Best Funnybook
I suppose that, really, this is the award for “best on-going series” or some such, since single issues, OGNs, and mini-series have already been honored. And on-going series are different, an art unto themselves with different problems and strengths, and different writing tricks to play. But “Best Funnybook” just sounds better, so let’s go with that.
One of the great advantages of the on-going series is the open-ended storytelling format, which allows a writer to develop his characters slowly over time, and in greater depth than even a novel allows. The flip-side of that, of course, is serial characters that run on for too long, as is the case with the vast majority of the big corporate super heroes. Writing those properties is a neat trick, requiring constant slight reinvention to keep things fresh, but always keeping an eye on the status quo to ensure that things don’t wander too far off from the original concept.
So that’s what I look for in on-going series. And with that in mind, let’s take a look at the nominees, the first of which tosses all that right out the window…
by Malachai and Ethan Nicolle
by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming
by Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, and Russ Braun
Batman
by Grant Morrison and Various Artists
A blanket nomination for all of Grant Morrison’s 2010 Batman work, including Batman & Robin and Return of Bruce Wayne. As I’ve said before, this has been one of the most complex super hero stories ever written, delving into mythology, philosophy, game theory, insane pop comics fun, and character writing so sharp you could cut your own throat with it. The only real failing of the series is artistic: though most of Morrison’s collaborators turned in stellar work (Cam Stewart and Frazer Irving in particular), the lack of a consistent artistic voice is disappointing in a series with long-term writing this strong.
by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larrocca
Fables
I often think of this series as “the little funnybook that could.” It’s seldom brilliant, but it’s always good. Keeping up that sort of track record for 100 issues is nothing short of amazing, and it would deserve this nomination for that if nothing else. But Mark Buckingham turns in some genuinely great artwork here, and the surprise that Bill Willingham delivered in the 100th issue made me like the book more than I have since the war with the Adversary ended.
As with Grant Morrison’s win for Best Writer… Was there ever really any doubt? Powers may have won the Funnybook Battle a few months back, but in 2010, Batman really was the best comic I read. It’s a work of great thematic depth, plot complexity, and mythic resonance (sneak peek at my eventual giant lit-crit dissection of the run: Morrison’s been adapting the life of the Buddha into super hero form!). But it’s also work that shows a rock-solid grasp of character, especially the leads of Batman & Robin: Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne.
In 2010, Morrison made sense of Grayson as an adult character for the first time, bringing the character’s laughing daredevil “blitz of a boy” days in line with his more tight-assed Teen Titans years. Dick struggled to fill Bruce’s boots and still be his own man, and he brought a seat-of-his-pants grace to the role of Batman that’s been fun to read.
But Morrison’s really stellar character work was on Damian, giving the Bat-Brat a delicately layered personality. Half-hidden behind blustery walls of over-confidence and regal brattiness is a young boy desperate for his father’s approval, and in need of a subtle guiding hand. Damian’s slowly-developed “kid brother” relationship with Dick Grayson defined both characters in 2010, and their jokingly-combative dynamic was one of the more entertaining character interactions of the year.
So with all that going for it, Batman handily takes home the final Dorky of 2010.
And so ends the 2010 Dork Awards. Tomorrow, there’ll be one last look back at 2010, with honorable mentions for books that didn’t quite rate a nomination, stuff I didn’t quite get around to reading, some commentary on the industry as a whole, and of course the real final Dork Award: Biggest Let-Down…
by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
And the winner is…
Batman!
Bat-Party at Hurt's Place! |
As with Grant Morrison’s win for Best Writer… Was there ever really any doubt? Powers may have won the Funnybook Battle a few months back, but in 2010, Batman really was the best comic I read. It’s a work of great thematic depth, plot complexity, and mythic resonance (sneak peek at my eventual giant lit-crit dissection of the run: Morrison’s been adapting the life of the Buddha into super hero form!). But it’s also work that shows a rock-solid grasp of character, especially the leads of Batman & Robin: Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne.
In 2010, Morrison made sense of Grayson as an adult character for the first time, bringing the character’s laughing daredevil “blitz of a boy” days in line with his more tight-assed Teen Titans years. Dick struggled to fill Bruce’s boots and still be his own man, and he brought a seat-of-his-pants grace to the role of Batman that’s been fun to read.
But Morrison’s really stellar character work was on Damian, giving the Bat-Brat a delicately layered personality. Half-hidden behind blustery walls of over-confidence and regal brattiness is a young boy desperate for his father’s approval, and in need of a subtle guiding hand. Damian’s slowly-developed “kid brother” relationship with Dick Grayson defined both characters in 2010, and their jokingly-combative dynamic was one of the more entertaining character interactions of the year.
So with all that going for it, Batman handily takes home the final Dorky of 2010.
BOOM! |
And so ends the 2010 Dork Awards. Tomorrow, there’ll be one last look back at 2010, with honorable mentions for books that didn’t quite rate a nomination, stuff I didn’t quite get around to reading, some commentary on the industry as a whole, and of course the real final Dork Award: Biggest Let-Down…
Special thanks to the I Love Rob Liefeld blog (http://iloverobliefeld.blogspot.com/) for including us in their computing of the internet's overall Best Comics of 2010 list. Can't wait to see how the tally comes out!
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