10. Action Comics: This is a title I was fully expecting to like based strictly on the creative team of Grant Morrison, who is my favorite writer in comics today, and Rags Morales. I love Grant Morrison’s love of the odd 50’s stories of superheroes, and how he reinterprets those stories into the modern era. I do have to say this is also one of the titles I been kind of disappointed with since I was expecting the big epic craziness that is Grant Morrison, but it is still enjoyable enough to leave it in the 10th spot on this list. I await every issue just to see what happens next, I’m sure as this series continues I will be more in love with it.
9. Wonder Woman: This is the first time I have ever read a Wonder Woman title, and so far it is doing its part in really drawing me into the story. Now when I say this is my first time reading a Wonder Woman title that isn’t for the lack of wanting, I just never knew where to start (thanks to Alan Kistler over at Newsarama for his wonderful top 10 list of Wonder Woman stories to check out I now know where to start reading in trades) because of the characters rich history and several recons I didn’t know where to start, as well as have a great respect for the character I didn’t want to soil my views of the character with a less then stellar title to start off with. This Wonder Woman
series by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang had me from the very first issue, with its fast paced
story telling that doesn’t make you feel like you were shorted, and its depictions of strong female characters that I found to be a breath of fresh air in comparison to some of the other titles that come out around the same time, e.g., Catwoman and Red Hood and the Outlaws. If you like to see strong female characters handled with well and with respect I highly recommend this title for you.
8. Stormwatch: This title is one of the DC Universe’s “Edge” books for its darker perspective and character base. In it we see a lot of the Wild Storm characters, how their operations would work in the new DC Universe. That said it also a kind of secret Justice League title that with the writer, Paul Cornel, of this title other title, the excellent Demon Knight, seem to be chronicling the history of this new universe. The headlining characters of Stormwatch are Apollo, Midnighter, and one of my personal favorite characters the Martian Manhunter. Stormwatch is a group that has been protecting the Earth for a long title, and is now dealing with this rise of “super heroes” of the past five years, as they are the “Professionals”. I would recommend this title and Demon Knight strictly for Cornel’s great story telling ability, I have heard some criticism on it being a bit slow and hard to get into, but coming to this title as someone with no background with the Wild Storm universe I have found this title to be quite enjoyable compared to some of the other titles I have sampled from the reboot.
7. Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.: This is written by the great comic book writer Jeff Lemire, who will be brought up again later on in this list for another amazing title. This book had me with Lemire’s name being attached to the title, but after reading his work on the Flashpoint crossover of Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown I was even more sold on this title. It has been everything I would want from this title; character development, twists on traditional concepts, connections to other works, and Frankenstein fighting big ass monsters. All the characters seem to be fully developed, and I can’t wait to see the back history issue of Frankenstein in different era’s as well as the possibly seeing issues about the people behind the parts that make up Frankenstein like Lemire hinted at well talking on a panel at the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo this past summer.
6. O.M.A.C.: Now I know this title has received some bad reviews over its third issue, but I liked it. It’s just a big fun dumb book. Dan DiDio and Keith Giffen do an amazing job at giving us probably one of the most fun and light books in the reboot that pulls inspiration from the amazing works of Jack Kirby. Without taking itself to seriously the books adventures are fun and keep me coming back every month. Unfortunately I have heard comments from my friends that are new to comics that the title is hard to understand if you don’t have knowledge of the works of Jack Kirby.
5. All Star Western: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti continue their amazing wok that they were doing on the Jonah Hex title prior to the reboot b
ut instead of it just being one and done titles they expand it to a multi issue story arc that does not seem to suffer from that. The story is great with having
Jonah Hex teamed up with Amadeus Arkham in a
crime-solving caper through late 1800’s Gotham City. As well with this title we get a back up story that showcases other western characters, the
first of which being El Diablo. If this is any indication of what we can expect from Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti in the DCnU then I can’t wait to get my hand on their take on The Ray.
4. Batwoman: By all means this title should be
higher on my list, but loses out to favoritism and complete shock and surprise by the next three titles. This story is pretty much a continuation
of the great Batwoman run in Detective Comics, by Greg Rucka and J.H. Williams III, which is collected in Batwoman Elegy. Tough Greg Rucka does not return to work on this title J.H. Williams III is doing a phenomenal job at writing this with co-writer W. Haden Blackman. And if the story of strong female Batman-esque superhero doesn’t float your but alone check this title out for its stunning and beautiful art, which is also done by J.H. Williams III.
3. Swamp Thing: This title and the next one are rea
lly interchangeable for me. I never expected to fall
head over heels for them like I have because I only picked them up because of who the writer are. Swamp Thing is written by the Scott Snyder, who is carving his way through the comic book industry as a creator with an amazing talent fo
r telling great character driven stories without them having any real low point. Prior to this you could have seen Snyder on Detective Comics writing amazing story with the Dick Grayson Batman, as well as over at Vertigo with the American Vampire title. Scott Snyder will be popping up one more time on this list.
2. Animal Man: Again a title I wasn’t expecting to like as much as I did and only picked up because of who the writer is. The writer of this title is one
Jeff Lemire, who was mentioned earlier on the list with the Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. title. But its not just the writing of this indie comic super star that drives this book, by no means show we over look the amazing art by Travel Foreman. This and Swamp Thing are interchangeable for me because not only was I so surprised by how much I like them but that the stories are so interconnected without them yet crossing over it is amazing, with in the fourth issue of both you do get references to the other.
1. Batman: By no means is this the best title in the new 52, it though would be for sure in the top 5 I have to put it at number one just for how much care the writer of this title gives to telling the best possible story with the character. Thank you Scott Snyder for making this best Batman book out of the new 52 titles. You are an amazing writer and I cannot wait to see where this story line you are currently giving us goes. Batman is my favorite comic book character and also through that nostalgia we end up with the Scott Snyder Batman being number 1 on my list of top ten titles of the new 52.
