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#100. Monsters
Written & Illustrated By Ken Dahl
Publisher: Secret Acres
Ever wondered what it would be like to have herpes? Dahl breaks all the misery d
own for you in an extremely funny, warm and relatable manner.
Robot 6 Contributor Chris Mautner
#99. Dark Reign: Zodiac
Written By: Joe Casey
Illustrated By: Nathan Fox
Publisher: Marvel Comics
In "Dark Reign," the bad guys are in charge, but Casey and Fox introduce a bad g
uy who likes being bad, and hates Norman Osborn more than the heroes do. A twist
ed, energetic read that shows what a true supervillain mastermind is capable of
as Zodiac beats up Johnny Storm, fakes a Galactus attack, and pulls down Osborn'
s pants in front of the world (not literally). Plus, Nathan Fox's frenetic art g
ives the book a visually stunning look that suits the material as it shows the q
uirky, odd side of the Marvel universe.
CBR Reviewer Chad Nevett
98. Immortal Weapons
Written By: Jason Aaron, Duane Swierczynski, Rick Spears and David Lapham
Illustrated By: Various
Publisher: Marvel Comics
The most "Sandman"-like kung fu comics miniseries in 2009 was easily the supergr
oup-crafted "Immortal Weaspons" project from Marvel editors Alejandro Arbona and
Warren Simons. Revisiting Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction's "Immortal Iron Fist"
supporting cast, the mini covered the lives of Fat Cobra, Bride of Nine Spiders,
Dog Brother #1, Tiger's Beautiful Daughter, and the Prince of Orphans and sculp
ted a supremely articulate sequence of tales that felt genuinely mythic while br
eathing believably human motivations into some of comics' fiercest warriors.
- Contributing Writer Brian Warmoth
#97. George Sprott
Written & Illustrated By: Seth
Published By: Drawn and Quarterly
Sad yes, but lyrical and lovely, and much more of a critique against nostalgia a
nd its trappings than some critics would like to think.
Robot 6 Contributor Chris Mautner
#96. A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge
Written & Illustrated By: Josh Neufeld
Published By: Pantheon

Josh Neufeld delivers the stories of people who survived Hurricane Katrina and w
hile the narrative may feel crowded with the juggling of characters, Neufeld's s
kills as an artist and the way he lets the voices of his characters guide the na
rrative make the loss and outrage they feel all to real and bring this horrific
tragedy and this moment in time to life.
Staff Writer Alex Dueben
#95. Yotsuba&!
Written & Illustrated By: Kiyohiko Azuma
Published By: Yen Press
I feel like such a clich including this book, because everyone loves Yotsuba&!, b
ut I confess that I do too. While I enjoy Yotsuba's antics and the gentle humor
of the other characters, I also really appreciated Azuma's art in this volume; h
e has a knack for putting you into the scene, whether it's a cluttered interior
or a sweeping landscape.
Robot 6 Contributor Brigid Alverson
#94. xkcd
Written & Illustrated By: Randall Munroe
Published By: Self-Published at http://xkcd.com
The transcendent simplicity of Randall Munroe's webcomic "xkcd" doesn't demand a
ny introduction on the Internet, but his strip this year produced a few epic cre
ations, including his "Movie Narrative Charts" installment and a graphic represe
ntation of the enjoyability of "The Star Wars Holiday Special," as well as poign
ant and virally successful commentaries on Facebook suggestions and Pandora that
kept the comic prominently visible wherever links were shared in 2009.
Contributing Writer Brian Warmoth
#93. Secret Warriors
Written By: Jonathan Hickman & Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated By: Stefano Caselli & Alessandro Vitti
Published By: Marvel Comics
I've always been fascinated by the S.H.I.E.L.D. vs HYDRA conflict. In "Secret Wa
rriors" writer Jonathan Hickman and his collaborators have deepened that conflic
t with the addition of new mysteries, secret conspiracies, and the revelation th
at S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA were part of the same organization. Plus Nick Fury is
a fascinating character and so are his HYDRA adversaries.
Staff Writer Dave Richards
#92. Madame Xanadu
Written By: Matt Wagner
Illustrated By: Amy Reeder Hadley & Michael W Kaluta
Published By: DC Comics/Vertigo
Part origin story, part supernatural mystery series, this book is consistently e
ntertaining. As Wagner stops off at different time periods in Madame Xanadu's hi
story, Amy Reeder Hadley captures the feel of those eras perfectly. Having legen
dary Madame Xanadu artist Mike Kaluta come on for a guest arc was a treat as wel

l."
Contributing Writer Brian LeTendre
#91. G-Man: Cape Crisis
Written and Illustrated By: Chris Giarrusso
Published By: Image Comics
Anyone who only knows Chris Giarrusso as "The Mini Marvels Guy" needs to pick th
is series up and see what they've been missing. Giarrusso writes with a great se
nse of humor, and the relationship between G-Man and his brother Great Man will
immediately resonate with brothers and sisters everywhere. A fantastic all-ages
book.
Contributing Writer Brian LeTendre
#90. Multiforce
Written & Illustrated By: Matt Brinkman
Published By: Picturebox Inc.
Collected from the seminal underground newspaper Paper Rodeo
straight outta the
Providence, Rhode Island art-noise scene Mat Brinkman's broadsheet-sized saga of
giants, monsters, "mini-men" and assorted other creatures battling for an under
ground city works as an imaginative fantasy-adventure, a riotous buddy comedy, a
parable about community and entropy, and an stunning exploration of the outer l
imits of the comics page.
Robot 6 Contributor Sean T. Collins
#89. Mighty Avengers
Written By: Dan Slott
Illustrated By: Khoi Pham
Published By: Marvel Comics
The best of the bunch, and the most "Avenger-y" title in the brand right now. Ma
rvel is pushing the brand, but this is the only "Avengers" title that matters to
me.
CBR Reviewer Doug Zawisza
#88. Final Crisis: Superman Beyond
Written By: Grant Morrison
Illustrated By: Doug Mahnke
Published By: DC Comics
A plus-perfect example of Morrison's Mad Idea Machine, this book just zips from
crazy idea to crazy idea, and justifies, all by itself, the entire "Final Crisis
" project.
CBR Columnist Brian Hibbs
#87. Far Arden
Written & Illustrated: Kevin Cannon
Published By: Top Shelf Productions
"Far Arden" starts off as a zany fun adventure comic, and at some point morphs i
nto something a bit more serious. And somehow, it works really well. It's actual

ly kind of shocking how well it works, too, and how much emotional investment yo
u realize you have in the characters when you hit those last few pages and wish
there was more.
Robot 6 Editor John Parkin
#86. The Cartoon History of The Modern World Part II: From Bastille to Boghdad
Written & Illustrated By: Larry Gonick
Published By: Harper Collins
Another work that seemingly no one paid any attention to. Gonick wraps up his ma
ssive history project with style and flair, showing all the poseurs how nonficti
on comics should be done.
Robot 6 Contributor Chris Mautner
#85. X-Force
Written By: Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost
Illustrated By: Mike Choi, Sonia Oback & various
Published By: Marvel Comics
Mainstream heroes acting as a wetworks crew for the mutant community? Cyclops co
ndoning murder? These ain't your daddy's X-Men. Relaunching a title that was kno
wn for the worst comic book excesses the 80s/90s had to offer was a dangerous pr
oposition, but Yost and Kyle have succeeded in making a timeless (albeit bloody)
tale.
Staff Writer George Tramountanas
84. No Hero
Written By: Warren Ellis
Illustrated By: Juan Jose Ryp
Published By: Avatar Press
The end of the sixth issue is one of the most graphic, shocking, and brilliant m
oments I've ever seen in a comic series. Warren Ellis and Juan Jose Ryp took a s
imple idea about a young man doing whatever it takes to become a superhuman and
transformed it into a brilliant statement on the superhero genre and its fans.
CBR Reviewer Chad Nevett
#83. S.W.O.R.D.
Written By: Kieron Gillen
Illustrated By: Steven Sanders
Published By: Marvel Comics
It might be fairly new on the shelves, but Gillen and Sanders' relationship-come
dy-in-space is one of Marvel's most unexpectedly original books of the year. Wit
h only two issues out, there's plenty of time to catch up with the series if you
haven't already.
CBR Reviewer James Hunt
#82. Because I Love You So Much
Written & Illustrated By: Nikoline Wedelin

Published By: Fantagraphics

Found in the pages of the recent anthology of Danish comics, From Wonderland Wit
h Love, this collection of strips about a mother who discovers that her daughter
is being sexually abused by her dad is one of the most harrowing and utterly st
unning stories about a difficult subject matter I've ever read and easily equal
to the works of, say, Phoebe Gloeckner or Debbie Dreschler.
Robot 6 Contributor Chris Mautner
#81. Ultimate Comics Spider-Man
Written By: Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated By: David LaFuente
Published By: Marvel Comics
After "Ultimatum" hit, it looked like Spidey was a goner
but Bendis is back and
this time "Patsy Walker: Hellcat" artist David LaFuente is along for the ride. T
he shift of focus from just Peter and MJ to what can only be described as "Aunt
May's Boarding House for the Super-Powered" is a great move and opens up a whole
new world of storytelling for Bendis to explore.
Staff Writer Steve Sunu
#80. The Walking Dead
Written By: Robert Kirkman
Illustrated By: Charlie Adlard
Published By: Image Comics
This book seems to have a permanent place on my "Best of" lists, but that's due
to the fact that, hey, it's the best! It sits on the top of my read pile every w
eek it comes out, and after completing an issue, it always leaves me dying for m
ore (no pun intended). Still the best zombie tale ever
bar none.
Staff Writer George Tramountanas
#79. Boy's Club
Written and illustrated By: Matt Furie
Published By: Buenaventura Press
The latest installment in Furie's humor-comic series starring four college-aged
monsters and their stoner shenanigans features a plotline it's impolite to discu
ss in public. But the bathroom-humor set-up is just a platform on which Furie's
eagle eye for the stupid behavior we engage in when in the company of men can na
il comedic beat after cripplingly funny comedic beat. I've never laughed so hard
at a comic.
Robot 6 Contributor Sean T. Collins
#78. Achewood
Written & Illustrated By: Chris Onstad
Published By: Self-Published at http://achewood.com/
From a teenager from our present selling the people of 17th Century Wales items
like the bra or the nacho to a romance novelist working erotica into the William
s-Sonoma catalog (leading to a Sapphic Fiction Write-Off between the founder of
Williams-Sonoma and a character from the strip - both in elephant costumes, of c

ourse, so no one could tell them apart), Achewood continued to deliver on laugh
out loud absurd premises and practically insane character conversations. And, as
typical, Onstad will occasionally slip in serious stuff, just to screw with our
minds (like a quick realistic depiction of crippling depression). I await this
year's Christmas strip with delight (and a little bit of trepidation).
Brian Cronin, Blog Manager - Comics Should Be Good
#77. Empowered
Written & Illustrated By: Adam Warren
Published By: Dark Horse
Adam Warren, for some reason, makes remarkably entertaining comics that never qu
ite reach the top levels of the sales charts, but should. "Empowered" is the lat
est, now with five volumes out in a series that started out as commissioned gags
, but have since evolved into a very humorous character-driven superhero farce.
Part cheesecake, part Kevin Smith, "Empowered" is an event whenever a new editi
on comes out.
CBR Columnist & Reviewer Augie DeBlieck
#76. Knights of the Lunch Table: The Dragon
Players
Written & Illustrated By: Frank Cammuso
Published By: Scholastic
Frank Cammuso obviously remembers what it's like to be in middle school, and thi
s tale of friends facing up to bullies in a high-stakes robot competition is pac
ked with slapstick wit, and a kids-eye view that makes the whole thing work.
Robot 6 Contributor Brigid Alverson
#75. Prison Pit
Written & Illustrated By: Johnny Ryan
Published By: Fantagraphics
And then there's this: A huge kick to the solar plexus, not just in terms of the
way-beyond-NC-17 level of gore and bodily fluids on display, but also the sheer
wealth of no-holds barred imagination and utter sense of play that's on every p
age. The craftsmanship on display is just as striking as the violence.
Robot 6 Contributor Chris Mautner
#74. Astral Project
Written By: marginal
Illustrated By: Syuji Takeya
Published By: CMX Manga
The first volume of this came out in late 2008, and three more were published th
is year. This is a surrealistic supernatural story that wraps together a mystery
, a touch of philosophy, and some serious mind games. Readable and intelligent,
although the art is a bit uneven.
Robot 6 Contributor Brigid Alverson

#73. Dark X-Men

Written By: Paul Cornell
Illustrated By: Leonard Kirk
Published By: Marvel Comics
Spinning out of the pages of "Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia," the creative
team responsible for the outstanding "Captain Britain and MI:13" is back for an
other run. Mystique, Mimic, Dark Beast and Weapon Omega are now Norman Osborn's
team of X-Men. While it may only be a limited series, Cornell's ability to write
the team dynamic never ceases to amaze and Kirk's Mystique is a vision to behol
d. It almost makes up for "Captain Britain and MI:13" getting cancelled. Almost.
Staff Writer Steve Sunu
#72. Batman: Streets of Gotham
Written By: Paul Dini & Marc Andreyko
Illustrated By: Dustin Nguyen & Jeremy Haun
Published By: DC Comics
I've been a Batman guy since the late 60s/early 70s, and I really love the old-sch
ool approach of a lead feature and a backup. And this title has a great lead fea
ture and a great backup...not really innovative but just plain good. I'm all abo
ut series that you can count on to be a good read month after month without havi
ng to run out and buy a lot of other crap.
Comics Should Be Good Contributor Greg Hatcher
#71. The Brave & The Bold
Written By: J. Michael Straczynski
Illustrated By: Jesus Saiz
Published By: DC Comics
Since Straczynski climbed on board to right this ship, it's been smooth-sailing.
Good stories, great art, and fun character pairings.
CBR Reviewer Doug Zawisza
#70. Big Questions
Written & Illustrated By: Anders Nilsen
Published By: Drawn & Quarterly
It's not just that Nilsen's series, about a flock of talking birds whose lives a
re irrevocably changed when a plane crashes in their midst, asks the "big questi
ons" about violence, death, love, and whether we can ever really understand the
point of any of it. It's that both his writing and his achingly vulnerable art h
ave the guts not to answer them.
- Robot 6 Contributor Sean T. Collins
#69. Strange Tales
Written & Illustrated By: Various
Published By: Marvel Comics
Peter Bagge, Paul Pope, Dash Shaw, Molly Crabapple, Tony Millionaire, etc., etc.
, etc. Marvel's three-issue series featuring indie creators' takes on famous her
oes and villains was inspired. Really hoping for a second round.

Staff Writer Shaun Manning

#68. Missing The Boat: The Offered Salvation & Inevitable Demise of the Churaman
e
Written By: Wayne Chinsang/Justin Shady
Illustrated By: Dwellephant
Published By: Image Comics
I'm afraid this small hardcover book at Shadowline got overlooked when it was re
leased earlier this year. At first, it seems silly and over-the-top, but by the
end develops into a touching, heartfelt, and often laugh-out-loud funny story o
f the two creatures who missed Noah's Ark through their own laziness, thus doomi
ng their species.
CBR Columnist & Reviewer Augie DeBlieck
#67. Mysterious The Unfathomable
Written By: Jeff Parker
Illustrated By: Tom Fowler
Published By: Wildstorm
The tale of how a sleazy magician and his latest assistant are dragged into an o
ff-kilter world of magic carried off its set of genre tropes and hocus pocus tur
ns with more charm and style than big two comics can typically pull off. Parker'
s script and characters make the mundane feel bizarre while Fowler's lyrical art
warrants new jaw-dropping with each page.
News Editor Kiel Phegley
#66. Power Girl
Written By: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Illustrated By: Amanda Conner
Published By: DC Comics
Who would have thought "Power Girl" could be this much fun? Once again, Palmiott
i and Gray prove they can write great stories about any character, and Amanda Co
nner's art is outstanding. Easily one of, if not the best new series of 2009.
Contributing Writer Brian LeTendre
#65. Killer of Demons
Written By: Christopher Yost
Illustrated By: Scott Wegener
Published By: Image Comics
Dave is an average office worker that can see demons, and a cigar-smoking baby w
ith wings is telling him to kill them all. Christopher Yost's hilariously macabr
e approach to the slaying of evil creatures is second only to "Atomic Robo" crea
tor Scott Wegener's depiction of every demonic decapitation.
Staff Writer Steve Sunu
#64. G.I. Joe: Cobra
Written By: Mike Costa & Christos N. Gage

Illustrated By: Antonio Fuso

Published By: IDW
I'm a big G.I. Joe fan but when IDW announced that they were rebooting the Hasbr
o franchise I wasn't interested. I'm an even bigger fan of Cobra, though, so my
curiosity did lead me to pick up the "G.I. Joe: Cobra" mini-series which promise
d to explore the enigmatic evil organization through the eyes of an undercover G
.I. Joe operative, and I'm glad I did. What readers of the series got was a noir
ish spy drama comparable to Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips undercover masterpiece
"Sleeper." The story and characters were excellent, and so was the art.
Staff Writer Dave Richards
#63. The Stuff of Legend
Written By: Mike Raicht & Brian Smith
Illustrated By: Charles Paul Wilson III
Published By: Th3rd World Studios
Although it was only a two-issue series, this title delivered with a smart story
and a fantastic adventure. Plus, the interesting size format truly made it feel
like a children's story gone wrong. Let's face it
folks never outgrow their fea
r of the Bogey Man.
Staff Writer George Tramountanas
#62. Beasts of Burden
Written By: Evan Dorkin
Illustrated By: Jill Thompson
Published By: Dark Horse
A group of neighborhood animals solving gruesome crimes of the supernatural
only
in comics, folks! Though beyond being the kind of high concept that Hollywood r
uns from, the real strengths of "Beasts of Burden" are the craft chops on displa
y in each issue, from Dorkin's whip-smart scripting to Thompson's lush, storyboo
k painting. It's really creepy in parts, too.
News Editor Kiel Phegley
#61. Final Crisis
Written By: Grant Morrison
Illustrated By: J.G. Jones, Doug Mahnke, Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy
Published By: DC Comics
Grant Morrison made a monster. Whatever your problems with how it was situated w
ithin the DC line, the Morrison-penned chapters of this thrillingly, even experi
mentally, paced event comic
from "Submit" to "Supeman Beyond" to "Batman: Last R
ites" to "Final Crisis" itself presented one of superhero comics' most graphical
ly and narratively inventive and convincing takes on Evil ever. And in the end,
its portrayal of heroism was just as bold, unusual, and haunting.
- Robot 6 contributor Sean T. Collins
#60. Captain America
Written By: Ed Brubaker
Illustrated By: Luke Ross, Butch Guice, Various
Published By: Marvel Comics

Quite possibly the greatest praise that one can give Ed Brubaker's run on "Capta
in America" is that, several years after "killing" Steve Rogers off, 2009 began
without the fans demanding that he be brought back. It seems that most everyone
pretty much bought into Bucky Barnes as Cap, and when "Captain America: Reborn"
was announced, there was an actual debate as to whether or not Rogers should rec
laim his mantle. When one stops to ruminate on the fact that Bucky was long cons
idered one of comics biggest untouchable dead characters, never to be resurrecte
d, it makes what Brubaker has accomplished all the more impressive.
Senior Editor Stephen Gerding
#59. Children of the Sea
Written & Illustrated By: Daisuke Igarashi
Published By: Viz
An original spin on an old plot a headstrong girl makes friends with two children
who were raised in the sea, literally, and has to deal with the complications th
at ensue. Igarashi's art is absolutely gorgeous, and he has an eye for the telli
ng details that make each scene come to life.
Robot 6 Contributor Brigid Alverson
#58. Little Nothings, Vol. 2: The Prisoner Syndrome
Written & Illustrated By: Lewis Trondheim
Published By: NBM
Lewis Trondheim is a fascinating man, in part because so many of his little neur
oses mirror my own. This collection of his observations on life hit dead on for
me, and his beautifully watercolored sketchy art has more life than many of tod
ay's top comic artists' finished work.
CBR Columnist & Reviewer Augie DeBlieck
#57. The Incredible Hercules
Written By: Fred Van Lente & Greg Pak
Illustrated By: Clayton Henry, Rodney Buchemi, Dietrich Smith, Ryan Stegman & Re
illy Brown
Published By: Marvel Comics
"Incredible Hercules'" continues to be the best superhero comic on the market. T
he stories are a mix of great elements: action, excitement, pathos, and best of
all humor. The characters continue to be fascinating as well. Thanks to this ser
ies, Hercules is now one of my favorite characters, and even though he's a god,
he's one of the most human of Marvel's heroes. Plus, this year Pak and Van Lente
showed that Herc's sidekick, Amadeus Cho, was just as compelling a character as
the titular god. Also you'll notice this book had several different artists thi
s year, but that didn't disrupt the feel of the series one iota, which is anothe
r testament to just how good the title is.
Staff Writer Dave Richards
#56. The Squirrel Machine
Written & Illustrated By: Hans Rickheit
Published By: Fantagraphics

Few artists in comics can tell surreal stories with the level of clarity and pre
cision that Hans Rickheit achieves in his original graphic novel "The Squirrel M
achine." In the same way that David Lynch squeezes compelling characters and mem
orable scenes onto film amid dark and obscured circumstances, Rickheit renders a
feeling portrait of a young mad scientist named Edmund in one of the 2009's mos
t inimitable reads.
Contributing Writer Brian Warmoth
#55. Luna Park
Written By: Kevin Baker
Illustrated By: Danijel Zezelj
Published By: DC Comics/Vertigo
Kevin Baker's first graphic novel is a masterful look at Russian lives intersect
ing in Brighton Beach and in the old country as generations of men and women act
out the same script and learn all too little from their experiences as they str
uggle to survive. Danijel Zezelj demonstrates once again that he is a great arti
st and one of the most talented creators working in comics today.
- Staff Writer Alex Deuben
#54. The Lone Ranger
Written By: Brett Matthews
Illustrated By: Sergio Cariello
Published By: Dynamite Entertainment
It's a really tough and cool Western, and I love Westerns. I also love how Matth
ews takes a story we all knew and stands it sideways to make it fresh and new ag
ain. Cariello's art is terrific, and John Cassaday's covers are always a treat.
I wish it came out more regularly, but on the other hand, it's nice that "The Lo
ne Ranger" comes out at all.
Comics Should Be Good Contributor Greg Hatcher
#53. Cockbone
Written & Illustrated By: Josh Simmons
Published By: Self-published
Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover. Josh Simmons's horrifying tale of a
brutal family, their grotesquely exploited golden child, and the cruel comeuppa
nce they all receive, comes stapled between a wrinkled, grease-stained brown pap
er bag, as if to indicate that the images and emotions captured here aren't fit
for public consumption. It takes a truly fearless, uncompromising, and gifted ar
tist to present them to us anyway.
Robot 6 contributor Sean T. Collins
#52. Agents of ATLAS
Written By Jeff Parker
Illustrated By: Carlo Pagulayan & Gabriel Hardman
Published By: Marvel Comics
It's a terrible shame that the buzz around this book never seemed to move past t
he "It has a gorilla and a robot!" kind of talk because Jeff Parker's retro-futu
ristic superhero book is so much more than kitschy pulp nods. An involved team d

ynamic, a twist on both the hero/villain dynamic and the Dark Reign mega story,
a high concept action adventure these are just the building blocks for Jimmy Woo a
nd gang. I'm almost too busy thanking God "Agents" will live on in miniseries fo
rm to ask this again, but seriously why do people not buy something this good?
News Editor Kiel Phegley
#51. The Middleman: The Doomsday Armageddon Apocalypse
Written By: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Illustrated By: Armando Mendoza
Published By: Viper Comics
We still miss the Middleman TV show, but this was an extraordinarily satisfying
wrapup as well as being a terrific book all by itself, with plenty of introducto
ry material to catch up new readers. A great story in a great package.
Comics Should Be Good Contributor Greg Hatcher
#50. Gotham City Sirens
Written By: Paul Dini
Illustrated By: Guillem March
Published By: DC Comics
It's like "Birds of Prey" with Batman's femme fatales! Everybody wins! Combine e
qual parts Harley, Ivy and Catwoman with a healthy dose of Paul Dini's incredibl
e handle on the characters and Guillem March's sultry success on the female form
and you'll hear the sirens calling in no time.
Staff Writer Steve Sunu
#49. Doom Patrol
Written By: Keith Giffen
Illustrated By: Matthew Clark, Justiniano, Livesay
Published By: DC Comics
One of the best editorially directed relaunches of the year, "Doom Patrol" could
n't have have been better matched with its creative team. Keith Giffen ignited t
he classic group's new outing with a "Doctor Who"-caliber storyarc that has mana
ged to be accessible even while leveraging past continuity. Livesay's inks were
perfectly synced to the series' dark sci-fi, giving Matthew Clark and Justiniano
's lines the kind of modern clarity with a rusty razor's touch that Howard Chayk
in should be proud of.
Contributing Writer Brian Warmoth
#48. Punisher
Written By: Rick Remender
Illustrated By: Various
Published By: Marvel Comics
Giddily trashy, this would be the cult comic of the year if it weren't so unabas
hedly appealing to the mainstream. But this is still a subversive little gem of
a superhero comic.
Columnist & Reviewer Timothy Callahan

#47. X-Factor
Written By: Peter David
Illustrated By: Valentine de Landro, Marco Santucci
Published By: Marvel Comics
Peter David's dry wit and a tightly-composed year-long story arc combined to mak
e X-Factor Marvel's most consistently solid X-title this year, even if the detec
tive angle was lost. David's skill lies in turning B-listers like Shatterstar an
d Darwin into fan favourites, as with Madrox and Layla Miller before them. A rel
aunch with the series' 200th issue promises that the title will be even better n
ext year.
CBR Reviewer James Hunt
#46. Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror #15
Written & Illustrated By: Various
Published By: Bongo Comics
2009 gave editor Sammy Harkham a lot of much-deserved recognition following 2008
's over-sized $125 "Kramer's Ergot 7" anthology. In addition to bringing his tal
ents to "VICE Magazine," Harkham received an invitation to oversee this year's "
Treehouse of Horror" special for Bongo. This landmark joining of one of mainstre
am entertainment's most popular cartoons with an indie creative team including J
effrey Brown, Jordan Crane and Kevin Huizenga erected a tower of diverse and ato
mically hilarious stories that will make for a tough act to follow in 2010.
Contributing Writer Brian Warmoth
#45. Fantastic Four
Written By: Mark Millar, Jonathan Hickman
Illustrated By: Bryan Hitch, Dale Eaglesham
Published By: Marvel Comics
When
d to
ceed
ulia

Millar and Hitch's run was coming to an end, I was admittedly quite prepare
drop "Fantastic Four" as I couldn't think of a team that could properly suc
them. And then Marvel puts together the most unexpected partnership since J
Roberts and Lyle Lovett
Jonathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham. Brilliant.

Staff Writer Jeffrey Renaud

#44. Stylish Vittles, Vol. 4
Written & Illustrated By: Tyler Page
Published By: Self-Published via Dementian Comics at http://www.stylishvittles.c
om/
The long-awaited conclusion to Tyler Page's epic autobiographical tale of colleg
e sweetheart love. This one started as a webcomic before making it to print in
a much smaller format than the last three volumes, but it's still satisfying and
provides the closure fans have been waiting years for. Page plays with standard
comic book autobiographical convention convincingly.
Columnist & Reviewer Augie De Blieck
#43. The Incredibles
Written By: Mark Waid

Illustrated By: Marcio Takara

Published By: BOOM! Studios
Half a decade after the movie hit theaters, we're finally rewarded with a comic
series that should have been started right after the movie's release.
CBR Reviewer Doug Zawisza
#42. Sweet Tooth
Written & Illustrated By: Jeff Lemire
Published By: DC Comics/Vertigo
Like a backwoods collision of the barren apocalyptic landscape of Cormac McCarth
y's "The Road" and the muddied vision of humanity shown in the Harmony Korine fi
lm "Gummo," Jeff Lemire's "Sweet Tooth" fit sensibly into DC's Vertigo imprint,
but also expanded the publisher's breadth of pamphlet comics styles with Lemire'
s uniquely conceived world of animal children.
Contributing Writer Brian Warmoth
#41. I Kill Giants
Written By: Joe Kelly
Illustrated By: JM Ken Nimura
Published By: Image Comics
A story unlike any other this year in a comic that didn't look like anything els
e this year. Engaging, powerful stuff from Kelly and Numura.
Columnist & Reviewer Timothy Callahan
#40. Incognito
Written By: Ed Brubaker
Illustrated By: Sean Phillips
Published By: Icon
One of the best teams in comics does it again! If you enjoy their "Criminal" ser
ies but miss the superheroics found in "Sleeper," check out this book of a super
-criminal in witness protection. It feels so real and gritty, you'll want to tak
e a shower after reading it.
Staff Writer George Tramountanas
#39. Footnotes in Gaza
Written & Illustrated By: Joe Sacco
Published By: Metropolitan Books
Joe Sacco returns to Palestine and considers the history of the
he events around a massacre in the town of Khan Younis in 1956.
aking story that begs to be read at a furious pace and in small
o much at once can more than anyone can bear. Sacco remains one
rtant cartoonists of our time.
Staff Writer Alex Dueben

Gaza Strip and t

It is a heartbre
doses because to
of the most impo

#38. Mr. Stuffins

Written By: Johanna Stokes & Andrew Cosby
Illustrated By: Axel Medellin
Published By: BOOM! Studios
This tale of a toy teddy bear accidentally imprinted with superintelligent espio
nage software is simply made of awesome. I loved it, my wife loved it, my studen
ts loved it, everyone loved it. Unreservedly recommended to everyone.
Comics Should Be Good Contributor Greg Hatcher
#37. Dark Avengers
Written By: Brian Michael Bendis
Illustrated By: Mike Deodato
Published By: Marvel Comics
Norman Osborn's team of villains masquerading as heroes have been the lynchpin o
f the Dark Reign event that defined Marvel's output in 2009. Filled with widescr
een action, eye-popping plot twists and fantastic artwork, it's arguably the one
title Marvel fans had to read this year.
CBR Reviewer James Hunt
#36. Young Liars
Written & Illustrated By: David Lapham
Published By: DC Comics/Vertigo
To paraphrase what I wrote in my review of the final issue of this series, "Youn
g Liars" was a brilliant, challenging, ambitious, audacious, flat-out insane ser
ies that, let's be honest, lasted longer than anyone really thought it would, bu
t was still taken before it's time. A comic that was increasingly challenging an
d rewarding, engrossing and demanding, fun and energetic. David Lapham proved, o
nce again, that he is a comic book genius and master storyteller.
CBR Reviewer Chad Nevett
#35. The Life And Times of Savior 28
Written By: J.M. DeMatteis
Illustrated By: Mike Cavallaro
Published By: IDW
The best book of 2009 that (unfortunately) only the critics seemed to hear about
. Based on an unused Captain America pitch belonging to DeMatteis, the writer cr
afted a superhero story that's smart, heartfelt, and relevant. Cavallaro's art i
s a revelation as well. Pick up the trade ASAP!
Staff Writer George Tramountanas
#34. Locke & Key
Written By: Joe Hill
Illustrated By: Gabriel Rodriguez
Published By: IDW
"Locke and Key" is a title that I came into a bit late, somehow managing to miss
even hearing about the initial mini-series. Instead, I arrived at the show with
the second collection in mid-2009. Even after having caught up with the entire

story to date, I'm constantly amazed and impressed with Joe Hill and Gabriel Rod
riguez's story, which manages to be complex without becoming overly complicated,
successfully marrying horror, teen angst, fantasy and family drama into a singl
e compelling tale. In all honestly, I can't recommend the title highly enough.
Senior Editor Stephen Gerding
#33. Pim & Francie
Written & Illustrated By: Al Columbia
Published By: Fantagraphics
It's very rare that a year's long wait for any kind of art pays off in the way y
ou want it to, but damn Al Columbia. While the cartoonist produces (or at least re
leases) very little to the public, his works have whet the appetite of serious c
omics readers in strange and desperate ways over his career, and with "Pim & Fra
ncie" we finally get a longer work to justify the years of talking up the cartoo
nists talent. A totally creepy homage to the ink blot stylings of the early anim
ation era, the book works as part horror comic, part abstract tour de force, par
t satire and all face melter, cementing Columbia's place as one of the most uniq
ue and mysterious voices in comics.
News Editor Kiel Phegley
#32. Hark! A Vagrant
Written & Illustrated By: Kate Beaton
Published By: Self-published at http://www.harkavagrant.com/
The immediate draw of Kate Beaton's mostly history-themed comics is almost too e
vident to bear repeating
an expressive, cute cartooning style, razor sharp humor
and a subject matter often overlooked by too many other comics. It's no wonder
the print collection of her online strip
"Never Learn Anything From History"
was
a smash on the summer con circuit. But still, the more of Beaton's comics you r
ead, the more her mix of satirical pop culture nods, deceptively simple characte
r work and signature line work add up to a lot more than fart jokes about Beetho
ven's crabby nephew. The fart jokes are great, though.
News Editor Kiel Phegley
#31. Invincible Iron Man
Written By: Matt Fraction
Illustrated By: Salvador Larocca
Published By: Marvel Comics
Tony Stark's fall from grace after the Secret Invasion has been gripping, must-s
ee entertainment over the past 12 months, as Matt Fraction took Stark from king
of the world to near-invalid in an effort to protect the superhero community fro
m Norman Osborn. Sometimes it's a guilty pleasure to watch someone break somethi
ng, just so they can put it back together.
Robot 6 Editor John Parkin
#30. B.P.R.D. 1947
Written By: Mike Mignola & Joshua Dysart
Illustrated By: Fbio Moon & Gabriel B
Published By: Dark Horse

Every year, Mike Mignola's expansive "Hellboy universe" of released grows increm
entally, and every year I marvel at how consistently great the line remains desp
ite so much material hitting the shelves. And while 2009 saw some motion on the
Hellboy proper story front, the real standout of what may be the best "superhero
" line in comics was this intensely character-focused vampire throwback. From Mi
gnola and Dysart's off kilter narrative focusing on WWII veterans to Moon and B's
virtuoso performance playing off each other, "1947" is every bit as entertainin
g as any installment in the Hellboy saga.
News Editor Kiel Phegley
#29. A Drifting Life
Written & Illustrated By: Yoshihiro Tatsumi
Published By: Drawn & Quarterly
Who knew a mammoth, 800+ autobiography about a manga artist you've never heard o
f could be so fascinating? In the case of "A Drifting Life," though, it's not ju
st about the creator (whose life post-World War II is engrossing) but about the
re-invention of comics in Japan, even as those same moments are just now re-occu
rring in North America. This is a must-read for anyone interested in comics.
CBR Reviewer Greg McElhatton
#28. Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth
Written By: Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos H. Papadimitriou
Illustrated By: Alecos Papadatos and Annie Di Donna
Published By: Bloomsbury
The authors use the life of mathematician and philosopher Bertrand Russell to te
ll a larger story about the foundations of mathematical logic. They do a masterf
ul job of combining the human interest of the characters and explaining the math
ematical issues they are discussing. Not just for nerds!
Robot 6 Contributor Brigid Alverson
#27. The Muppet Show Comic Book
Written & Illustrated By: Roger Langridge
Published By: BOOM! Studios
I grew up on the show. I watched repeats of the show on Nickelodeon as an adult.
I bought the DVDs of the series before I ever had a child. And Roger Langridge
beautifully keeps the characters and the series alive now in comic book form for
Boom! Studios. I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Columnist & Reviewer Augie De Blieck
#26. Batgirl
Written By: Bryan Q. Miller
Illustrated By: Lee Garbett
Published By: DC Comics
Bryan Q. Miller has creating Gotham's newest dynamic duo in this book. The relat
ionship that's developing between Oracle and Batgirl is great, and Stephanie's e
nthusiasm for taking on the mantle of Batgirl is infectious. Miller does a great
job of taking the reader along for the ride as Stephanie comes to accept the ma
ntle of Batgirl while adding her own personality to the cowl.

Contributing Writer Brian LeTendre

#25. Fables
Written By: Bill Willingham
Illustrated By: Mark Buckingham & Various
Published By: DC Comics/Vertigo
This book is so well done each month, I can't imagine a world where it doesn't e
xist. Mr. Willingham is in his early fifties, so by my estimation, he should hav
e no problem continuing on with "Fables" until at least #500. No pressure, sir.
Staff Writer Jeff Renaud
#24. Seaguy: Slaves of Mickey Eye
Written By: Grant Morrison
Illustrated By: Cameron Stewart
Published By: DC Comics/Vertigo
Seaguy's journey from boy to man continues as he rebels against Mickey Eye and t
he status quo in this wonderfully metafictional tour de force by Grant Morrison
and Cameron Stewart. Absurdly funny and biting in its critique of superhero comi
cs, it also delivers an engrossing story, and stunning storytelling.
CBR Reviewer Chad Nevett
#23. Stitches: A Memoir
Written & Illustrated By: David Small
Published By: WW Norton
David Small's "Stitches" is an astonishingly haunting comic memoir that, as grea
t as it is, I wonder if some of you might wish to skip this one. It is not for t
he faint of heart to see a young boy be given radiation by his doctor father for
years to help cure some sinus problems only to have the radiation cause a tumor
to grow in his throat, leading to a horrific operation, a gross scar and a lack
of the ability to speak for years!
And that might not even be the most messed up aspect of Small's life story!
No, that would be the undercurrent of oppression that goes on in his childhood h
ousehold, which we see as vignettes from over the years. Small is a great artist
, and he does a superb job of depicting the stark horror of his life when he nee
ds to. This is a wonderfully horrible book.
Comics Should Be Good Blog Manager Brian Cronin
#22. The Book of Genesis
Written & Illustrated By: R. Crumb
Published By: WW Norton
To describe what R. Crumb has done as mere illustration does a disservice. Crumb
makes judgments, alters meaning and elucidates, but he also does something else
, giving internal life to the characters whose action seem fated and out of thei
r hands. The book is both a critique of the faith being established in these pag
es and a consideration of how life was lived at the time the stories took place.
Crumb has always been a artist of the physical and the sensual and he gives uni

que form to the Bible with this work.

Staff Writer Alex Dueben
#21. Blackest Night
Written By: Geoff Johns
Illustrated By: Ivan Reis
Published By: DC Comics
Geoff Johns' big event finally arrived in the summer of 2009, and I never though
t I'd be so happy to see a ton of zombies swarm Smallville. Along with artist Iv
an Reis, Johns is tying together a whole mess of continuity from way back in the
DCU's history. Even if you're slightly confused by the historical aspects of th
e plot, there's still something for everyone in "Blackest Night:" zombies, heroi
cs and a Flash/Green Lantern team-up.
Staff Writer Steve Sunu
#20. Ganges
Written & Illustrated By: Kevin Huizenga
Published By: Fantagraphics
In the latest issue of his Ignatz Line series, Kevin Huizenga takes an everyday
situation
the agony of not being able to sleep and turns it into a brilliant, in
sightful comic with inventive layouts and dead-on emotion. I'll never look at in
somnia the same way again.
Robot 6 Editor John Parkin
#19. 20th Century Boys
Written & Illustrated By: Naoki Urasawa
Published By: Viz
It's hard for me to think of another manga I enjoyed more this year. Urasawa's t
ale of a young man facing off against a dangerous cult is one of the more pleasu
rable thrill-ride reads I've experienced in recent memory.
Robot 6 Contributor Chris Mautner
#18. Air
Written By: G. Willow Wilson
Illustrated By: M.K. Perker
Published By: DC Comics/Vertigo
Vertigo's best series in years, hands down. Jittery
lane powered by the collective unconscious (more or
ney is discerning friend from foe - including Zayn,
attraction but who might just be a terrorist. Also:
Staff Writer Shaun Manning
#17. Ex Machina
Written By: Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrated By: Tony Harris
Published By: Wildstorm

heroine Blythe navigates a p

less), but the trickier jour
for whom she feels a strong
Amelia Earhardt. Amazing.

I hear BKV's voice so clearly through Mitchell Hundred it's as though I'm one of
the mechanical devices the Great Machine communicates with. And the art of Tony
Harris is pitch perfect. I can't believe it's all coming to end in just three i
ssues.
Staff Writer Jeff Renaud
#16. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century
Written By: Alan Moore
Illustrated By: Kevin O'Neill
Published By: Top Shelf Productions
DC's loss is Top Shelf's gain, as everyone's favorite Victorian adventures move
into the 20th century and absolutely return to form.
Columnist Brian Hibbs
#15. Pluto
Written By: Naoki Urasawa with Takashi Nagasaki
Illustrated By: Naoki Urasawa
Published By: Viz
I never thought the original "Astro Boy" storyline by Osamu Tezuka was that inte
resting, but Naoki Urasawa's brand-new adaptation is engrossing. Urasawa transfo
rms Tezuka's ideas into a combination of hard-boiled mystery, oppression of seco
nd-class-citizens, and science-fiction extravaganza. Urasawa is great with his o
wn concepts, but "Pluto" is the merging of two masters of comics.
CBR Reviewer Greg McElhatton
#14. Irredeemable
Written By: Mark Waid
Illustrated By: Peter Krause
Published By: BOOM! Studios
When Mark Waid
" and "Kingdom
his point. So
fe depicted in
along for the

said he was creating the third chapter that he began with "Empire
Come," we had no idea the lengths the BOOM! EIC would go to prove
far, the Plutonian has ravaged every part of his former heroic li
exquisite detail by Peter Krause and we couldn't be happier to be
ride.

Staff Writer Steve Sunu

#13. Amazing Spider-Man
Written & Illustrated By: Various
Published By: Marvel Comics
Between issue #600, the return of Mary Jane and the death of the Daily Bugle, th
is has been a very interesting year for Spidey. The rotation of creative teams h
as kept the stories from getting stale, and "The Gauntlet" promises to be a fun
ride in 2010. Even with the sheer number of creators working on ASM, the book ha
s felt very consistent, and Editor Stephen Wacker deserves a ton of credit for t
hat.
Contributing Writer Brian LeTendre

#12. Wednesday Comics

Written & Illustrated By: Various
Published By: DC Comics
"Wednesday Comics" may have been a lot to ask of readers with a weekly $3.99 pri
ce of admission, but the stage that the book's editor Mark Chiarello put togethe
r was a veritable Woodstock of DC Comics' living talent. The epic scope of Dave
Gibbons and Ryan Sook's Kamandi story together with the explosive moments in Joh
n Arcudi and Lee Bermejo's Superman pages and Paul Pope's mesmerizing Adam Strag
e illustrations packed the series' newsprint pages with a formidable tour of the
DCU in an inspired homage now non-existent full-page newspaper comics.
Contributing Writer Brian Warmoth
#11. Phonogram
Written By: Kieron Gillen
Illustrated By: Jamie McKelvie
Published By: Image Comics
Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie display unparalleled mastery of the comic form
in this music-is-magic series composed of interconnected done-in-ones. Fantastic
artwork, brilliant writing, every issue crammed with extras and all for only $3
.50. Can't more comics be this good?
CBR Reviewer James Hunt
#10. Batman & Robin
Written By: Grant Morrison
Illustrated By: Frank Quitely & Philip Tan
Published By: DC Comics
Morrison tends to amp things to a degree that only works for him - his ultra-dis
turbing Joker hasn't been seen much since that first appearance, and of course m
ost of his real outre ideas in "New X-Men" have since been tamped down or muted.
But man, going beyond that edge really does work for him, and his "B&R" baddies
are amazing and made all the more sick by Quitely's detailed art.
Staff Writer Shaun Manning
#9. The Photographer
Written By: Didier Lefvre and Emmanuel Guibert
Illustrated By: Emmanuel Guibert and Frdric Lemercier
Published By: First Second
A look at Afghanistan, the photographer Didier Lefevre and the work of Mdecins sa
ns Frontires (Doctors without Borders). Cartoonist Emmanuel Guibert and Lefevre h
ave crafted a work that is heartbreaking and inspiring and unforgettable. It is
a tribute to Lefevre, the doctors of MSF who selflessly give so much to the worl
d, and to the people of Afghanistan. "The Photographer" is essential reading and
at a time when Afghanistan looms so large in the American psyche, it should be
required.
Staff Writer Alex Dueben

#8. Unwritten
Written By: Mike Carey
Illustrated By: Peter Gross
Published By: DC Comics/Vertigo
"The Unwritten" is essentially a story about the power of stories, and, as both
a writer and a reader, I find that fascinating. Carey has populated his story wi
th a very human and likeable protagonist and memorable and mysterious villains.
Plus, this is a series that explores history with guest appearances by famous au
thors. When you add that all together with Peter Gross's great art, you get one
of the best books being published today.
Staff Writer Dave Richards
#7. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Universe
Written & Illustrated By: Bryan Lee O'Malley
Published By: Oni Press
"Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe" is the penultimate book in the "Scott Pilgrim"
saga, and Bryan Lee O'Malley is making it worth the wait. There's still all the
kick-butt action you've come to expect, but watching Scott have to start growing
up, both professionally and emotionally, is engrossing. A huge turning-point fo
r the series, I'm finding myself desperate for the conclusion.
CBR Reviewer Greg McElhatton
#6. Driven By Lemons
Written & Illustrated By: Josh Cotter
Published By: Ad House Books
Joshua W. Cotter became an indie and minicomics fixture with his series-turned-g
raphic-novel "Skyscrapers of the Midwest," and in his follow-up from AdHouse Boo
ks this year marked an operatically ambitious attempt at visual stream of consci
ousness that wanders his frenetic vignettes of culture and urban landscape.
Contributing Writer Brian Warmoth
#5. Scalped
Written By: Jason Aaron
Illustrated By: R.M. Guera, David Furno, Francesco Francavilla
Published By: DC Comics/Vertigo
"Scalped", Jason Aaron's Native American crime saga had another year of fantasti
c character-driven stories that were powerful, exciting, funny and often heartbr
eaking. The art by R.M. Guera, David Furno, and Francesco Francavilla only serve
d to further enhance the already gritty feel of this series. I said it last year
and I'll say it again this year because I think it really does sum up this seri
es: "Scalped" is the four color equivalent of HBO's late great television series
"The Wire". If you were a fan of that show and you're not reading this book, st
op reading this list, run down to the comic shop and grab the collected editions
of "Scalped." You''ll be glad that you did.
Staff Writer Dave Richards
#4. Chew
Written By: John Layman

Illustrated By: Rob Rob Guillory

Published By: Image Comics
Whodathunk that the ongoing adventures of a police detective who gets psychic fe
edback from whatever he eats would be the most entertaining new book of 2009? Jo
hn Layman and Rob Guillory have created a place that is so much fun to visit, it
makes heading back to reality far less appetizing.
Staff Writer Jeff Renaud
#3. Parker: The Hunter
Written & Illustrated By: Darwyn Cooke
Published By: IDW
The adaptation of Richard Stark's debut of the infamous Parker is a visually str
ong work, particularly the opening sequence where Parker returns to the city and
sets up the means to get his money back. Cooke's pacing is perfect and his art
is top notch as always.
CBR Reviewer Chad Nevett
#2. Detective Comics
Written By: Greg Rucka
Illustrated By: J.H.Williams III and Cully Hamner
Published By: DC Comics
There were plenty of skeptics when it was announced that "Detective Comics" woul
d be featuring Batwoman and The Question, but it's turned out to be the best Bat
-book going in the wake of "Final Crisis." J.H. Williams III is putting on a mon
thly clinic about sequential storytelling and panel work, and Rucka has made Kat
e Kane and Renee Montoya two of the more interesting characters in the DC Univer
se.
Contributing Writer Brian LeTendre
#1. Asterios Polyp
Written & Illustrated By: David Mazzucchelli
Published By: Pantheon
I know it's a conventional choice, but I think there's a very good reason why it's because it is really, really good!
David Mazzucchelli has been working on this book for - literally - years, and al
l that time and effort shows in what can only be called one of the most brillian
tly designed comic books ever. The design work on this book is on par with the b
est of Chris Ware, and since Chris Ware is one of the best comic book designers
there is, that's heady praise indeed. Characters, settings and times are all dep
icted by specific colors, making it a unique and rewarding reading experience.
The main character of the book, Asterios Polyp, sees his apartment destroyed by
lightning, and is driven to the point where he takes a bus and travels to a whol
e new world in another part of the US. As he goes on this journey, we learn all
about his past, including his broken marriage (we're guided on this journey at t
imes by Polyp's never-born twin brother, which is just one of many dualities wit
hin the work).
The plot of the book, strictly speaking, is not the key to this work. It's about

how the characters interact with each other and how Mazzucchelli depicts these
interactions with his art, and even his lettering with each person being given h
is or her own hand-lettered font. We're talking about a serious labor of love he
re - a labor of love that is the top book of 2009.
Comics Should Be Good Blog Manager Brian Cronin