Your Best Comics of 2006

[Elliot Kane]

Blatantly copying my own idea from last year, it's time to once more create massive lists so that everyone can disagree with us! ;D

I have copied all the categories off last year's list, and made a few changes I felt needed making. As ever feel free to add your own categories if you think I've missed any.

BEST COMICS OF 2006:

Best Ongoing Series (US): All Star Superman

Best Mini Series (US): Seven Soldiers

Best Ongoing Series (World): 2000AD

Best mini series (World): N/A

Best Ongoing Series (Manga): N/A

Best Mini Series (Manga): N/A

Best web comic: Incredibly hard one for me, this year. Probably my hardest category. I think Dreamland Chronicles squeaks it over Inverloch, but only by the tiniest margin.

Best epic or event: Seven Soldiers

Most original series: Seven Soldiers

Best writer this year: Grant Morrison. No contest.

Best artist this year: Clint Langley (Slaine in 2000AD)

Best character revamp or reinvention: Frankenstein (Seven Soldiers)

Best title revamp or reinvention: JLA

Most Improved writer this year: N/A

Most improved artist this year: N/A

Best Single Comic Character: All-Star Superman

Best Comic Team: JLA (Which I NEVER thought I would say! ;D)

Best New Character: Hughie, from The Boys

Best new supporting character: All Star Lois Lane

Best New Title: 52

Best Publisher: DC hands down. This one isn't even a contest, for me.

Best New Writer: Brad Meltzer

Best New Artist: N/A

[philster]

Isn't it a bit too soon to declare the JLA as the best team? It's only been three issues after all. I've always been interested in the JLA myself though and it's definitely a nice start so far, but technically they haven't even teamed up officially yet

Also, Meltzer isn't really a "new writer." He's done Green Arrow before if I recall correctly.

Can't really talk too much about American comics as I've just gotten back into it recently, but as for manga:

Best Ongoing Shonen (Kids) Series: Still Naruto for me.

Best Ongoing Seinen (Adult) Series: I'd have to say right now Vagabond interests me the most, with Berserk a close call (not recommended for people with a low tolerance for violent comics, however.)

Best New Manga: Blue Dragon (just started, but looking good so far.)

Best Closing Manga: 20th Century Boys; the last volume is due out this January of a 22-volume series that is absolutely amazing.

Best Manga Artist: Tie between Miura Kentarou (Berserk) and Takehiko Inoue (Vagabond) - both have improved greatly since the beginning of their respective mangas. Miura especially.

Best Manga Writer: Naoki Urasawa (20th Century Boys; Monster), by far.

[Elliot Kane]

If you'd seen the other team titles, Phil, you might see my point... ;D

As for Meltzer, he's new to me, though I know he's been doing comics for a couple years in various forms. It was pretty much him or no-one, and no-one is too depressing ;D

[Gray Lensman]

BEST COMICS OF 2006:

Best Ongoing Series (US): All Star Superman

Best Mini Series (US): Does 52 count? ;D

Best Ongoing Series (World): N/A

Best mini series (World): N/A

Best Ongoing Series (Manga): N/A

Best Mini Series (Manga): N/A

Best web comic: Sluggy Freelance

Best epic or event: 52

Most original series: 52. A weekly series, done by some of the industry's best writers, operating on this scale? It's unprecedented, AFAIK, and honestly I'm amazed it's worked so well.

Best writer this year: Grant Morrison. He hasn't always gotten it right, but when he's hit, he's hit huge.

Best artist this year: Steve McNiven. He's done some great stuff on Civil War.

Best character revamp or reinvention: Iron Man. I have to admit, for all my criticisms of Civil War, turning Tony Stark into a villain was an inspired move. Honorable mention would go to Grant Morrison for creating a Batman I actually like, and to PAD for making Layla Miller into a real character rather than a one-note plot device.

Best title revamp or reinvention: Batman. I absolutely have hated this character in the past decade or so. Yet with Infinite Crisis, and the way Grant Morrison has given Batman some real humanity, I feel like I'm reading a Batman I can actually understand and get behind.

Most Improved writer this year: Marv Wolfman, probably. It's been a while since I've read anything good by him, and yet his Nightwing is pretty solid stuff.

Most improved artist this year: Billy Tan on Uncanny, probably. I didn't much like his earlier stuff, but his current work is pretty decent.

Best Single Comic Character: All-Star Superman.

Best Comic Team: X-Factor

Best New Character: Maxine Hunkel from the new JSA.

Best new supporting character: Layla Miller from X-Factor.

Best New Title: 52

Best Publisher: DC, without a doubt.

Best New Writer: None jumps to mind...

Best New Artist: See above.

[hector]

Best Ongoing Series (US): 52

Best Mini Series (US): Seven Soldiers

Best epic or event: 52

Most original series: 52

Best writer this year: Grant Morrison. The best thing to happen to the industry since The One with the Magnificient Beard.

Best artist this year: Darwyn Cooke just made it with his recently released Batman/Spirit. He is just that good.

Best character revamp or reinvention: Green Lantern. Yeah, technically it happened last year, but that Johns mantained the quality erasing the 20 years of pussyness since Denny O'Neil made him into his retarded straw man is extraordinary. Second place goes to the Question.

Best title revamp or reinvention: Superman and Batman.

Most Improved writer this year: None came into my mind.

Most improved artist this year: Ditto.

Best Single Comic Character: Superman.

Best Comic Team: Secret Six.

Best New Character: Frankestein from SS.

Best new supporting character: I've already said that I can't stand idiotic and stupid know it all girls like Elaine from Lucifer or Misty from SS, that I love Layla Miller is testament of just how amazing she is, so I'll go with her.

Best New Title: 52

Best Publisher: Make Mine DC.

Best New Writer: Dan Slott. Not really that "new" but still.

Best New Artist: Simone Bianchi.