Last year I stole this idea from Greg, so this year I will continue it and post it before he does. I am such a genius. This will be a list of my favorites of ’08.
Movie: The Dark Knight
Book: This one is hard because most of the books I read did not come out in ’08. Actually this one might be tough to narrow down, but I am going to have to say Joe Abercrombie’s The Last Argument of Kings. Plenty of other candidates though, Bloodheir, Princep’s Fury, and maybe even Snuff.
Album: Dropkick Murpheys: The Meanest of Times. I suggest picking it up.
TV Show: This is another tough one. What show entertained me more than any other? Honestly, I have to say it was not Heroes. Season 4 of Lost is up there, but in the end, only one show caused me to sit up in the mornings after working a long ass midnight shift and watch it on-demand. Ghost Hunters. Seriously, I do not even believe in ghosts, but that Buffalo episode creeped me out.
Now on to the fun part: comics.
Favorite Superhero Series: I know most people will say that All-Star Superman is the best comic out there, and I do not dispute that it is incredibly cool and very well written, but when it comes to my favorite series, it was either Ultimate Spider-Man or Daredevil. I guess if I were forced to pick, I choose DD. Brubaker put our hero through hell (yet again) and in the end the guy still gets to sleep with Dakota North. Damn.
Favorite Non-Superhero Series: 100 Bullets. As the issues tick away, the pieces start to fall together, and I seriously cannot wait for the next issue. I wonder if that has clouded my judgement? Probably, but I do not care. I would have said Fables, but I think they ended the Emperor a bit too quickly, with no more adversary, it is a bit boring.
Favorite Warren Ellis Book: Haha, this is a trick, because my favorite Ellis comic is actually Freakangels, which is free and you can read online. Anything he has done from Avatar though has been pretty sweet so far, such as Gravel or Anna Mercury.
Best New Series: Crossed by Garth Ennis. Seriously fucked up, check it out.
Best TPB or Graphic Novel: Walking Dead: Made to Suffer. Seriously, just when you think they folks may get a little break, establish a life within the walls of the prison, something bad happens. The Governor attacks them and Rick and Carl escape, but his wife and baby daughter are killed during the escape. Whatever bad can happen will happen in this book.
Secret Invasion or Final Crisis: I am going to be honest, I liked most of the things in Secret Invasion, but I have no idea what the hell is going on in Final Crisis.
Anyways, there are some of my favorite things from ’08, let’s hope ’09 rocks.
I want to play. 😀
Album: The last album I loved was Sunset Rubdown’s Random Spirit Lover, but that came out in 2007. 🙁
TV Show: Mad Men Jon Hamm is amazing.
Favorite Superhero Series: Invincible It got a little boring leading up to #50, but since then it’s been as strong as ever.
Favorite Non-Superhero Series: Fear Agent Exciting, funny, sad, and one of the only totally unpredictable ongoing series. I wish Rick Remender had written both Secret Invasion and Final Crisis.
Favorite Warren Ellis Book: It never comes out, but I love Fell.
Best New Series: Secret Six by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott. A really fun read so far. Simone’s Bane is hilarious.
Best TPB or Graphic Novel: Scott Pilgrim Vol 4. Though it’s completely outrageous, it’s very easy to relate to. A great series.
Secret Invasion or Final Crisis : I’ll take Final Crisis I think I’m happier not understanding what’s going on than fully understanding that *nothing* is going on. Grant Morrison owes me, though, after wasting most of my year with Batman R.I.P.
Is Mad Men that good? I need to check it out…
I actually buy Invincible in the collected hardcover form, i still have not bought volume 4. so do not tell me about it….
fell is probably one of the best comics written right now…one of the reasons i love warren ellis.
i will hafta pick up secret six as tpb then, if it is that good…
And okay, let me try to reply sober…
I feel that everything Morrison is doing with Final Crisis has been done before. Hell, in his own run on JLA there was a similar story where Darkseid ruled the Earth in the future and the Atom killed him…
I really need to start reading Scott Pilgrim, I hear nothing but good things.
Mad Men is all kinds of good.
Don’t hesitate on Invincible vol 4. It’s as good as it’s been in a long time.
Scott Pilgrim is great. If I lived anywhere near Bridgeville, I’d lend you Volume 1. 🙂
I haven’t read that JLA arc of Morrison’s, and I’m not in love with Final Crisis, either. Given the choice between SI & FC, though, I went FC, mainly because it has 2 issues to turn out ok, while SI is over and disappointed me. What a crappy year for event comics. 🙁
Well i live like 5 miles from Bridgeville. I wish i knew of a good comic store, i always go back to penn state to get my stuff.
yeah, the event comics really were a let down. civil war was a let down and planet hulk, although at least brubaker turned civil war around by killing cap.
Why are they called “comic” books when they are generally not even funny? Whatever, check out Phantom of the Attic for comics in Pittsburgh. I used to go to the one in Monroeville to…sigh..buy Magic the Gathering cards (which I still play with my little brother..I’m turning him into Nerdzilla). Here is the link for the one downtown, if you haven’t already been there.
http://www.popcitymedia.com/neighborhoods/shopping/phattic.aspx
I wouldn’t be so mad about the latest events if they didn’t start off good. I was really excited going into Civil War, WWH, and Secret Invasion, and they all let me down. Jerks.
Shit, you don’t even live in Bridgeville, huh? I always think you do because that’s what shows up in the IP logs for our site.
I’ve been to the PotA in Monroeville. Nice place, but really small. The shop @ Penn State is awesome.
I agree that these stories always start out awesome. I mean the premise of WWH and then first few issues were so cool, then it ends predictably and boring.
You must live somewhere near Pittsburgh…and you have been to the comic swap, hmm, are you my doppelganger?
Yes, I am. I’ve come to steal your identity and use it to pose nude in many photos.
Damn, I knew this was going to happen someday.