is another favorite of mine. His stories don't always make sense when you first read them but when the story is finished I can see what I missed when I read it. I always enjoy trying to understand where he is going. I prefer the down to earth Batman stories but it is fun to read the science fiction stories occasionally. This is a side of Batman that is rarely seen today.
5. Matt Fraction writing Thor.
I have been disappointed by much of Fraction's work at Marvel. Based on comments he made when this was announced, I am looking forward to what he has planned for this book. It sounds like he is returning to the Walt Simonson type of stories. Simonson's Thor was amazing. I look forward to a return to the cosmic adventures done by Simonson. I think this pick will surprise our regular readers but I am willing to give Fraction a chance on this title.
Austin
1. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol 3: Century - Ch. 2 Paint it Black by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill
There is entirely not enough LoXG in the universe. This kaleidoscopic retro-futuristic recombinant story blows by way too fast in its beautiful nine-panel grid melodies. I will always welcome more of Moore and O'Neill. The new format of longer and more self-contained chapters suits Moore's intricate stories and rich subtext and O'Neill's addictive clarity. As the plots timeline catches up to our own it will be interesting to see the referential elements resonate with contemporary works.
2. The rest of Daytripper by Moon and Ba
A quiet grenade for your eyes. The artistwriters seamlessly integrate styles and generate slices of life that set fire to things. They are sweet and brutal simultaneously like licorice armed with a knife.
3. Freakangels continuing by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield
Ellis and Duffield generously crank out the ensemble sci-fi drama for free every Friday on their website. Periodically, they publish chunks in TPB form. This story concerns a group of unrelated people, born simultaneously and possessing violet eyes, who both caused and survived the end of the world. They have powers of the mental variety and use them to maintain order in a small bastion of civilization on the roofs of Whitechapel, England. The story examines what it is to "succeed to death."
4. Joe the Barbarian by Grant Morrison and Sean Murphy
Morrison returns to creator-owned territory with a story I know next to nothing about. Murphy will set your teeth on edge with a murky crispness. The previews in the back of recent issues of Vertigo series demonstrates Morrison will again be working in his Post Post-Modernist fever dream. Murphy demonstrates his huge versatility by stepping outside his neon chiaroscuro of Criminal. I suspect is about a child examining his pastiche imaginary world and self-actualization - territory well articulated by Morrison.
5. Re-printing of Cages by Dave McKean
I have never read this. I love Mckean as an artist and writer. He generates stories of simple weirdness. I look forward to Dark Horse getting this thing out there again. For examples of prior McKean greatness check out the movie Mirrormask where cities crumple like paper and unfold like roses or check Youtube for the short film "The Week Before" about what God spent his time doing the week before (S)He created the cosmos. These are your assignments. You cannot refuse.
Matt
1. New Year's Resolutions
I know it just clears the way for the next series of events, but the seven-years in the making - as in seven years of non-stop events - "Siege" will finally end this roller coaster, which peaked around "House of M" and has been going steadily downhill since. No more skrulls, no more Norman, if for no reason other than the fact that individual books' editors can't even keep up anymore. Ares wants to kill Nick Fury. The Black Widow was apprehended 6 different times in 6 different ways, each one contradicting the other, over a period of several weeks. Oh, and we hope you weren't enjoying "Reborn" too much, 'cause heeeere's Cap!
2. Superman vs. Muhammad Ali reprints!
The Kryptonian Pandemonium vs. the guy played by Will Smith! Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams! A return to ridiculousness! I'm all for it!
3. Del Rey Comics
It's difficult to imagine a more auspicious debut for a comic company than Del Rey's adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Straub's "The Talisman". And the world is very much ready for a new comics company with a new approach. The big two and the not-so-small indies, along with industry kingpin Diamond, have become stagnant and out of touch. New distribution methods like iPhone apps, and new publishers, are the first signs that the status quo is finally beginning to change. And although they're new to comics, Del Rey is a proven publishing pro with a history of doing "genre" material right.
4. More Stephen King comics!
Stephen King's comics, beginning with Marvel's Dark Tower books, accomplished what I thought was impossible ever since I saw Tim Curry in "IT" - namely, making me take King seriously. I'm a total King comic fanboy, and N is finally coming out. Over at Marvel in the Dark Tower-verse, the Battle of Jericho Hill is just getting started and the Stand is still standing, and I can't wait to see more of King's work over at...
5. Blackest Night: Canceled series - RISE!
Atom and Hawkman? Starman? The Question? SUICIDE SQUAD?!? Viva Los Muertes!
Rokk
1. Grant Morrison’s Multiversity.
I adore everything about the Multiverse and I like Morrison. So, a mini-series involving the Multiverse and being written by Grant Morrison is a tailor made title for me.
This is going to be a seven-issue mini-series with each issue starring a different Multiple Earth. One of the issues is going to star the original Charlton Comics characters from Earth-4. I adore the Charlton Comics characters and have hated how DC has butchered and killed them off in the modern DCU. So, I am looking forward to seeing them in all their glory.
Another one of the issues is rumored to take place on Earth-5 starring the classic Marvel Family. Morrison has displayed a better feel for Captain Marvel’s character during Final Crisis than any other current writer at DC. Unfortunately, DC has also poorly handled these Fawcett Comics characters. It will certainly be nice to see the Marvel Family in all their glory once again.
Earth-X is going to be the setting for another one of the issues. This issue will star the Freedom Fighters, a collection of great Quality Comics characters. These are also a set of characters that DC acquired and proceeded to do little with and then simply killed off. Again, it will be nice seeing these characters back and better than ever.
2. Earth One Original Graphic Novels.
Like I said, I love the Multiverse. So, I was thrilled to hear that DC is going to trot out some Earth One graphic novels in 2010. I still have my reservations that Geoff Johns is the proper writer to handle Earth One Batman. Johns has never displayed any like or enjoyment for Batman’s character. However, I dig the selection of JMS to handle Earth One Superman. JMS should deliver an iconic and mythic version of Superman.
3. Bruce Wayne’s Return.
I know Morrison’s Batman was an acquired taste. I completely understand why some readers strongly disliked what Morrison did on Batman. Having said that, personally, I loved Morrison’s Batman. So, I am looking forward to Morrison continuing the story he had cooking in Batman RIP and Final Crisis.
The Batman titles have suffered since Bruce’s “death.” The Batman titles have always been DC’s strongest performers, but their sales numbers have slipped since Bruce was taken off the table. The most recent sales numbers show both Batman and Detective Comics selling less than they were when Bruce Wayne was starring in both titles.
The Battle for the Cowl story was dull and uninteresting. Batman and Robin has been a disappointment as it has failed to live up to my high expectations. I love Dick Grayson’s character, but his run as Batman has been largely unimpressive. Dick is a much more compelling character when he gets the chance to be his own character rather than simply being Batman Lite.
4. Marvel’s Cosmic Characters.
I grew up more of a Marvel fan than I did a DC fan. So, it does not please me that I could largely care less about the core Marvel titles dealing with the 616 Universe.
Fraction’s Invincible Iron Man and Uncanny X-Men are shallow and unoriginal reads that are recycling old themes. The X-titles in general are in a state of disarray. The X-titles have become so bogged down in continuity and are simply spinning their wheels re-hashing old stories. Honestly, the return of Jean Grey is about the last thing that is going to get me interested in reading an X-title. Even X-Factor, which was one of my favorite Marvel titles and the best X-title, is a shell of what it was prior to Messiah Complex.
Bendis’ New Avengers delivers slow and pointless stories starring C-list characters. Mighty Avengers has not been as good as I had hoped. Amazing Spider-Man has been hit or miss due to the constantly rotating stable of writers. Loeb’s Hulk is just not a well-written title. Wolverine and his titles get less and less cool with the more overexposed his character becomes.
I am so completely worn out and bored of Dark Reign and all the related Dark Reign titles. Siege does little to excite me. Especially given the unimpressive preview for Siege where Bendis recycles the beginning of Civil War in order to kick off Siege. For the most part, Marvel’s big events have been a miss with me and I do not see that trend ending with Siege.
At this point, the only non-cosmic 616 Universe titles that I find to be consistently compelling reads are Brubaker’s Captain America, Hickman’s Fantastic Four and Pak and Van Lente’s Incredible Hercules.
For my money, the best aspects of the 616 Universe are the cosmic titles that DnA are handling for Marvel. Nova, Guardians of the Galaxy, the Inhumans and the Imperial Guard have all become incredibly compelling characters. DnA have made Marvel’s cosmic characters the most exciting, creative and dynamic aspect of the 616 Universe.
I have no idea what in the world DnA are going to unleash on us in 2010. However, I do know that whatever DnA are planning for Marvel’s cosmic characters that it is going to be fresh, exciting and quite entertaining.
5. The Marshal Law Omnibus.
Marshal Law is one of my all-time favorite characters. This character was the brainchild of two comic greats in Pat Mills and Kevin O’Neil. Mills and O’Neil deconstructed the super-hero genre like nobody else had at that time.
If you are impressed by what Garth Ennis is doing with The Boys then check out Marshal Law. Mills and O’Neil did it first. And, personally, I think Mills and O’Neil did it better. Ennis needs to send a royalty check to Mills and O’Neil from any money that he makes on The Boys.
The Marshal Law Omnibus is a full color deluxe oversized hardcover that weighs in at 7 5/8” x 11 ¾” and a whopping 512 pages. Unfortunately, even though this gem of a hardcover comes out in 2010, I am going to have to wait all the way to December 2010. Top Shelf, why must you torment me so with such a long wait!
Kevin
1. Amazing Spider-Man: Gauntlet and Beyond
The most consistent title in my opinion that turned in good to great reads in 2009 was Amazing Spider-Man. And as a long time Spider-Man fan it has been a while since I have been able to say that this is a title I look forward to reading each month but the Spidey Brain Trust have brought back my favorite title since I was a kid to being one of my favorite's once again. With Marvel coming out with three different puzzle like images with the title saying "The Year of Spider-Man is 2010" I can't wait to see what the Spidey Brain Trust has in store for this title in 2010.
2. Earth-One Original Graphic Novels
This an very interesting concept that DC is doing in order to penetrate a different market than the typical comic book stores. Though I am not a fan of the name I am very interested to see what JMS and Geoff Johns will be able to do with Superman and Batman without any restrictions. JMS was a no brainer as the choice to write Superman. I expect him to bring the same epic feel he brought to Thor. With Johns I am interested to see his take on Batman since he has never written the character in a Batman series to my knowledge.
3. Return of Bruce Wayne
Even though I have had my problems with Morrison's writing I got to commend the man for always drawing me into his of the wall stories. From what has been said about this mini-series so far I expect another crazy story that I will not completely understand in single issues but will read great in one sitting. And how can you not love Caveman and Pirate Batman!?
4. Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre's Daredevil
Since the Lady Bullseye arc early in 2009 Daredevil has been a must read all year. With the new status quo for Matt and his supporting cast I don't remember the last time I was this into Daredevil. I have loved what Diggle and De La Torre have done with the character so far as they are doing a wonderful job exploring what makes the character tick. I have no idea where the creative team for this title are going to take the character which is great since there isn't this much unpredictability with other comic books by the Big 2.
5. DnA's Plans for Marvel Cosmic Universe
DnA have been pure gold with Marvel's cosmic line of title ever since the start of the original Annihilation. The cosmic side of Marvel has been just excellent. And with everything that happened in War of Kings DnA have just continued to be pure money with their new story Realm of Kings that is running through all of the cosmic titles over at Marvel. I can't wait to see where they take the Realm of Kings storyline as they really seem to building towards something epic.
Andrenn
1. Young Avengers coming back
Ever since the initial first series ended the YA have been in a bit of a limbo. Inching their way through the Marvel Universe in waiting for Heinberg and Cheung to return for one last hurrah with the characters they created. It's been a long time coming.
Now luckily Marvel hasn't totally let the team just sit around and do nothing. A random mini-series here and there to keep them up with the current status quo. Teaming up with the Runaways and recently the excellent Dark Reign mini-series. So far the YA have still been fairly prominent but it's obvious that they have yet to really come full circle from prior developments of the original series.
Sure Patriot and Hawkeye got together, sort of, and Vision and Stature got together but other then 2 hookups the characters haven't been able to really go too far with the limitation that was set when Heinberg planned to eventually return to the characters. They haven't been able to do all they can do.
But now that's all finally changing as the creators are returning and hopefully going to wrap up all their developments and set a new status quo for the team that other writers could take and run with later on. It would be great to finally see all these points come full circle.
For one there's Kang of the future, his younger self who wants to be a hero. We saw a glimpse of him in the second half of the first series but since then he sort of just disappeared. I can't tell if I want him to come back or not. While he was a decent character, him coming back would create a love triangle with Kang/Stature/Vision and I'm rarely fond of a love triangle. They are often very boring.
Then there are characters like Patriot and Hawkeye who both have some legacies to live up to. With Cap coming back I'd think they should touch on Patriot's thoughts on this and I'm sure Hawkeye wants to talk to Clint Barton some more. These seem like 2 obvious things they should touch on.
I would hope that Stature and Vision would still take place in the series but with their current roles in the Mighty Avengers it seems unlikely that the mini could change them too much since it could have trouble matching up with their current status. It's all up in the air at this point.
There's also Wiccan and Speed and the possible return of the Scarlet Witch. I believe Heinberg said he wanted to bring her back and since it would clearly impact these 2 that would be a really fascinating twist and a really interesting read.
There are other things like Hulkling and his ties to the Skrull and Krees but those seem like more far off possible stories. Right now I just hope the 8-issue/bi-monthly mini can wrap up all these plot points so we can have some closure and maybe even a fun shake up of the team. So while 2010 is looking to be an exciting year for new possible stories, I'm mostly excited for a story that wraps up a long developing group of stories. Go figure. Well I've always loved the YA so I can't wait to see more of them come Summer 2010.
2. More Image
I really could fill this entire list up with Image Comics if I wanted. Jersey Gods, Invincible, Haunt, Image United, Witchblade, Angelus, Spawn, the list goes on. Image had another great year with 2009 and I expect 2010 to be no different.
Sadly Image United hit a snag as I predicted, but at least Image is trying to fill the void with new material such as Image United #0 having some extra goodies and Interlude, which will have Invincible! Everyone's been clamoring for something with Invincible and here we go.
I'm reading Image United mostly just for the characters and the art and 2 parts in and the story has hit a snag. Already it's feeling dull but I'm really hopeful that Kirkman can bring us back with #3 if it can make it to January on time. Supposedly something back happens there so I've got my fingers crossed. Though either way I'll still enjoy the art at the very least.
Invincible returning to his old costume should be a lot of fun. Though a recent cover teases the idea of him leaving Eve over something and that of course worries me. I'm dying to find out what happens to Eve with her pregnancy. Does she keep the baby, abort it, miscarriage, who knows! Knowing Kirkman though the baby will probably die.
My best guess is that Eve either tells Mark and he leaves her. Or she gets an abortion without telling him, that upsets him that she did that without telling him first so he leaves her for that. Both would be heart-wrenching for the readers so that's' where I figure Kirkman is going.
Though obviously there's a lot more to be excited over Invincible for. It's just the pregnancy that's at the forefront of my attention, though the looming Viltrumite war is also exciting as all hell and should be great. Also hopefully this means that we'll have a reunion of father and son finally.
Jersey Gods hit a little delay but that's okay. This series is good enough for the wait and it has been my favorite new ongoing series of 2009. Definitely the best new series Image is putting out (sorry but I'm not reading Chew) and it is tons of fun to read each month so I'm really excited to see where the book goes in 2010.
Witchblade seems to be taking a little bit of a breather and having more short and easy story arcs after following up on the somewhat disappointing War of the Witchblades from this year. That's a good thing since I've been enjoying the shorter and more easy arcs since they are a lot more fun and interesting to read then the long dragged out stories.
Also Angelus started this year but it wraps up in 2010 and I'm really excited to see where Marz and Sejic go with the mini-series. I think it could easily have potential to be the mini-series of the year!
Haunt wraps up it's first arc in 2 months and that should be exciting though really the entire series has me excited for more. 2010 is looking even better for the young series with Greg Capullo actually lending his brilliant pencils to issue #6 which I'm sure will look gorgeous.
Haunt has definitely been a very interesting series and where Krikman takes it after it's first story arc is crucial. He's built up the mystery and is slowly unraveling just a few pieces of it but he's also got to make sure this series works for more then just it's mystery, that these 2 brothers can still do the hero thing even after all is revealed otherwise this might as well have been a mini-series or something.
I hate to say it but I'm not very excited for Spawn actually, which is why Image is not higher on the list. Spawn for me was the flagship Image title when I was a kid. It was always my favorite Image comic and now it's just all falling apart it seems. McFarlane seemed to know what he's doing but now it's all just crumbled.
For one he can't seem to get the damn book out on time. #196 was solicited for September of this year, and now it won't make it until January of 2010. I call bullshit. I did so on twitter and McFarlane said it was his fault. That Rob Liefeld (guest artist for the issue) had done his part but it was on Todd since he was so busy. That doesn't make this delay any more frustrating.
Then after the big 200th issue, we get a new team of 2 people I've never heard of. Now I am willing to give the new team a try, after all David Hine paid off big time and I'd never heard of him, but it really just seems like McFarlane has do idea what he's doing with Spawn anymore.
I love Spawn and I always will but nowadays it's just getting harder and harder to read this series. It's the comic that got me back into a comics a few years ago and if not for Spawn I wouldn't be writing this very post for you all. But I feel like I'm in a relationship with someone who I'm totally committed to and care about, but who doesn't give a damn about me or anything else.
I really am glad that McFarlane gave some new changes to Spawn. It's nice to see him trying again but really it just seems like he totally lost all focus and direction. First he fired Brian Holguin from writing the series which was a huge mistake. If McFarlane wants someone to write Spawn, get Holguin for god's sakes. He's a 1,000 times better writer then McFarlane ever has been and I can already tell he's better then the new guy.
Maybe I'm just a scorned fan who feels like he's been done wrong. But I love Spawn a lot so seeing the series just so unfocused and rocky is really hard for me. I'm really hopeful that by mid-2010 McFarlane can get his crap together and fix his series or I may do something I never thought I'd do, drop Spawn.
Image as a whole though seems to be having a really exciting year with 2010. Every series is doing something new or interesting and I can't wait to read more as the new year rings in.
3. Batman Beyond Returns
It was announced a long while back that DC has plans for Batman Beyond in 2010. Not much else has been said since and I've been dying to find out what their plans are for him. I just recently picked up the animated film Return of the Joker (unfortunately it came packaged with the mediocre Mystery of the Batwoman movie) and it was great. It reinvigorated my love for the Batman Beyond series.
My real hope is that the team of Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Glen Murakami all got together for a new animated film. While we did get a good amount of closure from the JLU/Batman Beyond story I still want one final hurrah for this series. Something really big for Terry. He deserves it.
Also I want to see Max again! Whatever happened to her? She was just as important to Batman as Bruce Wayne or Terry's Family was. She was his main intelligence person. But she never showed up in Return of the Joker or the JLU story. What the hell, DC? She deserves to come back.
But most of all I want Terry to have his one last final hurrah that's all him. Much as I absolutely loved Return of the Joker, that was more then just Terry's movie. It served as filling the gap between the original cartoon and Beyond. While I loved that 10 minute flashback, it was my favorite part of the movie, Terry deserves a movie that's 100% his.
There has also been talk about a new animated series but I think that's a much more far off dream. DC seems to be focusing all their extra animated power into the animated films like the new Justice League film as well as the prior movies for Superman/Batman and Green Lantern. So a new animated series seems very unlikely, but if that was the case that would be even better!
Though sadly my best guess is that it's just going to be a mini-series. While that would be nice too, I'm more used to Batman Beyond in animation so that's how I'd love to see it. Though if the mini was written by Paul Dini with art by Bruce Timm or Glen Murakami that could be great as well.
Either way I'm excited as all hell to see what DC has planned for Batman Beyond. I'm much more excited for this then whatever the hell it is they plan to do with bringing back Bruce Wayne. We all know how that's going to go. I'm more excited for a more interesting come back.
4. Blackest Night's End
A typical choice I know but up until the last 2 issues of the event I probably wouldn't have said this. Blackest Night was solid, but painfully predictable in it's first half but now that it's entered it's second half it seems like the real show has begun. I'm excited as all hell to see where it goes.
One thing I'm curious about is the Earth Lantern Heroes. Could Ray still be an Indigo Lantern, or Mera still a red lantern? I know damn well that Barry will be back to normal as will Lex Luthor and probably Scarecrow as well but it's hard not to hope this may change at least one or two of these heroes.
I'm not 100% certain I'll be reading Green Lantern after Blackest Night. I want to, but it's a budget thing. Either way I'm excited for this event all over again and I'm really pumped to see what Johns does next with it.
5. Arkham Asylum 2 Info
Funny how I'm not really all that excited with the return of the real Batman, but the return of him in a video game has me excited as all hell. Yes the recently announced sequel to my game of the year, Batman: Arkham Asylum, has me jumping with anticipation.
But sadly I'm well aware that we won't be getting the sequel in 2010, unless it's very late 2010. Usually game sequels are at least a good solid year apart and that's for a steady series. So while I'm excited for the game, for now I'm just dying to find out more about it.
It would seem the original team of gave designers are behind it, and it would seem that Paul Dini, Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill and Arleen Sorkin will be reprising all their roles at least it would seem that way but so far we don't really have anything definitive saying what the game will be like or any info on it.
There's no doubt the game will be getting lots of press through 2010, trailers, behind the scenes stuff, etc. They would be crazy not to hype up this game after all the hype and praise the first one got. 2010 will hopefully give us a good amount of knowledge about the game in preparations for what I'm hoping will be an early 2011 release.
I love the first game so much and while the downloadable content has been great I'm dying for more. If Rocksteady can wake their magic wand and improve on some of the small problems the first game had then I think we could be in store for something real special here.
Honorable Mentions
First Wave, Flash monthly, Hickman/Eaglesham Fantastic Four, Siege, Miracleman, THUNDER Agents, Fall of the Hulks, Marvel Boy mini-series, Incorruptible, Invincible, Blackest Night Ending and Aftermath, Jeff Parker's Agents of Atlas.
_____________________________________________________________________
We all hope everyone has a great new year. There are some big things coming in from all of the comic book companies so let us know what you are looking forward to in 2010.
Now just don't do too much drinking at your New Year's Eve party. ;)
Happy New Year!
-Kevin
Comic books, however, are largely dominated by Super-Hero stories that endlessly examine conflicts between good and evil inherited from a simplistic Golden-Age morality. Notions of modern complexity inform modern comics only so far as it comes to accounting of the living and the dead.
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